Walt Disney never intended for the Magic Kingdom to be the heart of his “Florida Project”. Instead, he hoped that his Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT) would take that role – but he knew that he needed to build a theme park to secure financing for the ambitious undertaking. Following Walt’s death in 1966, the Magic Kingdom didbecome the main element of Walt Disney World. Although it borrowed its design (and many of its attractions) from the original Disneyland, it quickly surpassed the California park in terms of popularity after opening in 1971. Today, it is the best-attended theme park in the world. Let’s take a look at how the Magic Kingdom has evolved over the four-plus decades since its made its debut.
1. Walt Disney decides on Florida for second theme park project (1963)
Following a flight from New Orleans to Burbank, California on November 22, Walt Disney declares: “Well, that’s the place – Florida.” On the same day, President John F. Kennedy is assassinated. Several further visits to the state follow as Walt hunts for the perfect site.
2. Disney goes public with Florida Project (1965)
After the Orlando Sentinel reports that the “mystery buyer” of large swathes of land in Central Florida is Disney, Disney breaks cover. A press conference is held with Walt Disney, Roy Disney and Governor Hayden Burns on November 15 to confirm plans for a new theme park near Orlando.
3. Walt Disney dies (1966)
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On December 15, 1966, Walt Disney passes away. Roy Disney, who had been hoping to retire, decides to stay on and complete the construction of the Florida resort in his honor.
4. Construction of Magic Kingdom (1967-71)
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Construction work on the Magic Kingdom gets underway. The central castle, Cinderella Castle, will stand at 189 feet tall, compared to Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland which is just 77 feet tall.
5. Magic Kingdom opens as Walt Disney World’s first theme park (1971)
The Magic Kingdom opens at Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971. On October 25, Roy Disney joins Mickey Mouse to dedicate the park. He dies just two months later.
6. Plaza Swan Boats open (1972)
Desperate to increase capacity at the Magic Kingdom, which is short on rides following its debut, Disney adds the Plaza Swan Boats to the moat in the Central Plaza in front of Cinderella Castle.
7. If You Had Wings opens (1972)
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The high-capacity Omnimover dark ride If You Had Wings opens in Tomorrowland, as a thinly-disguised promotion for Eastern Air Lines.
8. Tom Sawyer Island opens (1973)
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Artificial island Tom Sawyer Island is opened up to guests, enabling children to roam freely as they explore it.
9. Pirates of the Caribbean opens (1973)
The first major expansion to the Magic Kingdom was set to be the Western River Expedition, a major attraction in Frontierland. However, guests complained so frequently that there was no clone of Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean at the park that management opted to cancel those plans and install a version of the popular boat ride instead.
10. Space Mountain construction (1974)
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The popularity of the Magic Kingdom with teens and young adults led to Imagineers rushing to design thrill rides for the park. A clone of Disneyland’s Matterhorn Bobsleds was considered, but ultimately a space-themed roller coaster (based on an idea from Walt Disney before his death) was installed instead.
11. Star Jets open (1974)
The Star Jets open in Tomorrowland, as the futuristic area undergoes a major makeover.
12. Space Mountain opens (1975)
The first Space Mountain opens at the Magic Kingdom on January 15, 1975, offering an indoor, space-themed roller coaster ride in the dark.
13. Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress opens (1975)
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Having made its debut at the New York World’s Fair and subsequently had a run at Disneyland, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is moved to the Magic Kingdom at the request of sponsor General Electric.
14. Mission to Mars opens (1975)
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Flight to the Moon – a clone of a Disneyland attraction – was an opening day attraction at the Magic Kingdom. It tooks guests on a simulated flight to the moon, but was instantly outdated as NASA had already landed men on the moon by the time it opened. The ride is replaced by the updated Mission to Mars. In the pre-show area, known as Mission Control, the audio-animatronic flight director explains the background to the mission. Guests then board a “spacecraft”, which contains a circular theater with stadium-style seating, for a journey into space, onwards to Mars, and then back to Earth.
15. WEDWay PeopleMover opens (1975)
Walt Disney had hoped that WEDWay systems would form a major part of the never-built Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. One becomes part of the Magic Kingdom’s line-up in 1975. It differs from the Disneyland original in that it uses linear sychronous motors to propel its vehicles, instead of Goodyear tires.
16. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad construction (1979)
With work underway on a second theme park for Walt Disney World, EPCOT Center, Disney is keen to maintain interest in the Magic Kingdom. Although it will open after Disneyland’s version, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was first designed for the park. The enormous structure requires 650 tons of steel, 4,675 tons of “mud” and more than 9,000 gallons of paint to construct.
17. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opens (1980)
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opens at the Magic Kingdom. It is essentially a mirror image of the Disneyland version, but is 25 percent larger.
18. Magic Journeys moves in from EPCOT Center (1987)
Magic Journeys was an opening day attraction at EPCOT Center, and was situated in the Journey Into Imagination Pavilion before being removed in 1986 to make room for Michael Jackson’s Captain EO. That isn’t the end, though – it made a comeback in the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland Theater in December 1987, where it continues to play until December 1993. The film offers a look at the world through the eyes of a child, following children as they flew a kite, rode on a carousel and visited the circus.
19. Mickey’s Birthdayland opens (1988)
With Mickey Mouse turning 60 in 1988, Disney decides to install a temporary land at the Magic Kingdom. A recreation of the town of Duckburg, its primary attraction is a birthday-themed meet-and-greet with Mickey and Minnie.
20. Delta Dreamflight replaces If You Had Wings (1989)
If You Had Wings is replaced by Delta Dreamflight, which takes guests on a journey through the history of aviation.
21. Mickey’s Starland replaces Mickey’s Birthdayland (1990)
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With the celebrations of Mickey’s 60th birthday over, Mickey’s Birthdayland remains in place but is renamed as Mickey’s Starland.
22. Splash Mountain construction (1991)
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With Disney’s theme parks enjoying a major spending spree, construction work takes place on a clone of Disneyland’s Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom.
23. Splash Mountain opens at the Magic Kingdom (1992)
The first guests begin to ride Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom during a soft opening in July 1992.
24. The Legend of the Lion King debuts (1994)
With animated movie The Lion King proving to be a smash hit, a musical version of the story debuts at the Magic Kingdom, replacing the outgoing Magic Journeys.
25. From Time to Time opens in Tomorrowland (1994)
Disneyland Paris is proving to be a financial disaster following its 1992 debut, but that doesn’t stop Walt Disney World from importing a version of one of its attractions. The Timekeeper is renamed as From Time to Time, and is a 360-degree movie that also employs audio-animatronics.
26. ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter opens in Tomorrowland (1995)
Championed by former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, the infamous ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter is designed to be one of the scariest Disney attractions ever built. It opens for previews in 1994, but is retooled after Eisner claims it isn’t intense enough. The official opening comes in June 1995.
27. The birthday cake castle (1996)
Cinderella Castle is transformed into a 185-foot-tall cake as the centerpiece of the resort’s 25th anniversary celebrations. The “cake” is estimated to weigh 40 million pounds. 55,040 tablespoons of pink paint in three different shades are employed to create it, and it features 50 gumballs, 30 lollipops, 4 lifesavers, 16 red candy hearts and 16 green candy stars.
28. Mickey’s Toontown Fair opens
Image: DisneyAfter an extensive refurbishments, the former Mickey’s Starland area reopens at Mickey’s Toontown. It is described as the “holiday home” for the characters, who reside in Disneyland’s Mickey’s Toontown.
29. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin opens (1998)
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin replaces Take Flight at the Magic Kingdom, becoming the first of a number of Toy Story-themed shooters at Disney parks around the world.
30. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh opens (1999)
Despite protests from some fans, Mr Toad’s Wild Ride in Fantasyland is replaced by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
31. Mickey’s Philharmagic debuts (2003)
The Legend of the Lion King is replaced by Mickey’s Philharmagic, a “4-D” show that sees Mickey attempting to conduct an orchestra while Donald Duck causes chaos.
32. Stitch’s Great Escape opens
Though it has built up something of a cult following, the ExtraTERRORestrial Alian Encounter is replaced by the more family-friendly Stitch’s Great Escape! after less than a decade in operation.
33. Pirates of the Caribbean is updated (2006)
Pirates of the Caribbean is updated to feature characters from the movies based upon the original Disneyland ride, including Captain Jack Sparrow.
34. The Cinderella Castle Suite welcomes its first guests (2006)
As part of the Year of a Million Dreams promotion, Disney converts the upper floors of Cinderella Castle into the stunning Cinderella Castle Suite. Guests are offered the chance to win a stay in the luxury suite.
35. Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor opens (2007)
The Timekeeper is replaced in Tomorrowland by interactive comedy show the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor.
36. Interactive queue added to Space Mountain (2009)
In a move that indicates a new trend, Disney updates Space Mountain with a new queue line that features a host of interactive games.
37. Storybook Circus opens in New Fantasyland (2012)
Storybook Circus becomes one of the first elements of an updated and expanded “New Fantasyland” to open. It features dual versions of the popular Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride to increase capacity.
38. The Little Mermaid swims into New Fantasyland (2012)
Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid opens in New Fantasyland. The ride is a clone of The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, which opened a year earlier at Disney California Adventure.
39. Be Our Guest opens to diners (2012)
The Be Our Guest restaurant begins serving diners in New Fantasyland. The eatery is housed in an enormous recreation of Beast’s Castle from Beauty and the Beast.
40. New Fantasyland expansion completed (2014)
The New Fantasyland expansion was completed in spring 2014 with the debut of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train roller coaster.
