Editing Walt Disney World (section)

=== 1980s–2020 ===
[[File:MagicKingdomPostcard1982.jpg|thumb|An aerial shot of Walt Disney World in 1982]]
Much of Walt Disney's plans for his [[EPCOT (concept)|Progress City]] concept were abandoned after his death and after the company board decided that it did not want to be in the business of running a city. The concept evolved into the resort's second theme park, [[Epcot|EPCOT Center]], which opened in 1982 (renamed EPCOT in 1996). While still emulating Walt Disney's original idea of showcasing new technology, the park is closer to a [[world's fair]] than a "community of tomorrow". One of EPCOT's main attractions is the World Showcase, which highlights 11 countries across the globe. Some of the urban planning concepts from the original idea of EPCOT would instead be integrated into the community of [[Celebration, Florida]], much later. The resort's third theme park, Disney-MGM Studios (renamed [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]] in 2008), opened in 1989 and is inspired by show business.

[[File:Walt Disney World Resort logo.svg|thumb|The 1996 version of The Walt Disney World logo]]
In the early 1990s, the resort was seeking permits for expansion. There was considerable environmentalist push-back, and the resort was convinced to engage in [[mitigation banking]]. In an agreement with [[The Nature Conservancy]] and the state of Florida, Disney purchased {{convert|8500|acre|abbr=on}} of land, adjacent to the park for the purpose of rehabilitating wetland ecosystems. The [[Disney Wilderness Preserve]] was established in April 1993, and the land was subsequently transferred to The Nature Conservancy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Disney Wilderness Preserve |url=http://disney.go.com/disneyhand/environmentality/environment/preserve.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030819004243/http://disney.go.com/disneyhand/environmentality/environment/preserve.html |archive-date=August 19, 2003 |website=The Walt Disney Company}}</ref> The Walt Disney Company provided additional funds for landscape restoration and wildlife monitoring.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Palmer |first=Tom |date=February 16, 2013 |title=Disney Wilderness Preserve Site Is Internationally Recognized Model for Success |url=https://www.theledger.com/article/LK/20130216/news/608072862/LL |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719205130/https://www.theledger.com/article/LK/20130216/news/608072862/LL |archive-date=July 19, 2020 |access-date=19 July 2020 |work=The Ledger |language=en}}</ref>

The resort's fourth theme park, [[Disney's Animal Kingdom]], opened in 1998.

In October 2009, Disney World announced a competition to find a town to become twinned with. In December 2009, after Rebecca Warren won the competition with a poem, they announced the resort will be twinned with the English town of [[Swindon]].<ref name="swindon">{{Cite web |last=Peter Woodman |date=December 7, 2009 |title=Swindon twinned with Disney World |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/swindon-twinned-with-disney-world-1835889.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091211114121/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/swindon-twinned-with-disney-world-1835889.html |archive-date=11 December 2009 |access-date=30 September 2021 |website=The Independent}}</ref>

[[George Kalogridis]] was named president of the resort in December 2012, replacing [[Meg Crofton]], who had overseen the site since 2006.

As of October 27, 2014, Walt Disney World is covered by a permanent [[Federal Aviation Administration|FAA]] [[prohibited airspace]] zone that restricts all airspace activities without approval from the [[federal government of the United States]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=4/3634 NOTAM Details |url=https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_3634.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210404233609/https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_3634.html |archive-date=April 4, 2021 |access-date=2021-03-30 |publisher=Federal Aviation Administration}}</ref> including usage of [[Unmanned aerial vehicle|drones]].

On January 21, 2016, the resort's management structure was changed, with general managers within a theme park being in charge of an area or land, instead of on a functional basis, as previously configured. Theme parks have already had a vice-president overseeing them. [[Disney Springs]] and [[Disney Parks, Experiences and Products#Disney Sports Enterprises|Disney Sports]] were also affected. Now hotel general managers manage a single hotel instead of some managing multiple hotels.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pedicini |first=Sandra |date=January 22, 2016 |title=Walt Disney World announces management reorganization |url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-disney-overhauls-management-20160122-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827045305/http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-disney-overhauls-management-20160122-story.html |archive-date=August 27, 2016 |access-date=August 17, 2016}}</ref>

On October 18, 2017, it was announced that resort visitors could bring [[pet dogs]] to [[Disney's Yacht Club Resort]], [[Disney's Port Orleans Resort]] – Riverside, [[Disney's Art of Animation Resort]], and [[Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Trejos |first=Nancy |title=Dogs now welcome at Disney World resorts |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/roadwarriorvoices/2017/10/18/pets-now-welcome-disney-world-resorts/774803001/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021160238/https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/roadwarriorvoices/2017/10/18/pets-now-welcome-disney-world-resorts/774803001/ |archive-date=October 21, 2017 |access-date=October 21, 2017 |work=USA Today |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Walt Disney World Logo 2018.svg|thumb|The 2018 version of The Walt Disney World logo.]]
In 2019, [[Josh D'Amaro]] replaced [[George Kalogridis]] as president of the resort. He had previously held the position of vice president of Animal Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Walt Disney Company News |url=https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/walt-disney-company/news/25sep2019-josh-damaro-to-become-new-vice-president-walt-disney-world.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926023735/https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/walt-disney-company/news/25sep2019-josh-damaro-to-become-new-vice-president-walt-disney-world.htm |archive-date=September 26, 2019 |access-date=September 26, 2019 |publisher=WDWMagic}}</ref> D'Amaro was subsequently promoted to chairman of [[Disney Parks, Experiences and Products]] in May 2020, succeeding [[Bob Chapek]], who was promoted to CEO of the Walt Disney Company in February 2020. Jeff Vahle, who served as president of Disney Signature Experiences subsequently took over as president of the resort.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bevil |first=Dewayne |date=May 18, 2020 |title=Disney World: Josh D'Amaro promoted; Jeff Vahle takes over as president |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/the-daily-disney/os-bz-disney-president-promoted-damaro-vahle-20200518-wnkwciyehzfphoa4to73jfvabe-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801233953/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/the-daily-disney/os-bz-disney-president-promoted-damaro-vahle-20200518-wnkwciyehzfphoa4to73jfvabe-story.html |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |access-date=July 14, 2020 |website=orlandosentinel.com}}</ref>