I only have a handful of memories of this trip, even with all of this terrific documentation from the diary and scrapbook that my mother kept.

One of my memories happened first thing on Friday, June 8, 1973. We were up so early that we caught the very first monorail. We were the only people on train, so we were directed to ride up front with the driver. The view was amazing from the front of the train. Unfortunately, according to this page, riding with the driver is no longer allowed due to safety concerns. That’s especially sad knowing that it created a 50-year-memory for me.

Dad, Joy, and Dale in front of The Mickey Mouse Revue

By arriving at the Magic Kingdom early, we enjoyed a long list of rides without lines in the morning:

• The Haunted Mansion “E”
• The Hall of Presidents “E”
• It’s a Small World “E”
• The Mickey Mouse Revue “D”
• Snow White’s Adventures “C”
• Mad Tea Party “B”

Mother didn’t record it, but I have photographic evidence that Dale and I rode Dumbo, the Flying Elephant, using a “B” coupon.

We spent the remainder of the day in Tomorrowland:

• Grand Prix Raceway, sponsored by Goodyear “C”
• Flight to the Moon “D”
• Circle-Vision 360, America the Beautiful, sponsored by Monsanto “Free”
• If You Had Wings, sponsored by Easter Airlines “Free”

My other clear memory of this day was hearing a steel drum band. The Walt Disney World 1973 Information Guide says that I would have heard that in Adventureland. I remembered it in Tomorrowland and that’s where Mother recorded it, so I’m going with my memory. It was my first exposure to steel drums, and I loved the sound — it primed me to be a fan of Jimmy Buffet and Sebastian from The Little Mermaid as well as music from the Caribbean.

We attended the dinner show at Polynesian Village that night — $27 for four of us, plus tip.