A History of Walt Disney World

In 1955, a brand new theme park was built in Anaheim, California. This park was the idea of Walt Disney and became known as Disneyland. At the time it was one of the biggest and most innovative parks in the world. The ideals behind Disneyland was that Disney could create a place where both kids and adults can go and have fun. From the time of opening, Disneyland became an immediate success.

In the mid-1960's, Walt Disney wanted to build another park in Florida, based on the concept started in Disneyland. In 1971, the concept became a reality when Walt Disney World opened in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Unfortunately, Walt Disney passed away in 1966, and never had the chance to see his vision for the park come to fruition.

The original ideas was to create a new park similar to Disneyland, but with other aspects such as lodging areas and other novel ideas. One of the most creative and innovative ideas that Disney had was the creation of the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. This area, known as EPCOT was to be an area that served as a testing ground for ideas which could be used in cities in the future. These ideas for EPCOT sprang from concepts of the future that were seen in the World's Fair.

Over the course of time, Disney World has become one of the most popular destinations for tourists in the world. In fact the Magic Kingdom which is at the heart of Disney World is the most popular theme park in the world with nearly 17 million visitors going through the park on a annual basis. In addition, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom and the Hollywood Studios attractions are also ranked in the top ten for visitors. Through the course of time, Disney World has increased in size and attractions to become a place that has something for everyone.

To learn more about the history and growth of Florida's Walt Disney World, we have put together a brief summary of some important facts. We hope you enjoy learning more about the theme park:

Walt Disney World Facts

• Walt Disney World Overview - Official website of Disney World providing an overview of the theme park.
• Fun Facts – MSN article which provides a number of fun facts about Walt Disney World.
• Facts and Trivia - Useful page which provides many interesting facts and trivia about Disney World.
• Magic Kingdom Facts – Information and facts about the Magic Kingdom of Disney World.
• Fast Disney Facts – Kid friendly page which provides some facts about Disney World for kids.
• Walt Disney Biography – Informative look at the entertainment genius that created Disneyland and Disney World.

EPCOT and the Disney Vision

• EPCOT Information - Informative page which provides an overview of the EPCOT world.
• The Florida Project - Historical information from the 1965 announcement from Walt Disney about the project that eventually became known as EPCOT.
• Florida Project - Useful site which gives historical information about the EPCOT project.
• EPCOT Overview – Helpful page which gives an overview of the EPCOT portion of Disney World.
• Information Guide – A visitors guide for people who plan on visiting the attraction.

Timeline of Growth

• Timeline – Information and a timeline of the growth of Disney World.
• Chronology of Walt Disney World - Useful overview of the major events in the growth of Disney World.
• Disney Timeline – Overall summary of the events of Walt Disney.
• Walt Disney World Timeline – Video presentation which summarizes major events in Disney World history.
• Disney World Timeline – Basic summary of the many events in the history of Walt Disney World.

Theme Parks

• Theme Park FAQ - Listing of many of the commonly asked questions and answers about Disney World theme parks.
• Theme Parks – Useful information about the various theme parks in Disney World.
• Theme Park Guide – Basic information about the different theme parks in Walt Disney World.
• Guide to Disney Theme Parks – Helpful information for visitors to the theme parks.

Water Parks

• Disney Water Parks – Informative page with information about different water parks that are in Disney World.
• Water Parks and More – Video which displays some of the various water parks.
• Disney Water Parks - Information and maps about the different water parks.
• Water Parks – Summary of some of the water parks that are found in Disney World.

Other Attractions and Information

• Rides and Attractions – Informative summary of many of the different rides and attractions found at Disney World.
• Disney Guide - Page which lists a number of the attractions at Disney World.
• Attractions at Disney World – Useful information for travelers to Walt Disney World.
• Ride Requirements – Chart showing the minimum height requirements for Disney World rides.
• Disney Attraction List – USA Today article providing information and a listing of the different attractions.
• Top Attractions – Article which lists the top ten attractions for adults and kids.