Disney World Undercover - A Behind-The-Scenes Look At The Most Magical Place On Earth

Have you ever wanted to know what makes Walt Disney World Resort tick, or how it all began? Are you, like a true Disney Fanatic is, kept up most nights wondering just how the parks are kept so clean, and what actually goes on behind the scenes of your favorite shows and parades? While of course it wouldn’t be much fun to share with you all the secrets (not that everyone knows them all!), here’s a sneaky behind-the-scenes look at what is undoubtedly the most magical place on earth.

1. The Birth of Walt Disney World Resort

Walt Disney World Resort is occupied by four theme parks, two water parks, an entertainment district, dozens of resort hotels and more. But, of course, they weren’t always here. Life at the resort started way back in the early 1960s, when Walt himself decided he wanted to build a new park (original is Disneyland, California) that had plenty of room to grow and flourish, and so consequently settled on Florida. Explaining how this all came to be would take a very long time. But in short, Disney purchased the land under the guise of many false identities so as to keep the project a secret (although its cover was blown in 1965). Then in 1966, Walt’s passing slowed down construction, and with no Walt to guide it, the company decided to model the resort’s first theme park – Magic Kingdom Park - against Disneyland Resort California’s Disneyland Park.

2. Magic Kingdom Park & Cinderella Castle

Magic Kingdom Park is perhaps the most definitive of all Disney Parks, and whenever you think of the resort, it’s likely the park that best represents it for you. Maybe it has something to do with that it’s a near-identical copy of Disneyland Park, or maybe it’s because it’s home to the iconic Cinderella Castle, the hub from which all the magical lands radiate. It’s a place of fairy tales and worlds of both tomorrow and times gone. But actually, it used to be a stretch of swampland! The park opened in 1971 and wowed the world with its attractions, and now it’s the most recognized theme park in the world – no surprise as it’s home to Cinderella Castle. But while the castle boasts the Cinderella Castle Suite – a 17th century-inspired chateau originally intended as an apartment for Walt so that he could oversee the construction of the park - unfortunately, it’s an invite-only kind of deal (usually for contest winners). For once, “be our guest” doesn’t apply, but for more history on this magical park, consider Disney's Keys to the Kingdom Tour.