Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World Resort is a world-renowned attraction in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. The resort complex covers nearly 25,000 acres and is comprised of four theme parks, two water parks, 31 themed resort hotels, nine non-Disney hotels, several golf courses, a camping resort, and other entertainment venues. Guests can enjoy attractions such as Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom. There is also an outdoor shopping center called Disney Springs. In addition to the many things to do at the resort, guests can also enjoy the dining and nightlife options. With so much to see and do, Walt Disney World Resort is a great vacation destination for families and couples alike. Walt Disney World Resort is a complex of theme parks, hotels, and other attractions in Orlando, Florida. It is operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Parks and Resorts division. The resort was built to supplement Disneyland in Anaheim, California, which had opened in 1955. Walt Disney's original plans also called for the inclusion of an "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow" (EPCOT), a planned community intended to serve as a testbed for new city-living innovations; however, Walt died before this could be realized. Roy O. Disney, Walt's older brother, came out of retirement to oversee the construction of the complex. Today, the Walt Disney World Resort is made up of four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios), two water parks (Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach), dozens of hotels, and countless other attractions. It is the most-visited vacation resort in the world, with over 52 million visitors annually. The Magic Kingdom is the flagship attraction of the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. This theme park was the first to open in the complex back in 1971 and sets the bar high for the others that followed, including Epcot (1982), Disney's Hollywood Studios (1989), and Disney's Animal Kingdom (1998). Today, the Magic Kingdom remains one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world, with an average annual attendance of more than 58 million people. Visitors come from all over to experience the Magic Kingdom's wide range of attractions, from classics like It's a Small World to newer additions like Pandora - The World of Avatar. There's something for everyone at the Magic Kingdom, making it an unforgettable vacation destination. Disney World is much more than just rides and roller coasters. In fact, there are a wide variety of attractions to keep visitors of all ages entertained. Multiple resorts across Disney property offer a variety of spa treatments, including Disney's Grand Floridian and Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. Disney's Boardwalk, located outside of their Boardwalk Inn, functions as an entertainment, dining, and shopping district. Epcot has annual festivals that run for limited amounts of time throughout the year like the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival, Epcot Festival of the Arts, and the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. Disney does special ticketed events throughout the year including the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, which usually runs late August through October, and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Disney Springs, opened March 22, 1975 (Previously known as Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, Disney Village Marketplace), is an outdoor complex containing restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues. As you can see, there is no shortage of things to do at Disney World! Disney's property includes four golf courses, three of which are 18-hole golf courses. Disney's Palm (4.5 stars) and Magnolia (4 stars) courses played home to the PGA Tour's Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic. The attraction also features a nine-hole walking course (no electric carts allowed) called Oak Trail, designed for young golfers. Additionally, there are two themed miniature golf complexes, each with two courses. The two courses at Fantasia Gardens are Fantasia Garden and Fantasia Fairways. The Garden course is a traditional miniature-style course based on the "Fantasia" movies with musical holes, water fountains, and animated sculptures. The Fairways course is based on Disney characters and settings with such features as a Cinderella castle and animatronic alligators. Winter Summerland has a Christmas theme in December and a Hawaiian theme the rest of the year. Arnold Palmer Golf Management manages the Disney golf courses. Disney's Magical Express is a complimentary service for guests of the Walt Disney World Resort who are arriving at Orlando International Airport. The service is operated by Mears Destination Services and includes transportation to and from the airport, as well as baggage handling. Guests can also take advantage of airline check-in counters at their resort, which will check their bags all the way through to their final destination and print boarding passes. Current participating airlines are Delta, United, American, JetBlue, Southwest and Alaska Airlines.