December 23, 2015- Florida Vacations

I am watching a show on ID Network tonight. The setting for this is in Florida which made me think of our 2 trips there- 1976 and 1983. Disney World was fun; our favorite ride was The Pirates of the Caribbean.

   Some other cool things in Disney World were 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Enchanted Tiki Room, GE Carousel of Progress, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Country Bear Jamboree, the Monorail and the Main Street Electrical Parade.

   We never did go on Space Mountain; even Grandma next door did so when she was in Disneyland; she said that her wig nearly fell off.

   We also went to Sea World, Circus World, and a Hollywood Wax Museum in 1976. I did get sick and throw up in Sea World though, but I loved seeing the dolphins there. Dad got stung by a bee during the train ride in the Magic Kingdom. As always, those 2 bad things are much clearer in my memory. We stayed in the same motel both times.

   We liked EPCOT Center which I think had only been open for about a year when we went there in 1983. I hadn’t realized until then that the Magic Kingdom only opened in the early 70s so the park was still relatively young when we first went there.

   We enjoyed the Land, GM- World of Motion, Spaceship Earth, Universe of Energy and the countries in the World Showcase, esp. Italy, Germany and England. It rained a little that day; we have a nice picture of us with a rainbow in the background afterwards. We both got piñatas in Mexico.

  I’m remembering vividly something upsetting about that 2^nd vacation. Dad did spoil it at one point when he got mad at Mom for wanting to go back for some more souvenirs in the Magic Kingdom. I can’t remember if he got his way or not- probably. In fact, I’m almost sure that he did.

   That year we went to Silver Springs (Glass bottom boat ride) and the Gatorland Zoo before visiting our Aunt Pauline and family in Panama City. I’ve only ever seen her 3 times. I almost stepped on a crab on the beach. We have a jar of white sand from there.

   At the Jersey shore, I nearly stepped on a horseshoe crab. There was one of these in our yard when we were kids. Mom’s friend Helen J painted flowers and Happy Mother’s Day on its shell. Mike and I were so frightened by it. Dad took it to the river near our town.

 

1976

Sea World

Wax Museum- Doctor Zhivago

 

1983

Horseshoe crab

 

Note- last photo is from the internet

 

 

 

Disney World 1983 - Part 2

These are some of the souveniers that we got at Disney World and EPCOT. Lady and the Tramp are mom's. My brother and I got small knick knacks too - Donald and Daisy Duck for him and Mickey and Minnie Mouse for me. I also got an EPCOT key chain but it was stolen when I was in the hospital. I regret getting rid of my Disney World 83 and EPCOT Center T-shirts about 12 years ago.

Mark reminded me that Dad got us kids priced tickets even though we weren't under 12. Mark was 12 and I was 13. I was trying to remember other things about this trip and a fun ride came to mind. I'm pretty sure it's called the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Disney World 1983

Dad didn't take as many pictures on this trip to Disneyworld as he did in 1976. We really liked Epcot Center. Dad's favourite was The World of Motion. He was a GM employee at the time. Mark and I liked nearly everything there. It was fun being in the various countries esp. England. I think that this part of it is called the World Pavillion.

I wish that I had more vivid memories of Disneyworld - I mainly remember my parents arguing. Dad didn't want Mom to go back to the souvenier shop right before we left late at night and of course he got his way.