October 1, 1971: Walt Disney World Opens in Florida

On October 1, 1971, Walt Disney World opened near Orlando, Florida. The first park there was the Magic Kingdom, with Cinderella Castle standing at its center.

Walt Disney himself never got to see it. He died in December 1966, while the Florida project was still being planned. His brother, Roy O. Disney, saw the work through to opening day.

For many American families, a trip to Walt Disney World became the vacation of a lifetime. Some saved up for years. Plenty of families made it a road trip, with the kids in the back seat counting license plates and asking how much farther it was. Others came back again and again, first with their children and later with their grandchildren.

Your Florida memories

Maybe you saw the castle for the first time in the 1970s. Maybe you took your own children decades later, or you are still hoping to go someday.

Did your family ever make the trip to Walt Disney World? What do you remember most about it? Share your story with us below.