Walt Disney World was built in the late 1960s and officially opened to guests on October 1, 1971.

Quick Scoop

  • Construction start: Major construction on Walt Disney World began in 1967 after land acquisition and early site preparation in the mid‑1960s.
  • Opening date: The Magic Kingdom and the core resort complex opened on October 1, 1971, which is generally what people mean when they ask “when was Disney World built.”
  • Location: The resort was built in central Florida near Orlando, on tens of thousands of acres purchased in the 1960s for the project.

In short, Disney World was built during the late 1960s and opened to the public on October 1, 1971.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.