Walt Disney World at 50: Life Magazine's Opening Coverage

On October 15th, 1971, the world saw some of the first images of Walt Disney World as they spread across the pages of Life Magazine. We provide a deep dive of those pages and show you how the Vacation Kingdom of the World was first presented in this weekly news article. Here we'll study who was present when 1,500 Cast Members gathered together in front of Cinderella Castle. We'll look at the original Disney characters and parades that appeared at the time. We'll explore the significance of attractions like The Hall of Presidents and the Country Bear Jamboree. At the center we'll also take a close look at what exactly the Magic Kingdom looked like from the air only a day or two after the park opened on October 1st. With the approaching anniversary of Walt Disney World, we examine more closely 50 years of magic. Be sure to check out the photos from Life Magazine found in our Disney at Play post.