PHOTO VIA WALT DISNEY WORLD
A commemorative plaque now marks the building in Orlando’s Thornton Park District where Walt and Roy O. Disney stood alongside Florida Governor Haydon Burns in November 1965 to announce what they called the “Florida Project,” which turned out to be the development that would become Walt Disney World.
A dedication ceremony last week brought together Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle to mark the occasion at the site of the former Cherry Plaza Hotel, which is now home to MAA Parkside, The Dust, and Aku Aku Tiki Bar. The building was originally the Eola Plaza and served as the spring training base for the Minnesota Twins.
Walt Disney World opened in 1971 and has since grown to nearly 30,000 acres in Central Florida, making it roughly twice the size of Manhattan, and it is the largest single-site employer in the United States, with 80,000 cast members.
“We thank the city of Orlando and the Thornton Park District for honoring this important part of our shared history,” Vahle said. “This commemorative plaque celebrates our past and reflects the bold vision we need for the future.”
The plaque was installed by the Thornton Park District, a member of Orlando’s Main Streets program.
