The transformation of acres and acres of orange groves not only changed Orlando but the whole of Florida. It changed the way people referred to fun and enjoyment, and it changed the world of theme parks. On the 50th Disney Anniversary, let us rewind and take a look at how it all began!
Yes! Walt Disney World Resort completed 50 years of existence on October 1. Florida has always been a major attraction due to this theme park, and people across the globe have always flocked.
The tourism shift to Florida will increase for the next 18 months. People from all over wish to be a part of this legendary milestone completion.
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How Disney World started in 1971
Back in 1971, Disney began with one theme park in Florida – the Magic Kingdom! Back then, the area was filled with orange groves with two golf courses and resorts.
With the success of the Magic Kingdom, Disney introduced Epcot in 1982. Seven years later, it introduced Hollywood Studios and eventually Animal Kingdom in 1998.
Two more attractions within the vicinity included the Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. Currently, there is no access to Typhoon Lagoon.
The massive organization is famed for its Florida theme park and 12 other parks across the world. The total number of resorts is six, and they are distributed among three different continents.
Florida was the second theme park by Disney, while the one in Southern California was established in 1955. However, in terms of size, the one in Florida is the biggest!
Florida Disney World has evolved with time. In 1975, Space Mountain became a part of the theme park, followed by Splash Mountain in 1992. In 2014, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train became a part of it too.
The biggest takeaway is that the original rides since 1971 are still there today. These include Country Bear Jamboree, Tomorrowland Speedway, Haunted Mansion, flying Dumbo, and more.
The current initiatives to fight racial stereotypes brought a change in Disneyland and Disney World. But nothing beats the Cinderella Castle that has been there since the beginning! Of course, it has gone through modifications for maintenance.
Looking back at the world domination of WDW on Disney Anniversary
When celebrating Disney anniversary 2021, we ought to look at the world domination created by the pioneer.
In an interview, Martin Lewison, a business management professor of Farmingdale State College on Long Island, said that Walt Disney World is one of the most selected tourist destinations worldwide. Its 50-year long history has welcomed millions of people across continents.
The famous professor who made students acquaint with fear at Disney World, aka Professor Roller Coaster, expressed his views. According to him, Disney World is a dominating aspect of world tourism.
In 2019, before the pandemic took the fun out of our lives, Disney World Orlando welcomed 20.96 million visitors. In 1955, the opening of the Californian theme park assured entrepreneurs that theme parks were an excellent investment. But the opening of the 1971 theme park created a more significant impact.
The US suddenly saw more amusement parks opening up. The Florida Disney world opening was followed by the Kings Island amusement park opening in Ohio, 1972. The following year, Carowinds opened up at the North Carolina-South Carolina border. Again, in 1974, Six Flags Great Adventure opened up in New Jersey. Finally, we also had the Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion in Virginia, 1975.
The pattern makes us believe that Walt Disney World set trends and led the theme park industry. Moreover, it was not just the idea of having an amusement park but the infrastructure, design, technology, and more.
The brand slowly kept expanding and enticing people with resort development, dining experiences, special events, merchandising, and much more.
