WABAC Machine — A Walt Disney World Quiz in Time — Answers

Jack Spence Masthead

Yesterday I used Mr. Peabody’s WABAC Machine* and took a trip backwards in time to see how much you recollect about the “good ol’ days” of Walt Disney World. Today I’ll provide you with the answers and a little trivia.

* As I mentioned yesterday, Mr. Peabody’s WABAC Machine is NOT a Disney reference. In order to know what I’m talking about, you need to be nearly as old as me and familiar with Jay Ward cartoons. For more information, see the end of this column.

Like all of my quizzes, no winners will be announced and no prizes awarded. This quiz is simply another way of bringing you Disney trivia.

Let’s get started.

1. Which was NOT an opening day attraction at the Magic Kingdom?

a. Tom Sawyer Island
b. Haunted Mansion
c. “it’s a small world”
d. The Jungle Cruise
e. None – all were opening day attractions

a. Tom Sawyer Island

Tom Sawyer Island did not open until May 20, 1973. In the early years the island was just a tree-studded piece of land in the middle of the Rivers of America. In the following picture taken in January 1972 you can see the south tip of the island. Notice Harper’s Mill is missing.

Tom Sawyer Island

2. Which was NOT an opening day pavilion at Epcot Center?

a. Spaceship Earth
b. Universe of Energy
c. World of Motion
d. Horizons
e. None – all were opening day attractions

d. Horizons

Horizons officially premiered one year to the day after the opening of Epcot Center, October 1, 1983. This attraction was intended to be a continuation of the story presented in “Carousel of Progress.” To see my blog about Horizons, click here. To see my blog about the Carousel of Progress, click here.

Horizons

3. Which was NOT an opening day attraction at the Disney-MGM Studios?

a. Studio Backlot Tour
b. The Great Movie Ride
c. Superstar Television
d. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
e. None – all were opening day attractions

d. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

The Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios) opened on May 1, 1989. The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular did not open for three more months, debuting on August 25, 1989.

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

4. Which was NOT an opening day attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom?

a. Countdown to Extinction
b. Kilimanjaro Safaris
c. Maharaja Jungle Trek
d. It’s Tough to be a Bug
e. None – all were opening day attractions

c. Maharaja Jungle Trek

Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened on Earth Day, April 22, 1998. The Asia section of the park did not open until 1999.

Maharaja Jungle Trek

5. What attraction originally inhabited the space now occupied by “Stitche’s Great Escape” in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom?

a. Flight to the Moon
b. Mission to Mars
c. If You Had Wings
d. America the Beautiful (CircleVision 360 movie)
e. None of the above

a. Flight to the Moon

Flight to the Moon and the rest of Tomorrowland wasn’t quite ready when the Magic Kingdom opened on October 1, 1971. However, this attraction did make it in time for the busy Christmas season.

Like many Disney attractions of today, Flight to the Moon had a preshow before the main event. Here we were introduced to the Head of Operations, Tom Morrow (tomorrow). Before our flight, Tom described the various happenings at Mission Control and prepared us for our mission. Before venturing to our space craft, and overhead announcement requested that we bring along all of our personal belongings, including our imaginations.

Rocket to the Moon was replaced by Mission to Mars, then ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, and finally, Stitch’s Great Escape.

Rocket to the Moon

6. What company sponsored “The Living Seas” attraction at Epcot?

a. General Dynamics
b. United Technologies
c. ExxonMobil
d. Westinghouse
e. None of the above

b. United Technologies

When designing the Living Seas Pavilion, the Imagineers wanted to include a full-service restaurant. However, United Technologies insisted that this eatery have its own, separate entrance as it would be illogical to have the Coral Reef Restaurant part of Sea Base Alpha, an underwater research facility.

The Living Seas

7. During the Monster Sound Show at the Disney-MGM Studios, a short film clip was shown to demonstrate the importance of sound effects in movies. Martin Short was one of the stars of this clip. Who was his co-star?

a. Billy Crystal
b. Chevy Chase
c. Dana Carvey
d. Dan Aykroyd
e. None of the above

b. Chevy Chase

During the show, the audience was shown a film clip where door-to-door salesman Chevy Chase visits the home of insane Martin Short. During the showing, selected members of the audience provided sound effects such as doorbells, creaky doors, and explosions. The film was then reshown with the newly created sound track – and a surprise ending.

Monster Sound Show

Monster Sound Show

8. When the Animal Kingdom opened, Disney offered a boat ride along Discovery River. What was the name of this attraction?

a. Animal Discovery Excursion
b. Safari Boats
c. Discovery River Boats
d. Radio Disney River Cruise
e. None of the above

c. Discovery River Boats

The Imagineers originally intended the Discovery River Boats to provide guests with an orientation of the Animal Kingdom as it skirted each land of the park. In addition, it would provide transportation from one side of the park to another. Along the way guests would encounter an AudioAnimatronics dinosaur, a geyser, and a few animal sightings. In addition, cast members on board would showcase small critters such as tarantulas, geckos, and scorpions. Guests could board Discovery River Boats at one of two stations. One station was located near the entrance to Dinoland and the other in Asia. Since this was considered a “transportation” attraction, guests were forced to exit at the other station.

When the Animal Kingdom first opened, there were very few attractions. An hour wait for Discovery River Boats was common as there was little else to do. With precious few sights along the river banks and a forced exit at the other station, people inundated Guest Relations with complaints.

In an effort to spruce up this failure of an attraction, Disney retooled the ride and renamed it Radio Disney River Cruise.” The boats were repainted in bright colors and a round-trip to your original station was now provided. In addition, an onboard radio show was presented with music, trivia questions, and animal facts. It was still a dismal failure and guests continued to complain. The ride closed for good in August, 1999, just a year and a half after the park opened.

Discovery River Boats

9. In the early years of the Magic Kingdom, two keel boats plied the Rivers of America. One was named Bertha Mae. What was the name of the second boat?

a. Davey Crockett
b. Daniel Boone
c. Don Diego
d. George Russell
e. None of the above

e. None of the above

The other boat name was the Gullywhumper. The boat names came from the Davey Crockett mini-series Walt produced in the 1950s. The attraction operated in the Magic Kingdom from opening day until April 29, 2001. Although the originals are long gone, a scaled-down replica can be seen from the Liberty Belle as you circle the Rivers of America.

Keel Boat Replica

10. In Epcot’s Communicore East there was an attraction that showcased the marvels of computers. During the show, a British song-and-dance man explained how virtually everything in Epcot could be controlled from one room using this fantastic new tool. What was the name of this attraction?

a. Computer Central Cabaret
b. Sperry Computer Spectacular
c. Electronic Epcot Exhibit
d. Astuter Computer Revue
e. None of the above

d. Astuter Computer Review

From an elevated walkway, guests looked down on a vast array of computers and main frames. Using a theatrical technique called “pepper’s ghost” the host of the show danced around the room and on top of the machines while singing “The Computer Song,” a ditty written by the Sherman Brothers. The Astuter Computer Revue has the distinction of being the shortest-lived attraction at Epcot. The tour was updated and re-opened as Backstage Magic, however this show was also short lived.

Astuter Computer Revue

Backstage Magic

11. Through the magic of “blue screen,” guests visiting Superstar Television at the Disney-MGM Studios were magically transported into their favorite TV show and could electronically perform opposite real actors. Which of the following shows was NOT one of the television shows presented?

a. Frasier
b. Gilligan’s Island
c. Golden Girls
d. The Tonight Show
e. All of the above were performed

a. Frasier

Superstar Television was presented by Sony and ran until September 1998. Guests visiting this attraction would wait in a holding area outside the theater until the next show began. While waiting, many would scream and wave in an effort to secure an acting part in the upcoming show. Those selected were taken backstage where they were fitted for costumes, had makeup applied (if needed for the part) and given their script. The rest of the audience was escorted into the 1,000 seat theater. Once the show began, guests could watch the actual production taking place onstage or see the magic of “blue screen” by watching overhead monitors. The show was replaced by Doug Live beginning on March 15, 1999.

Here is a complete list of the shows presented:

The Today Show with Dave Garroway
Howdy Doody (later replaced by Home Improvement)
I Love Lucy
General Hospital
The Ed Sullivan Show
Bonanza
Gilligan’s Island
CBS News – Live From the Moon
The Three Stooges
Cheers
Golden Girls
Sports Break
The Tonight Show
Late Night with David Letterman

Super Star Television

r Star Television

12. What was the original name of Discovery Island at the Animal Kingdom?

a. Safari Village
b. Safari Outpost
c. Discovery Outpost
d. The Oasis
e. None of the above

a. Safari Village

The original Discovery Island was located in the middle of Bay Lake and featured a small zoological park. After the Animal Kingdom opened, there was little need for this attraction. Why visit this small island with a limited selection of animals when the Animal Kingdom offered so much more? Discovery Island was closed to the public on April 8, 1999.

With the name “Discovery Island” now freed up, this allowed the Imagineers to rename Safari Village. Discovery Island was a better match as the island is surrounded by Discovery River. In addition, the name Safari Village was confusing to guests as the word “safari” was also used in conjunction with another attraction, Kilimanjaro Safaris located in Africa. Notice on the map excerpts below that Safari Village Trails were also renamed to Discovery Village Trails.

Safari Village

Safari Village

13. Which is NOT a current Disney golf course?

a. Osprey Ridge
b. Eagle Pines
c. Magnolia
d. Palm
e. All are current Disney golf courses

b. Eagle Pines

Although Eagle Pines WAS a Disney golf course, it was closed to make room for the Golden Oak development and the Four Seasons Hotel. Plans call for a revised course to reopen under Four Seasons management sometime in late 2014.

Eagle Pines Logo

Four Seasons Concept Drawing

14. What was the name of the restaurant found on the 15th floor of the Contemporary Resort before it was called California Grill?

a. Pueblo Room
b. Top of the World
c. Gulf Coast Room
d. Coconino Cove
e. None of the above

b. Top of the World

Although all of the above names were once used to designate restaurants or bars at the Contemporary, Top of the World was the name of the 15th floor restaurant. In the early years, named entertainers performed here in a “night club” type environment. Later, a nightly show called “Broadway at the Top” featured three women and two men in a salute to Broadway. Currently, the lounge atop Bay Lake Tower is named Top of the World in honor of this early Disney World establishment.

Top of the World

Broadway at the Top

15. What was the original name of Kona Café located at the Polynesian Resort?

a. Tangaroa Terrace
b. Papeete Bay Verandah
c. Coral Isle Café
d. South Seas Dining Room
e. None of the above

c. Coral Isle Café

Like the question above, all of these names were once used at the Polynesian Resort. In the early years, Coral Isle Café served “coffee shop” fare and simple, no-fuss meals.

Kona Cafe

16. What was the original name of the Shades of Green Resort?

a. Shades of Green
b. Disney Inn
c. Golf Resort
d. Snow White Inn
e. None of the above

c. Golf Resort

The Golf Resort premiered in December 1973 and was the third Disney owned hotel to open at Walt Disney World. It was located between the Palm and Magnolia courses and featured 151 rooms as well as a pro shop and other golf related facilities. However, because of its location (off of the monorail loop) and the fact that most non-golfers were turned off by the name, the Golf Resort only saw a 60%-75% occupancy rate while the Contemporary and Polynesian were running at near capacity. The resort was expanded and renamed The Disney Inn in February 1986 in an effort to appeal to a wider audience. In addition, The Disney Inn was provided with a minimal Snow White theme to give the resort a Disney touch. Despite the fact that this was a lovely resort with some of the largest rooms available (480 square feet), many still considered this a second-class property and the resort continued to underperform.

On February 1, 1994, the US Department of Defense entered into a 100 year contract with Disney to lease the resort and the land it sits on. At this time, the resort was renamed Shades of Green. In 1996, the government purchased the resort outright for $43 million.

Today, this facility is a retreat for military personnel and pricing is based on rank. The resort is completely self-sufficient and has an occupancy rate of nearly 100%. The motto of Shades of Green is “Serving Those Who Serve.

Shade of Green

Shade of Green

17. What was the original company to sponsor Space Mountain?

a. FedEx
b. Monsanto
c. McDonald-Douglas
d. RCA
e. None of the above

d. RCA

The idea for a space-themed roller coaster had been on the drawing board for a number of years. When it came time to build Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom, Disney President Card Walker convinced RCA Chairman Robert Sarnoff to sponsor the new attraction. Space Mountain officially opened on January 15, 1975.

When RCA’s interest in the attraction waned, FedEx picked up sponsorship and the attraction donned this second company’s logo from 1994 to 2004. Today, no corporation sponsors Space Mountain.

RCA Space Mountain Poster

18. What was the mission of Bravo 229, the vehicle that was miniaturized and sent into the human body on the attraction Body Wars found at Epcot’s Wonders of Life Pavilion?

a. Repair a broken blood vessel
b. Investigate a splinter imbedded into the patient’s skin
c. Study brain activity within a human
d. Map the lung passageways
e. None of the above

b. Investigate a splinter imbedded into the patient’s skin.

While on the Body Wars attraction, we encounter Dr. Cynthia Lair. She is investigating a splinter imbedded into a patient’s skin. While taking a blood count, Dr. Lair is accidentally pulled into a capillary. In an effort to save her, Captain Braddock takes chase in the Bravo craft he is piloting. While in pursuit, the craft passes the heart and enters the lung. Here we discover Dr. Lair being attacked by a white blood cell. With the Bravo running low on fuel, Captain Braddock steers the craft into the brain and uses the organ’s electric charges to repower the vehicle.

Although the motion simulators used on Body Wars were almost identical to that of Star Wars, this attraction never achieved any real popularity. Many people left this ride nauseated.

Body Wars

Body Wars

19. Currently, the show “Disney Junior – Live on Stage” is being presented in a soundstage found in Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. What was originally housed in this structure when the Disney-MGM Studios first opened?

a. Soundstage Restaurant
b. Doug Live (before it replaced Superstar Television)
c. Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage
d. Art of Animation Tour
e. None of the above

a. Soundstage Restaurant

When the Disney-MGM Studios opened, this building contained a counter-service eatery known as Soundstage Restaurant. The restaurant was designed to resemble the hotel set from the recent Touchstone movie “Big Business.” The backstory suggested that the film had just completed shooting and a “wrap party” was in progress. Three distinct areas were available for ordering food: a Pizza & Pasta window, a Sandwich shop, and a Soup & Salad counter. The Catwalk Bar was located above the dining area on an overhead walkway and was filled with a collection of movie props and film making equipment.

I’m sorry, but I do not have a picture of this long gone eatery.

20. “Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends” was a show presented at Camp Minnie-Mickey at the Animal Kingdom. In this presentation, Pocahontas introduced the audience to a variety of animals found in nature. Who helped here with this task?

a. John Smith
b. Chief Powhatan (Pocahontas’ father)
c. Nakoma (Pocahontas’ best friend)
d. Kocoum (the warrior who desires to marry Pocahontas)
e. None of the above

e. None of the above

Grandmother Willow was Pocahontas’ costar and helped her describe the animals and the importance of protecting our environment.

Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends

* Jay Ward created a plethora of cartoon characters, but perhaps his most famous was Rocky and Bullwinkle. Another of his creations was Mister Peabody, a highly intelligent talking dog who had adopted a young boy named Sherman. Mister Peabody had invented a WABAC ( pronounced “way back”) machine, or in other words, a time machine. In each episode, Mister Peabody would take Sherman back in time and they would witness history unfold a little differently than we were taught in school.

Peabody and Sherman

There is a connection between Jay Ward and the Walt Disney Company. In 1997, Disney released a live action movie entitled “George of the Jungle” starring Brendan Fraser. George was another of the many characters created by Jay Ward.

George of the Jungle

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15 Replies to “WABAC Machine — A Walt Disney World Quiz in Time — Answers”

  1. Hey Jack,

    Thanks for the quiz but more so thanks for the memory of Mister Peabody and Sherman. I loved this cartoon as a kid. One of my favorites! I also loved Fractured Fairytales. Jay Ward must have done these to! Thanks for the reminder of these wonder cartoons!!

    Rob

  2. Dear Jack,

    A wonderful quiz as always!

    I had an idea for a quiz myself.

    On many disney attractions, old and new. There seem to be what I call “Indicator Lights”. These are appropiately themed lights on attractions that aren’t omnimover or similar. These lights blink when something is about to be activated, such as letting a ride start or closing a door.

    Why not do a quiz on these indicator lights? You have the readers Identify the attraction.

    If you like this idea and need help finding these lights, contact me.

    Yours Truly,

    Anderson

  3. Thanks for doing these great quizzes, Jack. Although I only got 6 correct, I did learn a lot when the answers were given. So, although I would have failed I gained a lot of knowledge about something I really enjoy!
    Can’t wait for the next one!!!!!
    Dave.

  4. Well, half right/half wrong on this quiz. I had totally forgotten about the Soundstage restaurant until I read your description of the interior layout. Thanks for another great quiz, Jack!

  5. Hi Jack –

    I was one of those who waved frantically and screamed at Monster Sound Show and managed to get chosen to be a Foley (sound effects) person in 1994 – I did the thunder. In 1997 or 1998, I managed to make enough of a spectacle of myself to be chosen for Superstar Television – I got to play the part of Al in Home Improvement. Both were great experiences!

    I guess I shouldn’t complain about 14/20, but that’s why I read your column – working for that perfect score!

    Keep ’em coming!

    – Jeff

    PS – 1994 was a banner trip – over at that other theme park, my girlfriend and I each managed to get picked for 2 other shows – me Ghostbusters and Murder She Wrote, her Earthquake and Alfred Hitchcock.

  6. My partner and I almost could’ve answered “all of the above” to No. 16. We were once “bumped” from the Contemporary to the Golf Resort, pleasantly surprised by the large rooms and the almost-empty public spaces. Some years later, we brought a van-load of teenagers to WDW for the state Hi-Q tournament and were housed at the Disney Inn. A decade or so later, we came down to meet our daughter, who was staying at Shades of Green. It was and is a very nice resort, if you don’t mind the long walk to the monorail at the Poly.
    Even old Disney vets like us got only about half the quiz items right.

  7. Great Job Jack! Some of us newer Disney converts dont know all the history and that is what makes your blogs so interesting. I visited several times as a child and then again on my honeymoon so these type of articles bring back distant memories of rides I had forgotten like Body Wars. Since moving to Florida in 2004 we have passes every year and think we know alot about Disney but you always stump me on the quizes. Keep them up I love the history and back stories of Disney World.

  8. Well, it’s good to know other people did not so great. I read almost all the blogs and other info and I still got 4/20!!! Oh well, better luck next time. Keep coming with the quizes…I love ’em!!!

  9. hey Jack
    another great quiz. 15/20 is pretty good for me. I love learning about the history and your quizes provide a lot of cool information into the past of Disney World. can’t wait for your next quiz as I always look forward to them as I do all of your blogs. can’t wait for the next one and as always keep up the great work.

  10. Only got 5/20 correct- but my first visit to WDW was in 2004, at the ripe age of 46!

    Obviously, I need to read more about Disney Park history!

  11. My first visit to WDW was in 1992 when I was 6 years old, so unfortunately I did not get to experience some of he older attractions. I love reading your blog and any Disney books I can find (thrift stores, etc.). I got 15/20 correct…mostly because of reading books and blogs. My favorite attractions during my first visit were Kitchen Kabaret, the World of Motion, and Horizons. Unfortunately, all that’s left to me now are the videotapes my dad made during our visit and blogs like yours, so thanks!

  12. Hey Jack,

    I always do so poorly with the quiz blogs. Of course, I didn’t make it down to Walt Disney World for the first time until December of 1988. I was so looking forward to riding the Swan Boats at Magic Kingdom, but of course they were long gone by then.

    It’s always amazing to see your older photos where the foliage is so thin, like the shot of Tom Sawyer Island with the Haunted Mansion “naked” in the background. Even though I was at opening day of Animal Kingdom, the shot of the river going around Discovery Island looks so sparse compared to now. Then again, plants and trees grow a lot in almost 15 years! I’ll have to go back and look at the slides I took on that opening day.

    Jay Ward cartoons were among my favorite as a child, and I always loved the pun delivered by Mr. Peabody at the end of each cartoon. I would later become familiar with the acting of Edward Everett Horton, who narrated Fractured Fairy Tales, from his comedy films of the 1930s.

  13. Thank you for another great trip down memory lane. 7/20 is not bad considering some of these things existed while I was still very young.

  14. In another great link between these two animation studios, Jay Ward has a little fun with Walt Disney (and Disneyland) in the “Sleeping Beauty” episode of “Fractured Fairy Tales”. GREAT fun, watch it if you get the chance.