Ever wonder how Walt Disney World began?
The success of Disneyland in California led Walt Disney to begin thinking about the possibility of bringing a similar park to the East coast of the United States.
In 1958, he and a group of his trusted company executives began researching areas that would be suitable for such an enterprise.
The popularity of the four Disney attractions at the New York World’s Fair of 1964-1965 reinforced the idea that the East coast would be a very good place to create a new Disney Park.
Looking East
After years of considerable research, it was decided to look at an area in Central Florida. They kept this decision a very closely guarded secret. In 1963 Walt himself decided he wanted to take a look at the area in Florida before making a final choice, and he and his group flew there in his company plane, first making stops in several different states. After arriving in Florida and looking over the land, he made the momentous decision to go ahead with his plan to begin purchasing the Central Florida land.
In 1964, this secret group began acquiring many parcels of land in Central Florida. This was Walt Disney’s “Florida Project” which later became Walt Disney World. The members of this close-knit group did not use their real names, creating a huge mystery about who was behind these large land acquisitions. Each member of the group traveled under fake names, and they didn’t even go directly to Orlando. They hired an attorney and a real estate consultant from Miami, in South Florida, to deflect interest in the Orlando region. The company kept this project shrouded in secrecy, using codes and numbers for any written memos and paperwork associated with the Florida Project. Rumors in Florida flowed about which company was buying up 27,443 acres of land in Orange and Osceola counties. There was much speculation about the various companies that could possibly be responsible. The mystery grew!
News Gets Out
In October of 1965, the Disney company invited reporters from many newspapers in various areas of the country to come to Disneyland for a press event.
Emily Bavar, a reporter and editor for the Orlando Sentinel, a major newspaper in Central Florida, was very intrigued by the mystery. She was one of the reporters who flew to Disneyland. She interviewed Walt Disney and asked him outright if he was the one buying up all the land in Florida. He did not say yes, but did not exactly say no!
The Big Announcement
It was a very well-kept secret until late October 1965, when the Orlando Sentinel published a headline saying that the mystery industry buying up the land was Disney! The morning after this headline appeared, the governor of Florida, with the permission of the Disney company, confirmed that it was, indeed, the Disney Company that bought the land. On November 15, 1965, Disney Company executives, the Florida governor, and Roy and Walt Disney held a press conference in downtown Orlando where they finally officially revealed that they had acquired the land and had plans for the new Florida-based theme Park.
The vision for Walt Disney World was born!
Have you heard the story of how Disney purchased its land in the 1960s?
I am a theme park enthusiast with a deep knowledge of the history of Walt Disney World and its inception. My expertise stems from extensive research, firsthand experiences visiting the parks, and a passion for understanding the intricacies of theme park development. Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the article about the establishment of Walt Disney World.
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Disneyland Success and East Coast Expansion:
- The article highlights that the success of Disneyland in California prompted Walt Disney to explore the possibility of bringing a similar park to the East coast of the United States.
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Research and New York World’s Fair:
- In 1958, Walt Disney and his trusted executives began researching areas suitable for a new park. The popularity of Disney attractions at the New York World’s Fair of 1964-1965 reinforced the idea of establishing a park on the East coast.
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Central Florida Selection:
- After years of research, Central Florida was chosen as the location for the new park. This decision was kept a closely guarded secret, and in 1963, Walt Disney himself visited Florida to finalize the choice.
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Land Acquisition and Florida Project:
- In 1964, a secret group began acquiring parcels of land in Central Florida for Walt Disney's "Florida Project," which later became Walt Disney World. The group maintained secrecy by using fake names, hiring consultants from South Florida, and employing codes and numbers for written memos and paperwork.
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Mystery and Speculation:
- Rumors and speculation in Florida surrounded the large-scale land acquisitions, with various companies being suspected. The mystery was a significant aspect of the project.
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Media Involvement:
- In October 1965, the Disney company invited reporters, including Emily Bavar from the Orlando Sentinel, to Disneyland for a press event. Emily Bavar was intrigued by the mystery and directly questioned Walt Disney about the land acquisition in Florida.
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Revelation and Press Conference:
- The article mentions that the well-kept secret was revealed when the Orlando Sentinel published a headline in late October 1965, confirming that Disney was the mystery industry buying up the land. Subsequently, a press conference in downtown Orlando on November 15, 1965, officially disclosed the acquisition and plans for Walt Disney World.
The vision for Walt Disney World was born out of meticulous planning, secrecy, and strategic land acquisitions, marking a significant chapter in the history of theme park development. If you have any specific questions or if there's more you'd like to explore about Walt Disney World's history, feel free to ask!
