SafekipediaWalt Disney World
Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience
The Walt Disney World Resort is an entertainment resort complex located about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States. It opened on October 1, 1971, and is run by Disney Experiences, a part of the Walt Disney Company. It is one of the most famous places to visit in the world, covering more than 27,000 acres!
Walt Disney World has many fun places to explore. There are four exciting theme parks, two water parks, golf courses, conference centers, and many hotels for visitors. It also has shops, restaurants, and showplaces. There are 31 hotels owned by Disney and many other hotels nearby.
Walt Disney started planning this place in the 1960s to give people new and different things to see and do. He wanted to build something special because the original Disneyland in Anaheim, California could not get any bigger. Sadly, Walt passed away before it was finished, but his brother, Roy O. Disney, made sure his dream came true. The first theme park, Magic Kingdom, opened in 1971, and later parks like EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom were added.
Today, Walt Disney World is the most visited vacation spot in the world, with millions of people coming each year. It’s also a very important part of American popular culture.
History
In 1959, Walt Disney Productions started looking for land to build a second resort, in addition to Disneyland in Anaheim, California. They wanted a place for visitors from the eastern United States to visit, since most people lived east of the Mississippi River. Walt Disney flew over Orlando, Florida in 1963 and liked what he saw. He chose a spot near Bay Lake for his new project, called "The Florida Project."
Walt Disney used different companies to buy land near Orlando without attracting attention. By 1965, people were starting to guess that Disney was building a new park. After a newspaper article hinted at this, Disney decided to share their plans. Walt Disney passed away in 1966 before the park could open, but his brother Roy helped finish the work. The first part of the resort, called the Magic Kingdom, opened on October 1, 1971, and was named "Walt Disney World" to honor Walt.
Over the years, more theme parks were added, including EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom. The resort now has hotels, golf courses, and other attractions. In 2020, Disney World closed for a short time because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it reopened later that year with safety steps. The resort keeps growing and adding new things for guests to enjoy.
Location
The Walt Disney World Resort is located southwest of Orlando, Florida. Most of it is in Orange County, with some parts in nearby Osceola County. The resort includes the areas of Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake, which are managed by a special district.
When it first opened, the resort covered around 27,443 acres. Over time, some land was sold or no longer part of the resort. Today, about 12% of the area has hotels and resorts, and 5% is water.
Attractions
Further information: List of Walt Disney World Resort attractions
The Walt Disney World Resort has many fun places to explore! There are four theme parks to enjoy. The Magic Kingdom Park opened on October 1, 1971. EPCOT opened next on October 1, 1982. Then came Disney's Hollywood Studios on May 1, 1989, and Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park on April 22, 1998.
You can also visit two water parks: Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, which opened June 1, 1989, and Disney's Blizzard Beach, opening April 1, 1995. There are mini-golf courses like Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland. You can also find shopping, dining, and entertainment at Disney Springs and Disney's BoardWalk. The resort has sports facilities at ESPN Wide World of Sports and a ranch called Tri-Circle D Ranch at Fort Wilderness.
Resorts
See also: Category:Hotels in Walt Disney World Resort
As of 2024[update], there are 31 Disney hotels and Disney Vacation Club villas at the Walt Disney World Resort. They include a camping resort called Fort Wilderness, with campgrounds and wooden cabins. Together, they have about 23,000 rooms, 3,600 DVC villas, and space for meetings. The resorts are three types—Deluxe, Moderate, and Value—and are found in five areas: the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Wide World of Sports, Animal Kingdom, or Disney Springs. Staying here is often called the “Disney Bubble” because it feels like being in a fun, magical world.
There are also 12 hotels not owned by Disney but on Disney property, with about 7,300 more rooms. There is also a special hotel for pets run by Best Friends Pet Care for guests who travel with animals.
| Name | Image | Opening date | Theme | Number of rooms | Resort area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deluxe resorts | |||||
| Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge |  | April 16, 2001 | African Wildlife preserve | 1,307 708 villas | Animal Kingdom |
| Disney's Old Key West Resort |  | December 20, 1991 | Early-20th-century Key West | 761 villas | Disney Springs |
| Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa |  | May 17, 2004 | 1880s Upstate New York resort | 1,320 villas | |
| Disney's Beach Club Resort |  | November 19, 1990 | Newport Beach cottage | 576 282 villas | EPCOT |
| Disney's Yacht Club Resort |  | November 5, 1990 | Martha's Vineyard Resort | 621 | |
| Disney's BoardWalk Inn |  | July 1, 1996 | Early-20th-century Atlantic and Ocean City | 378 530 villas | |
| Disney's Riviera Resort |  | December 16, 2019 | European Riviera | 300 villas | |
| Disney's Contemporary Resort |  | October 1, 1971 | Modern | 655 428 villas | Magic Kingdom |
| Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa |  | June 28, 1988 | Early-20th-century Florida | 867 147 villas | |
| Disney's Polynesian Village Resort |  | October 1, 1971 | South Pacific | 492 380 villas | |
| Disney's Wilderness Lodge |  | May 28, 1994 | Pacific Northwest, National Park Service rustic | 729 365 villas | |
| Moderate resorts | |||||
| Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort |  | October 1, 1988 | Caribbean Islands | 1,536 | EPCOT |
| Disney's Coronado Springs Resort |  | August 1, 1997 | Mexico, American Southwest | 1,915 | Animal Kingdom |
| Disney's Port Orleans Resort (French Quarter & Riverside) |  | May 17, 1991 | New Orleans French Quarter, Deep South | 3,056 | Disney Springs |
| Value resorts | |||||
| Disney's All-Star Movies Resort |  | January 15, 1999 | Disney films | 1,920 | Animal Kingdom |
| Disney's All-Star Music Resort |  | November 22, 1994 | Music | 1,604 | |
| Disney's All-Star Sports Resort |  | April 24, 1994 | Sports | 1,920 | |
| Disney's Art of Animation Resort |  | May 31, 2012 | Disney and Pixar animated films | 1,984 | Wide World of Sports |
| Disney's Pop Century Resort |  | December 14, 2003 | 20th Century American pop culture | 2,880 | |
| Cabins and campgrounds | |||||
| Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground |  | November 19, 1971 | Rustic Woods Camping | 800 campsites 409 cabins | Magic Kingdom |
| Hotel name | Image | Opening date | Close date | Theme | Number of rooms | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser |  | March 1, 2022 | September 30, 2023 | Star Wars, Immersive entertainment | 100 | EPCOT |
| Hotel name | Image | Opening date | Number of rooms | Owner | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renaissance Orlando Resort and Spa | October 1, 1972 | 394 | Marriott International | Disney Springs | |
| Drury Plaza | November 21, 1972 | 325 | Drury Hotels | ||
| DoubleTree | March 15, 1987 | 229 | Hilton Worldwide | ||
| Hilton Buena Vista Palace |  | March 10, 1983 | 1,014 | ||
| Hilton Lake Buena Vista |  | November 23, 1983 | 787 | ||
| Holiday Inn | February 8, 1973 | 323 | IHG Hotels & Resorts | ||
| Wyndham | October 15, 1972 | 626 | Wyndham Hotels & Resorts | ||
| Walt Disney World Dolphin |  | June 1, 1990 | 1,509 | Marriott International | EPCOT |
| Walt Disney World Swan |  | 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 |  | December 1973 | 586 | United States Department of Defense |
Annual events
The Walt Disney World Resort hosts many fun events throughout the year. Popular events include Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party every fall at Magic Kingdom and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party during the holiday season. There are also special events like Jollywood Nights at Disney's Hollywood Studios and festivals at EPCOT, such as the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, and the Candlelight Processional during the holidays. runDisney offers exciting races like the Walt Disney World Half-Marathon. There are also special after-hours events like H2O Glow Nights at Typhoon Lagoon and Disney After Hours at select parks. The Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade is filmed each year at Disney World and broadcast nationally on Christmas Day.
Business segments
Walt Disney World has different parts that help plan fun activities and events. The Disney Imagination Campus offers programs like Magic Music Days and Disney Performing Arts for kids to learn and perform. Disney Meetings and Events plans big gatherings and conferences. The Disney Institute gives learning chances for adults. Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons helps couples plan special days. There are also internships and special programs for students and professionals through Disney Internships and Programs, such as the Disney College Program, Disney International Programs, and more.
Campus
The Walt Disney World campus has special buildings and spaces for Disney’s work and employees. These include offices, training centers, and places where Disney staff can relax and get help.
Some important places on the campus are Team Disney Orlando for corporate offices, Disney University for training, and Walt Disney World Casting Center for hiring staff. There are also places like YMCA of Central Florida that offer childcare for employees and health clinics to keep everyone well.
Employment
When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, it employed about 5,500 people. By 2020, Walt Disney World employed more than 77,000 people, known as "Cast Members". The resort has over 3,000 different job types.
Almost all hourly workers who meet guests have contracts that protect their rights. The latest contract started in 2023 and will last until 2027. It sets the starting pay at $17 per hour for both part-time and full-time workers, with extra pay possible for some jobs. Each work area has a special representative who helps workers with any problems.
Attendance
When it first opened, the park welcomed over 10 million visitors in its first year. By 2018, all four of its theme parks were among the most visited in the world. The Magic Kingdom was the most popular, with almost 21 million visitors that year. The other parks, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, also had millions of visitors.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in October 2020, the resort could only allow 25% of its usual number of visitors. This smaller crowd size meant fewer people could visit each year and affected how much money the park could make.
| Year | Magic Kingdom | EPCOT | Hollywood Studios | Animal Kingdom | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 17,063,000 | 10,935,000 | 9,608,000 | 9,540,000 | 47,146,000 |
| 2009 | 17,233,000 | 10,990,000 | 9,700,000 | 9,590,000 | 47,513,000 |
| 2010 | 16,972,000 | 10,825,000 | 9,603,000 | 9,686,000 | 47,086,000 |
| 2011 | 17,142,000 | 10,826,000 | 9,699,000 | 9,783,000 | 47,450,000 |
| 2012 | 17,536,000 | 11,063,000 | 9,912,000 | 9,998,000 | 48,509,000 |
| 2013 | 18,588,000 | 11,229,000 | 10,110,000 | 10,198,000 | 50,125,000 |
| 2014 | 19,332,000 | 11,454,000 | 10,312,000 | 10,402,000 | 51,500,000 |
| 2015 | 20,492,000 | 11,798,000 | 10,828,000 | 10,922,000 | 54,040,000 |
| 2016 | 20,395,000 | 11,712,000 | 10,776,000 | 10,844,000 | 53,727,000 |
| 2017 | 20,450,000 | 12,200,000 | 10,722,000 | 12,500,000 | 55,872,000 |
| 2018 | 20,859,000 | 12,444,000 | 11,258,000 | 13,750,000 | 58,311,000 |
| 2019 | 20,963,000 | 12,444,000 | 11,483,000 | 13,888,000 | 58,778,000 |
| 2020 | 6,941,000 | 4,044,000 | 3,675,000 | 4,166,000 | 18,826,000 |
| 2021 | 12,691,000 | 7,752,000 | 8,589,000 | 7,194,000 | 36,226,000 |
| 2022 | 17,133,000 | 10,000,000 | 10,900,000 | 9,027,000 | 47,060,000 |
| 2023 | 17,720,000 | 11,980,000 | 10,300,000 | 8,770,000 | 48,770,000 |
Operations
The Walt Disney World Resort has a special transportation system called Disney Transport. It has buses, monorails, gondola lifts, watercraft, and trams. All of these are free for guests. The monorail connects the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, and some resort hotels. A gondola lift system called Disney Skyliner links Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT with four resort hotels. Watercraft help guests travel between the Magic Kingdom and other areas.
Walt Disney World uses solar energy and other power sources. It has two big solar farms, one shaped like Mickey Mouse, to help provide clean energy. The resort also uses special renewable diesel fuel made from used cooking oil for its buses. The resort has its own rules and security teams to keep guests safe. These teams check bags at park entrances and help with traffic and safety. The resort’s land is managed by a special district that handles many services, and local police also help when needed.
Climate
The Walt Disney World Resort has warm and sunny weather, great for outdoor fun all year. Winters are mild, and summers can be hot and humid. Visitors can enjoy the parks and attractions in nice weather most of the time. The area sometimes has rain, but it is usually short, leaving plenty of time for adventures.
Images
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