Walt Disney World facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Walt Disney World

Four famous spots at Walt Disney World: Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom, Spaceship Earth at Epcot, Hollywood Tower Hotel at Hollywood Studios and the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom.
Industry	Fun and entertainment, hotels and resorts
Founded	October 1, 1971 (53 years ago) (1971-10-01)
Founders	Walt Disney Roy Disney
Headquarters	Bay Lake, Celebration and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States
Key people	Jeff Vahle (President) Jason Kirk (SVP, Theme Parks) Maribeth Bisienere (SVP, Resorts)
Number of employees	77,000+
Parent	Disney Experiences

The Walt Disney World Resort (also known as Walt Disney World or Disney World) is a huge fun and entertainment area. It is located about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Orlando, Florida, in the United States. It first opened on October 1, 1971. Disney Experiences, a part of The Walt Disney Company, runs the resort.

The property is very large, covering almost 25,000 acres (101 km²). About half of this land has been developed. Walt Disney World has many fun things to do for visitors who want to stay a long time. These include four theme parks, two water parks, four golf courses, and many hotels. There are 19 Disney-owned hotels and one camping resort on the property. Many other hotels are also nearby.

Walt Disney started planning this complex in the 1960s. He wanted to add to Disneyland in California, which opened in 1955. Walt wanted a new park because Disneyland couldn't grow much due to all the businesses around it. "The Florida Project," as it was called, was meant to be a special place with many different attractions. Walt Disney also planned for an "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow" (EPCOT). This was meant to be a test town for new ways of city living.

Walt Disney passed away on December 15, 1966, while the plans were still being made. After his death, his older brother, Roy O. Disney, came out of retirement. He made sure Walt's big dream came true. Construction started in 1967. The company decided to build a resort like Disneyland, but without the planned community.

Magic Kingdom was the first theme park to open in 1971. Then came Epcot (first called EPCOT Center) in 1982. Disney's Hollywood Studios (first called Disney-MGM Studios) opened in 1989. Finally, Disney's Animal Kingdom opened in 1998. Roy insisted the whole complex be named Walt Disney World. This was to remember his brother.

Walt Disney World is a very popular place. In 2018, it was the most visited vacation resort in the world. More than 58 million people visited that year. It is also the largest single employer in the United States. It has become a big part of American culture.

History of Walt Disney World

How Disney World Was Planned

The Big Idea

Walt Disney (left) with his brother Roy O. Disney (right) and Florida Governor W. Haydon Burns (center) on November 15, 1965. They are announcing Disney World.

Walt Disney's original 1966 plans for Disney World and the proposed EPCOT city (orange) compared to today (blue).

In 1959, Walt Disney Productions started looking for land for a second resort. They wanted to add to Disneyland in California. Disneyland had opened in 1955. Surveys showed that only 5% of Disneyland's visitors came from the eastern United States. That's where 75% of the country's people lived. Also, Walt Disney didn't like how many businesses had grown up around Disneyland. He wanted more control over a much larger area for his next project.

Walt Disney flew over a possible location in Orlando, Florida, in November 1963. He saw good roads and plans for new highways. He chose a central spot near Bay Lake. This project was secretly called "The Florida Project." To avoid land prices going up too fast, Walt Disney Productions used different fake companies to buy 27,443 acres (111 km²) of land.

In May 1965, some of these land deals were recorded near Orlando. Large pieces of land were bought for as little as $100 an acre. The agents were careful not to reveal who their client was. They delayed filing the paperwork until most of the land was bought.

People started guessing who was buying all the land. Some thought it was NASA or big companies like Ford. An Orlando Sentinel newspaper article in May 1965 said it was rumored Disney was building an "East Coast" Disneyland. But the paper said it wasn't true.

In October 1965, a reporter from the Sentinel visited Disneyland. She asked Walt Disney if he was buying land in Florida. He denied it, but his reaction made her suspicious. She wrote a story on October 21, 1965, saying Disney was building a second theme park in Florida. Three days later, the Sentinel published another article. It was titled, "We Say: 'Mystery' Industry Is Disney."

Walt Disney had planned to announce Disney World on November 15, 1965. But because of the newspaper stories, he asked Florida Governor Haydon Burns to confirm it on October 25. The Governor said the new theme park would be "the greatest attraction in the history of Florida." The official announcement still happened on November 15. Walt Disney joined Governor Burns in Orlando for the event.

Roy Disney Takes Over

Roy O. Disney looking at design plans in Florida.

Walt Disney passed away on December 15, 1966. He died from lung cancer before his dream was finished. His brother and business partner, Roy O. Disney, put off his retirement. He wanted to make sure the first part of the resort was built.

On February 2, 1967, Roy O. Disney held a press conference. He explained that for Disney World to work, a special area needed to be created. This was the Reedy Creek Improvement District. It would have two cities inside it: Bay Lake and Reedy Creek (now Lake Buena Vista). This special district would have many powers, like a city. It could build public projects and be free from many county laws. Florida Governor Claude R. Kirk, Jr. signed the law creating the district on May 12, 1967.

The first logo of Walt Disney World, used from 1971 to the mid-1990s.

The district started building canals. Disney built the first roads and the Magic Kingdom. The Contemporary Resort Hotel was ready for the park's opening on October 1, 1971. The Polynesian Village Resort opened soon after. The Palm and Magnolia golf courses opened a few weeks before. Fort Wilderness opened a month later.

Twenty-four days after the park opened, Roy O. Disney officially named the property "Walt Disney World." He did this to honor his brother. He said, "Everyone has heard of Ford cars. But have they all heard of Henry Ford, who started it all? Walt Disney World is in memory of the man who started it all." Roy Disney passed away on December 20, 1971, less than three months after the resort opened.

In 1971, tickets cost $3.50 for adults, $2.50 for teens under 18, and $1 for children under twelve.

Walt Disney World from the 1980s to Today

An aerial view of Walt Disney World in 1982.

Many of Walt Disney's plans for his Progress City were changed after he died. The company decided not to run a city. The idea became the resort's second theme park, EPCOT Center, which opened in 1982. It was renamed EPCOT in 1996. This park still shows new technology. It also has the "World Showcase," which features 11 countries. The resort's third theme park, Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios), opened in 1989. It is inspired by movies and shows.

The Walt Disney World logo from 1996.

In the early 1990s, the resort wanted to expand. Environmental groups were concerned. Disney agreed to protect wetlands. They bought 8,500 acres (34 km²) of land next to the park to restore wetland areas. The Disney Wilderness Preserve was created in April 1993. Disney also gave money to help restore the land and watch the wildlife.

The resort's fourth theme park, Disney's Animal Kingdom, opened in 1998.

In October 2009, Disney World held a competition to find a town to become "twinned" with. In December 2009, the English town of Swindon won.

The Walt Disney World logo from 2018.

On March 12, 2020, Disney World and Disneyland Paris announced they would close temporarily. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, Disney World let go of 6,500 employees. When it reopened, it only operated at 25% capacity.

In June 2020, Walt Disney World was chosen to host the NBA Bubble. This allowed the National Basketball Association (NBA) to finish its 2019–20 season at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. This complex hosts many events all year.

On July 11, 2020, Disney World officially reopened. Magic Kingdom and Disney's Animal Kingdom started at 25% capacity. Four days later, Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios also reopened. Masks were required, and guests had their temperature checked. Large shows like parades were not offered.

In November 2020, the resort increased guest capacity to 35% at all four theme parks. In May 2021, capacity was increased again. By mid-June 2021, temperature checks and mask rules (except on Disney transportation) were lifted. In late July 2021, mask rules were brought back for all attractions and indoor areas. This was due to a rise in cases. These rules were lifted again in February 2022. In April 2022, mask rules on Disney transportation were lifted.

From October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2023, the resort celebrated its 50th anniversary. This was called "The World's Most Magical Celebration."

Disney's Magical Express, a free bus and luggage service, ended in January 2022. In August 2021, Disney announced that FastPass+, which had been free, would be replaced. The new system, Genie+, costs money. It also has "Lightning Lane" for popular rides at an extra charge.

On April 22, 2022, the special self-governing status Disney had for over 50 years ended. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law requiring the area to be under state control. The new law officially got rid of The Reedy Creek Improvement District. This district had allowed Disney to run the area since 1967. The law took effect in June 2023.

Timeline of Key Events

Where is Walt Disney World?

Map of the resort in May 2015.

One of the arches welcoming guests to the resort.

The Florida resort is not inside Orlando city limits. It is southwest of Downtown Orlando. Most of the resort is in southwestern Orange County. The rest is in nearby Osceola County. The property includes the cities of Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake. These are managed by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

You can reach the resort from Central Florida's Interstate 4. When it first opened, the resort covered about 27,443 acres (111 km²). Some parts of the property have been sold. By 2014, the resort was nearly 25,000 acres (101 km²). This is larger than Manhattan, New York City.

The company bought almost 3,000 more acres between December 2018 and April 2020. Hotels and resorts take up 12% of the area. Water covers 5% of the area.

Fun Things to Do at Walt Disney World

Theme Parks

• Magic Kingdom, opened October 1, 1971
• Epcot, opened October 1, 1982
• Disney's Hollywood Studios, opened May 1, 1989
• Disney's Animal Kingdom, opened April 22, 1998

Water Parks

• Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, opened June 1, 1989
• Disney's Blizzard Beach, opened April 1, 1995

Mini-Golf Courses

• Fantasia Gardens, opened May 20, 1996
• Winter Summerland, opened March 12, 1999

Shopping and Dining Areas

View of Disney Springs.

• Disney Springs, opened March 22, 1975
• Disney's BoardWalk, opened July 1, 1996

Golf Courses

Disney's property has four golf courses open to everyone. The 18-hole courses are Disney's Palm, Disney's Magnolia, and Disney's Lake Buena Vista. There is also a nine-hole walking course called Disney's Oak Trail. This course has special tees for younger golfers. The Palm, Magnolia, and Oak Trail courses are connected. The Lake Buena Vista course is in the Disney Springs area.

There is also a fifth course, the Tranquilo Golf Course. It is at the Four Seasons Resort on Disney property. Only guests staying at the Four Seasons can play there.

Other Fun Areas

• ESPN Wide World of Sports, a sports complex, opened March 28, 1997
• Drawn to Life, a Cirque du Soleil show at Disney Springs, opened December 23, 1998
• Tri-Circle D Ranch, a working ranch with stables, located at Fort Wilderness

Past Attractions and Areas

• Discovery Island, an island with animals and birds. It closed in 1999.
• Disney's River Country, the first water park at Walt Disney World. It closed in 2001.
• Walt Disney World Speedway, a racetrack. It closed in 2015.
• Pleasure Island, an area for nighttime entertainment. It closed in 2008.
• DisneyQuest, an indoor theme park with arcade games. It closed in 2017.

Places to Stay at Walt Disney World

There are 19 Disney-owned hotels and Disney Vacation Club (DVC) villas at Walt Disney World. There is also one camping resort, Fort Wilderness. Together, they have about 23,000 rooms. They are grouped into three types: Deluxe, Moderate, and Value. They are also in five resort areas: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Wide World of Sports, Animal Kingdom, or Disney Springs. Staying at a Disney resort is considered a special experience.

There are also 12 other hotels on Disney property that are run by other companies. These offer about 7,300 more rooms. There is also a pet hotel for guests traveling with animals.

Disney-Owned Resorts

Name	Image	Opening date	Theme	Number of rooms	Resort area
Deluxe Resorts (Higher-End)
Animal Kingdom Lodge		April 16, 2001	African Wildlife preserve	1,307 708 villas	Animal Kingdom
Old Key West		December 20, 1991	Early 1900s Key West	761 villas	Disney Springs
Saratoga Springs		May 17, 2004	1880s Upstate New York resort	1,320 villas
Beach Club		November 19, 1990	Newport Beach cottage	576 282 villas	Epcot
Yacht Club		November 5, 1990	Martha's Vineyard Resort	621
BoardWalk Inn		July 1, 1996	Early 1900s Atlantic and Ocean City	378 530 villas
Riviera		December 16, 2019	European Riviera	300 villas
Contemporary		October 1, 1971	Modern	655 428 villas	Magic Kingdom
Grand Floridian		June 28, 1988	Early 1900s Florida	867 147 villas
Polynesian Village		October 1, 1971	South Pacific	492 380 villas
Wilderness Lodge		May 28, 1994	Pacific Northwest, National Park style	729 365 villas
Moderate Resorts (Mid-Range)
Caribbean Beach		October 1, 1988	Caribbean Islands	1,536	Epcot
Coronado Springs		August 1, 1997	Mexico, American Southwest	1,915	Animal Kingdom
Port Orleans		May 17, 1991	New Orleans French Quarter, Deep South	3,056	Disney Springs
Value Resorts (Budget-Friendly)
All-Star Movies		January 15, 1999	Disney films	1,920	Animal Kingdom
All-Star Music		November 22, 1994	Music	1,604
All-Star Sports		April 24, 1994	Sports	1,920
Art of Animation		May 31, 2012	Disney and Pixar animated films	1,984	Wide World of Sports
Pop Century		December 14, 2003	20th Century American pop culture	2,880
Cabins and Campgrounds
Fort Wilderness		November 19, 1971	Rustic Woods Camping	800 campsites 409 cabins	Magic Kingdom
Residential Areas
Golden Oak at Walt Disney World Resort		Fall 2011	Varies	300 homes	Magic Kingdom

Hotels Not Owned by Disney on Site

Hotel name	Image	Opening date	Number of rooms	Owner	Area
Renaissance Orlando Resort and Spa		October 1, 1972	394	B Hotels & Resorts	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

Former Resorts

• Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser – a resort that offered a two-day adventure in a simulated space cruise. It closed on September 30, 2023.

Yearly Events at Disney World

• Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (1995–present) – held at Magic Kingdom in the fall.
• Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (1983–present) – held at Magic Kingdom during the holidays.
• Epcot International Food & Wine Festival (1995–present) – held at Epcot in the fall.
• Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival (1994–present) – held at Epcot in spring and summer.
• Epcot International Festival of the Arts (2018–present) – held at Epcot in February and March.
• Epcot International Festival of the Holidays – held at Epcot during the holiday season.
• Disney's Candlelight Processional (1971–present) – held at Epcot during the holiday season.
• runDisney – marathon races held each year.
• H2O Glow Nights – a special night party at Typhoon Lagoon in the summer.
• Disney After Hours – a special ticket event at select parks on certain nights.
• Moonlight Magic – exclusive nights for Disney Vacation Club members.
• Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade (1983–present) – filmed at Disney World and shown on TV on Christmas Day.

How Disney World Works

Wedding Pavilion at the Seven Seas Lagoon.

Walt Disney World has different departments that handle various activities. These include:

• Disney Imagination Campus – runs programs for young people to learn and perform at Walt Disney World.
• Disney Meetings and Events – plans large meetings and conferences.
• The Disney Institute – offers training using Disney's ways of doing things.
• Disney Weddings – plans weddings at different places in Disney World.
• Disney Internships and Programs – offers internships for college students.

Disney World Campus and Offices

The Walt Disney World campus has many buildings for corporate offices and employee services. The Walt Disney Company also has offices in Celebration, Florida.

• Team Disney – the main corporate office building.
• Disney University – where employees get their training.
• Walt Disney World Casting Center – where new employees are hired.
• Partners Federal Credit Union – a bank for Disney employees.
• Central Florida Tourism Oversight District headquarters building.
• Mickey's Retreat – a fun area just for Disney employees.
• AdventHealth – operates two emergency rooms on the property.
• Flamingo Crossings Village – where students in Disney Programs live.
• Disney Aspire – offers free college tuition to eligible employees.
• Voluntears – Disney's volunteer program for cast members.

Jobs at Walt Disney World

When Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, about 5,500 "cast members" worked there. In 2020, Walt Disney World had over 77,000 cast members. They have more than 3,000 different types of jobs.

Employee Unions

Almost all hourly employees who work with guests are part of unions. The latest agreement was made in 2023 and lasts until 2027. It sets the starting pay for full-time and part-time employees at $17 per hour.

• UNITE HERE Local 362 – Represents people working at attractions, cleaning, and vacation planning.
• Transportation Communications International Union
  • Local 737 – Represents housekeeping and food workers.
  • Local 1908 – Represents concierges, lifeguards, bell services, and monorail and boat workers.
• United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1625 – Represents merchandise workers.
• International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 385 – Represents entertainment, bus drivers, laundry, and parking workers.
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 361 – Represents costuming, makeup artists, and entertainment technicians.
• Actors' Equity Association Orlando Area Theatre – Represents performers in shows like Festival of The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage.

How Many People Visit?

In its first year, the park had over 10 million visitors. In 2018, Walt Disney World's four theme parks were among the top 9 most visited theme parks in the world:

• Magic Kingdom: 20,859,000 visitors (1st)
• Disney's Animal Kingdom: 13,750,000 visitors (6th)
• Epcot: 12,444,000 visitors (7th)
• Disney's Hollywood Studios: 11,258,000 visitors (9th)

In October 2020, Disney World was still only allowed to have 25% of its normal capacity. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This limit means less money for the resort and fewer visitors to the Orlando area.

How Disney World Operates

Getting Around Disney World

The Walt Disney World Monorail System offers free transport across the resort.

The Walt Disney World Resort has a free transportation system called Disney Transport. It helps guests get around the property. This system uses buses, monorails, gondola lifts, boats, and parking lot trams.

The Walt Disney World Monorail System offers free rides. Guests can travel between Magic Kingdom and Epcot. It also connects to some hotels like The Grand Floridian and The Polynesian Village. Disney Transport also has a fleet of buses that are free for guests.

A gondola lift system, called Disney Skyliner, opened in 2019. It connects Disney's Hollywood Studios and Epcot with four hotels.

Disney Transport also runs many boats. These range from small water taxis to large ferries. The ferries connect Magic Kingdom to the Transportation and Ticket Center. Disney Transport also takes care of the parking lot trams. These trams shuttle visitors from parking lots to the park entrances.

Besides the free options, Walt Disney World also offers a ride service for a fee. It's called Minnie Van Service. These are Chevy Traverses painted with a Minnie Mouse design. They can hold up to six people and have car seats. They can drop you off closer to Magic Kingdom than other ride services.

Energy Use at Disney World

Walt Disney World needs about 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. This costs the company almost $100 million. The resort mostly uses power from the state's main power grid. But it also has two solar energy facilities on its property. One is a 22-acre (0.089 km²) Mickey Mouse-shaped solar panel farm near Epcot. The other is a 270-acre (1.1 km²) facility near Disney's Animal Kingdom. The larger facility makes enough solar energy to power two of the resort's theme parks.

The entire Disney Transport bus fleet uses renewable diesel fuel. This fuel is made from used cooking oil and food waste from the resort.

Disney's Special Language

Walt Disney World uses special words, like in a play. For example, park visitors are always called "guests." Employees are called "cast members." Rides are "attractions" or "experiences." Employees dressed as characters with their faces showing are "face characters." Jobs are "roles." Public areas are "onstage," and private areas are "backstage."

Times Disney World Has Closed

Walt Disney World has closed unexpectedly twelve times. Ten of these closures were because of hurricanes:

• September 15, 1999, due to Hurricane Floyd
• September 11, 2001, after the terrorist attacks
• August 13, 2004, due to Hurricane Charley
• September 4–5, 2004, due to Hurricane Frances
• September 26, 2004, due to Hurricane Jeanne
• October 25, 2005, in the morning, due to Hurricane Wilma
• October 7, 2016, due to Hurricane Matthew
• September 10–11, 2017, due to Hurricane Irma
• September 3, 2019, for about half the day, due to Hurricane Dorian
• March 15 – July 11, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic
• September 28–29, 2022, due to Hurricane Ian
• November 9–10, 2022, due to Hurricane Nicole

Sometimes, parks at the resort close early for special events. These can be press events or private parties. If a company rents a whole park for an evening, special passes are given out. Employees announce that the parks are closing and clear out guests without these passes.

In October 2020, it was announced that full capacity was still not allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2021, Disney World said all its US staff had to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to return to work.

Climate at Walt Disney World

Images for kids

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  Walt Disney's original 1966 plans for Disney World and the proposed EPCOT city (orange) compared to today (blue).

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  Roy O. Disney looking at design plans in Florida.

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  The first logo of Walt Disney World, used from 1971 to the mid-1990s.

• 

  An aerial view of Walt Disney World in 1982.

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  The Walt Disney World logo from 1996.

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  The Walt Disney World logo from 2018.

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  Map of the resort in May 2015.

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  One of the arches welcoming guests to the resort.

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  View of Disney Springs.

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  Wedding Pavilion at the Seven Seas Lagoon.

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  The Walt Disney World Monorail System offers free transport across the resort.

See also

In Spanish: Walt Disney World Resort para niños