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Introduction

Long before "It's a Small World" echoed through the palmetto scrub, other theme parks tempted visitors away from the beaches into the heart of central Florida. Interstate 4 hadn't even been built when Dick and Julie Pope created Cypress Gardens, one of the region's oldest attractions. But when Walt Disney World (WDW) opened on October 1, 1971, and was immediately successful, the central Florida theme-park scene became big business. Since then, Disney has bolstered its flagship theme park, the Magic Kingdom, with three others -- Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom -- which, together with the company's two water parks, myriad hotels, retail establishments, sports facility, nighttime entertainment centers, and restaurants, form what is today known collectively as the Walt Disney World Resort. Disney's success has spurred major competition to town, namely SeaWorld and Discovery Cove, and Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Smaller attractions such as the Orlando Science Center and WonderWorks, among others, also bid for your business.... More



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From world travel to wide-eyed excitement, a day at Epcot will set your spirits soaring. Experience the exhilaration of flight on the attraction, Soarin'. Then sample ... View Details


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