Florida in the 1990s: May 1994

[The Fatadder]

As I don’t have a real trip on the horizon, I have started to look back through the old photos to see what remains of my childhood trips.

The first thing that becomes apparent is that back in the 1990s my parents did not take nearly as many photos as we take now! I have photos from 3 trips (1994, 1996, 1999) although some appear to be missing so hopefully I can update later on with some more. For some reason I haven’t found any photos from my final childhood trip in 2002.

While I doubt these old snaps are of any real interest, I have decided to upload them all for my own benefit to look back on all of my trips to Florida in one place…

So starting way back in 1994:
We flew with Virgin Atlantic on one of their freshly refurbished 747s, having never flown long haul before it was all very exciting. I can remember being amazed to have a TV and Nintendo system built into the seat backs (all be it there were teething difficulties throughout the flight).
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
We stayed at the Holiday Inn Nikki Bird on the US192 in Kissimmee, travelling with no car (relying on a shuttle bus that left from the front of the hotel.) I cant find much more of the hotel in the photos found so far, other than the below. Untitled By the pool (which was shaped like Mickey Mouse ears) after returning from dinner at TGIs.
Untitled Inside the room, I have no idea why I am carrying an ice bucket! I cant believe how small it all feels compared to what we are used to now.

As will become clear film use was at a premium, which coupled with poor quality cameras, most of the photos are of my brother and I rather than the sights.

Universal Studios:
Untitled I am not quite sure where this Flintstones set used to be located.

Untitled 5 years before Islands of Adventure opened you could still get up close to a T Rex
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled I think I am right in saying that this character makes an appearance on Rip Saw Falls?
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled Clearly we visited Universal more than once in the trip, I am not entirely sure how 1994 Universal managed to achieve this given how few rides there were…
Untitled Universal character breakfast with the Flintstones. I recall that we also received an early version of Express Pass after eating that allowed you to skip the queue on ET.
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr

Magic Kingdom:
Unsurprisingly given that we were 10 and 7 at the time, Magic Kingdom was a big hit. In the build up to the holiday my brother and I would both watch the Walt Disney World video every time we visited our grandparents house. Getting excited to see the monorail passing through Contemporary, and glimpses of rides and shows.

Untitled Getting the ferry across to our first ever day in Magic Kingdom.
Untitled Now this sight hasn’t changed (and I hope it never does).
Untitled I cant tell which of us is riding Dumbo with dad, however it certainly looks rather different now. The pylons and cables for the Skyway are of course long gone.

Untitled Ready for Splash Mountain, I cannot believe that I haven’t been on this since 2014!

Untitled Now I think this is a very poor photo of the electric parade…

Untitled The speedway was clearly a real favourite, with lots of photos in the album.
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled Off to Tom Sawer’s Island, something we still haven’t done with the children.
Untitled
Untitled I think Mum managed to miss us off in these phtotos.

Untitled The show playing in front of the castle

Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled A view of Fantasy Land and the castle from the skyway, on the right was the Legend of the Lion King.
I am disappointed not to find any photos of 20000 leagues under the sea, or Mr Toads Wild ride.
Typhoon Lagoon
Moving on to a water park and Typhoon Lagoon, of course before you had Go Pros and under water cameras it was a little tricky to get photos at the water parks…
Untitled Shark Reef
Untitled My brother looking very unimpressed after the cold water in the reef
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr

On to MGM Studios,
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr

Untitled I don’t think ive seen this area in front of Star Tours quite so empty.
Untitled Miss Piggy actually spraying water!

Untitled Meeting Mickey on the steps of the Chinese Theatre

Untitled I haven’t a clue as to where this show was located, other than it is long gone.
Untitled Echo Lake

Untitled The New York City backlot

SeaWorld
SeaWorld was a very different park in those days, the only real ride being the simulator that is now Wild Artic (although in those days it was a submarine called Mission Bermuda Triangle which had no animal attractions).
Untitled I think this was at SeaWorld not Bush Gardens, but I could be wrong. Certainly a different day to most of these photos.
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled Hotel Clyde and Seamore was a real favourite of the day.
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr

Untitled I think I am right in saying that this climbing area has now closed as part of the Sesame Street expansion. A shame as I think Evie would now rather enjoy it.
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled The dolphin show taken by a 10 year old.
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled A very different environment compared with todays show.
Untitled Shamu (complete with trainers in the pool and a full stadium)
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled Pacific Point
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr

[The Fatadder]

River Country
Untitled A couple of views from River Country
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr

Wild Bills Dinner Show
I cant remember much of this, other than we were sold the tickets at one of those “welcome” meetings that the tour operator used to run.
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled Dad as the target for the throwing knives
Untitled Big Chief

Bush Gardens
In our two weeks in Florida we must have tried to tick off everywhere that was in the guide book! So it was onto a coach for the drive down to Bush Gardens.
Untitled The park was further along than SeaWorld in adding rides in place of shows, with Kumba haven opened the year before. However you could still see a dolphin show.
Untitled White tiger
Untitled Not quite up to today’s ride standard
Untitled I did get to play the crocodile in one of the shows though.

Kennedy Space Centre
Another long drive on the bus out to the East Coast, I think this park has the biggest change then to now, given its almost unrecognisable.
Untitled The rocket garden is fairly similar to today
Untitled No museum for the Saturn V
Untitled Its just in the middle of a car park
Untitled And the spaceshuttle replica is also kept outside
Untitled Launch pad still in use.
Epcot
For our first 3 visits we were always travelling around the time of May half term, of course this means we were in time for the Flower and Garden festival. So unsurprisingly rather than any photos in Space Ship earth, or with Figment. There is a lot of World Showcase instead. I can remember doing Body Wars (the simulator that shrunk you down to the size of a blood cell), Mexico and Malstrom. Plus we must have done Spaceship Earth. Sadly we didn’t seem to get any photos of the rides themselves.
Untitled Really, who takes a photo by the monorail track without waiting for a monorail to pass over…
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled I wonder if these hats are still in the loft, save a few $$$ on souvenirs next time round…)
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr

Silver Springs (I think)
Now these photos left me a little stumped, however I can remember visiting Silver Springs on one trip so I assume this must be it.
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled by Rich Pedder, on Flickr
Untitled Now this one came out completely red (light hitting the film I guess), however a transfer to B&W has got something out of it this is what made me think it was Silver Springs given the park had a railway.

Next I will skip forward to 1996

[juless77]

Wow love the photos thanks for sharing

[Cloverlady]

Thanks for sharing, very interesting to see how it all used to be as we didn't go until 2004

[Juliemack]

Great memories for you I've enjoyed seeing them too

[loola30]

This has brought back so many memories! My first trip was August 1994 and I think I stayed in that some hotel. I think it was called something like Holiday Inn Nikki Bird? Great photos - thank you for sharing OP.

[florida girl]

Great photos from back in the day. We first visited in 1998 and love looking at the old photos,lots of happy memories

[MarionG]

Wow, this has brought back so many happy memories of our first trips which were in April/May1993 and the same in 1995. Our son was 7 when we first went and like your parents a lot of our photos are of him standing in front of attractions! We used to enjoy going to River Country as it was fairly quiet for a water park. Mind you every park was quiet as were the roads. On our last trip this May the I4 was like a car park most days!

[Gilly120]

Loved looking at these photos.

[gasp0de]

Brought back memories for me too, thanks for posting and I'm looking forward to the others your going to post.