Walt Disney World - A Conservation Station

[General Grizz]

Way back during the early years of Walt Disney World, environmentalists determined that if a certain section of the Walt Disney World were to be built on, it would largely alter the world's climate.

Therefore, a giant section of Walt Disney World is a nature preserve. How big is it? HUGE. I am still trying to find maps and exact acerage measures. However, I have heard everything to 1/4 of property to even 3/4. That's a lot of land.

Want to see it? Good luck. I hear its VERY hard to find...and chances are, even if you see it, you probably won't know for sure if it is or not! :lol:

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by grizzlyhall
Way back during the early years of Walt Disney World, environmentalists determined that if a certain section of the Walt Disney World were to be built on, it would largely alter the world's climate.

Therefore, a giant section of Walt Disney World is a nature preserve. How big is it? HUGE. I am still trying to find maps and exact acerage measures. However, I have heard everything to 1/4 of property to even 3/4. That's a lot of land.

Want to see it? Good luck. I hear its VERY hard to find...and chances are, even if you see it, you probably won't know for sure if it is or not! :lol:

AS far as your statement from the enviromentalists, I have never heard of that. What I do know is that Walt was the one that insistested that a good portion of the property, mostly on the Oceseola side was to be kept in it;s natural condition. Now Walt might had consulted enviromentilists on WDW and what needed preserving but I understand from what I have read that it was really walts doing.

 

[General Grizz]

That bit of information was taken from the 'Keys to the Kingdom' tour at the Magic Kingdom.

 

[AkiraRaptor]

Yes, we were told the same thing on the Treasure of the World tour last year. I can't remember the exact numbers but it was along the lines of 1/3 to the public, and 2/3 undeveloped.

 

[Grimone24]

Land size

The actual size of the land here is just over 8,000 acres. That is less than one third of their land and it can be found at the end of Reedy Creek to the south of the parks.

 

[Budke]

Walt Disney hated that the real world had intruded so close to Disneyland in California (what with hotels opening just across the street). Part of his reason for building in Florida was to have enough space to keep control over the environment. The insitance that portions of the resort be established as a reserve may be a part of this: Make sure no one can build right next door Disneyworld (at least without the Disney say-so.)

I also believe Walt Disney hated parking lots, too (and why the Magic Kingdom's parking lot is across the lake).

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by Budke
Walt Disney hated that the real world had intruded so close to Disneyland in California (what with hotels opening just across the street). Part of his reason for building in Florida was to have enough space to keep control over the environment. The insitance that portions of the resort be established as a reserve may be a part of this: Make sure no one can build right next door Disneyworld (at least without the Disney say-so.)

I also believe Walt Disney hated parking lots, too (and why the Magic Kingdom's parking lot is across the lake).

unfourtunatly, that wasn't an option for disney to ok the new resort next to CBR since they were never able to aquire that parcel.

 

[space42]

It is interesting that Animal Kingdom is built on some of this 'conservation area'.


Talk about a mixed up theme.

 

[WDWGuide]

The concern wasn't a major change in the world's climate (although it is possible that some radical environmental organizations cooked up that story), but rather South Florida's water supply and quality.
The area where Walt Disney World is located is part of the headwaters of the Everglades. If the entire area had been drained and developed, it would have messed up South Florida's hydrology even worse than it already is. This is why they have all those elaborate flood control mechanisms and buffer zones surrounding many of the creeks that flow through the area.

When they developed parts of the original preserve by constructing Celebration and the Animal Kingdom, they purchased what is now the Disney Wilderness Preserve in exchange for the land that was lost.

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by WDWGuide

When they developed parts of the original preserve by constructing Celebration and the Animal Kingdom, they purchased what is now the Disney Wilderness Preserve in exchange for the land that was lost.

thats an over simplifaction of that land trade, If I recall(it's been a while) that was the site of boardwalk and baseball, and floridia wanted to preserve that parcel from developers, Disney has ideas of an attraction of some type there, I belive it was a preserve of some kind. in the end Disney and the state made the land swap and both Disney and the state got what they wanted.

 

[jordy12uk2]

Confirmation

I do believe that little over 1/4 of the whole site was PERMENANTLY conserved and never to be built on by ANYONE including the Disney Company.

 

[Magic Maker]

It is interesting that Animal Kingdom is built on some of this 'conservation area'.


Talk about a mixed up theme.

Actually to me the theme is most certainly not mixed up. There is plenty of area that is still a preserve, and I am not certain Animal Kingdom was built on the preserved site, but I could be wrong. Anyway, it is very important to show people and enjoyabel exxperience while opening their eyes to the beautiful world of animals so that they can appreciate them more. Also that park generates thousands of dollars for the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund which supports conservation efforts worldwide. So instead of just helping out in Florida, Disney is now abel to helpout on a global scale.

 

[Enderikari]

You want the facts and figures.... Here we go.... Pay Attention now...

The total amount of acreage at Walt Disney World is around about 30,500 acres. The total amount of land devoted to a nature preserve and conservation is around about 8,350 acres give or take a few hundred. Around about 11,000 acres is developed and currently being used.

So... as they say on "some" of the Keys to the Kingdom tours. There are 4 theme parks, over 19 resorts, a downtown entertainment district, and a sports complex.... Double that, and you have the maximum capacity of what WDW can hold.

 

[marni1971]

One thing that would change is Floridas water table. WDW`s canal system, in a worst case scenario, has the capability to flood north central Florida and severly alter the water table as far south as the Everglades. That`s why Joe Potter took the water control system so seriously.