Why Is Walt Disney World a Famous Landmark in Florida?

Opened in 1971, Walt Disney World was the logical successor to the tremendously popular Disneyland in California. In the years following its 1955 opening, Disneyland quickly was blocked in by T-shirt shops and hotels capitalizing on the sudden tourist boom, making expansion extremely difficult. Walt Disney pledged not to make the same mistake again, so he purchased enough land in Florida “to hold all the ideas and plans we can possibly imagine.” What he dubbed “The Florida Project” would ultimately come to define the Central Florida region.

Size and Scope

• At 40 square miles, Walt Disney World is twice the size of Manhattan, or around the same size as the city of San Francisco. The resort complex includes four gated theme parks, two water parks, 23 hotels and vacation ownership properties, one campground, the Downtown Disney shopping and entertainment district, the 220-acre Wide World of Sports, two miniature golf courses, numerous championship golf courses and more than 300 restaurants. The property contains more than 600,000 square feet of convention space and has its own wedding business. The sheer size and number of entertainment options make Walt Disney World a true landmark.

Groundbreaking Ideas

• At both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, designers known as Imagineers push the limits of technology with their creative design ideas. From sophisticated new ride systems to detailed architectural backdrops, the Disney Imagineers are known for highly immersive environments that take guests inside the heart of dreams and imagination. Whether you spend a day or a week at Walt Disney World, the entire experience is carefully crafted to leave the real world behind. Take a look at the dedication plaques for each park, shown on the AllEars.net website, to see how this promise takes shape at the very different Disney parks around the world.
• Economic Growth

• Before Walt Disney World, Orlando was one of many sleepy Central Florida towns. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, in 1970, the year before Walt Disney World opened, the population of Orlando was less than 100,000. The entire Orange County area had just 428,003 residents. Of those, fewer than 42,000 Orlando residents and 164,000 Orange County residents were in the workforce. As of 2013, 62,000 people are employed at Walt Disney World alone. Nearly 250,000 people live in Orlando, while more than 1.2 million reside in Orange County. Walt Disney World pays $76 million dollars per year in Orange County property taxes and $564 million per year in combined state and local taxes.

Corporate Training

• Walt Disney World is known across the globe as an industry leader in employee and customer satisfaction. Through the Disney Institute, the resort provides corporate training and development for employers in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Programs lengths range from one to five days, and focus on one or more of five key business components: brand loyalty, leadership, employee selection and training, customer experience, and creativity and innovation.