So, Disney began to look around for somewhere else to base a second theme park. Disney settled on Orlando as the perfect site, convinced by its year-round sunshine, its excellent road access and relatively cheap land, as much of its was covered by swamps.

Walt Disney chose Central Florida for the "Florida Project" in the 1960s primarily because of land, climate, and accessibility. After the success of Disneyland in California, Walt was frustrated by the "neon jungle" of third-party hotels and businesses that had sprouted up around his park, so he sought a massive plot of land where he could control the entire environment. The Orlando area offered thousands of acres of cheap, undeveloped swampland and citrus groves. Geographically, the location was perfect because it was accessible to the high-population East Coast via the newly constructed Interstate 4 and the Florida Turnpike. Unlike other parts of the U.S., the subtropical climate allowed for year-round operation, which was essential for a high-capital investment. To keep land prices low during the acquisition phase, Walt used "shell companies" to buy the property anonymously. By the time his identity was revealed in November 1965, he had secured over 27,000 acres—an area twice the size of Manhattan—providing enough space to build not just a theme park, but an entire "Vacation Kingdom."