Chronology of Walt Disney World

Copyright © 2006-2024 Ken Polsson
internet e-mail: ken@kpolsson.com
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References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2023 December 20.

1990

January 13
  • The Walt Disney World Swan hotel opens in Walt Disney World. [1] [14] (November 22, 1989 [501.597]) (June 1990 [484.67])
January 15
  • Michael Eisner announces plans to expand the Walt Disney World theme parks, and to add a fourth park during the 1990s. EPCOT Center is to add a pavilion from the Soviet Union, and 16 new attractions are planned for the Disney-MGM Studios. [287.D8]
April 7
  • The Cage nightclub opens in Pleasure Island at Walt Disney World. Former name was Videopolis East. [1378.110]
April 22
  • The Minnie's Surprise Birthday Party show in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World closes. [228.333]
  • The Mickey's Birthdayland area in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World closes. [228.324,333]
April 26
  • The Mickey's Magical TV World show opens at Mickey's Starland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.327]
May 6
  • The NBC TV network airs The Magical World of Disney show, entitled The Muppets at Walt Disney World. [228.346]
May 21
  • The stage show Dick Tracy Starring in Diamond Double-Cross begins performances at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World. [1378.184]
May 26
  • The Calling Dick Tracy shop opens on Hollywood Boulevard in Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World. [1378.111]
  • The Mickey's Starland attraction opens in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.329] (1988 [6] [22])
June 4
  • The Walt Disney World Dolphin hotel opens at Walt Disney World. [14] [484.67] [501.595]
July 1
  • The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle characters begin appearances at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme park at Walt Disney World. [501.541]
July
  • The Chef Mickey's restaurant opens at the Disney Village Marketplace at Walt Disney World. Former name was The Village Restaurant. [1378.130]
November 5
  • Disney's Yacht Club Resort hotel opens in Walt Disney World. [10] [501.625]
  • The Fitness & Fairings Clothes and Notions shop opens in the Yacht Club Resort at Walt Disney World. [228.187]
November 19
  • Disney's Beach Club Resort hotel opens in Walt Disney World. [10] [1378.62]

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  • The Beaches & Cream Soda Shop opens at the Beach Club Resort at Walt Disney World. [1378.63]
  • The Ariel's restaurant opens at the Beach Club Resort hotel. [1378.40]
  • The Atlantic Wear & Wardrobe Emporium Shop opens in the Beach Club Resort at Walt Disney World. [1378.46]
December 16
  • The Commisary restaurant opens at Disney-MGM Studios in Walt Disney World. [228.100] [1378.1]
December 17
  • The Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Adventure Zone attraction opens at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World. Also known as Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure. [228.240]

1991

January 12
  • The Calling Dick Tracy shop on Hollywood Boulevard in Disney-MGM Studios in Walt Disney World closes. [1378.111]
January 21
  • The ABC TV network airs the special New Kids on the Block at Walt Disney World - Wildest Dreams. [228.354]
February 16
  • The stage show Dick Tracy Starring in Diamond Double-Cross at the Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World gives its last performance. [1378.184]
February 25
  • The Bearly Asleep shop in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World closes. [228.45]
  • The Bearly Country shop in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World closes. [1378.63]
February 26
  • The Prairie Outpost Supply shop opens in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.399]
April 1
  • The Costume Shop opens on New York Street at Disney-MGM Studios in Walt Disney World. [1378.156]
April 20
  • The Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant opens in the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World. [501.488]
April 27
  • Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3-D film premieres at Walt Disney World. [210.18] [502.44]
April 30
  • Disney and Henson Associates announce an agreement for Disney to use certain Muppet characters. Disney will pay for an 18-month license for two movies at the Disney-MGM Studios, and three years for characters in Walt Disney World. [317.D4]
May 16
  • The Jim Henson's MuppetVision 3-D film opens at the Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World. [1245.28] (May 16, 1983 [414.25])
May 17
  • Disney's Port Orleans Resort hotel opens in Walt Disney World. It has 1008 guest rooms. It includes Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory food court, Jackson Square Gifts and Desires shop, and Bonfamille's Cafe restaurant. [10] [228.261,397] [501.485] [1378.89]
June 4
  • The Company D cast member store opens in the Team Design Building at Walt Disney World. [1378.149]
June 15
  • The Studio Pizzeria restaurant opens in the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World. [501.528]
June 27
  • The Mickey's Mart store in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World closes. [228.327]
June 28
  • The Mickey's Star Traders shop opens in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.328]
July
  • The Rocketeer Gallery display opens at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World. [501.475]
September 14
  • The Main Street Electrical Parade makes its last run in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.306]
September 16
  • The live show Muppets on Location - The Days of Swine and Roses performs at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World. [228.346]
September 22
  • The Surprise Celebration Parade begins performances in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.531]
September 26
  • The Dinosaurs Live parade begins at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World. [1378.186]
  • The Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano restaurant opens at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World. Former name of the restaurant was Studio Pizzeria. [228.308] [501.528]
September 29
  • The Studio Showcase attraction opens at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World. [501.528]
October 1
  • The Spectromagic parade replaces the Electric Light Parade in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [210.18] [501.516]
  • The Vacation Club Resort hotel opens at Walt Disney World. [501.584]
October 25
  • CBS TV airs The Dream is Alive: 20th Anniversary Celebration at Walt Disney World. [228.151] (Disney World's 20th Anniversary Celebration [386.127])
November 22
  • The Beauty and the Beast stage show begins performances at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World. [1378.65]
December
  • Disney's Old Key West Resort opens at Walt Disney World Resort, part of the Disney Vacation Club Resorts, operated by Disney Vacation Developments, Inc. [86.18]

1992

January 23
  • The Eagle Pines golf course and Bonnet Creek Golf Club open at Walt Disney World. [230.37] [1378.89]
February 2
  • Disney's Dixie Landings Resort hotel opens in Walt Disney World. It includes the Boatwright's Dining Hall restaurant, and Fulton's General Store. [10] [228.62,142,198]
April 1
  • The Company D cast member store opens in Epcot at Walt Disney World. [1378.149]
(month unknown)
  • The American Institute of Architects awards a national Honor Award to the Team Disney Building at Walt Disney World, the first major architectural award for Disney. [222.97]
  • A convention center opens at Disney's Grand Floridian Beach Resort hotel at Walt Disney World. [228.216]
July 17
  • The Splash Mountain attraction opens in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [210.18] [501.518]
August 5
  • Walt Disney World welcomes its 400-millionth guest, Brandon Adams. [501.597]
October 1
  • The San Angel Inn restaurant opens in the Mexico pavilion in World Showcase in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. [501.483]
October 5
  • The Walt Disney Story attraction in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World closes. [501.594]
October 6
  • Disney announces plans to build three resorts with over 4500 rooms, and a water theme park at Walt Disney World. The resorts will have sports, music, and wilderness themes. [361.D5]
December 6
  • The Tinker Bell Toy Shop in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World is renamed Tinker Bell's Treasures. [501.559]
December
  • The Cage nightclub in Pleasure Island at Walt Disney World closes. [1378.110]
December 31
  • The 8TRAX club opens in Pleasure Island at Walt Disney World. [228.157]

1993

February 13
  • Gurgi's Munchies and Crunchies fast-food facility in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World closes. [228.222]
  • Lumiere's Kitchen restaurant opens in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.298]
April 23
  • The Walt Disney Company agrees to set aside 8500 acres in Florida for a wilderness preserve, allowing the company to expand on wetland near Walt Disney World. [332.39]
May 18
  • American Broadcasting Company airs the Full House TV show in the USA. The show takes place at Walt Disney World, showing many street characters, and many attractions. [1085]
May 28
  • Groundbreaking begins for the Tower of Terror ride at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park in Walt Disney World. [22]
June 1
  • The Splashdown Photos shop opens at the Splash Mountain exit in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.518]
(month unknown)
  • In the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, the Dumbo Flying Elephants attraction is remodeled. [228.154]
  • The name of Captain Cook's Hideway lounge at Disney's Polynesian Resort is changed to Captain Cook's Snack and Ice Cream Company. [1378.117]
  • The Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes attraction at Walt Disney World closes. [1378.176]
September
  • The Broadway at the Top show in the Top of the World area of the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World closes. [1378.99]
September 30
  • The Top of the World restaurant in the Contemporary Resort hotel at Walt Disney World closes. [501.565]
October 1
  • The Backstage Magic show in Epcot Computer Control at Walt Disney World closes. [395.37] [1378.54]
October 4
  • The Mission to Mars attraction at Walt Disney World closes. [228.335]
October 25
  • The Broccoli & Co. shop in The Land in Epcot at Walt Disney World closes. [1378.100]
November 9
  • The Sunshine Season Food Fair food court area opens in Epcot Center at Walt Disney World. [501.530] (1994 [228.175])
November 15
  • The Garden Grill Restaurant opens in The Land in Epcot at Walt Disney World. [228.202]
November
  • The song played on the Carousel of Progress in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World changes back to the original "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow". [501.550]
November 18
  • An Audio-Animatronic robot of President Bill Clinton first performs in the Hall of Presidents show at Walt Disney World. [510.605]
December 1
  • The Fantasyland Theater in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World shows the film Magic Journeys for the last time. [228.304]
December 18
  • The ABC TV network airs A Musical Christmas at Walt Disney World. [228.347]
December 23
  • The Cirque de Soleil theater opens at Downtown Disney West Side in Walt Disney World with the production "La Nouba". [1378.140]

1994

January 9
  • The Circle-Vision 360 film American Journeys closes in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.28,139]
February 1
  • The US government leases the Disney Inn hotel at Walt Disney World and renames it Shades of Green, for use by the US Army. [228.130] [501.493] (January [10])
March 21
  • The Disney Village Clubhouse closes. [228.71]
  • The Buena Vista Club golf club at Lake Buena Vista closes. [1378.102]
March 26
  • The Food Rocks Audio-Animatronics show opens in the Kitchen Kabaret in The Land pavilion in Epcot. [228.190]
April 10
  • The Stargate fast-food facility at EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World closes. [501.521]
April 29
  • The Surf's Up unit of the All-Star Sports Resort hotel opens at Walt Disney World. [10] [232.84] [1378.24]
(month unknown)
  • The Sports End-Zone Food Court opens at the All-Star Resort at Walt Disney World. [501.518]
May
  • The Cub's Den play area opens in Wilderness Lodge Resort at Walt Disney World. [1378.165]
  • Disney's Wilderness Lodge opens in Walt Disney World, on the southwest shore of Bay Lake. [10]
  • The Wilderness Lodge Mercantile shop opens at the Wilderness Lodge Resort at Walt Disney World. [501.612]
  • The Artist Point restaurant in the Wilderness Lodge in Walt Disney World opens. [1378.43]
  • The Sub's Den activity center opens in the Wilderness Lodge Resort at Walt Disney World. [228.111]
  • The Pasta Piazza Ristorante restaurant opens in Communicore West at Epcot at Walt Disney World. [228.381]
  • The Whispering Canyon Cafe opens in the Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World. [394.28]
May 25
  • Paramount Pictures releases the film Beverly Hills Cop 3 to theaters in the USA. An amusement park in the film has several similarities to Disney parks.
    • An amusement theme park near Los Angeles is called Wonderworld.
    • The head of Wonderworld is Uncle Dave.
    • The park has a skyway ride.
    • The park uses Wonderworld dollars.
    [1212]
June 4
  • The Surprise Celebration Parade makes its last performance in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.531]
June 7
  • The Disney Channel begins airing the series Walt Disney World Inside Out. [501.595]
June
  • Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies restaurant opens in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.48]
(month unknown)
  • The name of Epcot at Walt Disney World is changed to Epcot '94. [228.165]
  • The Carousel of Progress at Walt Disney World is renamed Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress. [228.203]
  • The Star Jets attraction in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World closes. [501.521]
  • The name of the WEDway PeopleMover in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World is changed to Tomorrowland Transit Authority. [651.83]
  • Walt Disney World welcomes the one billionth guest to enter a Disney park, Mary Pat Smith. [501.597]
July 1
  • The EPCOT Outreach information area in Communicore West in Epcot closes. [228.167]
  • In Epcot, Communicore is renamed Innoventions. [228.255] [1378.149]
  • The Epcot Discovery Center information area opens in Epcot. [228.167]
July 6
  • The Captain EO film ceases playing at Journey into Imagination at Epcot. [1378.117]
July 8
  • The Legend of the Lion King attraction opens in Fantasyland in the Magic Kindom of Walt Disney World. [228.285] [235.84]
July 22
  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction opens on Sunset Boulevard in the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World. [210.18] [238.345] [501.576]
July 23
  • The Country Address fashion shop in the Disney Village Marketplace at Walt Disney World closes. [1378.157]
August 11
  • The Center Court unit of the All-Star Sports Resort hotel opens at Walt Disney World. [1378.24]
August 28
  • The Art of Disney shop opens in the Disney Village Marketplace at Walt Disney World. [1378.43]
September 5
  • The 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World closes. [501.576]
October 2
  • The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. This episode contains dozens of Disney theme park and film references:
    • the episode title "Itchy & Scratchy Land" (Disneyland),
    • the theme park tag line "The Violentest Place on Earth" (The Happiest Place on Earth),
    • "Parents Island" (Pleasure Island),
    • parking lot sections named after animated characters,
    • inside main gate is a train ride through the park,
    • the ticket booth shows a list of "rides not operating today",
    • "Itchy & Scratchy Money" (Disney Dollars),
    • monorail ride through the park,
    • park map showing four themed "lands",
    • Itchy & Scratchy Cinema is showing "Steamboat Itchy" (Steamboat Willie),
    • the park features "state of the art animatronic robots" (Audio-Animatronics),
    • a log ride through fake scenic area includes gentle banjo music and an extreme drop (Splash Mountain),
    • workers in character costumes interacting with guests,
    • "Parents Island" includes a place where it is "constantly New Year's Eve",
    • "The Roger Meyers Story" attraction shows a film of the creator (The Walt Disney Story),
    • an old film shows kids wearing mouse-ear hats (Mouseketeers),
    • a film notes criticism for a Nazi cartoon (Der Fuehrer's Face),
    • mentions and shows "full-length musical Scratchtasia" (Fantasia),
    • the park has a similar-looking Penny Arcade,
    • musical parade through the park street (Main Street Electrical Parade),
    • shows part of film "Pin-Itchy-o" (Pinocchio),
    • park control facilities are underground,
    • park has a similar fire department,
    • a statue of founder and main characters (Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse statue),
    • park shows a mountain (Matterhorn),
    • park has a castle (Sleeping Beauty Castle),
    • references made to "Euro Itchy & Scratchy Land" not doing well (Euro Disneyland).
    [838]
November
  • Disney's Calypso unit of the All-Star Music Resort hotel opens at Walt Disney World. [10] [228.18]
November 21
  • The 3D film Honey, I Shrunk the Audience premieres in Journey into Imagination in Future World in Epcot at Walt Disney World. [228.239]
  • The Circle-Vision film From Time to Time opens in the Transportarium in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.197]
  • The Timekeeper attraction opens in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.559]
December 9
  • The Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe opens in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World. The location was formerly the Tomorrowland Terrace restaurant. [327.81] [1378.155]
December 16
  • The Snow White's Adventures attraction re-opens in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, after a renovation. [501.510]
December 17
  • The Planet Hollywood restaurant opens in Pleasure Island at Walt Disney World. [93.47] (December 18 [228.390])
End of 1990-1994. Next: 1995.

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1958-1971 1972-1982 1983-1989 1990-1994 1995-1999 2000-end


A list of references to all source material is available.

Last updated: 2023 December 20.
Copyright © 2006-2024 Ken Polsson (email: ken@kpolsson.com).
URL: http://kpolsson.com/wdworld/
Link to Ken P's home page.

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