Happy Mother's Day

I would like to take this time to wish my mom a Happy Mother's Day and to thank her for everything she's done for me thus far in my life. My mom is an amazing woman—I’m sure that's how we all feel about our mothers. She taught me that it was okay to be different, she fostered the creativity in me, she helped me look outside the box and most importantly she raised me with the help of pixie dust.

I would like to share one of my favorite stories about my mom, and of course, the Happiest Place on Earth, Walt Disney World. Now I ask my mom to tell me this story all the time because I enjoy hearing it so much. I've tried to confirm if this story is true or not—not that I don't believe my mom—I just cannot find any other Disney literature or lore that supports it. I've even contacted Disney historians to ask if there's truth in it or if my mom has some dates mixed up. I've never heard back from them. My father is the only one that can back the story up, so it has always been an exciting mystery.

It was the summer of 1970 and my mother and father decided to take a road trip to the Sunshine State. My parents are old school and still drive everywhere, even to this day. They take their time and enjoy the scenic route, stopping at various points of interest all along the way. They made their way down to Florida and arrived in St. Augustine. While enjoying the town, my mom and dad did all sorts of touristy, road side attraction stuff, like stopping at the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum. After touring the grounds, my mom asked one of the workers what else there was to do in the area. The lady told her that Disney was opening a resort over in Orlando, which sparked my mom's interest, so my mom and dad drove over to Orlando.

Mom loves to tell me how small Orlando was at the time and how nothing was grown out around the Disney Resort area. It was literally in the middle of nowhere. They stayed at a hotel in Buena Vista. I'd like to also add that my mom was pregnant with my older brother at the time and she had to make her own maternity swimsuit since back then, you couldn't find swimwear fashion for the pregnant. The next day, they made their way into the park, parked in the parking lot and took the ferry over. Mom and Dad both tell the tale of how the Contemporary was mid-construction as they were ushered across the Seven Seas Lagoon. My dad is a contractor so I know looking at construction in progress always interests him. They say the Monorail was not running at the time. They arrived in the park and mom said only Main Street USA and Fantasyland were open to explore as the other lands were still being worked on. I always ask if there were other people in the park, and she said a few were there, but not a huge crowd because the park wasn't even open yet. She says she distinctly remembers Fantasyland, in particular Pinocchio's Village Haus. She and Dad only spent a few hours in the park, but Mom remembers telling my dad that it looked like a place they needed to revisit when the park officially opened.

Do my parents have their dates wrong? Were my parents subject to a special sneak peek day? Who knows. I love the story and wanted to share. If it weren't for amazing parents, especially moms, none of us would have been able to experience the magic that is a Disney Theme Park. 

Happy Mother's Day Mom. Thanks for all the Magical Memories!  I love you!

UPDATE: After my mom read this she called and provided me some other information about the mysterious story:
- All the highways were just 2 lane highways all the way down from Indiana to Florida
- They stayed at a hotel with multiple floors(which is still there but has changed names) in Buena Vista which she thinks was a Sheridan at the time
- None of the shops on Main Street where open
- None of the attractions were running in Fantasyland (from what she remembers, being pregnant with my older brother who was born in August of 1970, she might have chosen not to ride anything because of being pregnant).

Retro 71

Today's bonus post is yet another concept for retro 71 – River Country. The long gone, but not forgotten, "old fashion swimmin' hole." With the news of a new resort being positioned on the shore of Bay Lake near Discovery Island, the first water park of Walt Disney World will soon be no more. Actually, we all know River Country has been no more since September 1, 2001, when it ceased operations. Those of us who grew up with River Country were a little saddened when Disney announced in 2005 that it would remain permanently closed.

Evolution, my dear friends. River Country did, after all, usher in Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. With these two new mega, world record setting water parks there was no way the simple yet quaint River Country would have stayed in operation. Why drive a pinto when you can drive a mustang?

Maybe all hope is not lost? I would like to believe WDI would/will somehow revive River Country or pay subtle tribute to it. Not as a park extension, but perhaps as a re-themed pool area for the new resort. We shall see. I'm not even sure if Disney has started clearing ground yet. If not, I wish Disney would hire Teddy Smith to come and create another stunning short video like he did for the abandoned Six Flags in New Orleans. His video tribute to the amusement park was hauntingly beautiful and simply stunning. If you haven't seen it jump over to Youtube and check it out. Also, some gorilla expeditioners swam out to River Country a few months back and snapped some amazing shots of the swimmin' hole. The photos pulled on my heartstrings.

 

However simple the design maybe for today's posting I'm actually rather proud of it. Completely recreated by hand, not to shabby, eh?!?! I always find it hard to recreate Mickey Mouse or any of the other Disney characters in illustrator. Not because I don't know how but simply because no matter how much fine tuning the design gets it never feels good enough. I believe it's because I hold Disney animation in such high regards.

Soon River Country will cease to exist and all I will have left are a few photos from my childhood and my memories. Memories of looking out onto Bay Lake – the skiers, parasailers and speed boats, the ferry ushering to and fro; a bustle of activity and excitement. Feeling the warm Floridian sun beating down on me with the gentle breeze blowing across the lake, waves will continue to crash gently on the shore and seagulls make their calls. In the far off distance, on past the Contemporary Resort, I can still see the spires of Space Mountain beckoning adventures yet to come later that night. 

 

River Country. It's a hoot. It's a holler! It's a water jamboree!

River Country. Gone but not forgotten. You're in all our memories!