History of Walt Disney World in Timeline

Walt Disney World Resort, situated southwest of Orlando, Florida, opened on October 1, 1971. Operated by Disney Experiences, it spans nearly 25,000 acres. Designed for extended stays, it includes four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom), two water parks, golf courses, conference centers, a sports complex, and a shopping/dining/entertainment district (Disney Springs). The resort features 19 Disney-owned hotels and a camping resort, plus other non-Disney accommodations. It is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world.

1912: Land Platted by Munger Land Company

In 1912, the Munger Land Company platted five-acre lots that were later acquired by Walt Disney Productions in the 1960s for the "Florida Project".

1955: Disneyland Opens

In 1955, Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California, which Walt Disney World was designed to supplement.

1959: Land Search Begins

In 1959, Walt Disney Productions initiated the search for land to establish a second resort to supplement Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

November 1963: Site Selection

In November 1963, Walt Disney conducted an aerial survey over a potential site in Orlando, Florida and selected a location near Bay Lake due to its well-developed road network and planned infrastructure.

April 1964: Land Acquisition Begins

In April 1964, real estate agents, unaware of their client's identity, began making offers to landowners in parts of southwest Orange and northwest Osceola counties to acquire land for the "Florida Project".

May 1965: Land Transactions Recorded

In May 1965, major land transactions were recorded in Osceola County, marking the acquisition of land for the "Florida Project" by Walt Disney Productions through dummy corporations.

May 20, 1965: Rumors of "East Coast" Disneyland

On May 20, 1965, the Orlando Sentinel published a news article acknowledging rumors that Disney was building an "East Coast" version of Disneyland, but denied its accuracy.

October 1965: Editor Visits Disneyland

In October 1965, Emily Bavar from the Sentinel visited Disneyland and interviewed Walt Disney about land purchases in Central Florida, leading her to suspect Disney was building a second theme park.

October 21, 1965: Sentinel Predicts Second Theme Park

On October 21, 1965, after an interview with Walt Disney and other research, Emily Bavar from the Sentinel authored a story predicting that Disney was building a second theme park in Florida.

November 15, 1965: Official Reveal of Disney World

On November 15, 1965, Walt Disney and Florida Governor Haydon Burns officially revealed the plans for Disney World in Orlando.

November 16, 1965: Walt Disney Visits Site

On November 16, 1965, Walt Disney visited and toured the site of the future Walt Disney World, the day after the press conference.

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

On May 26, 1966, Walt Disney made his second and final visit to the site of what would become Walt Disney World.

December 15, 1966: Walt Disney's Death

On December 15, 1966, Walt Disney passed away during the initial planning stages of the Walt Disney World complex.

February 2, 1967: Press Conference on EPCOT and Reedy Creek

On February 2, 1967, Roy O. Disney held a press conference in Winter Park, Florida, emphasizing the role of EPCOT and the need for the Reedy Creek Improvement District for Disney World to succeed.

May 12, 1967: Reedy Creek Improvement Act Signed

On May 12, 1967, Florida Governor Claude R. Kirk, Jr. signed the Reedy Creek Improvement Act into law, forming the Reedy Creek Improvement District with the cities of Bay Lake and Reedy Creek (now Lake Buena Vista).

May 1967: Reedy Creek Improvement District Created

In May 1967, the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID), later known as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD), was created by the State of Florida at Disney's request to provide governmental services to the Walt Disney World area.

May 1967: Reedy Creek Improvement District Granted to Disney

In May 1967, then Florida Governor Claude Kirk signed into law legislation which granted the Walt Disney Company special status through The Reedy Creek Improvement District, allowing them to run the area.

1967: Construction Begins

In 1967, construction started on Walt Disney World, following the death of Walt Disney. The initial plans for an "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow" (EPCOT) were abandoned, and a resort similar to Disneyland was built instead.

1968: Supreme Court Ruling on 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, despite the sole beneficiary being 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, marking the beginning of its operation 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, the Magic Kingdom became the first theme park to open at Walt Disney World.

1971: Walt Disney World Golf Classic Begins

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

1971: Admission Prices in 1971

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

1971: Cast Member Employment at Magic Kingdom Opening

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 at Walt Disney World as the second theme park in the complex.

1989: Disney-MGM Studios Opens

In 1989, Disney-MGM Studios (later renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios) opened as the resort's third theme park.

April 1993: Disney Wilderness Preserve Established

In April 1993, The Disney Wilderness Preserve was established, and Disney purchased 8,500 acres (3,400 ha) of land for rehabilitating wetland ecosystems.

1994: Lawsuit Characterizes Disney Security

In 1994, following the death of their son at the resort, Bob and Kathy Sipkema sued Disney and the Reedy Creek Improvement District for access to Disney Security records. The court characterized Disney security as a "night watchman" service, not a law enforcement agency.

1996: EPCOT Center Renamed to EPCOT

In 1996, EPCOT Center was renamed to EPCOT.

1998: Disney's Animal Kingdom Opens

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

1999: Introduction of FastPass+

In 1999, FastPass+ was introduced as a complimentary service at Walt Disney World.

September 11, 2001: Increased Security Measures

Following September 11, 2001, Walt Disney World stationed uniformed security outside each park in Florida to search guests' bags upon entry.

2005: Introduction of Disney's Magical Express

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

2006: Meg Crofton Oversees Walt Disney World

Since 2006, Meg Crofton had overseen the operations at Walt Disney World, before being replaced by George Kalogridis in December 2012.

2008: Disney-MGM Studios Renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios

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

October 2009: Twinning Competition Announced

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

December 2009: Twinning with Swindon Announced

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

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 Concludes

In 2012, the Magnolia and Palm courses ceased hosting the PGA Tour's Walt Disney World Golf Classic after having done so since 1971.

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, including drone usage, without federal government approval.

2014: Resort Size in 2014

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

2015: Enhanced Security Measures Introduced

In late 2015, Walt Disney World confirmed the addition of randomized secondary screenings, dogs trained to detect body-worn explosives, and increased uniformed security personnel at its parks.

January 21, 2016: Resort Management Structure Changed

On January 21, 2016, Walt Disney World changed its resort management structure so that general managers within theme parks would be in charge of an area or land, rather than on a functional basis. This change also affected Disney Springs, Disney Sports, and hotel management, with hotel general managers now managing a single hotel.

April 3, 2017: Bag Checkpoints Added to Transportation Areas

On April 3, 2017, Walt Disney World added bag checkpoints to the 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, Walt Disney World 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: Report on Illegal Ash Scattering

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 a favorite location.

December 2018: Land Acquisition

In December 2018, the Walt Disney Company acquired nearly 3,000 acres (5 sq mi; 12 km), in separate transactions.

2018: Most Visited Vacation Resort

In 2018, Walt Disney World was recognized as the most visited vacation resort worldwide, achieving an average annual attendance exceeding 58 million visitors.

2018: Attendance Records

In 2018, all four of Walt Disney World's theme parks ranked in the top 9 most visited theme parks worldwide. Magic Kingdom was first with 20,859,000 visitors, Disney's Animal Kingdom was sixth with 13,750,000 visitors, EPCOT was seventh with 12,444,000 visitors, and Disney's Hollywood Studios was ninth with 11,258,000 visitors.

2019: Josh D'Amaro Becomes Resort President

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

2019: ESPN Complex hosts runDisney marathon races.

In 2019, The ESPN Complex hosts a variety of activities throughout the year, including runDisney marathon races and dance and cheer competitions in partnership with Varsity Cheer.

2019: Walt Disney World Payroll

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

2019: Disney Skyliner Opens

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

February 2020: Bob Chapek Promoted to CEO

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

March 12, 2020: Disney World Announces Temporary Closure

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

March 15, 2020: Disney World Temporarily Closes

On March 15, 2020, Disney World and Disneyland Paris temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as announced on March 12, 2020.

April 2020: Additional Land Acquisition

By April 2020, the Walt Disney Company additionally acquired nearly 3,000 acres (5 sq mi; 12 km), in separate transactions, between December 2018 and April 2020.

May 2020: Josh D'Amaro Promoted to Chairman

In May 2020, Josh D'Amaro was promoted to chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, succeeding Bob Chapek, who had been promoted to CEO of the Walt Disney Company in February 2020.

June 2020: Walt Disney World Hosts NBA Bubble

In June 2020, Walt Disney World was chosen to host the NBA Bubble for the resumption of the 2019–20 season of the National Basketball Association (NBA) at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

July 11, 2020: Disney World Reopens with Restrictions

On July 11, 2020, Disney World officially reopened with operations beginning at 25% capacity at the Magic Kingdom and Disney's Animal Kingdom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mask requirements, temperature checks, and plexiglass installations were implemented, while parades and nighttime shows like Fantasmic! and Happily Ever After were suspended.

October 2020: Attendance Limited due to COVID-19

In October 2020, Walt Disney World was still limited to 25% capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to reduced annual revenue and potential impact on tourism to the Orlando region.

October 2020: Continued COVID-19 Restrictions

In October 2020, it was revealed that full capacity attendance at Walt Disney World was still not permitted following the COVID-19 closures earlier in the year.

November 2020: Guest Capacity Increased to 35%

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

2020: Layoffs and Limited Capacity Due to COVID-19

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

2020: Walt Disney World Employment

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

May 13, 2021: Capacity Increase Announced

On May 13, 2021, CEO Bob Chapek announced a further increase of guest capacity at Walt Disney World, effective immediately; however, the specific capacity level was not disclosed.

June 2021: Temperature Checks and Mask Mandates Lifted

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

July 2021: Vaccination Required for Staff Workers

In July 2021, Walt Disney World announced that all staff workers in the United States would have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to return to work.

July 2021: Mask Mandates Reinstated

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 caused a significant increase in local cases.

August 2021: FastPass+ 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, with an additional charge for "Lightning Lane" access to top-tier attractions. The pricing range depends on the crowd and day of purchase.

October 1, 2021: 50th Anniversary Celebration Begins

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

January 2022: Disney's Magical Express Ends

In January 2022, Disney's Magical Express, a complimentary transportation and luggage service offered to Walt Disney World Resort guests that began in 2005, ended.

February 2022: Mask Mandates Lifted Again

In February 2022, the reinstated mask mandates at Walt Disney World were lifted.

April 2022: Mask Mandates on Disney Transportation Lifted

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

April 22, 2022: Law Signed Ending 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, ending the self-governing status the Walt Disney Company had for over 50 years. The new law also abolished The Reedy Creek Improvement District, which the Walt Disney Company had used to run the area since May 1967.

March 31, 2023: 50th Anniversary Celebration Ends

On March 31, 2023, Walt Disney World ended its 50th anniversary celebration, "The World's Most Magical Celebration", which had begun on October 1, 2021.

May 2023: Governor DeSantis Plans to Target Disney's Monorail

As of May 2023, Florida 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 Improvement District Under State Jurisdiction

On June 1, 2023, the legislation requiring Walt Disney World's Reedy Creek Improvement District to come under the legal jurisdiction of the state of Florida went into effect.

June 2023: Law Ending Self-Governing Status Goes Into Effect

In June 2023, the law ending the self-governing status which the Walt Disney Company had in the area around Disney World went into effect.

2023: New Union Contract in Effect

In 2023, a new union contract was negotiated and put into effect, valid through 2027. This 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) was renamed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD).

2024: Resort Hotel and Villa Count

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, including campgrounds and wood cabins.