1958
-
- Walt Disney commissions Economics Research Associates to find a suitable location for a second Disney attraction. The recommendation is Florida. [23] [48.333] (1959 [267.249])
1961
-
- A study for a location of a second Disney park recommends Ocala or Orlando in Florida. [23] [48.333]
1963
-
- Roy Disney gives his proposal for buying land in Florida to company lawyer Robert Foster. Foster agrees to begin quietly buying 5-10,000 acres. [267.278]
- November
- Walt Disney and others take a plane trip across the US, to make a final selection of location for a second theme park. Central Florida is chosen, so as to not compete with areas on the Atlantic Ocean of the Gulf of Mexico. [48.334] [1102.605]
1964
- April 15
- Disney lawyer Robert Foster leaves New York bound for Florida, to begin land purchases for Disney. He uses the name Robert Price to keep his identity secret. [267.279]
- (month unknown)
- Disney lawyer Robert Foster agrees to an option to purchase 12,400 acres in Florida owned by three Orlando home builders for US$145 per acre. [267.281]
- Robert Foster buys 1250 acres of land north of Bay Lake, Florida. [267.282]
- Robert Foster buys an 8500 acre cattle ranch in Osceola County, Florida. [267.282]
1965
- May 4
- The Orlando Sentinel newspaper reports rumors of an "East Coast Disneyland". [1073.97]
- May 27
- The Miami Herald newspaper reports Disney may be one possible buyer of some 30,000 acres 12 miles southwest of Orlando. [1364.126]
- October
- To date, Disney planners have acquired 27,443 acres (43 square miles) in central Florida, at a cost of just over US$5 million. [5] [24] [48.337] [91.31] [113.315] [328.311] (late 1964 [34.262])
- October 21
- Reporter Emily Bavar writes in the Orlando Sentinel predicting the mystery land buyer is Walt Disney. [1379.15]
- October 24
- The Orlando Sentinel newspaper runs a story with headline "We say: 'Mystery' Industry is Disney". [267.284] [1342.8] [1364.154]
- October 25
- Florida Governor Hayden Burns confirms reports that Walt Disney Productions is purchasing large amounts of land in Florida. [1073.97] [1102.607] [1342.9]
- November 15
- At the Cherry Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida, Walt Disney, Roy Disney, and Florida Governor Hayden Burns make the first public announcement of plans to build a new Disney theme park near Orlando. (It will open in six years as Walt Disney World Resort.) [22] [24] [40.282] [48.337] [91.31] [238.205] [267.285] [481.46] [501.596] [1073.97] [1102.607] [1342.8] [1364.12] (November 16 [192.46] [252.16]) (September 15 [23])
1966
- December 17
- Roy Disney gives a speech to Disney management and the Imagineering team, making it clear that the company will continue to be run according to Walt's wishes. He also announces that Walt's first name would be added to the title of the Florida theme park project. [328.344]
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1967
- February 2
- Disney releases the documentary film EPCOT for showing in Florida, to inform residents of the plans for Walt Disney World and EPCOT. [23] [36.27] [228.166] [481.46]
- February
- In the Florida legislature, a film made by Disney is shown to explain the rationale for Disney having its own government on its Florida property. [371.26]
- May
- The Florida Legislature approves the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which would give the Disney company powers of an independent municipality. [371.27] [481.47]
- May 12
- Florida's Governor Claude Kirk signs legislation creating the Reedy Creek Improvement District, enabling Walt Disney Productions' operation of Walt Disney World. [23] [48.357]
- May 30
- Groundbreaking begins in Florida for Walt Disney World. [22] [1073.103] (summer [481.47])
- (month unknown)
- Roy O. Disney declares the official name of the Florida Project "Walt Disney World". (This is his last official act as CEO.) [48.357] (1971? [56.97])
1968
- January
- Disney sells US$40 million of Walt Disney Productions Convertible Debentures, to raise money for the Walt Disney World project. [267.305]
1969
- February
- Disney officials reach an agreement with eighteen labor unions, pledging regular pay increases in exchange for no strikes during construction of the first phase of Walt Disney World. [481.47]
- April 30
- Disney shows the 16-mm film Walt Disney World - Phase 1 at a Florida press conference. The film shows the master plan and artists' depictions for Walt Disney World. [23] [267.317] [501.595] [1364.155]
- May 6
- Roger Broggie and Earl Vilmer of the Disney company arrange the purchase of five railroad engines in Yucatan, Mexico, for use in Walt Disney World. Price is US$32,750. [328.320]
- September
- Disney releases the 16-mm film Walt Disney World - Vacation Kingdom. [23] [501.597]
- October 30
- Disney hosts a press conference at the Ramada Inn in Ocoee, Florida, unveiling models and plans for Phase One of the Walt Disney World resort. [1342.9]
1970
- January 16
- In Florida, Disney opens the Preview Center for Walt Disney World to the public. [1342.9] [1379.47] (January 10 [228.399] [1364.157])
- (month unknown)
- In Florida, the Reedy Creek Improvement District passes the EPCOT Building Code, allowing construction of Walt Disney World. [228.166]
1971
- April 15
- The last of 337 concrete beams completes the 6-mile long monorail transportation system for Walt Disney World, and the first Martin-Marietta Mark IV Monorail train is lowered onto the beam. [1342.14]
- June 19
- Walt Disney World opens its own post office, with its own Zip Code: 32830. [1342.19]
- (month unknown)
- The Crystal Arts shop opens on Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.165]
- July 18
- The Walt Disney World phone system beins operation, part of the world's first all-electronic telephone company. [1342.19]
- September 30
- In Florida, the Preview Center for Walt Disney World closes. Since opening, 1,332,927 people visited the display area. [228.399] [1364.157]
- (month unknown)
- Dick Nunis becomes executive vice president of Walt Disney World. [409.2] (1972 [228.363])
- October 1
- At 10:00 AM, the Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World Resort opens in Orlando, Florida. Similar to Disneyland, six themed areas are Main Street, U.S.A; Adventureland; Fantasyland; Frontierland; Liberty Square; and Tomorrowland. Attendance on opening day is 10,422. First guests to enter the park are William Windsor Junior, wife Mary, and sons Jay and Lee. The day, a Friday, was chosen as the likely slowest day of the week and slowest time of the year for tourists in Florida. Organizers did not want a repeat of the mass crowds during the opening day of Disneyland. Cost of creating the theme park was US$400 million. [1] [5] [6] [14] [22] [23] [34.271] [92.120] [113.315] [192.104] [210.15] [225.41] [62] [226.170] [228.304] [238.207] [234.120] [252.49] [432.42] [475.49] [501.596] [1073.110] [1342.16] [1379.59] (Magical Kingdom [36.27]) (October 23 [40.304] [48.359]) (October 31 [90.61])
- The Walt Disney World Railroad attraction opens in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. It includes three locomotives: the Walter E. Disney (#1), the Lilly Belle (#2), and the Roger E. Broggie (#3). [328.391] [501.595] [1379.73]
- In the Main Street, U.S.A. area of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, opening day attractions are: Fire Truck, Horse-Drawn Streetcars, Horseless Carriages, Town Square Cafe, Market House store, Camera Center shop, Jitney vehicle, Coca-Cola Refreshment Corner, House of Magic shop, Penny Arcade, Main Street Confectionery shop, Emporium store, Main Street Bake Shop, New Century Clock Shop, Main Street Cinema, Chapeau shop, Omnibus vehicle. [228.164,186,242,243,264,306,311,354,369,382] [501.567] [1378.112,128,144] [1379.73]
- In the Adventureland area of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, opening day attractions are: Adventureland Veranda restaurant, Swiss Family Tree House, Jungle Cruise, Sunshine Pavilion, Tropical Serenade. [228.269] [501.530,534] [1378.8] [1379.73]
- In the Fantasyland area of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, opening day attractions are: Dumbo Flying Elephants, Mad Tea Party, Snow White's Scary Adventures, Pinocchio Village Haus restaurant, Cinderella's Golden Carrousel, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Mickey Mouse Revue, It's a Small World, Skyway to Tomorrowland transportation. [228.154,259,303,323,336,388] [501.504,510] [1378.139] [1379.73]
- In the Frontierland area of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, opening day attractions are: Country Bear Jamboree, Frontier Shooting Gallery, Frontier Trading Post shop, Pecos Bill Cafe, Mike Fink Keel Boats, Mile Long Bar, Diamond Horseshoe Revue, Davy Crocket Explorer Canoes. [228.197,330,331,381] [1378.157,175,183] [1379.73]
- In the Liberty Square area of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, opening day attractions are: Hall of Presidents, Columbia Harbor House restaurant, Heritage House shop Liberty Tree Tavern, Haunted Mansion. [22] [23] [228.98,225,229,233,287] (1972 [1378.147]) [1379.73]
- In the Tomorrowland area of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, opening day attractions are: Skyway to Fantasyland, Grand Prix Raceway, Mickey's Mart shop, Tomorrowland Terrace restaurant. [228.216,327] [501.504,563] [1379.73]
- King Stefan's Banquet Hall restaurant opens in Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.276]
- The Crystal Palace Restaurant opens in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.165]
- The Monorail system opens at Walt Disney World. [228.338]
- The Fort Wilderness Resort campground opens at Walt Disney World, on the south shore of Bay Lake. It occupies 640 acres of forest. [10] [228.191]
- Disney's Contemporary Resort hotel opens at Walt Disney World, on the west shore of Bay Lake. It has 1046 rooms, and the monorail passes through its interior. [10] [1247.55] [1378.152]
- The Top of the World restaurant opens in the Contemporary Resort hotel at Walt Disney World. [501.565]
- The Gulf Coast Room restaurant opens in the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World. [228.221]
- Disney's Polynesian Village Resort hotel opens at Walt Disney World, on the south shore of Seven Seas Lagoon. [10] [228.397]
- The Captain Cook's Hideaway lounge opens at Disney's Polynesian Resort. [1378.117]
- The Coral Isle Cafe restaurant opens in the Great Ceremonial House of the Polynesian Village Resort at Walt Disney World. [1378.154]
- The Papeete Bay Verandah restaurant opens in the Polynesian Village Resort at Walt Disney World. [228.379]
- The Magnolia Course golf course opens at Walt Disney World. [1379.91]
- October 2
- The Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat begins operation in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [235.92] [1378.7]
- October 3
- The Peter Pan's Flight attraction opens in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.385]
- October 14
- The 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction opens in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.576]
- October 15
- The cover of Life magazine shows 1500 Disney employees and characters in front of Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World. [423]
- October 23
- A three-day gala Grand Opening ceremony begins at Walt Disney World. Arthur Fiedler conducts the World Symphony Orchestra, formed by musicians from 60 countries, playing to 2500 invited guests. 40,000 visitors to the park on the first day. [267.329] [1342.16] [1379.56,106]
- October 24
- During the three-day gala Grand Opening ceremony at Walt Disney World, a three-hour torchlit luau and show are held on the beach of the Polynesian Village for 1000 invited guests, with the debut of the Electrical Water Pageant. [267.329] [1342.19]
- October 25
- On the final day of the three-day gala Grand Opening ceremony at Walt Disney World, a dedication is read by Roy Disney. The world's largest marching band with 1076 instruments plays "76 Trombones". A 1500-voice choir sings "When You Wish Upon a Star", and thousands of balloons are released. [192.41] [252.7] [267.184,329] [1073.110] [1342.16] [1379.114]
- October 29
- The NBC TV network airs the TV special The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World. Approximately 52 million people in the US view the 90-minute show. [226.170] [228.216] [422.80] [1342.19] [1364.158] (Disney World - A Gala Opening - Disneyland East [386.127])
- November
- The floating parade of lights Electrical Pageant is first run, on the Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon at Walt Disney World. [228.158]
- The Tinker Bell Toy Shop opens in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.559]
- The AristoCats shop opens in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.40]
- November 25
- The Circle-Vision 360 film America the Beautiful opens in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.27]
- December 1
- The #4 locomotive, the Roy O. Disney, begins operation in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [328.391]
- December 2
- (to December 5) The Walt Disney World Open golf championship is held, at the Magnolia Course. [1379.91]
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