Walt Disney World opened 50 years ago. These are some of its most memorable moments.
Oct. 1, 1971
The Magic Kingdom opening parade sweeps across Main Street in spectacular fashion. Favorite storybook characters, from the Seven Dwarfs to Dumbo to Mickey Mouse himself, join the thousands of parade entertainers strutting before opening crowds.
Dec. 15, 1973
Pirates of the Caribbean debuts in Adventureland. The attraction, which originally opened at Disneyland in 1967, was the last ride Walt Disney worked on. On July 7, 2006, to coincide with the second "Pirates" movie, realistic animatronics of Capt. Jack Sparrow and Barbossa would become part of the show. Mermaids would be added in 2012.
Feb. 3, 1974
Lee Greenwood performs “The Great Defenders” on Pleasure Island, which is carried on Armed Forces TV and radio worldwide, and the First Armed Forces Salute takes place.
June 20, 1976
President Ford’s daughter Susan presides over the opening of Disney’s River Country water park next to Fort Wilderness, which inspires Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach water parks.
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Jan. 1, 1976
The nation’s Bicentennial year is celebrated daily with "America on Parade," a colorful, patriotic procession that runs through Sept. 6, 1976 and punctuated by a grand fireworks display on July 4.
June 11, 1977
The Magic Kingdom is aglow as The Main Street Electrical Parade makes its first Florida appearance, which followed its 1972 debut at Disneyland park in California.
Nov. 18, 1978
Mickey Mouse begins a yearlong celebration of his 50th birthday with a parade, a TV special, "Mickey's 50," and a special song, "The Whole World Wants to Wish You Happy Birthday, Mickey Mouse."
Sept. 14, 1980
After just nine years, the Mickey Mouse Revue is packed up and moved to Tokyo Disneyland. One of the original opening-day attractions in the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland Theater, the Revue featured 81 animatronic figures on an 86-foot stage. It would be more successful in its second life in Japan, which lasted 26 years.
Sept. 23, 1980
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opens in Frontierland, expanding the mountain range at Magic Kingdom. Builders used 650 tons of steel, 4,675 tons of "mud" and more than 9,000 gallons of paint to construct the enormous structure.
Sept. 10, 1983
The first “Night of Joy,” an annual contemporary Christian music event, debuts with Leon Patillo as the festival's first headliner. The show continues showcasing the world's top Christian and gospel artists until 2017.
Dec. 16, 1983
The first “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” is held at the Magic Kingdom, starting a tradition of popular “Disney After Hours” events that would combine special entertainment with extended hours in the park.
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Dec. 25, 1983
The Walt Disney World Christmas Parade is broadcast live on ABC from Magic Kingdom. It becomes a holiday tradition and grows to include parades and performances from Disney parks across the globe.
May 19, 1984
Donald Duck’s 50th birthday celebration premieres with Grand Marshal Clarence “Ducky” Nash (Donald’s voice) and 50 live, bow-tied ducks leading a parade down Main Street, U.S.A.
May 11, 1984
The Disney Dreamers & Doers program begins, recognizing young people who demonstrate excellence in their schools, families and communities. Since 1984, Walt Disney World Resort has recognized nearly 14,000 students from public and private schools across Central Florida.
May 27, 1985
The highlight of Memorial Day weekend is a visit by President Ronald Reagan for the inaugural Bands Parade, which includes 21 bands who had been unable to perform at his inauguration due to frigid temperatures.
July 3, 1985
Tinkerbell begins nightly flights fromCinderella Castle, drawing more than 60,000 guests for her inaugural journey. Originally intended as a special event, tiny Tink is so popular, she now flies nearly every night. Guests' applause brings her back.
Jan. 15, 1986
The Living Seas opens at Epcot, home to more than 200 species of sea life in a 5.7 million-gallon “ocean" at Seabase Alpha. It's the largest saltwater tank in the world at the time of its debut. The attraction is updated and reopens Jan. 24, 2007 as The Seas with Nemo & Friends, after the blockbuster film.
Oct. 1, 1986
Disney World's 15th Birthday Party begins with the world’s largest press party featuring entertainers Dolly Parton, The Monkees, Air Supply and Ray Charles.
Jan. 25, 1987
The iconic “I’m Going to Disney World!” commercial debuts. New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms is the first to shout the now-famous phrase following his team’s Super Bowl XXI victory.
Sept. 20, 1987
A new parade sweeps through the Magic Kingdom near the end of Disney World’s 15th anniversary year. The “We The People All-America Parade,” one of the largest ever in the park, celebrates the 200th birthday of the U.S. Constitution with floats representing U.S. landmarks.
May 22, 1987
The Golden Anniversary of the film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is celebrated by gathering 25 young performers who portrayed Snow White at the Magic Kingdom over the years.
May 31, 1988
A couple from Interlachen, Florida, adopts the first capuchin monkey from the breeding colony established on Discovery Island for the “Helping Hands” program. The program trains monkeys to assist people with disabilities.
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June 9, 1988
Nancy Reagan wishes Mickey Mouse a happy (60th) birthday during a visit to a fleeting attraction known as Mickey’s Birthdayland. The First Lady cuts a 1,000-foot yellow cake and presents Mickey with a jar of jelly beans. Some 4,000 kids are flown in for the occasion.
June 1, 1989
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park opens, featuring a 95-foot-high mountain, eight water slides and a 2.5-acre wave pool. In 2016, it would be the second most-visited water park in the world with more than 2.2 million visitors, according to the Themed Entertainment Association.
Oct. 30, 1989
The Wonders of Life attraction opens at Epcot Center's life and health pavilion. It focuses on the human body and healthy living and features two main attractions -- Cranium Command, a humorous animatronic show, and Body Wars, a motion simulator that is Epcot’s first thrill ride.
Jan. 14, 1990
Star Tours, a “Star Wars” thriller, opens at Disney-MGM Studios. During its star-studded grand-opening weekend, Disney CEO Michael Eisner reveals plans for the Disney Decade, a comprehensive ten-year plan for expansion with two dozen new attractions in the three existing theme parks, plus six new resort hotels and a fourth theme park.
July 9, 1990
The GM Sunrayce, featuring experimental solar-powered vehicles, departs Epcot on a cross-country race to Michigan. The Orlando-to-Detroit, 32-car race would be won by a University of Michigan student team whose Sunrunner solar car would finish in just under 73 hours at an average speed of 22.5 MPH.
Nov. 5, 1990
The first phase of the Epcot Resort Area opens with the debut of Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. It would be followed by the opening of Disney’s Beach Club Resort on Nov. 19.
Nov. 1, 1991
The Disney Harvest program launches. The charitable food collection and distribution program would come to collect more than 823,000 pounds of prepared, unserved food from throughout Walt Disney World Resort annually for distribution to more than 40 Orlando-area nonprofits served by Second Harvest Food Bank.
Aug. 24, 1993
Diana, Princess of Wales, and her sons Prince William and Prince Harry visit Disney World and stay in a flower-filled suite at the Grand Floridian Beach Resort.
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Nov. 23, 1993
The world’s most famous doll comes to life at Epcot in “The Magical World of Barbie,” a 20-minute show in the American Gardens Theater. The show features Miss Oregon runner-up Elizabeth Simmons, who was selected from more than 300 contestants for the role.
Jan. 16, 1994
The inaugural Walt Disney World Marathon kicks off, eventually growing into the popular of the “runDisney” races.
Dec. 17, 1994
Planet Hollywood debuts at Pleasure Island with a constellation of stars on hand: Sylvester Stallone, Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cindy Crawford, Jean Claude Van Damme, David Hasselhoff, Wesley Snipes, Hulk Hogan, Luke Perry, Jon Stewart, Charlie Sheen, Don Johnson, Melanie Griffith, Steven Seagal, Patrick Swayze, Andre Agassi and others.
April 1, 1995
Blizzard Beach, Disney World’s third water park, opens with a 12-story drop down Summit Plummet, where guests can reach speeds of 55 mph. The concept is a ski resort that has melted. A chair lift carries guests to the top of Mount Gushmore for a wild ride.
July 15, 1995
Disney’s Wedding Pavilion opens on the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon, part of a vast expansion of options for weddings and vowel renewals. Each year, Disney World hosts about 1,500 weddings. That's about 30 weddings each week.
Dec. 1, 1995
The dazzling Disney-MGM Studios Spectacle of Lights makes its first appearance at Walt Disney World during the 1995 holiday season — after being kicked out of Arkansas, where it was started by a local, holiday-loving family. The annual display would return for 20 seasons.
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Oct. 1, 1996
First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, Roy E. Disney and Michael D. Eisner gather in front of the Cinderella Castle, decorated like a pink birthday cake, to kick off a 16-month-long 25th anniversary celebration of Disney World. A huge parade includes a 2,000-member band and 2,500 children from Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
July 15, 1999
FastPass, a virtual waiting line, is introduced at Animal Kingdom, changing the way guests wait their turns. In Aug. 2021, Disney officials would announce a new free planning tool called Disney Genie to replace FastPass.
Oct. 1, 2001
The 100 Years of Magic Celebration commences, honoring the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney’s birth. New parades debut in all four parks and a 122-foot-tall Sorcerer Mickey hat becomes an icon for Disney-MGM Studios (which would become Disney's Hollywood Studios) to celebrate the opening of the documentary "Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream."
May 5, 2005
Disneyland turns 50 and every Disney park worldwide joins in the celebration. At including Magic Kingdom, each tower of Cinderella Castle is adorned with glittering gold spirals and statues of beloved characters.
Dec. 19, 2005
At Animal Kingdom, elephant mom Donna gives birth to daughter Nadirah, a 233-pound calf, after just 16 minutes of labor. Donna would go on to have two more daughters, Luna and Stella, in 2010 and 2017.
April 7, 2006
Expedition Everest opens, bringing new thrills to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The three-minute ride reaches speeds of nearly 50 mph as it avoids the Yeti protecting the Forbidden Mountain. It’s among the most expensive roller coasters in the world, costing more than $100 million.
May 19-21, 2006
Peter Mayhew, the towering actor who portrayed Chewbacca, kicks off the annual Star Wars Weekends at Disney-MGM Studios. The beloved Wookie draws record crowds to the park.
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Oct. 4, 2006
2007 is named “The Year of a Million Dreams." The Spangler family of Ohio family gets the Magic Kingdom to themselves for the morning after the “Dream Squad” randomly chooses them for a “dream come true” experience. By the end of 2008, more than 1 million such dreams would be granted.
Dec 25, 2007
The annual nationwide telecast of the “Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade” airs live (with performances pre-recorded) on ABC-TV with Regis Philbin, Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest as hosts. “Dancing With The Stars” dancers, Jessica Simpson, the Jonas Brothers, Patti LaBelle and Katharine McPhee are featured.
Jan. 17-20, 2008
The first Disney Dreamers Academy event brings 100 exceptional African American high school students from around the country to a four-day, immersive mentoring experience.
May 31, 2008
Disney’s Hollywood Studios welcomes the Toy Story Midway Mania 4-D interactive attraction. Wearing 3D glasses, guests board a carnival-inspired tram and use spring-action shooters to take out an array of moving targets.
Feb. 14, 2009
The grand opening of the American Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World invites guests ages 15 to 28 to audition in front of a live audience. The best win a ticket that bypasses the first round of tryouts at a regional audition.
July 3, 2009
The Hall of Presidents officially re-opens at the Magic Kingdom, with new speeches by Presidents Barack Obama and George Washington.
Dec. 6, 2012
New Fantasyland opens at Magic Kingdom. The 26-acre expansion includes three new attractions and Be Our Guest Restaurant, an elegant dining destination at the foot of Beast’s Castle. There are three rooms to choose from (the Grand Ballroom, the West Wing and the Castle Gallery) and reservations are required.
May 28, 2014
The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, a steel roller coaster fitted with “swinging” cars, makes its debut at Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom. The individual mine cars are designed to swing side to side.
Sept. 29, 2015
Disney Springs opens. This is a 36-month reimagining of Downtown Disney, a retail, dining and entertainment district encompassing four “neighborhoods” themed to Florida towns of the early 20th century.
April 12, 2016
A 48,000-panel, five-megawatt Mickey-shaped solar array debuts near Epcot. It is able to produce power equal to 1,000 residential rooftop systems.
May 27, 2017
Pandora: The World of Avatar opens at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Guests can fly on the back of a banshee in a 3-D ride over the rugged landscape of Pandora and join in the spiritual songs of the Na'vi.
Oct. 1, 2017
Epcot celebrates its 35th anniversary at Walt Disney World.
June 30, 2018
Toy Story Land opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios so kids can play in Andy’s backyard. The attraction includes an outdoor roller coaster called Slinky Dog Dash.
Aug. 29, 2019
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, one of the most ambitious and technologically advanced attractions created for a Disney park, opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Sept. 29, 2019
Disney Skyliner takes flight. This state-of-the-art gondola system connects Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios to four Disney Resort hotels.
Feb. 20, 2019
A new 270-acre, 57-megawatt solar facility goes online, generating enough renewable clean energy to operate two of Walt Disney World Resort’s four theme parks annually.
March 15-July 11, 2020
The park temporarily closes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oct. 1, 2021
The World’s Most Magical Celebration kicks off, saluting the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort. The 18-month event will feature new experiences at all four theme parks and beyond, with shimmering “EARidescent” décor.