Jason Delgado
With the 50th anniversary of Disney World a day away, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis will issue a proclamation Friday celebrating the legacy of fairy tales and pixie dust in Central Florida.
The theme park opened October 1, 1971, and hosted roughly 10,000 guests on its inaugural day, according to the proclamation. Fast forward 50 years, the attraction now boasts four parks, employs thousands and welcomes millions of guests into Central Florida each year.
“I want to wish a big happy anniversary to Walt Disney World as they celebrate 50 years of magic!” Patronis said in a statement. “In 1971, Disney World opened its gates and turned the heart of our state into a worldwide destination and created countless jobs and opportunities for Florida families and businesses.”
The proclamation hails Disney World among the most attended theme park attractions in the world and further touts Orlando – once a “sleepy citrus-growing town” – as the fastest growing city in Florida. However, Mickey and friends are more than job-makers, Patronis suggested.
They’re dream-makers too.
“Over the last 50 years, Disney World has enriched the lives of millions around the world and shaped a lifetime of memories through creativity, innovation, and charm that only Disney can do,” Patronis said. “Happy Anniversary Walt Disney World. Here’s to another 50 years of magic right here in the Sunshine State!”
The boom from grove town to the Happiest Place on Earth was rapid. According to the proclamation, Disney World drew more than 20 million visitors and employees 13,000 workers within its first two years.
The park is known now globally as the “Happiest Place on Earth” and is one of the “few places in the world where kids and grandparents can vacation together with neither group having to compromise much in terms of comfort or entertainment,” the proclamation states.
Notably, roughly two dozen employees still remain employed at the park to celebrate the 50th anniversary.
More details about the 50th-anniversary celebration are available online.
The proclamation is available below.
To watch the proclamation announcement, click on the image below:
