The Pre-Wonder Years : Episode 2

It was August of 1990 and some small steps for big change were being made.

It was August of 1990 and the Yuppie era was over.
Instead of facing the music, people were dancing to the beat of a different tune... acid house.

The Pre-Wonder Years
Episode 2
Whose Vacation Was It, Anyway

1990 seemed to paint quite a picture in my head. Everything that defined the 1980's was there. It was as if the 1980's were more whole. Guess jeans (born in 1981) were popular, Gremlins 2 was in theaters, Reagan had a book, and there was a made for tv movie based on the Jim Bakker scandal of '87. There was nothing more that I wanted on a dry summer day than some white Z. Cavarrici elastic waist shorts.

Yep sir-ree, these were once known as the bee's knees. Where are they now?

I had a lot to walk off in that August. I had spent most of my summer vacation at Disneyland that summer. Nowadays that seems like nothing to complain about. Consider this... the grand opening to Universal Studios Florida was in May of that year. My parents were the ones excited about the 35th anniversary of Disneyland, and not me. Unfortunately for them, I was your typical spoiled brat. I brought up that "MGM Studios was more current". MGM studios even took the backseat to Seaworld by the summer of '90. People around me were more concerned about saving the Earth around April of that year. They were paying attention to everything. I could tell you how many Dolphin safe tuna stickers I had on my journal that summer alone.

I would always place the Dolphin safe sticker right above the recycle logo.

This was the summer when everyone wanted to jet-ski. When 1990 began, there was a lot of optimism in the air. America was really filled with hope. The Berlin Wall was down, Mandela was free, and we were sure more peace miracles were coming. The world really seemed like a very different place. Surprises were being unveiled to us all. I got to see what my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures looked like with pupils in June of that summer. I did not own any, but the giant-sized Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures were a dream come true.

Ahhhh...Kay Bee Toys. Many memories were made at that place.

Disneyland did nothing for me. During that time I met Mickey, Minnie, but some how missed Donald Duck. I guess Donald was off mousercising. Did that duck ever get in shape? I guess those exercise routines were for mice after all. Donald looked the same in every episode. I'll give the inventors of Disneyland this: I did want to live in the Haunted Mansion. The restless spirits did not scare me one bit. How could they, when I was sporting my fabulous fanny pack?

The Belt Bag:

The Contents of Such a Bag:

Virtually all of the action was at Universal Studios Florida. I wanted a Double Dare t-shirt from Nickelodeon Studios. Who did not want to meet the "real" Ghostbusters? Well, this was after Ghostbusters 2, so I guess not many. Universal Studios Florida showed us all the hotsy-totsy side of Hollywood. There would be something for everyone there. I was being unfair, Disneyland does welcome certain football teams. I was mostly disappointed in my parents for taking me to Disneyland because of my age. I was not alive for Disneyland's grand opening on July 17, 1955. Universal Studios Florida was to me what Disneyland was to my parents.

Looking back, I realize more and more that everyone deserves a break. If I could I would have gone back in time and slapped myself. My parents were trying to introduce me to something they were familiar with. Besides, the most important ride came to Universal Studios Florida one year later. The Back to the Future ride would be the closest most people got to that DeLorean. I had missed out on nothing. You could not tell me that at the time. I was just trying to compete with my classmates who mentioned Nickelodeon Studios. If they went to Universal Studios Florida, I did not know.

I was too busy appreciating these back-to-school clothes my Mother bought me:

Of course those had to be coupled with this:

(It is a wristpack for those wondering.)

Now I was good to go. After my behavior that summer, I know I did not deserve this.

I am very grateful for my parents did for me that summer. Each day over time I learned it was important to make something big out of small things. Reality will take enough out of you in the future.

Agggh Aggha Aggh Why Mee Aggh Aggh!

Time is short, so why stay stuck in your bedroom when there are many beautiful regions in the world to explore? You might not get around to them all at one time. As long as you travel a little bit, you are going some where in life.

Comments

Great article. I had a pair of the reebok pump shoes back then but not the "Bo Knows" shirt. Back when I was a kid my parents literally had to drag me kicking and screaming into a clothes store.

I've never seen the Dominoes gum. Definitely a new one.

Dominoes gum was around from late '89 to late in 1990 or early '91.

Another winner. That Roger Rabbit Dip Flip toy is cool, I've never seen that before. It reminds me of this day I was at Disneyland during their Disney Afternoon period and Roger Rabbit flew over in a blimp waving at everybody. Man, I gotta get that movie on Blu-Ray.

Thank You. It surprises me that a lot of Roger Rabbit stuff did not sell in '88. At the same time, LJN could have given us a much better toy line. Back then, they were selling a lot of Roger Rabbit plush toys as if Roger Rabbit were E.T.. I personally thought the packaging was boring for the most part. The "Flexies" (bendable toys) did not stand a chance against G.I. Joe, Transformers,Battle Beasts, Boglins, or any Real Ghostbusters toys. The people at LJN probably should have included a pop-up display similar to those in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line. The Flexies still look better than anything on the market today.

i loved the turtles

The toyline from 1988 to 1992 was the greatest in all of the 20th century. The turtle figures were the ultimate toyline made up of everything that made 80's toys so fantastic. They had He-Man type characters, the right kind of transformer type figures, and the gruesomeness of Madballs. Unfortunately, this toyline dropped in the middle of the Reagan 80's and Clinton 90's. No one appears to look at the HW Bush years (1989-1992) ever.

yea but
i missed the turtles

I'm sorry you missed them. That was an interesting era in pop culture. Some people I know do not remember much before '93 either. I always thought the turtles were far superior to those imported Power Rangers. The turtles can appeal to anyone at any age. The toyline for the Power Rangers went through so many changes. The turtle action figures pretty much stayed looking the same in form and mold from '88 to '92. A large part to the Turtlemania of 1990 was due to the popularity of the 1987/88 cartoon. I do not think the Turtlemania of '90 will ever be replicated. Hopefully, something new and fresh comes along in the future for us all. At the time, children were comparing the movie to the cartoon. Adults were comparing the movie to the Howard the Duck (one of the worst 80's flicks of all time). Both versions of the turtles in the HW Bush Era had so much personality and charm to them. They were so popular they lasted well into the Clinton era.

yea they were