While Disneyland in California is celebrating its 70th anniversary all year long, on Wednesday, October 1, Walt Disney World is celebrating a milestone of its own: 54 years since the park first opened its doors (and its castle) in 1971.
In honor of the anniversary, Disney Parks shared a video of the Magic Kingdom on Instagram, showing off Cinderella Castle with the famous "Partners" statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse front and center.
Walt's voice can be heard in the background of the video, speaking one of his most iconic quotes: "I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing — that it was all started by a mouse."
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After they asked visitors to share their favorite Disney memories in the comments, fans certainly delivered — some even sharing some truly tearjerking moments.
"My oldest wished for a baby sister on her 5th birthday there and we came home two weeks later to a positive pregnancy test after trying for a year," one person wrote.
Another commenter shared, "For me it was getting to tell my pal Mickey that my cancer screening was negative! I’ll always cherish this place."
Heartbreakingly, Walt Disney died in 1966, so he never got to see the park's opening day. But knowing that he created Disney World and Disneyland as a place for families to have fun together, it seems that people continuing to make those memories together there is exactly the legacy he wanted to carry forward.
What Disney World Was Like On Opening Day
When Disney World opened on October 1, 1971, it was nothing like the theme parks as we know it today. The biggest difference? Only Magic Kingdom existed — Epcot wouldn't open until 1982, with Hollywood Studios (then known as Disney's MGM Studios) in 1989 and Animal Kingdom in 1998.
According to Magic Guides, there were 10,422 guests on the first day of Disney World's operation, and while that was a huge number in 1971, today, All Ears estimates that about 57,000 people visit Magic Kingdom each day now, with well over 160,000 populating all four theme parks combined. That's a huge increase!
There are still a few opening day attractions that are still running at Magic Kingdom today, though most of them have been a bit altered since 1971! That list includes classics like Cinderella's Golden Carrousel, the Country Bears Jamboree, Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World, Peter Pan's Flight, the Walt Disney World Railroad, and more.
Next up: Disney World's 55th anniversary in 2026. Maybe the parks will do something special to celebrate?
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