40% of Disney World to Eventually Be Powered By the SUN!

April is Earth Month and Disney World (especially Animal Kingdom) is pulling out all the stops as part of the celebration.

In the park you’ll find limited-time changes to some activities, special snacks, and more. But, behind the scenes, the Walt Disney Company is taking some big steps towards increased sustainability both in the parks and at Disney properties all around the world. And in just a few years, a HUGE milestone will be reached!

Back in 2020, Disney announced some BIG sustainability goals, and it’s made great strides since then! Recently, Disney announced that in the future 40% of the energy supplied to Disney World will be generated by the sun. Disney is adding two new 75-megawatt solar arrays that, when combined with the renewable energy infrastructure already in place, will be able to power 40% of Disney World, according to Good Morning America.

According to the Disney Company website, these 2 new solar facilities are expected to “come online” in 2023.

These two new arrays will be in Gilchrist County and Polk County. According to Disney, this expansion will make them “one of the largest commercial consumers of solar in the state.”

“This latest step will help us further accomplish our goal of net zero emissions by 2030,” Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort, said.

These new solar panels will be just part of the latest of solar installations. Disney has also recently installed solar panels at Castaway Cay, which is Disney’s private island, and Hong Kong Disneyland.

Disney’s Solar Panels at Castaway Cay ©Disney

In addition to the installation of solar panels, Disney has “diverted 61% of total Company operational waste from landfills” as well as launched a line of classic dolls with plastic-free packaging, according to the Walt Disney Company website.

The Buzz Lightyear Garbage Cans!

In addition to its sustainability efforts, Disney also operates the Disney Conservation Fund and Disney Conservation Team Wildlife, which aims to protect endangered species and their habitats.

Disney Conservation Team Wildlife is responsible for protecting animals at nearer to Disney properties, like the purple martins in Florida, the monarch butterflies in California, the sea turtles outside Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, and the coral reef at Castaway Cay in the Bahamas.

All of these initiatives are part of a bigger program called Disney Planet Possible, which is the collection of tangible actions being taken towards Disney’s goal of becoming more sustainable. You can visit the Planet Possible website to learn more about sustainability, conservation, storytelling, and what the Disney company is doing on all 3 fronts.