One of the most popular travel destinations in the world is Walt Disney World in Florida. This resort has been one of the leading tourist destinations since it opened in 1971. The resort is meant to signify the culmination of all things Disney. Generations of children across the globe have grown up with Disney movies and this sprawling park is where their respective characters all reside, so to speak.
Disney World was the brainchild of Walt Disney. He had previously completed Disneyland in Anaheim and had reportedly become disillusioned with the sprawl of parasitic businesses that had sprung up around the park. He wanted to have more control over what could or could not be built near his property. Therefore he started to look for a site that he could build a bigger and better theme park.
Demographic research on the patrons of Disneyland showed that only 2% of them came from east of the Mississippi River. This was quite surprising, considering that 75% of the population resided east of the river. Disney started to look around the East coast for a suitable site for a new park - a bigger park. He first came across the current site upon which Disney World is built in 1963. Coincidentally, he found the land the same day President Kennedy was shot.
Disney's interest was piqued by the fact that the land straddled the local interstates. Furthermore, its positioning with regards to the nearby airport made Orlando the spot to build on. Moving quickly, Disney bought up all of the surrounding land under a variety of dummy corporations. He did this to ensure he would receive fair price on the land, as rumors of Disney going a buying spree would have doubled or tripled the real estate price.
His initial goal was to complete the Magic Kingdom section of the park, then follow with the construction of the EPCOT Center. Though the project was underway, Walt Disney would not live to see his grand vision fulfilled. He died on December 15, 1966. The Magic Kingdom was opened to the public on October 1, 1971. The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT) Center, was not completed until 1982. Disney's Hollywood Studios attraction was opened in 1989, followed by Disney's Animal Kingdom in 1998.
While Disney World is one of the most amazing places in the entire world to visit, you can revisit the magic of Disney from home anytime. Disney's masterpieces can be yours at the Disney Movie Club. You can purchase classics like "Peter Pan," "Cinderella," "Snow White," and more. Bring the family to visit Disney World and bring home the magic with the Disney Movie Club today.
