The Walt Disney World Resort (also known as Walt Disney World or Disney World) 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 km2), of which half has been developed.[4] 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, 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 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 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 make sure Walt's biggest dream was realized. Construction started in 1967, with the company instead building 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 Disney-MGM Studios) in 1989, and Disney's Animal Kingdom in 1998. It was Roy who insisted the name of the entire complex be changed from Disney World to Walt Disney World, ensuring that people would remember that the project was Walt's dream.
In 2018, Walt Disney World was the most visited vacation resort in the world, with an average annual attendance of more than 58 million.[6] The resort is the largest single-site employer in the United States,[3] the flagship destination of Disney's worldwide corporate enterprise[7] and has become a popular staple in American culture.
Walt Disney (left) with his brother Roy O. Disney (right) and then Governor of Florida W. Haydon Burns (center) on November 15, 1965, publicly announcing the creation of Disney WorldOverlay of Walt Disney's original 1966 plans for Disney World and the proposed EPCOT city (orange) and contemporary situation (blue)
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 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.[8]
Walt Disney took a flight over a potential site in Orlando, Florida—one of many—in November 1963. After witnessing 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.[9] The development was referred to in-house as "The Florida Project".[10] To avoid a burst of land speculation, Walt Disney Productions used various dummy corporations to acquire 27,443 acres (43 sq mi; 111 km2) of land.[9] In May 1965, some of these major land transactions were recorded 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 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 the removal of buildings to obtain minerals. Eventually, Disney's team negotiated a deal with Tufts to buy the mineral rights for $15,000.[11]
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, and they were able to negotiate numerous land contracts with some landowners, including large tracts of land for as little as $100 an acre.[12] With 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.[13]
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.[13] An Orlando Sentinel news article published weeks later, on May 20, 1965, acknowledged 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 which he claimed a $50 million investment was in the works for Disneyland, and that he had no interest in building a new park.[13] In October 1965, editor Emily Bavar from the Sentinel visited Disneyland during 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.[13] 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 was building a second theme park in Florida.[13][14] Three days later, after gathering more information from various sources, the Sentinel published another article headlined, "We Say: 'Mystery' Industry Is Disney".[13][15]
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 the new theme park "the greatest attraction in the history of Florida".[13] The official reveal was kept on the previously planned November 15 date, and Disney joined Burns in Orlando for the event.[13]
Roy Disney's oversight of constructionedit
Roy O. Disney inspecting design plans on-site in Florida
Walt Disney died from circulatory collapse caused by smoking-related lung cancer on December 15, 1966, before his vision was realized.[16] His brother and business partner, Roy O. Disney, postponed his retirement to oversee construction of 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 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.[8] The legislation forming the district and the two cities, one of which was the Reedy Creek Improvement Act, was signed into law by Florida Governor Claude R. Kirk, Jr. on May 12, 1967.[17] 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 original logo of Walt Disney World from 1971 to the mid-1990s
The district soon began construction of drainage canals, and Disney built the first roads and the Magic Kingdom. The Contemporary Resort Hotel was completed in time for the park's opening on October 1, 1971, and the Polynesian Village Resort opened shortly after.[18][19] 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 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.[20]
Admission prices in 1971 were $3.50 for adults, $2.50 for juniors under age 18, and one dollar for children under twelve.[18]
1980s–2020edit
An aerial shot of Walt Disney World in 1982
Much of Walt Disney's plans for his Progress City concept were abandoned after his death and after 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 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.
The 1996 version of The Walt Disney World logo.
In the early 1990s, the resort was seeking permits for expansion. There was considerable environmentalist push-back, and 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.[21] The Walt Disney Company provided additional funds for landscape restoration and wildlife monitoring.[22]
In October 2009, Disney World announced 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.[23]
George Kalogridis was named president of the resort in December 2012, replacing Meg Crofton, who had overseen the site since 2006.
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 a single hotel instead of some managing multiple hotels.[24]
In 2019, Josh D'Amaro replaced George Kalogridis as president of the resort. He had previously held the position of vice president of Animal Kingdom.[26] 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.[27]
March 2020–presentedit
On March 12, 2020, a Disney spokesperson announced that Disney World and Disneyland Paris would temporarily shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning March 15, 2020.[28]
In 2020, Disney World laid off 6,500 employees and only operated at 25% capacity after reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic.[29][30]
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.[32] Four days later, Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios for operation at 25% capacity to the public.[33] 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.[34]
In November 2020, 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.[35] By mid-June 2021, temperature checks and mask mandates (except while on Disney transportation) had been lifted.[36] In late July 2021, mask mandates were reinstated for all attractions and indoor areas in light of new guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control as the delta variant drove a significant increase in local cases. These reinstated mandates were lifted in February 2022.[37] In April 2022, following a court decision ending the federal mask mandate for public transportation, the mask mandates on Disney transportation were lifted.[38]
Starting on October 1, 2021, the resort honored its 50th anniversary with "The World's Most Magical Celebration",[39] which lasted for 18 consecutive months ending on March 31, 2023.[40]
Disney's Magical Express, a complimentary transportation and luggage service offered to Walt Disney Resort guests that began in 2005, ended in January 2022.[41] 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+, a system starting at $18 to $35 per day with the option of adding "Lightning Lane", which will be used for top-tier attractions, for an additional charge. The pricing range depends on the crowd and day of purchase.[42]
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.[43] The new law also officially abolished The Reedy Creek Improvement District which 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.[43] The law went into effect in June 2023.[44][45] 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.[46]
Soarin' closes in the Land Pavilion at Epcot on January 4.
Streets of America closes at Disney's Hollywood Studios on April 2.
Muppets Courtyard opens at Disney's Hollywood Studios on April 3.
The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic debuts in Discovery River Lagoon at Disney's Animal Kingdom on May 26 until hold its final performance on September 5.
Soarin' Around the World opens in The Land Pavilion at Epcot on June 17.
Hurricane Matthew closes the resort for the fifth time on October 7.
World Celebration Gardens opens in World Celebration at EPCOT, and divided into Dreamers Point as a newly designed central spine, Inspiration Gardens, Creations Gardens, Connections Gardens and CommuniCore Gardens.
Festival of Fantasy Parade holds its final performance at the Magic Kingdom on July 20.
Disney Wonder Dreams daytime parade is announced at the Magic Kingdom on August 9.
Locationedit
Map of the resort as of May 2015One of four arches welcoming guests to the resort
The Florida resort 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, 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 km2).[9] 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 km2)[4] (larger than Manhattan, New York City, which is 22.7 sq mi).
The company acquired nearly 3,000 additional acres, in separate transactions, between December 2018 and April 2020.[49][50][51]
12% of the site area is occupied by hotels and resorts, and 5% of the area is water.[52]
Flamingo Crossings, opened 2021, located off property but developed by Disney
Golf coursesedit
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 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.[54] The Magnolia and Palm courses played home to 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.[55][56]
Tri-Circle D Ranch, a working ranch and stable, located at Fort Wilderness
Former attractions and areasedit
Discovery Island, an island and former ticketed attraction in Bay Lake that was home to many species of animals and birds. Guests would access the island via boat from Fort Wilderness. It opened on April 8, 1974, and closed on April 8, 1999.
Disney's River Country, the first water park at the Walt Disney World Resort. It opened on June 20, 1976, and closed on November 2, 2001.[57]
Walt Disney World Speedway, a racetrack at Walt Disney World that included the Richard Petty Driving Experience. It opened November 28, 1995, and closed on August 9, 2015.
Pleasure Island, a former gated section of Downtown Disney, centered on late-night entertainment. Most of the area was demolished upon the transformation of Downtown Disney into Disney Springs. It opened 1989 and closed in 2008.
Walt Disney World Airport, a small landing strip built for private aircraft. The airway stopped being used in the 1980s. It is located off Vista Blvd and World Drive and used as a storage area.
DisneyQuest, an indoor theme park that featured arcade games and virtual attractions, intended to be the first location in a chain of similar theme parks, which was unsuccessful. It opened June 19, 1998 and closed on July 2, 2017.[58]
Crossroads Shopping Center, originally developed by Disney in the 1980s and located near Disney Springs, the shopping and dining center was popular for guests and cast-members, built at a time when there was few dining options in the area. Disney later sold the land, and in 2021 the entire center was demolished using eminent domain for the Interstate 4 reconstruction project.[59][60]
As of 2024[update], 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 m2) of conference meeting space. They are organized into three categories—Deluxe, Moderate, and Value—and five resort areas: 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.[61][62]
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.[63]
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser – resort that offered a two-day immersive experience aboard a simulated cruise in outer space within the Star Wars galaxy. It opened on March 1, 2022, and closed on September 30, 2023.
Walt Disney World has several departments that handle various activities and events that are offered throughout the year. These departments include:
Disney Imagination Campus – operates Magic Music Days, Disney Performing Arts, Festival Disney, The Dreamers Academy, and other youth programs providing opportunities for youth to learn and perform inside Walt Disney World.[67][68]
Disney Meetings and Events – schedules large meetings, events, and conferences at Walt Disney World.[69]
The Disney Institute – offers professional development, team-building and networking opportunities using Disney models and principles.[70]
Disney Weddings – schedules and plans weddings at various locations inside Walt Disney World, including locations inside the parks or at the wedding pavilion.[71]
Disney Internships and Programs – operates various internships geared toward college-age students, including the Disney College Program (DCP), Disney International Programs (ICP), Disney Hospitality Leadership Program (DHLP), Cultural Representative Program (CRP), Brazilian Summer Super Greeters, Disney Culinary Program, and Professional Internships (PI).[72]
Campusedit
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.
Team Disney – the central location of corporate offices at Walt Disney World.
Disney University – the central location of training for castmembers.
Mickey's Retreat – a Disney-employee only recreational complex located on Little Lake Bryan.[73]
AdventHealth – operates two emergency rooms, located on the east and west of property near Disney Springs and in Flamingo Crossings. Guests with serious conditions and injuries are transported to the larger AdventHealth Celebration.
YMCA of Central Florida – operates two locations on property that provide daycare and educational programs for children of Walt Disney World employees.[74]
The Center for Living Well – provides health services for Disney employees, operated by Premise Health.[75]
Flamingo Crossings Village – home of Disney Programs and Internship students.
Disney Aspire – offers free college tuition to eligible employees of Walt Disney World. Launched in 2018, the program offers select academic tracks in partnership with certain schools and degree programs.[76]
Voluntears – Disney's in-house volunteer program. Disney cast members volunteer their time for local non-profit and environmental causes.[77]
Employmentedit
When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, the site employed about 5,500 "cast members".[78] In 2020, Walt Disney World employed more than 77,000 cast members.[79] Walt Disney World has more than 3,000 job classifications with a total 2019 payroll of over $3 billion.[3]
Union representationedit
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 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.[80]
UNITE HERE Local 362 – Represents roles in Attractions, Custodial, and Vacation Planning.[81]
Actors' Equity Association Orlando Area Theatre – Represents members performing under contract at Walt Disney World, including casts of Festival of The Lion King, Voices of Liberty, The Dapper Dans, Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire, Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage, Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, the Hoop-Dee-Do Review, and Finding Nemo: The Big Blue and Beyond.[85]
Attendanceedit
In the first year of opening, the park attracted 10,712,991 visitors.[86] 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 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.[6] By October 2020, maximum Disney World attendance was still allowed to only remain at 25% capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[30] A recent study found that reducing Magic Kingdom park capacity to 25% would result in 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.[87]
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 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.[101]
Disney Transport also operates 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 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.[103][104] Some of the unique advantages that the Minnie Van Service offers over a normal ride share 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.
Energy useedit
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.[105] In addition to relying primarily on fossil fuels and nuclear energy from the state's power grid, Walt Disney World has two solar energy facilities on property; a 22-acre (0.034 sq mi; 0.089 km2) Mickey Mouse-shaped solar panel farm near Epcot, and a 270-acre (0.42 sq mi; 1.1 km2) facility near Disney's Animal Kingdom.[106] 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 the Reedy Creek Improvement District, respectively.[106]
Disney security vehicle, picture taken July 2, 2009 in front of Epcot
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 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 the bus stops. Guests arriving via Magic Kingdom Resort boat launch are bag checked on the arrival dock outside Magic Kingdom.[107]
The land where Walt Disney World resides is part of the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID), a governing jurisdiction created in May 1967 by the State of Florida at the request of Disney.[108][43] RCID provides 911 services, fire, environmental protection, building code enforcement, utilities and road maintenance, but does not provide law enforcement services. The approximately 800 security staff are instead considered employees of the Walt Disney Company. Arrests and citations are issued by the Florida Highway Patrol along with the Orange County and Osceola County sheriffs deputies who patrol the roads. Disney security does maintain a fleet of security vans equipped with flares, traffic cones, and chalk commonly used by police officers. These security personnel are charged with traffic control by the RCID and may only issue personnel violation notices to Disney and RCID employees, not the general public.[109][110]
Despite the appearance of the uniformed security personnel, they are not considered a legal law enforcement agency. Disney and the Reedy Creek Improvement District were sued for access to Disney Security records by Bob and Kathy Sipkema following the death of their son at the resort in 1994. The court characterized Disney security as a "night watchman" service, not a law enforcement agency, meaning it is not subject to Florida's open records laws. An appeals court later upheld the lower court's ruling.[111]
In late 2015, Disney confirmed the addition of randomized secondary screenings and dogs trained to detect body-worn explosives within parks, in addition to metal detectors at entrances. It has also increased the number of uniformed security personnel at Walt Disney World and Disneyland properties.[112]
Disney Security personnel in Florida have investigated traffic accidents and issued accident reports. The forms used by Disney Security may be confused with official, government forms by some.[citation needed]
The Orange County Sheriff maintains an office on Disney property, but this is primarily to process guests accused of shoplifting by Disney security personnel.[113]
Although the scattering of ashes on Disney property is illegal, The Wall Street Journal reported in October 2018 that Walt Disney World parks were becoming a popular spot for families to scatter the ashes of loved ones, with the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom being the favorite location. The practice is unlawful and prohibited on Disney property, and anyone spreading cremated remains is escorted from the park.[114]
On April 22, 2022, 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 on June 1, 2023.[43][44][115]
Closuresedit
Walt Disney World has had twelve unscheduled closures, ten of which have been due to hurricanes:[116]
November 9–10, 2022, phased closure from the evening of November 9 until noon of the next day, due to Hurricane Nicole
Like its sister resort, parks at the resort may close early to accommodate various special events, such as special press events, tour groups, VIP groups, and private parties. It is common for a corporation to rent entire parks for the evening. In such cases, special passes are issued which are valid for admission to all rides and attractions. At the ticket booths and on published schedules, the guests are notified of the early closures. Then, cast members announce that the parks are closing, sometime before the private event starts, and clear the parks of guests who do not have the special passes.
In October 2020, it was revealed that full capacity attendance was still not permitted, following the COVID-19 closure which occurred earlier in the year.[30] In July 2021, Disney World announced that all its staff workers in the US would have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to return to work. It also announced that those who are unvaccinated would have a period of time to get their shots and aimed to return to full capacity for people who are immunized.[121]
walt, disney, world, resort, also, known, disney, world, entertainment, resort, complex, located, about, miles, southwest, orlando, florida, united, states, opened, october, 1971, resort, operated, disney, experiences, division, walt, disney, company, property. The Walt Disney World Resort also known as Walt Disney World or Disney World 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 km2 of which half has been developed 4 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 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 Walt Disney WorldFour icons of Walt Disney World clockwise from top left Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Spaceship Earth at Epcot Hollywood Tower Hotel at Hollywood Studios and the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom IndustryEntertainment hospitalityFoundedOctober 1 1971 52 years ago 1971 10 01 FoundersWalt DisneyRoy DisneyHeadquartersBay Lake Celebration and Lake Buena Vista Florida United StatesKey peopleJeff Vahle President Jason Kirk SVP Theme Parks Maribeth Bisienere SVP Resorts 1 2 Number of employees77 000 3 ParentDisney ExperiencesWebsitedisneyworld wbr com 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 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 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 make sure Walt s biggest dream was realized Construction started in 1967 with the company instead building 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 Disney MGM Studios in 1989 and Disney s Animal Kingdom in 1998 It was Roy who insisted the name of the entire complex be changed from Disney World to Walt Disney World ensuring that people would remember that the project was Walt s dream Walt Disney World is also covered by an FAA prohibited airspace zone that restricts all airspace activities without approval from the federal government of the United States 5 including usage of drones this level of protection is otherwise only offered to American critical infrastructure such as the Pantex nuclear weapons plant military bases the Washington D C Special Flight Rules Area Camp David and other official presidential travels In 2018 Walt Disney World was the most visited vacation resort in the world with an average annual attendance of more than 58 million 6 The resort is the largest single site employer in the United States 3 the flagship destination of Disney s worldwide corporate enterprise 7 and has become a popular staple in American culture Contents 1 History 1 1 Planning and construction 1 1 1 Conception 1 1 2 Roy Disney s oversight of construction 1 2 1980s 2020 1 3 March 2020 present 1 4 Timeline 2 Location 3 Attractions 3 1 Theme parks 3 2 Water parks 3 3 Mini golf courses 3 4 Shopping dining and entertainment areas 3 5 Golf courses 3 6 Other attractions and areas 3 7 Former attractions and areas 4 Resorts 4 1 Disney owned resorts 4 2 On site non Disney resorts 4 3 Former resorts 5 Annual events 6 Business segments 7 Campus 8 Employment 8 1 Union representation 9 Attendance 10 Operations 10 1 Transportation 10 2 Energy use 10 3 Self Government and security 10 4 Closures 11 Climate 12 See also 13 References 14 External linksHistory editPlanning and construction edit Conception edit nbsp Walt Disney left with his brother Roy O Disney right and then Governor of Florida W Haydon Burns center on November 15 1965 publicly announcing the creation of Disney World nbsp Overlay of Walt Disney s original 1966 plans for Disney World and the proposed EPCOT city orange and contemporary situation blue 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 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 8 Walt Disney took a flight over a potential site in Orlando Florida one of many in November 1963 After witnessing 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 9 The development was referred to in house as The Florida Project 10 To avoid a burst of land speculation Walt Disney Productions used various dummy corporations to acquire 27 443 acres 43 sq mi 111 km2 of land 9 In May 1965 some of these major land transactions were recorded 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 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 the removal of buildings to obtain minerals Eventually Disney s team negotiated a deal with Tufts to buy the mineral rights for 15 000 11 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 and they were able to negotiate numerous land contracts with some landowners including large tracts of land for as little as 100 an acre 12 With 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 13 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 13 An Orlando Sentinel news article published weeks later on May 20 1965 acknowledged 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 which he claimed a 50 million investment was in the works for Disneyland and that he had no interest in building a new park 13 In October 1965 editor Emily Bavar from the Sentinel visited Disneyland during 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 13 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 was building a second theme park in Florida 13 14 Three days later after gathering more information from various sources the Sentinel published another article headlined We Say Mystery Industry Is Disney 13 15 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 the new theme park the greatest attraction in the history of Florida 13 The official reveal was kept on the previously planned November 15 date and Disney joined Burns in Orlando for the event 13 Roy Disney s oversight of construction edit nbsp Roy O Disney inspecting design plans on site in Florida Walt Disney died from circulatory collapse caused by smoking related lung cancer on December 15 1966 before his vision was realized 16 His brother and business partner Roy O Disney postponed his retirement to oversee construction of 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 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 8 The legislation forming the district and the two cities one of which was the Reedy Creek Improvement Act was signed into law by Florida Governor Claude R Kirk Jr on May 12 1967 17 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 nbsp The original logo of Walt Disney World from 1971 to the mid 1990s The district soon began construction of drainage canals and Disney built the first roads and the Magic Kingdom The Contemporary Resort Hotel was completed in time for the park s opening on October 1 1971 and the Polynesian Village Resort opened shortly after 18 19 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 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 20 Admission prices in 1971 were 3 50 for adults 2 50 for juniors under age 18 and one dollar for children under twelve 18 1980s 2020 edit nbsp An aerial shot of Walt Disney World in 1982 Much of Walt Disney s plans for his Progress City concept were abandoned after his death and after 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 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 nbsp The 1996 version of The Walt Disney World logo In the early 1990s the resort was seeking permits for expansion There was considerable environmentalist push back and 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 21 The Walt Disney Company provided additional funds for landscape restoration and wildlife monitoring 22 The resort s fourth theme park Disney s Animal Kingdom opened in 1998 In October 2009 Disney World announced 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 23 George Kalogridis was named president of the resort in December 2012 replacing Meg Crofton who had overseen the site since 2006 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 a single hotel instead of some managing multiple hotels 24 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 amp Campground 25 nbsp The 2018 version of The Walt Disney World logo In 2019 Josh D Amaro replaced George Kalogridis as president of the resort He had previously held the position of vice president of Animal Kingdom 26 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 27 March 2020 present edit On March 12 2020 a Disney spokesperson announced that Disney World and Disneyland Paris would temporarily shut due to the COVID 19 pandemic beginning March 15 2020 28 In 2020 Disney World laid off 6 500 employees and only operated at 25 capacity after reopening during the COVID 19 pandemic 29 30 In June 2020 update 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 31 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 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 32 Four days later Epcot and Disney s Hollywood Studios for operation at 25 capacity to the public 33 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 34 In November 2020 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 35 By mid June 2021 temperature checks and mask mandates except while on Disney transportation had been lifted 36 In late July 2021 mask mandates were reinstated for all attractions and indoor areas in light of new guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control as the delta variant drove a significant increase in local cases These reinstated mandates were lifted in February 2022 37 In April 2022 following a court decision ending the federal mask mandate for public transportation the mask mandates on Disney transportation were lifted 38 Starting on October 1 2021 the resort honored its 50th anniversary with The World s Most Magical Celebration 39 which lasted for 18 consecutive months ending on March 31 2023 40 Disney s Magical Express a complimentary transportation and luggage service offered to Walt Disney Resort guests that began in 2005 ended in January 2022 41 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 a system starting at 18 to 35 per day with the option of adding Lightning Lane which will be used for top tier attractions for an additional charge The pricing range depends on the crowd and day of purchase 42 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 43 The new law also officially abolished The Reedy Creek Improvement District which 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 43 The law went into effect in June 2023 44 45 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 46 Timeline edit Year Event 1965 Walt Disney announces the Florida Project 1966 Walt Disney dies of lung cancer at age 65 1967 Construction of Walt Disney World Resort begins 1971 Magic Kingdom opens including Main Street U S A Adventureland Frontierland Liberty Square Tomorrowland and FantasylandPalm and Magnolia Golf Courses openWalt Disney World Airport Lake Buena Vista Airport opensDisney s Contemporary Resort opensDisney s Polynesian Village Resort opensDisney s Fort Wilderness Resort amp Campground opens20 000 Leagues Under the Sea Submarine Voyage opens in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom on October 14 Roy O Disney dies at age 78Flight to the Moon opens in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom on December 24 1972 Disney s Village Resort opensLake Buena Vista Golf Course opensThe first three hotels open in the Hotel Plaza Boulevard area an area designated for non Disney hotels 1973 The Golf Resort opensTom Sawyer Island opens in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom on May 20 Pirates of the Caribbean opens in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom on December 15 1974 Discovery Island opens 1975 Space Mountain opens in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom on January 15 Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village opensFlight to the Moon was renamed to Mission to Mars in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom on June 7 1976 Disney s River Country opens 1977 Main Street Electrical Parade premiered in Magic Kingdom in Orlando on June 11 1977 1980 Walt Disney World Conference Center opensMickey Mouse Revue closes in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom on September 14 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opens in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom on September 23 1982 EPCOT Center opens including Future World and World ShowcaseWalt Disney World Monorail System is extended to EPCOT CenterWalt Disney World Airport Lake Buena Vista Airport Closes 1983 Journey into Imagination opens in Future World at Epcot on March 5 Horizons opens in Future World at Epcot on October 1 1984 Morocco Pavilion opens in World Showcase at Epcot on September 7 1986 The Golf Resort is expanded and renamed The Disney InnThe Living Seas opens in Future World at Epcot on January 15 1988 Norway Pavilion opens in World Showcase at Epcot on June 3 Mickey s Birthdayland opens at Magic Kingdom on June 18 Disney s Grand Floridian Resort amp Spa opensDisney s Caribbean Beach Resort opens 1989 Disney MGM Studios opens including Backstage Studio Tour Production Center Hollywood Boulevard and Lakeside Circle Disney s Typhoon Lagoon water park opensPleasure Island opensWonders of Life opens in Future World at Epcot on October 19 1990 Swan and Dolphin resorts openMickey s Birthdayland was renamed Mickey s Starland at Magic KingdomDisney s Yacht Club opensBeach Club Resorts opens 1991 Disney s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter opensDisney Vacation Club is launchedDisney s Old Key West Resort opens 1992 Disney s Port Orleans Resort Riverside formerly known as Dixie Landings opensBonnet Creek Golf Club opensSplash Mountain opens in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom on October 2 1993 Mission to Mars closes in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom on October 4 1994 EPCOT Center is renamed EpcotAll Star Sports and Music resorts opensDisney s Wilderness Lodge opensKitchen Kabaret closes in The Land Pavilion at Epcot on January 3 CommuniCore closes in Future World at Epcot on January 30 Food Rocks opens in The Land Pavilion at Epcot on March 26 Innoventions opens in Future World at Epcot on July 1 and divided into Innoventions East and Innoventions West Sunset Boulevard which includes The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror opens at Disney s Hollywood Studios on July 22 20 000 Leagues Under the Sea Submarine Voyage closes in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom on September 5 The Disney Inn is leased and then purchased by the U S Department of Defense and is renamed Shades of Green 1995 Disney s Blizzard Beach water park opensDisney s Wedding Pavilion opensWalt Disney World Speedway opensExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter opens in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom on June 20 Mickey s Starland was renamed Mickey s Toyland at Magic Kingdom 1996 World of Motion closes in Future World at Epcot on January 2 Universe of Energy becomes Ellen s Energy Adventure in Future World at Epcot Mickey s Toyland was closed for refurbishmentDisney Institute opens and the Conference Center as well as other common buildings are renovated and absorbed into the Institute Disney s BoardWalk Inn and Villas openFantasia Gardens mini golf course opensMickey s Toyland reopened as Mickey s Toontown Fair at Magic KingdomWalt Disney World Resort and Magic Kingdom celebrated its 25th anniversary on October 1 1997 Disney s Coronado Springs Resort opensDisney s Wide World of Sports Complex opensDowntown Disney West Side opens 1998 Disney s Animal Kingdom opens including the Oasis Safari Village DinoLand U S A Camp Minnie Mickey Africa and Conversation StationDisneyQuest opensMr Toad s Wild Ride closes in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom on September 7 Journey into Imagination closes in Future World at Epcot on October 10 Buzz Lightyear s Space Ranger Spin opens at Magic Kingdom in Tomorrowland on November 3 1999 Horizons closes in Future World at Epcot on January 9 Disney s All Star Movies Resort opensWinter Summerland mini golf course opensAsia opens at Disney s Animal Kingdom on March 1 Test Track opens in Future World at Epcot on March 17 Discovery Island closesThe Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh opens in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom on June 4 Hurricane Floyd closes the resort for the first time in its history on September 15 47 IllumiNations Reflections of Earth debuts in World Showcase Lagoon at EPCOT The Skyway closes at Magic Kingdom on November 10 2000 The Villas at Disney s Wilderness Lodge opens 2001 Disney s Animal Kingdom Lodge opensThe Magic Carpets of Aladdin opens in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom on May 24 Disney s River Country closesOn September 11 a series of terrorist attacks closes the resort for the second time due to national safety concerns 47 2002 Disney s Beach Club Villas opens 2003 Mission Space opens in Future World at Epcot on August 15 Mickey s PhilharMagic opens in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom on October 3 ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter closes in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom on October 12 Disney s Pop Century Resort opens 2004 Disney s Saratoga Springs Resort amp Spa opensFood Rocks closes in the Land Pavilion at Epcot on January 3 Hurricane Charley causes the resort s theme parks to be evacuated on August 13 with Animal Kingdom remaining closed for a short while afterwards 47 Hurricane Frances closes the resort for the third time from September 4 to 5 47 Hurricane Jeanne closes the resort for the fourth time on September 26 47 Stitch s Great Escape opens in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom on November 16 2005 Soarin opens in The Land Pavilion at Epcot on May 5 The Living Seas closes in Future World at Epcot on August 21 2006 Expedition Everest Legend of the Forbidden Mountain opens in Asia at Animal Kingdom on April 7 2007 Disney s Animal Kingdom Villas opensWonders of Life closes in Future World at Epcot on January 1 The Seas with Nemo amp Friends opens in Future World at Epcot on January 4 Monsters Inc Laugh Floor opens in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom on April 2 2008 Disney MGM Studios is renamed Disney s Hollywood StudiosPleasure Island closes 2009 Bay Lake Tower at Disney s Contemporary Resort opensTreehouse Villas opens 2011 Mickey s Toontown Fair closes at Magic Kingdom on February 11 Golden Oak at Walt Disney World Resort opens 2012 Snow White s Scary Adventures closes in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom on May 31 Disney s Art of Animation Resort opensPhase 1 of Magic Kingdom s Fantasyland expansion opens including Under the Sea Journey of the Little Mermaid and divided into Castle Courtyard Enchanted Forest and Storybook Circus 2013 The Villas at Disney s Grand Floridian Resort amp Spa opens 2014 Phase 2 of Magic Kingdom s Fantasyland expansion opens including the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Camp Minnie Mickey closes at Disney s Animal Kingdom on January 5 Studio Backlot Tour closes in Streets of America at Disney s Hollywood Studios on September 27 2015 Disney s Polynesian Villas amp Bungalows opensWalt Disney World Speedway closesDowntown Disney is expanded and renamed Disney SpringsInnoventions West closes in Future World at Epcot on May 19 2016 Disney Springs finishes constructionSoarin closes in the Land Pavilion at Epcot on January 4 Streets of America closes at Disney s Hollywood Studios on April 2 Muppets Courtyard opens at Disney s Hollywood Studios on April 3 The Jungle Book Alive with Magic debuts in Discovery River Lagoon at Disney s Animal Kingdom on May 26 until hold its final performance on September 5 Soarin Around the World opens in The Land Pavilion at Epcot on June 17 Hurricane Matthew closes the resort for the fifth time on October 7 Main Street Electrical Parade holds its final performance at the Magic Kingdom on October 9 47 2017 Pandora The World of Avatar opens at Disney s Animal Kingdom on May 27 The Great Movie Ride closes in Hollywood Boulevard at Disney s Hollywood Studios on August 13 Ellen s Energy Adventure closes in Future World at Epcot on August 13 Hurricane Irma closes the resort for the sixth time from September 10 to 11 48 Copper Creek Villas amp Cabins at Disney s Wilderness Lodge opensMuppets Courtyard is renamed Grand Avenue at Disney s Hollywood Studios on September 28 DisneyQuest closes permanently for the NBA Experience 2018 Stitch s Great Escape closes in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom on January 6 Toy Story Land opens at Disney s Hollywood Studios on June 30 2019 Epcot is renamed EPCOTThe Seas with Nemo amp Friends pavilion is renamed The Seas Pavilion in Future World at EPCOT since the attraction became part of the Seas Pavilion NBA Experience opens at Disney Springs on August 12 Star Wars Galaxy s Edge opens at Disney s Hollywood Studios on August 29 Hurricane Dorian causes the resort s theme parks to be evacuated on September 3 Innoventions East closes in Future World at EPCOT on September 7 Disney Skyliner opens on September 29 The EPCOT Experience Center opens in Odyssey Pavilion at EPCOT on October 1 Star Wars Rise of the Resistance opens in Star Wars Galaxy s Edge at Disney s Hollywood Studios on December 5 Disney s Riviera Resort opens on December 16 2020 Mickey amp Minnie s Runaway Railway opens in Hollywood Boulevard at Disney s Hollywood Studios on March 4 The COVID 19 pandemic and the resulting government mandates close the resort beginning March 15 The Magic Kingdom and Disney s Animal Kingdom reopen to the public on July 11 Disney s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT reopen to the public on July 15 ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex hosts the NBA Bubble from July 22 through October 11 2021 Walt Disney World Resort and Magic Kingdom celebrated its 50th anniversary on October 1 Remy s Ratatouille Adventure opens in France Pavilion at EPCOT Future World closes permanently and divided into World Celebration World Discovery and World Nature and the makeover of World Showcase at EPCOT 2022 Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser opens on March 1 The EPCOT Experience Center closes in Odyssey Pavilion at EPCOT on March 14 Wonders of Xandar Pavilion which includes Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind opens in World Discovery at EPCOT on May 27 Hurricane Ian closes the resort for the seventh time from September 28 to 29 EPCOT celebrates its 40th Anniversary on October 1 Hurricane Nicole closes the resort for the eighth time from November 9 to 10 2023 The Walt Disney Company celebrates its 100th anniversary Splash Mountain closes in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom on January 23 TRON Lightcycle Run opens in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom on April 4 Disney s Animal Kingdom celebrates its 25th Anniversary on April 22 Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser closes on September 30 Journey of Water inspired by Moana opens in World Nature at EPCOT on October 16 World Celebration Gardens opens in World Celebration at EPCOT and divided into Dreamers Point as a newly designed central spine Inspiration Gardens Creations Gardens Connections Gardens and CommuniCore Gardens 2024 Country Bear Jamboree closes in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom on January 27 Disney s Hollywood Studios celebrates its 35th Anniversary on May 1 Disney Dreams That Soar will open at Disney Springs on May 24 until September 2 Tiana s Bayou Adventure will open in Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom on June 28 Country Bear Musical Jamboree will open in Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom Festival of Fantasy Parade holds its final performance at the Magic Kingdom on July 20 Disney Wonder Dreams daytime parade is announced at the Magic Kingdom on August 9 Location edit nbsp Map of the resort as of May 2015 nbsp One of four arches welcoming guests to the resort The Florida resort 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 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 km2 9 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 km2 4 larger than Manhattan New York City which is 22 7 sq mi The company acquired nearly 3 000 additional acres in separate transactions between December 2018 and April 2020 49 50 51 12 of the site area is occupied by hotels and resorts and 5 of the area is water 52 Attractions editFurther information List of Walt Disney World Resort attractions Theme parks edit Magic Kingdom opened October 1 1971 Epcot opened October 1 1982 Disney s Hollywood Studios opened May 1 1989 Disney s Animal Kingdom opened April 22 1998 Water parks edit Disney s Typhoon Lagoon opened June 1 1989 Disney s Blizzard Beach opened April 1 1995 Mini golf courses edit Fantasia Gardens opened May 20 1996 Winter Summerland opened March 12 1999 Shopping dining and entertainment areas edit nbsp View of Disney Springs Disney Springs opened March 22 1975 53 Disney s BoardWalk opened July 1 1996 Flamingo Crossings opened 2021 located off property but developed by Disney Golf courses edit 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 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 54 The Magnolia and Palm courses played home to 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 55 56 Other attractions and areas edit ESPN Wide World of Sports sports complex opened March 28 1997 Drawn to Life resident Cirque du Soleil show venue opened in Disney Springs on December 23 1998 Tri Circle D Ranch a working ranch and stable located at Fort Wilderness Former attractions and areas edit Discovery Island an island and former ticketed attraction in Bay Lake that was home to many species of animals and birds Guests would access the island via boat from Fort Wilderness It opened on April 8 1974 and closed on April 8 1999 Disney s River Country the first water park at the Walt Disney World Resort It opened on June 20 1976 and closed on November 2 2001 57 Walt Disney World Speedway a racetrack at Walt Disney World that included the Richard Petty Driving Experience It opened November 28 1995 and closed on August 9 2015 Pleasure Island a former gated section of Downtown Disney centered on late night entertainment Most of the area was demolished upon the transformation of Downtown Disney into Disney Springs It opened 1989 and closed in 2008 Walt Disney World Airport a small landing strip built for private aircraft The airway stopped being used in the 1980s It is located off Vista Blvd and World Drive and used as a storage area DisneyQuest an indoor theme park that featured arcade games and virtual attractions intended to be the first location in a chain of similar theme parks which was unsuccessful It opened June 19 1998 and closed on July 2 2017 58 Crossroads Shopping Center originally developed by Disney in the 1980s and located near Disney Springs the shopping and dining center was popular for guests and cast members built at a time when there was few dining options in the area Disney later sold the land and in 2021 the entire center was demolished using eminent domain for the Interstate 4 reconstruction project 59 60 Resorts editSee also Category Hotels in Walt Disney World Resort As of 2024 update 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 m2 of conference meeting space They are organized into three categories Deluxe Moderate and Value and five resort areas 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 61 62 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 63 Disney owned resorts edit Name Image Opening date Theme Number of rooms Resort area Deluxe resorts Animal Kingdom Lodge nbsp April 16 2001 African Wildlife preserve 1 307708 villas Animal Kingdom Old Key West nbsp December 20 1991 Early 20th century Key West 761 villas Disney Springs Saratoga Springs nbsp May 17 2004 1880s Upstate New York resort 1 320 villas Beach Club nbsp November 19 1990 Newport Beach cottage 576282 villas Epcot Yacht Club nbsp November 5 1990 Martha s Vineyard Resort 621 BoardWalk Inn nbsp July 1 1996 Early 20th century Atlantic and Ocean City 378530 villas Riviera nbsp December 16 2019 European Riviera 300 villas Contemporary nbsp October 1 1971 Modern 655428 villas Magic Kingdom Grand Floridian nbsp June 28 1988 Early 20th century Florida 867147 villas Polynesian Village nbsp October 1 1971 South Pacific 492380 villas Wilderness Lodge nbsp May 28 1994 Pacific Northwest National Park Service rustic 729365 villas Moderate resorts Caribbean Beach nbsp October 1 1988 Caribbean Islands 1 536 Epcot Coronado Springs nbsp August 1 1997 Mexico American Southwest 1 915 Animal Kingdom Port Orleans nbsp May 17 1991 New Orleans French Quarter Deep South 3 056 Disney Springs Value resorts All Star Movies nbsp January 15 1999 Disney films 1 920 Animal Kingdom All Star Music nbsp November 22 1994 Music 1 604 All Star Sports nbsp April 24 1994 Sports 1 920 Art of Animation nbsp May 31 2012 Disney and Pixar animated films 1 984 Wide World of Sports Pop Century nbsp December 14 2003 20th Century American pop culture 2 880 Cabins and campgrounds Fort Wilderness nbsp November 19 1971 Rustic Woods Camping 800 campsites409 cabins Magic Kingdom On site non Disney resorts edit Hotel name Image Opening date Number of rooms Owner Area B Resort amp Spa October 1 1972 394 B Hotels amp Resorts Disney Springs Drury Plaza November 21 1972 325 Drury Hotels DoubleTree March 15 1987 229 Hilton Hotels Corporation Hilton Buena Vista Palace nbsp March 10 1983 1 014 Hilton Lake Buena Vista nbsp November 23 1983 787 Holiday Inn February 8 1973 323 InterContinental Hotels Group Wyndham October 15 1972 626 Wyndham Hotels amp Resorts Walt Disney World Dolphin nbsp June 1 1990 1 509 Marriott International Epcot Walt Disney World Swan nbsp January 13 1990 758 Walt Disney World Swan Reserve November 4 2021 349 Four Seasons August 3 2014 450 Four Seasons Magic Kingdom Shades of Green nbsp December 1973 586 United States Department of Defense Former resorts edit Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser resort that offered a two day immersive experience aboard a simulated cruise in outer space within the Star Wars galaxy It opened on March 1 2022 and closed on September 30 2023 Annual events editMickey s Not So Scary Halloween Party 1995 present held at Magic Kingdom throughout the fall season Mickey s Very Merry Christmas Party 1983 present held at Magic Kingdom throughout the holiday season Epcot International Food amp Wine Festival 1995 present held at Epcot throughout the fall season Includes the Eat To The Beat concert series Epcot International Flower amp Garden Festival 1994 present held at Epcot during the spring and summer Includes the Garden Rocks concert series Epcot International Festival of the Arts 2018 present held at Epcot each February and March Includes the Disney on Broadway concert series Epcot International Festival of the Holidays held throughout the holiday season Epcot Disney s Candlelight Processional 1971 present held at Epcot throughout the holiday season runDisney marathon races are conducted each year including the Wine N Dine Half Marathon and Disney Princess Half Marathon H2O Glow Nights held on select days each summer at Typhoon Lagoon A night time glow party 64 Disney After Hours a special ticket event held at select parks on select nights 65 Moonlight Magic exclusive Disney Vacation Club only nights at select parks on select days throughout the year 66 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade 1983 present filmed each year at Disney World and broadcast nationally Christmas Day Business segments edit nbsp Wedding Pavilion at the Seven Seas LagoonWalt Disney World has several departments that handle various activities and events that are offered throughout the year These departments include Disney Imagination Campus operates Magic Music Days Disney Performing Arts Festival Disney The Dreamers Academy and other youth programs providing opportunities for youth to learn and perform inside Walt Disney World 67 68 Disney Meetings and Events schedules large meetings events and conferences at Walt Disney World 69 The Disney Institute offers professional development team building and networking opportunities using Disney models and principles 70 Disney Weddings schedules and plans weddings at various locations inside Walt Disney World including locations inside the parks or at the wedding pavilion 71 Disney Internships and Programs operates various internships geared toward college age students including the Disney College Program DCP Disney International Programs ICP Disney Hospitality Leadership Program DHLP Cultural Representative Program CRP Brazilian Summer Super Greeters Disney Culinary Program and Professional Internships PI 72 Campus editThe 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 Team Disney the central location of corporate offices at Walt Disney World Disney University the central location of training for castmembers Walt Disney World Casting Center the central location for human resources and employee recruitment and retention Partners Federal Credit Union an internal bank system only for Disney employees with several locations throughout Walt Disney World Disney Event Group office complex for various business segments Maingate Office Complex houses offices for various business segments Amateur Athletic Union corporate office building located inside the historic preview center building on Hotel Plaza Blvd Central Florida Tourism Oversight District headquarters building located near Disney Springs on Hotel Plaza Blvd Mickey s Retreat a Disney employee only recreational complex located on Little Lake Bryan 73 AdventHealth operates two emergency rooms located on the east and west of property near Disney Springs and in Flamingo Crossings Guests with serious conditions and injuries are transported to the larger AdventHealth Celebration YMCA of Central Florida operates two locations on property that provide daycare and educational programs for children of Walt Disney World employees 74 The Center for Living Well provides health services for Disney employees operated by Premise Health 75 Flamingo Crossings Village home of Disney Programs and Internship students Disney Aspire offers free college tuition to eligible employees of Walt Disney World Launched in 2018 the program offers select academic tracks in partnership with certain schools and degree programs 76 Voluntears Disney s in house volunteer program Disney cast members volunteer their time for local non profit and environmental causes 77 Employment editWhen the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971 the site employed about 5 500 cast members 78 In 2020 Walt Disney World employed more than 77 000 cast members 79 Walt Disney World has more than 3 000 job classifications with a total 2019 payroll of over 3 billion 3 Union representation edit 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 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 80 UNITE HERE Local 362 Represents roles in Attractions Custodial and Vacation Planning 81 Transportation Communications International Union Local 737 Represents housekeeping and food and beverage cast Local 1908 Represents numerous roles including concierge lifeguards bell services and monorail and watercraft cast 82 United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1625 Represents merchandise cast International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 385 Represents entertainment bus drivers laundry cast and parking cast 83 International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 361 Represents costuming cosmetologists and entertainment technicians 84 Actors Equity Association Orlando Area Theatre Represents members performing under contract at Walt Disney World including casts of Festival of The Lion King Voices of Liberty The Dapper Dans Mickey s Royal Friendship Faire Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular the Hoop Dee Do Review and Finding Nemo The Big Blue and Beyond 85 Attendance editIn the first year of opening the park attracted 10 712 991 visitors 86 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 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 6 By October 2020 maximum Disney World attendance was still allowed to only remain at 25 capacity due to the COVID 19 pandemic 30 A recent study found that reducing Magic Kingdom park capacity to 25 would result in 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 87 Year Magic Kingdom Epcot Hollywood Studios Animal Kingdom Overall Ref 2008 17 063 000 10 935 000 9 608 000 9 540 000 47 146 000 88 2009 17 233 000 10 990 000 9 700 000 9 590 000 47 513 000 89 2010 16 972 000 10 825 000 9 603 000 9 686 000 47 086 000 90 2011 17 142 000 10 826 000 9 699 000 9 783 000 47 450 000 91 2012 17 536 000 11 063 000 9 912 000 9 998 000 48 509 000 92 2013 18 588 000 11 229 000 10 110 000 10 198 000 50 125 000 93 2014 19 332 000 11 454 000 10 312 000 10 402 000 51 500 000 94 2015 20 492 000 11 798 000 10 828 000 10 922 000 54 040 000 95 2016 20 395 000 11 712 000 10 776 000 10 844 000 53 727 000 96 2017 20 450 000 12 200 000 10 722 000 12 500 000 55 872 000 97 2018 20 859 000 12 444 000 11 258 000 13 750 000 58 311 000 6 2019 20 963 000 12 444 000 11 483 000 13 888 000 58 778 000 98 2020 6 941 000 4 044 000 3 675 000 4 166 000 18 826 000 99 2021 12 691 000 7 752 000 8 589 000 7 194 000 36 226 000 100 2022 17 133 000 10 000 000 10 900 000 9 027 000 47 060 000 100 Operations editTransportation edit vteTransport in Walt Disney World Legend nbsp Disney University nbsp 56 300 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Maintenance facility not open to public nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Magic Kingdom nbsp in park nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Contemporary nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Fort Wilderness nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Grand Floridian nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Wilderness Lodge nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Polynesian Village nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Transportation amp Ticket Ctr nbsp 56 300 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Shades of Green US DoD guests only nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Port Orleans Riverside nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Port Orleans French Quarter nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Saratoga Springs Treehouse Villas nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Old Key West nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Saratoga Springs nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Disney Springs Marketplace nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Disney Springs Town Center nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Disney Springs Landing nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Disney Springs West Side nbsp 300 350 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Typhoon Lagoon nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Epcot World Celebration nbsp in park nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Epcot World Showcase nbsp in park nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp BoardWalk nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Beach Club Yacht Club nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Riviera nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Dolphin Swan amp Fantasia Gardens nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Coronado Springs nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Caribbean Beach nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Hollywood Studios nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Animal Kingdom nbsp in park nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Animal Kingdom Lodge nbsp nbsp nbsp Blizzard Beach amp Winter Summerland nbsp nbsp nbsp Art of Animation Pop Century nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp All Star Movies Music Sports nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp ESPN Wide World of Sports nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp I 4to Airport nbsp SeaWorld nbsp and Universal nbsp nbsp Disney Transport bus service nbsp nbsp nbsp Monorail service nbsp passengers nbsp no passengers nbsp nbsp Gondola lift service nbsp nbsp Watercraft service nbsp Parking lot tram service nbsp Lynx regular bus service nbsp The Walt Disney World Monorail System provides free transport across the resort 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 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 101 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 102 Disney Transport also operates 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 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 103 104 Some of the unique advantages that the Minnie Van Service offers over a normal ride share 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 Energy use edit 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 105 In addition to relying primarily on fossil fuels and nuclear energy from the state s power grid Walt Disney World has two solar energy facilities on property a 22 acre 0 034 sq mi 0 089 km2 Mickey Mouse shaped solar panel farm near Epcot and a 270 acre 0 42 sq mi 1 1 km2 facility near Disney s Animal Kingdom 106 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 the Reedy Creek Improvement District respectively 106 The entire Disney Transport bus fleet uses R50 renewable diesel fuel obtained from used cooking oil and non consumable food waste from the resort 106 Self Government and security edit nbsp Disney security vehicle picture taken July 2 2009 in front of Epcot 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 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 the bus stops Guests arriving via Magic Kingdom Resort boat launch are bag checked on the arrival dock outside Magic Kingdom 107 The land where Walt Disney World resides is part of the Reedy Creek Improvement District RCID a governing jurisdiction created in May 1967 by the State of Florida at the request of Disney 108 43 RCID provides 911 services fire environmental protection building code enforcement utilities and road maintenance but does not provide law enforcement services The approximately 800 security staff are instead considered employees of the Walt Disney Company Arrests and citations are issued by the Florida Highway Patrol along with the Orange County and Osceola County sheriffs deputies who patrol the roads Disney security does maintain a fleet of security vans equipped with flares traffic cones and chalk commonly used by police officers These security personnel are charged with traffic control by the RCID and may only issue personnel violation notices to Disney and RCID employees not the general public 109 110 Despite the appearance of the uniformed security personnel they are not considered a legal law enforcement agency Disney and the Reedy Creek Improvement District were sued for access to Disney Security records by Bob and Kathy Sipkema following the death of their son at the resort in 1994 The court characterized Disney security as a night watchman service not a law enforcement agency meaning it is not subject to Florida s open records laws An appeals court later upheld the lower court s ruling 111 In late 2015 Disney confirmed the addition of randomized secondary screenings and dogs trained to detect body worn explosives within parks in addition to metal detectors at entrances It has also increased the number of uniformed security personnel at Walt Disney World and Disneyland properties 112 Disney Security personnel in Florida have investigated traffic accidents and issued accident reports The forms used by Disney Security may be confused with official government forms by some citation needed The Orange County Sheriff maintains an office on Disney property but this is primarily to process guests accused of shoplifting by Disney security personnel 113 Although the scattering of ashes on Disney property is illegal The Wall Street Journal reported in October 2018 that Walt Disney World parks were becoming a popular spot for families to scatter the ashes of loved ones with the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom being the favorite location The practice is unlawful and prohibited on Disney property and anyone spreading cremated remains is escorted from the park 114 On April 22 2022 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 on June 1 2023 43 44 115 Closures edit Walt Disney World has had twelve unscheduled closures ten of which have been due to hurricanes 116 September 15 1999 due to Hurricane Floyd September 11 2001 after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D C August 13 2004 due to Hurricane Charley September 4 5 2004 due to Hurricane Frances September 26 2004 due to Hurricane Jeanne October 25 2005 in the morning due to Hurricane Wilma October 7 2016 due to Hurricane Matthew September 10 11 2017 due to Hurricane Irma September 3 2019 for about half the day with the exception of Epcot and Disney Springs due to Hurricane Dorian March 15 117 118 July 11 2020 due to the COVID 19 pandemic 119 excluding Disney Springs which reopened on May 19 2020 120 September 28 29 2022 due to Hurricane Ian November 9 10 2022 phased closure from the evening of November 9 until noon of the next day due to Hurricane Nicole Like its sister resort parks at the resort may close early to accommodate various special events such as special press events tour groups VIP groups and private parties It is common for a corporation to rent entire parks for the evening In such cases special passes are issued which are valid for admission to all rides and attractions At the ticket booths and on published schedules the guests are notified of the early closures Then cast members announce that the parks are closing sometime before the private event starts and clear the parks of guests who do not have the special passes In October 2020 it was revealed that full capacity attendance was still not permitted following the COVID 19 closure which occurred earlier in the year 30 In July 2021 Disney World announced that all its staff workers in the US would have to be fully vaccinated against COVID 19 to return to work It also announced that those who are unvaccinated would have a period of time to get their shots and aimed to return to full capacity for people who are immunized 121 Climate editWalt Disney World Airport Climate chart explanation J F M A M J J A S O N D 41 19 10 52 22 12 70 25 15 91 28 17 140 30 20 314 29 21 226 30 22 219 29 21 254 27 22 58 27 19 66 24 14 41 20 11 Average max and min temperatures in C Precipitation totals in mmSource 122 Imperial conversion JFMAMJJASOND 1 6 66 50 2 72 54 2 8 77 59 3 6 82 63 5 5 86 68 12 84 div, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
