Back in 1971 when the Magic Kingdom first opened its gates, who among us could have imagined the building boom that has created 3 more theme parks, water parks, magnificent themed hotels, and more attractions than you can possibly fit into a vacation? Our family used to stay for a week at the Polynesian Hotel (at only $35 a night!), and enjoy a fun-filled week-long vacation at just the one theme park! If you remember those early days, than you will also recall:



Ticket booklets- Tickets were marked A through E, and they came in a booklet with something like 6 As, 5 Bs, 4 Cs, 3 Ds and 2 Es (or at least that's what it felt like!) E tickets were for the best rides - think Space Mountain - all the way down to A tickets for the silent movie cinema on Main Street and Main Street trolley rides. Of course, we went on Space Mountain first, and spent the last day of vacation doing nothing but riding up and down Main Street, pausing only to watch a silent movie or two!

"If You Had Wings" - This free ride (no ticket required!) was located in Tomorrowland and was sponsored by Eastern Airlines (now there's a blast from the past!). Even though it was free, it never seemed to have a line, so you could ride it over and over. It has been remade many times over, and is currently the Buzz Lightyear Space Adventure.

"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" - This was probably the most claustrophobic attraction in the park, and after you bent 'way down to squeeze into Captain Nemo's submarine, you were rewarded with the amazing sights of plastic plants and fish hanging outside your portholes. After many years lying unused, it has recently been refurbished as - what else - a Finding Nemo attraction.

"Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" - Next to Space Mountain, this was my all-time favorite ride in the park. It has been remade as "The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh", and the lines have never been the same!

Swan boats in the waters around Cinderella's castle?the Skyway between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland?Discovery Island animal park in the middle of Bay Lake?River Country (the original Disney water park at Fort Wilderness)?the Golf Resort Hotel (now known as Shades of Green) - the list of memories goes on and on. Enjoy the Disney World of today - but don't forget all the fun you had in years gone by!