Today’s Village of Yesterday

Celebration, Florida, is a master-planned community developed by The Walt Disney Company and connected to their sprawling Walt Disney World Resort, outside Orlando.  Established in 1994, the town is designed with a nostalgic, small-town feel, featuring charming streets, picturesque landscapes, and a mix of architectural styles. 

The town’s design is known as a model of the New Urbanism movement – a new, but traditional small town that is designed around building a sense of community with highly walkable boulevards, narrow tree-canopied streets, beautifully landscaped parks, walking/biking trails, and a vibrant downtown area with dozens of local shops and restaurants.  The town was named New City of the Year by the Urban Land Institute in 2001 and it has been very influential in the development of other master-planned communities.

Its unique design and Disney’s influence contribute to Celebration’s reputation as an idyllic and family-friendly place to live.  The lofty intentions of the towns planning team are rooted in the words of Walt Disney himself …

Funded & Founded By Disney 

Celebration owes its inception to The Walt Disney Company, with the idea of a New Urbanist community emerging in the mid-1980s. Outside of Orlando, Disney owned about 5,000 acres of land south of I-4 in the Reedy Creek Improvement District was deemed not suitable for the expansion of Walt Disney World Resort, but perhaps ideal for a master-planned town of up to 20,000 residents. 

On August 1, 1991, the company publicly announced its plan: to build a community neighboring the heart of its Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts. The community was to be named ‘Celebration’ and it would be connected to the resort’s Main Gate by Disney’s World Drive.  Other names considered included, ‘Fantasia’, ‘Aurora’, ‘Disney Springs’, ‘Landmark’, and ‘Horizons’.

Disney CEO Michael Eisner took an especially keen interest in the development of the new town, encouraging the executives at Disney Development Company to “make history” and “develop a town worthy of the Disney brand and legacy.”

In developing the town’s plan, Disney studied the best small towns and historical neighborhoods throughout America’s South, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast.  From New Orleans to Boston, and everywhere in-between, they tried to capture time-proven ideas that made these famous towns charming & wonderful to live in. 

“Armed with a camera, sketchbook, tape measure and expense account, I set off to study and try to understand what made these places so wonderful. In all, between the time I was an intern and a full-time Disney employee (“Cast Member” in Disney-speak), I easily visited over fifty places with the expressed intent of finding best practices, tricks, and techniques to bring back to use at Celebration. I measured street, building setbacks and heights of fences and porches. I took photographs of squares, building facades, porch columns and obscure details such as shutter dogs.” Joseph Barnes, Celebration’s First Town Architect

Architectural Gems of Celebration

It’s no surprise that the town inherited Disney’s meticulous attention to detail, incorporating a variety of Southern architectural styles, creating a sense of timelessness and charm.

To make the town extra special, Disney CEO Michael Eisner personally hired famous architects like Michael Graves, Robert A.M. Stern, Cesar Pelli, and Philip Johnson to design the public buildings for the small town. Many of these architects were concurrently commissioned for other Disney buildings, resorts, offices, and studios. 

Each of the world-renowned architects brought their unique styles & ideas, giving Celebration a distinctive look. Their involvement helped draw attention to Celebration as a model for small town architecture. When the town won the 2001 Urban Land Institute Award of Excellence, described as “without a doubt, the most impressive collection of postmodern architecture in the world.”

LINK: Architectural Gems of Celebration

Exercise in New Urbanism

More than just building a movie set of an American small-town, Disney’s planners sought to make Celebration an integrated showcase for a number of concepts in city design grouped together as New Urbanism.

New Urbanism is an architectural and urban planning movement that emerged in the late 20th century, advocating for the design and development of communities with a focus on pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, mixed land-use, and traditional town planning principles. Celebration, Florida, serves as a prominent example of New Urbanism in action. 

The architectural styles in Celebration reflect a blend of traditional Southern designs, creating a cohesive and visually appealing environment. Architect Robert A. M. Stern developed the master plan for Celebration, working in partnership with Jacque Robertson, and the developer, the Disney Corporation.

“Taking cues from traditional Southern Towns, the Celebration Downtown is focused on a new lake that overlooks the existing wooded wetlands, creating an intimate relationship between town and nature. Residential neighborhoods radiate out from this center in a warped grid plan that allows for easy visitor orientation while creating picturesque views down curved streets. Streets always terminate in parks, waterways or in natural woodlands.” Robert A.M. Stern

The architectural styles in Celebration are drawn from pattern books, which showcase a range of traditional styles. These books served as references for architects and builders, guiding the creation of homes with diverse yet harmonious facades. The result is a townscape that echoes classic architectural elements while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic.

“A variety of house sizes and prices are provided in order to accommodate the demographic variety typical of real towns as opposed to the homogeneity of suburban developments. Garages are located on alleys, opening the streets to views of houses rather than garage doors, and at the same time allowing for narrower lots which decrease walking distances and enhance the sense of community”. – Joseph Barnes, Disney Development Company, and Celebration’s first ‘Town Architect’ 

With the attention to detail that went into planning Celebration, it’s no surprise that Forbes named it one of “America’s 10 Prettiest Towns”.

Groundbreaking & Construction

After years of study, groundbreaking for Celebration took place on March 29, 1994.  A few months later, nearly 5,000 hopeful applicants arrived in Celebration to participate in a lottery held by Disney to sell the first houses. 

The Saturday nearest November 18th is annually celebrated in the community as ‘Founder’s Day’ – the same day as Mickey Mouse’s Birthday.  

The Community of Celebration

The Disney planning team recognized that to be truly successful, Celebration could not rely solely on its physical infrastructure—such as streets, parks, and buildings—but also needed to cultivate a vibrant social and cultural life with shared spaces that encourage interaction.

By equally prioritizing both the “hardware” and “software” of urban planning, Disney sought to establish the town as a living example of how thoughtful planning could enhance not just the built environment but also the quality of life for its residents.  They designed in public gathering spaces to host community events and neighborhood activities. In this way, Celebration was designed to foster a tight-knit and engaged population.

To achieve this vision, Disney executives worked closely with experts across various fields, ensuring that Celebration would be more than just a picturesque town—it would also be a model for holistic living. 

Leaders in education helped shape an innovative school system focused on progressive learning techniques and community involvement. 

Healthcare professionals contributed to the design of a wellness-focused environment, with easily accessible medical facilities and a pedestrian-friendly layout to encourage an active lifestyle.  The town boasts 34 miles of lighted walking paths & boardwalks.

Technology experts played a key role in integrating smart infrastructure and communication systems, reinforcing Celebration’s commitment to connectivity and modern convenience.

Beyond its physical and institutional framework, Celebration’s success depended on the intangible aspects that shape a town’s identity. Programs, events, and traditions were intentionally cultivated to instill a sense of belonging among residents. Seasonal celebrations, farmers’ markets, and community-led initiatives were encouraged to create an atmosphere of togetherness.

Celebration Today

Today, Celebration is nearing its final development.  The Walt Disney Company ended most of its involvement in 2004, although Celebration Place is their stylish headquarters for Disney Parks & Resorts and Disney Cruise Lines.

Celebration is not nearly as populated as initial plans called for almost 30 years ago. As of 2020 the town had a population of 11,200 across 10.6 square miles.  Still, it’s remarkable how consistent the town has stayed to its original principles.

The town was named “New City of the Year”by the Urban Land Institute in 2001.  Numerous books have been written about its development, and it has been very influential in the development of other master planned communities.