The Walt Disney World Explorer

The Walt Disney World Explorer is a point and click Windows and Macintosh application released by Disney Interactive on September 24, 1996 that lets the user explore Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida. The program consists of virtual tours through all of the resort, and trivia about the parks, attractions, and hotels. Various games are also built into the application, such as a quiz, allowing the user to test their knowledge of the resort, and a game which involves finding Hidden Mickeys.
Nineteen months later, an updated edition, The Walt Disney World Explorer – Second Edition was released. It contains then-new and up-to-date information, such as Disney's Animal Kingdom and Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. The disc is narrated by Hettie Lynne Hurtes and Corey Burton, the latter of whom is a veteran voice actor who has been featured in several Disney attractions.
==Topics==
These tables cover all the topics found in both versions of the game.
About these tables:
*Topic is the name of a topic. The topic names must reflect those used by the application, not whatever was the proper name at the time or is today. If a topic appears in both versions, then its name in the Second Edition will be listed and its original name will be noted.
*Versions covers whether or not something appears in either version.
*Backstage & Trivia covers whether the topic as a "Backstage" slideshow (marked with "S" in the tables) or video (marked with "V") and a "Trivia" slideshow (for the Walt Disney World Quiz Challenge minigame). Neither of these appears without the other, and "Trivia" never uses videos.
**The Backstage icon in the application is a blue door in a green doorframe with a red Mickey Mouse symbol on the door opening to reveal a starfield. A yellow light coming out of the doorway shows Mickey's silhouette.
**The Trivia icon in the application is a red treasure chest with a blue question mark on it, opening to show a yellow flash. The chest's lid is surrounded by different colored question marks.
*Third option indicates whether there is additional content to go with the above Backstage and Trivia options. If the cell for the Backstage & Trivia column says "No", then a N/A applies to this column's cell. This can be one of three options:
**More Stuff is an additional slideshow (marked with "MSS" in the tables) or video (marked with "MSV"). Its icon is a green, wrapped-up paper bag with a yellow exclamation point on it, with a yellow flash behind the bag.
**360° Panorama (marked with "360") lets the user view a 360° panoramic image taken in the parks. Its icon is a viewfinder.
**Interactivities (marked with "INT") takes the user to a minigame.
*Still exists? indicates whether or not something is still standing in Walt Disney World to this day. (These tables do not concern with other Disney Parks.) This only applies to topics about physical things like attractions and resorts, not more general, conceptual, or event-based topics such as "Horticulture" or "Land Acquisition".
*Notes goes over additional things such as when an attraction closed, what replaced an attraction, changes to the topic between the two versions, and other important details.
===Walt Disney World===
Topic 	Versions	Versions	Backstage& Trivia	Third option	Stillexists?	Notes
Topic 	1.0 	2.0 	Backstage& Trivia	Third option	Stillexists?	Notes
Walt's Dream 	 	 	 	 	 	Covers about how Walt Disney liked to come up with new ideas, and how the attractions made for the eventually led him to come up with the idea for the resort.
Opening Day 	 	 	 	 	 	Covers the opening of the resort on October 1, 1971, as well as some of the construction leading up to it.
Magic Kingdom 	 	 	 	 	 	General information about the park.
Epcot 	 	 	 	 	 	General information about the park.
Disney Studios Florida - General 	 	 	 	 	 	General information about the park. Titled as such to differentiate it from the application's interactive map of it.
Disney's Animal Kingdom 	 	 	 	 	 	Has a search entry in the original 1996 release, which redirects to the Coming Attractions topic that mentions it. The park was not open at the time of the Second Edition's release, and thus has no interactive maps like the other three parks. Kali River Rapids is mentioned under its working title, Tiger Rapids Run, and Dinosaur is mentioned under its original name, Countdown to Extinction.
River Country 	 	 	 	 	 	Closed on November 2, 2001. It was left standing and decaying until 2018, when Disney began demolition on it to work on a new resort hotel that will be built on its former grounds.
Typhoon Lagoon 	 	 	 	 	 	
Blizzard Beach 	 	 	 	 	 	
Palm Golf Course 	 	 	 	 	 	
Magnolia Golf Course 	 	 	 	 	 	
Osprey Ridge Golf Course 	 	 	 	 	 	The golf course closed as a Disney one on August 11, 2013. It reopened the following year as the non-Disney owned Tranquilo Golf Club.
Eagle Pines Golf Course 	 	 	 	 	 	The golf course has since been closed and bulldozed.
Lake Buena Vista Golf Course 	 	 	 	 	 	
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa 	 	 	 	 	 	Original version called it Disney's Grand Floridian Beach Resort, which was its name before 1997. The Second Edition changes the narration to incorporate its current name and mentions a then-new restaurant, Cítricos, with a new photo added to the slideshow. Narcoossee's, which still exists today, was mentioned in the original version.
Disney's Wedding Pavilion 	 	 	 	 	 	
Disney's Contemporary Resort 	 	 	 	 	 	
Disney's Polynesian Resort 	 	 	 	 	 	The resort is currently named Disney's Polynesian Village Resort.
Disney's Wilderness Lodge 	 	 	 	 	 	
Disney's Ft. Wilderness Resort and Campground 	 	 	 	 	 	The slideshow title field replaced the "and" with an ampersand.
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin 	 	 	 	 	 	The slideshow title field replaced the "and" with an ampersand.
Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort 	 	 	 	 	 	The original version listed the two resorts separately (but still sharing the same topic and slideshow) as "Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts" ("and" replaced with an ampersand in the slideshow title field). The original version mentioned Ariel's (which is now closed, but still existed in 1998), while the Second Edition mentioned Beaches & Cream Soda Shop. Both versions mention Stormalong Bay and Yachtsman Steakhouse.
Disney's Boardwalk Inn and Villas 	 	 	 	 	 	The original version listed both together simply as "Disney's BoardWalk". Since it wasn't open yet when the application was first released, the original version used concept art and early promotional concept photos, with the narration mentioning its proximity to Epcot and Disney Studios Florida. The Second Edition updated the narration to talk more about its amenities, and the slideshow featured all new photos from since its opening.
Disney's Port Orleans and Dixie Landings Resorts	 	 	 	 	 	The slideshow title field replaced the "and" with an ampersand and used the singular "resort" instead of "resorts". Coincidentally, both resorts would be merged together in 2001 as a unified Disney's Port Orleans Resort, with the original one becoming the French Quarter resort and Dixie Landings becoming the Riverside resort.
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort 	 	 	 	 	 	Has a search entry in the original 1996 release, which redirects to the Coming Attractions topic that mentions it.
Disney's All-Star Resorts 	 	 	 	 	 	The original version features the only two such resorts that were open at the time, All-Star Sports and All-Star Music. All-Star Movies was mentioned in the Second Edition to be opening in 1999, but the slideshow remained unchanged.
Disney Vacation Club Resorts 	 	 	 	 	 	The slideshow mentions Disney's Old Key West Resort in Walt Disney World, Disney's Vero Beach Resort in Vero Beach, Florida, and Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The Second Edition also mentions Disney's BoardWalk Villas and features mostly new photos, including new photos of the Old Key West and Hilton Head Island Resorts. The slideshow also rearranged the photos so that the photo of the Vero Beach Resort would appear when it was mentioned, not at the end of the slideshow like in the original version.
The Disney Institute 	 	 	 	 	 	The Second Edition added mentions of its spa and fitness center, as well as its golf and tennis clinics, replacing one photo at the end with two new photos. It closed in 2003 (after a switch from a family-oriented program to a multi-day business seminar in 2000) to make way for Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa. The Villas were torn down (except for the Treehouse Villas, which were renovated) and the former studios and spa building were renovated as the Saratoga Springs Resort clubhouse.
 	 	 	 	 	 	The original version mentioned that the 1997 Indy 200 would be held on January 25, 1997. There was also a Hidden Mickey on the last slide. The Second Edition updated it to mention the track's distance from Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex and the Richard Petty Driving Experience that debuted there in 1997, with a new photo added at the end (which also removed the Hidden Mickey). It stopped hosting professional racing events after 2000, then closed on August 9, 2015. It has since been demolished to expand and reconfigure the Magic Kingdom parking lot and parking entrance.
Discovery Island 	 	 	 	 	 	The island closed to the public on April 8, 1999, its 25th anniversary as an attraction. It continued to operate until July 9, which by then all the animals treated there were moved to Animal Kingdom. It currently sits abandoned today, with its buildings left to deteriorate. Safari Village at Animal Kingdom was renamed "Discovery Island" after it.
Downtown Disney West Side 	 	 	 	 	 	The hot spot is the two-story pineapple outside Bongos Cuban Cafe. DisneyQuest was mentioned at the end of the slideshow then to be opening later in 1998, with the slideshow showing concept art of it at the end (although it could be seen in black in the opening photograph). It was officially rethemed and renamed to the West Side at Disney Springs on September 29, 2015. DisneyQuest later closed on July 2, 2017 to make way for the NBA Experience.
Pleasure Island 	 	 	 	 	 	The island was originally referred to as just Pleasure Island in the original version. The Second Edition redid the opening narration to mention less of what was there and rearranged the opening slideshow as a result. It closed on September 27, 2008, and the area was redeveloped into The Landing at Disney Springs, which opened in April 2015.
Downtown Disney Marketplace 	 	 	 	 	 	The Marketplace was known as Disney Village Marketplace in the original version (its name at the time); it changed its name to Downtown Disney Marketplace in 1997 when the West Side opened. The Second Edition updated the slideshow with all-new photos and mentions of World of Disney and the Lego Imagination Center (now the Lego Store at Disney Springs). Rainforest Cafe is mentioned at the end in both versions, but the original showed only concept art (since it wasn't open yet at the time of the application's release), while the Second Edition used a photo. It was officially rethemed and renamed to The Marketplace at Disney Springs on September 29, 2015.
Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex 	 	 	 	 	 	Has a search entry in the original 1996 release (under "Sports Complex"), which redirects to the Coming Attractions topic that mentions it. Its hot spot is a baseball field. It was renamed the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in 2009.
 	 	 	 	 	 	Information about transportation at Walt Disney World. The clickable hot spot for this topic on the main map is a building over the monorail track that's vaguely meant to represent the .
Cast Members 	 	 	 	 	 	Information about the employees who work at the resort. The Backstage video also covers the Utilidors. The clickable hot spot for this topic was a round stage with Mickey Mouse standing on it.
The Perfect Spot 	 	 	 	 	 	Details how Walt Disney found Central Florida to be the best place to build Disney World. The hot spot is a large arrow pointing to an X on the ground ("X marks the spot").
Land Acquisition 	 	 	 	 	 	Details how Disney acquired all the land for the resort. The hot spot is a "Land for Sale" sign next to a turtle and an alligator.
Environmentality 	 	 	 	 	 	Details Disney's environmental conservation efforts at the resort. The hot spot is Jiminy Cricket sitting on a rock; he is the face of Disney's environmental initiatives.
Walt Disney Imagineering 	 	 	 	 	 	The hot spot is Mickey in a blue-robed variant of his The Sorcerer's Apprentice garb planning something as he's surrounded by tools.
Horticulture 	 	 	 	 	 	Details the landscaping at the resort. The hot spot is a topiary artist clipping a topiary shrub of an unknown character, with another one next to them.
Reedy Creek Improvement District 	 	 	 	 	 	Details the governing jurisdiction of the land of the resort. The hot spot is a red sign with a black Mickey Mouse head on it that says "Reedy Creek", surrounded by lily pads (one with a frog on it) and in the lower end of what appears to be Village Lake (today promoted by Disney as "Lake Buena Vista"). In the Second Edition, the hot spot was moved several pixels to the left to make room to fit Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, with more cattails and lily pads added to keep the swampy feel. The RCID became the on February 27, 2023, due to a law signed by Florida governor .
Coming Attractions 	 	 	 	 	 	Details what would then be added to the resort (and elsewhere) in the following two years after the application's release. This slideshow shows concept art and scale models of Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Disney Cruise Line, Disney's Animal Kingdom, and what was then called the Walt Disney World International Sports Complex. Search entries for these topics in the original version redirected to this particular topic. The hot spot was a construction site surrounding a purple structure. The Second Edition removed this topic as all that was covered had since opened and (with the exception of the Disney Cruise Line) been given their own topics in that version. The construction site was removed from the map and replaced with green space and palm trees.
===Magic Kingdom===
====Main Street, U.S.A.====
None of the topics have a third option, so that column is removed here.
Topic 	Versions	Versions	Backstage & Trivia	Still exists?	Notes
Topic 	1.0 	2.0 	Backstage & Trivia	Still exists?	Notes
Walt Disney World Railroad 	 	 	 	 	
Main Street Shop Windows 	 	 	 	 	Details the names on the shop windows found around Main Street.
Main Street Cinema 	 	 	 	 	Today, the cinema only exists as a gift shop.
Main Street Vehicles 	 	 	 	 	
The Walt Disney Story Theater	 	 	 	 	The Second Edition removed the theater as a topic, with the building rendered unclickable. Despite its name, it was not showing The Walt Disney Story at the time of the 1996 application's release. The building itself still stands today as the Town Square Theater.
Entertainment 	 	 	 	 	Details the entertainment on Main Street, U.S.A. at the time. Shown and mentioned in order were:
*SpectroMagic (ended in 1999, resumed in 2001, then ended again permanently in 2010)
*Mickey Mania Parade (original version only; ended in 1996)
*Disney's Magical Moments Parade (Second Edition only; ended in 2001)
*Fantasy in the Sky (ended in 2003)
*The Dapper Dans (been around since opening day)
For some reason, the Second Edition narration's background music changed from the SpectroMagic music to the Epcot entrance music.
Restaurants and Shops 	 	 	 	 	Details the food and merchandise services on Main Street, U.S.A., mentioning how its goods and services are presented in a turn-of-the-century ambiance. The storefront businesses are stated to include a bakery, an ice cream parlor, a working barber shop, and a general store. The restaurants are stated to also be appropriately themed and serve traditional American food. A photo of the Crystal Palace is shown at the end of the slideshow.
====Adventureland====
Topic 	Versions	Versions	Backstage & Trivia	Third option	Still exists?	Notes
Topic 	1.0 	2.0 	Backstage & Trivia	Third option	Still exists?	Notes
Jungle Cruise 	 	 	 	 	 	
Swiss Family Treehouse 	 	 	 	 	 	
Pirates of the Caribbean	 	 	 	 	 	
Tropical Serenade 	 	 	 	 	 	Closed on September 1, 1997 to make way for The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management), which is mentioned below. The show returned in 2011 under the attraction's classic name.
The Enchanted Tiki Room 	 	 	 	 	 	Covers the updated version, Under New Management. It ran from May 1, 1998 until January 12, 2011, when a fire damaged it.
Entertainment 	 	 	 	 	 	Details the entertainment at Adventureland at the time, J.P. and the Silver Stars who performed on the Caribbean Plaza stage. The slideshow featured only one photo of them. They stopped performing in late 2002.
Restaurants and Shops 	 	 	 	 	 	Details the food and merchandise services at Adventureland, mentioning pirate toys, African imports, and tropical island clothing sold at the themed shops, and the land's counter-service restaurants serving hot dogs, Mexican food, citrus specialty drinks, and snacks. Adventureland Veranda and the tables outside Sunshine Tree Terrace (at its previous location where Aloha Isle Refreshments stands today) were shown in the slideshow.
====Frontierland/Liberty Square====
All topics appear in both versions, so the "Versions" columns will not be used here.
Topic 	Backstage & Trivia	Third option	Still exists?	Notes
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 	 	 	 	
Splash Mountain 	 	 	 	
Country Bear Jamboree 	 	 	 	It was updated to become the Country Bear Musical Jamboree in 2024.
Tom Sawyer Island 	 	 	 	
Frontierland Shootin' Arcade 	 	 	 	Closed on June 23, 2024 to be replaced by a Disney Vacation Club lounge.
The Diamond Horseshoe Saloon Revue	 	 	 	Frontierland and Liberty Square are the only themed lands in the application to not have a dedicated entertainment topic, so presumably this is the closest thing to one for both.
Liberty Square Riverboat 	 	 	 	Despite its rename in 1996, the Liberty Belle was still called the Richard F. Irvine in the Second Edition.
Liberty Tree 	 	 	 	Details the Liberty Tree standing at Liberty Square. The original in Boston was a symbol of America's defiance before the . It was used a rallying point for American colonists' growing resistance against British rule over the American colonies.
The Hall of Presidents 	 	 	 	The sitting president at the time of both releases was Bill Clinton, who was at the time the only president to record his own voice for the attraction.
The Haunted Mansion 	 	 	 	
Restaurants and Shops 	 	 	 	Details the food and merchandise services at Frontierland and Liberty Square. Food are of colonial cookery and traditional American fare, while presidential and memorabilia, leather goods, gourmet foods, and unique country crafts were said to be among the items available.
====Fantasyland/Mickey's Toontown Fair====
Topic 	Versions	Versions	Backstage & Trivia	Third option	Still exists?	Notes
Topic 	1.0 	2.0 	Backstage & Trivia	Third option	Still exists?	Notes
Cinderella Castle 	 	 	 	 	 	
Cinderella's Golden Carrousel 	 	 	 	 	 	The name was changed to Prince Charming Regal Carrousel on June 1, 2010.
Peter Pan's Flight 	 	 	 	 	 	
It's a Small Worldpresented by Mattel 	 	 	 	 	 	The word "a" is capitalized in the application for some reason. Mattel ended their sponsorship of the attraction in 1998, transferring over to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin that year. They ended all attraction sponsorships in 1999.
Skyway to Tomorrowland 	 	 	 	 	 	Originally titled "Skyway to New Tomorrowland" in the original version. However, the narration called it the "Skyway to Tomorrowland" in both versions, which negated the need for a re-record for the Second Edition. It closed on November 10, 1999, and the former Fantasyland station was torn down in 2011.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant 	 	 	 	 	 	Closed on January 8, 2012 and was moved to the current Storybook Circus where Mickey's Toontown Fair once stood, with a duplicate Dumbo ride going in the opposite direction and a whole new interactive queue area built. It had two soft openings on March 12 and June 22 before officially reopening on December 6.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 	 	 	 	 	 	This was the only topic in the application that covered an attraction that was already closed before 1996. It last operated on September 5, 1994 and never reopened. As a result, the narration referred to it in the past tense, with Corey Burton starting the opening slideshow with, "Although currently not in operation...".
Mad Tea Party 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Legend of the Lion Kingpresented by Kodak	 	 	 	 	 	Closed on February 23, 2002 and was replaced by Mickey's PhilharMagic.
Snow White's Scary Adventures 	 	 	 	 	 	Closed on May 31, 2012 and was replaced by Princess Fairytale Hall. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train now serves as the park's Snow White attraction.
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride 	 	 	 	 	 	Closed on September 7, 1998 (despite protests) and was replaced by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
Mickey's Toontown Fair 	 	 	 	 	 	Covered the entire land. The original version only had concept art and just the initial slideshow as it wasn't open yet. The Second Edition changed the dialogue and used new photos for the slideshows. It closed in 2011 and was replaced by Fantasyland's Storybook Circus.
Mickey & Minnie's Country Houses 	 	 	 	 	 	Showed a two-image slideshow of concept art of Mickey and Minnie's houses. They were removed as a standalone topic in the Second Edition with their houses rendered unclickable, but the narration (re-recorded by Corey Burton) was kept as the Backstage slideshow for Mickey's Toontown Fair, with new photos of them.
Entertainment 	 	 	 	 	 	Details the entertainment at Fantasyland at the time, the Disney Mania stage show in front of Cinderella Castle and The Sword in the Stone show in front of the Carrousel. The Second Edition only mentions the latter, since the former ended in 1996.
Restaurants and Shops 	 	 	 	 	 	Details the food and merchandise services at Fantasyland, including fantasy-themed gifts at the shops like stuffed animals and suits of armor, and restaurants themed after Disney Animated Canon films such as Pinocchio, Cinderella, and Alice in Wonderland.
====New Tomorrowland/Tomorrowland====
Tomorrowland was called "New Tomorrowland" in the original version. Dialogue mentioning "New Tomorrowland" still exists in much of the Second Edition. None of the topics have a third option, so that column is dropped here.
Topic 	Versions	Versions	Backstage & Trivia	Still exists?	Notes
Topic 	1.0 	2.0 	Backstage & Trivia	Still exists?	Notes
The Timekeeper 	 	 	 	 	Closed on February 26, 2006 and was replaced by Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor.
The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter 	 	 	 	 	Closed on October 12, 2003 and was replaced by Stitch's Great Escape!, which operated from 2004 to 2018. The space is currently unused for any attraction.
Take Flight 	 	 	 	 	Closed on January 5, 1998 and was replaced by Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (see below).
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin 	 	 	 	 	The attraction was not open yet when the Second Edition was released, opening later in 1998. The slideshow only showed concept art. The hot spot on the Tomorrowland map reuses Take Flight's cloud and replaces the plane with a static Buzz Lightyear blasting off with his wing lights flashing.
Astro Orbitor 	 	 	 	 	Its predecessor, Star Jets, is mentioned in the trivia slideshow with a single photo.
Tomorrowland Transit Authority 	 	 	 	 	It was originally called the New Tomorrowland Transit Authority in the original version. It was renamed the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover on August 5, 2010.
Carousel of Progress 	 	 	 	 	
Skyway to Fantasyland 	 	 	 	 	Closed on November 10, 1999, and the former Tomorrowland station was partially demolished in 2009, with the lower level still intact for restrooms.
Space Mountainpresented by 	 	 	 	 	FedEx ended their sponsorship of the attraction in 2004.
Grand Prix Racewaypresented by Goodyear	 	 	 	 	The attraction was actually renamed Tomorrowland Indy Speedway in 1994, but it was referred to by its first name in the application. Goodyear no longer sponsors it. It was renamed Tomorrowland Speedway in 2008.
Entertainment 	 	 	 	 	Details the entertainment at Tomorrowland at the time, including the Galaxy Search stage show at the Galaxy Palace Theater and the video arcade formerly located next to Space Mountain.
Restaurants and Shops 	 	 	 	 	Details the food and merchandise services at Tomorrowland, which include counter-service restaurants and shops filled with clothes, character gifts, and sun care products. Notably, the final image in the slideshow features Alien Encounter merchandise, including T-shirts, bags, and Skippy plush toys.
===Epcot===
====Future World====
All topics appear in both versions, so the "Versions" columns will not be used here.
Future World itself ceased to exist in 2021, as it was divided into three smaller sections: World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature.
Topic 	Backstage & Trivia	Third option	Still exists?	Notes
Spaceship Earthpresented by AT&T 	 	 	 	AT&T ended their sponsorship of the attraction in 2004. The scene featured in the final photo of the opening slideshow is no longer part of it. Global Neighborhood is also mentioned in the opening narration; it too no longer exists.
Innoventions 	 	 	 	The name was rendered in all caps in the original version. The Second Edition changes a couple images in the opening slideshow. After being downscaled in scope over time, it permanently closed on September 7, 2019. Innoventions West was completely demolished as part of Epcot's transformation; the building that formerly housed Innoventions East now has the Creations Shop and the new version of Club Cool.
Universe of Energypresented by 	 	 	 	This topic discussed the show that was operating in the pavilion at the time, Ellen's Energy Adventure. It was referred to by its initial name, Ellen's Energy Crisis, in the original version. Exxon became ExxonMobil in 1999, had the attraction's sponsorship updated in 2003, and ended sponsorship in 2004. The attraction and the pavilion closed on August 13, 2017. It was replaced by Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which opened on May 27, 2022.
Wonders of Lifepresented by 	 	 	 	Covers the pavilion in general. The hot spot is actually the "Wonders of Life" sign, not the pavilion itself. The film, The Making of Me, is mentioned here. MetLife ended their sponsorship of it (and the immediate two attractions mentioned below) in 2001. It entered seasonal operation in January 2004, then closed all attractions on January 1, 2007. It still stands today as a festival center for special events.
Body Warspresented by MetLife 	 	 	 	The hot spot is the DNA statue that was outside the pavilion. The attraction closed along with the rest of the pavilion on January 1, 2007.
Cranium Commandpresented by MetLife 	 	 	 	The hot spot is below the animated sprite of Buzzy atop the pavilion (in other words, the hot spot is the building proper). Corey Burton refers to himself as the voice of General Knowledge in the Trivia narration. The attraction closed along with the rest of the pavilion on January 1, 2007.
Horizons 	 	 	 	Closed on January 9, 1999. The building was torn down and a new attraction, Mission: SPACE, was built in its place.
Test Trackpresented by General Motors 	 	 	 	It was not open when either version of the application was released. Thus, the slideshows only feature concept art and a computer simulation video. In the original version, it was said to be scheduled to open in 1997. When that didn't happen, the Second Edition updated the narration to say that it was scheduled to open in 1998. It actually opened on March 17, 1999 (although it did soft open on December 19, 1998). The original GM-sponsored version ended operation on April 15, 2012, and it was refurbished as "Test Track presented by Chevrolet" (reducing GM's sponsorship to just the Chevrolet brand), which opened on December 6, 2012 (soft opening just three days earlier). It closed again in 2024 for another retheme.
Journey Into Imaginationpresented by Kodak 	 	 	 	The hot spot is the Imagination! (as it's known today) pavilion itself. It closed on October 10, 1998 and was replaced by Journey Into Your Imagination in 1999. Today, it is currently Journey Into Imagination With Figment. Kodak ended its sponsorship of it in 2010.
The Image Workspresented by Kodak 	 	 	 	The hot spot is an animated sprite of Figment. The original version closed in 1998. A new version known as The "What If?" Labs opened downstairs from it in 1999.
Honey, I Shrunk the Audiencepresented by Kodak	 	 	 	The hot spot is Szalinzki's Shrinking Machine. It closed on January 4, 2010 and was replaced by Captain EO (as Captain EO Tribute), which it formerly replaced. Currently, the Magic Eye Theater where it was shown shows the "Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival".
Living with the Landpresented by Nestlé USA 	 	 	 	The hot spot is a plant growing above The Land pavilion. Oddly, the title display field in the slideshow capitalizes the "w". On February 13, 2009, Nestlé discontinued their sponsorship of the pavilion.
Circle of Lifepresented by Nestlé USA 	 	 	 	The hot spot is an animated sprite of Simba. The slideshow mentions Symbiosis, which it replaced (it reused some of its footage). It closure is currently the most recent to have happened among all of the attractions featured in the application, having closed on February 3, 2018.
Food Rockspresented by Nestlé USA 	 	 	 	The hot spot is an animated sprite of Richard, the dancing pineapple. The Backstage slideshow and narration talks about the show it replaced, Kitchen Kabaret, mentioning Bonnie Appetite and the song "Veggie, Veggie, Fruit, Fruit". It closed on January 3, 2004 and was replaced by Soarin'.
The Living Seaspresented by 	 	 	 	United Technologies ended their sponsorship of the pavilion in 1998. The original version closed on August 21, 2005. It reopened as The Seas with Nemo & Friends on January 24, 2007.
Entertainment 	 	 	 	Details the entertainment at Future World, although the only live entertainment that is shown (with one photo) and mentioned are the JAMMitors, who still perform at Epcot to this day.
Restaurants and Shops 	 	 	 	Details the food and merchandise services at Future World. The shops are mentioned to include character merchandise, sports, fitness, science, Disney animation art, and other collectables. The restaurants are mentioned to offer healthy meal choices that feature fruits and vegetables grown in The Land pavilion. The last photo in the slideshow features The Land's food court at the time, The Sunshine Season Food Fair. Today, it is known as Sunshine Seasons.
====World Showcase====
Since almost all the topics for this land are the pavilions, which are very unlikely to close anytime soon, and that everything here is covered in both versions, the "Still exists?" and "Versions" columns will not be used for this table (although IllumiNations was later replaced by IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth). Instead, the notes will cover any attractions discussed at the pavilions as well as major changes since both versions of the application were released.
Topic 	Backstage & Trivia	Third option	Notes
Mexico 	 	 	El Rio del Tiempo was mentioned here. It closed on January 2, 2007 and has since been converted to Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.
Norway 	 	 	Out of all the World Showcase pavilions, Norway has changed the most since the application's release, primarily thanks to the popularity of Frozen. Maelstrom closed on October 5, 2014 and was replaced by Frozen Ever After on June 21, 2016. The old full-scale Viking ship that was used as a children's play area was removed in December 2008. The area where it was was fully redeveloped to add gift shops and a meet and greet area for Frozen characters.
China 	 	 	Wonders of China was mentioned here. It closed on March 25, 2003 and was replaced by a new film, Reflections of China, on May 22 the same year.
Germany 	 	 	
Italy 	 	 	
The American Adventurepresented by ®and Coca-Cola	 	 	
Japan 	 	 	
Morocco 	 	 	
France 	 	 	Impressions de France is mentioned here. Also, even though it does not have a topic (or is even shown on the application's map), the International Gateway is briefly mentioned in the More Stuff slideshow's narration.
United Kingdom 	 	 	The Rose and Crown Pub and Dining Room is mentioned here in the Trivia and More Stuff narrations.
Canada 	 	 	O Canada! is mentioned in the Backstage slideshow's narration. It was updated in 2007 with a new film hosted by Canadian actor Martin Short. Coincidentally, it features Corey Burton as the original narrator. (He is the narrator for the Canada Pavilion's slideshows.)
IllumiNationspresented by General Electric 	 	 	The hot spot is the island to the southwest in World Showcase Lagoon (in the upper-right of the water). As aforementioned, it was replaced by IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth in 1999. GE ended their sponsorship of it in 2003. Reflections of Earth was then replaced by Epcot Forever in 2019, which itself was replaced by HarmonioUS in 2021, then returned temporarily in 2023 until it was relaced again later that year by Luminous: The Symphony of Us.
Entertainment 	 	 	Details the entertainment in World Showcase at the time, featuring performers native to their host countries such as:
*Festival Marrakesh in Morocco
*Stilt birds from Japan (the slideshow shows the birds "drinking" from the France Pavilion's fountains)
*Le Clown in France (the clown is actually an American)
*The Caledonia Bagpipes in the United Kingdom
Restaurants and Shops 	 	 	Details the food and merchandise services in World Showcase, featuring its international variety of authentic native cuisine and merchandise from the eleven representative nations.
===Disney Studios Florida (Disney-MGM Studios)===
The park was actually known as Disney-MGM Studios at time of the application's two releases. However, Disney was contractually prohibited from using the MGM branding within the application and in other promotional materials, so the park was referred to as "Disney Studios Florida" in the application. All topics appear in both versions, so the "Versions" columns will not be used here.
Topic 	Backstage & Trivia	Third option	Still exists?	Notes
The Great Movie Ridepresented by Coca-Cola 	 	 	 	The 360° panorama focused on the surrounding area in front of the Chinese Theatre at the time. Coca-Cola ended their sponsorship it in 1998. It closed as the last operating attraction from opening day on August 13, 2017. It was replaced by Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway in 2020.
SuperStar Televisionpresented by Sony 	 	 	 	Closed on September 26, 1998 and was replaced by Doug Live!, which ran from March 15, 1999 to May 12, 2001. Get Happy...With ABC! briefly ran there from July 1 to October 5, 2002. The theater was then mostly vacant until 2009 when The American Idol Experience opened in it, running until 2014. Today, it is known as the Hyperion Theater, which currently shows For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration.
ABC Sound Studio 	 	 	 	The original version referred to the The Monster Sound Show (presented by Sony). The Second Edition actually referred to the Disney's One Saturday Morning Sound Show that was running at the time of its release, which mentions 101 Dalmatians: The Series (referred to as 101 Dalmatians: The Animated Series in narration). It ran from July 1, 1997 to February 20, 1999. It was replaced by the Drew Carey audio show Sounds Dangerous!, which ran from 1999 to 2012. The theater resumed its former name afterwards and is now primarily used for previews of upcoming Walt Disney Pictures films.
Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular 	 	 	 	Disney did not own the Indiana Jones franchise at the time of the application's release, hence the trademark symbol.
Star Tourspresented by Energizer 	 	 	 	Energizer ended their sponsorship of the attraction in 2006. It on September 7, 2010 and was replaced by its successor, Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, which opened on May 20, 2011. Disney purchased Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise in 2012.
Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3D 4Dpresented by Kodak	 	 	 	Disney did not own the The Muppets franchise and characters at the time of the application's release. On the title popup display in its in-game map of the park, a red slanted strikethrough appears over the word "3D".
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure 	 	 	 	Closed on April 2, 2016 to make way for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.
Backstage Pass 	 	 	 	The original version referred to it by the name it was known as at the time, Inside the Magic - Special Effects & Production Tour. The Second Edition updated the narration of the opening slideshow, and new photos were used for both the opening and Backstage slideshows.
Voyage of The Little Mermaid 	 	 	 	It closed on March 15, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be replaced by an updated version of the show, The Little Mermaid - A Musical Adventure, in 2024.
Earful Tower 	 	 	 	The faux water tower that served as the park's icon until The Sorcerer's Hat was constructed. The two photos in the slideshow were doctored to remove the MGM branding. It was removed on April 29, 2016 to facilitate the construction of Toy Story Land.
Studio Backlot Tour 	 	 	 	The original version referred to it as the Backstage Studio Tour. The hot spot is a little hard to find; it's the facade of the building where The Magic of Disney Animation is found, to the left of the statue for the animation tour. The Second Edition added new photos relating to portions added since and new narration, which Hettie Lynne Hurtes had to speak quicker to fit in since nearly all of the original script for the previous tour was kept. The 360° panorama focused on the Streets of America as it appeared at the time, which has since been demolished. It closed on September 27, 2014.
The Magic of Disney Animation 	 	 	 	The tour closed on July 12, 2015 and was replaced by Star Wars Launch Bay, which itself closed in 2020.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ 	 	 	 	
Entertainment 	 	 	 	Details the entertainment in the park at the time, including two stage shows (with a photo of Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage—which still exists today—shown), a parade (a photo of Toy Story – The Parade was shown), and Sorcery in the Sky. The Second Edition replaced a photo of Sorcery in the Sky and added a photo and mention of Fantasmic!, which opened on October 15, 1998.
Restaurants and Shops 	 	 	 	Details the food and merchandise services at the park. The shops are stated to include movie memorabilia, character merchandise, and collectable Disneyana. The restaurants are stated to serve hearty and light fare in Hollywood-inspired settings (with photos of the Hollywood Brown Derby and the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant shown).
==Interactivities==
The application contains a few minigames and side activities for users to enjoy.
*Monster Sound Foley Activity – This interactivity can be found under The Monster Sound Show in the original version or the ABC Sound Studio in the Second Edition, using a hanging as its icon in the slideshow. This activity allows users to set sound effects made from various props on the virtual stage to clips of four classic Disney films: Steamboat Willie, Robin Hood, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and The Shaggy Dog.
*Oceans of the World – This interactivity can be found under The Living Seas, using a fish and kelp as its icon in the slideshow. This educational virtual aquarium activity shows how undersea life, which include fish, sharks, and kelp, are affected by the destructive behavior of humans. Users can see how oil spills, sewage spills, and over-fishing have a negative effect on the ocean environment.
*Walt Disney World Quiz Challenge – This interactivity can be found on the main map, represented as a kiosk situated between the Walt Disney World Railroad tracks, the monorail tracks, and the Walt Disney World Speedway. This one or two player quiz minigame tests players' trivia knowledge of the Walt Disney World Resort. All the questions (and their correct answers) are based on what was revealed in the Trivia slideshows found throughout the application. Charles Fleischer voices the quiz host heard in the minigame.
*Walt Disney World Timeline – This interactivity can be found on the main map, represented with a colorful, Mickey Mouse head-shaped satellite that says, "CLICK HERE". This activity shows users the resort as it grew through the years, from 1971 to 1996 (1998 in the Second Edition). Users can drag a monorail car along a spur to watch the resort grow. Placing the monorail on any year on the timeline will have Corey Burton narrate what happened at the resort during that year.
*Tours of the World – This interactivity can be found on the main map, represented by a yellow blimp flying from right-to-left. Leslie Ryan, appearing in full motion video on the activity hub, narrates guided tours of the resort based on the following themes:
**Most Romantic Attractions
**Most Popular Attractions
**Scariest Attractions
**Best Attractions for Kids Under 44 Inches
**Recreation and Sports
**Behind the Scenes
**Best Kept Secrets
**Interactivities
*Hidden Mickey Search – Found throughout the application's photographs are various Hidden Mickeys that users are encouraged to discover. There are twenty-five Hidden Mickeys to find (although only twenty-four of them are clickable in the original version; see the Trivia and Goofs section below). Tinker Bell's wand will sparkle with pixie dust when it's hovering over a Hidden Mickey. When the user clicks on one, it will be highlighted and marked on a counter on the bottom-right corner of the screen when in slideshow view. If the user finds ten Hidden Mickeys, a special video clip will play, and the counter will be reset with all the Hidden Mickeys unmarked. Users can also reset the counter if they want to start all over. The Hidden Mickeys in the application are always found in the last images of the topics' main slideshows.
Hidden Mickeys
Topic 	Map 	Notes
Pirates of the Carribbean 	Adventureland 	
Jungle Cruise 	Adventureland 	
Tropical Serenade 	Adventureland 	Original version only
Swiss Family Treehouse 	Adventureland 	
Backstage Studio Tour/Disney Studios Backlot Tour	Disney Studios Florida 	
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ 	Disney Studios Florida 	
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 	Frontierland / Liberty Square 	
The Haunted Mansion 	Frontierland / Liberty Square 	
The Hall of Presidents 	Frontierland / Liberty Square 	
Country Bear Jamboree 	Frontierland / Liberty Square 	
Tom Sawyer Island 	Frontierland / Liberty Square 	
It's A Small World 	Fantasyland / Mickey's Toontown Fair	
Legend of the Lion King 	Fantasyland / Mickey's Toontown Fair	
Snow White's Adventures 	Fantasyland / Mickey's Toontown Fair	
Living with the Land 	Future World 	
Horizons 	Future World 	
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin 	Tomorrowland 	Second Edition only
Grand Prix Raceway 	Tomorrowland 	
Canada 	World Showcase 	
IllumiNations 	World Showcase 	
Disney's Animal Kingdom 	Walt Disney World 	Second Edition only
Blizzard Beach 	Walt Disney World 	
Coming Attractions 	Walt Disney World 	Original version only, but not clickable; see Trivia/Goofs section
Discovery Island 	Walt Disney World 	
Horticulture 	Walt Disney World 	
The Perfect Spot 	Walt Disney World 	
The Walt Disney World Speedway 	Walt Disney World 	Original version only
==Gallery==
Nddsn9.jpg|Box art for the original 1996 version
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Second Edition box art.jpeg|Box art for the Second Edition
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Second Edition box art back.jpg|Back of the Second Edition box
The Walt Disney World Explorer title card.png|The Walt Disney World Explorer title card
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Second Editon title card.png|The Walt Disney World Explorer – Second Edition title card
The Walt Disney World Explorer map.png|The overworld map of the Walt Disney World Resort as seen in the original 1996 version
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Second Edition map.png|The overworld map of the Walt Disney World Resort as seen in the Second Edition
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Main Street U.S.A..png|Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom as it appears in both versions
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Adventureland.png|Adventureland as it appears in both versions
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Frontierland and Liberty Square.png|Frontierland and Liberty Square as they appear in both versions
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Fantasyland and Mickey's Toontown Fair.png|Fantasyland and Mickey's Toontown Fair as they appear in both versions
The Walt Disney World Explorer (1996) - New Tomorrowland.png|Tomorrowland as it appears in the original 1996 version when it was called "New Tomorrowland" (note Take Flight on the lower-left)
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Second Edition (1998) - Tomorrowland.png|Tomorrowland as it appears in the Second Edition (note Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin on the lower-left)
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Future World.png|Future World in Epcot as it appears in both versions
The Walt Disney World Explorer - World Showcase.png|World Showcase as it appears in both versions
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Disney Studios Florida.png|Disney-MGM Studios (under the name of "Disney Studios Florida") as it appears in both versions
The Walt Disney World Explorer - WDW slideshow background.png|Slideshow background for general Walt Disney World topics
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Magic Kingdom slideshow background.png|Slideshow background for Magic Kingdom topics
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Epcot slideshow background.png|Slideshow background for Epcot topics
The Walt Disney World Explorer - Disney Studios Florida slideshow background.png|Slideshow background for Disney Studios Florida topics
Walt Disney World Quiz Challenge.png|Walt Disney World Quiz Challenge minigame
Wdwexplorerbuzzy.png
==Trivia/Goofs==
*In the slideshow for "Coming Attractions" (found only in the original version), one the images in the slideshow contains a Hidden Mickey. However, the Hidden Mickey on the image in question (a photo of an Imagineer working on a scale model of Disney's Animal Kingdom) was not clickable like the others. This is because the image was second-to-last in the slideshow; Hidden Mickeys are supposed to be on the last image of the main slideshows (if one appears), since clicking during a slideshow will cut the slideshow (and its narration) short and skip to the last image (which in this particular case, was a photo of a scale model of what would become Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex).
*The title display fields for a number of slideshows use the wrong background in both versions (more often in the Second Edition). For example, Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground's title field uses the Disney Studios background instead of the correct WDW background (in both versions), while in a reversal of the above, the title field for ABC Sound Studio in the Second Edition uses the WDW background instead of the correct Disney Studios Florida background. (This mistake does not appear for its predecessor The Monster Sound Show in the original version.)
*In the original version, the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea topic accidentally had the last two photos out of order, with a photo of the ride's moray eels coming after a photo of the famous giant squid, causing a mismatch with the narration as the giant squid was mentioned last. This minor error was corrected in the Second Edition.
*The title field for Skyway to Tomorrowland's slideshow in the Second Edition maintained the previous name "Skyway to New Tomorrowland" from the original version, although the Fantasyland map's pop-up display for the attraction properly removed the word "New" from the title.
*The opening narration for Mad Tea Party cuts abruptly when Corey Burton finishes his mention of the attraction's canopy roof. This is due to a bad cut in the narration's file (FMPX0010.WAV).
*The last couple seconds of the Backstage narration for Innoventions may repeat at the end of its audio clip. This could be due to a programming bug, since the narration's file (UINX0020.WAV) doesn't repeat the last couple seconds when played using a media player application.
*The coloration of the lettering that said "Reedy Creek" on the RCID hot spot's sign changed between the two versions; it was yellow in the original version and green in the Second Edition.
*For some reason, the correct spelling for "BoardWalk" (in referring to Disney's BoardWalk Inn and Villas) was dropped in the Second Edition.
*Most of the new and updated topics in the Second Edition increased the (also known as tracking to typographers) in the title display fields in the slideshows and the display pop-ups on the maps.
*The font most commonly used throughout the application is .
*The Second Edition adds a disclaimer telling users that "because of continual improvements", the information in the application "may not be current". This was probably a subtle way for Disney to tell the application's user not to ever expect a third edition.
==External links==
*
*The Walt Disney World Explorer on PCGamingWiki, which provides technical information about the application and details on how to run the program on modern computers
Category:Articles with Wikipedia content
Category:1996 video games
Category:Computer games
Category:Walt Disney World Resort
Category:1998 video games
Category:PC games
Category:Non-fiction works