Magic Kingdom was the first theme park to open in the complex in 1971, followed by Epcot (known then as EPCOT Center) (1982), Disney's Hollywood Studios (known then as Disney-MGM Studios) (1989), and Disney's Animal Kingdom (1998).

The oldest Disney park in the world is Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, which opened its gates on July 17, 1955. It is the only park that was designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney himself. The second oldest is Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, which opened on October 1, 1971. Following these "castle parks," the next to open was EPCOT in Florida on October 1, 1982. The first international Disney park was Tokyo Disneyland, which debuted on April 15, 1983. In 2026, as the company approaches its various "Diamond" and "Platinum" anniversaries, these original parks remain the "blueprints" for the entire global theme park industry. While newer parks like Shanghai Disney (2016) offer cutting-edge technology, the "oldest" parks in California and Florida hold a unique historical and nostalgic value that draws millions of visitors who want to experience the "original" magic. Each of these older parks has undergone massive renovations to stay modern, but their core layouts—centered around a central castle and themed "lands"—remain exactly as they were envisioned decades ago.