Happy birthday to Walt Disney World

October 1, 2025, 12:35 PM · Forgive theme park fans today for rolling their eyes at social media posts declaring October 1 the start of "spooky season."

That's because we know that spooky season started for theme park fans about a month and a half ago. For us, October 1 means... it's Walt Disney World's birthday.

The Walt Disney World Resort welcomed its first guests on October 1, 1971, making today the Magic Kingdom's 54th birthday. Eleven years later, on October 1, 1982, EPCOT opened officially as the resort's second theme park.

Today, Walt Disney World offers four theme parks, with Disney-MGM Studios, now Disney's Hollywood Studios, having opened May 1, 1989 and Disney's Animal Kingdom opened on April 22, 1998. Three of Disney World's four parks are working on major construction projects. Monsters Inc.'s Monstropolis is taking over the old Muppets Courtyard at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Tropical Americas - with a new Encanto-themed dark ride - is taking over the old Dinoland USA in Animal Kingdom. And Cars are taking over the former Rivers of America site at Magic Kingdom as Disney builds a new Villains land behind Big Thunder Mountain.

But that doesn't mean that there isn't plenty to enjoy in the parks at this moment. Walt Disney World's offers Theme Park Insider readers' top two attractions in the world, with Star Wars Rise of the Resistance at the Studios and Avatar Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Guardians of the Galaxy - Cosmic Rewind, Haunted Mansion, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, and Expedition Everest are other top 25 ranked attractions at Disney World.

Walt Disney World is the world's most-visited themed entertainment destination, with its parks welcoming tens of millions of visitors each year. To see more of what is available at the Walt Disney World theme parks, please check out our one-page visitors guides, which include our reader rankings as well as on-ride videos and links to reviews:

For assistance in planning a Walt Disney World vacation, please contact our travel agent for a free, no-obligation vacation quote.

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Replies (7)

October 1, 2025 at 12:53 PM


To celebrate Walt Disney World Resorts Birthday - They will be raising Prices...

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Happy B- DAY!!!

October 1, 2025 at 4:28 PM

My hometown. First visit 1973. Relocated from Chicago and became a CM in 1982. Snow White Trailer Park on Seven Dwarfs Lane -- where I lived during the Magic Kingsom College Program. Jungle Cruise skipper. Crowd control for Candlelight Processional on Main Street USA. JD & the Silverstars in Carribean Plaza. 'Mr. Toads Wild Ride' 'If You Had Wings' ("Had wings, had wings ...").

Outside of the park were the brunches at Top of the World, the Golf Reaort and Lake Buena Vista Country Club. The Big Bamboo. Burning through a Thursday paycheck at The Giraffe (Hotel Royal Plaza).

Great memories from growing up in that park.

October 2, 2025 at 10:30 AM

There is some dimwitted report on the unreliable Fox BS News saying Disney is a ghost town.... HAHAHAHAH


Sure- Nobody ever goes to Disney anymore, right?


This is a double negative just for our writer friend:
Disney is Never Not Busy....

October 2, 2025 at 12:01 PM

Relatively speaking, it is slow at the moment.
I've just done a lap of DAK, and when Avatar is 30mins standby .. it's quiet.

But it's certainly not a ghost town .. LOL.

October 2, 2025 at 12:19 PM


Oh Yes Mako Oct is a Great time to visit.
AND AK is their best park for us. Avatar is so damn great.

Same clown news channel tried to say the Penn state White out was a tribute the other day.... HAHAHAH - No, it was the same thing they do every damn year for a big game..

All hyperbole....

October 2, 2025 at 12:57 PM

I don't get involved in politics, and I don't give a rat's ass what news channel you watch Brian.

I live local, and visit WDW a couple of times a week, plus the other parks as well. Sure it's October, very astute of you to notice that, but compared to the last few years, it's 'slow' at the parks right now.

And trust me .... I know.

October 2, 2025 at 7:33 PM

Travel and tourism is slow everywhere in the US right now. Not just at Disney. Either way, Happy Birthday, Mouseland!

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