Think about Orlando and what is the first thing that comes into your mind? Did you answer theme parks? There is no denying that Orlando is famous for its world-class theme parks and entertainment, which put them on the map as the vacation destination of choice for millions of people across the world. But how did it all begin? We’ve taken a look at the history behind Orlando’s theme park legacy, and summarized it in the article below.
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Walt Disney World
Our story starts with Disney. In 1971, The Walt Disney World Resort complex opened up, and the theme park industry was never the same again. Today, the amazing 27,000 acres house 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, 4 golf courses, a sports complex, a staggering 31 hotels (plus 1 camping resort), and numerous shopping and dining options. It’s taken a long time for all of this incredible infrastructure to be designed, built, and developed…but it all started from one simple concept, back in the 1960s.
In 1955, Disneyland in California opened. Although it was an amazing attraction in it’s own right, Walt felt like he was too constrained by the space, and that it’s potential was limited, especially since third-party establishments had sprung up around the area. As a result, he began looking for a larger plot of land with more room for expansion. That space would be what we now know as Walt Disney World.
Sadly, in 1966, during the planning stage of the project, Walt died. The company was unsure whether to carry on this project, but ultimately they did, with the help of Walt’s older brother, Roy, who came out of retirement to bring the project to fruition. Roy wanted to ensure that Walt’s legacy lived on.
In 1967, construction began on Magic Kingdom, and from that moment it hasn’t really ever stopped! After opening in 1971, it was followed by EPCOT in 1982, then shortly after, Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 1989, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1998.
The company continually invested more and more into the complex, with the goal of creating entertainment that would encourage guests to stay on property, and for longer amounts of time. These new developments included water parks, along with hotels, shopping, and restaurants aplenty.
The arrival of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, and everything that subsequently followed, created an unimaginable massive boom in Florida tourism, like nothing that had been seen before.
SeaWorld
Two years after Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom opened, SeaWorld wanted a piece of the pie! In December of 1973, SeaWorld Orlando opened.
In 1976, SeaWorld was sold to new owners, and in 1989, they sold to the Busch Gardens group. Busch Gardens was already established in the theme park and attractions industry, and as a result of their experience, were able to develop SeaWorld and realize its potential quicker. Immediately, they started moving the theme park from being more about shows, to about rides instead.
The first of which opened in 1992, and was a simulator-style ride called Mission: Bermuda Triangle, and after that in 1998, they invested in the nation’s first rollercoaster flume. The rides kept on coming, and particularly of note was the floor-less rollercoaster Kraken, and flying rollercoaster Manta, who joined the lineup in 2000 and 2009 respectively. The latter of which, won the park the Theme Park Insider Award for best new attraction.
SeaWorld had made an impressive name for themselves, and despite controversies surrounding the show elements of the park, they continued to develop more attractions, with Discovery Cove opening up in 2000, and Aquatica, a water park, opening in 2008.
More recently, SeaWorld has poured money into developing their main park. Sesame Street Land opened in 2019, creating an incredible interactive and immersive section especially for younger kids. For the big kids, the park built more rollercoasters, such as Mako, Ice Breaker, and Pipeline. It’s clear that the company have been dedicated to investing into the park, and have continued to open up their own thrilling attractions, in order to compete with the surrounding competition.
Universal
Lastly, we have Universal. The company actually contemplated opening an amusement park to compete with Disney with 1982, but they abandoned the idea after an attempted partnership with Paramount Pictures failed. Universal had planned to create an attraction similar to their Studio Backlot Tour, like the one found at Universal Studios Hollywood. They figured that this would create a unique offering, in comparison to what could be found at Magic Kingdom, giving potential guests a reason to visit their park, too.
As their Hollywood park maintained a steady success, and they continued to invest in new and exciting attractions, the Orlando concept fell firmly back onto the table…with a little controversy sprinkled in. That’s because in 1987, Disney announced their plans to open an attraction which mirrored the idea of the studio backlot tour, now known as Hollywood Studios. Universal, who at this point had already committed to make their break into the Orlando market, were upset to say the least, that their unique selling point may have been taken…and by a company who was in a better position to build, and open up their attraction faster than they could.
Of course, as we know today, Universal did manage to establish themselves in their own right, and in quite a spectacular way! Universal Studios Florida opened in 1990, followed by Universal Islands of Adventure in 1999. Both of these parks focused heavily on building rides and attractions themed to popular movies and television shows, working closely with the directors, producers, and actors from the films they were based on. This collaboration was a winning combination, and guests loved being able to feel a part of the sets from their favorite entertainment offerings.
In 2017, Universal opened their first water park, Volcano Bay, and recently in 2025, their third theme park Epic Universe opened. Alongside these, an ever-changing array of shows, attractions, restaurants, and hotels have also popped up. There is so much to see within the Universal properties, that it’s now a vacation destination in its own right, and no longer just an add-on to a Disney trip, as it was once viewed.
Other Attractions
With all these amazing theme parks, and their respective array of ever-increasing entertainment options, it’s no surprise that more attractions have made their home in Orlando. Tourists from all over the world seeking fun, adventure, and an action-packed break from reality, continue to pick this area as their vacation destination of choice.
As a result, Orlando now has more incredible attractions than ever, from museums, to go-karting, and escape rooms! If you want to do it, Orlando has it. At The Escape Effect, we pride ourselves on having the quality of one of the major theme parks, but with friendliness of a locally-owned mom-and-pop business. Next time you are visiting Orlando, slot one of our immersive experiences into your itinerary, and you’ll see why we’ve been voted Orlando’s Best Entertainment Experience, not once, not twice, but seven times in a row!
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