MODERN MARVELS - Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World Resort, often referred to as simply Walt Disney World or Disney World, is a major recreational resort most famous for its theme parks. Owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts segment of The Walt Disney Company, it is located in Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake, Florida, outside the city limits of Orlando.

Construction began in 1967, less than a year after Walt Disney's death. It opened on October 1, 1971, as the Magic Kingdom, and since has added Epcot October 1 1982, Disney-MGM Studios May 1, 1989 and Disney's Animal Kingdom April 22, 1998 theme parks.

In addition to the four main theme parks, the resort contains two water parks, six golf courses, a sports complex, an auto race track, twenty resort hotels and numerous shopping, dining, and entertainment offerings. It even has its own fire department. The 20,000-plus acre property is the largest theme park resort in the world, although over the past decade significant acreage has been sold off for housing and other developments, including land now occupied by the Disney-built (but not owned) community of Celebration.

It is accessible from Central Florida's Interstate 4 via Exits 62B (World Drive), 64B (US 192 West), 65B (Osceola Parkway West), 67B (SR 536 West), and 68 (SR 535 North). In addition, in 2006 a new western entrance opened from Exit 8 on State Road 429 (Florida), the Western Expressway.