How big is Disney?

[momsully]

I know I have seen this on this forum before but the search function is down. We are taking some family members on their first trip next Spring and they think Disney is just the Magic Kingdom. Someone once posted something about Disney being 4 parks etc. I would love to have that info to share with them. Thanks!

 

[Caskbill]

If I remember correctly WDW is 45 square miles, or about twice the size of New York's Manhattan Island.

There are four major parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM-Studios, and Animal Kingdom.

There are 5 full 18-hole golf courses.

Two Minature golf courses.

There's a large Sports Complex

There are two major water parks: Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach (ranked the #1 water park in the world)

There is a large shopping area in two parts: Downtown Disney and The West Side.

There is a large night club area: Pleasure Island

There is a large campground area

There are numerous full size hotels all on property:

Grand Floridian
Polynesian
Contemporary
Wilderness Lodge
Port Orleans
Caribbean Beach
Yacht Club resort
Beach Club resort
Dolphin
Swan
Coronado Springs
Animal Kingdom Lodge
All Star Resorts (Sports/Music/Movies)
Boardwalk
Treehouse villas
Shades of Green (military)
New Constructions including new hotels (Pop Century), and DVC's Saratoga Springs (replacing the old Disney Institute)

There are 4 on-site DVC resorts (Old Key West, Boardwalk Villas, Villas at Wilderness lodge, and Beach Club Villas.

There is a Speedway track, I think 2-mile loop, for IRC or CART type cars. Maybe NASCAR also, I'm not sure.

Other major items include restaurants: (Two Rain Forest Cafe's, Planet Hollywood, Wolfgang Puck, etc. (not to even try to mention the Disney restaurants).

Things like Cirque du Solei's La Nouba, Disney Quest.

Annually they have a marathon run for runners. 26 miles long and it never leaves the WDW grounds.

Other things necessary for a 'city' this size: Gas stations, Fire Station

They have something like 50,000 employees there just to keep the place going.

And this just highlights some things. Doesn't begin to cover anything in depth.

It's BIG !

 

[tiberius]

...and in addiition to everything listed by Caskbill, there is a lot of unused space! I have been in many smaller cities and military bases.

 

[KNWVIKING]

And that doesn't include any of Celebration or Little Lake Bryan area. Or the 12000 acre nature reserve.

Caskbill, the track is more like a mile,not two.

There are also two mini golf sites with two courses each, several tennis courts, horse back riding,parasailing,boating.Two gas stations,fire and rescue dept, two trailer parks for the WDW residents. It just goes on and on.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Not to mention several lakes, marina, canals and waterways. These have always been impressive to me.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

Great response Caskbill... Very detailed.. I thought when I was reading Wow...Amazing place Walt planned.....

 

[julieannbabe]

One word: MASSIVE.

For people from England - it is as big as Greater Manchester.

The place even has has its own police and fire department.

 

[drusba]

If your family members are also from Colorado, one way to explain it is that it is as big as the city of Boulder.

 

[eeyore0062]

Walt Disney World is approximately 43 sq miles. It takes up 27,000 acres of land. "It has been described... as a land area approximately the size of the city of San Francisco, or twice the size of the island of Manhattan" Since The World Began

It consists of 4 major parks, Magic Kingdom, home of Cinderella's Castle, Epcot, Disney/MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom. It also is home to Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon Water Parks, Disney Village Marketplace, Pleasure Island, Disney Westside, Fantasia Gardens and WinterSummerland Miniature Golf, Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, the Walt Disney World Speedway, 99 holes of golf on 5 championship courses, 19 Resort Hotels and Vacation Club Villas, and campground, and has its own utility plants, waste water treatment plants, tree farms, telephone system, and roadway systems.

Basically, when you enter WDW, you are entering a well run city.

 

[puffkin]

Just an interesting side fact, but I read in one book about the history of Walt Disney World that they actually have nuclear power capabilities. They don't need to utilize this now, but if they ever need to, they can build a nuclear power facility on their property to satisfy their energy needs. This not only shows how large Disney is, it also shows how much clout they have with the Florida government.