I recreated my Disney World photos from 30 years ago. See how the park's changed since then.
- I've been going to Disney World for over 30 years, and a lot has changed since 1992.
- I spent two days recreating old photos of me at the parks to see just how Disney World has evolved.
For the last 30 years, one of my favorite things to do at Disney World has been seeing Mickey Mouse.
Mickey used to greet guests at Magic Kingdom in Mickey's Toontown Fair, which is now Storybook Circus.
Mickey's Toontown Fair closed at the park on February 11, 2011.
Today, Mickey can be seen in his classic suit at Epcot.
I had to go to Epcot instead of Magic Kingdom to recreate my photo with Mickey in a similar outfit.
Minnie Mouse used to walk around Main Street USA at Magic Kingdom.
Decades ago, I was able to say hello to Minnie Mouse while she roamed around the front of Magic Kingdom. Now, the parks have specified meet-and-greet locations.
I recently spotted Minnie in her classic polka-dot dress at the entrance to Epcot.
Although I spotted her at Epcot, you can also see her in Storybook Circus at Magic Kingdom.
Alice from "Alice in Wonderland" also used to meet guests at Mickey's Toontown Fair.
Getting autographs from the characters was a big part of my childhood, so I also have photos of me meeting Alice at Mickey's Toontown Fair.
You can still meet Alice today, and she's even at two parks.
Today, Alice meets at Magic Kingdom near the Mad Tea Party Attraction and in the UK Pavilion at Epcot.
One of my favorite attractions as a kid was Dumbo the Flying Elephant.
The classic ride used to be in the middle of Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom.
I don't ride it as much now, but every once in a while, it's still fun.
The iconic was moved to Storybook Circus in 2012, and Disney even built a second carousel during the renovations to make the line move faster.
Disney World celebrated its 25th anniversary by turning Cinderella Castle into a bright-pink birthday cake.
I loved this magical transformation as a kid.
Disney World kicked off its 50th anniversary with a new castle overlay.
In 2021, Disney World kicked off its 50th-anniversary celebration, which just ended in March.
The castle was adorned with shimmering ribbons and a 50 medallion.
You could also see a tiny figure of Dumbo near the castle for Disney World's 25th anniversary.
In addition to the cute 25th-anniversary statues, this photo is iconic because those yellow ponchos were everywhere at Disney in the 1990s.
For the 50th anniversary, Disney has a larger Dumbo figurine on display.
Guests can even interact with the current Dumbo statue honoring the 50th anniversary of the parks using a MagicBand.
The Tomorrowland Speedway gave kids my age the chance to get behind the wheel.
I loved this ride as a kid — much to the despair of my parents who'd get stuck riding with a 5-year-old driver.
Today, the attraction doesn't seem nearly as exciting to me.
Now that I drive a real car, getting behind the wheel of a tiny theme-park vehicle isn't as enchanting as it once was.
As a kid, I loved meeting the Disney princesses.
As a kid, I met Cinderella while dining at King Stefan's Banquet Hall (now Cinderella's Royal Table) inside the castle at Magic Kingdom.
As an adult, I don't visit the princesses often, but it's always fun when I do.
Several of the princesses, including Cinderella, now meet at Princess Fairytale Hall in Magic Kingdom.
They also greet diners at Cinderella's Royal Table, the restaurant in the castle today.
One of my favorite Disney memories as a kid was riding the carousel behind the castle.
Whenever I rode the classic carousel at Magic Kingdom, I always tried to find a horse that had flowers on it.
I still love the carousel, and the same horse is available for guests to ride.
I love the purple and yellow flowers on the horse, and I'm glad it's still part of the carousel today.
My family and I would always try to eat at Crystal Palace to meet Winnie the Pooh.
I loved eating at Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom as a kid because I could see Winnie the Pooh and all of his friends during our meal.
We still love Crystal Palace, but you don't need a reservation to see Pooh anymore.
Pooh Bear has a meet-and-greet spot next to the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction at Magic Kingdom.
As a kid, my family always stayed at Disney's All-Star Resorts.
Apparently, I really needed a photo near this trash can when I stayed at the All-Star Resorts as a kid.
Today, my family and I rarely stay at the budget resorts, but we like to visit them on occasion.
The three hotels that make up this complex — All-Star Movies, All-Star Sports, and All-Star Music — all have their own trash-can designs now. But I found one of the old designs hidden near a parking lot.
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