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Walt Disney World

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Walt Disney World
IndustryEntertainment,hospitality
FoundedOctober 1, 1971(52 years ago)(1971-10-01)
Founders
HeadquartersBay Lake,CelebrationandLake Buena Vista,Florida, United States
Key people
  • Jeff Vahle (President)
  • Jason Kirk (SVP, Theme Parks)
  • Maribeth Bisienere (SVP, Resorts)[1][2]
Number of employees
77,000+[3]
ParentDisney Experiences
Websitedisneyworld
Walt Disney World
Theme parks
Water parks
Other attractions and areas
Resorts
Affiliated services
Transport

TheWalt Disney World Resort(also known asWalt Disney WorldorDisney World) is anentertainment resortcomplex located about 20 miles (32 km) southwest ofOrlando, Florida,United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated byDisney Experiences,a division ofThe Walt Disney Company.The property covers nearly 25,000 acres (39 sq mi; 101 km2), of which half has been developed.[4]Walt Disney World contains numerous recreational facilities designed to attract visitors for an extended stay, including four theme parks, two water parks, four golf courses, conference centers, a competitive sports complex and a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. Additionally, there are 19 Disney-owned resort hotels and one camping resort on the property, and many other non-Disney-operated resorts on and near the property.

Designed to supplementDisneylandin Anaheim, California, which had opened in 1955, the complex was developed byWalt Disneyin the 1960s. Walt wanted to build a new park because Disneyland in California was limited from expanding by the establishments that sprung up around it. "The Florida Project", as it was known, was intended to present a distinct vision with its own diverse set of attractions. Walt Disney's original plans also called for the inclusion of an "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow"(EPCOT), aplanned communityintended to serve as a testbed for new city-living innovations. Walt Disney died on December 15, 1966, during the initial planning of the complex. After his death, the company wrestled with the idea of whether to bring the Disney World project to fruition; however, Walt's older brother,Roy O. Disney,came out of retirement to ensure Walt's biggest dream was realized. Construction started in 1967, with the company instead building a resort similar to Disneyland, abandoning the planned community concept.Magic Kingdomwas the first theme park to open in the complex in 1971, followed byEpcot(known then as EPCOT Center) in 1982,Disney's Hollywood Studios(known then as Disney-MGM Studios) in 1989, andDisney's Animal Kingdomin 1998. Roy insisted the name of the entire complex be changed from Disney World to Walt Disney World, tomemorializehis brother.

Walt Disney World is also covered by anFAAprohibited airspacezone that restricts all airspace activities without approval from thefederal government of the United States,[5]including usage ofdrones;this level of protection is otherwise only offered to American critical infrastructure (such as thePantexnuclear weapons plant), military bases, theWashington, D.C., Special Flight Rules Area,Camp David,and other official presidential travels.

In 2018, Walt Disney World was the most visited vacation resort in the world, with an average annual attendance of more than 58 million.[6]The resort is the largest single-site employer in the United States,[3]the flagship destination of Disney's worldwide corporate enterprise[7]and has become apopular stapleinAmerican culture.

History[edit]

Planning and construction[edit]

Conception[edit]

Walt Disney (left) with his brotherRoy O. Disney(right) and then Governor of FloridaW. Haydon Burns(center) on November 15, 1965, publicly announcing the creation of Disney World
Overlay of Walt Disney's original 1966 plans for Disney World and the proposed EPCOT city (orange) and contemporary situation (blue)

In 1959,Walt Disney Productionsbegan looking for land to house a second resort to supplementDisneylandin Anaheim, California, which had opened in 1955. Market surveys at the time revealed that only 5% of Disneyland's visitors came from east of theMississippi River,where 75% of the population of the United States lived. Additionally, Walt Disney disliked the businesses that had sprung up around Disneyland and wanted more control over a larger area of land in the next project.[8]

Walt Disney took a flight over a potential site inOrlando, Florida—one of many—in November 1963. After witnessing the well-developed network of roads and taking the planned construction of bothInterstate 4andFlorida's Turnpikeinto account, withMcCoy Air Force Base(laterOrlando International Airport) to the east, Disney selected a centrally located site nearBay Lake.[9]The development was referred to in-house as "The Florida Project".[10]To avoid a burst of land speculation, Walt Disney Productions used variousdummy corporationsto acquire 27,443 acres (43 sq mi; 111 km2) of land.[9]In May 1965, some of these major land transactions were recorded a few miles southwest of Orlando inOsceola County.In addition, two large tracts totaling $1.5 million were sold, and smaller tracts of flatlands and cattle pastures were purchased by exotically named companies, such as the "Ayefour Corporation", "Latin-American Development and Management Corporation", and the "Reedy Creek Ranch Corporation". Some are now memorialized on a window aboveMain Street, U.S.A.in the Magic Kingdom. The smaller parcels of land acquired were called "outs". They were five-acre (2 ha) lotsplattedin 1912 by the Munger Land Company and sold to investors. Most of the owners in the 1960s were happy to get rid of the land, which was mostlyswampat the time. Another issue was themineral rightsto the land, which were owned byTufts University.Without the transfer of these rights, Tufts could come in at any time and demand the removal of buildings to obtain minerals. Eventually, Disney's team negotiated a deal with Tufts to buy the mineral rights for $15,000.[11]

Working strictly in secrecy, real estate agents unaware of their client's identity began making offers to landowners in April 1964, in parts of southwestOrangeand northwest Osceola counties. The agents were careful not to reveal the extent of their intentions, and they were able to negotiate numerous land contracts with some landowners, including large tracts of land for as little as $100 an acre.[12]With the understanding that the recording of the first deeds would trigger intense public scrutiny, Disney delayed the filing of paperwork until a large portion of the land was under contract.[13]

Early rumors and speculation about the land purchases assumed possible development byNASAin support of the nearbyKennedy Space Center,as well as references to other famous investors, such asFord,theRockefellers,andHoward Hughes.[13]AnOrlando Sentinelnews article published weeks later, on May 20, 1965, acknowledged a popular rumor that Disney was building an "East Coast" version of Disneyland. However, the publication denied its accuracy based on an earlier interview with Disney at Kennedy Space Center, in which he claimed a $50 million investment was in the works for Disneyland, and that he had no interest in building a new park.[13]In October 1965, editorEmily Bavarfrom theSentinelvisited Disneyland during the park's 10th-anniversary celebration. In an interview with Disney, she asked him if he was behind recent land purchases in Central Florida. Bavar later described that Disney "looked like I had thrown a bucket of water in his face", before denying the story.[13]His reaction, combined with other research obtained during her Anaheim visit, led Bavar to author a story on October 21, 1965, where she predicted that Disney was building a second theme park in Florida.[13][14]Three days later, after gathering more information from various sources, theSentinelpublished another article headlined, "We Say: 'Mystery' Industry Is Disney".[13][15]

Walt Disney had originally planned to publicly reveal Disney World on November 15, 1965, but in light of theSentinelstory, Disney asked Florida GovernorHaydon Burnsto confirm the story on October 25. His announcement called the new theme park "the greatest attraction in the history of Florida".[13]The official reveal was kept on the previously planned November 15 date, and Disney joined Burns in Orlando for the event.[13]

Roy Disney's oversight of construction[edit]

Roy O. Disney inspecting design plans on-site in Florida

Walt Disney died from circulatory collapse caused by smoking-relatedlung canceron December 15, 1966, before his vision was realized.[16]His brother and business partner,Roy O. Disney,postponed his retirement to oversee construction of the resort's first phase.

On February 2, 1967, Roy O. Disney held a press conference at the Park Theatres in Winter Park, Florida. The role of EPCOT was emphasized in the film that was played. After the film, it was explained that for Disney World, including EPCOT, to succeed, a special district would have to be formed: theReedy Creek Improvement Districtwith two cities inside it,Bay Lakeand Reedy Creek, nowLake Buena Vista.In addition to the standard powers of an incorporated city, which include issuance of tax-free bonds, the district would have immunity from any current or future county or state land-use laws. The only areas where the district had to submit to the county and state would beproperty taxesandelevatorinspections.[8]The legislation forming the district and the two cities, one of which was theReedy Creek Improvement Act,was signed into law by Florida GovernorClaude R. Kirk, Jr.on May 12, 1967.[17]TheSupreme Court of Floridathen ruled in 1968 that the district was allowed to issue tax-exempt bonds for public projects within the district, despite the sole beneficiary being Walt Disney Productions.

The original logo of Walt Disney World from 1971 to the mid-1990s

The district soon began construction of drainage canals, and Disney built the first roads and the Magic Kingdom. TheContemporary Resort Hotelwas completed in time for the park's opening on October 1, 1971, and thePolynesian Village Resortopened shortly after.[18][19]The Palm and Magnolia golf courses near the Magic Kingdom had opened a few weeks before, whileFort Wildernessopened one month later. Twenty-four days after the park opened, Roy O. Disney dedicated the property and declared that it would be known as "Walt Disney World", in his brother's honor. In his own words: "Everyone has heard ofFordcars. But have they all heard ofHenry Ford,who started it all? Walt Disney World is in memory of the man who started it all, so people will know his name as long as Walt Disney World is here. "After the dedication, Roy Disney asked Walt's widow,Lillian,what she thought of Walt Disney World. According to biographer Bob Thomas, she responded, "I think Walt would have approved." Roy Disney died at age 78 on December 20, 1971, less than three months after the property opened.[20]

Admission prices in 1971 were $3.50 for adults, $2.50 for juniors under age 18, and one dollar for children under twelve.[18]

1980s–2020[edit]

An aerial shot of Walt Disney World in 1982

Much of Walt Disney's plans for hisProgress Cityconcept were abandoned after his death and after the company board decided that it did not want to be in the business of running a city. The concept evolved into the resort's second theme park,EPCOT Center,which opened in 1982 (renamed EPCOT in 1996). While still emulating Walt Disney's original idea of showcasing new technology, the park is closer to aworld's fairthan a "community of tomorrow". One of EPCOT's main attractions is the "World Showcase", which highlights 11 countries across the globe. Some of the urban planning concepts from the original idea of EPCOT would instead be integrated into the community ofCelebration, Florida,much later. The resort's third theme park, Disney-MGM Studios (renamedDisney's Hollywood Studiosin 2008), opened in 1989 and is inspired by show business.

The 1996 version of The Walt Disney World logo

In the early 1990s, the resort was seeking permits for expansion. There was considerable environmentalist push-back, and the resort was convinced to engage inmitigation banking.In an agreement withThe Nature Conservancyand the state of Florida, Disney purchased 8,500 acres (3,400 ha) of land, adjacent to the park for the purpose of rehabilitating wetland ecosystems. TheDisney Wilderness Preservewas established in April 1993, and the land was subsequently transferred to The Nature Conservancy.[21]The Walt Disney Company provided additional funds for landscape restoration and wildlife monitoring.[22]

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

In October 2009, Disney World announced a competition to find a town to become twinned with. In December 2009, after Rebecca Warren won the competition with a poem, they announced the resort will be twinned with the English town ofSwindon.[23]

George Kalogridiswas named president of the resort in December 2012, replacingMeg Crofton,who had overseen the site since 2006.

On January 21, 2016, the resort's management structure was changed, with general managers within a theme park being in charge of an area or land, instead of on a functional basis, as previously configured. Theme parks have already had a vice-president overseeing them.Disney SpringsandDisney Sportswere also affected. Now hotel general managers manage a single hotel instead of some managing multiple hotels.[24]

On October 18, 2017, it was announced that resort visitors could bringpet dogstoDisney's Yacht Club Resort,Disney's Port Orleans Resort– Riverside,Disney's Art of Animation Resort,andDisney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.[25]

The 2018 version of The Walt Disney World logo.

In 2019,Josh D'AmaroreplacedGeorge Kalogridisas president of the resort. He had previously held the position of vice president of Animal Kingdom.[26]D'Amaro was subsequently promoted to chairman ofDisney Parks, Experiences and Productsin May 2020, succeedingBob Chapek,who was promoted to CEO of The Walt Disney Company in February 2020. Jeff Vahle, who served as president of Disney Signature Experiences subsequently took over as president of the resort.[27]

March 2020–present[edit]

On March 12, 2020, a Disney spokesperson announced that Disney World andDisneyland Pariswould temporarily shut due to theCOVID-19 pandemic,beginning March 15, 2020.[28]

In 2020, Disney World laid off 6,500 employees and only operated at 25% capacity after reopening during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[29][30]

In June 2020,Walt Disney World was chosen to host theNBA Bubblefor play of the2019–20 seasonof theNational Basketball Association( NBA ) to resume at theESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.[31]The ESPN Complex, hosts a variety of activities throughout the year, includingrunDisneymarathon races and dance and cheer competitions in partnership with Varsity Cheer. It was also the site for theMLS is Back Tournament.

On July 11, 2020, Disney World officially reopened, beginning operations at 25% capacity at theMagic KingdomandDisney's Animal Kingdom,as a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic in Florida.[32]Four days later,EpcotandDisney's Hollywood Studiosfor operation at 25% capacity to the public.[33]Masks were required at all times (including outdoors, on attractions, and while taking photos), all guests were required to have their temperature taken upon entry,plexiglasswas installed on various attractions and transportation offerings, and shows that drew large crowds, such as parades and nighttime shows includingFantasmic!andHappily Ever Afterwere not offered.[34]

In November 2020, the resort increased the guest capacity to 35% at all four theme parks, and on May 13, 2021, CEO Bob Chapek announced a further increase of capacity, effective immediately; however, he did not say to what capacity level it would be raised.[35]By mid-June 2021, temperature checks and mask mandates (except while on Disney transportation) had been lifted.[36]In late July 2021, mask mandates were reinstated for all attractions and indoor areas in light of new guidance issued by theCenters for Disease Controlas thedelta variantdrove a significant increase in local cases. These reinstated mandates were lifted in February 2022.[37]In April 2022, following a court decision ending the federal mask mandate for public transportation, the mask mandates on Disney transportation were lifted.[38]

Starting on October 1, 2021, the resort honored its 50th anniversary with "The World's Most Magical Celebration",[39]which lasted for 18 consecutive months ending on March 31, 2023.[40]

Disney's Magical Express,a complimentary transportation and luggage service offered to Walt Disney Resort guests that began in 2005, ended in January 2022.[41]In August 2021, the Walt Disney Company announced thatFastPass+, which had been free since its introduction in 1999, would be retired and replaced with Genie+, a system starting at $18 to $35 per day with the option of adding "Lightning Lane", which will be used for top-tier attractions, for an additional charge. The pricing range depends on the crowd and day of purchase.[42]

On April 22, 2022, the self-governing status which the Walt Disney Company had in the area around Disney World for more than 50 years came to an end after Florida GovernorRon DeSantissigned into law legislation requiring the area to come under the legal jurisdiction of the state of Florida.[43]The new law also officially abolished TheReedy Creek Improvement Districtwhich the Walt Disney Company has used to run the area since May 1967, when then Florida GovernorClaude Kirksigned into law legislation which granted the company special status.[43]The law went into effect in June 2023.[44][45]Along with this, as of May 2023, GovernorRon DeSantishas also been planning to target Disney's monorail system and let Florida's Department of Transportation inspect the privately-owned system.[46]

Timeline[edit]

Location[edit]

Map of the resort as of May 2015
One of four arches welcoming guests to the resort

The Florida resort is not withinOrlandocity limits but is southwest of Downtown Orlando. Much of the resort is in southwesternOrange County,with the remainder in adjacentOsceola County.The property includes the cities ofLake Buena VistaandBay Lakewhich are governed by theCentral Florida Tourism Oversight District(formerly Reedy Creek Improvement District). The site is accessible from Central Florida'sInterstate 4via Exits 62B (World Drive), 64B (US 192West), 65B (Osceola ParkwayWest), 67B (SR 536West), and 68 (SR 535North), Exit 6 onSR 417 South,the Central Florida GreeneWay and Exit 8 onSR 429,the Western Beltway. At its founding, the resort occupied approximately 27,443 acres (43 sq mi; 111 km2).[9]Portions of the property have since been sold or de-annexed, including land now occupied by the Disney-built community ofCelebration.By 2014, the resort occupied nearly 25,000 acres (39 sq mi; 101 km2)[4](larger than Manhattan, New York City, which is 22.7 sq mi).

The company acquired nearly 3,000 additional acres, in separate transactions, between December 2018 and April 2020.[49][50][51]

12% of the site area is occupied by hotels and resorts, and 5% of the area is water.[52]

Attractions[edit]

Further information:List of Walt Disney World Resort attractions

Theme parks[edit]

Water parks[edit]

Mini-golf courses[edit]

Shopping, dining, and entertainment areas[edit]

View of Disney Springs

Golf courses[edit]

Disney's property includes four golf courses open to the general public. The 18-hole golf courses areDisney's Palm(4.5 stars),Disney's Magnolia(4 stars), andDisney's Lake Buena Vista(4 stars). There is also a nine-hole walking course calledDisney's Oak Trail,that features junior tees for younger golfers and aFootgolfcourse. Palm, Magnolia, and Oak Trail are connected and share one entrance near Shades of Green in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, while the Lake Buena Vista course is located in the Disney Springs Resort Area. Walt Disney World golf courses are staffed by third-party Arnold Palmer Golf Management.[54]The Magnolia and Palm courses played home to the PGA Tour'sWalt Disney World Golf Classicfrom 1971 to 2012.

Additionally there is a fifth course, theTranquilo Golf Course,located at the Four Seasons Resort on Disney property. The course is open only to guests staying at Four Seasons.[55][56]

Other attractions and areas[edit]

Former attractions and areas[edit]

  • Discovery Island,an island and former ticketed attraction in Bay Lake that was home to many species of animals and birds. Guests would access the island via boat from Fort Wilderness. It opened on April 8, 1974, and closed on April 8, 1999.
  • Disney's River Country,the first water park at the Walt Disney World Resort. It opened on June 20, 1976, and closed on November 2, 2001.[57]
  • Walt Disney World Speedway,a racetrack at Walt Disney World that included the Richard Petty Driving Experience. It opened November 28, 1995, and closed on August 9, 2015.
  • Pleasure Island,a former gated section of Downtown Disney, centered on late-night entertainment. Most of the area was demolished upon the transformation of Downtown Disney into Disney Springs. It opened 1989 and closed in 2008.
  • Walt Disney World Airport,a small landing strip built for private aircraft. The airway stopped being used in the 1980s. It is located off Vista Blvd and World Drive and used as a storage area.
  • DisneyQuest,an indoor theme park that featured arcade games and virtual attractions, intended to be the first location in a chain of similar theme parks, which was unsuccessful. It opened June 19, 1998 and closed on July 2, 2017.[58]
  • Crossroads Shopping Center,originally developed by Disney in the 1980s and located near Disney Springs, the shopping and dining center was popular for guests and cast-members, built at a time when there was few dining options in the area. Disney later sold the land, and in 2021 the entire center was demolished usingeminent domainfor theInterstate 4reconstruction project.[59][60]

Resorts[edit]

See also:Category:Hotels in Walt Disney World Resort

As of 2024,there are 19 Disney owned and operated resort hotels andDisney Vacation Club(DVC) villas at the Walt Disney World Resort, along with one camping resort, Fort Wilderness, which includes traditional campgrounds and wood cabins. Together, they have approximately 23,000 rooms, 3,600 DVC villas and 500,000 square feet (46,000 m2) of conference meeting space. They are organized into three categories—Deluxe, Moderate, and Value—and five resort areas: theMagic Kingdom,Epcot,Wide World of Sports,Animal Kingdom,orDisney Springs.Informally known as the "Disney Bubble", staying on property is considered an immersive experience.[61][62]

Additionally, 12 independently operated hotels are located on property leased from Disney, offering approximately 7,300 additional rooms. There is also an on-site pet hotel operated by Best Friends Pet Care for guests traveling with animals.[63]

Disney-owned resorts[edit]

Name Image Opening date Theme Number of rooms Resort area
Deluxe resorts
Animal Kingdom Lodge April 16, 2001 African Wildlife preserve 1,307
708 villas 		Animal Kingdom
Old Key West December 20, 1991 Early-20th-century 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-20th-century 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-20th-century Florida 867
147 villas
Polynesian Village October 1, 1971 South Pacific 492
380 villas
Wilderness Lodge May 28, 1994 Pacific Northwest, National Park Service rustic 729
365 villas
Moderate resorts
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
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

On-site non-Disney resorts[edit]

Hotel name Image Opening date Number of rooms Owner Area
B Resort & Spa October 1, 1972 394 B Hotels & Resorts Disney Springs
Drury Plaza November 21, 1972 325 Drury Hotels
DoubleTree March 15, 1987 229 Hilton Hotels Corporation
Hilton Buena Vista Palace March 10, 1983 1,014
Hilton Lake Buena Vista November 23, 1983 787
Holiday Inn February 8, 1973 323 InterContinental Hotels Group
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[edit]

  • Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser– resort that offered a two-day immersive experience aboard a simulated cruise in outer space within the Star Wars galaxy. It opened on March 1, 2022, and closed on September 30, 2023.

Annual events[edit]

  • Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party(1995–present) – held at Magic Kingdom throughout the fall season.
  • Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party(1983–present) – held at Magic Kingdom throughout the holiday season.
  • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival(1995–present) – held at Epcot throughout the fall season. Includes the Eat To The Beat! concert series.
  • Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival(1994–present) – held at Epcot during the spring and summer. Includes the Garden Rocks! concert series.
  • Epcot International Festival of the Arts(2018–present) held at Epcot each February and March. Includes the Disney on Broadway concert series.
  • Epcot International Festival of the Holidays– held throughout the holiday season Epcot.
  • Disney's Candlelight Processional(1971–present) – held at Epcot throughout the holiday season.
  • runDisney– marathon races are conducted each year, including the Wine N Dine Half-Marathon and Disney Princess-Half Marathon.
  • H2O Glow Nights– held on select days each summer at Typhoon Lagoon. A night-time glow party.[64]
  • Disney After Hours– a special ticket event held at select parks on select nights.[65]
  • Moonlight Magic– exclusiveDisney Vacation Club-only nights at select parks on select days throughout the year.[66]
  • Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade(1983–present) – filmed each year at Disney World and broadcast nationally Christmas Day.

Business segments[edit]

Wedding Pavilion at theSeven Seas Lagoon

Walt Disney World has several departments that handle various activities and events that are offered throughout the year. These departments include:

  • Disney Imagination Campus– operatesMagic Music Days,Disney Performing Arts, Festival Disney, The Dreamers Academy, and other youth programs providing opportunities for youth to learn and perform inside Walt Disney World.[67][68]
  • Disney Meetings and Events– schedules large meetings, events, and conferences at Walt Disney World.[69]
  • The Disney Institute– offers professional development, team-building and networking opportunities using Disney models and principles.[70]
  • Disney Weddings– schedules and plans weddings at various locations inside Walt Disney World, including locations inside the parks or at the wedding pavilion.[71]
  • Disney Internships and Programs– operates various internships geared toward college-age students, including theDisney College Program(DCP),Disney International Programs(ICP), Disney Hospitality Leadership Program (DHLP), Cultural Representative Program (CRP), Brazilian Summer Super Greeters, Disney Culinary Program, and Professional Internships (PI).[72]

Campus[edit]

The campus of Walt Disney World includes numerous buildings and spaces used solely for corporate management, castmember only services, and castmember recreation. The Walt Disney Company also owns and operates a corporate office complex in Celebration, Florida, home toDisney Cruise LineandAdventures by Disneyoffices.

  • Team Disney– the central location of corporate offices at Walt Disney World.
  • Disney University– the central location of training for castmembers.
  • Walt Disney World Casting Center– the central location for human resources and employee recruitment and retention.
  • Partners Federal Credit Union– an internal bank system only for Disney employees, with several locations throughout Walt Disney World.
  • Disney Event Group– office complex for various business segments.
  • Maingate Office Complex– houses offices for various business segments.
  • Amateur Athletic Union– corporate office building located inside the historic preview center building on Hotel Plaza Blvd.
  • Central Florida Tourism Oversight Districtheadquarters building, located near Disney Springs on Hotel Plaza Blvd.
  • Mickey's Retreat– a Disney-employee only recreational complex located on Little Lake Bryan.[73]
  • AdventHealth– operates two emergency rooms, located on the east and west of property near Disney Springs and in Flamingo Crossings. Guests with serious conditions and injuries are transported to the largerAdventHealth Celebration.
  • YMCAof Central Florida– operates two locations on property that provide daycare and educational programs for children of Walt Disney World employees.[74]
  • The Center for Living Well– provides health services for Disney employees, operated by Premise Health.[75]
  • Flamingo CrossingsVillage– home of Disney Programs and Internship students.
  • Disney Aspire– offers free college tuition to eligible employees of Walt Disney World. Launched in 2018, the program offers select academic tracks in partnership with certain schools and degree programs.[76]
  • Voluntears– Disney's in-house volunteer program. Disney cast members volunteer their time for local non-profit and environmental causes.[77]

Employment[edit]

When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, the site employed about 5,500 "cast members".[78]In 2020, Walt Disney World employed more than 77,000 cast members.[79]Walt Disney World has more than 3,000 job classifications with a total 2019 payroll of over $3 billion.[3]

Union representation[edit]

Almost all hourly guest-facing cast members work underunion contracts.The most recent contract was negotiated and put in effect in 2023 and is valid through 2027, setting the starting hourly rate for part-time and full-time cast at 17 dollars per hour, with additional premiums available for select roles. Union membership is offered to all cast eligible at the start of employment. Each staff location on property has an official designated asshop steward,who bargains with Disney leadership when needed to defend the rights designated within the contract.[80]

Attendance[edit]

In the first year of opening, the park attracted 10,712,991 visitors.[86]In 2018, the resort's four theme parks all ranked in the top 9 on the list of the 25 most visited theme parks in the world: (1st) Magic Kingdom—20,859,000 visitors; (6th) Disney's Animal Kingdom—13,750,000 visitors; (7th) Epcot—12,444,000 visitors; and (9th) Disney's Hollywood Studios—11,258,000 visitors.[6]By October 2020, maximum Disney World attendance was still allowed to only remain at 25% capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[30]A recent study found that reducing Magic Kingdom park capacity to 25% would result in a 54.1% reduction in annual attendance. This capacity limit causes less annual revenue, and may lower the number of visitors to the Orlando region.[87]

Year Magic Kingdom Epcot Hollywood Studios Animal Kingdom Overall Ref.
2008 17,063,000 10,935,000 9,608,000 9,540,000 47,146,000 [88]
2009 17,233,000 10,990,000 9,700,000 9,590,000 47,513,000 [89]
2010 16,972,000 10,825,000 9,603,000 9,686,000 47,086,000 [90]
2011 17,142,000 10,826,000 9,699,000 9,783,000 47,450,000 [91]
2012 17,536,000 11,063,000 9,912,000 9,998,000 48,509,000 [92]
2013 18,588,000 11,229,000 10,110,000 10,198,000 50,125,000 [93]
2014 19,332,000 11,454,000 10,312,000 10,402,000 51,500,000 [94]
2015 20,492,000 11,798,000 10,828,000 10,922,000 54,040,000 [95]
2016 20,395,000 11,712,000 10,776,000 10,844,000 53,727,000 [96]
2017 20,450,000 12,200,000 10,722,000 12,500,000 55,872,000 [97]
2018 20,859,000 12,444,000 11,258,000 13,750,000 58,311,000 [6]
2019 20,963,000 12,444,000 11,483,000 13,888,000 58,778,000 [98]
2020 6,941,000 4,044,000 3,675,000 4,166,000 18,826,000 [99]
2021 12,691,000 7,752,000 8,589,000 7,194,000 36,226,000 [100]
2022 17,133,000 10,000,000 10,900,000 9,027,000 47,060,000 [100]

Operations[edit]

Transportation[edit]

TheWalt Disney World Monorail Systemprovides free transport across the resort.

The Walt Disney World Resort is serviced byDisney Transport,a complimentarymass transportation systemallowing guest access across the property. The fare-free system utilizes buses, monorails, gondola lifts, watercraft, and parking lot trams.

TheWalt Disney World Monorail Systemprovides free transportation at Walt Disney World; guests can board the monorail and travel between the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, including select on-property resorts such asThe Grand FloridianandThe Polynesian Village.The system operates on three routes that interconnect at theTransportation and Ticket Center(TTC), adjacent to the Magic Kingdom's parking lot. Disney Transport owns a fleet of Disney-operatedbuseson the property, that is also complimentary for guests.[101]

Agondola liftsystem, dubbedDisney Skyliner,opened in 2019. The system's three lines connectDisney's Hollywood Studiosand Epcot with four resort hotels.[102]

Disney Transport also operates a fleet of watercraft, ranging in size fromwater taxis,up to theferriesthat connect theMagic Kingdomto the Transportation and Ticket Center. Disney Transport is also responsible for maintaining the fleet ofparking lot tramsthat are used for shuttling visitors between the various theme park parking lots and their respective main entrances.

In addition to its free transportation methods, in conjunction withLyft,Walt Disney World also offers avehicle for hireservice for a fee. The Minnie Van Service areChevy Traversesdressed in aMinnie Mousered-and-white polka dot design that can accommodate up to six people and have two carseats available to anyone that is within the Walt Disney World Resort limits. Cast members can install the car seats.[103][104]Some of the unique advantages that the Minnie Van Service offers over a normal ride share is the ability to be dropped off in the Magic Kingdom bus loop (instead of at the TTC like the other ride shares) and being able to ride to any point inFort Wilderness.

Energy use[edit]

Walt Disney World requires an estimated 1 billion kilowatt-hours (3.6 billion megajoules) of electricity annually, costing the company nearly $100 million in annual energy consumption.[105]In addition to relying primarily on fossil fuels and nuclear energy from the state's power grid, Walt Disney World has twosolar energy facilitieson property; a 22-acre (0.034 sq mi; 0.089 km2)Mickey Mouse-shapedsolar panelfarm near Epcot, and a 270-acre (0.42 sq mi; 1.1 km2) facility near Disney's Animal Kingdom.[106]The larger facility produces enoughsolar energyto provide electricity to two of the resort's theme parks. The sites are operated byDuke Energyand theReedy Creek Improvement District,respectively.[106]

The entireDisney Transportbus fleet uses R50 renewablediesel fuel,obtained from used cooking oil and non-consumablefood wastefrom the resort.[106]

Self-Government and security[edit]

Disney security vehicle, picture taken July 2, 2009 in front of Epcot

Disney's security personnel are generally dressed in typical security guard uniforms, though some of the personnel are dressed as tourists in plain clothes. SinceSeptember 11, 2001,uniformed security has been stationed outside each Disney park in Florida to search guests' bags as they enter the parks. Starting April 3, 2017, bag checkpoints have been placed at Magic Kingdom's resort monorail entryways and the Transportation and Ticket Center's ferry entry points prior to embarkation as well as the walkway from Disney's Contemporary Resort. Guests arriving at the Transportation and Ticket Center by tram or tour bus will be screened at the former tram boarding areas. Guests arriving by Disney Resort hotel bus orMinnie Vanhave their own bag check just outside the bus stops. Guests arriving via Magic Kingdom Resort boat launch are bag checked on the arrival dock outside Magic Kingdom.[107]

The land where Walt Disney World resides is part of theReedy Creek Improvement District(RCID), a governing jurisdiction created in May 1967 by the State of Florida at the request of Disney.[108][43]RCID provides 911 services, fire, environmental protection, building code enforcement, utilities and road maintenance, but does not provide law enforcement services. The approximately 800 security staff are instead considered employees of the Walt Disney Company. Arrests and citations are issued by theFlorida Highway Patrolalong with theOrange Countyand Osceola County sheriffs deputies who patrol the roads. Disney security does maintain a fleet of security vans equipped with flares, traffic cones, and chalk commonly used by police officers. These security personnel are charged with traffic control by the RCID and may only issue personnel violation notices to Disney and RCID employees, not the general public.[109][110]

Despite the appearance of the uniformed security personnel, they are not considered a legal law enforcement agency. Disney and the Reedy Creek Improvement District were sued for access to Disney Security records by Bob and Kathy Sipkema following the death of their son at the resort in 1994. The court characterized Disney security as a "night watchman" service, not a law enforcement agency, meaning it is not subject to Florida's open records laws. An appeals court later upheld the lower court's ruling.[111]

In late 2015, Disney confirmed the addition of randomized secondary screenings and dogs trained to detect body-worn explosives within parks, in addition to metal detectors at entrances. It has also increased the number of uniformed security personnel at Walt Disney World and Disneyland properties.[112]

Disney Security personnel in Florida have investigated traffic accidents and issued accident reports. The forms used by Disney Security may be confused with official, government forms by some.[citation needed]

TheOrange County Sheriffmaintains an office on Disney property, but this is primarily to process guests accused ofshopliftingby Disney security personnel.[113]

Although the scattering of ashes on Disney property is illegal,The Wall Street Journalreported in October 2018 that Walt Disney World parks were becoming a popular spot for families to scatter the ashes of loved ones, with theHaunted Mansionat Magic Kingdom being the favorite location. The practice is unlawful and prohibited on Disney property, and anyone spreadingcremated remainsis escorted from the park.[114]

On April 22, 2022, the Walt Disney Company's self-governing authority of all the area surrounding Walt Disney World came to an end after Florida GovernorRon DeSantissigned into law legislation requiring Walt Disney World's Reedy Creek Improvement District to come under the legal jurisdiction of the state of Florida on June 1, 2023.[43][44][115]

Closures[edit]

Walt Disney World has had twelve unscheduled closures, ten of which have been due to hurricanes:[116]

Likeits sister resort,parks at the resort may close early to accommodate various special events, such as special press events, tour groups, VIP groups, and private parties. It is common for a corporation to rent entire parks for the evening. In such cases, special passes are issued which are valid for admission to all rides and attractions. At the ticket booths and on published schedules, the guests are notified of the early closures. Then, cast members announce that the parks are closing, sometime before the private event starts, and clear the parks of guests who do not have the special passes.

In October 2020, it was revealed that full capacity attendance was still not permitted, following the COVID-19 closure which occurred earlier in the year.[30]In July 2021, Disney World announced that all its staff workers in the US would have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to return to work. It also announced that those who are unvaccinated would have a period of time to get their shots and aimed to return to full capacity for people who are immunized.[121]

Climate[edit]

Walt Disney World Airport
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
41
19
10
52
22
12
70
25
15
91
28
17
140
30
20
314
29
21
226
30
22
219
29
21
254
27
22
58
27
19
66
24
14
41
20
11
█Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█Precipitation totals in mm
Source:[122]
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
1.6
66
50
2
72
54
2.8
77
59
3.6
82
63
5.5
86
68
12
84
70
8.9
86
72
8.6
84
70
10
81
72
2.3
81
66
2.6
75
57
1.6
68
52
█Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█Precipitation totals in inches

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External links[edit]

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