Childhood Memoir

Disney World in the 1970s

The Happiest Place on Earth — in my childhood, at least

In response to Jason Provencio’s challenge to “Let’s Write About Our Childhood Memories That Stood Out,” I decided to share some good memories from my childhood family. I have a short list of such memories. But, the family trips — indeed, all the trips — to Disney World Orlando were memorable and truly joyful.

My parents took us to Disney World (DW) three times while we lived in Jacksonville, Florida. Dear reader, you will recall from many of my writings that I didn’t experience a lot of good times in my immediate family growing up. But, those DW trips are all pretty great memories. And, I had other trips to DW besides those family ones, all of which were pretty terrific.

The Happiest Place on Earth

The first family visit to DW was our first year in Florida, in 1971. We were there in December that year. DW’s first Christmas was very cool. I was eight years old, but entirely dazzled. Father was so at ease and generous. He was really enjoying the rides with we elder three girls. Mother was indulgent, though she partook in none of the rides that I recall, and kept then one year old Deborah with her.

The best thing about that first visit, though, was Our Dawny (she was baptized “Dawn Dell”), then four years old. She ran up behind Donald Duck and pulled his tail to see if it was real. Donald turned around and gave her a finger-wag, and a bit of his signature squack-quack scolding. He bent down an tweaked her nose and she giggled.

Later, we all had treats and hot dogs (maybe at Orange Julius… I can’t recall if they were already at DW Orlando then; but we only ever went to them at DW). Donald and Mickey happened to be passing and saw us. We weren’t hard to spot. Three little curly redhaired girls and a curly toeheaded blonde in frilly dresses and sunhats with white patent-leather shoes.

Anyway, the duck came over and scold-quacked at Mickey, gesticulating at Our Dawny. She ran up and hugged Mickey, who then mock-scolded Donald… who then, naturally, hugged Dawny. Then, the characters gave each of us mouse-ear hats and balloons.

The second family visit was in early summer in 1975. Father was transferring from NAS Cecil Field to NAS Jax. That’s NAS Jacksonville for the uninitiated in navy-brat lingo. The visit was taken before he was to report to his new duty station, since he had a whole month’s leave between duty assignments.

The trip wasn’t for my birthday, per se. They forgot that again. However, we were in DW the weekend around the time of my birthday. So, I remember it as my birthday trip, even though no one wished me happy birthday. I know we had Orange Julius treats that time.

Space Mountain was relatively new then. I remember Our Dawny strapped in, sitting in front of me for the ride. Father was in front with Deloris, the sister nearest in age to me. I’m the eldest. Mother stayed on the platform with five year old Deborah, who was a sickly child, for whom our mother was scared to let ride.

I was gripping the handholds, because of the dark — it was the fastest and only dark coaster ride I’ve ever ridden. I especially remember Dawny’s screaching — it was more terrifying to me than the coaster. Then, Dawny turned around suddenly, trying to say something to me, grinning ear to ear. Tears streaming from her eyes, she let out a madcap sqeal mixed of delight and fear. She grabbed both my hands and held on for dear life when she faced front again.

I heard Deloris screaming too. I even heard my taciturn father let out a couple of barks bordering on yelling in fright. When the ride came to rest, we all tumbled out shaking and giggling. Father was laughing too, even though he had to stop and bend down with his hands on his knees for a breath of a moment.

I went to DW without my kin on two school trips, with educational stops at St. Augustine, in 1972 with my second grade class, and again in 1974 with my fourth grade class. On those visits, I actually loved St. Augustine better than the park. Wandering on my own with my sketchpad around the fort was particularly my kind of thing. I was on my own both times after my classmate buddies ditched me to run with the cool kids.

In 1976, I went to DW with the church youth group on a so-called retreat; I don’t remember any very churchy-retreaty things during the visit. We stayed for three days and four nights in one of the park campgrounds. Mother made me take these doubleknit leisure slack suit things to wear, instead of shorts like all the other kids were wearing. I had sunhats to match, and sunglasses.

Her dubious taste was on full display with those garish doublknit leisure suits. There were three suits in mint green, pale yellow, and creamsicle orange — all of which colors looked horrible with my fair freckled skin and bright red-gold hair. The color choices weren’t nearly as deplorable as the puffed sleeves and Peter Pan collars with ruffled, lace-trim, and those gawdawful sewn-in pants creases.

To be entirely fair, Mother actually insisted on cover-up clothes, the hat, and sunglasses in best my interest. As I mentioned above, I was and am very fair-skinned. I’ve also always been prone to sun-induced migraines — hence, the hats and shades. Plus, I actually loved the hats.

But, she chose outfits she would have liked to wear, dressing me like a younger version of herself. She was rather obsessed with those doubleknit leisure vest suits with the sewn-in pants creases — an obsession she never got over. Mother also chose sunglasses she liked too in those cat’s eye frames.

No, there are no pictures of me in the outfits; I made sure of that. My preferance would have been something more along the lines of those white bellbottom jeans and long sleeved gauzey peasant blouse I pleaded for at the shop. But, Mother had views and jeans anywhere but the garden were not ladylike in her estimation.

My dearest Gran came down from North Carolina for a visit in 1977. She had come to bring me back from my summer stay with her before school started. This is also the year she bought me a back-to-school wardrobe of jeans and proper teen fashion for the time. I was fourteen.

It seemed she came prepared to put everyone in a good mood over the clothes too. Thinking back on it, I’ve wondered if it was a calculated plan on her part. Remembering now, it all looks like a way to get past Mother’s insistence on keeping us all dressed like little dolls everywhere we went.

First, Gran brought a jeans outfit for each of my sisters, a blouse, a jeans vest or jacket, and a pair of bellbottom jeans. And, these were not just any jeans either — they were actual, branded Levis. Second, she paid to take us all to the DW park. At the park, she pointed out to Father every adorable little girl she saw in jeans like the outfits we were all wearing.

Third, when Gran took you on an outing, she did not scrimp and always had cash at the ready — no checks or creditcards for Gran. Most men of the era might have taken issue with being on the receiving end of their mother-in-law’s largesse. I think my Father was likely thrilled that it wasn’t my Mother’s spendthrift debt-spending largesse.

That last family trip to DW also happened to be the first year of the “Main Street Electrical Parade” at Disney World, Orlando. It was the first live parade I ever saw. I remember holding up my then six-and-half year old youngest sister, Deborah, to get a good view. I have to say… every other parade I’ve seen since pales in comparison.

Those trips to DW are probably the best memories of my childhood that I can recall. They are certainly high on my short list of best happy family childhood memories. And, strategy or not, that last trip worked. Nothing was ever said against jeans again, except for not wearing them to church.

I encourage you to take up Jason’s challenge. Find his dance down memory lane here, along with the details of the prompt:

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Shoutout to my WE PAW Bloggers publication contributors here on Medium: Andrea Hewitt, Carrie Ann Golden, Bob Metivier, My Alter Ego and Me, Deon Christie, David Perlmutter, Suzanne Hagelin, Harry Hogg, Kelly Santana Banks, Brian Lageose, Mason Bushell, Michael Embry, PJ Mann — Author, Pjmaclayne, Samantha Bryant, Patrick Metzger, Subhasinghe SPS, PhilAndMaude, Jason Provencio, Janerisdon, Robert Trakofler, Shoreditchpoet, Nikolaos Skordilis, Stuart Aken, Dr.Titus Varghese, Tomas Ó Cárthaigh, Fildy Bejaoui, Oksana Kukurudza’s Sunflowers Rarely Break

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