"Sharrie's Orlando Creation" a Orlando Travel Page by Sharrie

Imagination? Fantasy? Magic? Oh... where should I start? Creation? Oh, yes! CREATION: It all started with the creation of MICKEY MOUSE!!! And, the creator? WALTER ELIAS DISNEY (Dec. 5, 1901 - Dec. 15, 1966)! A man of vision & imagination. Imagination that translated ideas from a pencil into THE WALT DISNEY WORLD & THE MAGIC KINGDOM.

It has been said: "The pen is mightier than the sword". In this case, the man with the pencil is the legend! A storyteller, an innovator & a producer, Walt Disney created "Steamboat Willie" (i.e. the sound cartoon made in 1928 {yeah, it was that long ago!} starring who else (?) but Mickey Mouse). Subsequently, SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARFS (anyone who has never heard of this? You must be an alien :-)), Walt's 1st successful full-length film, challenged him to new heights; TV show, movies, Disneyland & plan for DISNEY WORLD.

So, how did ORLANDO came into the picture? In 1958, Walt commissioned Economics Research Association to look for a site for Disney World. 1st choice? Ocala. 2nd choice? Orlando. So, how was it Orlando was finally the location chosen? Trivia: Do you know that the location of the Disney Theme Parks (namely Disney World & Magic Kingdom) was actually swamp & forest in 1958? I didn't, but now I do!

OK, the story goes like this: While flying over this site & on the way home, Walt heard news that President Kennedy was shot & on that fateful night he made his decision to have Disney World built in Orlando. Other contributing factor was Orlando's weather which permits year-round visits by people from all over the world!

Thanks! Walt, for creating such a wonderful & magical world for all children & adults alike. A world where all dreams come true!

To quote Eric Sevareid (CBS Evening News): "He (Disney) was an original; not just an American orignial, but an original, period...".

P.S.: For those of you interested, please read Walt Disney: An American Original by Bob Thomas. You've to buy this book from Disney World itself.

---

Facts about Orlando

---

Population: 12,335,000.
Area: 58,664 sq mi.
Capital: Tallahassee (pop. 238,200)
Largest City: Tampa-St.Petersburg (pop. 2,000,000).
Origin of Name: By the Spaniard Juan Ponce de Leon, who explored the peninsula during Easter season in 1513 & called it Pascua Florida, meaning Easter.
Motto: In God We Trust.
Info:
Florida Department of Commerce: Division of Tourism
126 West Van Buren Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-2000.
Tel: (904) 487 1462.

---

Web Resources

---

Area Code: 407  
Yellow Pages: RealPages.com
Newspaper: Orlando Sentinel