Walt Disney World Resort is a complex of theme parks, hotels, and other attractions located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
The resort was opened on October 1, 1971 and was developed as a larger and more elaborate version of Disneyland, which had been opened 16 years earlier in California. Disney World consists of four theme parks, including the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as well as two water parks, a shopping and entertainment district, and numerous hotels and other attractions.
Over the years, Disney World has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, attracting millions of visitors each year from around the globe.
From its humble beginnings as a small, single-park resort, Disney World has grown into a vast and sprawling complex that offers something for everyone, and continues to be a beloved destination for families and Disney fans alike.
Here is a comprehensive look at the many important moments in Disney World history. After more than 50 years of operations, there is much to list here and much more to add in the future. I’m hoping there is a nugget or two in here that you may find new and interesting.
See also: Magic Kingdom History – Every Single Attraction Through the Years (1971 – Today)
Disney World History
- 1959: Disney begins looking for a location for a second theme park
- 1964: Disney begins purchasing land for Disney World
- 1965: The Orlando Sentinel runs an article predicting that Disney is the entity purchasing large amounts of land in the area (October 21st)
- 1965: Disney World was announced (November 15th)
- 1967: Reedy Creek Improvement District, Bay Lake and Reedy Creek (now Lake Buena Vista) are created (May 12th)
- 1967: Construction of the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom begins
- 1971: Walt Disney World opens (October 1st)
- 1971: The Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom opens (October 1st)
- 1971: Disney’s Contemporary Resort opens (October 1st)
- 1971: Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort opens (October 1st)
- 1971: Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground opens (November 19th)
- 1971: Palm and Magnolia Golf courses open
- 1972: Disney’s Village Resort (land now occupied by Saratoga Springs) opens
- 1973: The Golf Resort (now Shades of Green) opens
- 1974: Discovery Island opens
- 1975: Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village (now Disney Springs) opens (March 22nd)
- 1976: Disney’s River Country opens
- 1977: Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village becomes Walt Disney World Village
- 1980: Walt Disney World Conference Center (land now occupied by Saratoga Springs) opens
- 1982: EPCOT Center opens (October 1st)
- 1983: The Imagination and Horizons pavilions open at EPCOT Center
- 1984: The Morocco pavilion at Epcot opens
- 1986: The Living Seas pavilion opens at EPCOT Center
- 1986: The Golf Resort becomes The Disney Inn
- 1988: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa opens (July 1st)
- 1988: Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort opens (October 1st)
- 1988: Mickey’s Birthdayland opens in the Magic Kingdom
- 1988: The Norway pavilion at Epcot opens
- 1988: Ernest Saves Christmas becomes the first feature-length movie to be filmed at Disney-MGM Studios
- 1989: Walt Disney World Village becomes Disney Village Marketplace
- 1989: Disney-MGM Studios opens (May 1st)
- 1989: Typhoon Lagoon opens (June 1st)
- 1989: The Wonders of Life pavilion opens at EPCOT Center
- 1989: Pleasure Island opens in Downtown Disney
- 1990: Walt Disney World Swan opens (January 13th)
- 1990: Walt Disney World Dolphin opens (June 1st)
- 1990: Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club opens (November 5th & 19th)
- 1991: Disney’s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter opens (May 17th)
- 1991: Disney Vacation Club (DVC) opens
- 1991: Disney’s Old Key West Resort opens (December 20th)
- 1992: Disney’s Port Orleans Resort Riverside opens (February 2nd)
- 1992: Bonnet Creek Golf Club opens
- 1994: Sunset Boulevard and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror are added to Disney-MGM Studios
- 1994: Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom becomes Magic Kingdom Park
- 1994: Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort opens (April 24th)
- 1994: Disney’s All-Star Music Resort opens (November 22nd)
- 1994: Disney’s Wilderness Lodge opens (May 28th)
- 1994: The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival is held for the first time
- 1994: The Disney Inn is sold to the US Government and becomes Shades of Green
- 1995: Blizzard Beach opens (April 1st)
- 1995: Disney’s Wedding Pavilion opens
- 1995: The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is held for the first time
- 1995: Walt Disney World Speedway opens
- 1996: Development of phase 1 of Celebration, Florida begins
- 1996: Disney Institute opens
- 1996: Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and BoardWalk Villas open (July 1st)
- 1996: EPCOT Center becomes Epcot
- 1996: The World of Motion pavilion at Epcot closes
- 1997: Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort opens (August 1st)
- 1997: Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex opens
- 1997: Disney Village Marketplace becomes Downtown Disney
- 1998: Disney’s Animal Kingdom opens (April 22nd)
- 1998: DisneyQuest opens at Downtown Disney
- 1999: Discovery Island closes
- 1999: The Horizons pavilion at Epcot closes
- 1999: Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort opens (January 15th)
- 1999: Walt Disney World closes for the first time ever due to Hurricane Floyd (September 15th)
- 2000: Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge open (November 15th)
- 2001: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge opens (April 16th)
- 2001: A giant sorcerers hat is constructed in the center of Disney-MGM Studios
- 2001: Disney’s River Country closes
- 2001: Walt Disney World closes for the second time ever due to safety concerns from terror attacks elsewhere (September 11th)
- 2002: Disney’s Beach Club Villas open (July 1st)
- 2003: Disney’s Pop Century Resort opens (December 14th)
- 2004: Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa opens (May 17th)
- 2004: Walt Disney World closes for the third and fourth times ever for Hurricanes Frances (September 4th & 5th) and Jeanne (September 26th)
- 2005: The Residential Street in the Disney-MGM Studios’ backlot is removed
- 2007: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas open (August 15th)
- 2007: The Wonders of Life pavilion at Epcot closes
- 2008: Disney-MGM Studios becomes Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- 2008: Pixar Place and Toy Story Mania are created at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- 2009: Bay Lake Tower opens (August 4th)
- 2009: Treehouse Villas open
- 2010: Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex becomes ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (February 25th)
- 2011: Golden Oak opens
- 2011: Mickey’s Toontown Fair closes in the Magic Kingdom due to Fantasyland expansion
- 2012: Be Our Guest restaurant becomes the first Magic Kingdom restaurant to serve alcohol
- 2012: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort opens (May 31st)
- 2012: Phase 1 of the Fantasyland expansion in the Magic Kingdom opens
- 2012: Storybook Circus opens in the Magic Kingdom
- 2013: The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa open (October 23rd)
- 2014: Phase 2 of the Fantasyland expansion in the Magic Kingdom opens
- 2014: The Studio Backlot Tour at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is closed
- 2015: The Sorcerers Hat in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is removed (January)
- 2015: Walt Disney World Speedway closes
- 2015: Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows open (April 1st)
- 2015: Downtown Disney becomes Disney Springs
- 2016: Walt Disney World closes for the fifth time ever for Hurricane Matthew (October 7th)
- 2016: The Earffel Tower is removed from Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- 2017: Pandora – The World of Avatar opens at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (May 27th)
- 2017: Copper Creek Villas and Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge open (July 17th)
- 2017: The Minnie Van program launches (July 31st)
- 2017: DisneyQuest closes
- 2017: The Universe of Energy pavilion at Epcot closes
- 2017: Walt Disney World closes for the sixth time ever for Hurricane Irma (September 10th & 11th)
- 2017: A pilot program to allow dogs at certain resorts launches (October 18th)
- 2017: The Epcot International Festival of the Arts is held for the first time
- 2018: Toy Story Land opens in Disney’s Hollywood Studios (August 17th)
- 2019: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens in Disney’s Hollywood Studios (August 29th)
- 2019: Disney Skyliner opens (September 29th)
- 2019: Disney’s Riviera Resort opens (December 16th)
- 2020: Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway opens (March 4th)
- 2020: Disney World closes due to the COVID-19 pandemic (March 15-July 11)
- 2021: Disney World celebrates 50th anniversary (October 1st)
- 2021: Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure opens at Epcot (October 1st)
- 2021: Disney Genie, Genie+ and Lightning Lanes debut (October 19th)
- 2022: Disney announces new DVC tower at the Polynesian will replace the iconic Spirit of Aloha luau show (March 15th)
- 2022: Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind opens at Epcot (May 27th)
- 2023: Splash Mountain closes at Magic Kingdom (January 23)
- 2023: TRON Lightcycle Run opens at Magic Kingdom (April 4th)
- 2024: Country Bear Jamboree closes to be rebooted at Magic Kingdom (January 26th)
- 2024: Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens at Magic Kingdom (June 28)
Please note that some of these dates in Disney World history are easier to find than others, so some of these are based on third party accounts and not official company reports. In other words: This is the best Disney World history I can find, but I don’t guarantee anything.
