What would Orlando have been like if Disney was never built here? (Gainesville: crime, gated)

[DavieJ89]

What do you think the Orlando area would be like in 2010 if Disney and all the attractions had never been built?

According to the 1970 census (the last census before Disney opened), the population of the city of Orlando was just about 99,000, almost double from 52,000 in 1950. So the city was growing quickly before Disney

But if Disney had never been built, Orlando would obviously not be the big tourist attraction that it is today, but do you think it would have blossomed into the city the size it is now, would growth have been slower, would Orlando be a better or worse place to live?

What do you guys think?

[GLS2010]

not as large, and of course not a popular. but prolly a much better place to live. Downtown wouldnt be as nice, the 408 would not be as nice as it is now. we would still have winter park and all the core areas. East orlando would most likely still of been developed because UCF and the space program, but not as big as it is now, the whole waterford lakes/avalon park area and parts of the oviedo area were developed because of research park and lockeed martin, nothing to do with tourism. Clermont would probably be a small town still and not connected to orlando with suburban developement like it is now. And we wouldn't have as much to do. I would guess the metro would have a population of about 800,000. Crime would be much lower

[brinkofsunshine]

I don't think it would be near as big as it is today. I don't even really think it would have gotten to be that much larger than it was pre-Disney. Then again, I really don't know enough about the effect of normal businesses on urban growth but I think Orlando owes a lot of what it is today to Disney. It kind of put it on the map, so to speak. Which then attracted people which attracted more businesses and so forth.

I think Disney and the whole tourist industry just adds something to Orlando that makes it so special. It's hard to describe. I think the city would be pretty dull without it.

[sp2007]

Wouldn't it be more like Lakeland or Leesburg without WDW feeding it?

Just speculating but I think outside of the fed (nasa, lockheed etc) I am guessing that very little else would have seen Orlando as a destination without Disney.

[DavieJ89]

Im surprised this thread didnt get more replies then it has

[Creek Hollow]

My first trip to Orlando was in 1973. As I recall, the airport "building" was a corrugated metal warehouse style. Passengers disembarked on the tarmac and walked into the building. One parked directly outside the building. It was quite charming, actually, and I imagined the same could be found in South America.

I think without Disney Orlando would have retained it's kitschy charm and attraction.

It was a unique place that submitted to the tic-tac-toe sameness of wild and unchecked development.

[MiamiRob]

It probably would be just a small central Florida city with a strong agricultural base still. In many ways Orlando is still a small city since it's population is in the 200,000 + range. Other than that I wasn't here when Orlando was much smaller to form an opinion. I was a tourist before and all I ever saw was Disney & I-Drive and not the real Orlando. Despite the metro population it really doesn't feel like it's a big city.

[facts101]

Disney wanted to build his park in Ocala but was not allowed and eventually went to Orlando. So Orlando might be much like current day Ocala if Disney was never built there.

[JustinsMama]

I'm surprised this thread didnt get more replies then it has.

Maybe because to some people (like me) Orlando is Disney.

Yes, I actually know that there are other things in and around Orlando besides Disney and the theme parks especially since starting to research everything the last couple of years. However, if I'm walking down the street somewhere and I hear the word Orlando mentioned (I don't care if they are talking about the city or the guy's name) my ears will perk up and the first thing I think of is my Mecca (a/k/a our first choice for a vacation destination).

As a previous poster said, I think it would have been just another southern city, kind of dull...kind of like Raleigh?

[Crane's Rooster]

I think if Disney and the theme parks did not come along Orlando would be more of a military and agriculture center. The Orlando naval training center used to be a big part of the Orlando identity. I think more interesting is how the other Central Florida cities would have developed if not for the parks. For instance I think Altamonte Springs would still be just Forest City and Sanford would probaly play a bigger role than it does now as it's on the St. Johns waterway. My best guess, Central FL would be something like Gainesville/Ocala area.