It was 50 years ago this month that Florida gained the attraction that has now come to define the state as Walt Disney World opened for the first time.
Initially, just one theme park (The Magic Kingdom) and a handful of hotels, the complex now embraces 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, a huge shopping, dining and entertainment complex as well as literally dozens of hotels and resorts. It singelhandedly transformed Orlando from a sleepy land-locked retirement community into one of the top 20 cities in America.
Along the way, many attractions within the parks have come and gone, including:
· Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
· The Tomorrowland-Fantasyland Skyway
· Swan Boats
· 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
· Mission to Mars
· If You Had Wings
And many, many more!
