1996 Inaugural Indy 200 Brochure

Ah, remember those exciting days in the mid-nineties when Disney thought it would be a good idea to try and attract a whole new demographic of people to their Florida property?  Can you imagine sitting in on those meetings?  "Hey gang,  there's all those people who like to go to Daytona for races.  What do you think we can do to get them to come and spend money here?"  "What if we built a racetrack in the Magic Kingdom parking lot and then built some whimsical (tacky) inexpensive hotels for them to stay at?"  I worked in Tickets at the Studios during this time.  Conveniently the "Inaugural" race was held in January to also capitalize on the Florida resident ticket specials that Disney still had at that time.  I don't have any insight into how the race went.  The guests, however, were not what Disney hoped for.  I hesitate to stereotype an entire demographic so to be nice we'll say they were very "budget conscious".  They bought the cheap park tickets (if they visited the parks at all, which many chose to not).  They did not treat the new All Star Resort well and from a front line cast perspective they were overall not pleasant to deal with.  The event lasted through 2000 but the track remains.

Walt Disney World Career Start Program Brochure

I believe this brochure is from the early or mid-nineties.

WDW Meetings & Convention Ticket Brochure

The great thing about this 1994 brochure is the number of pictures in it of things that either no longer exist or have been seriously altered.  Let's count...

Out of the six images on these panels, only two still exist.  That view of Spaceship Earth is no longer possible with the monolithic Leave A Legacy stones in place.  The Aladdin's Royal Caravan parade has been gone from the Studios for almost 18 years.  Mickey's dressing room and Mickey's Starland is long gone.  Classic Illuminations (which I really miss) has been extinct now for 13 years.

The only image on these pages that might qualify is SpectroMagic.  With the rotating schedule of night parades I suppose it could return.

Only one of these images qualify as well.  While the Magic of Disney Animation does still exist, since it's no longer a working production facility you will never again see an animator at work.

Two images on these pages.  Splashtacular didn't even last a year after it's debut (I never even saw it even though I worked the press event for its premiere).  Body Wars and the entire Wonders of Life pavilion have sat vacant now for years only be used as a special event tent.

Here's the jackpot!  No more Mannequins (best dance club ever!!!).  No more Neon Armadillo.  No more Pleasure Island Jazz Company.  No more entertainment and some of the buildings in this photo have been demolished.

Final count:

22 total pictures

12 extinct or altered attractions

1987 WDW Vacation Information Booklet

Take a step back in time and rediscover descriptions of some long lost Walt Disney World locations and some pricing structures that are even more removed from our present consciousness.  Disney would send these out in the mail if you sent them a letter asking for vacation planning information.

1995 Magic Kingdom Club Membership Guide