Ultimate Disney Fan’s Guide to Celebration, Florida
Living full-time in Walt Disney World is reserved solely for…well, no one. When you check into your Walt Disney World Resort room and hear ‘welcome home’ for the first time, it’s easy to take the tear-jerking bait and play right into the game. The amenities and proximity to the magic will wrap you up in what feels like the warmest of hugs. Just when you start to feel like you really could make a home here, your check-out date arrives.
I call Walt Disney World ‘home’ just like all of you reading. Sure, you can save up all your DVC points and plan an extended stay, but before long, the time will come to check out of your room and return home.
The Epcot that Never Was
Walt Disney’s original vision for an experimental prototype community of tomorrow (EPCOT) never came to full fruition. Despite the fantasy component associated with Walt Disney World Resort, there was meant to be a real working city located in Epcot where folks worked, played, and, you guessed it, lived full-time!
You’ve doubtlessly seen the tiny scale model of this would-be city if you’ve ever ridden the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover. The city was meant to be an energy efficient, eco-friendly, forward-thinking community where scientific and creative advancements would be daily occurrences. Walt’s brainchild never came to be, but on a recent sunny afternoon, I visited the place that is an extension of that vision. A vision that came to be, and still exists. Welcome to Celebration, Florida.
Celebration, Florida
Although very real citizens of the United States permanently occupy residences in Celebration, the town appears as though it should exist as a themed land in Magic Kingdom. Decades-old architectural practices were called upon to draw inspiration for the quaint, storybook-like villages you can tour today.
Not located on the Walt Disney World Property we guests have come to know, the land that Celebration sits upon is in fact owned by the Walt Disney Company! While sometimes associated with Kissimmee for geographical pinpointing, Celebration’s many villages comprise the ‘unincorporated’ town- meaning it does not belong to another city.
The Disney Touch
Don’t worry, this working town of mini villages is isn’t without the quintessential Disney flare you’d expect! Walking through the picture-perfect streets isn’t the only indication that Disney has stake here, but the real giveaway is Celebration’s direct connection to Walt Disney Property!
World Drive, which is the main road that connects much of Walt Disney World, begins near Magic Kingdom and ends…in Celebration! With restaurants, shops, a fire department, and hospital, the citizens of Celebration are the lucky ones who can say that they do, in fact live in Walt Disney World!
Are you planning to book a Disney vacation for you and your family? I’d love to help! I am a proud MickeyTravels Authorized Vacation Planner (Platinum Level) specializing in all Disney destinations. From hotel to FastPass+ reservations, I will help with each and every aspect of your trip. And the best part about my services is that they are completely FREE!
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