The Men Behind the Magic: Disney and Demetree

Perhaps two of the most quintessential features of Disney’s parks: nostalgia and longevity. At Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, visitors can still enjoy long-time favorites such as Thunder Mountain, the Walt Disney World Railroad end quaint reminders of the past like the Carousel of Progress.

Originally part of the World's Fair, the Carousel of Progress remains a gem of Walt Disney World, reminding visitors that there is always "a great big beautiful tomorrow" beyond today for those who dream.

Although Walt Disney did not live to see the completion of his Florida Project, the parks remain a living testament to his firm belief in the American spirit and human potential.

And that is precisely what the imagineers and planners of Walt Disney World understood.

The work of many men and women combined to create today's sprawling multi-billion dollar complex of attractions and restaurants, now world renown. But it might not have been possible without a key ally: William Demetree.

Among all the people and moving parts that made Walt Disney World happen, William Demetree stood out as a linchpin of the project.

Demetree originally supplied the 12,000 + acres of land necessary to build Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom at moderate prices that the company required.

Orlando’s growth and size at the time of the Florida Project’s inception saw relatively few noticeable improvements or expansions in the preceding years. Before Disney, most of Central Florida consisted of orange groves, forests and swamps. Demetree’s property even served as a hunting reserve at one time.

Mary Demetree, daughter of Bill Demetree and CEO of Demetree Global (a real estate company her father and uncle founded), explained in a recent interview just how undeveloped the area was in those years: “At that time, Orlando was more of a cow town. And literally when you come down Orange Blossom Trail, you could smell the orange blossoms.”

Today, arguably as a result of Disney’s presence, Orange Blossom Trail, like so many roads in Central Florida, now buzzes with the sights and sounds of new residents, visitors and construction bringing jobs and opportunities to the area.

The purchase of the 12,000 + acres by Disney remained heavily veiled in secrecy. Many residents speculated on the nature of the deal and who might be purchasing the land. Everyone from a military contractor to aviation firms were suspected.

But in the end, it was none other than Walt Disney himself.

The matter of secrecy became so vital to the plan, that Walt Disney hired adviser William Donovan, who has been called the father of U.S. intelligence, and once worked as head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in World War II.

Disney’s clandestine strategy even hid the details from William Demetree, the main facilitator of the sale. “I can remember it actually as a child and him saying, I'll be damned; it's Disney,” said daughter Mary Demetree.

Cousins Jack and Bill Demetree owned the surface rights to the land where Magic Kingdom now sits, but Tufts University in Boston retained the underground rights, in the hopes the land might contain oil or phosphorous.

In the end, the negotiators for Disney secured a deal with Demetree and Tufts, but without that deal, "Disney World probably wouldn't exist in Central Florida," local historian Chad Emerson explained.

"I was 14 when Disney opened," said Paul Demetree, son of Jack Demetree. "All of this came from this piece of property we owned. Dad and my uncle when unting there all the time. It was so amazing to see all of this come about."

The Demetree organization was founded in 1947 by William and Jack Demetree, and served as a home building and lot development company based in Jacksonville, Florida. Today Demetree Global is based in Winter Park.

Above: Walt Disney and Florida's governor announce plans for the Florida Project.

Subsequent to the expansion of Walt Disney World, both Disney and the Demetree organization have witnessed accelerated growth over the decades since opening of the complex and continue to prosper side-by-side in Central Florida.

Though few today grasp the significance of Disney’s initial land purchase, the Demetree legacy remains in many ways synonymous with Orlando’s growth and expansion. Though his deal with Disney changed the fabric of our community for the better, Demetree also spent much of his time outside the realm of development, serving in the US Army Air Force in his youth, and later, giving back wherever he could by donating to the Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida and several other charities.

During this 50th anniversary celebration of Walt Disney World's grand opening, Orlando-area residents can and should say a special thank you in their hearts to the men behind the magic, Walt Disney and Bill Demetree, for their larger-than-life contributions to our state and community.

Bill Demetree passed away in 2006. His daughter Mary Demtree owns and operates the family business, Demetree Global, carrying on her father's mission.