On Oct. 1, Walt Disney World Resort (WDW) celebrates its 40th anniversary. While the Orlando theme park destination started relatively modestly with Magic Kingdom Park, its 40 square miles has grown to include four theme parks, two water parks, more than 20 resort hotels, and Downtown Disney – and much more.
Forty years today, Magic Kingdom debuted after three weeks of trial runs by nearly 100,000 selected guests from throughout Central Florida. The park opened with 22 park attractions, 5,000 costumed Cast Members and, of course, Mickey Mouse.
“WALT DISNEY WORLD is a tribute to the philosophy and life of Walter Elias Disney…and to the talents, the dedication, and the loyalty of the entire Disney organization that made Walt Disney’s dream come true. May Walt Disney World bring Joy and Inspiration and New Knowledge to all who come to this happy place…a Magic Kingdom where the young at heart of all ages can laugh and play and learn — together.”
~ October 1, 1971 Dedication on Main Street, USA, by Roy O. Disney
Click on the hyperlink to see photos from Walt Disney World's 40 years or to watch videos in Magic Kingdom's history.
To mark the occasion Disney released an infographic with some of Walt Disney World’s milestone moments as well as some vintage video and photographs. Let’s take a look back at some very special moments in the history of Walt Disney World.
Walt Disney World – 1960s
- 1965: Walt Disney reveals plans to build a theme park in Florida. The Florida Project will tentatively be called Disney World.
- 1966: Walt Disney dies Dec. 15. His brother Roy continues on with the project. He will rename the resort Walt Disney World (WDW) in honor of his brother.
Walt Disney World – 1970s
- 1971: Magic Kingdom Park opens, with a celebration that includes a parade of Disney character and 76 trombones. Roy Disney and Mickey offer the opening day dedication. Attraction that opened the park included Haunted Mansion, Mad Tea Cups, Jungle Cruise, and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. Also opening were Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Polynesian Resort.
- 1973: Pirates of the Caribbean opens at Adventureland. The proposed Western River Expedition, at one point considered for the Eastern Disney theme park resort, never does.
- 1974: Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue opens at Pioneer Hall, Fort Wilderness.
- 1975: Space Mountain opens on Jan. 15. Downtown Disney opens as the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village.
- 1976: River Country, Disney’s first water park opens on June. 20.
- 1977: Main Street Electrical Parade, the first night-time Disney parade, debuts June 11.
Walt Disney World – 1980s
- 1982: EPCOT Center opens Oct. 1, a re-envisioning of Walt Disney’s Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Opening attractions include Spaceship Earth, The American Adventure, Universe of Energy and Kitchen Kabaret.
- 1983: Journey into Imagination, with Dreamfinder and Figment, and Horizons open.
- 1984: Morocco opens at EPCOT Center.
- 1986: Captain EO, the park’s fist 4-D film, debuts at Epcot.
- 1988: Mickey’s Birthdayland opens at Magic Kingdom, part of Mickey’s 60th birthday, eventually being renamed Mickey’s Toontown Fair (1996) before closing in 2011. Norway opens at EPCOT Center’s World Showcase.
- 1989: Disney-MGM Studios, a working animation studio and theme park, opens on May 1. Pleasure Island, Disney’s adult nightspot, also opens that day. Typhoon Lagoon, the second water park, opens June 1.
Walt Disney World – 1990s
- 1991: Walt Disney World’s 20th anniversary. Muppet*Vision 3-D and the “Beauty and the Beast” stage show open at Disney-MGM Studios. Disney Vacation Club debuts, with Disney’s Old Key West Resort. River Country closes.
- 1992: Fantasmic! debuts at Disney-MGM Studios.
- 1993: Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival debuts.
- 1994: Disney’s All-Star Sports and All-Star Music Resorts open. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror opens on July 22. EPCOT Center drops its “Center.” The first Walt Disney World marathon is held.
- 1995: Disney’s Blizzard Beach opens on April 1 – no joke. The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival debuts.
- 1996: To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Disney turns Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom into an 18-story birthday cake – one of its more controversial decisions.
- 1998: Disney’s Animal Kingdom opens. Opening attractions include It’s Tough to be a Bug, the first attraction based on a Pixar film.
- 1999: Asia opens at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Disney introduces FASTPASS.
Walt Disney World – 2000s
- 2003: Mickey’s PhilharMagic opens and Wishes debuts at Magic Kingdoms. Tufani is the first baby animal born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, on May 22.
- 2004: Walt Disney Studios closes its Orlando, Fla. based studios inside Disney-MGM Studios theme park.
- 2005: Epcot gets Soarin’, while Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show debuts at Disney-MGM Studios.
- 2006: Expedition Everest opens April 7 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Meanwhile, Captain Jack Sparrow is added to Pirates of the Caribbean.
- 2007: Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor opens at Magic Kingdom.
- 2008: Disney-MGM Studios becomes Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Pleasure Island closes.
- 2009: Disney announces the Fantasyland expansion at Magic Kingdom.
Walt Disney World – 2010s
- 2010: Disney announces construction on its Art of Animation Resort, a Disney Value Resort focused on family suites.
- 2011: Star Tours: The Adventure Continues opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Plans were announced to add an “Avatar” land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Sorcerers of Magic Kingdom, an interactive game.
With Walt Disney World celebrating its 40th anniversary beginning Saturday, what are some of your favorite memories, attractions and experiences?
For more WDW history, see my series “Memories of the Magic Kingdom.”
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