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But that was only the beginning. In 1965, Walt Disney turned his attention
toward the problem of improving the quality of urban life in America. He
personally directed the design of an Experimental Prototype Community of
Tomorrow, or EPCOT®, planned as a living showcase for the creativity of American
industry.
Said Disney, "I don't believe there is a challenge anywhere in the world
that is more important to people everywhere than finding the solution to
the problems of our cities. But where do we begin? Well, we're convinced
we must start with the public need. And the need is not just for curing
the old ills of old cities. We think the need is for starting from scratch
on virgin land and building a community that will become a prototype for
the future."
Thus, Disney directed the purchase of 43 square miles of
virgin land -- twice the size of Manhattan Island -- in the center of
the state of Florida. Here he master-planned a whole Disney world of entertainment
to include a new amusement theme park, a motel-hotel resort vacation center,
and his Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. After more than
seven years of master planning and preparation, including 52 months of
actual construction, Walt Disney World opened to the public as scheduled
on October 1, 1971. Epcot Center opened on October 1, 1982.
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