Disney has been really focused on using more clean energy for its theme parks, and it took one giant step in that direction today as the brand new 270-acre solar facility in Walt Disney World is now complete and online.
Built together with the Reedy Creek Improvement District and Origis Energy USA, this massive new solar facility will provide 50-megawatts of clean energy to the Walt Disney World Resort and significantly reduce net greenhouse gas emissions. It will generate enough power for 2 of the resort’s 4 theme parks and enough for 25% of the resort’s overall energy needs.
The two closest parks to the solar facility’s location are Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, so it would make sense for those two to be the choices.
Disney created a cool time-lapse video so you can see this new solar facility up-close:
Just a couple of months ago we saw the first panel for this new solar farm being installed, and now we are at over 500,000 panels total! This is the second solar farm in Walt Disney World after a much smaller 22-acre, 5 megawatt one opened in 2016. If you fly above it you can even see it’s shaped in the form of Mickey Mouse himself!
Disney’s goal is to cut down on emissions by 50% by the year 2020 and this facility is a good start.
Disney Parks have also been eliminating things like plastic straws and lids on their drinks, as well as getting rid of plastic shopping bags in favor of reusable ones. Each park has different ones with the Disney characters and park icons on them too!
Stay tuned for more info on Disney’s efforts to go green throughout 2019 as we should be seeing more projects and changes spring up around the Walt Disney World Resort and other Disney Parks worldwide.
And also be sure to check out our Walt Disney World Construction page for more updates on all the projects going on around Disney World as we continue to bring you the latest!
Your Thoughts:
I want to know what you think about the new Solar Facility in Disney World…
- Do you think this facility is a good move?
- What other ways can Disney be involved in improving the environment?
Let us know in the comments section below!
If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you’d share it with others via social media. I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂
Source: Disney
My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.