4. The Polynesian Village Resort

The Polynesian Village was the other of Walt Disney World's opening day hotels alongside the Contemporary. In much the same way that the Contemporary echoed Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland, the Polynesian Village was envisioned as a complement to Adventureland (and particularly, the "Tiki Craze" that had swept the nation and jump-started the Modern Marvel: The Enchanted Tiki Room). 

That's not all it has in common with its modern sister. Despite its South Seas styling that makes it appear far less modern, the Polynesian was also constructed with modular, pre-constructed rooms that were shipped on-site! The only difference is that rather than being slid into place like the Contemporary's A-frame structure, the rooms of the Polynesian Village's original longhouses were lowered into pre-built USS steel frames and stacked vertically. (The construction process left gaps between rooms, which allegedly led to musty smells. As a result, post-'71 longhouses were constructed the old-fashioned way.)

The Polynesian has undergone a number of expansions over the course of its lifetime, including 1978 and again in 1985 (when it was renamed Disney's Polynesian Resort). In 2014 and 2015, the property underwent a pretty radical redesign centered on the Great Ceremonial House that serves as the resort's lobby, clearing out its elaborate waterfall and botanical gardens – allegedly, a space-saving redesign meant to prepare the resort for the added guests that a never-built Disney Vacation Club tower would've brought.

As part of the resort's reimagining in 2014, the Polynesian Village Resort name returned (complete with a retro, '70s logo, above) in a nod to nostalgia. 2021 has seen the fifty-year-old hotel undergo its most massive refurbishment yet, including the construction of a new Monorail stop... and of course, the controversial inclusion of Disney's Moana in guest rooms.

Like with The Incredibles in the Contemporary, the character inclusion is definitely divisive. Ironically, despite the character integration, some fans hold it up as the next in an unending list of hotels that have abandoned their "Disney-ness." It's true that the refreshed rooms at the Polynesian look like hotel rooms you'd find at any Hyatt or Marriott, maybe with a handful of "South Seas" decorations.

On one hand, for $700+ per night, many guests would rather stay in a very nice, lightly-decorated, modern hotel than a '70s, tropical-themed escape room. Of course, on the other hand, for $700+ a night, don't you want to stay in a kind of hotel room you can't find anywhere else? Ah well. Hopefully, the latest reimagining of the Polynesian sets it up for another 50 years of success.

5. The Electrical Water Pageant

The Electrical Water Pageant is one of those "Hidden Gem" experiences at Walt Disney World that's charmingly retro, beautifully simple, and – a rarity! – pretty much untouched since late October of 1971. Originally envisioned by the resort's entertainment leaders as a way to use the inky black canvas of the Seven Seas Lagoon, the simple show used Christmas lights strung through chicken wire to create the shapes of animals gliding along the water's surface to the tune of electro-syntho-magnetic musical sounds.

Floats have been swapped in and out over the decades, including the addition of a number of units themed to The Little Mermaid in the '90s. Most recently, a 50th Anniversary float depicting Cinderella Castle joined the lineup, as well as the resort's anniversary anthem, "The Magic is Calling." It's a delightful way to highlight a '71 original that's kept a tradition alive for decades under cover of darkness. 

6. Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Not to be confused with Disney's Wilderness Lodge (which opened in 1994), the Fort Wilderness Resort is home to Walt Disney World's campground. The property spreads across 750 acres – larger even than Disney's Animal Kingdom – and contains over 800 campsites and 400 cabins.

Perhaps more than just about anywhere else on Walt Disney World property, Fort Wilderness recalls the great heyday of the resort as a true "Vacation Kingdom." This is the Walt Disney World that was as much about hiking, boating, and barbecuing as it was about roller coasters.

From 1973 to 1980, the resort was home to the legendary Fort Wilderness Railroad – a 3.5-mile narrow gauge railway with real steam engines that served as an intra-resort transportation system. Today, transportation within the resort is mostly handled by buses, bikes, and golf carts. One of Fort Wilderness' most famous attractions is the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue (which opened in 1973). To this day, the show feels like a blissful throwback to an un- (or at least, less-)scripted time in Disney World history.

7. Palm & Magnolia Golf Courses

If you don't consider yourself an avid golfer, you might not even register that Orlando is one of the hottest golf destinations in the world... not to mention that, just like Magic Kingdom, two of Disney World's golf courses are celebrating 50 year anniversaries this year. Both the Palm and Magnolia golf courses opened alongside the resort – again, as components of the "Vacation Kingdom" – and today are just two of Disney's four courses (alongside the Lake Buena Vista and Oak Trail courses) operated by Arnold Palmer Golf Management.

In 1973, Disney opened the Golf Resort right between the two courses, serving as a "Country Club" stylized hotel – a third on-site resort after the Contemporary and Polynesian Village! Allegedly, occupancy was consistently lower at the Golf Resort, which led Disney to broaden its appeal in 1986 by renaming it The Disney Inn. In 1996, the hotel was purchased by the U.S. Department of Defense and renamed Shades of Green, which still features the Magnolia Wing and the Palm Wing, each overlooking its respective course.

As an Armed Forces Recreation Center Resort, only members of the Armed Forces, Uniformed Services, Veterans, Department of Defense and Coast Guard civilian employees, and their respective families are eligible to stay at the resort... but anyone can book a tee time at the Palm and Magnolia Golf Courses, visiting a pair of 1971 originals that's often forgotten!