50: Disney World

Disney World Opens

On Friday October 1, 1971 - after seven years of planning - about 10,000 visitors  converged near Orlando, Florida, to witness the grand opening of Walt Disney World. The Magic Kingdom, encompassing approximately 107 acres, featured Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Tomorrowland, a Main Street USA, and about 5,500 Cast Members. (MK was the only theme park at WDW.)

At the end of October 1971, the total attendance was around 400,000.  The day after Thanksgiving November 26, 1971 an amazing 50,000 guests entered the Magic Kingdom! Walt Disney World also debuted 2 property hotels, the 15-story Contemporary Resort and the Polynesian Village Resort - both built by U.S. Steel and both connected by a monorail system. The hotels were conceived by WED enterprises and the Los Angeles architectural firm of Welton Becket & Associates. U.S. Steel was to originally own the hotels, but just before opening, Roy Disney decided to buy out their interests and let  Disney run the hotels themselves.

Resort planners scheduled the opening in October in the hopes that estimated crowds would be small - and they were. (Two days before the opening of Walt Disney World, the Florida Highway Patrol had issued a statement that they believed as many as 300,000 people might try to be among the first to get into the Magic Kingdom.) Fortunately the small crowd of 10,000 on October 1, 1971 allowed any problems that sprang up to be fixed with minimal inconvenience ... unlike Disneyland's chaotic grand opening day. Even official dedications and other media events were held off until later in the month so as to make sure everything ran smoothly. (The park's actual dedication didn't take place until October 25.)

The early morning found guests driving around the toll plaza over and over, trying to steer their way in to be the first visitors to the Magic Kingdom. William Windsor, Jr. and his family from Lakeland, Florida, were among the first guests to enter through one of 14 turnstiles (they had slept in their car overnight at a nearby roadside rest area). Mickey Mouse himself cordially led William, his wife Marty and their two sons Jay and Lee into the new park. Reporters swarmed the Windsor family, bombarding them with questions as cameras flashed, and the Disney Dixieland band played "It's a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight." The Windsors then took part in a Main Street parade (riding in an antique fire engine) accompanied by Debbie Dane, Walt Disney World's first Ambassador, and Mickey Mouse.

OCTOBER 1, 1971 Walt Disney World held a three-day grand opening celebration starting on October 23. Celebrities like Bob Hope, Julie Andrews, Rock Hudson, Jonathan Winters, Annette Funicello and Fred MacMurray arrived in Orlando on that day to begin WDW's official opening festivities. The official grand opening celebrations of Disney's Contemporary and Polynesian Village Resorts took place on October 24. The Electrical Water Pageant and Fantasy in the Sky Spectacular also debuted that evening. By October 25 (the park's actual Dedication Day) the Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat, Peter Pan's Flight, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea had all opened to guests as well. Television cameras caught all the action over these three days for an October 29 broadcast.

Key dates leading up to WDW's October 1, 1971 opening:

April 15, 1964 - Disney attorney heads to Florida to begin land purchases

June 18, 1964 - Disney attorneys finalize large Central Florida land purchase from Demetree Family

May 04, 1965 - rumors of East Coast Disneyland circulate

June 14, 1965 - Walt holds planning meeting for new Florida theme park

June 25, 1965 - attorney confirms anonymous buyer has completed all Florida land purchases

November 15, 1965 - Disney formally launches Disney World project

September 30, 1966 - many "dummy" companies are merged into Compass East Corp.

December 17, 1966 - Roy O. Disney announces park's name will be Walt Disney World

February 02, 1967 - Roy O. Disney outlines late brother's plan

May 12, 1967 - Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake are established

May 30, 1967 - site prep begins on WDW project

September 26, 1967 - Compass East Corp. becomes Walt Disney World Company

May 22, 1968 - Walt Disney Travel Company incorporated in Florida

April 30, 1969 - WDW's first official press event

May 06, 1969 - Railroad engines purchased for WDW Railroad

April 06, 1971 - LOOK magazine reports on the nearly complete WDW

June 28, 1971 - Disney announces plans for an airstrip to be built on WDW property

September 23, 1971 - Dapper Dans WDW debut; performing for Cast Members & families

September 30, 1971 - WDW Preview Center closes

 

Magic Kingdom Opening Day Attractions,  Shops & Restaurants:

Walt Disney World Railroad: including the Walter E. Disney (#1), the Lilly Belle (#2), and the Roger E. Broggie (#3) locomotives (round-trip only)

Town Square: Town Square Cafe

Main Street transportation: Fire truck, Horse-drawn street cars, Horseless carriages, Jitney vehicle, & Omnibus

Main Street: Market House store, Camera Center, Coca-Cola Refreshment Corner, House of Magic shop, Penny Arcade attraction, Main Street Confectionery shop, Emporium store, Main Street Bake Shop, New Century Clock Shop, Main Street Cinema attraction, & Crystal Palace Restaurant

Adventureland: Adventureland Veranda restaurant, Jungle Cruise attraction, Swiss Family Tree House attraction, & Sunshine Pavilion attraction (also known as Tropical Serenade) sponsored by the Florida Citris Growers

Bear Country: Country Bear Jamboree attraction

Fantasyland: Dumbo Flying Elephants attraction, Mad Tea Party attraction, Snow White's Adventures attraction, Pinocchio Village Haus restaurant, Cinderella's Golden Carrousel attraction, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride attraction, Mickey Mouse Revue Audio-Animatronics musical attraction, It's a Small World  attraction, & Skyway to Tomorrowland attraction

Frontierland: Frontier Shooting Gallery, Frontier Trading Post shop, Pecos Bill  Cafe restaurant, Mike Fink Keel Boats attraction, Mile Long Bar, Diamond Horseshoe Revue attraction Liberty Square: Hall of Presidents attraction, Columbia Harbor House restaurant, Heritage House shop, Liberty Tree Tavern restaurant, & Haunted Mansion attraction

Tomorowland: Skyway to Fantasyland attraction, Grand Prix Raceway  attraction, Mickey's Mart store, & Tomorrowland Terrace restaurant

Cinderella Castle: King Stefan's Banquet Hall

http://www.thisdayindisneyhistory.com/DisneyWorldGrandOpening.html