Walt Disney World is Disney's magical theme park located in Orlando, Florida. The possibilities for fun and entertainment are endless at Walt Disney World® Resort, whether you and your family choose to discover the enchanted lands of Disney’s Magic Kingdom®, blast off into the future at Epcot®, journey through the fascinating history of Hollywood movies at Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney-MGM Studios) or take an amazing safari adventure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom®, the newest Disney theme park. Disney World is easily accessible from Interstate 4, as well as the Florida Turnpike, Osceola Parkway, State Road 429 and U.S. 192.
Walt Disney World Theme Parks
Disney’s Magic Kingdom encompasses 107 acres and features a variety of attractions for all ages such as Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion (a true Disney classic!) and Space Mountain at Main Street USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Mickey’s Toontown Fair. Disney's Epcot offers Future World, which boasts popular attractions such as Mission: SPACE and Test Track, as well as the Disney's World Showcase with its 11 pavilions: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, USA, Morocco, France, United Kingdom and Canada. Disney-MGM Studios features attractions, thrill rides and live shows such as The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage. Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World’s newest theme park, offers exotic animals, amazing live shows and thrilling attractions such as the new Expedition Everest roller coaster.
Walt Disney World History
The Walt Disney World Resort first opened with Disney’s Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971. In its first year alone, Disney World surpassed the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gettysburg and Yellowstone National Park as a tourist destination. Epcot opened its doors in 1982, followed by Disney-MGM Studios in 1989 and Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1998. Today, Walt Disney World Resort encompasses 30,500 acres (47 square miles), making it twice as large as Manhattan and approximately the same size as San Francisco, California. About 46 million tourists visit Walt Disney World Resort annually. For more information about Walt Disney World history, visit the Walt Disney World Timeline.
In addition to its four world-class theme parks, the Walt Disney World Resort features two thrilling water parks, Disney’s Blizzard Beach (billed as the “Coolest Water Park in Central Florida”) and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, which boasts one of the world’s largest wave pools; Downtown Disney® Marketplace, which features more than 70 specialty shops and themed restaurants; Disney’s Pleasure Island, an immense entertainment complex with eight eclectic nightclubs, shops and a nightly street festival; and Disney’s Wide World of Sports® Complex, a state-of-the-art sports facility that serves as the home stadium for the Atlanta Braves during Spring Training and Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp.
Walt Disney World also boasts a variety of deluxe, moderate and budget resorts, hotels and campgrounds, including Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Walt Disney World Dolphin, Walt Disney World Swan, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort and Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.
Walt Disney World ® Theme Parks Disney's Magic Kingdom - Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Tomorrowland, Mickey's Toontown Fair Disney's Epcot - Future World, World Showcase Disney's Hollywood Studios - Backlot, Mickey Avenue Animation Courtyard, Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard Disney's Animal Kingdom - Africa, Asia, Camp Minnie-Mickey, DinoLand U.S.A., Discovery Island, Oasis, Rafiki's Planet Watch
Disney World Fact Sheets - Disney's Magic Kingdom Fact Sheet, Epcot Fact Sheet, Disney-MGM Studios Fact Sheet, Disney's Animal Kingdom Fact Sheet, Disney's Blizzard Beach Fact Sheet, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Fact Sheet Disney FAQs - Best times to visit, seasonal events, weather, operating hours, outdoor recreation, directions, PhotoPass FASTPASS - Free attraction reservation system at Disney World theme parks Walt Disney World Graveyard - Defunct Disney World attractions Disney World Height Restrictions - Comprehensive height restriction list for all Disney World thrill rides Disney's Hidden Mickeys - Guide to Hidden Mickeys throughout all of the Disney World theme parks Walt Disney World Hidden Treasures - Unique theme park attractions that are not listed in any of the Disney World brochures Disney World Itineraries - Comprehensive itineraries for preschool age, older kids and teenagers Disney World Maps - Detailed maps of every Disney World theme park and water park Disney World News - The latest news about Disney World from a myriad of sources Disney World Resource List - A site map that details all of the Disney World resources on Orlando-Florida.net Walt Disney World Retro - Nostalgic videos that trace Disney World history from 1971 to today Walt Disney World Theme Park Blog - Up-to-date information on upcoming events at Disney World Walt Disney World Tickets - All you need to know about choosing the right Disney World ticket deal for your family, as well as the best way to purchase discount Disney tickets Walt Disney World Timeline - The most comprehensive online timeline of Disney World from the 1960s until today Walt Disney Tribute - A in-depth biography of the legendary visionary and namesake for Disney World and Disneyland that includes quotes, trivia, photos and videos Walt Disney World Trivia - Fascinating facts about Disney World theme parks and attractions Disney Trailer - Movie trailers from some of Disney's most beloved animated classics Walt Disney World Videos - Hundreds of Disney World videos that provide a preview of the most popular Disney attractions Disney's Year of a Million Dreams Celebration - A comprehensive guide to new attractions and more during the Year of a Million Dreams
