Walt Disney World Resort

▪ resort complex, Florida, United States

      resort complex near Orlando, Fla., envisioned by Walt Disney (Disney, Walt) and featuring attractions based on stories and characters created by the Disney Company.

      Following the success of Disneyland, near Anaheim, Calif., Disney began searching for a location for his second theme park. In 1965 he purchased 43 acres (17 hectares) of barren land in central Florida. Disney died late the following year, and his brother Roy Disney assumed supervision of the project. The Walt Disney World Resort opened in 1971 to great success. By the early 21st century it had grown to encompass 47 square miles (122 square km) and included four theme parks—the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom—as well as two water parks and numerous hotels, restaurants, and shopping centres. The Disney World theme parks are some of the major tourist destinations in the world, particularly for families with young children. By the turn of the 21st century, the Magic Kingdom—the resort's most popular park—attracted 17 million visitors annually.

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