Following Walt Disney's death, plans for a "city of tomorrow" were shelved and EPCOT instead became another theme park. Author Rick Foglesong says the agreement included authority over "police, fire, water, sewer, even the power to build a nuclear power plant or an airport.And at the same time, they were granted immunity to external regulation."ĭisney was given total control of planning and building codes, allowing it to complete construction of Magic Kingdom in just 18 months. The state legislature and governor agreed to give the Disney company the powers of a municipality. To build his "community of tomorrow," Disney asked for and received extraordinary authority over the new property straddling two Florida counties. "It will be a community of tomorrow that will never be completed," Disney said, "but will always be introducing and testing and demonstrating new materials and new systems." In a filmed presentation in 1966, just weeks before his death from lung cancer, he described EPCOT as a planned community that would include a city center, residential, business and industrial areas and interconnected mass transit systems. The huge band was led by composer and playwright Meredith Wilson, who reprised "76 Trombones," a hit from his musical, "The Music Man."Ĭhildren and Goofy on the Mad Tea Party Ride in 1972.Īlthough Magic Kingdom was the first park completed, until he died, Walt Disney had been focused on what eventually became the second park, EPCOT. More than 1,000 high school band members, drawn from schools all over Florida, marched and played.
When the official opening day came, Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom held a big celebration and parade. "He designed a highly compartmentalized drainage system that stepped the water down and prevented over-drainage of a lot of the wetland areas," Lee explains.īuilding it cost some $400 million. Potter took a careful approach to preserving wetland areas on the site that Lee says was remarkable for its time. Charles Lee has worked on environmental issues for decades with Audubon Florida and says Gen. The Disneys hired retired Army Gen., William Potter to oversee construction. Walt Disney died a year later, and it was left to his brother Roy to fulfill his vision. Mickey Mouse and Roy Disney during the 25th Anniversary of the opening of Walt Disney World.
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