National Lampoon's Vacation

Visible crew/equipment: On the second roller coaster in Wally World, as they begin leaving the station and going up the lift, crew can be seen crouching in the background trying to hide.

Revealing mistake: There is a spring in the skull in the scene where Clark is roaming through the desert and falls down by the skeleton with the gas can.

Continuity mistake: In St. Louis, after the guy asks for five dollars, Ellen says, "That's a fair deal." She turns her head to the right and smiles. The shot cuts to an outside look at the front of the car. Ellen isn't smiling anymore.

manthabeat

Other mistake: When Clark and the gang force the security guard onto the "screaming meemy" roller coaster, it starts to roll with no-one operating the controls.

eaglegrad16

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Suggested correction: Every ride they ride would be a mistake as there was nobody to operate any of them.

lartaker1975

Revealing mistake: Christie Brinkley supposedly jumps in the pool naked but she's wearing a flesh colored top that can be seen in several shots.

manthabeat

Continuity mistake: When Clark gets pulled over for killing Edna's dog, the sun angle changes constantly, and it even appears the car switches sides of the road. Watch the shadows and the background.

manthabeat

Other mistake: In the first gas station scene, Ellen directs Clark to the gas tank opening which Clark has thus far been unable to locate. Despite being a brand-new car, the inside of the gas tank lid is completely rusted.

KG Byrd

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Suggested correction: The car isn't brand-new. Clark ordered a new car, but it wasn't ready, so he was forced to buy the used station wagon, which was a 1979 model.

Bishop73

I don't recall any mention of either the specific car year or that the car is older, just that it's the wrong model.

KG Byrd

Factual error: As the family is pulling into Coolidge, KS, mountains are visible in the background. Kansas doesn't have mountains.

manthabeat

Factual error: The whole movie he drives without any valid license plate. Just a crooked colored plate from the auto store. He would have been pulled over for that immediately, and the car probably would be impounded. Then when he does get pulled over for the leash, the cop says nothing about invalid plates. But he asks for registration proof and Clark shows it, even though he has no legal plates. Plus his meaningless plate is crooked, which is also illegal.

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Suggested correction: The first 30 days after you purchase a new car you don't need plates.

Any place I've lived has required at least temporary plates before the car is actually registered.

Kitty1019

The officer still would have to run the VIN numbers to make sure the car isn't stolen. A long time ago certain states wouldn't give you a temporary plate at all, you would only have the dealership plate on the back of the car which would raise any suspicion of law enforcement if they were to get behind you, but no ticket would be issued as long as the car is within 30 days and not stolen.

Cousin Vicki: I'm going steady, and I French kiss.
Audrey Griswold: So? Everybody does that.
Cousin Vicki: Yeah, but Daddy says I'm the best at it.

More quotes from National Lampoon's Vacation

Trivia: The script was based on writer John Hughes short story called "Vacation 58" which was based on a real life trip he took as a child with his parents in 1958.

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Question: I've always found it odd that although Wallyworld is closed, the car park is still open and accessible. Is this normal for closed US parks, or could it be considered a goof?

Gavin Jackson

Chosen answer: The parking lot is huge. There's really not any way to close the lot itself, but even if there were gates, Clark would probably have been oblivious to them by then.

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