Vintage resort pics?

[TJM1976]

I have many resort pictures over the years even when guests were permitted to swim in the lakes at CR as well as Poly! How things have changed but stayed the same!! Poly used to be much smaller as well. The one that has changed probably the most over the years is Shades of Green. It had a few different themes altogether over the years.

That would bve awesome to see if you are able to post some of the pics. I like seeing what the resorts looked like years ago!!!!

 

[buffettgirl]

I have many resort pictures over the years even when guests were permitted to swim in the lakes at CR as well as Poly! How things have changed but stayed the same!! Poly used to be much smaller as well. The one that has changed probably the most over the years is Shades of Green. It had a few different themes altogether over the years.

I ate at what was the Disney Inn back in the late 80's early 90's. AT that time, if I recall, the restaurant was called the Garden Gallery, just as it is now. But I can't even recall anything else about the location. I do remember we had a decent meal. (but back then all our meals were wonderful and child free and chicken nuggets were far from my mind ) lol. Funny to think now that it would be where we spend most of our disney time now.

 

[MinnieMommy07]

Contemporary Tower 1984

[/QUOTE]

So when did Disney recommend guest refrain from swimming in the lakes? All of the Fort Wilderness, Contemporary and Polynesian pics are so beautiful and the water is so clear? WHAT HAPPENED!?

 

[disneyfan55]

That would bve awesome to see if you are able to post some of the pics. I like seeing what the resorts looked like years ago!!!!

They are all in albums with that old stick to the page pages. I'm afraid to remove them since they stick so well. I might one day when I have a lot of tiime (I'm so behind on putting pictures in albums) try to put them in a different one and scan everything but not for a while.

 

[TJM1976]

They are all in albums with that old stick to the page pages. I'm afraid to remove them since they stick so well. I might one day when I have a lot of tiime (I'm so behind on putting pictures in albums) try to put them in a different one and scan everything but not for a while.

ohhhh yeah. Those sticky albums were a great idea!! But years later, not so good because the sticky glue was TOO good!

 

[JerseyMamaBear]

wow, brings back memories

 

[bigAWL]

I have many resort pictures over the years even when guests were permitted to swim in the lakes at CR as well as Poly! How things have changed but stayed the same!! Poly used to be much smaller as well. The one that has changed probably the most over the years is Shades of Green. It had a few different themes altogether over the years.

I've actually tried to do a bit of research in that past on the history of the Golf Resort/Disney Inn/Shande of Green. It's the only on-site resort I've ever stayed at. Once as the Golf resort in 1979, and once as the Shades of Green in 2008 (will be there again this summer). For anyone interested, here's some of the history that I was able to paste together:

History of the Shades of Green on Walt Disney World Resort
When the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom opened in October of 1971, two championship golf courses opened nearby, the Magnolia and the Palm. On December 15, 1973, at the site of the courses’ club house, The Golf Resort opened with 125 guest rooms and a swimming pool, the Magnolia Pool. A restaurant called the Magnolia Room was known for their French Fried Ice Cream dessert. The Players Lounge was overlooking the Magnolia Golf Course.

On February 1, 1986, the resort was reopened under a new name, The Disney Inn, and with a new theme, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The resort had been renovated and expanded to 288 rooms, and added a second swimming pool, the Mill Pond Pool. The Garden Gallery restaurant opened along with The Back Porch, a snack bar called the Diamond Mine, and a poolside bar called the Sand Trap.

In 1989, a third golf course was added next to the Magnolia course. The Oak Trail golf course is a nine-hole, par-36 walking course.

The U.S. Military began leasing the property on February 1, 1994, and started offering it’s rooms exclusively to U.S. service members and their families and various other categories of Department of Defense employees as part of their Morale, Welfare and Recreation program. On January 12, 1996, the Department of Defense purchased the resort and renamed it Shades of Green.*

After continued occupancy rates in the 90-99% range, on January 4, 2002, Shades of Green announced a major remodeling and expansion project. On April 1, 2002, the resort closed for construction. During the closure, guests with reservations were accommodated at the Contemporary Resort’s North Garden Wing (their reservation rates were honored, but they were charge an additional 11% sales tax). The Shades of Green ticket office was also temporarily moved to the Contemporary Resort.

On March 31, 2004, Shades of Green re-opened with 586 guest rooms, a new lobby area, a new ball room, a new signature restaurant called Manginos, a new parking garage, and new landscaping. The Garden Gallery was preserved, and other new dining and shopping options opened: Evergreens Sports Bar and Grill, Express Café, Eagles Lounge, Lava Café, America the Ice Cream Parlour, and AAFES convenience store, and an Armed Forces Recreation Center gift shop called East Meets West.

* I found conflicting accounts on this: one report says the U.S. Military paid $43 million for a 100-year lease from Disney in 1996.

I have pics from the campground and when Shades of Green was the golf resort and still owned by Disney. We stay at Shades of Green alot when we go. I have pics going down the slide in to the lake at the campground. I love that things changed but at the same time like everyone else I miss the old ways.

I'd love to see any photos of the Shades of Green before it was Shades of Green. My parents can't find any photos from our Golf Resort stay, and I've never been able to find much of anything from the Disney Inn days.

 

[bigAWL]

I have pics from the campground and when Shades of Green was the golf resort and still owned by Disney. We stay at Shades of Green alot when we go. I have pics going down the slide in to the lake at the campground. I love that things changed but at the same time like everyone else I miss the old ways.

Thought I'd bump this again, to see if I can coax some Golf Resort photos.

 

[chrismass]

they stopped allowing guests to swim in the lakes because of all the boat traffic nowadays that's also why the water isn't so clear anymore! I would love to see average attendance for the parks / resorts over the years - I have pictures a few months after EPCOT first opened and there's barely anyone in the background, it was deserted in the middle of August!! Now when I go in August I can barely get down through the crowds on main street in MK - what happened?

 

[melissatarv]

Haha! I was thinking the exact same thing, 1990 isn't vintage .. then I was like oh wait... that WAS almost 20 years ago Time flies!! I am SOOOO going through my old pics..... LOVE this thread!

 

[SusanEllen]

This is the "World" map that hung in every guest room both in the Poly and the Contemp. It measured approx 4 x 5 feet, and appears to be vinyl bonded onto masonite. During the rehab of the Contemp (about 1985 and/or 1986), the maps were ripped off the walls and thrown into trash piles. Many were destroyed or ruined, and they were sold off as scrap masonite for $5.00 each!
Years ago I saw one on eBay for $10,000 but it didn't get a bid. I wonder if it would today?

Notice the locations of the Venetian, Asian and Persian Hotels that were never built.

Also from flyinglizard: The "World" map . . . would eventually be ripped off the walls and sold for scrap masonite for $5.00! Most were heavily damaged in the removal process and all the frames were destroyed.

and

. . . Inside a Contemp room... the "map" picture on the right is now a "holy grail" to park collectors and probably would bring thousands of $$$... if you could find one! It measured 4 by 5 feet.

Sorry I've come so late to this thread but just found out about it from my friend Sharon (Pugsly) as we had lunch at Nine Dragons in the World Showcase this past Saturday. She had seen a photo of one of my treasures posted this past spring on the Disney @ Home thread on the UK Community Board and recognized it from the photos posted here by flyinglizard. It seems that it is my good fortune to be the caretaker of the Holy Grail. Here it is as it hangs in my home with the explanation as to how it is that it came into the hands of my late husband Scott. I wrote to Dave Smith, Disney Archivist, a few years back asking him how many of these maps survived the Contemporary refurb. He told me that "some were sold to cast members and collectors at Disneyana Conventions and others can still be found on the walls in various office around Walt Disney World, but the vast majority was destoryed. There is no way of knowing how many still exist, but I would guess that it would not be a great number."

As posted on the Disney @ Home thread:
One more from the office: A map of the Magic Kingdom and Bay Lake--as it NEVER was. This was a room decoration in the Contemporary when it first opened and was the concept the Imagineers intended to develop. Many things were never done. For instance, locate where the Grand Floridian should be and you'll see a drawing of something very Asian. Directly across the lake from it there's another resort where there is none to this day. On the lakeshore just next to Autopia (or whatever they call it these days) there's a Taj Mahal looking resort. I hope you can see the detail well enough to see those and to spot other things that never materialized. Scott actually rescued this piece when he was walking back to the Contemporary many, many years ago and came upon some maintenance men breaking these and putting the pieces in a dumpster (the rooms were being remodeled). When he asked if he could buy one, Housekeeping gave him this one and all he had to do was arrange for it to be packed and shipped. It is a favorite among my favorites--as much for Scott's action as for the piece itself.

 

[disneyfan55]

I remember that map!! I think there was supposed to be a Cypress Point resort as well. I remember the others that were supposed to be as well. Nice picture and story. Thanks for sharing. I wish I had some of the old tickets (I probably do someplace) and guides.

 

[Pugsly]

Thanks for sharing your story here, Susan - it never gets old hearing it.

By the way, Evan will be ecstatic to know that you have framed a pic of him/the Stringers from our 2004 trip in your office!

 

[TJM1976]

bumping to see if anyone else has pics

 

[rcraw45425]

Main Street USA 1971. I was 7 years old. My mom won a trip right when MK opened. I remember the promotional company paid for us to stay in Tampa and drive over. I didn't go back until late '80's. DH had also only been like one time. Since we married in '91 we're making up for lost time!

 

[jacqu3lin3]

Main Street USA 1971. I was 7 years old. My mom won a trip right when MK opened. I remember the promotional company paid for us to stay in Tampa and drive over. I didn't go back until late '80's. DH had also only been like one time. Since we married in '91 we're making up for lost time!

That's a great picture!!! I can't believe how empty Main Street is! Now when you try to take a picture like that, there's crowd of people behind you!

 

[dizneyjill]

Contemporary Hotel May 1976

 

[TJM1976]

Thanks for posting the pics!!!!!

 

[TJM1976]

Contemporary Hotel May 1976






Looks like River Country is almost complete, look on the shore line to the left side of the pic. RC opened in June 1976.

 

[wide receiver]

Thanks all! I have pictures of Disneyland....I wonder if there is a vintage thread for DL....