➡️ Opening on February 9, 1996, Disney introduced a brand new vacation category to Walt Disney World thanks to former CEO Michael Eisner. At the Disney Institute, guests took part in more than 80 hands-on programs encompassing a wide range of interests, from rock climbing to topiary gardening to gourmet cooking and animation. This was going to be the area of WDW that wasn’t just about meeting characters or riding attractions, but about learning and growing in a fun and entertaining way. The Disney Institute closed its doors in 2002, and they decided to transform The Disney Institute property into the seventh membership resort, Disney’s Saratoga Springs. The failure of the Disney Institute was probably because guests, then and now, come to the Florida property to be immersed in the magic of meeting characters, riding the attractions and walking the Parks. 😃