Disney World Opening Dates • WDW Vacation Tips

Are you a huge Disney fan like me? If so, you may be curious about the main Disney World opening dates.

Disney World has an extensive and incredibly interesting history. And, you may be surprised to find out that many of the classic rides we enjoy today were opening-day attractions, dating back to the early 1970s. Come with me on a journey to explore these Disney World opening dates!

What is Walt Disney World?

Walt Disney World is a theme park located in Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake, Florida. It is home to four theme parks, two water parks, 23 resorts, one campground, eight villas, and a shopping area called Disney Springs.

Though it’s known for being one of the leading theme parks in the United States, Walt Disney World didn’t start as a theme park. Known back then as only “The Florida Project,” the area where Walt Disney World now stands was originally slated for Walt Disney’s Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow – or EPCOT. However, it wasn’t the EPCOT we have now.

Instead, Walt’s concept was for the land to serve as an experimental community that he basically had total jurisdiction over. He wanted the people who lived and worked there to also be responsible for maintaining the community. The land would feature an airport, a monorail system, and schools, as well as a climate-controlled dome that would protect the residents from harsh weather conditions.

The idea was over-the-top but a true testament to the kind of visionary Walt Disney really was. Toward the end of his life, Walt became obsessed with “The Florida Project,” turning all of his attention from the studio, animation, and Disneyland to focus on it.

He was consumed with what his legacy would be and wanted to leave behind a blueprint of his futuristic utopia. In fact, he was still sketching out ideas for EPCOT until the day before his death.

Ultimately, Walt’s vision for EPCOT would never become a reality, and his brother, who assumed primary responsibility for the new land after Walt’s passing, named the New Disney World Walt Disney World in honor of his brother.

Opening Dates for Disney World Parks

Did you know it took nearly 30 years for us to get the Disney World we know and love today? All four theme parks opened across three decades, with one opening up every year from the 1970s to the 1990s. And surprisingly, there’s still room for them to build a 5th park!

Here are the opening dates for the four Disney World parks:

Magic Kingdom – October 1, 1971
EPCOT – October 1, 1982
Hollywood Studios – May 1, 1989
Animal Kingdom – April 22, 1998

Fun fact: Animal Kingdom opened on Earth Day!

Read more: How Many Disney Parks are There?

Disney World Resort Opening Dates

Here’s a list of all the Disney World resort opening dates:

All-Star Movies Resort – Jan. 15, 1999
All-Star Music Resort – Nov. 22, 1998
All-Star Sports Resort – April 29, 1994
Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort – April 16, 2001
Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas – Jambo House – July 3, 2007
Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas – Kidani Village – May 1, 2009
Art of Animation Resort – May 31, 2012
Beach Club Resort – Nov. 19, 1990
Beach Club Villas – July 1, 2002
Boardwalk Inn – July 1, 1996
Boardwalk Villas – July 1, 1996
Caribbean Beach Resort – October 1, 1988
Contemporary Resort – Oct. 1, 1971
Contemporary Resort – Bay Lake Tower – Oct. 4, 2009
Coronado Springs Resort – Aug. 1, 1997
Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – June 28, 1988
Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Villas – Oct. 23, 2013
Fort Wilderness Resort – Cabins – Nov. 19, 1971
Fort Wilderness Resort – Campsites – Nov. 19, 1971
Old Key West Resort – Dec. 20, 1991
Polynesian Village Resort – Oct. 1, 1971
Polynesian Village Villas & Bungalows – April 1, 2015
Pop Century Resort – Dec. 14, 2003
Port Orleans – French Quarter – May 17, 1991
Port Orleans – Riverside – February 2, 1992
Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa – May 17, 2004
Star Wars Galactic StarCruiser – March 1, 2022
Wilderness Lodge – May 28, 1994
Wilderness Lodge – Copper Creek Villas & Cabins – July 17, 2017
Yacht Club Resort – Nov. 5, 1990
Rivera Resort – Dec. 16, 2019

Are you planning on staying at one of these resorts in the near future? If so, here are a few articles you should check out so you can know-before-you-go:

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
The Best Disney Value Resorts Ranked
The Best Disney World Resort Pools
Disney World Resort Guest Mistakes
The Best Themed Rooms at Walt Disney World

Water Parks at Disney World Opening Dates

Disney World is also home to two water parks – Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach! Here’s when they opened:

Typhoon Lagoon – June 1, 1989
Blizzard Beach – April 1, 1995

Disney Attractions Opening Dates

Here’s a list, broken down by park, of all the Disney attraction opening dates in chronological order. For the nature of this list, we are only including current rides. So, you won’t see shows, fireworks, or character experiences on this list.

However, let us know in the comments if you’d like to see opening dates for those, and we’ll make one!

Magic Kingdom

Jungle Cruise – Oct. 1, 1971
The Haunted Mansion – Oct. 1, 1971
Dumbo the Flying Elephant – Oct. 1, 1971
Peter Pan’s Flight – Oct. 1, 1971
Tomorrowland Speedway – Oct. 1, 1971
Country Bear Jamboree – Oct. 1, 1971
The Hall of Presidents – Oct. 1, 1971
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room – Oct. 1, 1971
Swiss Family Treehouse – Oct. 1, 1971
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel – Oct. 1, 1971
“it’s a small world” – Oct. 1, 1971
Mad Tea Party – Oct. 1, 1971
Walt Disney World Railroad (Main Street, U.S.A) – Oct. 1, 1971
Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade – Oct. 1, 1971
Liberty Square Riverboat – Oct. 2, 1971
Walt Disney World Railroad (Frontierland) – May 1, 1972
Tom Sayer Island – May 20, 1973
Pirates of the Caribbean – Dec. 15, 1973
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress – Jan. 15, 1975
Space Mountain – Jan.15, 1975
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover – July 1, 1975
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – Sept. 23, 1980
Walt Disney World Railroad (Fantasyland) – June 18, 1988
The Barnstormer – Oct. 1, 1996
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin – Nov. 3, 1998
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – June 5, 1999
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin – May 23, 2001
Mickey’s PhilharMagic – Sept. 30, 2003
Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid – Dec. 6, 2012
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – May 28, 2014

Astro Orbiter is a bit of a weird entry because the original attraction debuted on November 28, 1974. Originally known as StarJets, it went under a refurbishment before re-opening to guests on April 30, 1994.

Read more: History of Magic Kingdom Rides

Epcot:

Epcot is a bit weird. For the sake of this list, we’re going to break it down to cover the individual opening dates for both rides and pavilions. Rides first:

Spaceship Earth – Oct. 1, 1982
Living with the Land – Oct. 1, 1982
Test Track – March 17, 1999
Mission: SPACE – Oct. 1, 2003
Soarin’ Around the World – May 5, 2005
The Seas with Nemo & Friends – Jan. 24, 2007
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros – April 6, 2007
Frozen Ever After – June 21, 2006
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure – Oct. 1, 2021
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – May 27, 2022

Like Astro Orbiter, Journey Into Imagination With Figment has several opening dates. Known back then as Journey Into Imagination, it originally opened at Epcot on March 3, 1983. The current ride iteration – Journey Into Imagination With Figment – on June 2, 2002, though it went through a refurbishment in the 1990s, too.

World Showcase Pavillion Opening Dates

Canada Pavilion – Oct. 1, 1982
Germany Pavilion – Oct. 1, 1982
Mexico Pavilion – Oct. 1, 1982
American Adventure Pavilion – Oct. 1, 1982
France Pavilion – Oct. 1, 1982
Japan Pavilion – Oct. 1, 1982
Italy Pavilion – Oct. 1, 1982
United Kingdom Pavilion – Oct. 1, 1982
China Pavilion – Oct. 1, 1982
Morocco Pavilion – Sept. 7, 1984
Norway Pavilion – June 3, 1988

Hollywood Studios

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular – Aug. 25, 1989
Star Tours: The Adventure Continues – Dec. 15, 1989
Muppet*Vision 3D – May 16, 1991
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – July 22, 1994
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – July 29, 1999
Toy Story Mania – May 31, 2008
Slinky Dog Dash – June 30, 2018
Alien Swirling Saucers – June 30, 2018
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – Aug. 29, 2019
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – Dec. 5, 2019
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway – March 4, 2020

Animal Kingdom:

DINOSAUR – April 22, 1998
It’s Tough to Be a Bug – April 22, 1998
Wildlife Express Train – April 22, 1998
Kilimanjaro Safaris – April 22, 1998
Discovery Island Trails – May 24, 1998
Kali River Rapids – March 18, 1999
Maharajah Jungle Trek – March 1, 1999
Expedition Everest Legend of the Forbidden Mountain – April 7, 2006
Na’vi River Journey – May 27, 2017
Avatar: Flight of Passage – May 27, 2017

Disney World Opening Dates for New Attractions

This year is going to be huge for returning fan favorites, such as the Happily Ever After fireworks, which are coming back (albeit in a revised version), on April 3, 2023.

In addition to the return of everyone’s favorite fireworks show, the following attractions are slated to open sometime in 2023 and 2024:

TRON Lightcycle/Run at Magic Kingdom – April 4, 2023
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom – late 2024
Moana: Journey of Water at EPCOT – late 2023

What new attraction are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments. And, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram for all the latest Disney tips and tricks.

Courtney Derqu

As a self-proclaimed Mouseketeer, Courtney Dercqu is a fan of all things Disney. Between decorating her desk with souvenirs from the park, to making unique mouse ears and having a dedicated Disney Instagram, Courtney is a true believer in the magic of a Walt Disney World vacation. Having had more than 200 articles published on various content, Courtney’s excited to share her knowledge and experience with everyone! Be sure to follow her on Instagram for all the Disney magic.

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