Sponsored by Eastern Airlines, If You Had Wings was one of the few free attractions in the Magic Kingdom, located in Tomorrowland of Disney World.

It opened on June 5, 1972. Guest boarded Omnimover cars that showed different destinations that Eastern flew to.
In the days when most rides required the expenditure of prepaid tickets, this attraction was complimentary. Little publicized and little known, waiting lines for this attraction (located across from Mission to Mars) were nonexistent or short even when the park was crowded.

If You Had Wings was an undisguised promotion for the then-giant Eastern Air Lines, whose slogan at the time was “The Wings of Man.” Eastern’s investment in the ride was reportedly $10M. A four-and-a-half-minute dark ride based on Disney’s Omnimover ride system, it conveyed seated passengers slowly, steadily, and smoothly through a series of rooms. It was structurally similar to the Disneyland attraction Adventure Thru Inner Space, which might be considered its spiritual predecessor; both were designed by Claude Coats.. The experience began with a vaguely-simulated “takeoff” in which the ride ascended a slope, while projections of animated silhouettes of seagulls and airplanes swept past on the walls, enhancing the feeling of motion and gently suggesting flight.

The song featured throughout the ride was written by Norman “Buddy” Baker.

One part of the ride featured projections of animated birds that looked like the bird in the old Walt Disney World Village logo.

The projectors used for this effect were very noisy. Film clips included a cop in Bermuda alternating between directing traffic consisting of humans… and flamingos!
There was also a segment where the cars traveled through a wraparound tunnel that gave the illusion of speed.

The exit of the ride had an Eastern information counter, where guests were informed that they did have wings and that the airline would help them travel where they wanted to go.

If You Had Wings

by the prolific Disney composer Norman “Buddy” Baker and lyricist X. Atencio

If you had wings, you could do many things
You could widen your world, if you had wings

Chorus: If you had wings, if you had wings, if you had wings, had wings, had wings, had wings, had wings

You could fly to a plaza, where the people play
At the Mexican fiesta, in the land of ole

Chorus

You could fly to Bermuda, like a flying fish
Have a ball on a cruise ship, or catch fish if you wish

Chorus

Wanna buy a sombrero, made of real fine straw?
How about a nice handbag, for pretty mama?

Chorus

You could follow a tradewind, down to Old San Juan
And explore an old fortress, before traveling on

Chorus
You could flitter and flutter, to the isle of springs
To that emerald green garden, and do wonderful things

Chorus

You could fly with flamingos, to that old French town
Go on regale New Orleans, wear the carnival crown

Chorus
You do have wings, you can do all these things,
You can widen your world, for you have wings

Post-show (exit) version:
For you have wings, For you have wings
For you have wings, have wings, have wings, have wings, have wings

If You Had Wings opened to the public in June 1972. Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom was eight months old at that time and IYHW was its first new attraction that hadn’t simply been delayed from the previous October’s grand opening. Over the course of nearly fifteen years, If You Had Wings entertained millions of Magic Kingdom visitors – spinning them through a loud and happening tour of various vacation locales serviced by Eastern Airlines (the attraction’s sponsor and the official airline of WDW). The ride accomplished its task free of charge (when from 1971 to 1980, most rides required an admission ticket) and as often as not with a wait of less than a minute.

On June 1, 1987, If You Had Wings hosted its last riders. Eastern had withdrawn its sponsorship of the ride and this prompted several changes. Later that same month the attraction reopened as If You Could Fly – a modified version of its former self. The ride was physically much the same, but the old music and all references to Eastern had been eliminated. Since the original theme song and Eastern overlays were integral to If You Had Wings’ personality, If You Could Fly invited far too many disappointing comparisons.

January 1989 saw the final guests board If You Could Fly. In the weeks to follow, almost everything visually inherent to If You Had Wings and its successor was destroyed set by set and removed from the building’s interior as trash. By the time Dreamflight (sponsored by Delta Airlines) opened in June, If You Had Wings was a memory with another attraction built around its track. A storehouse of excitement, warmth and innocent fun was lost to the unrelenting march of progress.

Nearly everyone who remembers If You Had Wings attests that it was one of their favorites. It simply asked you to pretend that you were visiting a few vacation spots not that far removed from Florida, encountering locals and other tourists who were having a riotous good time. In any event, lots of people can still sing If You Had Wings’ theme song as if they had just stepped off the ride, which is something no one’s done for nineteen years.

[mp3j track=”ifyouhad_wings.mp3″]

Click here to return to that winged poetess, hostess with the mostess,Sans Souci !

16 CommentsChronological Reverse Threaded

delete reply

starfishred wrote on Jul 14, ’08

oh how lovely thanks

edit delete reply

lauritasita wrote on Jul 14, ’08

Thanks Heidi ! It took me over a week to find the music. I remember it from my childhood.

delete reply

gileson wrote on Jul 15, ’08

Just today I found myself humming the music from the Night Time Festival of Lights Parade. I have visited both WDW and Disney Land. I was thinking the last time I visited WDW was when my son was probably 3 or 4. He is now 28 and got married last month. Many wonderful memories .. and I vividly recall the If You Had Wings show. If I may quote Bob Hope, “Thanks for the memories.”

delete reply

theoneandonlybill wrote on Jul 15, ’08

I found my wings through the generosity of another American ‘Carnegie Public Libraries’. I have flown Eastern though. Thank you for your hard work.

delete reply

jayaramanms wrote on Jul 15, ’08

Lovely trip to disney land with beautiful poetry, song and pictures. Thank you dear laurita for taking me. my entry is at – http://jayaramanms.multiply.com/journal/item/232 “ODE ON SOLITUDE – BY ALEXANDER POPE.”.

edit delete reply

lauritasita wrote on Jul 15, ’08

Thank you for your comments. gileson, I’ve been humming that song off and on for years, and I finally decided to try to make a post out of it somehow for a while now.

delete reply

jadedruid wrote on Jul 15, ’08

Thank you for the memories. I remember it from 1984. It was a nice smile in the middle of the day.

delete reply

vickiecollins wrote on Jul 15, ’08

wow, a look at history…good going.
http://vickiecollins.multiply.com/journal/item/404/poetry_wednesday…wallet_plaything

delete reply

kwika wrote on Jul 15, ’08

Really interesting post. I have always wanted to visit Disney Land, there’s still hope I guess.

edit delete reply

lauritasita wrote on Jul 15, ’08

Thanks for your great comments. I loved the music to this ride. I was so sad when they discontinued it. It was like part of my childhood was gone.

delete reply

sweetpotatoqueen wrote on Jul 16, ’08

Laurita: You and I are on the same wave length this week (again). Is there something about summer time that brings out those childhood memories so vividly. I went to Disneyland when I was 10 and it was magical for a child! Great nosatlgia here! Thank you!