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In 1955, the first Walt Disney Resort opened in Anaheim, California. It was extremely popular, but despite its success, market research revealed that only two percent of visitors that came to the resort were from east of the Mississippi River. It was failing to attract people from the region where three quarters of the American population actually lived. Founder Walt Disney was also unhappy with many of the businesses that had sprung up around Disneyland and wanted more control over a larger area of land.
It was on November 22, 1963 when the company founder first flew over the tract of land just outside Orlando, Florida that would go on to become his second theme park. He wanted to have an amount of land for his new attraction so large that it better isolated visitors from the real world. After all, popular legend among company employees says that one family left Disneyland early because they could see rush hour traffic building up on the Santa Ana Freeway from the Skyway ride. He did not want that to happen again.
He decided that this would be an ideal home for the second park. It was a prime piece of real estate, located right at the intersection of Florida’s major freeway routes. Cunning businessman that he was, Disney created a number of dummy corporations to purchase the land he wanted in smaller tracts so as to avoid a burst of land speculation and keep prices down. The first five acre lot purchased in 1964 was done so by Ayefour Corporation – a pun on Interstate 4. The next year, two larger tracts were bought for $1.5 million by seemingly foreign companies, such as Latin-American Development and Management Corporation and Reedy Creek Ranch Corporation.
In most cases, buying land for the Florida Walt Disney Resort presented few obstacles. Primarily swampland, its owners were by and large happy to get rid of it. Mineral rights to the land were owned by Tufts University, meaning that at any time, Tufts could come in and order the theme park closed in order to obtain minerals. However, the Walt Disney Company was able to ensure the transfer of these rights.
On October 20, 1965, after most of the land for the park had already been purchased, the truth about the dummy corporations was leaked to the Orlando Sentinel. Disney subsequently organized a press conference to announce the plans for the new resort Disney died in 1966, almost five years before his dream had been established in Florida. However, his brother Roy postponed his own retirement in order to carry out his younger brother’s vision. Construction of the resort continued over the next five years. On October 1, 1971, the theme park was officially opened to the public. Following the dedication ceremony, Disney’s widow Lillian was asked what she thought of the newly completed Walt Disney Resort. “I think Walt would have approved,” she replied.
In 1955, the first Walt Disney Resort opened in Anaheim, California. It was extremely popular, but despite its success, market research revealed that only two percent of visitors that came to the resort were from ea...
In the Frommer’s Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, author Bob Sehlinger says, “When it comes to Walt Disney World you either need a plan or a frontal lobotomy.” Indeed, as huge a complex of theme parks as Walt ...
It is consistently ranked one of the top vacation destinations in the U.S., if not the world, and has become a mainstay in the cultural landscape of America. If you have never been to Walt Disney Orlando, you are mi...
Walt Disney may be one of America’s most beloved visionaries and entrepreneurs, but there is much about Walt Disney that his fans don’t know. For instance, did you know that Walt Disney’s actual autograph bears no r...
Following the success of the world famous Disneyland in California, founder Walt Disney wanted to expand his operations. He quietly began purchasing land in central Florida under the mask of fake companies in order ...
Walt Disney Video - A documentary looking at Walt Disney's character. Includes interviews with artists Bill Melendez, David Hilberman, Mary Eastman, Bill Hurtz, Marie Beardsley, and Bill Littlejohn, screenwriter Joan Scott, and biographers Marc Eliot, Richard Schickel, and Bob Thomas.
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In 1955, the first Walt Disney Resort opened in Anaheim, California. It was extremely popular, but despite its success, market research revealed that only two percent of visitors that came to the resort were from ea...
