Disney World is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. It was founded by Walt Disney in 1971. The park covers an area of 30,080 acres and has four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. More than 20 million people visit Disney World each year.
The history of Disney World began with the opening of the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971. The park was built on land that had been purchased by Walt Disney in 1965. Construction of the park took more than five years and cost nearly $400 million.
The Magic Kingdom was designed to be a place where families could spend time together and experience the magic of Disney. The park was inspired by Disneyland in Anaheim, California, which had opened 16 years earlier. Walt Disney himself oversaw the design and construction of the Magic Kingdom before his death in 1966.
After the success of the Magic Kingdom, work began on building a second theme park at Disney World. Epcot (originally named EPCOT Center) opened on October 1, 1982. The park was designed to showcase technology and international culture through its attractions and exhibits.
In 1989, work began on another theme park at Disney World: Hollywood Studios (originally named MGM Studios). The park opened on May 1, 1989 and featured attractions based on popular films and television shows produced by MGM studios (now owned by Warner Bros.). In 2008, Hollywood Studios underwent a major expansion with the addition of Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge— two areas themed after two of Disney’s most popular franchises.
The fourth theme park at Disney World—Animal Kingdom—opened on April 22, 1998 ( Earth Day). The park is divided into seven different “lands” that feature different animals and ecosystems from around the world . In 2019 , Animal Kingdom celebrated its 20th anniversary with the opening of a new land based on Pandora from James Cameron’s Avatar .