Anyone miss the old arcade at the Magic Kingdom?

[Arnold Simba]

Does anyone here miss the old arcade at the Magic Kingdom? There used to be an arcade of old pinball machines, pitch and bats, gun target games, tests of strength, etc. inside what is now the Main Street Athletic Club. I've got video footage of my cousin playing some games there in 1992. Just watching it makes me miss the place. Like Disney doesn't have enough venues to sell clothes! Sheesh!

One of the "tests of strength" games they had was one where you held with both hands onto these two metal handles that looked like old Atari joysticks. There was a drawing on the backglass that looked like a thermometer with the bulb at the bottom. After you put your nickel in, the handles began to send slight electrical current into your hands. The more you held on, the more intense the sensation became. As it increased, you watched the level rise in the thermometer. Each level had a different rating: Something like "wimp", "boy", "man", "he-man", "man of the world". I remember playing the game with my cousins, and feeling uncomfortable as the electrical sensation rose. But they goaded me on, saying things like "Don't be a chicken!" Looking back, I'm glad I didn't die! And while I miss a lot of the old pinball and game machines, I can see why Disney got rid of games like that one. Think of the lawsuits!!

[JasonH]

I too truly miss the Penny Arcade. The old pinball machines, the target practice games and even modern video games were to be had there. My mom had to pry me away from my fave vid game at that time. It was a Capcom machine called Three Wonders. It had 3 different games and my fave was Chariot: Adventure through the Sky. Boy did I spend a lot of quarters on that one. Good thing I was able to find an emulator for it later and the rom to go with it since you can't find it anywhere now.

You can still find some of the penny movie viewers though scattered through the park. Check out the train depots on Main St. and Frontierland and also inside the Main Street Athletic Club. At least they used to have them placed there.

Another thing I liked was the Magic Store connected to the Arcade. Had bought one of my first glow in the dark items there which was a vulture plaque. Still have it hanging in my bedroom to this day and that was over 15 years ago too.

[CAS]

I loved the arcade too. The came you mention is actually called Tower or Terror; no relation to the ride. It was a really weird sensation and to this day I'm not sure if it was electrical or merely intense vibrations from the joysticks. Either way it was fun! I have pictures of our family in the arcade also

[SBETigg]

I loved it, too! It really gave some extra old-fashioned charm to Main Street.

[TexasPrincessAurora]

Some of my best memories are of the Penny Arcade on my first trip to WDW in 1977. I was 6 years old and we were definitely on a budget. Back in those days you had to buy tickets for most of the rides, so free things were wonderful to find. We had lots of fun spending our pennies to play the games in the Arcade. I wish they had left this on Main Street. I think it probably was very reminiscent of something Walt would have seen on Main Street when he was growing up and I think it was a neat thing for kids to see of yesteryear!

[ibrowse17]

I miss that, and the old magic shop as well. I loved to buy the fake soap there, and then try and trick my dad or brother with it

[Young@Heart]

I loved the penny arcade! Especially the penny movie viewers. Are there actually some of them left around the park? I'd love to have DC try one out.

[JasonH]

As I stated in my previous post, they should still have a few of the penny movie viewers, at least they did the last time I looked for them. There were one or two in the Main St. Athletic Club, the store that took over the space where the Penny Arcade was at, and there were a couple at the train depots at Main St. and Frontierland.

[PharmD]

I remeber it very well. At the time I was fascinated with being a magician. I had gotten a magic kit for christmas and was constantly putting on magic shows for my family. When we went to wdw after that christmas I had to go to the magic shop. I spent like 2 hours looking at all the magic tricks. It was wonderful. I got that same feeling when I saw the magic shop at downtown disney for the first time.

[Young@Heart]

As I stated in my previous post, they should still have a few of the penny movie viewers, at least they did the last time I looked for them. There were one or two in the Main St. Athletic Club, the store that took over the space where the Penny Arcade was at, and there were a couple at the train depots at Main St. and Frontierland.

Thank you! I will try to track them down.

[Von-Drake]

Definitely miss the Penny Arcade. Thanks for the memory. We used to always walk around in there and play the games, while good old dad stood in line at Casey's Corner to buy lunch.

[kbean]

I totally forgot about the penny arcade. Now I miss it. What about the magic store. That's gone too, right?

[bruin1344]

i liked it better than disneyquest

[Imagineer1981]

sad to say I don't remember it...i was too young

[Mad About Mickey]

I loved the penny arcade as a child. I have taken my children to the ones at the RR Station but it in no way compares to the old arcade. I have fond memories of depositing pennies, nickels and dimes into all the old machines. Sigh, I just got nostalgic remembering that we used to be able to do a lot with just a dime, a nickel and a few pennies, oh well. As for the test of strength you reminised about it is actually done with vibration, some of the modern arcades still have them and if you hit a few good sized rocks with your lawn mower and throw the blade out of balance you can get the same effect at home . Thanks for the post, loved the trip down memory lane .

[GAN]

Maybe Disney should just design a Theme Park around it's past rides and attractions -like a Nostalgia Park. They could have moved rides like Horizons, things like the Arcade into it rather than placing them in the heap.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

There aren't any inside what you called the Athletic Club, which is really the Emporium - it runs the entire West-side of Main Street. They are not separate stores.

Jim might be able to tell you if there is one under the train station. Other than that, they would be out of place in any of the other lands so I don't think they'd extend past Main Street.

Most of them might have been destroyed.

[offero]

You know I remember the one at DL in Cali. and I aways thought there was one at WDW i just thought I had it mixed up. I would love to see it come back. I spent a lot of time at the baseball machine when i was a kid.

[mel]

Yes, I miss those arcade machines, as well as the cartoons across the street at the old theater.. it just gave you something to do besides shopping on main street..I think the reason they did away with the machines was because it was hard to matain them..

[dizknee531]

Maybe Disney should just design a Theme Park around it's past rides and attractions -like a Nostalgia Park. They could have moved rides like Horizons, things like the Arcade into it rather than placing them in the heap.

I love this idea!! I loved the penny arcade!! I remember not needing any tickets for this(back in 1972 when I was 12). FUN TIMES!!