<P> Walt Disney flew over a potential site in Orlando , Florida -- one of many -- in November 1963 . After witnessing the well - developed network of roads and taking the planned construction of both Interstate 4 and Florida 's Turnpike into account , with McCoy Air Force Base ( later Orlando International Airport ) to the east , Disney selected a centrally - located site near Bay Lake . To avoid a burst of land speculation , Walt Disney World Company used various dummy corporations to acquire 30,500 acres ( 48 sq mi ; 123 km ) of land . In May 1965 , some of these major land transactions were recorded a few miles southwest of Orlando in Osceola County . In addition , two large tracts totaling $1.5 million were sold , and smaller tracts of flatlands and cattle pastures were purchased by exotically - named companies such as the `` Ayefour Corporation '' , `` Latin - American Development and Management Corporation '' and the `` Reedy Creek Ranch Corporation '' . Some are now memorialized on a window above Main Street , U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom . The smaller parcels of land acquired were called `` outs '' . They were 5 - acre ( 2 ha ) lots platted in 1912 by the Munger Land Company and sold to investors . Most of the owners in the 1960s were happy to get rid of the land , which was mostly swamp at the time . Another issue was the mineral rights to the land , which were owned by Tufts University . Without the transfer of these rights , Tufts could come in at any time and demand the removal of buildings to obtain minerals . Eventually , Disney 's team negotiated a deal with Tufts to buy the mineral rights for $15,000 . </P>
<P> Walt Disney flew over a potential site in Orlando , Florida -- one of many -- in November 1963 . After witnessing the well - developed network of roads and taking the planned construction of both Interstate 4 and Florida 's Turnpike into account , with McCoy Air Force Base ( later Orlando International Airport ) to the east , Disney selected a centrally - located site near Bay Lake . To avoid a burst of land speculation , Walt Disney World Company used various dummy corporations to acquire 30,500 acres ( 48 sq mi ; 123 km ) of land . In May 1965 , some of these major land transactions were recorded a few miles southwest of Orlando in Osceola County . In addition , two large tracts totaling $1.5 million were sold , and smaller tracts of flatlands and cattle pastures were purchased by exotically - named companies such as the `` Ayefour Corporation '' , `` Latin - American Development and Management Corporation '' and the `` Reedy Creek Ranch Corporation '' . Some are now memorialized on a window above Main Street , U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom . The smaller parcels of land acquired were called `` outs '' . They were 5 - acre ( 2 ha ) lots platted in 1912 by the Munger Land Company and sold to investors . Most of the owners in the 1960s were happy to get rid of the land , which was mostly swamp at the time . Another issue was the mineral rights to the land , which were owned by Tufts University . Without the transfer of these rights , Tufts could come in at any time and demand the removal of buildings to obtain minerals . Eventually , Disney 's team negotiated a deal with Tufts to buy the mineral rights for $15,000 . </P>
when did disney start buying land in florida
when did disney start buying land in florida
May 1965
May 1965