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As early as 1963, Walt sent his brother, Roy, with several close friends and business associates to find a place where he could build his park. His team traveled across the country in secrecy, checking into hotels under assumed names, and making anonymous inquiries on available land. They knew that if anyone heard Disney was interested in buying land, prices would skyrocket and adjoining land would be bought up too quickly. Several parts of the United States were considered, among them St. Louis, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Niagara Falls. Walt’s team eventually set their eyes on Florida. Although Walt had no desire to build an oceanfront resort, Florida was an excellent draw for tourists. The weather was almost perfect all year round and its roads were very accessible. Most of all, there was plenty of untouched land, especially in Central Florida, where the only purpose it served at the time was cattlegrazing.
Back in California, Walt had already begun preliminary design work for "Project X," including his city, administration buildings, recreational areas, and a theme park. He kept his work in a large, windowless room next to his office at the studios. This room was always locked and he had the only key. The walls, floors, and tables were literally covered in sketches, maps, diagrams, models, and charts.
Disney was excited by the news of available land in Florida and wanted to see it for himself. His associates worried that he would be spotted while on the trip, bringing attention to himself and their intentions, so Walt always stayed on the plane whenever they stopped to refuel. Once he even denied who he was when a curious flight mechanic asked him if he was the famous Walt Disney.
They made several fly-overs. As the swamps and pine forests drifted beneath him, Walt envisioned where all his designs would go. He finally approved the purchasing of land in Orange and Osceola Counties. The actual border line of the two counties splits the property almost in half.
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