Chronology of Walt Disney World

Copyright © 2006-2024 Ken Polsson
internet e-mail: ken@kpolsson.com
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URL: http://kpolsson.com/wdworld/

References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2023 December 20.


1972

March
  • The Olde World Antiques ship opens in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.367]
  • Merlin's Magic Shop opens in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.318]
June 5
  • Eastern Airlines begins sponsorship of the If You Had Wings attraction in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.250] [250.96]
(month unknown)
  • Four locomotives are built for use in a new railroad to operate in Fort Wilderness at Walt Disney World. The cost is US$1 million for four engines and 20 cars. [328.336]
October 1
  • 10.7 million people have visited Walt Disney World since its opening, one year ago. [6] [14]
December 15
  • Construction begins on the Space Mountain attraction at Walt Disney World. [242.85]
December 20
  • Disney releases the documentary film The Magic of Walt Disney World. [23] [228.304]

1973

April 15
  • The Walt Disney Story attraction and film opens on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [23] [26.41] [501.594]
May 20
  • The Tom Sawyer Island attraction opens in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.562]
  • The Tom Sawyer Island Rafts attraction opens in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.562]
  • The Plaza Swan Boats attraction opens on the hub in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.391] [754.84]
  • The Richard F. Irvine Riverboat attraction opens in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.470]
(month unknown)
  • The Fort Wilderness Railway train begins operating in the Fort Wilderness Resort at Walt Disney World. [228.191]
  • The Disney Inn hotel opens at Walt Disney World. [10]
  • The Gold Resort hotel opens at Walt Disney World. [228.209]
September
  • The Yankee Trader shop opens in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.625]

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December 15
  • The Pirates of the Caribbean attraction opens in Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [5] [210.18] [228.389] [1379.118]

1974

March 15
  • The Circle-Vision 360 film America the Beautiful closes at Walt Disney World. [1378.27]
March 16
  • The film Magic Carpet 'Round The World premieres in the Circle-Vision 360 theater at Walt Disney World. [23] [228.93,303]
March 31
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, featuring the documentary film The Magic of Walt Disney World. [228.305]
April 1
  • Pioneer Hall opens at Fort Wilderness at Walt Disney World. [5] [228.389]
April 8
  • The Treasure Island nature preserve pens to the public at Walt Disney World. [1342.36] [1378.187]
(month unknown)
  • Disney's Village Resort hotel opens at Walt Disney World. [10]
June 14
  • The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue opens in Pioneer Hall at Fort Wilderness at Walt Disney World, as a summer workshop program. [228.240] [1293.50]
(month unknown)
  • The Hallmark card shop opens on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.225]
September 5
  • The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue opens as a permanent attraction in Pioneer Hall at Fort Wilderness at Walt Disney World, with a professional troupe of Disney entertainers continuing the roles of the summer workshop program. [228.240] [1293.50]
November 22
  • The Buena Vista Club golf club opens at Lake Buena Vista at Walt Disney World. [1378.102]
November 28
  • The Star Jets attraction opens in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.521] (December 15 [1379.123])
December 29
  • Attendance at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World hits a record 74,597 for the day, forcing the park to close the entrance gates for four hours. [114.34]
Year
  • Walt Disney World attendance for the year is 800,000 less than 1973, due to increase in gasoline price. [1364.1]

1975

January 15
  • The Space Mountain attraction opens in the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. Colonel James Irwin, pilot of Apollo 15 lunar module, is first official rider of Space Mountain. [5] [210.18] [230.30] [190.26] [249.27] [250.98] [325.73] [501.515] [1364.144] [1379.120]
  • The Carousel of Progress attraction opens in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [5] [1379.123]
March 14
  • The film Magic Carpet 'Round the World is last shown at the Circle-Vision 360 theater at Walt Disney World. [228.303]
March 15
  • The revised film America the Beautiful opens at the Circle-Vision 360 theater at Walt Disney World. [1378.27]
March
  • The Country Address fashion shop opens at the Walt Disney World Village at Walt Disney World. [1378.157]
March 22
  • Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village opens at Walt Disney World. [228.280] [1379.124]
April 15
  • The Flight to the Moon attraction at Walt Disney World closes. [228.188]
June 6
  • The America on Parade parade begins daily performances at Walt Disney World. [1378.27] (July [4] [26.27] [939.130])
June 7
  • The Mission to Mars attraction opens in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.335]
(month unknown)
  • The Harmony Barber Shop opens on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.228]
  • The Village Restaurant opens in the Walt Disney World Village at Walt Disney World. [501.587]
July 1
  • The WEDway PeopleMover opens in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [242.85] [257.24] [501.601] (1976 [5])

1976

March 2
  • Walt Disney World welcomes its 50-millionth guest, Susan Brummer. [119.34] [501.596]
June 20
  • The River Country water park opens at Walt Disney World. [5] [120.22] [210.18] [237.47] [501.472] [1342.36] (1977 [22])
September 6
  • The America on Parade show ends at Walt Disney World. It completed more than 1200 performances to a total audience of 25 million people. [4] [939.130] [1378.27]

1977

January 1
  • Bob Allen is promoted to vice president of Walt Disney World. [1378.24]
May 1
  • The Empress Lilly riverboat, a 19th century Mississippi sternwheeler, is christened, by Lillian Disney. The river boat sits in Lake Buena Vista, in the Walt Disney World Village. [5] [228.164] [1342.38]
June 11
  • The Main Street Electrical Parade premieres in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [5] [228.306]
(month unknown)
  • Disney renames Treasure Island at Walt Disney World to Discovery Island. [228.126] (1978 [5])
  • The Walt Disney World park management decides to dismantle the Fort Wilderness Railroad, due to numerous problems in its operation. [228.191] [328.343]
October 5
  • Kikkoman begins sponsering the Adventureland Veranda restaurant in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.8]
November 20
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled The Mouseketeers at Walt Disney World. [228.344]

1978

July 18
  • The Lake Buena Vista Office Plaza opens at Walt Disney World. It is also knowns as the Sun Bank Building. [228.280]
December 10
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled Christmas at Walt Disney World. [1378.134]

1979

May
  • Groundbreaking begins for EPCOT Center in Walt Disney World. [22]
(month unknown)
  • Disney sells the Celebrity Sports Center, in Denver, Colorado. The sports facility had been used for training new employees for Walt Disney World. [228.85]
October 22
  • Walt Disney World welcomes its 100-millionth guest, Kurt Miller. [225.41] [501.596] [1073.115] (October 29 [5])

1980

August
  • The Walt Disney World Conference Center building opens. [501.595]
  • The Club Lake Villas accomodations open at Lake Buena Vista in Walt Disney World. [1378.144]
September 14
  • The Mickey Mouse Revue attraction in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World closes. [228.323] [235.84]
September 23
  • The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction opens in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.78]
(month unknown)
  • The Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat is retired from operation in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.7]
November 8
  • The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride officially opens in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. It cost US$17 million to build. [5] [125.s10.9]

1981

May 25
  • The Kindercare Center child-care facility opens at Walt Disney World. [228.275]
June 1
  • The EPCOT Preview Center in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World begins showing the film A Dream Called EPCOT. [23] [228.151]
June
  • Disney releases the film A Dream Called Walt Disney World as a souvenir. [228.151]
June 29
  • The Broadway at the Top show opens in the Top of the World at the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World. [1378.99]
October 1
  • Ten years after opening, total attendance at Walt Disney World is 126 million. [36.27]
  • The Tencennial Parade begins performances in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.545]
October 2
  • The live stage show Disney World is Your World begins performances on the Tomorrowland Stage in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.132]

1982

January 21
  • The CBS TV network airs the special Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary. [228.278]
June 1
  • At Walt Disney World, the monorail line is extended from the Ticket and Transportation Center to EPCOT Center. [228.338]
(month unknown)
  • The film Speed Rooms debuts in the If You Had Wings attraction in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [23]
  • The Aloha Isle Refreshments stand opens in Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. The location was formerly the Veranda Juice Bar. [1378.25]
September 28
  • Disney introduces annual passports for use at Walt Disney World. [1378.36]
September 30
  • The Tencennial Parade gives its last performance in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.545]
October 1
  • EPCOT Center opens, at Walt Disney World in Florida. It has two main sections, Future World, and World Showcase. It cost more than US$1.2 billion to build. Disney Chairman and CEO E. Cardon Walker performs the dedication. The song "The World Showcase March" is performed and danced to. [1] [5] [6] [14] [22] [23] [36.28] [34.272] [92.121] [108.34] [132.33] [192.104] [225.41] [234.121] [228.165] [471.90] [1073.133] [1342.20] [1379.134]
  • The Future World area of EPCOT Center opens in Walt Disney World. It includes Journey into Imagination, and The Land. [228.165]
  • The Journey into Imagination pavilion opens in Future World in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. It includes the Image Works area, and the Magic Eye Theater showing the 3-D film Magic Journeys. [23] [228.251,266,304]
  • The Land pavilion, sponsored by Kraft, opens in Future World in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. It includes the Listen to the Land attraction, Tomorrow's Harvest tour, the Farmers Market food court, the Kitchen Kabaret audio-animatronic show, the Harvest Theatre showing the film Symbiosis, and the Good Turn Restaurant. [23] [228.175,211,229,277,281,290] [501.536,563]
  • The World Showcase area of EPCOT Center opens in Walt Disney World. It includes pavilions for countries Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, United Kingdom, and USA (The American Adventure). [1378.27,133]
  • The Canada pavilion opens in World Showcase in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. It includes the Circle-Vision 360 film O Canada!, the Northwest Mercantile Trading Post shop and Le Cellier restaurant. [23] [228.283,361,364] [1378.114]
  • The China pavilion opens in World Showcase in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. It includes the Circle-Vision 360 film Wonders of China. [23] [228.89,93] [501.618]
  • The France pavilion opens in World Showcase in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. It includes the film Impressions de France, the Plume et Palette shop, the Boulangerie Patisserie pastry shop, La Maison du Vin shop, Les Chefs de France restaurant, and the Au Petit Café restaurant. [23] [228.87,194,252,279,391] [1378.47,92,130]
  • The Germany pavilion opens in World Showcase in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. It includes Glas und Porzellan shop, Biergarten restaurant, Süssigkeiten shop, Der Bücherwurm shop, Weinkeller shop, and the Der Teddybär shop. [228.204,206] [501.532,601] [1378.76,181]
  • The Italy pavilion opens in World Showcase in EPCOT Center. It includes the Arcata d'Antigian shop, the Il Bel Cristallo shop, and the L'Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante restaurant. [228.28,250,258,295] [1378.39]
  • The Japan pavilion opens in World Showcase in EPCOT Center. It includes Mitsukoshi Department Store, Teppanyaki Dining Rooms restaurant, Yakitori House restaurant, and the Mitsukoshi Restaurant. [228.262,336] [501.625]
  • The Mexico pavilion opens in World Showcase in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. It includes the El Rio del Tiempo attraction, the Artesanias Mexicanas shop, and the Cantina de San Angel restaurant. [228.158,318] [1378.43,116]
  • The United Kingdom pavilion opens in World Showcase in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. It includes the Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room restaurant, Pringle of Scotland shop, His Lordship shop, Toy Soldier shop, and Biscuit Barrel shop. [228.56,235,401] [501.581,477,567] [1378.80]
  • The FriendShips ferries begin operation on World Showcase Lagoon in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. [228.197]
  • The American Adventure attraction opens in World Showcase in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. The Audio-Animatronics character of Ben Franklin walks during the show for the first time. [210.151] [228.21]
  • The Liberty Inn restaurant opens in The American Adventure in World Showcase in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. [228.287]
  • The America Gardens amphitheater opens in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. [1378.27]
  • The Odyssey restaurant opens in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. [228.365]
  • Communicore East opens in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. It includes the Stargate fast-food facility, Centorium shop, TravelPort attraction, Energy Exchange display, EPCOT Computer Central display of computers, and Astuter Computer Revue show in EPCOT Computer Central. [228.31,85,165,166] [501.521,568] [1378.45,127]
  • Communicore West opens in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. It includes the FutureCom display, sponsored by Bell. [228.200]
  • The Spaceship Earth attraction opens in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. The giant ball has a diameter of 164 feet. [501.516]
  • The Earth Station information and guest services area opens under Spaceship Earth in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. [228.155]
  • The film The EPCOT Earth Station Film debuts in the Earth Station centre in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. [23]
  • The Universe of Energy pavilion opens in the Future World area of EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. It includes Universe of Energy film, Mirrored Theater film, Energy Creation Story film, and Energy, You Make the World Go 'Round film. [23] [228.165] [501.581]
  • The World of Motion pavilion opens in the Future World area of EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. It includes the General Motors Transcenter auto display, and the animated film The Water Engine. [23] [501.568,620]
October 22
  • The official grand opening ceremony is held for EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World, over three days. [23] [395.36]
December
  • The Broccoli & Co. shop opens in The Land area in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. [1378.100]
December 23
  • The Electronic Forum opens in Communicore East in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. Guests watch short films, then press buttons to indicate their opinions. [228.158]
December 28
  • Attendance at Walt Disney World reaches a high of 123,000 for the day. [134.A16]

End of 1972-1982. Next: 1983.

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1958-1971 1972-1982 1983-1989 1990-1994 1995-1999 2000-end


A list of references to all source material is available.


Last updated: 2023 December 20.
Copyright © 2006-2024 Ken Polsson (email: ken@kpolsson.com).
URL: http://kpolsson.com/wdworld/
Link to Ken P's home page.

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