tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post2792684484241791097..comments2024-03-28T08:01:16.665-07:00Comments on GORILLAS DON'T BLOG: Walt Disney World - 1977 Resort Guide, Part 4Major Pepperidgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09843598326995116014noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-47427656899399098512016-09-30T08:55:30.304-07:002016-09-30T08:55:30.304-07:00I've never been to WDW, but I am still enjoyin...I've never been to WDW, but I am still enjoying these old brochures. Thank you, Major and Ken.<br /><br />BTW, these have already been ripped off and posted on another "Disney Documents" site. I saw their post of them last night on Twitter. They did credit GDB, but no link back to this blog, and not a word about Ken. People are rude.<br /><br />Thanks again everyone.<br /><br />JGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-37382180689332613592016-09-29T18:23:42.733-07:002016-09-29T18:23:42.733-07:00Wonderful as always, Ken. I so wish I had visited...Wonderful as always, Ken. I so wish I had visited sooner than I was able to. Thanks for sharing all of your early WDW treasures with us!Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09895614694411482044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-50117712020918433862016-09-29T14:45:15.123-07:002016-09-29T14:45:15.123-07:00The new Treehouse Villas look a little more luxuri...The new Treehouse Villas look a little more luxurious than the originals, but going by the picture above they can't hold a candle to the 70's version in the rustic charm department.<br /><br />I wonder what was up with the "special" ticket books they mention?Melissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06169920944565828337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-25801257348896973922016-09-29T13:41:01.440-07:002016-09-29T13:41:01.440-07:00I'm always late to the party... C'est la v...I'm always late to the party... C'est la vie. Thanks always K for sharing such wonderful stuff. I love seeing the outrageous prices. It's funny that I remember those years so well but have simply forgotten the prices. I've also forgotten my wages at the time.<br /><br />As for attendance, well, everyone has their opinion. I thought my reading some weeks ago that the Sou Cal AP was returning was wishful thinking; apparently not. I was hoping that even the Sou Cal Select was going to go away and renewals would stop as well on the defunct passes. That's my wishful thinking, I guess. I was considering buying a Deluxe AP when I visited the Park, but not so much now. Disney's options are limited. They took away the most popular AP option and attendance didn't go down. They jacked prices to the ceiling and attendance went up. I don't think there's a solution anymore.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13819318798840978404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-37267611399204779112016-09-29T11:57:57.766-07:002016-09-29T11:57:57.766-07:00Ken-
I think many of us have long since gotten ov...Ken-<br /><br />I think many of us have long since gotten over "the thrill" of crowds as a part of the theme park experience - but it's very difficult to avoid these days, just about anywhere. And as much as many visitors to WDW (and Disneyland, for that matter) would prefer a theme park from what is now a by-gone era, those days are but a distant memory - for those of us lucky to have been there. <br /><br />And clearly without Disney directly addressing its increasing theme park(s) attendance over the decades by expanding and adding more of everything, the crowding would be that much worse. What <i>isn't</i> excusable, however, as has been mentioned by Scott Lane, Chuck, yourself, and others, time and time again, is the overbearing-way Disney throttles down the throats' of its 'guests' that the prime reason for their attendance at any of their parks is to shop, shop, shop - and spend as much money as possible. I'll grant you the point that probably no one is better at doing-so, all the while making you feel good for the effort - (okay, perhaps QVC or HSN are close seconds). <br /><br />But... who better than Disney, if it were Job #1, to 'bring back', or create "quiet corners", as Scott Lane rightly intoned-? But as we know all too well, profits - the more the merrier - is Job #1 these times for any publicly traded company. <br /><br />I wonder how Walt would have dealt with that sort of pressure-? It seems unlikely his response would be yet another 'meet-and-greet' opportunity for princesses, princes or even frogs. (Although the latter might at least be interesting). Nanookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07255357829181568172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-82185613916970173502016-09-29T10:08:22.288-07:002016-09-29T10:08:22.288-07:00Nanook, Yes, it's a world of difference today...Nanook, Yes, it's a world of difference today. When I watch videos of WDW today it doesn't even look like a good time. I think I'm less tolerant of over-crowding these days.<br /><br />TokyoMagic!, See steve2wdw's comments. Glad you enjoyed. There's more to come!<br /><br />steve2wdw, thanks for your input on the lesser known facts of WDW. It adds a lot to these articles.<br /><br />Scott Lane, 1970's/early 80's WDW is all that I've experienced. I can imagine it's insane nowadays. It just doesn't hold the appeal for me it once did in the 1970's.<br /><br />Chuck, I really don't care for how Disney has used its characters to saturate every aspect of their properties and experiences. It's like the Disneyland Hotel before Disney corp. bought it and Disney-fied it. I preferred the subtle approach of the Wrather hotel.<br /><br />Hey all, I'm glad you enjoyed the early WDW guide booklet. I will be working on more of this type of stuff in the future along with my usual postcards.K. Martinezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03960970051790617367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-51912887264518427382016-09-29T09:06:17.029-07:002016-09-29T09:06:17.029-07:00Yes Chuck, the VV's did become part of the Ins...Yes Chuck, the VV's did become part of the Institute during its short life. My second trip to WDW in '76 included a four day stay in one of those beautiful villas. It was huge!isteve2wdwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14846741520382003224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-13438149934665533262016-09-29T08:56:39.632-07:002016-09-29T08:56:39.632-07:00I love that logo for Lake Buena Vista. Are those ...I love that logo for Lake Buena Vista. Are those cypress trunks? Trilons? Really tall reactor cooling towers? Whatever they're supposed to be, it looks cool - just like all of the other logos in this guide.<br /><br />I miss the architecturally integrated and low-key look of the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village. Ahh, the days when the Disney experience didn't mandate being hit over the head with a character every three yards (2.74 meters)...<br /><br />TM!, that photo you highlight of the treehouse interior with the railing captured my imagination as a kid and had me asking my parents repeatedly if we could stay in one. Since they were already making payments on a travel trailer (which would be upgraded to a mini-motor home by the time we visited in '79), there was no way that was going to happen. But I can still dream...<br /><br />steve2wdw, didn't the Vacation Villas become lodging for the Disney Institute for a time before Saratoga Springs was built?Chuckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01836717368846566211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-36739979983755486932016-09-29T05:41:58.546-07:002016-09-29T05:41:58.546-07:00Thanks for sharing! I miss this Walt Disney World....Thanks for sharing! I miss this Walt Disney World. Back when you could find quiet corners and areas that weren't shoving princesses in your face all the time.Scott Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10225636456858440089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-85508996775755126232016-09-29T04:22:46.081-07:002016-09-29T04:22:46.081-07:00The Treehouse units were upgraded with all new uni...The Treehouse units were upgraded with all new units and are now part of the Saratoga Springs DVC Resort. The Vacation Villas were removed when Saratoga was constructed in it's place.steve2wdwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14846741520382003224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-39905524676684324472016-09-29T01:22:57.570-07:002016-09-29T01:22:57.570-07:00What happened to the Treehouse Village and Vacatio...What happened to the Treehouse Village and Vacation Villas? Were they just renamed or were they replaced with something else? I'm guessing that the interior pic on page 25 shows one of the Treehouse Village units? I love the 1970's earth tones! And that circular railing in the middle of the room looks like it might have been part of a spiral staircase. I'm assuming that was how guests got up into the units?<br /><br />The Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village reminds me of that uncomfortable scene in "The Mouseketeers At Walt Disney World," when Lisa and Allison both try to pick up a man that is at least 10 years older than them!<br /><br />Thanks again for sharing this with us, Ken and Major! I have enjoyed learning more about the early days of WDW!TokyoMagic!https://www.blogger.com/profile/16340756514811789233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-71003382593346673512016-09-29T00:11:30.158-07:002016-09-29T00:11:30.158-07:00Ken-
Once again these closing pages of the guide ...Ken-<br /><br />Once again these closing pages of the guide bring back great memories from my early visits to WDW. I have particularly fond memories of the original Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, before it turned into the giant behemoth it is today.<br /><br />Thanks again Ken & The Major.Nanookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07255357829181568172noreply@blogger.com