Happy Anniversary Disney World!
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (128824)
Gainesville, Florida
October 1, 2016 6:27pm CST
Today is the 45th anniversary of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida! Happy Anniversary Disney!
An interesting story about opening day back in 1971. At the time of opening day, Disney World had two resorts completed and ready to go: the Contemporary and the Polynesian. The Contemporary was considered the more important of the two, and Walt Disney and his team of dignitaries were going to open that resort first, and then immediately after open the Polynesian. Because this was such a monumental moment in Disney's career, the Governor of Florida was invited as the featured dignitary. However, the Governor was running late to arrive, and it delayed the grand opening ceremony at the Contemporary. The Polynesian, not realizing the delay over at the Contemporary, followed the itinerary they were given that morning and went ahead with their grand opening at their scheduled time. As a result, the Polynesian actually opened before the Contemporary, and it is still something that is a sore spot between the two resorts even to this day (in a friendly way, of course)!
Was there anybody here on myLot who may have been to Walt Disney World back in 1971, either on opening day or shortly thereafter?
12 people like this
13 responses
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
You live up north and you've never been to Florida? I'm pretty sure that it is a federal law that in the winter time everybody who lives up north is required to go to Florida for the winter! lol
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
6 Oct 16
@moffittjc I know, however, finances are an issue. Besides I would NEVER leave Wisconsin in winter. I LOVE winter and snow. I know, they haven't caught me yet to commit me.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
6 Oct 16
@moffittjc Not at all. Perfectly normal in my book.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
Come on down! You're always welcome! I'll be going to Disney two weekends from now to celebrate my daughter's birthday.
1 person likes this
@dodo19 (48119)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
2 Oct 16
@moffittjc thanks. I'll definitely come down. I hope you guys have fun at Disney World, and that your daughter has a good birthday.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
@dodo19 My daughter is a Disney girl. Even as a teenager, she still loves going to Disney World every chance she gets!
1 person likes this
@epiffanie (11325)
• Australia
2 Oct 16
I was there on their 25t anniversary ..It's a shame that I only had one whole day there .. apparently if you want to see the entire park, you have to spend three days..
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
Every year at Christmas time, we go for between 7-10 days. We have figured out that it takes that long to see everything there is to see at all the parks in Disney World! And even though we go 5-6 times every year, and have been going for 15+ years, we still discover something new every time we go!
@carebear29 (32002)
• Wausau, Wisconsin
2 Oct 16
I never been there but my oldest 2 children have
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
You should plan to visit at least once in your lifetime! October and November are two great months to visit. Don't go in December though, there are like 8 billion people there then. lol
1 person likes this
@carebear29 (32002)
• Wausau, Wisconsin
2 Oct 16
@moffittjc I sure hope I get to.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
2 Oct 16
No not me, I didn't go until the 1990s.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
2 Oct 16
@moffittjc I was at Disney land for their 50th anniversary which was pretty cool not the exact day but the year, I got an anniversary mug.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
I went to their 25th anniversary in 1996. They decorated Cinderella's Castle to make it look like a giant cake! It was pretty cool to see!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
@richjohn07 I go to Disney every year at Christmas/New Year's for a 10-day vacation. The week between Christmas and New Year's is Disney's single busiest week of the year. If I can handle the crowds during that time, I can handle the crowds at any other time of the year! lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
The kids and I were thinking about going to Disney World this weekend (we have annual passes), but figured it would be a madhouse with so many people going to celebrate their anniversary.
1 person likes this
@richjohn07 (641)
•
2 Oct 16
@moffittjc that's right. You may not enjoy the trip there because of the crowd. Maybe you could wafch disney channel on your tv to celebrate disney world. :-D
1 person likes this
@luisadannointed (11842)
• Philippines
2 Oct 16
I wasn't been there, not only because I was not born yet at that time but also I never travel outside my country yet. Hehehehe.
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
I'm surprised that more Canadians don't visit Disney World, especially since so many of you vacation in Florida over the winter. Surprisingly, the British and the Brazilians seem to be the two biggest groups of tourists who visit Disney World each year!
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
I was there for their 25th anniversary, and that was quite a celebration. They even decorated Cinderella's Castle to look like a giant cake! Can't wait to see what they have planned for their 50th anniversary!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
@KristenH Well, hopefully, you can have another chance to go!
1 person likes this
@KristenH (33591)
• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
2 Oct 16
@moffittjc That's pretty awesome. I would love to go back there someday!
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
9 Oct 16
I have not been to Florida since I was five, but was at Disneyland a lot from the time we moved to California. My sister worked in payroll in the park and I got in free all time.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Oct 16
That's nice that you were able to get in free like that! I have a buddy of mine who is a contractor with Disney World (his company does all their caulking and sealing), so he is able to get in free too.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
9 Oct 16
@moffittjc That would be cool. Epcot always sounded interesting to me.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
10 Oct 16
@moffittjc Sounds like a good time!
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
2 Oct 16
No, that would have felt like treason, or cheating on a spouse.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
Hahaha, I see! More partial to Disneyland? Best not to cheat on your spouse then!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Oct 16
@ElizabethWallace Well, the same thing is happening at Disney World right now. They are slowly dismantling everything that people have loved and replacing it with all new things. In a few years, the park is going to be unrecognizable to previous generations of Disney fans. Sad to see so many classic rides being closed or changed into something else.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
5 Oct 16
@moffittjc The Disney Corporation has lost its way, in my opinion. Their mission statement used to be based on family values (the real ones, not the ones of the GOP). Now, I think greed is their motto, like so many other businesses. So sad. 
1 person likes this
@Poppylicious (11134)
• United Kingdom
2 Oct 16
I wasn't even a twinkle. Never been to any Disney resort, even the Paris one. I don't really see the attraction.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
I think Disney is more appealing if you had the chance to visit as a child. Because then there seems to be a magical quality that draws you back time after time, even into adulthood. But on the other hand, Disney is one of those unique brands...people either love Disney or they don't.
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
2 Oct 16
That old already. I live in SoCal so Disneyland is close by.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Oct 16
Well, Disneyland is much, much older, so Disney World is probably just a baby to you! lol
