Eat Your Heart Out Marty McFly......AC's 1978-1989 Trip Back in Time (updates that go back to 1975 commenced on 3-12-15 )

[DaveInTN 3,247]

What did you have in mind?

 

 

 

I don't want to speak for Annie.....but how about more pictures?!?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Sorry to go back to the causeway thing, but check this out.

 

Aaron's photo:

 

 

And an old postcard showing the Clearwater Memorial Causeway.  The light poles are different in the post card, but the post card may be from the 60's, when there were overhead telephone lines and such.  Look at the trees and the medians, and you'll se why I think Aaron's photo is of the Clearwater Memorial Causeway:

 

 

TCD

[alexwyattmommy 181]

A new update would work.

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Here we go with the next update.

 

In 1982, a wonderful new park was opened at Disney World called Epcot Center.

 

I remember I loved this place when I got to go for the first time in 1986.

 

It had been opened for four years, but everything seemed like it opened yesterday to me.

 

Here we are at Epcot Center in 1986:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1986, a brand new attraction opened in January.

 

We were there a couple months later.

 

Here we are well before the world had ever heard of Nemo or his friends:

 

 

 

 

Moving on:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next we will visit Test Track...................before it was Test Track.

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

I don't want to speak for Annie.....but how about more pictures?!?

 

There you go.

 

Sorrry, to go back to the causeway thing, but check this out.

 

Aaron's photo:

 

 

And an old postcard showing the Clearwater Memorial Causeway.  The light poles are different in the post card, but the post card may be from the 60's, when there were overhead telephone lines and such.  Look at the trees and the medians, and you'll se why I think Aaron's photo is of the Clearwater Memorial Causeway:

 

 

TCD

 

Looks/sounds right to me.  Just need to figure out where we were visiting.

 

A new update would work.

 

There you go x 2

[alexwyattmommy 181]

Thank you for the update.   Our only visit as a family when I was a child was sometime between Epcot opening and 1986.  Did the Horizons building have an exhibit that you road on a conveyor belt [like ending of Space Mountain]?  I've got this image stuck in my head and I cannot remember where we were or when it was.  It was longer than the SM, so it couldn't have been that.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Am I to understand that you and I visited Epcot for the first time during the same year, but you were a child and I was attending UF?  Wow, do I feel old. 

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Am I to understand that you and I visited Epcot for the first time during the same year, but you were a child and I was attending UF?  Wow, do I feel old. 

 

I was 7. Does that help?

 

I loved Living with the Sea. Riding Nemo the first time really made me sad. But Z loves it, so I've gotten over that.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Aah, the early 80s in Epcot ... we always enjoyed Horizons.  The Seas was so much better pre-Nemo.  Universe of Energy suffered when Ellen came along.  We even liked Body Wars.  Those were the days!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

While the Nemo ride is cute, put me on the list of those who prefered the old Living Seas.  I really liked those fake elevators (hydrolaters?) and the short ride to the sea base at the beginning.

 

TCD

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

Wow, do I feel old. 

How do you think Bob and I feel! :)

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

How do you think Bob and I feel! :)

 

Me too!

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Oh Horizons was awesome!!!  It was an ominmover ride that showed the future, and the big screens showing space, and showing life living under the ocean, and life in the future in space, etc, etc. I Loved it!!!  If you can dream it, you can do it!!!!

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Thank you for the update.  

Our only visit as a family when I was a child was sometime between Epcot opening and 1986.  Did the Horizons building have an exhibit that you road on a conveyor belt [like ending of Space Mountain]?  I've got this image stuck in my head and I cannot remember where we were or when it was.  It was longer than the SM, so it couldn't have been that.

 

You're welcome Annie.

 

Not sure on the conveyor question.

 

 

Am I to understand that you and I visited Epcot for the first time during the same year, but you were a child and I was attending UF?  Wow, do I feel old. 

 

Well, I would have been 11......so if you were only a freshman you were only 7 years older.  That's not too bad.

 

I was 7. Does that help?

 

I loved Living with the Sea. Riding Nemo the first time really made me sad. But Z loves it, so I've gotten over that.

 

My kids love Nemo too.

 

They also love Turtle Talk with Crush.

 

I miss Sea Base Alpha and Horizons.

 

That being said, Universe of Energy and Journey into Imagination need to go away and they need to use the space for something that will actually draw crowds.

Aah, the early 80s in Epcot ... we always enjoyed Horizons.  The Seas was so much better pre-Nemo.  Universe of Energy suffered when Ellen came along.  We even liked Body Wars.  Those were the days!

 

I didn't mind Body Wars.

 

My wife hated it; it made her sick.

 

Now that you mention it though.  That pavilion is a giant waste of space now too.

 

Come on Disney.  There are three FW pavilions that pretty much suck or are just taking up space.

 

While the Nemo ride is cute, put me on the list of those who prefered the old Living Seas.  I really liked those fake elevators (hydrolaters?) and the short ride to the sea base at the beginning.

 

TCD

 

Agreed.

 

How do you think Bob and I feel! :)

 

 

Me too!

 

Yeah, but you guys got to live longer in the world before it became so screwed up.  I think all things being considered, you're better off.

 

Oh Horizons was awesome!!!  It was an ominmover ride that showed the future, and the big screens showing space, and showing life living under the ocean, and life in the future in space, etc, etc. I Loved it!!!  If you can dream it, you can do it!!!!

 

Agreed.  I do like Mission Space though.

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Test Track is next on the agenda.

 

Okay.

 

Not Test Track, but it's located on the same ground.

 

We are about to visit the predecessor to Test Track.

 

It was called:

 

World of Motion.

 

 

You may or may not know that General Motors had an employee lounge inside World of Motion.

 

You had to show a work ID and you and your family were allowed into the lounge for a seat, choice of beverages, and air-conditioning.

 

It had a good view as well.

 

Take a look:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up is the American Adventure and a few evening pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now we head back to the Fort for a moment:

 

 

And then we hop over to the Poly for our standard lobby pic and a swim:

 

 

 

 

 

More Poly, Fort, and Epcot Center in the next update.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Oops. I called it Living with the Sea. I was making it a cross with Living with the Land.

 

Didn't the Nemo ride cover up a ton of aquarium? Such a shame.

 

I liked Horizons too.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Well, I would have been 11......so if you were only a freshman you were only 7 years older.  That's not too bad.

 

That actually does make me feel better.  Now, Bob, Dave and Gwen....that's another story. 

[Big Kahuna aka John 71]

Am I to understand that you and I visited Epcot for the first time during the same year, but you were a child and I was attending UF?  Wow, do I feel old. 

 

 

Am I to understand that you were a reckless college student, and I was out of school, out of the academy and working?   Wow...  I feel like a dinosaur.....   :wheelchair:       :rofl3:

[michele j 9]

Wow! Great pictures...

 

That's how I remember Epcot!    It's going to be so different next time I go. Oh, well I guess things can't stay the same 30 years later. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Two comments, which I can hopefully make before being shut out by the 2 minute Driver Error that I'm not allowed to mention:

 

1.  As far as I know, there still is an employee lounge in Test Track.  I know Bob has used his status as a retired GM employee to visit there.  Guests of that lounge get front of the line privileges at Test Track.

 

2.  We have another mystery.  I don't think this is the Fort:

 

 

Where is the concrete pad?

 

And what is that post and PVC pipe there on the bottom left?

 

And the picnic table is wrong.

 

I say NTF- Not The Fort.

 

TCD

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Oops. I called it Living with the Sea. I was making it a cross with Living with the Land.

 

Didn't the Nemo ride cover up a ton of aquarium? Such a shame.

 

I liked Horizons too.

 

It is a shame.  The little ones would probably disagree though.

 

That actually does make me feel better.  Now, Bob, Dave and Gwen....that's another story. 

 

Glad I could help.

 

Am I to understand that you were a reckless college student, and I was out of school, out of the academy and working?   Wow...  I feel like a dinosaur.....   :wheelchair:       :rofl3:

 

You still root for Notre Dame and drink beer and kungaloosh.  Seems like the only thing that has changed for you since the reckless college days is what you do during your work shift.  Good for you!

 

Wow! Great pictures...

 

That's how I remember Epcot!    It's going to be so different next time I go. Oh, well I guess things can't stay the same 30 years later. 

 

Some change is good and some is not.  I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

 

Two comments, which I can hopefully make before being shut out by the 2 minute Driver Error that I'm not allowed to mention:

 

1.  As far as I know, there still is an employee lounge in Test Track.  I know Bob has used his status as a retired GM employee to visit there.  Guests of that lounge get front of the line privileges at Test Track.

 

That is good to know.  I will have to check that out.

 

2.  We have another mystery.  I don't think this is the Fort:

 

 

Where is the concrete pad?

 

And what is that post and PVC pipe there on the bottom left?

 

And the picnic table is wrong.

 

I say NTF- Not The Fort.

 

TCD

 

After looking at the photo again, I would have to agree.

 

I know on some trips we stayed at another campground for a few days to a week prior to our stay at the Fort.

 

This picture could be from one of those times.

 

I distinctly remember a place called "Holiday Village" in Kissimmee I think.

 

Have you ever heard of that place?  Could this pic be from there?

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Lets visit a couple places before we head back to Epcot Center.

 

First we will take a trip to Pioneer Hall for another rendition of the HDDR:

 

 

 

 

Next we head to the original character breakfast held at the Poly.

 

It was called "Minnie's Menehune" and was held at the restaurant that we now now as Ohana, 'Ohana, or O'hana.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now we will head back to Epcot Center:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will now see a true blue blast from the past.

 

Remember when they ruined the Journey into Imagination ride by getting rid of Figment?

 

Do you remember the other beloved character from that ride?

 

It was "The Dreamfinder".

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next we will skip forward to the Year of our Lord 1989..........and visit another brand new theme park!

[alexwyattmommy 181]

That is the Figment I remember.  I loved that ride and was so sad when I took a quick trip to Epcot in the early 90's and it wasn't the same anymore.

 

ETA:  It was Magic Journeys I was mad about the changes.  Memories are a tricky thing.  I got the building right, but the wrong attraction.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Pluto's tongue is still long.  When exactly did they cut that thing off?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Unlike most people, I still like the Universe of Energy.  The sad thing is that I can't remember what it was like pre-Ellen.  Disney really lucked out with choosing Ellen.  I thought it was a dumb move at the time, since Ellen was hardly a big star at the time.  But, she is more popular now then she was then.  We don't ride this attraction very often, but it's fun to do if you have some time to kill waiting for a Fastpass return time.

 

I forgot that Universe of Energy was originally sponsored by Exxon.  I am guessing that some of the show must have focused on oil production and such. I wish I could remember.

 

I meant to mention something else about that World of Motion/Test Track lounge. I think all of the attractions have private lounges.  I know there is one in Misson Space for HP employees.  And there is one in The Land.  For about a year or so, they used that as a Passholder Lounge, which I thought was cool.  There was an elevator that you would go in and press a certain two buttons at the same time, and it would take you up to the lounge.  There wasn't much to it, but it was cool to see.

 

TCD