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tikibird · 09-12-2002, 08:08 PM

Okay, now that I have finally finished my June/July report, and have no trips planned in the near future, I would like to share with you some pictures I recently found when looking for old pictures of Gonzo.

Flashback to the age of disco and polyester - it is the Spring of 1980 and I am 17 years old. A Senior in High School that knows it ALL! The Food Police and I have already been dating for over a year, but he is not in the band, so is home during this trip. I am the drum major in the band, after playing alto saxophone for 4 years previously.

As seniors, my friends and I thought we were the absolute coolest, and walked through the World like we owned it! We had all been once prior, in 1978, so we pretty much knew our way around our hotel, the Hotel Royal Plaza, and the Magic Kingdom, which was the only park at the time. We watched BTMRR being built!

I actually was a budding trip report writer at the time, as my passion in life was to become a travel agent. So, the words you see in italics were actually written by me as a 17-year-old. I will interject as an older, wiser tikibird in regular print.

And no commments about how SKINNY I was then, okay? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

So, now it is time for:

The Departure

I asked my parents to take a picture of me in my shades, with my beloved teddy bear (Andy Panda, who is really not a panda, obviously), prior to leaving.

April 23, 1980 Me ready to leave for the bus with my faithful companion

My carryons

We met in the Brentwood Park parking lot to take off on our long-awaited trip. Many a candy bar and hoagie were sold to finance this excursion!

Left to Right - Mary Ellen, Eve, Good SQUAD (Maryann) & Shari We all had these real cool hats, but Goon Squad sat on mine on the plane on the way home!

On to Pittsburgh airport and boarding the plane

Me, little Andy Panda and Shari preparing for take-off

Eve and Maryann looking weird (as usual!)

We made it safely to Orlando, and to the Hotel Royal Plaza. I remember that as part of our package, we had a yummy breakfast buffet there each day, and were also given vouchers to get meals in the parks. There was a cool disco that I was dying to be old enough to go into, as well. Someone in the room had a crush on a pizza delivery guy, so we kept trying to place orders. I distinctly remember dancing to Michael Jackson's Off the Wall by the pool at night.

Next up - A Day at Wet and Wild water park

[ 10-24-2002, 09:38 AM: Message edited by: tikibird ]

09-12-2002, 08:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
tikibird Community Rank: Navigator Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Pittsburgh, PA , USA Posts: 6,148	Tikibird\'s April 1980 High School Band Trip Report: Hotel Royal Plaza - Completed Okay, now that I have finally finished my June/July report, and have no trips planned in the near future, I would like to share with you some pictures I recently found when looking for old pictures of Gonzo. Flashback to the age of disco and polyester - it is the Spring of 1980 and I am 17 years old. A Senior in High School that knows it ALL! The Food Police and I have already been dating for over a year, but he is not in the band, so is home during this trip. I am the drum major in the band, after playing alto saxophone for 4 years previously. As seniors, my friends and I thought we were the absolute coolest, and walked through the World like we owned it! We had all been once prior, in 1978, so we pretty much knew our way around our hotel, the Hotel Royal Plaza, and the Magic Kingdom, which was the only park at the time. We watched BTMRR being built! I actually was a budding trip report writer at the time, as my passion in life was to become a travel agent. So, the words you see in italics were actually written by me as a 17-year-old. I will interject as an older, wiser tikibird in regular print. And no commments about how SKINNY I was then, okay? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] So, now it is time for: The Departure I asked my parents to take a picture of me in my shades, with my beloved teddy bear (Andy Panda, who is really not a panda, obviously), prior to leaving. April 23, 1980 Me ready to leave for the bus with my faithful companion My carryons We met in the Brentwood Park parking lot to take off on our long-awaited trip. Many a candy bar and hoagie were sold to finance this excursion! Left to Right - Mary Ellen, Eve, Good SQUAD (Maryann) & Shari We all had these real cool hats, but Goon Squad sat on mine on the plane on the way home! On to Pittsburgh airport and boarding the plane Me, little Andy Panda and Shari preparing for take-off Eve and Maryann looking weird (as usual!) We made it safely to Orlando, and to the Hotel Royal Plaza. I remember that as part of our package, we had a yummy breakfast buffet there each day, and were also given vouchers to get meals in the parks. There was a cool disco that I was dying to be old enough to go into, as well. Someone in the room had a crush on a pizza delivery guy, so we kept trying to place orders. I distinctly remember dancing to Michael Jackson's Off the Wall by the pool at night. Next up - A Day at Wet and Wild water park [ 10-24-2002, 09:38 AM: Message edited by: tikibird ]