It’s been fifty years since the grand opening of Walt Disney World, and the Florida park has changed tremendously since then. 

The park was initially founded in 1965 by Walt Disney himself, and his brother Roy O. Disney, in Bay Lake, Florida. 

The Disney brothers had many plans in preparation to create an enjoyable place where people could make memorable experiences. They had plans to create parks such as EPCOT long before opening the place.

During the process of creating ideas for the park, Walt Disney passed away due to lung cancer on Dec. 15, 1966.

This didn’t stop the project from forming, actually motivating the team to make the park better than imagined. 

The park was then called “Walt Disney World” rather than just “Disney World.” Roy O. Disney made the change to show that it was his brother’s dream to build the exciting new place. 

Though Walt Disney wasn’t there to experience the park when it opened, the park was still alive for people to visit. 

The grand opening of Walt Disney World took place when the first park opened, which was Magic Kingdom on Oct. 1, 1971. The park holds the iconic Cinderella castle that everyone knows and loves. 

Since then, the park expanded and added various attractions. 

Eleven years later came EPCOT in 1982, Disney’s Hollywood studios in 1989, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1998, all of which have been enhanced throughout the years.

Though the parks are typically filled with joy, due to traumatic and life changing events, the park has closed a total of eight times. 

Some of the main events that closed the park were due to the six hurricanes that occurred in Florida. Another reason it closed was because of the tragic event of 9/11 which caused a setback for quite some time. Lastly, COVID-19 has created an extreme setback as well. 

Though the park has closed several times, this hasn’t changed its overall success and magical environment and it has become a place where people can come together to have fun.

Disney’s idea was to create a place where people could enjoy themselves, and fifty years later it’s still putting smiles on peoples’ faces, and is a place where people make some of their most memorable and fond memories. 

“You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it takes people to make the dream a reality,” Disney said.