Celebrating 100 Years of Disney: A Look Back at Walt Disney World Resort History

Filed in: About WDW, Characters, Disney Characters, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Water Parks, EPCOT, Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom Park, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Toy Story Land, Typhoon Lagoon, Walt Disney World Resort, Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

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  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. including this historic photo of the Magic Kingdom Park entrance in 1971. (Disney)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years including this photo of Roy O. Disney and Mickey Mouse at the Oct. 25, 1971, dedication ceremony for Walt Disney World Resort on Main Street, U.S.A., in Magic Kingdom Park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Disney)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. including this photo of Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom Park in 1976. (Disney)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla, including this photo of Disney’s Contemporary Resort and the Walt Disney World Monorail from 1975. (Disney)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. including this photo of Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park during its opening year in 1989. (Disney)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. including this photo of Mickey’s Toontown Fair in 1996 at Magic Kingdom Park. (Disney)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. including this photo of Mickey Mouse as he arrives in the LiMOUSEine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 1989. (Disney)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. including this photo of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park as it received new decor in 2005. (Disney)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. including this photo of Spaceship Earth décor in 1999 for the millennium celebration at EPCOT. (Disney)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. including this photo of the Sorcerer’s Hat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2001 as part of “100 Years of Magic” celebration. (Disney)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. including this photo of the grand opening of Muppet*Vision 3D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 1991. (Disney)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a rollicking family-style coaster and the crown jewel of New Fantasyland which opened at Magic Kingdom Park in 2012. The attraction completed New Fantasyland, the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history. (Matt Stroshane, photographer)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Frozen Ever After takes guests through the kingdom of Arendelle from the Disney animated hit, "Frozen." Located in the Norway Pavilion at EPCOT, Frozen Ever After celebrates a "Summer Snow Day" on a journey through a frozen willow forest, past Troll Valley and up to Queen Elsa's palace high up on the north mountain. EPCOT is one of four theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort. (Matt Stroshane, photographer)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. including this photo of the floating mountains inside Pandora - The World of Avatar, which opened in 2017 at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park. (Kent Phillips, photographer)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Slinky Dog's coils twist and turn around the curves, hills and drops of Slinky Dog Dash at Toy Story Land, which opened in 2018 at Disney's Hollywood Studios. (Matt Stroshane, Photographer)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. including this photo of the Millennium Falcon inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which opened in 2019 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Disney)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and other Disney pals celebrate during the dedication ceremony for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, March 3, 2020, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Abigail Nilsson, Photographer)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Beginning Oct. 1, 2021, the resort marked “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” honoring the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort. Beloved characters sported sparkling new looks in EARidescent fashions. (Matt Stroshane, photographer)
  • In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, here's a look back at how magic has taken shape over the years at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Walt Disney World Resort celebrated the 25th anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park on Earth Day, April 22, 2023. The jubilant ceremony near the Tree of Life featured remarks from Walt Disney World Ambassadors and executives as well as Disney’s Animal Kingdom performers, music and entertainment. (David Roark, photographer)