It’s a tale that has been told numerous times, but the story never gets old. In 1959, Walt Disney had a dream – to bring the magic he established in Anaheim, California to the East Coast. While Walt Disney would never get to see this dream come to fruition, his brother Roy postponed retirement to oversee construction of the resort in Orlando, Florida. Despite a few hiccups, Roy and his crew were able to create the Magic Kingdom Park as well as the Contemporary and Polynesian Village Resort Hotels in time for the park’s opening on October 1st, 1971.
With an admission of only $3.50 (what a dream price that would be), children and adults alike would be immersed in a magical land that had never been seen in the East Coast before. Unfortunately, Roy Disney died less than three months after the opening of Walt Disney World, but his legacy is still commemorated at the Walt Disney Park to this day.
Between 1982 to 1998, Walt Disney World would expand its park offerings with EPCOT, Disney-MGM Studios (aka Disney’s Hollywood Studios) and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. With further additions of water parks, a shopping and entertainment district now known as Disney Springs and the expansion of over 25 hotels, Disney World quickly became a premiere travel destination for people across the globe.
Nearly every year since the opening of each park, a new ride or experience is created from Pirates of the Caribbean in 1973 to The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in 1994 to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019. Walt Disney once said, “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” The sheer size of Walt Disney World has enabled the imaginative Imagineers to innovate beyond anything the Disney family could have dreamed.
Today and for the next 18 months, we will honour and celebrate the innovation and imagination of every person who made the resort and continues to make the resort possible. October 1, 2021 marks 50 years of Walt Disney World. In line with the anniversary, new firework shows in Magic Kingdom and ECPOT will make their official debut and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will finally be open to the public. The park icons will also transform into Beacons of Magic and characters will be decked out in new EARidescent costumes.
While not all of us will be in the parks to celebrate the special anniversary, there is no better day to reflect on the impact Walt Disney World has had on all of our lives. I will always vividly remember my first trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth. It was 2005 and I was 8 years old and terrified of Pirates of the Caribbean. My family made so many memories, and while it was sadly the last trip we would take with my aunt before she passed away later that year, I will always cherish the memory of us smiling at each other while watching the Wishes firework show in the Magic Kingdom.
I wouldn’t return to Walt Disney World until 2019. I had finished university and was filled with a feeling of uncertainty and hopelessness. Thankfully, a commercial reminded me of Walt Disney World and with the support of my Disney Squad, I spent the first 8 months of 2019 planning for a birthday trip to Disney World. The trip, of course, was fantastic and incredibly special, but planning for it was what reignited the passion I had lost and gave me hope for a better future. To this day, I continue to plan for future Disney World (and other Disney Park) trips as often as I can, especially during the most difficult days.
So, on its 50th anniversary, I would like to say thank you Walt Disney World!
How are you celebrating Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary? Let us know in the comments below or on one of our social media channels and make sure to follow Frozen Mouse Fever for all your Disney needs.
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