Everything POP

Everything POP is the name of the shopping and dining venue at Disney's Pop Century Resort, and while there's certainly quite a lot to browse and enjoy there, I find myself spending even more time perusing the nostalgia-filled display which runs through the heart of Classic Hall. To assemble this timeline of treasures, the Imagineering team on the Pop Century project tapped into every resource available, from eBay and swap meets to pawn shops and their own closets. The result is a collection of articles that together tell the pop culture story of our lives through the latter half of the last century. There are more pictures here than in probably any other article on the blog, simply because there's so much to see, so be sure to click on each one to see everything larger and in more detail!

The tour follows a timeline along the ceiling, from the '50s to the '90s, with real items from those eras many of us remember, some of us may have forgotten and others may have only heard of. The 1950s gave us roller skates, poodle skirts and saddle shoes, along with rabbit ears and TV Guide. I especially enjoy the inclusion of a speaker pole and speakers from a drive-in movie theater. I may not have been around in the '50s, but I certainly recall going to the drive-in as a kid. In fact, I saw my first Disney animated feature, Robin Hood, at the drive-in... six times!

Another shadowbox from the '50s is a roundup of popular toys and games, with everything from Lionel Trains and a Hula Hoop to Pick Up Stix and Cootie. They even have a copy of Boys' Life magazine and Name That Tune, "The Best Game on Record!" Next, we come to the first of several Disney references along the wall. Appropriate, of course, since Disney has played such a strong role in our popular culture for the past 80+ years. For this decade, it's "Mickey Mouse Club," Cinderella and Disneyland, not to mention the classic Disney school bus lunch box!

Moving on to the groovy '60s, we see peace signs, paisley and wild prints, along with nods to musical legends like The Beach Boys, The Beatles and The Mamas and The Papas. One whole case is dedicated to the July 20, 1969, moon landing, with an original newspaper page from that day. We then see how the fascination with space played out in other facets of 1960s popular culture, from space toys to "My Favorite Martian."

Look, too, for Mary Poppins, James Bond, Planet of the Apes, Creature from the Black Lagoon and another appearance by Disneyland, this time in the form of the Monorail Game. Travel destinations, no doubt reached in the good ol' Family Truckster, are another subject for the '60s, with a shadowbox tapping into memories of Route 66, National Parks and the Seattle World's Fair of 1962.

Next up is the 1970s. Not to date myself, but now we're in my era. I may not have worn the platform shoes or had a lava lamp in my room, but I rode a Big Wheel just like that one on the wall, pretending the hills in my neighborhood were roller coasters, and I have that Mickey Mouse phone. It's sitting right next to me on my desk as I write this!

Of course, for Disney the milestone event of the decade was the opening of the Walt Disney World in October 1971. One large display includes everything from magazine and newspaper articles about the opening to original souvenirs, guide books, tickets and a resort matchbook collection.

The '70s wouldn't have been the '70s without the music of KISS, Barry Manilow, Chicago, The Village People or Donna Summer and disco... all played on gloriously clunky 8-track tapes. Check out the eclectic musical tastes represented by the 8-tracks on display: Rod Stewart, John Denver, WAR, Burt Bacharach, Sonny & Cher, Englebert Humperdink and Captain & Tennille. "Muskrat Love" anyone?

Moving to the '80s, we graduate to cassette tapes and CDs... and a VHS copy of ET: The Extra Terrestrial. There was also a big health kick in the '80s, represented by Jane Fonda, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jazzercise and Deal-A-Meal. High cut aerobics wear and leg warmers were all the fashion rage, as apparently were wide belts and hair crimping (gag me with a spoon!). I will admit, though, to owning at least one Swatch watch back in the day... with Swatch Guard!

I also once owned the game of Simon, Trivial Pursuit, a Rubik's Cube and a couple of those Star Wars PEZ dispensers, and my wife still has a couple of her old Cabbage Patch Kids and Strawberry Shortcake dolls.

My brother and I were lucky enough one Christmas morning to get an Atari 2600, just like this one at Pop Century. We had a blast with Asteroids, Space Invaders and other games we thought were so incredibly awesome (which today look incredibly lame). Sadly, the level of gaming on the Atari 2600 represented the limit of my hand-eye coordination and the end of my video game days. We own a couple of consoles now, but the Wii is mostly for my boys (they love Epic Mickey and LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean) and the PS3 is my Blu-ray player (the best Blu-ray player there is, by the way).

While video games may have lost me, I must say I've done a better job keeping up with computer technology. The Apple IIc on display in the '80s section is just like the ones we had at my high school, and today I'm still proud to say, "I'm a Mac!" There's lots of other old tech in this case, too. Anyone remember those old floppy disks? How about the disc camera, scientific calculators, Fax machines or Max Headroom?

The '90s portion of the timeline continues the technology story with the introduction of laptops, cellular phones and the Internet. There's also a nod to the explosive resurgence of Disney animation during the 1990s, led by the success of films like Beauty and the Beast and Toy Story.

Also big in the '90s: Spice Girls, Britney Spears, New Kids on the Block, Phil Collins and Prince (formerly known as that weird symbol, formerly known as the artist formerly known as Prince). There are displays acknowledging the increase in environmental awareness and recycling, as well as one dedicated to the rise of extreme sports like roller blading, snowboarding and BMX.

A '90s TV display features a universal remote and nods to hits like "The Simpsons," "X Files" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The decade was also big for toy trends. Look for Power Rangers, Furby, TY Beanie Babies, Game Boy, Tamagotchi and Pokemon. There are even Disney references here, from the obvious (Pocahontas) to the more obscure (Dick Tracy and Encino Man).

What moments from your past are stirred up by the timeline of treasures at Disney's Pop Century Resort? What's your favorite piece in the collection? What do you wish were there that's not? Share your thoughts in the comments, and (as they say) let the memories begin!