'Vacation' Movie Spoilers: 7 Moments That Pay Tribute To The National Lampoon Original

While Warner Bros. "Vacation" is a bit of a departure from the 1983 original film of the same title, directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein made sure to include a few nuggets of nostalgia for viewers. From familiar faces, locations and scenarios, there are countless moments new and old fans are bound to appreciate in the comedy.

The film, which hits theaters Wednesday, picks up several years after the original with a grown up Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) and his wife Debbie Griswold (Christina Applegate) raising a unique family of their own. The Griswold have fallen into a slump -- Rusty and Debbie's marriage has reached a crossroads and their children, Kevin and James, can't seem to get along. After having dinner with close family friends, Rusty is reminded of the cross-country vacation he and his family took after falling into a similar situation during the National Lampoon film. With that, he decides it's time that he, his wife and their sons hit the open road and head for Walley World in an effort to bond. Naturally, the trip doesn't go as planned.

Although "Vacation" could absolutely stand on its own, it is clear that the writers carefully placed moments reminiscent of the original throughout in an effort to draw in fans of the cult classic. Here are seven moments from the film that paid tribute to the original "Vacation":

Walley World

Much like the 1983 classic, Rusty Griswold decides the only remedy for his family's problems is a road trip to Walley World amusement park. The theme park may have gotten a slight facelift since the '80s, but many things remain the same. The revamped theme park maintains the same moose mascot and boasts an equally terrifying, yet thrilling, monster roller coaster. The major difference? In the 2015 film the ride, called the Velociraptor, is a winding metal coaster rather than a rickety wooden one.

The Car

In the '80s, the Griswold family drove the infamous family Truckster cross country. Now, they've upgraded to an Albanian Tartan Prancer which, much like the original Griswold family car, has several quirks. National Lampoon fans will be delighted to know that while Rusty and his wife didn't inherit the Family Truckster, it does make a cameo in the film.

The Road Trip Path

Much like his father Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase), Rusty and his family follow a similar path from their home to Walley World. Along the way the family hits many of the same locations -- and runs into many of the same problems -- from the National Lampoon film. While there is no worlds largest ball of mud and none of the Griswolds find themselves hanging high above the Grand Canyon, there is Griswold Springs -- which they learn the hard way is not the mineral-enriched oasis they were lead to believe. There is also a rafting mishap in the waters below the Southwest tourist attraction. In addition, rather than visiting with less fortunate hillbilly relatives in Kansas, Rusty and his family pop in on their well-to-do family in Texas, played by Leslie Mann and Chris Hemsworth.

The Girl In The Red Car

While traversing the country with his family, Clark Griswold encountered a super model in a sports car. In the revamped film it's Rusty Griswold's eldest son, James, eyeing a beauty from afar. Much like his grandfather in the original "Vacation," the teen locks eyes with a girl in a red Jeep. The pair meet up several times along the way, although James seems to lack the same swagger with the ladies Clark possessed.

Rusty also has a brief encounter with a supermodel in a red Ferrari (Hannah Davis). Their brief highway love affair ends in tragedy.

Griswold Patriarch's At The End Of Their Rope

In both films the patriarch of the family finds himself fed up with his ungrateful family. In the original Clark snaps after his children refuse to get along and nothing seems to be going according to his perfectly laid out plan. Similarly, Rusty reaches a breaking point after realizing that neither his wife nor his children want to continue on with their trip after a series of unfortunate events. Their issues seem to get worse when he learns new details about his wife and realizes she may no longer be happy in their marriage.

Theme Park Confrontation

Not unlike his father Clark, Rusty was determined to get his family to Walley World for just one ride on the Velociraptor. But after several days on the road and a few unfortunate encounters, they arrive at the park not long before closing. After waiting online for nearly four hours, the Griswold's are confronted by card-carrying theme park goers who cut them in line. This leads to a confrontation which mirrors that of the original film's infamous Chevy Chase-John Candy scene.

The Cast and Music

Not every similarity in the new "Vacation" film was an in-your-face one. Warner Bros. included many of the National Lampoon film's stars, such as like Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo. The film also featured the original film's theme song, "Holiday Road." While the Lindsey Buckingham song played repeatedly throughout the original, "Kiss From a Rose" was the reoccurring diddy in the new summer blockbuster.

Be sure to check out "Vacation," in theaters everywhere Wednesday. Watch the official trailer for the film below: