Walt Disney World Resort opened on October 1, 1971. Of course, things have changed significantly since then. On opening day, there was one theme park and two hotels! (A Cast Member at Fort Wilderness told me that the only reason it didn’t open on October 1 is because that’s where the workers were staying.) Walt Disney World changed Central Florida and theme parks as we know them.
I didn’t grow up visiting Walt Disney World. We went to Disneyland when I was nine, that was my Disney introduction. We had our local theme parks, but my dream was always to visit the theme parks in Florida.
It wasn’t until I was an adult, married, and had a teenage daughter that I finally walked through those gates for the first time. I truly did feel like a child again! That trip changed something in me. Not only did I want to return to Walt Disney World, I wanted to move to Florida. Fortunately, my family felt the same way.
Several years later, the opportunity arose. We packed up, sold our house, and rented a place that was four miles from Walt Disney World. We soon became Annual Passholders, and have been ever since. My husband was transferred and we moved away, and my heart was broken. A few months later, he was given a chance to move back to Florida, and we didn’t think twice. We’ve been back ever since, and bought a house that is just as close to Walt Disney World as the one that we rented all those years ago.
Walt Disney World Resort has grown so much since 1971. There are now four theme parks, two water parks, over two dozen hotels, Disney Springs, and so much more! There are new lands, and plenty of big plans. Some classics have closed, others have been changed, but we still have some opening day attractions. People complain a lot about Walt Disney World. They say it’s too expensive and too crowded. But the thing is, they keep coming back. That’s because the magic is still there. It’s “The Most Magical Place on Earth.”
Happy 55th Anniversary, Walt Disney World! Thank you for all the joy that you’ve brought to my life, and to countless others as well.