There are lots of fun stats and facts to learn about Walt Disney World. First, some basic info:
For more info, check out the stats below.
Millions of visitors flock to Walt Disney World every year, with Magic Kingdom getting more visitors than the other parks by a large margin. After a downturn in 2020 for obvious reasons, the attendance is increasing annually again and is getting closer to what it was prior to the shutdowns.
Annual Disney World visitors by park (in millions)| Park | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Kingdom | 20.96 | 6.94 | 12.69 | 17.13 |
| EPCOT | 12.44 | 4.04 | 7.75 | 10 |
| Hollywood Studios | 11.48 | 3.68 | 8.59 | 10.9 |
| Animal Kingdom | 13.89 | 4.17 | 7.19 | 9.02 |
Source: Statista.com
In addition to the 4 main theme parks, there are 2 water parks – Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon – which take turns being open throughout the year and got just under 2 million visitors in 2022.
Average daily visitors per parkBased on the stats above, here are the average daily visitors for each of the parks.
| Park | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Kingdom | 57,425 | 19,014 | 34,767 | 46,932 |
| EPCOT | 34,082 | 11,068 | 21,233 | 27,397 |
| Hollywood Studios | 31,452 | 10,082 | 23,534 | 29,863 |
| Animal Kingdom | 38,055 | 11,425 | 19,699 | 24,712 |
Of course, all of those people visiting each of the theme parks aren’t all evenly distributed which is why we put together an annual crowd calendar using holidays, events, ticket prices, and 20 years of experience to predict the busiest times to visit throughout the year.
It’s hard to imagine visiting Magic Kingdom for just $3.50, but that’s how it all started and it’s escalated from there.
History of 1-day ticket prices Note: the prices used are the max prices for the year| Year | Price of a 1 day ticket (in $) |
|---|---|
| 1971 | 3.50 |
| 1972 | 3.75 |
| 1973 | 4.50 |
| 1974 | 5.25 |
| 1975 | 6.00 |
| 1976 | 6.00 |
| 1977 | 6.00 |
| 1978 | 6.50 |
| 1979 | 7.00 |
| 1980 | 8.00 |
| 1981 | 9.50 |
| 1982 | 15.00 |
| 1983 | 17.00 |
| 1984 | 18.00 |
| 1985 | 21.50 |
| 1986 | 26.00 |
| 1987 | 28.00 |
| 1988 | 28.00 |
| 1989 | 29.00 |
| 1990 | 31.00 |
| 1991 | 33.00 |
| 1992 | 34.00 |
| 1993 | 35.00 |
| 1994 | 36.00 |
| 1995 | 37.00 |
| 1996 | 38.50 |
| 1997 | 39.75 |
| 1998 | 42.00 |
| 1999 | 44.00 |
| 2000 | 46.00 |
| 2001 | 48.00 |
| 2002 | 50.00 |
| 2003 | 52.00 |
| 2004 | 54.75 |
| 2005 | 59.75 |
| 2006 | 67.00 |
| 2007 | 71.00 |
| 2008 | 75.00 |
| 2009 | 79.00 |
| 2010 | 82.00 |
| 2011 | 85.00 |
| 2012 | 89.00 |
| 2013 | 95.00 |
| 2014 | 99.00 |
| 2015 | 105.00 |
| 2016 | 124.00 |
| 2017 | 124.00 |
| 2018 | 129.00 |
| 2019 | 159.00 |
| 2020 | 159.00 |
| 2021 | 159.00 |
| 2022 | 189.00 |
| 2023 | 189.00 |
Annual Passes were introduced in 1982 for $100. There was a period in late 2020/early 2021 where they weren’t available, but otherwise have been available since.
| Year | AP price (in dollars) |
|---|---|
| 1982 | 100 |
| 1983 | 125 |
| 1984 | 140 |
| 1985 | 140 |
| 1986 | 155 |
| 1987 | 165 |
| 1988 | 165 |
| 1989 | 180 |
| 1990 | 180 |
| 1991 | 189 |
| 1992 | 190 |
| 1993 | 199 |
| 1994 | 205 |
| 1995 | 220 |
| 1996 | 236 |
| 1997 | 288 |
| 1998 | 299 |
| 1999 | 309 |
| 2000 | 324 |
| 2001 | 349 |
| 2002 | 369 |
| 2003 | 369 |
| 2004 | 379 |
| 2005 | 395 |
| 2006 | 434 |
| 2007 | 448 |
| 2008 | 469 |
| 2009 | 489 |
| 2010 | 499 |
| 2011 | 519 |
| 2012 | 574 |
| 2013 | 609 |
| 2014 | 634 |
| 2015 | 749 |
| 2016 | 749 |
| 2017 | 779 |
| 2018 | 894 |
| 2019 | 1119 |
| 2020 | 1195 |
| 2021 | 1299 |
| 2022 | 1399 |
| 2023 | 1449 |
With the sharp rise in Annual Pass prices over the years, it’s gotten harder to justify buying one which has many wondering if the cost of an annual pass is worth it.
When Walt Disney World opened, Magic Kingdom was the only park. Since then, Disney has added 3 additional theme parks and 2 water parks.
| Park | Opening Date | Size | # of Rides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Kingdom | 10/1/1971 | 107 acres | 26 |
| EPCOT | 10/1/1982 | 305 acres | 11 |
| Disney's Hollywood Studios | 5/1/1989 | 135 acres | 9 |
| Disney's Animal Kingdom | 4/22/1998 | 580 acres | 8 |
| Typhoon Lagoon | 6/1/1989 | 56 acres | 11 |
| Blizzard Beach | 4/1/1995 | 60 acres | 12 |
Magic Kingdom
Hollywood Studios
Animal Kingdom
Walt Disney World has over 30 resorts that they own and operate which total more than 28,000 rooms for guests to stay in. Guests of these resorts get onsite benefits that aren’t available to those staying elsewhere.
In addition, there are more than 9,000 rooms in several hotels located onsite or nearby that are owned and operated by third-party companies which have some of the same benefits to staying onsite.
Walt Disney World Onsite Resorts
| Resort | Category | Resort Area | Date Opened | # of Rooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disney's All-Star Movies Resort | Value | Animal Kingdom Resort Area | 1/15/1999 | 1920 |
| Disney's All-Star Music Resort | Value | Animal KingdomAnimal Kingdom Resort Area | 11/22/1994 | 1604 |
| Disney's All-Star Sports Resort | Value | Animal KingdomAnimal Kingdom Resort Area | 4/29/1994 | 1920 |
| Disney's Art of Animation Resort | Value | Wide World of Sports Area | 5/31/2012 | 1984 |
| Disney's Pop Century Resort | Value | Wide World of Sports Area | 12/14/2003 | 2880 |
| Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort | Moderate | Epcot Resort Area | 10/1/1988 | 1536 |
| Disney's Coronado Springs Resort | Moderate | Animal Kingdom Resort Area | 8/1/1997 | 2384 |
| Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter | Moderate | Disney Springs Resort Area | 5/17/1991 | 1008 |
| Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside | Moderate | Disney Springs Resort Area | 5/17/1991 | 2048 |
| The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort | Moderate | Magic Kingdom Resort Area | 11/19/1971 | 364 |
| The Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort | Moderate | Magic Kingdom Resort Area | 11/19/1971 | 800 |
| Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge | Deluxe | Animal Kingdom Area | 4/16/2001 | 972 |
| Disney's Beach Club Resort | Deluxe | Epcot Resort Area | 11/19/1990 | 583 |
| Disney's BoardWalk Inn | Deluxe | Epcot Resort Area | 7/1/1996 | 378 |
| Disney's Contemporary Resort | Deluxe | Magic Kingdom Area | 10/1/1971 | 655 |
| Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa | Deluxe | Magic Kingdom Area | 6/28/1988 | 867 |
| Disney's Polynesian Village Resort | Deluxe | Magic Kingdom Area | 10/1/1971 | 479 |
| Disney's Wilderness Lodge | Deluxe | Magic Kingdom Resort Area | 5/28/1994 | 430 |
| Disney's Yacht Club Resort | Deluxe | Epcot Resort Area | 11/5/1990 | 635 |
| Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House | Villa Resorts | Animal Kingdom Area | 4/16/2001 | 214 |
| Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village | Villa Resorts | Animal Kingdom Area | 5/1/2009 | 458 |
| Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort | Villa Resorts | Magic Kingdom Resort Area | 8/4/2009 | 295 |
| Disney's Beach Club Villas | Villa Resorts | Epcot Resort Area | 7/1/2002 | 282 |
| Disney's BoardWalk Villas | Villa Resorts | Epcot Resort Area | 7/1/1996 | 532 |
| Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge | Villa Resorts | Magic Kingdom Resort Area | 5/28/1994 | 136 |
| Copper Creek Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge | Villa Resorts | Magic Kingdom Resort Area | 7/17/2017 | 220 |
| Disney's Old Key West Resort | Villa Resorts | Disney Springs Resort Area | 12/20/1991 | 761 |
| Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows | Villa Resorts | Magic Kingdom Resort Area | 10/1/1971 | 380 |
| Disney's Riviera Resort | Villa Resorts | Epcot Resort Area | 12/16/2019 | 300 |
| Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa | Villa Resorts | Disney Springs Resort Area | 5/17/2004 | 1260 |
| Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa | Villa Resorts | Magic Kingdom Resort Area | 10/23/2013 | 147 |
Note: Boulder Ridge Villas opened 5/28/1994 as part of the original Wilderness Lodge, the name was changed to Villas at Wilderness Lodge in November 2000, and then changed to Boulder Ridge in May 2016
The following hotels are not owned by Disney, but they’re located on/near Walt Disney World property and enjoy some of the same perks as the onsite, Disney-owned resorts.
Non-Disney owned resorts with onsite benefits
| Hotel Name | Resort Area | # of Rooms | Early Theme Park Entry? | Extended Evening Theme Park Hours? | Dining Perks? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel | Epcot Resort Area | 1509 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Walt Disney World Swan Hotel | Epcot Resort Area | 758 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Walt Disney World Swan Reserve | Epcot Resort Area | 349 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| B Resort & Spa Lake Buena Vista | Disney Springs Resort Area | 394 | Yes | No | No |
| DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando | Disney Springs Resort Area | 229 | Yes | No | No |
| Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista | Disney Springs Resort Area | 604 | Yes | No | No |
| Four Seasons Resort Orlando | Magic Kingdom Resort Area | 443 | Yes | No | No |
| Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace | Disney Springs Resort Area | 987 | Yes | No | No |
| Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista | Disney Springs Resort Area | 814 | Yes | No | No |
| Holiday Inn Orlando | Disney Springs Resort Area | 323 | Yes | No | No |
| Shades of Green® on Walt Disney World® Resort | Magic Kingdom Resort Area | 586 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek | Epcot Resort Area | 1009 | Yes | No | No |
| Waldorf Astoria Orlando | Epcot Resort Area | 498 | Yes | No | No |
| Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista | Disney Springs Resort Area | 394 | Yes | No | No |
| Wyndham Lake Buena Vista | Disney Springs Resort Area | 232 | Yes | No | No |
There are more than 50 attractions to be found in Walt Disney World theme parks. Of those, 11 are original to when Walt Disney World opened in 1971.
Here are the attractions in each park.
Average wait time data via thrill-data.com.
Magic Kingdom Attractions| Attraction | Land/Section | Year Opened | Avg Wait Time (minutes) | Height Requirement | Lightning Lane or Virtual Queue available? | Open during Early Theme Park Entry? | Open for Extended Evening Theme Park Hours? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirates of the Caribbean | Adventureland | 1973 | 25 | None | LL | No | Yes |
| Jungle Cruise | Adventureland | 1971 | 35 | None | LL | No | No |
| Swiss Family Treehouse | Adventureland | 1971 | 5 | None | None | No | Yes |
| The Magic Carpets of Aladdin | Adventureland | 2001 | 16 | None | LL | No | Yes |
| Tiana's Bayou Adventure | Frontierland | 2024 | TBD | 40" | LL | No | No |
| Big Thunder Mountain Railroad | Frontierland | 1980 | 35 | 40" | LL | No | Yes |
| Country Bear Jamboree | Frontierland | 1971 | 5 | None | None | No | Yes |
| Tom Sawyer Island | Frontierland | 1973 | 3 | None | None | No | No |
| Haunted Mansion | Liberty Square | 1971 | 28 | None | LL | No | Yes |
| The Hall of Presidents | Liberty Square | 1971 | 8 | None | None | No | No |
| Seven Dwarfs Mine Train | Fantasyland | 2014 | 75 | 38" | ILL | Yes | Yes |
| Peter Pan's Flight | Fantasyland | 1971 | 54 | None | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Prince Charming Regal Carrousel | Fantasyland | 1971 | 7 | None | None | Yes | Yes |
| It's a Small World | Fantasyland | 1971 | 19 | None | LL | Yes | Yes |
| The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh | Fantasyland | 1999 | 26 | None | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Mad Tea Party | Fantasyland | 1971 | 11 | None | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Space Mountain | Tomorrowland | 1975 | 54 | 44" | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin | Tomorrowland | 1998 | 29 | None | LL | Yes | No |
| Tomorrowland Speedway | Tomorrowland | 1971 | 27 | 32" | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Astro Orbiter | Tomorrowland | 1974 | 24 | None | None | Yes | Yes |
| Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor | Tomorrowland | 2007 | 15 | None | LL | No | Yes |
| Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid | Fantasyland | 2012 | 20 | None | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Dumbo the Flying Elephant | Fantasyland | 1971 | 20 | None | LL | Yes | Yes |
| The Barnstormer | Fantasyland | 1996 | 18 | 35" | LL | Yes | Yes |
| TRON Lightcycle Run | Tomorrowland | 2023 | 100 | 48" | ILL and VQ | No | No |
| Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover | Tomorrowland | 1975 | 9 | None | None | Yes | No |
| Mickey’s PhilharMagic | Fantasyland | 2003 | 10 | None | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress | Tomorrowland | 1975 | 5 | None | None | Yes | No |
| Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room | Adventureland | 1971 | 5 | None | None | No | Yes |
| Attraction | Land/Section | Year Opened | Avg Wait Time (minutes) | Height Requirement | Lightning Lane or Virtual Queue available? | Open during Early Theme Park Entry? | Open for Extended Evening Theme Park Hours? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spaceship Earth | World Celebration | 1982 | 17 | None | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Test Track | World Discovery | 1999 | 62 | 40" | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Mission: SPACE | World Discovery | 2003 | 22 | 40" for Green, 44" for Orange | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Soarin' Around the World | World Nature | 2005 | 38 | 40" | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Living with the Land | World Nature | 1982 | 17 | None | LL | No | No |
| The Seas with Nemo & Friends | World Nature | 2007 | 13 | None | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Turtle Talk with Crush | World Nature | 2004 | 12 | None | LL | No | No |
| Journey Into Imagination with Figment | World Celebration | 1983 | 13 | None | LL | No | No |
| Frozen Ever After | World Showcase – Norway | 2016 | 64 | None | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Gran Fiesta Tour | World Showcase – Mexico | 1983 | 9 | None | None | No | Yes |
| Remy's Ratatouille Adventure | World Showcase – France | 2021 | 69 | None | LL | Yes | Yes |
| Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind | World Discovery | 2022 | 100 | 42" | ILL or VQ | No | Yes |
| Awesome Planet | World Nature | 2020 | 1 | None | None | No | No |
| Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana | World Nature | 2023 | 1 | None | None | No | Yes |
| Beauty and The Beast Sing-Along | World Showcase – France | 2020 | 1 | None | None | Yes | No |
| Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival | World Celebration | 2015 | 1 | None | LL | No | No |
| Attraction | Land/Section | Year Opened | Avg Wait Time (minutes) | Height Requirement | Lightning Lane or Virtual Queue available? | Open during Early Theme Park Entry? | Open for Extended Evening Theme Park Hours? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway | Hollywood Boulevard | 2020 | 53 | None | LL | Yes | NA |
| Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance | Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge | 2019 | 86 | 40" | ILL | Yes | NA |
| Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run | Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge | 2019 | 54 | 38" | LL | Yes | NA |
| Slinky Dog Dash | Toy Story Land | 2018 | 69 | 38" | LL | Yes | NA |
| Toy Story Mania | Toy Story Land | 2008 | 63 | None | LL | Yes | NA |
| Alien Swirling Saucers | Toy Story Land | 2018 | 35 | 32" | LL | Yes | NA |
| Twilight Zone Tower of Terror | Sunset Boulevard | 1994 | 41 | 40" | LL | Yes | NA |
| Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith | Sunset Boulevard | 1999 | 60 | 48" | LL | Yes | NA |
| Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular | Echo Lake | 1989 | 5 | None | LL | No | NA |
| Star Tours – The Adventures Continue | Echo Lake | 1989 (updated 2011) | 22 | 40" | LL | Yes | NA |
| Muppet*Vision 3D | Grand Avenue | 1991 | 8 | None | LL | No | NA |
| Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage | Sunset Boulevard | 1991 | 1 | None | LL | No | NA |
| Disney Junior Play & Dance! | Animation Courtyard | 2020 | 1 | None | LL | No | NA |
| For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration | Echo Lake | 2014 | 1 | None | LL | No | NA |
| Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight | Echo Lake | 2016 | 18 | None | LL | No | NA |
| Attraction | Land/Section | Year Opened | Avg Wait Time (minutes) | Height Requirement | Lightning Lane or Virtual Queue available? | Open during Early Theme Park Entry? | Open for Extended Evening Theme Park Hours? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avatar Flight of Passage | Pandora – The World of Avatar | 2017 | 132 | 44" | ILL | Yes | NA |
| Na'vi River Journey | Pandora – The World of Avatar | 2017 | 75 | None | LL | Yes | NA |
| Expedition Everest | Asia | 2006 | 30 | 44" | LL | Yes | NA |
| Kali River Rapids | Asia | 1999 | 33 | 38" | LL | No | NA |
| Maharajah Jungle Trek | Asia | 1999 | 0 | None | None | No | NA |
| Kilimanjaro Safaris | Africa | 1998 | 34 | None | LL | No | NA |
| Festival of the Lion King | Africa | 1998 | 1 | None | LL | No | NA |
| Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail | Africa | 1998 | 5 | None | None | No | NA |
| DINOSAUR | DinoLand U.S.A. | 1998 | 25 | 40" | LL | Yes | NA |
| TriceraTop Spin | DinoLand U.S.A. | 2001 | 8 | None | None | Yes | NA |
| The Boneyard | DinoLand U.S.A. | 1998 | 1 | None | None | No | NA |
| It's Tough to be a Bug! | Discovery Island | 1998 | 10 | None | LL | Yes | NA |
| Tree of Life Awakenings | Discovery Island | 2016 | 0 | None | None | No | NA |
| Wildlife Express Train: Rafiki's Planet Watch | Rafiki's Planet Watch | 1998 | 1 | None | None | No | NA |
| Conservation Station | Rafiki's Planet Watch | 1998 | 1 | None | None | No | NA |
| The Animation Experience at Conservation Station | Rafiki's Planet Watch | 2019 | 1 | None | LL | No | NA |
| Finding Nemo - The Big Blue... and Beyond | DinoLand U.S.A. | 2007, revamped in 2022 | 1 | None | LL | No | NA |
| Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost | Discovery Island | 2013 | 23 | None | LL | No | NA |
| Feathered Friends in Flight | Asia | 2020 | 1 | None | LL | No | NA |
On November 11, 1965, the Disney brothers joined Florida Governor Haydon Burns to announce their new “Florida project.” It was known that Walt had purchased a lot of land, but what was not known was what that land was going to be used for. In fact, Walt Disney himself didn’t…
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Construction for Walt Disney World began on May 30, 1967, with the first priority being necessary roadwork and utilities. The first building to be built was the preview center which is located along Hotel Plaza Boulevard in Lake Buena Vista. The goal of the preview center was to communicate to…
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After a couple of years getting the infrastructure and preview center in place, construction officially began on Magic Kingdom, Contemporary Resort, and Polynesian resort on May 27, 1969. "Six million yards of earth were needed to fill low areas," the Orlando Sentinel's Emily Bavar wrote about the project earlier that…
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After years of construction, the Walt Disney World Vacation Kingdom as it was called then officially opened on October 1, 1971, just as Roy had announced in 1969. On that day, around 10,000 people paid $3.50 to enter, purchased a $4.25 coupon book that could be used on seven rides,…
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On March 22, 1975, Lake Buena Vista Vista Shopping Village opened at Walt Disney World. This area offered shopping, dining, and unique entertainment outside of the parks. It was as one of the first of its kind to bring high-quality, unique shops to such a popular destination. Throughout the rest…
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This water park opened on five acres at a corner of Bay Lake near Cypress Point at Fort Wilderness on June 20, 1976. Water from Bay Lake was pumped through the inside of River Country's artificial mountain to the top of the flumes and raft ride at the rate of…
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