Building Disney World: Construction Photos From The Disney Archives

When Walt Disney was scouting for land for his Florida Project, the land he found in Orlando was a perfect location. The temperature was comfortable year-round, it was inland enough to be shielded from tropical weather patterns, and there was enough wide-open space for Walt and his Imagineers to dream big!

Let’s take a look at the construction of Disney World from the very beginning to more recently.

Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom was the first park built in Disney World. The photo below shows the park entrance in the lower part of the photo and some of the buildings that would become Main Street, USA at the top of the photo.

The buildings of Main Street, USA begin to take shape during construction at the Magic Kingdom. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
The buildings of Main Street, USA begin to take shape during construction at the Magic Kingdom. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 

Magic Kingdom construction nears its conclusion as the race to October 1, 1971, is in full swing. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Magic Kingdom construction nears its conclusion as the race to October 1, 1971, is in full swing. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 

Walt Disney's brother and company co-founder Roy O. Disney poses in front of the under-construction Cinderella Castle. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Walt Disney’s brother and company co-founder Roy O. Disney poses in front of the under-construction Cinderella Castle. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 

An aerial view of the Walt Disney World Preview Center, which offered guests an early introduction to the attractions and entertainment coming to the "Vacation Kingdom of the World". Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
An aerial view of the Walt Disney World Preview Center, which offered guests an early introduction to the attractions and entertainment coming to the “Vacation Kingdom of the World”. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

EPCOT

EPCOT was part of Walt Disney’s original conception of Walt Disney World, but he passed before the idea could come to fruition.

EPCOT designers Marty Sklar, John Hench, Ray Bradbury, and John DeCuir, Jr. examine an early concept for the future theme park. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
EPCOT designers Marty Sklar, John Hench, Ray Bradbury, and John DeCuir, Jr. examine an early concept for the future theme park. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 

Construction workers proudly stand atop the 18-story geodesic sphere to mark the "topping out" of Spaceship Earth. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Construction workers proudly stand atop the 18-story geodesic sphere to mark the “topping out” of Spaceship Earth. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 

The original plan for World Showcase was for countries to sponsor their pavilions to shoulder construction costs. However, only two countries agreed to sponsor pavilions, so Disney instead shouldered the construction and maintenance costs for most of the pavilions.

An upper tier of the nearly 83-foot tall pagoda is crane-lifted into place during construction of the Japan pavilion at EPCOT. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
An upper tier of the nearly 83-foot tall pagoda is crane-lifted into place during construction of the Japan pavilion at EPCOT. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Disney-MGM Studios (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)

Disney-MGM Studios was the third park built in Walt Disney World. This park originally started as a partnership between Disney and MGM because the park was to be a working movie production set. Later, the two companies parted ways, and Disney became solely responsible for the park. This also meant that much of the movie production halted.

The iconic Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) "Earffel Tower" stands behind a billboard advertising the planned opening of the third theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
The iconic Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios) “Earffel Tower” stands behind a billboard advertising the planned opening of the third theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 

Sculptor Magda Flaire puts a fine touch on busts for The Great Movie Ride, including several figures featured in the Wizard of Oz sequence. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Sculptor Magda Flaire puts a fine touch on busts for The Great Movie Ride, including several figures featured in the Wizard of Oz sequence. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom was the fourth and final park to be added to Disney World. Walt envisioned a ride with live animals, but his advisors warned that he couldn’t control animals’ movements and actions. The ride would become Jungle Cruise in Magic Kingdom, and it would use animatronic animals. However, Animal Kingdom fulfilled this dream more than 30 years after Walt’s death.

A birds-eye view captures early construction of Disney's Animal Kingdom. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
A birds-eye view captures early construction of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 

The internal structure of the Tree of Life begins to take form at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
The internal structure of the Tree of Life begins to take form at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 

The 145-foot tall Tree of Life, featuring over 300 animals carved into its trunk and surrounding roots nears completion at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
The 145-foot tall Tree of Life, featuring over 300 animals carved into its trunk and surrounding roots nears completion at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 

The giant, steel endoskeleton of Expedition Everest - The Legend of the Forbidden Mountain rises toward the sky during construction at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
The giant, steel endoskeleton of Expedition Everest – The Legend of the Forbidden Mountain rises toward the sky during construction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Photo credits (C) Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Do you enjoy seeing historical Disney World photos from the Disney Archives?