Theme Park Thursdays feature photos from one of our theme park adventures in the past.

World Showcase Omnibus (1985)

World Showcase Omnibus (1985)

The year is 1985. The place is EPCOT Center.

While my parents had taken me to Walt Disney World before, this was my first "memorable" trip, which I experienced at age 10. EPCOT Center was just 3 years old at the time. That vacation had quite an impact on me becoming a Disney theme park enthusiast.

Today's photo — taken with a Kodak Instamatic 126 film camera and cropped accordingly — spotlights the World Showcase Omnibus, a double-decker vehicle that used to provide transportation for guests to visit the various countries around World Showcase Lagoon. It was phased out in the mid-1990s, probably because it couldn't contain a gift shop, timeshare information stand, or pin trading station.

Standing in front of the bus is my little sister Karen (age 7), sporting a lovely red Walt Disney World visor… and I'm not sure what she's really doing with her hands. I'm standing cluelessly next to her in my 1985 Walt Disney World shirt (I wore that thing a TON!) and tan EPCOT Center visor. To be honest, I'm not sure if we actually ever rode the bus!

Nevertheless, they are missed in World Showcase, as the buses provided motion, activity, and a unique sense of place.