The Magic Begins
There is a place where amazing things happen just to put a smile on the face of a child...
Where skies sparkle in moments of wonder that get to live forever as your memories...
A place where brothers and sisters actually get along, and families get to experience that rare delight of simply being family...
There is a place where magic lives...
Welcome to Walt Disney World.
As all Disney park fans know, these words opened the 2002 Walt Disney World Vacation Planning video, and never before have words so perfectly described the feeling of being at Walt Disney World. If you ever had a dream, and had that dream come true, then you already know about the magic Walt Disney World provides its guests. It is a magic that dates as far back as the founding of the Walt Disney Studios. Walter Elias Disney was many things: an animator, an entertainer, a family man, a pioneer in movies, television and in the modern-day theme park. But above all else, Walt was the very definition of inspiration. Time after time, this man has inspired people to follow their dreams and shoot for the stars, no matter what the circumstances. To this day, thousands of people continue to be inspired by the legacy of Walt, particularly the legacy he left that is Disneyland.
Perhaps the most audacious experiment in a career filled with audacious experiments, Walt Disney built this “happy place” in the hopes that it would create a whole new form of family entertainment. “Disneyland really began,” Walt said, “when my two daughters were very young. Saturday was always ‘Daddy’s Day’, and I would take them to the merry-go-round and sit on a bench eating peanuts while they rode. And sitting there, alone, I felt that there should be something built, some kind of a family park where parents and children could have fun together.”
“To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here, age relives fond memories of the past and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts which have created America...with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”
— Walt Disney, July 17, 1955
And on July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened its gates to the world, and welcomed its people into a place like any other amusement park. Disneyland was never meant to be just another “county fair” or traditional amusement park. Instead, guests found themselves immersed into a land of three-dimensional fantasy. It was – and remains – a place where the world of today was left in favor of yesterday and tomorrow, fantasy and adventure.
But, old Uncle Walt was always looking for ways to “plus” his craft. He had heard that only 5% of people east of the Mississippi River (75% of the country’s overall population at the time) came to Disneyland. Plus, he disliked how other businesses were springing up around Disneyland’s sprawling 10,000 acres (only 350 of which were used for the park), and wanted control of a much larger area of land. And so, in 1959, they began to look for land for a second theme park/resort to supplement its Californian brother.
In November of 1963, Walt flew over the sleepy town of Orlando, Florida. Seeing the well-developed network of roads, including the planned Interstate 4 and Florida’s Turnpike, with McCoy Air Force Base (which would later become the Orlando International Airport) to the east, Disney selected a centrally located site near Bay Lake. Although they used fake company names in order to get cheaper prices on the land – 30,500 acres of the stuff – the news soon was made public, and on November 15, 1965, Walt announced that Disney World was being built.
However, thirteen months after the announcement was made, December 15, 1966, Walt passed away from cancer. But his brother, Roy O. Disney, did not want to see his brother’s final dream fade away, so he deliberately postponed his retirement to oversee construction of the resort’s first phase. He even had the resort's name change from Disney World to Walt Disney World. In his own words: “Everyone has heard of Ford cars. But have they all heard of Henry Ford, who started it all? Walt Disney World is in memory of the man who started it all, so people will know his name as long as Walt Disney World is here.”
Although the resort opened on October 1, 1971, the resort’s official dedication would take place twenty-four days afterwards on October 25. On that day, all eyes turned to Town Square as Roy dedicated his brother’s final dream.
“Walt Disney World is a tribute to the philosophy and life of Walter Elias Disney... and to the talents, the dedication, and the loyalty of the entire Disney organization that made Walt Disney’s dream come true. May Walt Disney World bring Joy and Inspiration and New Knowledge to all who come to this happy place ... a Magic Kingdom where the young at heart of all ages can laugh and play and learn — together.”
— Roy O. Disney, October 25, 1971
When Walt Disney World first opened, the resort amenities were mainly set around the Seven Seas Lagoon, a 200-acre lake for real beaches and watersports, as well as the supplemental Bay Lake, which took up about 450 acres. The resort featured two hotels: the Contemporary Resort Hotel and the Polynesian Village Resort, a Monorail system and a Ferryboat system offering swift and efficient service between the various points of the resort, as well as two world-class golf courses: the Palm and the Magnolia. And if that wasn’t enough, the following November brought along the Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, allowing guests the chance to authentically “rough it” out amid the wilds of Walt Disney World.
But far and away, there was one element of Walt Disney World that was considered to be its crown jewel: The Magic Kingdom.
Basically the East Coast equivalent of the original Disneyland, but on a much grander scale, the Magic Kingdom followed in the footsteps of its predecessor and paid strict attention to its two biggest considerations: maintaining the theming of each area and ensuring easy access. For decades, world’s fairs and amusement parks had been confusing “nightmares” of environmental design. Each show or pavilion competed for the visitor’s attention like billboards along a highway. But rather than competing, Disneyland’s five distinct areas would compliment each other and contribute to the overall experience. However, the Magic Kingdom would open not with five areas; but with six…
Main Street, U.S.A.
“Here is America at the turn-of-the-century, looking towards the promise of a future full of promise, discovery and liberty. For those of us who remember the carefree time it recreates, Main Street will bring back happy memories. For younger visitors, it is an adventure in turning back the calendar to the days of grandfather’s youth.”
Adventureland
“Here is adventure. Here is romance. Here is mystery. Tropical rivers - silently flowing into the unknown. Windswept tales of danger on the Seven Seas… Temples containing both treasure and curse... The unbelievable splendor of exotic flowers… The eerie sound of the jungle - with eyes that are always watching… This is Adventureland.”
Frontierland
“Here is the story of our country’s past. The Wild West is reborn in this cinematic portrayal of the American Frontier. The mythos of Pecos Bill and Davy Crockett establish the colorful drama and adventure of the Old West in the exciting days of the covered wagon and the stage coach. Frontierland is a tribute to the faith, courage and ingenuity of the pioneers who blazed the trails across America.”
Liberty Square
“Here is a time in history when a new nation was destined to be born. This is the time of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, the time when colonists made known their intentions to rise up against tyranny, the time when freedom was on everyone’s minds. Liberty Square is based upon the spirit of America and the ideals of ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’”
Fantasyland
“Here is the world of imagination, hopes and dreams. In this timeless land of enchantment the age of chivalry, magic and make-believe are reborn and fairy tales come true. Fantasyland is dedicated to the young and the young at heart, to those who believe that when you wish upon a star your dreams do come true.”
Tomorrowland
“Here is the future that ‘never was’ - or could be. The past, present and future coexist among the kinetic towers, soaring spacecraft, and alien creatures of this galactic starport. Tomorrowland celebrates man’s quest through time to realize his fondest hopes and dreams for the future. Here, imagination gives birth to innovation. Here, ‘what man can conceive, man can achieve.’”
Over the course of over 50 years in operation, the Magic Kingdom has grown to include three more “lands”, both with their origin and style in the same fantasy and dedication that first built the original six.
Mickey’s Birthdayland / Starland / Toontown Fair
“Here is the land Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto and all their friends call ‘home.’ This is the place where all toons can feel at ease, where wackiness and adventure are just an everyday occurrence. Within this humble community is the chance to meet up with beloved friends and join them in their latest escapades. Mickey’s Birthdayland / Starland / Toontown Fair is truly a place for all those who still listen to their inner child.”
Hollywoodland
“Here is a rose-colored look back at Hollywood in its Golden Age. Hollywoodland celebrates the epicenter of movie-making not as a place, but as a state of mind. Here, in a world where illusion and reality are fused together by technological magic, anyone can be the next big thing. Above all else, Hollywoodland well and truly is ‘the Hollywood that never was...and always will be.’”
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
“Here is the planet of Batuu, located in a galaxy far, far away. In a land torn asunder by an intergalactic war between the heroic Resistance and the loathsome First Order, imagination and adventure are waiting in every corner. Among the unique buildings and peculiar characters of this long-forgotten spaceport, the potential of the future of the Jedi rests within the hands of those who wish to learn of the Force’s great power.”
The former area has long since closed, having been swallowed up by an expanded Fantasyland, while the latter two are still open. Within all eight lands are a host of unique attractions, dining, shopping and experiences unique only to Disney. The Magic Kingdom truly is Disney magic at its finest.
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So begins the first major post of our sojourn through Mirror Walt Disney World. I intend to do these introductory posts as something of a day-to-day thing, and then maybe share most of the describing of the parks and amenities on more of a once-a-week scheduling. So, with that in mind, you would probably expect to see the next post coming tomorrow.
Well...funny story. You see, October 1, 2022 not only marks 51 years since Walt Disney World opened its gates, but 40 years since the second park to open did. And I figured...since it is this park's 40th, why not share that post with you
one day early?
