DISNEY LICENSE PLATE CATALOG

This page contains some of the historical data that can be found on the site.   Here you can find the opening
and closing dates of the major Disney properties.   This information is very helpful in determining park openings,
anniversaries and other events that would generate license plates to commemorate those dates and events.   The first
section deals with current properties and their opening and closing dates.   The second section lists those
properties that have gone through name changes, listing them by their former names.

FORMER DISNEY THEME PARK and PROPERTY NAMES Former Property Name -- Opening Date -- Comments Copyright © 2024 Steve Garner
I. Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Pacific Hotel	December 11, 1995	Name changed to Paradise Pier Hotel - October 2000.
Paradise Pier Hotel	December 11, 1995	Name changed to Pixar Place Hotel - September 2022.
Disneyland 4th Expansion Hotel	Canceled Project	(1) Hotel was to have been build near the Disneyland Hotel on the west end of Downtown Disney. (2) Project was canceled October 2018 over a dispute on location and tax exemptions. (3) Was to have opened in 2021.
II. Walt Disney World
Asian Resort	Canceled Project	(1) 1970's planned resort but was canceled. (2) The land developed for this project is now occupied by the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
Buffalo Junction Resort	Canceled Project	(1) Also known as the Fort Wilderness Junction. (2) 1990's planned resort but was canceled. (3) Was to have been built between Fort Wilderness and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. (4) It was to have an “Old West” theme and was based upon the Wild West Show from Disneyland Paris.
Club Lake Villas	August 1980	(1) Part of the Disney Village Resorts and the Vacation Villas. (2) Became Club Suites in 1989. (3) Demolished 2005/2006.
Club Suites	1989	(1) Part of the Disney Village Resorts and the Vacation Villas. (2) Became the Bungalows when integrated into the Disney Institute Villas in 1996. (3) Demolished 2005/2006.
Discovery Island	April 7, 1974	(1) Located in Bay Lake, east of the Magic Kingdom. (2) Originally Treasure Island opening April 7, 1974. (3) Became Discovery Island April 1, 1977. (4) Closed April 8, 1999.
Disney Inn	February 1, 1986	Became Shades of Green February 1, 1994 for military and DOD personnel only.
Disney Institute	February 9, 1996	Officially closed on July 25, 2003.
Disney MGM Studios	May 1, 1989	Renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios on January 7, 2008.
DisneyQuest Chicago, IL	June 16, 1999	Due to poor profits the attraction closed Sept. 4, 2001.
Disney Village Marketplace	March 22, 1975	Became Downtown Disney Marketplace in 1996.
Disney Village Resorts	December 1971	(1) Opened with 27 townhouses and later expanded to 133 units. (2) Became Vacation Villas (also known as the Townhouses) in 1977. (3) Added later to the complex was: Treehouse Villas in 1975, Fairway Villas in 1978, Club Lake Villas in 1980 (later known as Club Suites and the Bungalows), and Grand Vista Homes. (4) Became Villas at the Disney Institute February 9, 1996. (5) In 2002 the Townhouses were torn down to make way for the first phase of the Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa DVC resort. (6) Demolished 2005/2006, except for the Treehouse Villas.
Dixie Landings Resort	February 2, 1992	(1) Merged with the Port Orleans Resort April 1, 2001. (2) The combined resort will be known as the Port Orleans Resort.
Downtown Disney	1996	(1) Shopping, dining and entertainment complex with three distinct areas:      a. Downtown Disney Marketplace opened March 22, 1975;      b. Pleasure Island opening May 1, 1989;      c. West Side opening September 15, 1997. (2) Downtown Disney began 1996. (3) Hosts the first World of Disney Store that opened on October 2, 1996, which is operated by the Merchandise Division of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. (4) Pleasure Island will be renamed Hyperion Warf. (5) Became Disney Springs on September 30, 2015.
Eagle Pines Resort	Was planned for 2005/2006	(1) Golf themed Disney Vacation Club Resort Property to have been built near the Eagle Pines golf course, but project never came to fruition.
EPCOT Center	October 1, 1982	Now known as Epcot. "Center" was dropped from the "EPCOT" name, and letters were lowercased in December 1993.
Fairway Villas	1978	(1) Part of the Disney Village Resorts and the Vacation Villas. (2) Integrated into the Disney Institute Villas in 1996. (3) Demolished 2005/2006.
Fort Wilderness Junction	Canceled Project	(1) Also known as the Buffalo Junction Resort. (2) 1990's planned resort but was canceled. (3) Was to have been built between Fort Wilderness and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. (4) It was to have an “Old West” theme and was based upon the Wild West Show from Disneyland Paris.
Golf Resort	December 1973	Became the Disney Inn February 1, 1986.
Grand Floridian Beach Resort	June 28, 1988	In 1997 the name was changed to Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
Grand Vista Homes	Unknown	(1) Four houses originally built as model homes and designed for a development project that was later abandoned. (2) Became part of the Disney Village Resorts and the Vacation Villas. (3) Integrated into the Disney Institute Villas in 1996. (4) Demolished 2005/2006.
The Kingdom Tower	Spring of 2007	Former pre-construction name of Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary Resort.
Lake Buena Vista Village	March 22, 1975	Became Walt Disney World Village in 1977.
Mediterranean Resort	Canceled Project	(1) 1990's planned Greek-themed resort but was canceled. (2) Was to have been built on Seven Seas Lagoon between the Contemporary Resort and The Ticket and Transportation Center. (3) Due to poor ground conditions the resort was unable to be built.
National Harbor development site near Washington, D.C.	Canceled Project	(1) In May of 2009 Disney announced plans to build a 500-room hotel resort on 15 acres at the National Harbor development site that is about eight miles south of Washington D.C. in Maryland. Details on the project were not discussed by Disney; however, Disney was quick to point out that the property will not be a theme park. The Opening date was also not announced. (2) Project was canceled in late November of 2011.
Persian Resort	Canceled Project	(1) 1970's planned resort but was canceled. (2) Was to have been built on Bay Lake.
Polynesian Village Resort	October 1, 1971	Became the Polynesian Resort as "Village" was dropped from the name in 1985.
River Country	June 20, 1976	Ceased operation on September 1, 2001 and was closed on January 20, 2005.
River Country Villas	Was planned for 2011/2012	1. Disney Vacation Club Resort Property to have been built on the closed River Country water park, but project never came to fruition.
Treasure Island	April 7, 1974	Became Discovery Island April 1, 1977.
Treehouse Villas	1975	(1) Part of the Disney Village Resorts and the Vacation Villas. (2) Integrated into the Disney Institute Villas in 1996. (3) As of September 2006, these units are the only portion of the Disney Village Resorts still in existence. They are no longer available for public use. (4) In February 2008, it was announced that the Villas will be torn down and replaced with smaller units. It is not known if they will become part of Saratoga Springs or become another DVC resort. (5) In September of 2008, it was announced that the DVC will sell time shares at the rebuilt villas.
Vacation Club Resort	October 1, 1991	Renamed Old Key West Resort January 1996.
Vacation Villas	1977	(1) Originally known as the Disney Village Resort that opened in December 1971. (2) Became the Townhouses when integrated into the Disney Institute Villas in 1996. (3) In 2002 the Townhouses were torn down to make way for the first phase of the Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa DVC resort. (4) Demolished 2005/2006.
Venetian Resort	Canceled Project	(1) 1970's planned resort but was canceled. (2) Was to have been built between the Contemporary Resort and The Ticket and Transportation Center.
Villas at the Disney Institute	February 9, 1996	(1) Formerly known as the Disney Village Resorts and the Vacation Villas that opened in December 1971. (2) Became Villas at the Disney Institute February 9, 1996, which included: the Bungalows, the Townhouses, Treehouse Villas, Fairway Villas and Grand Vista Homes. (3) In 2002 the Townhouses were torn down to make way for the first phase of the Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa DVC resort. (4) Officially closed on July 25, 2003. (5) All demolished 2005/2006, except for the Treehouse Villas.
Walt Disney World Village	March 22, 1975	Became Disney Village Marketplace in 1989.
World of Disney Store New York City, NY	October 5, 2004	(1) The third World of Disney Store to open. (2) Operated by the Merchandise Division of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. (3) In September of 2009 Disney announced that the Manhattan store will close after its lease expires on December 31, 2009. (4) The store was closed for good on December 31, 2009 and the interior was dismantled on January 4, 2010. (5) Disney plans to open a traditional Disney Store in Times Square in the fall of 2010 at the former Virgin Megastore location.
III. Tokyo Disney Resort
No Entries
IV. Disneyland Resort Paris (Formerly known as Euro Disney)
Camp Davy Crockett	April 12, 1992	Name changed to Davy Crockett Ranch May 1993.
Euro Disneyland	April 12, 1992	Name changed to Disneyland Paris - October 1, 1994.
Festival Disney	April 12, 1992	Renamed Disney Village in 1996.
V. Disneyland Hong Kong
No Entries
VI. Shanghai China Disneyland
No Entries
VII. Other Properties
Cruise Line
Gorda Cay	February 1996	Renamed Castaway Cay after it was purchased by Disney.