History of Disney World – Facts, Fun, Interesting Things, Points of Interest

History of Disney World – Disney World’s official name is “Walt Disney World Resort” – is the biggest and the most visited recreation center in the world that covers 100 км². Disney World belongs to the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts company and includes the business division of The Walt Disney Company.

Disney World represents an entertainment complex that is located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, close to Orlando city and is considered to be the most highly visited park in the world – 52, 5 million people visit it every year. It’s even better to call it a fabulous city rather that a park, as it includes four theme parks, two water parks, not to mention 33 hotels located in Disneyland or close to it, five golf courses and numerous restaurants and hotels.

The resort opened on October 1, 1971 and included only one theme park, which is the Magic Kingdom. Later the Epcot center was opened (October 1, 1982), Disney’s Hollywood Studios (May 1, 1989) and Disney’s Animal Kingdom center (April 22, 1998).

The history of creation of the Walt Disney World Resort
1959 Walt Disney Productions began looking for land for a second park to supplement Disneyland, which opened in Anaheim, California in 1955. The surveys revealed that only 2% of Disneyland’s visitors came from east of the Mississippi River where 75% of the population of the USA lived.

Besides, Disneyland didn’t like the enterprises that were built around Disneyland. Disneyland wanted to control bigger territory for the new project.

So, the idea to build the entertainment park in the touristic city of Florida was logical and constructive. Having bought enough land at a low price with the help of front and subsidiary companies, Walt Disney voiced his plans for the project; however, he didn’t manage to see his vision realized as Disney died on December 15, 1966.

His elder brother and president of the Walt Disney Company, Roy Disney, put off his retirement and started to control the project.

On October 1, 1971 Roy Oliver Disney opened the park and declared that it will be named “Walt Disney World” after his brother. According to him: “Everyone has heard of Ford cars. But have they all heard of Henry Ford, who started it all? Walt Disney World is in memory of the man who started it all, so people will know his name as long as Walt Disney is here.”

After a while, Roy Disney asked Walt’s widow about her opinion as for the Walt Disney World. According to the biographer Bob Thomas, she said “I think Walt would have liked it”. Roy Disney died on December 20, 1971, approximately three months after the park’s opening.

Besides Magic Kingdom center, which is the main park that forms the basis for all Disneylands there appeared 3 theme parks more: Epcot center, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and two water parks: “Disney Blizzard Beach” and “Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon” as well as “Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex”, circus “La Nouba” and the whole Disney’s Village Resort of magnificent hotels.

There are a lot of hotels built of different categories built on the territory of Disneyland, each of them has its own project, designed in its own style, surrounded by breathtaking parks and areas for recreation and walking. Night sitting area that works all night includes the restaurants which serve different cultural cuisine dishes together with musical events in nightclubs, discos and stores.