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Josie Norton for NPR

I'm Really Into

What we've lost — and what we've found — in abandoned theme parks

August 1, 2022 • There's something fascinating about the life and demise of theme parks — the taste of nostalgia, that everything has an end, the unforgiving churn of capitalism, the loss of beloved structures.

50 years ago, Disney World opened its doors and welcomed guests to its Magic Kingdom

Guests stroll along Main Street at the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World. The park celebrates its 50th anniversary on Oct. 1, 2021. John Raoux/AP hide caption

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John Raoux/AP

National

50 years ago, Disney World opened its doors and welcomed guests to its Magic Kingdom

October 1, 2021 • Walt Disney secretly bought 40 square miles of land in the Sunshine State, then unveiled plans that would reshape the theme park industry and central Florida.

50 years ago, Disney World opened its doors and welcomed guests to its Magic Kingdom

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