130-759: Disney's Magical Express was a private ground transportation and luggage delivery service for the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida and the Disney Cruise Line Terminal at Port Canaveral , operated by Mears Transportation. The complimentary service was only available to guests with hotel reservations at the Walt Disney World Resort as well as those with departures with Disney Cruise Line. Disney's Magical Express commenced operations in 2005. It initially faced strong opposition from
260-450: A double-decker bus , a fire engine, and an automobile. They are available for one-way rides along Main Street, U.S.A. The horse-drawn streetcars are also used by the park entertainment, including The Dapper Dans . The horseless carriages are modeled after cars built in 1903 and are two-cylinder, four-horsepower (3 kW) engines with manual transmission and steering. Walt Disney used to drive
390-468: A vehicle for hire service for a fee. The Minnie Van Service are Chevy Traverses dressed in a Minnie Mouse red-and-white polka dot design that can accommodate up to six people and have two carseats available to anyone that is within the Walt Disney World Resort limits. Cast members can install the car seats. Some of the unique advantages that the Minnie Van Service offers over a normal ride share
520-562: A 54.1% reduction in annual attendance. This capacity limit causes less annual revenue, and may lower the number of visitors to the Orlando region. The Walt Disney World Resort is serviced by Disney Transport , a complimentary mass transportation system allowing guest access across the property. The fare-free system utilizes buses, monorails, gondola lifts, watercraft, and parking lot trams. The Walt Disney World Monorail System provides free transportation at Walt Disney World; guests can board
650-511: A Safer Economy phased re-opening. Prior to this, Disneyland was operating at reduced guest capacity since it re-opened on April 30, 2021, after 13 months of closure due to the pandemic. On January 27, 2023, Disneyland kicked off the year-long celebration of the centennial of The Walt Disney Company , Disney100. Disneyland Park introduced the Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway attraction and Wondrous Journeys fireworks show. On April 13, 2023, it
780-419: A Small World . In addition, Sleeping Beauty Castle features a walk-through telling the story of Disney 's 1959 film Sleeping Beauty , in the style of the film's production designer Eyvind Earle . Mickey's Toontown opened in 1993 and was partly inspired by the fictional Toontown from the 1988 Touchstone Pictures film Who Framed Roger Rabbit . Mickey's Toontown is based on a 1930s cartoon aesthetic and
910-522: A camera caught Cummings kissing a dancer. When Disney started to read the plaque for Tomorrowland, he read partway when an off-camera technician stopped him, and Disney responded, "I thought I got a signal", and began the dedication again. At one point, while in Fantasyland, Linkletter tried to give coverage to Cummings, who was on the pirate ship. He was not ready and tried to give the coverage back to Linkletter, who had lost his microphone. Cummings then did
1040-605: A competition to find a town to become twinned with. In December 2009, after Rebecca Warren won the competition with a poem, they announced the resort will be twinned with the English town of Swindon . George Kalogridis was named president of the resort in December 2012, replacing Meg Crofton , who had overseen the site since 2006. As of October 27, 2014, Walt Disney World is covered by a permanent FAA prohibited airspace zone that restricts all airspace activities without approval from
1170-458: A competitive sports complex and a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. Additionally, there are 19 Disney-owned resort hotels and one camping resort on the property, and many other non-Disney-operated resorts on and near the property. Designed to supplement Disneyland in Anaheim, California, which had opened in 1955, the complex was developed by Walt Disney in the 1960s. Walt wanted to build
1300-602: A complimentary transportation and luggage service offered to Walt Disney Resort guests that began in 2005, ended in January 2022. In August 2021, the Walt Disney Company announced that FastPass +, which had been free since its introduction in 1999, would be retired and replaced with Genie+, starting at $ 18 to $ 35 per day. This new system includes the option of adding "Lightning Lane", which will be used for top-tier attractions, for an additional charge. The pricing range depends on
1430-655: A creative team hand-picked by Walt from internal and outside talent. They founded WED Enterprises, the precursor to today's Walt Disney Imagineering . Construction began in 1954 and the park was unveiled during a special televised press event on the ABC Television Network on July 17, 1955. Since its opening, Disneyland has undergone expansions and major renovations, including the addition of New Orleans Square in 1966, Bear Country in 1972, Mickey's Toontown in 1993, and Star Wars : Galaxy's Edge in 2019. Additionally, Disney California Adventure Park opened in 2001 on
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#17330845044251560-472: A few miles southwest of Orlando in Osceola County . In addition, two large tracts totaling $ 1.5 million were sold, and smaller tracts of flatlands and cattle pastures were purchased by exotically named companies, such as the "Ayefour Corporation", "Latin-American Development and Management Corporation", and the "Reedy Creek Ranch Corporation". Some are now memorialized on a window above Main Street, U.S.A. in
1690-576: A fleet of watercraft, ranging in size from water taxis , up to the ferries that connect the Magic Kingdom to the Transportation and Ticket Center. Disney Transport is also responsible for maintaining the fleet of parking lot trams that are used for shuttling visitors between the various theme park parking lots and their respective main entrances. In addition to its free transportation methods, in conjunction with Lyft , Walt Disney World also offers
1820-434: A longtime interest in transportation, and trains in particular. Disney's passion for the "iron horse" led to him building a miniature live steam backyard railroad —the " Carolwood Pacific Railroad "—on the grounds of his Holmby Hills estate. Throughout all the iterations of Disneyland during the 17 or so years when Disney was conceiving it, one element remained constant: a train encircling the park. The primary designer for
1950-460: A new park because Disneyland in California was limited from expanding by the establishments that sprung up around it. "The Florida Project", as it was known, was intended to present a distinct vision with its own diverse set of attractions. Walt Disney's original plans also called for the inclusion of an " Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow " (EPCOT), a planned community intended to serve as
2080-584: A planned protest against the Vietnam War . The protestors held grievances with specific aspects of the theme park itself, such as the Aunt Jemima -themed pancake restaurant in Frontierland and the park's association with Bank of America , a subject of controversy at the time for its lending to military contractors such as Boeing . The Yippies were met by an estimated 100 riot police who established lookouts within
2210-416: A play-by-play of him trying to find it in front of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride . Traffic was delayed on the two-lane Harbor Boulevard. Famous figures who were scheduled to show up every two hours showed up all at once. The temperature was an unusually high 101 °F (38 °C), and because of a local plumbers' strike, Disney was given a choice of having working drinking fountains or running toilets. He chose
2340-466: A popular rumor that Disney was building an "East Coast" version of Disneyland. However, the publication denied its accuracy based on an earlier interview with Disney at Kennedy Space Center. In that interview, he claimed a $ 50 million investment was in the works for Disneyland, and that he had no interest in building a new park. In October 1965, editor Emily Bavar from the Sentinel visited Disneyland during
2470-462: A rental car or other transportation to get to their resort. Despite the initial opposition, the service became extremely popular, carrying 2.2 to 2.3 million guests between 2009 and 2013. In 2010, Allegiant Air announced that they would be moving ten of their flights from Orlando Sanford International Airport to Orlando International Airport , based partially on the fact that Disney's Magical Express service only goes to Orlando International, though
2600-557: A resort similar to Disneyland, abandoning the planned community concept. Magic Kingdom was the first theme park to open in the complex in 1971, followed by EPCOT (known then as EPCOT Center) in 1982, Disney's Hollywood Studios (known then as the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park) in 1989, and Disney's Animal Kingdom in 1998. Roy insisted the name of the entire complex be changed from Disney World to Walt Disney World, to memorialize his brother. In 2018, Walt Disney World
2730-466: A shopping, dining and entertainment complex named Downtown Disney , a remodeled Disneyland Hotel , the construction of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa , and the acquisition and re-branding of the Pan Pacific Hotel as Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel (known today as Pixar Place Hotel ). The park was renamed "Disneyland Park" to distinguish it from the larger complex under construction. Because
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#17330845044252860-464: A short-term increase in shareholder returns, they drew widespread criticism for their lack of foresight. The retail backgrounds of Harriss and Pressler led to a gradual shift in Disneyland's focus from attractions to merchandising. Outside consultants McKinsey & Company were brought in to help streamline operations, resulting in many changes and cutbacks. After nearly a decade of deferred maintenance,
2990-475: A show named Disneyland . It was broadcast on then-fledgling ABC . In return, the network agreed to help finance the park. For its first five years of operation, Disneyland was owned by Disneyland, Inc. , which was jointly owned by Walt Disney Productions , Walt Disney , Western Publishing and ABC. In addition, Disney rented out many of the shops on Main Street, U.S.A. to outside companies. By 1960, Walt Disney Productions had bought out all other shares, but
3120-417: A single hotel instead of some managing multiple hotels. On October 18, 2017, it was announced that resort visitors could bring pet dogs to Disney's Yacht Club Resort , Disney's Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, Disney's Art of Animation Resort , and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground . In 2019, Josh D'Amaro replaced George Kalogridis as president of the resort. He had previously held
3250-470: A testbed for new city-living innovations. Walt Disney died on December 15, 1966, during the initial planning of the complex. After his death, the company wrestled with the idea of whether to bring the Disney World project to fruition; however, Walt's older brother, Roy O. Disney , came out of retirement to ensure Walt's biggest dream was realized. Construction started in 1967, with the company instead building
3380-522: A tourist attraction adjacent to his studios in Burbank to entertain fans who wished to visit; however, he soon realized that the proposed site was too small for the ideas that he had. After hiring the Stanford Research Institute to perform a feasibility study determining an appropriate site for his project, Disney bought a 160-acre (65 ha) site near Anaheim in 1953. The park was designed by
3510-637: A variety of activities throughout the year, including runDisney marathon races and dance and cheer competitions in partnership with Varsity Cheer. It was also the site for the MLS is Back tournament . On July 11, 2020, Disney World officially reopened, beginning operations at 25% capacity at the Magic Kingdom and Disney's Animal Kingdom , as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Florida . Four days later, EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios for operation at 25% capacity to
3640-566: A visit to the " Grand Canyon / Primeval World " dioramas before returning passengers to Main Street, U.S.A. One of Disneyland's signature attractions is its Disneyland Monorail , a monorail service that opened in Tomorrowland in 1959 as the first daily-operating monorail train system in the Western Hemisphere . The monorail guideway has remained almost exactly the same since 1961, aside from small alterations while Indiana Jones Adventure
3770-437: Is 22.7 sq mi). The company acquired nearly 3,000 additional acres, in separate transactions, between December 2018 and April 2020. 12% of the site area is occupied by hotels and resorts, and 5% of the area is water. Disney's property includes four golf courses open to the general public. The 18-hole golf courses are Disney's Palm (4.5 stars), Disney's Magnolia (4 stars), and Disney's Lake Buena Vista (4 stars). There
3900-669: Is also a nine-hole walking course called Disney's Oak Trail , that features junior tees for younger golfers and a Footgolf course. Palm, Magnolia, and Oak Trail are connected and share one entrance near Shades of Green in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, while the Lake Buena Vista course is located in the Disney Springs Resort Area. Walt Disney World golf courses are staffed by third-party Arnold Palmer Golf Management. The Magnolia and Palm courses played home to
4030-542: Is an entertainment resort complex located about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Orlando, Florida , United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences , a division of The Walt Disney Company . The property covers nearly 25,000 acres (39 sq mi; 101 km ), of which half has been developed. Walt Disney World contains numerous recreational facilities designed to attract visitors for an extended stay, including four theme parks, two water parks, four golf courses, conference centers,
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4160-419: Is home to Disney's classic cartoon characters. Toontown features three rides: Chip 'n' Dale's GADGETcoaster , Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway and Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin . The land also includes Mickey's House and Meet Mickey , Minnie's House, Goofy's How-To-Play Yard, and Donald's Duck Pond. Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway opened in 2023 and increased the size of Mickey's Toontown as well as
4290-628: Is in memory of the man who started it all, so people will know his name as long as Walt Disney World is here." After the dedication, Roy Disney asked Walt's widow, Lillian , what she thought of Walt Disney World. According to biographer Bob Thomas, she responded, "I think Walt would have approved." Roy Disney died at age 78 on December 20, 1971, less than three months after the property opened. Admission prices in 1971 were $ 3.50 for adults, $ 2.50 for juniors under age 18, and one dollar for children under twelve. Much of Walt Disney's plans for his Progress City concept were abandoned after his death and after
4420-660: Is not within Orlando city limits but is southwest of Downtown Orlando. Much of the resort is in southwestern Orange County , with the remainder in adjacent Osceola County . The property includes the cities of Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake which are governed by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (formerly Reedy Creek Improvement District). The site is accessible from Central Florida's Interstate 4 via Exits 62B (World Drive), 64B ( US 192 West), 65B ( Osceola Parkway West), 67B ( SR 536 West), and 68 ( SR 535 North), Exit 6 on SR 417 South ,
4550-482: Is now home to Walt Disney Animation Studios and ABC Studios . Roy O. Disney hired Wood away from SRI as executive vice president to undertake the task of actually building Disneyland. When Walt told Wood that he wanted a paddle steamer in Disneyland, it was Wood who introduced Walt to his good friend Joe Fowler , a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral. Difficulties in obtaining funding prompted Disney to investigate new methods of fundraising, and he decided to create
4680-425: Is offered to all Cast eligible at the start of employment. Each staff location on property has an official designated as shop steward , who bargains with Disney leadership when needed to defend the rights designated within the contract. In the first year of opening, the park attracted 10,712,991 visitors. In 2018, the resort's four theme parks all ranked in the top 9 on the list of the 25 most visited theme parks in
4810-601: Is the ability to be dropped off in the Magic Kingdom bus loop (instead of at the TTC like the other ride shares) and being able to ride to any point in Fort Wilderness. Walt Disney World requires an estimated 1 billion kilowatt-hours (3.6 billion megajoules) of electricity annually, costing the company nearly $ 100 million in annual energy consumption. In addition to relying primarily on fossil fuels and nuclear energy from
4940-764: The Actors' Equity Association , with 79% voting in favor. The decision marked the first time these workers have unionized since Disneyland's opening in 1955. Disneyland Park consists of nine themed "lands" and a number of concealed backstage areas, and occupies over 100 acres (40 ha) with the new addition of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway that came to Mickey's Toontown in 2023. The park opened with Main Street, U.S.A. , Adventureland , Frontierland , Fantasyland , and Tomorrowland , and has since added New Orleans Square in 1966, Bear Country in 1972 (now known as Bayou Country ), Mickey's Toontown in 1993, and Star Wars : Galaxy's Edge in 2019. In 1957, Holidayland opened to
5070-597: The COVID-19 pandemic , beginning March 15, 2020. In 2020, Disney World laid off 6,500 employees and only operated at 25% capacity after reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic . In June 2020 , Walt Disney World was chosen to host the NBA Bubble for play of the 2019–20 season of the National Basketball Association (NBA) to resume at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex . The ESPN Complex, hosts
5200-522: The COVID-19 pandemic . After nearly four months of closure, Downtown Disney reopened on July 9, 2020. The parks had been scheduled to reopen on Disneyland's 65th anniversary on July 17, 2020, but due to rising cases in California , the parks' reopening was once again postponed. It was expected to stay closed until at least December 31, 2020. In February 2021, Disneyland announced a limited-capacity ticketed event called "A Touch of Disney", which would offer guests to shop at stores and enjoy eateries around
5330-629: The Centers for Disease Control as the delta variant drove a significant increase in local cases. These reinstated mandates were lifted in February 2022. In April 2022, following a court decision ending the federal mask mandate for public transportation, the mask mandates on Disney transportation were lifted. Starting on October 1, 2021, the resort honored its 50th anniversary with "The World's Most Magical Celebration", which lasted for 18 consecutive months ending on March 31, 2023. Disney's Magical Express ,
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5460-519: The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District , respectively. The entire Disney Transport bus fleet uses R50 renewable diesel fuel , obtained from used cooking oil and non-consumable food waste from the resort. Disney's security personnel are generally dressed in typical security guard uniforms, though some of the personnel are dressed as tourists in plain clothes. Since September 11, 2001 , uniformed security has been stationed outside each Disney park in Florida to search guests' bags as they enter
5590-544: The Frank Gehry -designed Team Disney Anaheim , where most of the division's administration currently works, as well as the Old Administration Building, behind Tomorrowland. Photography is forbidden in these areas, both inside and outside, although some photos have found their way to a variety of web sites. Guests who attempt to explore backstage are warned and often escorted from the property. Walt Disney had
5720-573: The Give a Day, Get a Disney Day volunteer program, in which Disney encouraged people to volunteer with a participating charity and receive a free Disney Day at either a Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World park. On March 9, 2010, Disney announced that it had reached its goal of one million volunteers and ended the promotion to anyone who had not yet registered and signed up for a specific volunteer situation. In July 2015, Disneyland celebrated its 60th Diamond Celebration anniversary. Disneyland Park introduced
5850-465: The Indiana Jones Adventure , and Adventureland Treehouse, inspired by Walt Disney's 1960 film Swiss Family Robinson . Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room , which opened in 1963 and is located at the entrance to Adventureland, was the first attraction to employ Audio-Animatronics . New Orleans Square is based on 19th-century New Orleans , opened on July 24, 1966. It is home to Pirates of
5980-519: The King Arthur Carrousel . In later years, Disney and his 1955 executives referred to July 17, 1955, as "Black Sunday". After the extremely negative press from the preview opening, Walt Disney invited attendees back for a private "second day" to experience Disneyland properly. At the time, and during the lifetimes of Walt and his brother Roy, July 17 was considered a preview, with July 18 the official opening day. Since then, aided by memories of
6110-553: The Magic Kingdom , EPCOT , Wide World of Sports , Animal Kingdom , or Disney Springs . Informally known as the "Disney Bubble", staying on property is considered an immersive experience. Additionally, 12 independently operated hotels are located on property leased from Disney, offering approximately 7,300 additional rooms. There is also an on-site pet hotel operated by Best Friends Pet Care for guests traveling with animals. Walt Disney World has several departments that handle various activities and events that are offered throughout
6240-497: The Orlando International Airport Intermodal Terminal to Disney Springs , which raised concerns over the future of Disney's Magical Express. In January 2021, The Walt Disney Company announced the discontinuation of Disney's Magical Express, which was made effective January 1, 2022, citing changes to consumer preferences as the reason; the announcement was subject to controversy. Transportation from
6370-587: The Paint the Night parade and Disneyland Forever fireworks show, and Sleeping Beauty Castle was decorated in diamonds with a large "60" logo. The Diamond Celebration concluded in September 2016 and the whole decoration of the anniversary was removed around Halloween 2016. Disneyland Park, along with Disney California Adventure , Downtown Disney, and the resort hotels, closed indefinitely starting March 14, 2020, in response to
6500-506: The Stanford Research Institute (SRI) to identify the proper area in which to position the planned theme park based on future population growth. Based on Price's analysis (for which he would be recognized as a Disney Legend in 2003), Disney acquired 160 acres (65 ha) of orange groves and walnut trees in Anaheim, southeast of Los Angeles in neighboring Orange County . The small Burbank site originally considered by Disney
6630-575: The Walt Disney Studios , he realized that a functional movie studio had little to offer to visiting fans, and began to foster various ideas about building a site near the Burbank studios for tourists to visit. His ideas evolved to a small play park with a boat ride and other themed areas. The initial park concept, the Mickey Mouse Park, was originally planned for a sixteen-acre (6.5 ha) plot to
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#17330845044256760-494: The federal government of the United States , including usage of drones . On January 21, 2016, the resort's management structure was changed, with general managers within a theme park being in charge of an area or land, instead of on a functional basis, as previously configured. Theme parks have already had a vice-president overseeing them. Disney Springs and Disney Sports were also affected. Now hotel general managers manage
6890-784: The Black Spire Outpost village on the remote frontier planet of Batuu . Attractions include the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars : Rise of the Resistance . The land opened in 2019, replacing Big Thunder Ranch and former backstage areas. Fantasyland is home to the dark rides Snow White's Enchanted Wish , Peter Pan's Flight , Mr. Toad's Wild Ride , Pinocchio's Daring Journey , and Alice in Wonderland . The area also includes King Arthur Carrousel , Mad Tea Party , Storybook Land Canal Boats , and It's
7020-859: The Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion . This area is also the home of the private Club 33 . Frontierland recreates the setting of pioneer days along the American frontier and is home to animatronic Native Americans, who live on the banks of the Rivers of America . Entertainment and attractions include Big Thunder Mountain Railroad , the Mark Twain Riverboat , the Sailing Ship Columbia , Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island , Frontierland Shootin' Exposition, and
7150-454: The Caribbean , and Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room . Attractions that had been in the park on opening day had one ride vehicle painted gold, and the park was decorated with fifty Golden Mickey Ears . The celebration started on May 5, 2005, and ended on September 30, 2006, and was followed by the "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration, lasting twenty-seven months and ending on December 31, 2008. Beginning on January 1, 2010, Disney Parks hosted
7280-623: The Central Florida GreeneWay and Exit 8 on SR 429 , the Western Beltway. At its founding, the resort occupied approximately 27,443 acres (43 sq mi; 111 km ). Portions of the property have since been sold or de-annexed, including land now occupied by the Disney-built community of Celebration . By 2014, the resort occupied nearly 25,000 acres (39 sq mi; 101 km ) (larger than Manhattan, New York City, which
7410-573: The Central Plaza (also known as the Hub), which is a portal to most of the themed lands: the entrance to Fantasyland is by way of a drawbridge across a moat and through the castle. Adventureland , Frontierland , and Tomorrowland are on both sides of the castle. The lands that are not directly connected to the Central Plaza are; New Orleans Square , Bayou Country , Star Wars : Galaxy's Edge and Mickey's Toontown . The design of Main Street, U.S.A. uses
7540-495: The Disneyland Resort, including about 20,000 direct Disney employees and 3,800 third-party employees ( independent contractors or their employees). To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with
7670-899: The Disneyland and Santa Fe Railroad, the DRR was presented by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway until 1974. From 1955 to 1974, the Santa Fe Rail Pass was accepted in lieu of a Disneyland "D" coupon. With a 3 ft ( 914 mm ) gauge, the most common narrow track gauge used in North America, the track runs in a continuous loop around Disneyland through each of its realms. Each 1900s-era train departs Main Street Station on an excursion that includes scheduled station stops at: New Orleans Square Station; Mickey's Toontown Depot; and Tomorrowland Station. The Grand Circle Tour then concludes with
7800-490: The Greater Orlando Livery Association and Orlando-area ground transportation companies and taxi cab operators, who argued that it allows Disney to "whisk away" potential customers who would otherwise have continued on to a taxi cab or private transportation service for transportation to their hotel. This keeps them from leaving Disney property during their trip to spend money elsewhere, since they do not need
7930-520: The Magic Kingdom. The smaller parcels of land acquired were called "outs". They were five-acre (2 ha) lots platted in 1912 by the Munger Land Company and sold to investors. Most of the owners in the 1960s were happy to get rid of the land, which was mostly swamp at the time. Another issue was the mineral rights to the land, which were owned by Tufts University . Without the transfer of these rights, Tufts could come in at any time and demand
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#17330845044258060-899: The PGA Tour's Walt Disney World Golf Classic from 1971 to 2012. Additionally there is a fifth course, the Tranquilo Golf Course , located at the Four Seasons Resort on Disney property. The course is open only to guests staying at Four Seasons. As of 2024 , there are 19 Disney owned and operated resort hotels and Disney Vacation Club (DVC) villas at the Walt Disney World Resort, along with one camping resort, Fort Wilderness, which includes traditional campgrounds and wood cabins. Together, they have approximately 23,000 rooms, 3,600 DVC villas and 500,000 square feet (46,000 m ) of conference meeting space. They are organized into three categories—Deluxe, Moderate, and Value—and five resort areas:
8190-485: The Walt Disney Company has used to run the area since May 1967, when then Florida Governor Claude Kirk signed into law legislation which granted the company special status. The law went into effect in June 2023. Along with this, as of May 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis has also been planning to target Disney's monorail system and let Florida's Department of Transportation inspect the privately owned system. The Florida resort
8320-412: The airline later moved back to Sanford, citing higher costs. In 2015, Universal Orlando , Disney's main competitor in the area, announced their own airport shuttle to their resort, Universal's SuperStar Shuttle. It was initially operated by Escot Bus Lines, until Mears Transportation took over as of April 1, 2021. In November 2021, Brightline announced an extension of their higher-speed rail line from
8450-563: The bus stops. Guests arriving via Magic Kingdom Resort boat launch are bag checked on the arrival dock outside Magic Kingdom. Disneyland Disneyland is a theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California . It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney , and opened on July 17, 1955. Disney initially envisioned building
8580-403: The collection and transportation of guest luggage from the airport directly to the guest's resort hotel until July 2020 with no need for guests to go to baggage claim. After the service was discontinued, guests were required to pick up their baggage and check in with the transportation. Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort (also known as Walt Disney World or Disney World )
8710-496: The company announced a plan titled DisneylandForward to expand the park with more rides, restaurants, and shops with The Anaheim City Council expected to receive the development plans for approval by 2023. On June 15, 2021, Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and other theme parks in California were permitted to return to full capacity with most COVID-19 pandemic restrictions lifted per California governor Gavin Newsom 's Blueprint for
8840-506: The company board decided that it did not want to be in the business of running a city. The concept evolved into the resort's second theme park, EPCOT Center , which opened in 1982 (renamed EPCOT in 1996). While still emulating Walt Disney's original idea of showcasing new technology, the park is closer to a world's fair than a "community of tomorrow". One of EPCOT's main attractions is the World Showcase, which highlights 11 countries across
8970-413: The crowd and day of purchase. On April 22, 2022, the self-governing status which the Walt Disney Company had in the area around Disney World for more than 50 years came to an end after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law legislation requiring the area to come under the legal jurisdiction of the state of Florida. The new law also officially abolished The Reedy Creek Improvement District which
9100-450: The early 1960s. There was mild controversy over the lack of African American employees. As late as 1963, civil rights group the Congress of Racial Equality , was in discussions with Disneyland officials about hiring more black people, with Disneyland telling the group they would consider their requests. Unlike other amusement parks at the time, Disneyland was never racially segregated , and
9230-466: The exception of Wood. In September 1959, Soviet First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev spent thirteen days in the United States, with two requests: to visit Disneyland and to meet John Wayne , Hollywood's top box-office draw. Due to the Cold War tension and security concerns, he was famously denied an excursion to Disneyland. The Shah of Iran and Empress Farah were invited to Disneyland by Walt Disney in
9360-524: The existing parking lot (south of Disneyland) was repurposed by these projects, the six-level, 10,250-space Mickey and Friends parking structure was constructed in the northwest corner. Upon completion in 2000, it was the largest parking structure in the United States. The park's management team during the mid-1990s was a source of controversy among fans and employees. In an effort to boost profits, various changes were begun by then-executives Cynthia Harriss and Paul Pressler . While their initiatives provided
9490-570: The firehouse is where Walt Disney had his personal apartment, where it still exists today, off-limits to the public. Main Street is also home to the Disney Art Gallery and the Opera House which showcases Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln , a show featuring an Audio-Animatronic version of Abraham Lincoln . At the far end of Main Street, U.S.A. is Sleeping Beauty Castle , the Partners statue , and
9620-434: The globe. Some of the urban planning concepts from the original idea of EPCOT would instead be integrated into the community of Celebration, Florida , much later. The resort's third theme park, Disney-MGM Studios (renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2008), opened in 1989 and is inspired by show business. In the early 1990s, the resort was seeking permits for expansion. There was considerable environmentalist push-back, and
9750-506: The hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world. The concept for Disneyland began when Walt Disney was visiting Griffith Park in Los Angeles with his daughters Diane and Sharon. While watching them ride the merry-go-round , he came up with the idea of a place where adults and their children could go and have fun together, though this idea lay dormant for many years. The earliest documented draft of Disney's plans
9880-452: The latter, leaving many drinking fountains dry. This generated negative publicity since Pepsi sponsored the park's opening; disappointed guests believed the inoperable fountains were a cynical way to sell soda, while other vendors ran out of food. The asphalt that had been poured that morning was soft enough to let women's high-heeled shoes sink into it. Some parents threw their children over the crowd's shoulders to get them onto rides, such as
10010-792: The monorail and travel between the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, including select on-property resorts such as the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian Village . The system operates on three routes that interconnect at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), adjacent to the Magic Kingdom's parking lot. Disney Transport owns a fleet of Disney-operated buses on the property, that is also complimentary for guests. A gondola lift system, dubbed Disney Skyliner , opened in 2019. The system's three lines connect Disney's Hollywood Studios and EPCOT with four resort hotels. Disney Transport also operates
10140-541: The monorail station did not change, but the original station building was demolished as part of the hotel downsizing, and the new station is now separated from the hotel by several Downtown Disney buildings. All of the vehicles found on Main Street, U.S.A., grouped together as the Main Street Vehicles attraction, were designed to accurately reflect turn-of-the-century vehicles, including a 3 ft ( 914 mm ) gauge tramway featuring horse-drawn streetcars ,
10270-439: The new theme park "the greatest attraction in the history of Florida". The official reveal was kept on the previously planned November 15 date, and Disney joined Burns in Orlando for the event. Walt Disney died from circulatory collapse caused by smoking-related lung cancer on December 15, 1966, before his vision was realized. His brother and business partner, Roy O. Disney , postponed his retirement to oversee construction of
10400-485: The nighttime show Fantasmic! . Frontierland is also home to the Golden Horseshoe Saloon , an Old West -style show palace. On October 31, 2007, author Ray Bradbury attended the presentation of a Halloween Tree in Frontierland, to be included as part of its annual park-wide Halloween decorations every year. Bayou Country opened in 1972 as Bear Country. It was renamed Critter Country in 1988, and in 2024 it
10530-472: The original park was showing signs of neglect. Fans of the park decried the perceived decline in customer value and park quality and rallied for the dismissal of the management team. Matt Ouimet , the former president of the Disney Cruise Line , was promoted to assume leadership of the Disneyland Resort in late 2003. Shortly afterward, he selected Greg Emmer as Senior Vice President of Operations. Emmer
10660-576: The park and another 300 on standby just outside of the entrance gates. Around 4:00 p.m., many of the Yippies occupied Tom Sawyer Island , purportedly smoking cannabis and causing cast members to halt park guests from boarding rafts to the island. An hour later, the group of Yippies converged at Main Street, U.S.A. and became confrontational with other park guests and riot police after tearing down patriotic bunting while unfurling Viet Cong and Youth International Party flags. Standby riot police entered and
10790-428: The park by climbing over the fence. The following day, it opened to the public, featuring twenty attractions. The Special Sunday events, including the dedication, were televised nationwide and anchored by three of Walt Disney's friends from Hollywood: Art Linkletter , Bob Cummings , and Ronald Reagan . ABC broadcast the event live, during which many guests tripped over the television camera cables. In Frontierland,
10920-428: The park during business hours with members of their respective staff, wearing cast member name badges, standing in line for attractions, and welcoming guests' comments. In July 2006, Ouimet left The Walt Disney Company to become president of Starwood . Soon after, Ed Grier , executive managing director of Walt Disney Attractions Japan, was named president of the resort. In October 2009, Grier announced his retirement, and
11050-597: The park from March 18 through April 19, 2021. On March 5, 2021, it was announced by the California Department of Public Health that Disneyland could reopen with capacity restrictions beginning April 1, 2021. The following week, then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek said that the company was planning on officially reopening the park in late April 2021. Disneyland along with Disney California Adventure officially reopened on April 30, 2021, with limited capacity and social distancing/mask guidelines in effect. The following week,
11180-571: The park from above. Currently, the Mark VII is running with the colors red, blue and orange. The monorail was originally a loop built with just one station in Tomorrowland. Its track was extended and a second station opened at the Disneyland Hotel in 1961. With the creation of Downtown Disney in 2001, the new destination is Downtown Disney, instead of the Disneyland Hotel. The physical location of
11310-499: The park transportation vehicles was Bob Gurr who gave himself the title of Director of Special Vehicle Design in 1954. Encircling Disneyland and providing a grand circle tour is the Disneyland Railroad (DRR), a 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow gauge short-line railway consisting of five oil-fired and steam-powered locomotives, in addition to three passenger trains and one passenger-carrying freight train. Originally known as
11440-502: The park was evacuated around 5:00 p.m. when some of the insurgents approached the park's Bank of America branch, sparking concern that the building could be burned in a similar fashion to the arson of a Bank of America in Isla Vista in February 1970. Police arrested 23 park guests and it was only the second unexpected early closure in park history, the first being in response to the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963. The incident
11570-478: The park's 10th-anniversary celebration. In an interview with Disney, she asked him if he was behind recent land purchases in Central Florida. Bavar later described that Disney "looked like I had thrown a bucket of water in his face", before denying the story. His reaction, combined with other research obtained during her Anaheim visit, led Bavar to author a story on October 21, 1965, where she predicted that Disney
11700-582: The park's earliest attractions received major changes or were replaced in the mid-to-late 1970s. The Flight to the Moon attraction was rethemed as Mission to Mars in March 1975, five years after Apollo 11 had successfully landed humans on the Moon. Construction of Space Mountain began that same year adjacent to the new Mission to Mars attraction but was delayed by El Niño -related weather complications. The ride opened in 1977 to much acclaim as lines would often stretch all
11830-411: The park. Main Street, U.S.A. is patterned after a typical Midwest town of the early 20th century, and took much inspiration from Walt Disney 's hometown, Marceline, Missouri . Main Street, U.S.A. has a train station, town square, movie theater , city hall, firehouse with a steam-powered pump engine, emporium, shops, arcades, double-decker bus, horse-drawn streetcar, and jitneys. The second-story of
11960-478: The parks. Starting April 3, 2017, bag checkpoints have been placed at Magic Kingdom's resort monorail entryways and the Transportation and Ticket Center's ferry entry points prior to embarkation as well as the walkway from Disney's Contemporary Resort. Guests arriving at the Transportation and Ticket Center by tram or tour bus will be screened at the former tram boarding areas. Guests arriving by Disney Resort hotel bus or Minnie Van have their own bag check just outside
12090-424: The partnership had already led to a lasting relationship with ABC which would eventually culminate in the Walt Disney Company's acquisition of ABC in the mid-1990s. Construction began on July 16, 1954, and cost $ 17 million to complete (equivalent to $ 153 million in 2023 ). The park was opened one year and one day later. U.S. Route 101 (later Interstate 5 ) was under construction at the same time just north of
12220-538: The position of vice president of Animal Kingdom. D'Amaro was subsequently promoted to chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products in May 2020, succeeding Bob Chapek , who was promoted to CEO of The Walt Disney Company in February 2020. Jeff Vahle, who served as president of Disney Signature Experiences subsequently took over as president of the resort. On March 12, 2020, a Disney spokesperson announced that Disney World and Disneyland Paris would temporarily close due to
12350-405: The public with a nine-acre (3.6 ha) recreation area including a circus and baseball diamond , and was closed in late 1961. Throughout the park are " Hidden Mickeys ", representations of Mickey Mouse heads inserted subtly into the design of attractions and environmental decor. An elevated berm supports the 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow gauge Disneyland Railroad that circumnavigates
12480-418: The public. Masks were required at all times (including outdoors, on attractions, and while taking photos), all guests were required to have their temperature taken upon entry, plexiglass was installed on various attractions and transportation offerings, and shows that drew large crowds, such as parades and nighttime shows including Fantasmic! and Happily Ever After were not offered. In November 2020,
12610-596: The removal of buildings to obtain minerals. Eventually, Disney's team negotiated a deal with Tufts to buy the mineral rights for $ 15,000. Working strictly in secrecy, real estate agents unaware of their client's identity began making offers to landowners in April 1964, in parts of southwest Orange and northwest Osceola counties. The agents were careful not to reveal the extent of their intentions. They were able to negotiate numerous land contracts with some landowners, including large tracts of land for as little as $ 100 an acre. With
12740-474: The resort increased the guest capacity to 35% at all four theme parks, and on May 13, 2021, CEO Bob Chapek announced a further increase of capacity, effective immediately; however, he did not say to what capacity level it would be raised. By mid-June 2021, temperature checks and mask mandates (except while on Disney transportation) had been lifted. In late July 2021, mask mandates were reinstated for all attractions and indoor areas in light of new guidance issued by
12870-615: The resort was convinced to engage in mitigation banking . In an agreement with The Nature Conservancy and the state of Florida, Disney purchased 8,500 acres (3,400 ha) of land, adjacent to the park for the purpose of rehabilitating wetland ecosystems. The Disney Wilderness Preserve was established in April 1993, and the land was subsequently transferred to The Nature Conservancy. The Walt Disney Company provided additional funds for landscape restoration and wildlife monitoring. The resort's fourth theme park, Disney's Animal Kingdom , opened in 1998. In October 2009, Disney World announced
13000-640: The resort's first phase. On February 2, 1967, Roy O. Disney held a press conference at the Park Theatres in Winter Park, Florida. The role of EPCOT was emphasized in the film that was played. After the film, it was explained that for Disney World, including EPCOT, to succeed, a special district would have to be formed: the Reedy Creek Improvement District with two cities inside it, Bay Lake and Reedy Creek, now Lake Buena Vista . In addition to
13130-715: The resorts to the airport continued until January 10, 2022. Disney's Magical Express service ran exclusively from Orlando International Airport , available to guests with reservations at a Walt Disney World resort hotel. For return service to the airport, guests were typically scheduled for a motor coach departure from their Disney resort hotel to Orlando International Airport no less than three hours prior to their flight's scheduled departure time for domestic flights; four hours for international flights. Disney's Magical Express also transported guests from Orlando International Airport or their Disney Resort hotel to Port Canaveral for Disney Cruise Line departures and back. Bags, Inc. handled
13260-548: The site employed about 5,500 "Cast Members". In 2020, Walt Disney World employed more than 77,000 Cast Members. Walt Disney World has more than 3,000 job classifications with a total 2019 payroll of over $ 3 billion. Almost all hourly guest-facing Cast Members work under union contracts . The most recent contract was negotiated and put in effect in 2023 and is valid through 2027, setting the starting hourly rate for part-time and full-time Cast at 17 dollars per hour, with additional premiums available for select roles. Union membership
13390-438: The site of Disneyland's original parking lot. Disneyland has a larger cumulative attendance than any other theme park in the world, with 757 million visits since it opened (as of December 2021). In 2023, the park saw 17.25 million visitors, making it the second most visited amusement park in the world that year, behind only Magic Kingdom , the very park it inspired. According to a 2005 Disney report, 65,700 jobs are supported by
13520-444: The site; in preparation for the traffic Disneyland was expected to bring, two more lanes were added to the freeway before the park was finished. Disneyland was dedicated at an "International Press Preview" event held on Sunday, July 17, 1955, which was open only to invited guests and the media. Although 28,000 people attended the event, only about half of those were invitees, the rest having purchased counterfeit tickets, or snuck into
13650-534: The size of Disneyland Park from 99 to 101 acres (40 to 41 ha). Tomorrowland currently has a "retro-future" theme reminiscent of the illustrations of Jules Verne . Attractions include Space Mountain , Star Wars Launch Bay , Autopia , the Disneyland Monorail Tomorrowland Station, Astro Orbitor , Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters , Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage and Star Tours–The Adventures Continue . Major buildings backstage include
13780-714: The south, across Riverside Drive from the studio. Besides Greenfield Village and the Chicago Railroad Fair, Disney was also inspired by Tivoli Gardens in Denmark, Knott's Berry Farm , Colonial Williamsburg , the Century of Progress in Chicago, and the New York's World Fair of 1939 . His designers began working on concepts, though the project grew much larger than the land could hold. Disney hired C. V. Wood and Harrison Price of
13910-482: The standard powers of an incorporated city, which include issuance of tax-free bonds, the district would have immunity from any current or future county or state land-use laws. The only areas where the district had to submit to the county and state would be property taxes and elevator inspections. The legislation forming the district and the two cities, one of which was the Reedy Creek Improvement Act ,
14040-437: The state's power grid, Walt Disney World has two solar energy facilities on property; a 22-acre (0.034 sq mi; 0.089 km ) Mickey Mouse -shaped solar panel farm near EPCOT, and a 270-acre (0.42 sq mi; 1.1 km ) facility near Disney's Animal Kingdom. The larger facility produces enough solar energy to provide electricity to two of the resort's theme parks. The sites are operated by Duke Energy and
14170-540: The streets bordering Disneyland as part of the Skyfest Celebration. In the late 1990s, work began to expand the one-park, one-hotel property. Disneyland Park, the Disneyland Hotel, the site of the original parking lot, and acquired surrounding properties were earmarked to become part of the Disneyland Resort . At that time, the property saw the addition of the Disney California Adventure theme park,
14300-439: The technique of forced perspective to create an illusion of height. Buildings along Main Street are built at 3 ⁄ 4 scale on the first level, then 5 ⁄ 8 on the second story, and 1 ⁄ 2 scale on the third—reducing the scale by 1 ⁄ 8 each level up. Adventureland is designed to recreate the feel of an exotic tropical place in a far-off region of the world. Attractions include Jungle Cruise ,
14430-481: The television broadcast, the company has adopted July 17 as the official date, the one commemorated every year as Disneyland's birthday. Within a year after Disneyland's opening, increasing friction between Walt Disney and Wood resulted in Wood's termination. Most of the executives who led the development of Disneyland are now commemorated in window signs as proprietors of fictional businesses along Main Street, U.S.A. , with
14560-543: The time revealed that only 5% of Disneyland's visitors came from east of the Mississippi River , where 75% of the population of the United States lived. Additionally, Walt Disney disliked the businesses that had sprung up around Disneyland and wanted more control over a larger area of land in the next project. Walt Disney took a flight over a potential site in Orlando, Florida —one of many—in November 1963. After witnessing
14690-583: The understanding that the recording of the first deeds would trigger intense public scrutiny, Disney delayed the filing of paperwork until a large portion of the land was under contract. Early rumors and speculation about the land purchases assumed possible development by NASA in support of the nearby Kennedy Space Center , as well as references to other famous investors, such as Ford , the Rockefellers , and Howard Hughes . An Orlando Sentinel news article published weeks later, on May 20, 1965, acknowledged
14820-524: The way to Main Street, U.S.A. The final major change of the decade came in 1977 when the slow-paced Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland was closed and replaced by the similarly themed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad rollercoaster in 1979. Fantasyland was closed for refurbishment in 1982 and reopened to the public in 1983 as "New Fantasyland." On December 5, 1985, to celebrate Disneyland's 30th year in operation, one million balloons were launched along
14950-571: The well-developed network of roads and taking the planned construction of both Interstate 4 and Florida's Turnpike into account, with McCoy Air Force Base (later Orlando International Airport ) to the east, Disney selected a centrally located site near Bay Lake . The development was referred to in-house as "The Florida Project". To avoid a burst of land speculation, Walt Disney Productions used various dummy corporations to acquire 27,443 acres (43 sq mi; 111 km ) of land. In May 1965, some of these major land transactions were recorded
15080-460: The world: (1st) Magic Kingdom—20,859,000 visitors; (6th) Disney's Animal Kingdom—13,750,000 visitors; (7th) EPCOT—12,444,000 visitors; and (9th) Disney's Hollywood Studios—11,258,000 visitors. By October 2020, maximum Disney World attendance was still allowed to only remain at 25% capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent study found that reducing Magic Kingdom park capacity to 25% would result in
15210-459: The year. These departments include: The campus of Walt Disney World includes numerous buildings and spaces used solely for corporate management, castmember only services, and castmember recreation. The Walt Disney Company also owns and operates a corporate office complex in Celebration, Florida, home to Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney offices. When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971,
15340-467: Was a long-time Disney cast member who had worked at Disneyland in his youth prior to moving to Florida and held multiple executive leadership positions at the Walt Disney World Resort . Ouimet set about reversing certain trends, especially concerning cosmetic maintenance and a return to the original infrastructure maintenance schedule, in hopes of restoring Disneyland's former safety record. Similarly to Walt Disney, Ouimet and Emmer could often be seen walking
15470-688: Was announced that Disneyland would be holding its first official "Pride Nite", supporting the LGBTQ community. This comes 25 years after the first celebrated 'Gay Day' at Disneyland, which is identical to the Gay Days at Walt Disney World celebration. In May 2023, a male employee of Disneyland was dressed as 'Fairy Godmother's apprentice' welcoming the visitors to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Fantasyland , generating both criticism and support on social media. On May 18, 2024, Disneyland character performers voted to join
15600-460: Was being built. Five generations of monorail trains have been used in the park since their lightweight construction means they wear out quickly. The most recent operating generation, the Mark VII, was installed in 2008. The monorail shuttles visitors between two stations, one inside the park in Tomorrowland and one in Downtown Disney . It follows a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) route designed to show
15730-447: Was building a second theme park in Florida. Three days later, after gathering more information from various sources, the Sentinel published another article headlined, "We Say: 'Mystery' Industry Is Disney". Walt Disney had originally planned to publicly reveal Disney World on November 15, 1965, but in light of the Sentinel story, Disney asked Florida Governor Haydon Burns to confirm the story on October 25. His announcement called
15860-468: Was cited as a clash of the park management's perceived appeal to tradition following the death of Walt Disney and the growing counterculture movement among young people in the United States. Despite the opening of the more expansive Walt Disney World resort in 1971, Disneyland continued to set attendance records and maintained its status as a major tourist attraction. In 1972, the Bear Country land
15990-622: Was completed in time for the park's opening on October 1, 1971, and the Polynesian Village Resort opened shortly after. The Palm and Magnolia golf courses near the Magic Kingdom had opened a few weeks before, while Fort Wilderness opened one month later. Twenty-four days after the park opened, Roy O. Disney dedicated the property and declared that it would be known as "Walt Disney World", in his brother's honor. In his own words: "Everyone has heard of Ford cars. But have they all heard of Henry Ford , who started it all? Walt Disney World
16120-483: Was open to all races since opening day. As part of the Casa de Fritos operation at Disneyland, " Doritos " (Spanish for "little golden things") were created at the park to recycle old tortillas that would have been discarded. The Frito-Lay Company saw the popularity of the item and began selling them regionally in 1964, and then nationwide in 1966. On August 6, 1970, an estimated 300+ anti-war Yippies entered Disneyland in
16250-559: Was opened and the Main Street Electrical Parade was introduced. Disneyland underwent several changes in preparation for the United States Bicentennial . In 1974, Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress was replaced with America Sings , an audio-animatronic theater show featuring the history of American music. America on Parade debuted in 1975 and ran through 1976 in celebration of the bicentennial. Several of
16380-507: Was renamed Bayou Country. Formerly the area was home to Indian Village, where indigenous tribespeople demonstrated their dances and other customs. Bayou Country's main attraction is the log flume ride Tiana's Bayou Adventure . Other attractions include The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes . Star Wars : Galaxy's Edge is set within the Star Wars universe, in
16510-432: Was replaced by George Kalogridis. The " Happiest Homecoming on Earth " was an eighteen-month-long celebration (held through 2005 and 2006) of the fiftieth anniversary of Disneyland Park, also celebrating Disneyland's milestone throughout Disney parks worldwide. In 2004, the park underwent major renovations in preparation, restoring many attractions, notably Space Mountain , Jungle Cruise , the Haunted Mansion , Pirates of
16640-603: Was sent as a memo to studio production designer Dick Kelsey on August 31, 1948, where it was referred to as a "Mickey Mouse Park", based on notes Disney made during his and Ward Kimball 's trip to the Chicago Railroad Fair the same month, with a two-day stop in Henry Ford 's Museum and Greenfield Village , a place with attractions like a Main Street and steamboat rides, which he had visited eight years earlier. When people wrote letters to Disney to inquire about visiting
16770-432: Was signed into law by Florida Governor Claude R. Kirk, Jr. on May 12, 1967. The Supreme Court of Florida then ruled in 1968 that the district was allowed to issue tax-exempt bonds for public projects within the district, despite the sole beneficiary being Walt Disney Productions. The district soon began construction of drainage canals, and Disney built the first roads and the Magic Kingdom. The Contemporary Resort Hotel
16900-486: Was the most visited vacation resort in the world, with an average annual attendance of more than 58 million. The resort is the largest single-site employer in the United States, the flagship destination of Disney's worldwide corporate enterprise and has become a staple of American popular culture . In 1959, Walt Disney Productions began looking for land to house a second resort to supplement Disneyland in Anaheim, California, which had opened in 1955. Market surveys at
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