How did Disney buy so much land?

In 1964, Walt Disney used fake companies and secret deals to begin quietly snapping up the land in Central Florida that would later become Walt Disney World. Those shenenigans allowed him to purchase acres upon acres of swamp without suspicion, while keeping prices low.



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Want to know the secret of how Walt Disney started Disneyland? After being turned down by his bank for a basic business loan, Disney turned to life insurance to finance his dream of opening a theme park. The proceeds from his life insurance policy were used to open Disneyland, “The Happiest Place on Earth.”

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Disney owns about 25,000 acres of land in Florida, which is approximately 39 square miles.

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“Later, when asked what attracted him to Orlando, [Disney] would say: 'The way the roads crossed,'” Foglesong writes. Orlando also had the advantage of room—acres and acres of otherwise overlooked, alligator-infested swampland. St. Louis never stood a chance.

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Although Walt Disney did not live to see Walt Disney World, he did come to Florida in person to survey the land, meet with local officials, and announce the project to the media.

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Little Known Disney Facts So, how was Disney World built on a swamp? Well, it wasn't, not really. They scooped out material from what was to be the Seven Seas Lagoon, made it into a vast dirt mound, and then built Disney World, the theme park we know today, on the top.

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You can only fit so many people in one place safely, and Disney is very focused on guest safety. The times that this will happen is rare, and typically occurs on dates that are fairly easy to anticipate. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, and New Year's Eve all come to mind.

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And if you've ever fantasized about actually living at Disney World — well, you can! There's actually a neighborhood on property called Golden Oak, and residents here get lots of amazing Disney perks.

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Average Disney Parks, Experiences and Products hourly pay ranges from approximately $12.32 per hour for Operator to $34.66 per hour for Stage. The average Disney Parks, Experiences and Products salary ranges from approximately $23,765 per year for Performer to $164,000 per year for Production Manager.

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