The more things change, the more they stay the same.

That time-tested phrase was running through my mind during a recent visit to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. The fact that the park was decked out in its Christmas finery only added to my nostalgic mood.

The Vacation Kingdom of the World opened in 1971. That’s more than 54 years of magic, wonder, dreams and fantasies for the young and the young at heart.

Our first visit to WDW came in 1972. We arrived by car, took an open-air tram from the parking lot to the Transportation and Ticket Center, then rode the futuristic monorail right through the A-shaped Contemporary Resort and on to the Main Gate of the Magic Kingdom.

The Magic Kingdom WAS Walt Disney World back in 1972. And the Contemporary, the nearby Polynesian Resort and the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds were the only on-property hotels. Most of the folks who made it to WDW in those early days stayed at hotels and motels located off-property and then they drove to the park.

But as I walked into Town Square toward Main Street, U.S.A. recently, it dawned on me that Main Street hasn’t changed all that much. And what has changed is subtle and mostly cosmetic.

City Hall is still located to the left as you emerge from under the train station. Next to City Hall, there’s still a firehouse, while Tony’s Town Square Restaurant – known as the Town Square Café in 1972 – is off to the right. Also on the right is the Town Square Theater, which served as a Hospitality House in 1972.

This time of year, a giant Christmas tree, guarded by life-size wooden soldier nutcrackers, adorns the center of Town Square. Wreaths, poinsettias, and garland abound.

As we began to walk up Main Street, The Emporium stood tall, just as it did 54 years ago, to our left. The Emporium was designed to reflect a typical department store from the early 1900s.

The only change to The Emporium came years ago when it was expanded, and adjacent shops like the Greenhouse Flower Shop, the New Century Clock Shop, and the Hallmark Card Shop were closed to accommodate that expansion.

Across the street from The Emporium is the Main Street Confectionery, which takes up the space where The Chapeau Hat Shop and the GAF Camera Center once resided.

Indeed, many of the shops along Main Street have been renamed and, in some cases, repurposed. The Cup ‘n Saucer China Shop, the Wonderland of Wax Candle Shop, the Shadow Box Silhouette Studio, and the Tobacconist, as well as the colorful Flower Alley, are gone.

But the look and feel of Main Street remains the same. It represents a typical street in Anytown, USA, circa 1901 … the year Walt Disney was born.

According to The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Main Street is “a trip back to a time and place we all ‘remember,’ though few of us – especially today – have actually ever been there.”

Indeed, Main Street is the ultimate throwback to a bygone era. There’s a clock on Main Street, the kind with minute and hour hands and Roman numerals. And there’s a mailbox, where folks can send a letter or a postcard to a friend or relative.

People line up each day to watch the afternoon parade. There’s even a movie theater marquee, just like the old days, and a horse-drawn vehicle transports guests up and down the thoroughfare.

Some Main Street establishments have survived the test of time. For instance, Casey’s Corner, known as the Refreshment Corner in 1972, is a staple of Main Street. Through the years, the eatery – known for its hot dogs and fries – has been sponsored by Coca-Cola. The Crystal Palace Restaurant, the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor (originally sponsored by Borden’s, now sponsored by Edy’s), and the Main Street Bakery have also been around since opening day.

But the most constant presence belongs to Cinderella Castle, the icon of the park and perhaps the most recognizable structure in all of Walt Disney World.

Over the years, the castle has been transformed from a stately and classic European-inspired, multi-spired structure into a veritable artist’s palette, where brilliant colors and spectacular images magically transform it into a true work of art during the evening hours.

The castle towers over the Hub area, just as it did on opening day in 1971. Mid-afternoon shows in the castle front court still draw large crowds, while The Hub itself serves as a guide, steering guests to the other realms of the park – Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasylan,d and Tomorrowland.

Attractions have come and gone throughout the rest of WDW. I have grainy 8mm movie footage, tucked away in a closet, of construction taking place for Tom Sawyer Island in 1973. The river was drained, and construction equipment temporarily replaced the Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat.

I now have a crystal clear video taken on my phone of the in-progress deconstruction of Tom Sawyer Island as a new Cars-themed attraction takes shape.

Opening day attractions, Haunted Mansion, “it’s a small world”, Peter Pan’s Flight, the Grand Prix Raceway, and the Country Bear Jamboree remain favorites in the rest of the park, although each has seen changes and upgrades to its presentation over the years.

And new attractions, added since opening day, have only enhanced the Magic Kingdom’s lure.

We’re talking about what would have been referred to as E-ticket rides back in the day: Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain (now Tiana’s Bayou Adventure), Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, and TRON Lightcycle Run, among them.

And even though I’m one of those guys who loves the nostalgic aspect of the Magic Kingdom, I have to admit I’m excited for what’s on the drawing board, even the new land devoted to villains.

Through it all, Main Street, U.S.A. retains its early-20th-century charm and its old-time lure. I don’t know about you, but I always let out a sigh every time I start walking up the fabled thoroughfare. I’m back, and in a sense, I’m home.

I always take my time walking along Main Street. I look up at the windows on the second floor of the buildings, trying to find as many Disney Legends’ names as I can, recalling the times I met them in person or chatted with them on the phone. Down at ground level, I check out the clever seasonal displays in the windows.

There’s one thing that hasn’t changed in Walt Disney World in its 54-plus years – and hopefully it never will: The look of joy and wonderment – and the ear-to-ear grins – on the faces of children and adults as they enter the Magic Kingdom and begin the walk up Main Street.

Disney Legend John Hench often compared Main Street to the opening scene of a movie. It had to grab your attention and make you want to see more. Main Street accomplishes that.

When Walt Disney dreamed up Disneyland in the early 1950s, he said he was hoping to create a place where “parents and the children could have fun together.”

He succeeded in Disneyland … and he succeeded in Walt Disney World.

And Main Street, U.S.A. is an integral part of that enjoyment. Even though the world around has changed in so many ways, Main Street embodies a simpler, optimistic time and is truly the heart and soul of Walt Disney World.

Chuck Schmidt is an award-winning journalist and retired Disney cast member who has covered all things Disney since 1984 in both print and on-line. He has authored or co-authored eight books on Disney, including his On the Disney Beat and The Beat Goes On, as well as his latest, Marty, Mickey and Me, all for Theme Park Press. He has written a regular blog for AllEars.Net, called Still Goofy About Disney, since 2015.

 

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