(CNN) -- It changed acres and acres of orange groves. Orlando changed. Florida changed. He switched to an already legendary company. And it changed the entire theme park industry.

Walt Disney World Resort opened its doors on October 1, 1971. And in its 50th anniversary, it continues to be one of the world's top travel movers, outpacing major swings in tourism trends, Florida's notorious hurricanes and a pandemic.

In 1971, there was only one theme park, Magic Kingdom, along with a couple of adjacent golf courses and resorts.

Since then, three other major parks have been added: Epcot in 1982, Hollywood Studios in 1989, and Animal Kingdom in 1998. In addition, Typhoon Lagoon (1989 and temporarily closed) and Blizzard Beach (1995) water parks have been added.

And Disney now has 12 parks in six different resorts on three different continents.

The Florida park was actually the second baby of the Disney group. It came 16 years after Disneyland, in southern California, which opened its doors on July 17, 1955.

But brother number 2 didn't stay in the shadows.

The Walt Disney World Influence

"Obviously, WDW has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world in its short 50-year history," said Martin Lewison, associate professor of business management at Farmingdale State College on Long Island, New York, in an email interview. Known in theme park circles as the "Roller Coaster Professor," he said Walt Disney World is a dominant force in the global attractions industry.

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"Just as the opening of Disneyland in California in 1955 convinced other businessmen that theme parks were a good investment...the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971 sparked another wave of theme park construction in the United States ", said.

Lewison pointed to some of the major amusement parks that opened soon after: Kings Island in Ohio in 1972, Carowinds on the North Carolina-South Carolina border in 1973, Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey in 1974, and Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens in Virginia in 1975.

"WDW has led the industry in many areas: attraction design and technology, entertainment, resort development, transportation systems, special events, dining experiences, ticket pricing, line management products, marketing [ and] conservation," Lewison said.

Professor Lewison is scheduled to visit the park for the first time since 2019 in November for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attraction Expo (IAAPA).

Her favorite attractions include the classics like Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion and some of the newer attractions like “Avatar Flight of Passage“.

Lewison says he can't wait to ride the “Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway”, among others.

Park Changes and Traditions

A lot has changed at the Florida park since 1971. The biggest additions came years and decades later: “Space Mountain” (opened in 1975), “Splash Mountain” (1992), and the “Seven Dwarfs Mine Train” (2014).

Despite all the changes and advances that 50 years have brought, some of the original attractions from 1971 remain today.

Among them are some of the most beloved, such as “Country Bear Jamboree”, “Dumbo the Flying Elephant”, “Haunted Mansion” and “Tomorrowland Speedway”. “Jungle Cruise” was recently revamped at Disneyland and Disney World to challenge stereotypes of racial insensitivity.

And, of course, the park's iconic structure, Cinderella Castle, has been there from the start, though it has undergone some renovations over the years.

How Disney is Celebrating the Anniversary

Disney's 50th anniversary party kicks off this Friday, but it won't be a one-day affair.

It will be an 18 month party. And the celebrations will take place not only at the Magic Kingdom, but at the other three theme parks in the complex.

This Friday the show "Beacons of Magic" begins, in which the emblematic structures of each park will be specially illuminated: Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom, Spaceship Earth in Epcot, the Hollywood Tower Hotel in Hollywood Studios and the Tree of Life in Animal Kingdom.

At the Magic Kingdom, a nightly extravaganza called "Disney Enchantment" will feature music, enhanced lighting, fireworks and immersive projection effects from Cinderella Castle to Main Street, U.S.A.

This being Disney, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Click here for more information on the amusement park celebration.