History of Walt Disney World in Timeline

Walt Disney World Resort, located southwest of Orlando, Florida, is a vast entertainment complex opened on October 1, 1971. Operated by Disney Experiences, a division of The Walt Disney Company, it encompasses nearly 25,000 acres, with approximately half of the area currently developed. It stands as a major landmark and popular destination for entertainment and tourism.

1912: Munger Land Company Plats Land

In 1912, the Munger Land Company platted five-acre lots that would later be acquired by Walt Disney Productions as smaller parcels of land for the Walt Disney World project.

1955: Disneyland Opens

In 1955, Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California. Market surveys revealed that only 5% of Disneyland's visitors came from east of the Mississippi River, influencing the decision to build a second resort in Florida.

1955: Disneyland Opens in California

In 1955, Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California. This original park became the model for Walt Disney World, which was conceived due to limitations on expansion around the original Disneyland location.

1959: Land Search Begins for Second Resort

In 1959, Walt Disney Productions started searching for a location for a second resort to complement Disneyland in California.

November 1963: Walt Disney Surveys Orlando Site

In November 1963, Walt Disney flew over a potential site in Orlando, Florida. He chose a central location near Bay Lake due to the well-developed road network and the planned construction of Interstate 4 and Florida's Turnpike.

April 1964: Land Acquisition Begins

In April 1964, real estate agents, unaware of their client's identity, began making offers to landowners in southwest Orange and northwest Osceola counties to acquire land for Walt Disney Productions. The agents negotiated numerous land contracts, sometimes for as little as $100 an acre.

May 1965: Land Transactions Recorded

In May 1965, major land transactions by dummy corporations representing Walt Disney Productions were recorded near Orlando in Osceola County. These transactions involved large and small tracts of land purchased by companies with exotic names.

May 20, 1965: Rumor of East Coast Disneyland Denied

On May 20, 1965, the Orlando Sentinel acknowledged a 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.

October 1965: Sentinel Editor Visits Disneyland

In October 1965, editor Emily Bavar from the Sentinel visited Disneyland during the park's 10th-anniversary celebration and interviewed Walt Disney, questioning him about land purchases in Central Florida.

October 21, 1965: Sentinel Predicts Disney Theme Park in Florida

On October 21, 1965, Emily Bavar from the Sentinel wrote a story predicting that Disney was building a second theme park in Florida, based on Walt Disney's reaction to her questions and additional research obtained during her visit to Disneyland.

November 15, 1965: Official Disney World Reveal

On November 15, 1965, Walt Disney officially revealed Disney World to the public in Orlando, Florida, alongside Governor Haydon Burns. This announcement followed an earlier confirmation by Burns due to a news story about the project.

November 16, 1965: Walt Disney Visits Site

On November 16, 1965, the day after the press conference, Walt Disney personally visited and toured the Walt Disney World site for the first time.

May 26, 1966: Walt Disney's Second Site Visit

On May 26, 1966, Walt Disney made his second and final visit to the Walt Disney World site before his death.

December 15, 1966: Walt Disney's Death

On December 15, 1966, Walt Disney passed away during the early planning stages of Walt Disney World. His death cast uncertainty over the project's future, but his brother Roy O. Disney ensured Walt's vision was realized.

February 2, 1967: EPCOT and Reedy Creek Improvement District Plans

On February 2, 1967, Roy O. Disney held a press conference where he emphasized the role of EPCOT and the formation of the Reedy Creek Improvement District to ensure Disney World's success.

May 12, 1967: Reedy Creek Improvement Act Signed into Law

On May 12, 1967, the legislation forming the Reedy Creek Improvement District and the cities within it, including the Reedy Creek Improvement Act, was signed into law by Florida Governor Claude R. Kirk, Jr.

May 1967: Florida Governor Claude Kirk signed into law legislation which granted Disney special status.

In May 1967, Florida Governor Claude Kirk signed into law legislation which granted the Walt Disney Company special status, establishing The Reedy Creek Improvement District.

May 1967: Reedy Creek Improvement District Created

In May 1967, the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) was created by the State of Florida at Disney's request to provide governmental services to the land where Walt Disney World resides.

1967: Construction Begins

In 1967, construction commenced on Walt Disney World. While the original plans included a community, the focus shifted to a resort similar to Disneyland.

1968: Reedy Creek District Allowed to Issue Tax-Exempt Bonds

In 1968, the Supreme Court of Florida ruled that the Reedy Creek Improvement District was allowed to issue tax-exempt bonds for public projects, even though the sole beneficiary was Walt Disney Productions.

October 1, 1971: Walt Disney World Resort Opens

On October 1, 1971, the Walt Disney World Resort officially opened its doors to the public. This entertainment complex is located approximately 20 miles southwest of Orlando, Florida, and is operated by Disney Experiences.

December 20, 1971: Roy O. Disney's Death

On December 20, 1971, Roy O. Disney passed away at the age of 78, less than three months after the opening of Walt Disney World.

1971: Magic Kingdom Opens

In 1971, Magic Kingdom, the first theme park in the Walt Disney World complex, opened to the public.

1971: Walt Disney World Golf Classic started

In 1971, the Magnolia and Palm courses played home to the PGA Tour's Walt Disney World Golf Classic.

1971: Admission Prices Set

In 1971, the admission prices to Walt Disney World were set at $3.50 for adults, $2.50 for juniors under age 18, and $1 for children under twelve.

1971: Magic Kingdom opened with 5,500 employees

When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, the site employed about 5,500 "Cast Members".

1982: EPCOT Center Opens

In 1982, EPCOT Center (later renamed EPCOT) opened as the second theme park in Walt Disney World.

1989: Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park Opens

In 1989, Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park (later renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios) opened as the third theme park in Walt Disney World.

April 1993: Disney Wilderness Preserve Established

In April 1993, the Disney Wilderness Preserve was established, where Disney purchased land for wetland ecosystem rehabilitation in agreement with The Nature Conservancy and the state of Florida.

1994: Lawsuit over Disney Security Records

In 1994, Disney and the Reedy Creek Improvement District were sued for access to Disney Security records following a death at the resort. The court characterized Disney security as a "night watchman" service, not subject to Florida's open records laws.

1996: EPCOT Renamed

In 1996, EPCOT Center was renamed EPCOT.

1998: Disney's Animal Kingdom Opens

In 1998, Disney's Animal Kingdom opened as the fourth theme park in Walt Disney World.

1999: FastPass+ introduced

In 1999, FastPass+ was introduced and provided free of charge.

September 11, 2001: Increased Security Measures

Since September 11, 2001, uniformed security has been stationed outside each Disney park in Florida to search guests' bags as they enter the parks.

2005: Disney's Magical Express began

In 2005, Disney's Magical Express, a complimentary transportation and luggage service offered to Walt Disney Resort guests, began.

2006: Meg Crofton Oversees Site

Meg Crofton had overseen the site since 2006.

2008: Disney-MGM Studios Renamed

In 2008, Disney-MGM Studios was renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios.

October 2009: Town Twinning Competition Announced

In October 2009, Disney World announced a competition to find a town to become twinned with.

December 2009: Swindon Announced as Twinned Town

In December 2009, Disney World announced that the resort would be twinned with the English town of Swindon, after Rebecca Warren won the competition with a poem.

December 2012: George Kalogridis Named President

In December 2012, George Kalogridis was named president of Walt Disney World, succeeding Meg Crofton.

2012: Walt Disney World Golf Classic ended

From 1971 to 2012, the Magnolia and Palm courses played home to the PGA Tour's Walt Disney World Golf Classic.

October 27, 2014: Permanent FAA Prohibited Airspace Zone

As of October 27, 2014, Walt Disney World is covered by a permanent FAA prohibited airspace zone, restricting all airspace activities without approval from the federal government of the United States, including usage of drones.

2014: Walt Disney World Resort occupied nearly 25,000 acres

By 2014, the Walt Disney World Resort occupied nearly 25,000 acres (39 sq mi; 101 km), larger than Manhattan, New York City.

2015: Enhanced Security Measures

In late 2015, Walt Disney World confirmed the addition of randomized secondary screenings and dogs trained to detect body-worn explosives, in addition to metal detectors at entrances. The number of uniformed security personnel was also increased.

January 21, 2016: Management Structure Changed

On January 21, 2016, the management structure of Walt Disney World was changed, with general managers within a theme park being in charge of an area or land, instead of on a functional basis.

April 3, 2017: Bag Checkpoint Expansion

Starting April 3, 2017, Walt Disney World expanded bag checkpoints to Magic Kingdom's resort monorail entryways, the Transportation and Ticket Center's ferry entry points, and the walkway from Disney's Contemporary Resort.

October 18, 2017: Pet Dogs Allowed at Select Resorts

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.

October 2018: Ashes Scattering Controversy

In October 2018, The Wall Street Journal reported that Walt Disney World parks were becoming a popular spot for families to illegally scatter the ashes of loved ones, with The Haunted Mansion being the favorite location.

December 2018: Disney acquired additional acreage

Between December 2018 and April 2020, Disney acquired nearly 3,000 acres (5 sq mi; 12 km) in separate transactions.

2018: Most Visited Vacation Resort

In 2018, Walt Disney World held the distinction of being the most visited vacation resort globally, with an average annual attendance exceeding 58 million visitors.

2018: Walt Disney World Theme Park Rankings

In 2018, all four of Walt Disney World's theme parks ranked in the top 9 of the world's 25 most visited theme parks: Magic Kingdom (1st with 20,859,000 visitors), Disney's Animal Kingdom (6th with 13,750,000 visitors), EPCOT (7th with 12,444,000 visitors), and Disney's Hollywood Studios (9th with 11,258,000 visitors).

2019: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex hosted NBA play

During the 2019-2020 season, the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex hosted NBA play, runDisney marathon races, and Varsity Cheer dance and cheer competitions.

2019: Josh D'Amaro replaced George Kalogridis as president of Walt Disney World Resort

In 2019, Josh D'Amaro replaced George Kalogridis as president of the Walt Disney World Resort, having previously served as vice president of Animal Kingdom.

2019: Disney Skyliner Opens

In 2019, the Disney Skyliner gondola lift system opened. The system's three lines connect Disney's Hollywood Studios and EPCOT with four resort hotels.

2019: Walt Disney World Payroll

Walt Disney World had a total 2019 payroll of over $3 billion.

February 2020: Bob Chapek promoted to CEO of the Walt Disney Company

In February 2020, Bob Chapek was promoted to CEO of the Walt Disney Company.

March 12, 2020: Disney World and Disneyland Paris to temporarily close

On March 12, 2020, a Disney spokesperson announced that Disney World and Disneyland Paris would temporarily close due to the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning March 15, 2020.

March 15, 2020: Disney World and Disneyland Paris temporarily closed

On March 15, 2020, Disney World and Disneyland Paris temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 2020: Disney acquired additional acreage

Between December 2018 and April 2020, Disney acquired nearly 3,000 acres (5 sq mi; 12 km) in separate transactions.

May 2020: Josh D'Amaro promoted to chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products

In May 2020, Josh D'Amaro was promoted to chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, succeeding Bob Chapek.

June 2020: Walt Disney World to host NBA Bubble

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.

July 11, 2020: Disney World Officially Reopened

On July 11, 2020, Disney World officially reopened with limited capacity, temperature checks, mask requirements, and plexiglass installations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

October 2020: Attendance Still Limited Due to COVID-19

In October 2020, Walt Disney World attendance was still limited following the COVID-19 closure which occurred earlier in the year.

October 2020: Limited Capacity due to COVID-19

In October 2020, Walt Disney World attendance was still limited to 25% capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reducing Magic Kingdom park capacity to 25% would result in a 54.1% reduction in annual attendance.

November 2020: Walt Disney World guest capacity increased to 35%

In November 2020, Walt Disney World increased the guest capacity to 35% at all four theme parks.

2020: Disney World layoffs and capacity reduction

In 2020, Disney World laid off 6,500 employees and only operated at 25% capacity after reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Walt Disney World Employed more than 77,000 Cast Members

In 2020, Walt Disney World employed more than 77,000 Cast Members.

May 13, 2021: Walt Disney World Capacity Increased

On May 13, 2021, CEO Bob Chapek announced a further increase of capacity at Walt Disney World, effective immediately.

June 2021: Walt Disney World Lifts Temperature Checks and Mask Mandates

By mid-June 2021, Walt Disney World lifted temperature checks and mask mandates (except while on Disney transportation).

July 2021: Vaccination Mandate for Staff

In July 2021, Disney World announced that all its staff workers in the United States would have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to return to work. Those who are unvaccinated would have a period of time to get their shots, aiming to return to full capacity for immunized people.

July 2021: Walt Disney World Reinstates Mask Mandates

In late July 2021, mask mandates were reinstated for all attractions and indoor areas at Walt Disney World due to new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control as the delta variant drove a significant increase in local cases.

August 2021: FastPass+ to be replaced with Genie+

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" for an additional charge.

October 1, 2021: The World's Most Magical Celebration began

Starting on October 1, 2021, Walt Disney World Resort honored its 50th anniversary with "The World's Most Magical Celebration", which lasted for 18 consecutive months.

January 2022: Disney's Magical Express ended

In January 2022, Disney's Magical Express, a complimentary transportation and luggage service offered to Walt Disney Resort guests, ended.

February 2022: Walt Disney World Lifts Reinstated Mask Mandates

In February 2022, mask mandates that were reinstated in July 2021 at Walt Disney World were lifted.

April 2022: Walt Disney World Lifts Mask Mandates on Disney Transportation

In April 2022, following a court decision ending the federal mask mandate for public transportation, the mask mandates on Disney transportation were lifted at Walt Disney World.

April 22, 2022: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed law ending Disney's self-governing status

On April 22, 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law legislation requiring the area around Disney World to come under the legal jurisdiction of the state of Florida, officially abolishing The Reedy Creek Improvement District.

March 31, 2023: The World's Most Magical Celebration ended

On March 31, 2023, Walt Disney World Resort's "The World's Most Magical Celebration", which began October 1, 2021 in honor of its 50th anniversary, came to an end.

May 2023: Governor Ron DeSantis planning to target Disney's monorail system

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.

June 1, 2023: Reedy Creek Under State Jurisdiction

On June 1, 2023, the Walt Disney Company's self-governing authority of all the area surrounding Walt Disney World came to an end after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law legislation requiring Walt Disney World's Reedy Creek Improvement District to come under the legal jurisdiction of the state of Florida.

June 2023: Florida Law Ending Disney's Self-Governing Status Took Effect

In June 2023, the law signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ending Disney's self-governing status around Disney World took effect, placing the area under the legal jurisdiction of the state of Florida.

2023: New Union Contract in Effect

In 2023, a new union contract was negotiated and put into effect, valid through 2027. The contract set the starting hourly rate for part-time and full-time Cast Members at 17 dollars per hour, with additional premiums available for select roles.

2023: Reedy Creek Improvement District Renamed

In 2023, the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) became the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD).

2024: Walt Disney World Resort in 2024

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.