Disney World’s formal opening: 38 years ago

The Orlando Sentinel from page from October 24, 1971. (Click image to see full page)

Today marks the 38 years since Disney World’s formal opening. The park first opened to the public on October 1, 1971, but it was October 23, 1971 that marked the start of Disney World’s three-day grand opening celebration.

Here’s the article about the grand opening that ran in the Orlando Sentinel on October 24, 1971:

Oct. 24, 1971 – Orlando Sentinel

40,000 Jam Disney Turnstiles; Three-Day ‘Opening’ Under Way

By Jack McDavitt and Dick Marlowe, Sentinel Staff

Nearly 40,000 visits – the biggest crowd yet – jammed Walt Disney World turnstiles Saturday as the $400 million “Magic Kingdom” kicked off its three-day formal opening celebration with the arrival of a plane-load of Hollywood notables.

The celebrities – including Rock Hudson, Robert Stack, Walter Brennan and Fred MacMurray – arrived aboard a chartered jet to take part in the festivities, starting with a performance of the World Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arthur Fiedler.

And they were greeted at Orlando Jetport at McCoy by a huge crowd of spectators who oohed and aahed as the stars, many accompanied by their families, stepped from the plane.

The applauded Brennan and MacMurray, squealed at Stack and Hudson and whistled at Annette Funicello, one of the original Mouseketeers.

The stars were quickly ushered aboard buses for the trip to Disney World and the theme park, the product of the imagination and dreams of the late Walt Disney.

Inside the park, there were long lines at almost every attraction, every ride

But there was little of the gripping which normally goes with long lines.

Instead, the fathers, mothers, grandparents, aunts, uncles and, of course, youngsters by the thousands waited patiently, smiling, laughing and talking.

It was a good day to be there. The mercury rose to 88, but there were cool breezes.

There were hundreds of youngsters in strollers – either wide-eyed with amazement or sound asleep after a day of wonder.

There were obviously footweary mother, turning hopefully to their children to ask, “Is anyone tired?” But no one was.

There were 8-year-olds, with looks of grim determination on their faces, as they took the wheel of the Grand Prix cars to whisk their nervous mothers around the track.

In Fantasyland though, the crowds turned away from the rides to gather around the bandstand to hear “The Kids Next Door,” swinging, singing group from Los Angeles which will be playing daily at the theme park for the next three months.

And one lucky little boy got a hug from Donna Fein, a bouncy, vivacious blonde singer who stepped from the bandstand to dance with the youngster.

Even the traffic moved smoothly for the first day of the big weekend. “We had a lot more traffic,” said Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. E.L. Herring. “But I’m pleased with the way it moved.”

By 1 p.m., the patrol said, the 12,000-car parking log was “about three-quarters full.”

Visitors came in a steady flow all day, causing no major jamups and no serious accidents.

“This proves we can handle heavy traffic with adequate numbers of troopers,” said Herring, pointing to the 19 permanent additions to the patrol force to speed traffic in Orange, Seminole, Osceola and Lake counties. Another 20 troopers were brought in this weekend.

Although the movie and television stars arriving in town were anxious to get to the theme park, nearly all expressed regret the man who envisioned it – Walt Disney – couldn’t be there to see it with them.

Ray Bolger, a spry dancer who can still kick above his head, got a look at the park when he arrived Friday. “It’s a wonderful beginning of his dream,” said Bolger, adding Disney would have been proud of the way his staff has worked.

Raspy-voiced Andy Devine agreed. But, he added, “Actually, I feel Walt is here. And he probably has the best seat in the house.”

Stack, a board member of the National Wildlife Federation, praised the Disney organization for its concern for the environment, saying he wants to visit the Fort Wilderness camping area and the conservation area while here.

“It’s too bad all cities can’t do what Disney World has done with regard to ecology,” said Stack.

However, Stack said, ecology isn’t the only reason he wanted to visit Disney World. “I’d like to try one of those beautiful golf courses with my ugly golf game.”

Stack, an avid sportsman who once held the world skeet shooting championship, recalled he used to play polo with Disney. “He was a good horseman,” said the star of the TV series, “The Name of the Game.” “He was a good polo player.”

Stack was accompanied by his wife, Rosemarie, and teen-age children, Charles and Elizabeth. He wasn’t the only one to bring his youngsters.

Joe Flynn, who claims a record of sorts for having appeared in eight Disney movies, brought his two sons, Tony, 12, and K.C., 10.

“They’re big Disney fans,” said the start of television’s “McHale’s Navy.”

Other stars included Hugh O’Brien, Sebastian Cabot, Cesar Romero, Fess Parker, Greg Morris, Sterling Holloway, Sam Jaffe and his wife TV star Bettye Ackerman, Godfrey Cambridge, Steve Forrest, Agnes Moorehead and Jonathan Winters.

Arriving earlier was Bob Hope, who will entertain at noon today with a monologue tribute to the Disney opening at the Grand Canyon Concourse of the huge A-frame Contemporary Resort Hotel.

Most of the celebrities headed straight from the plane to the waiting buses. But Brennan stopped to clown a little, affecting the limp which he has used in scores of Western movies.

And MacMurray chided him for it: “Walt, they didn’t get our wheelchair.”

Other dignitaries present were Gov. Ruben Askew and his family, former Under Secretary of defense Roswell Gilpatric and TV news broadcaster David Brinkley.

President Nixon had planned to attend the celebration but canceled out a few days ago, reportedly because of the difficulty in getting proper security at the attraction.

But even without the appearance of Mr. Nixon, the big weekend will be an extravaganza.

In addition to the symphony performance and Hope’s monologue, the festivities include banquets, luaus, an electrical water show, fireworks and a huge parade down Main Street U.S.A. with Meredith Willson leading a 1,076 piece marching band.

Crowds have increased steadily since the Oct. 1 opening for a three-week “shakedown” for employees and attractions. Opening with 10,400 visitors, the park had averaged around 15,000 daily with 20,000 to 25,000 on the weekends.

The park is expected to have 10 million guests in its first year.