Walt Disney World Resort

The **Walt Disney World Resort**, commonly referred to as simply **Walt Disney World** or **Disney World**, is a Disney theme park resort located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, comprised of four theme parks, two water parks, twenty-three hotels, and many more recreational venues. The resort opened on October 1, 1971, with the Magic Kingdom theme park, and two hotels: Disney's Contemporary Resort and Disney's Polynesian Resort.

As in other Disney Parks, visitors to Walt Disney World are referred to as Guests and employees called Cast Members.

Three other theme parks were added over the years: EPCOT Center opened in 1982, Disney-MGM Studios in 1989, and Disney's Animal Kingdom in 1998, and two water parks: Typhoon Lagoon in 1989, and Blizzard Beach in 1995.

In March 2020, Disney announced the temporary closure of both Disney World and Disneyland due to the coronavirus pandemic. Disney parks around the world, such as Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Resort, and Shanghai Disneyland, have also closed due to the threat of the coronavirus to both guests and Cast Members.

Walt Disney World reopened on July 11 with the Magic Kingdom and Disney's Animal Kingdom reopening the same day. EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios reopened 4 days later on July 15. However, with the lingering threat of the COVID-19 virus, safety precautions have been put in place to protect guests and Cast Members from contracting or spreading the virus.

## Concept

Walt Disney's concept for Disney World was of a larger, more expansive version of Disneyland so that it could constantly expand and not be as constrained by the need for land that Disneyland suffered from. Walt Disney World also was to be a sort of "Disneyland of the future" where breakthroughs in science and technology could coexist with the original Disney vision of themed entertainment. The resort's original park, the Magic Kingdom, is the most-visited theme park in the world.

Walt Disney also envisioned this project as incorporating a working community where his ideas about urban planning could be tested. He called this concept the "Experimental Prototype Community (or City) of Tomorrow," or EPCOT. The theme park that eventually opened under the EPCOT name bore little resemblance to this vision, though the neighboring planned community of Celebration, which was founded by the Walt Disney Company, incorporates a few of the ideas.

Although he participated in much of the planning for the project, Walt Disney himself died on December 15, 1966 and never got to see the realization of his vision. The resort was originally to be named "Disney World," but before its opening Walt's brother, Roy renamed it to "Walt Disney World" in his honor, and to remind everyone that it was Walt's dream.

The land within Walt Disney World is part of the Reedy Creek Improvement District which allows the Disney Corporation to exercise quasi-governmental powers over the area.

## Unbuilt Parks

EPCOT Future World Theme Center

Walt Disney World Showcase

## runDisney

Walt Disney World marathon

Princess Half-Marathon

Star Wars half Marathon - The Dark Side

Walt Disney World Inline

Florida Half-Ironman Triathlon and Family Festival

Tri-America Series Finale

Danskin Women's Triathalon Series

Minnie Marathon Weekend

Walt Disney World Triatholon

Wine & Dine Half Marathon

## Celebrations

Walt Disney World Resort 25th Anniversary

100 Years of Magic

The Happiest Celebration on Earth

Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary Celebration

## Transportation

### **Disney Transport**

Walt Disney World Resort Monorail System

Transportation and Ticket Center

Disney Skyliner

Marketplace Express (upcoming)

Bus

Boats

Ferries

Friendship One

Parking Lots

Minnie Van

Magic Express

Walt Disney World Airport

## Bodies of Water

Seven Seas Lagoon

Bay Lake

Lago Dorado

Lake Buena Vista

Hourglass Lake

Crescent Lake

## Other

Disney Fairy Tale Weddings and Honeymoons

Fastpass

Casting Center

MyMagic+

Dinign Plan

Randy Creek Improvement District

PhotoPass

Team Disney Orlando

Disney Boneyard

1. ↑ Rebecca Rubin and Elaine Low (March 12, 2020). Disney, Universal Studios Close All Theme Parks Amid Coronavirus Pandemic. Variety. Retrieved on March 12, 2020.