Remembering the 1980s at Disney World in Florida
Today, the folks who run the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida have a well deserved reputation for constantly maintaining, upgrading, and expanding their vacation kingdom. Every year, there is news of show updates and ride refurbishments, as well as new resort hotels and new attractions.
It wasn't always like this, however.
The Walt Disney Company wasn't looking so good in the early 1980s. Both the theme parks and the movies were costing the organization money without bringing in profits. When Michael Eisner became the Chief Executive Officer in 1984, all the business and financial turmoil escalated. Honestly, he inherited a business that was much beloved but was also in financial trouble.
Eisner knew that he had taken control of an American icon, but one that needed to grow. After the announcement that Universal Studios would build a theme park in Disney's back yard in Orlando, Eisner announced that it would spend $300 million to build a third theme park - the Disney MGM Studios, now knows as Disney's Hollywood Studios (a renaming forced after Disney's licensing rights to the MGM name ended).
While this was ultimately a good move for Disney, Florida, and vacationers everywhere, it did mean that the 1980s were a time of little investment and growth in the classic Magic Kingdom theme park. There were a few changes, fortunately. Remember them?
In 1986 Eastern Airlines sponsorship of If You Had Wings in Tomorrowland ended. In 1989, the airline actually filed a bankruptcy claim. Thankfully, the attraction was taken over by Delta Airlines and renamed If You Could Fly.
In 1988, Mickey's Birthdayland was launched as the first new land opened in the Magic Kingdom since 1971. This new area was a temporary place for Mickey Mouse's birthday celebration. Tents housed meet and greet areas, little kids could check out a few live animals, and live shows entertained guests. The area proved to be very popular, so it wasn't closed as was originally planned. It was renamed several times, as well, and has been known as Mickey's Starland and Mickey's Toontown. To make way for the new Fantasyland expansion, major portions of the land were closed down in 2011.
While the 1980s were a turbulent time for Disney, they laid the groundwork for amazing growth, expansion, and health that every Disney fan benefits from today.
It wasn't always like this, however.
The Walt Disney Company wasn't looking so good in the early 1980s. Both the theme parks and the movies were costing the organization money without bringing in profits. When Michael Eisner became the Chief Executive Officer in 1984, all the business and financial turmoil escalated. Honestly, he inherited a business that was much beloved but was also in financial trouble.
Eisner knew that he had taken control of an American icon, but one that needed to grow. After the announcement that Universal Studios would build a theme park in Disney's back yard in Orlando, Eisner announced that it would spend $300 million to build a third theme park - the Disney MGM Studios, now knows as Disney's Hollywood Studios (a renaming forced after Disney's licensing rights to the MGM name ended).
While this was ultimately a good move for Disney, Florida, and vacationers everywhere, it did mean that the 1980s were a time of little investment and growth in the classic Magic Kingdom theme park. There were a few changes, fortunately. Remember them?
In 1986 Eastern Airlines sponsorship of If You Had Wings in Tomorrowland ended. In 1989, the airline actually filed a bankruptcy claim. Thankfully, the attraction was taken over by Delta Airlines and renamed If You Could Fly.
In 1988, Mickey's Birthdayland was launched as the first new land opened in the Magic Kingdom since 1971. This new area was a temporary place for Mickey Mouse's birthday celebration. Tents housed meet and greet areas, little kids could check out a few live animals, and live shows entertained guests. The area proved to be very popular, so it wasn't closed as was originally planned. It was renamed several times, as well, and has been known as Mickey's Starland and Mickey's Toontown. To make way for the new Fantasyland expansion, major portions of the land were closed down in 2011.
While the 1980s were a turbulent time for Disney, they laid the groundwork for amazing growth, expansion, and health that every Disney fan benefits from today.
