When Walt Disney realized cheap tourist traps were enveloping Disneyland, he began a nationwide search for enough land to hold every dream he could imagine. What happened next would require a heightened degree of CIA-level secrecy for Disney’s undercover team, which launched a misinformation campaign that included dummy corporations and secret transactions. However, when a keen-eyed reporter cracked the code, Disney was forced to show his hand. Audiences will be amazed to learn of not only a subterfuge but also the monumental innovations and engineering feats required to create a whole new world.

Native Floridian Gary McKechnie is a two-time National Geographic author, author of America’s best-selling motorcycle guidebook, and two-time winner of the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award. On stage, he has honed his skills as a motivational storyteller, a stand-up comedian, and an improv actor. He is also a guest speaker aboard the ships of Cunard, Seabourn, and Silversea lines. His travel features on Florida have appeared in newspapers, magazines, and through VisitFlorida.

Funding for this Florida Talks program is provided in part by Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and in partnership with the Sebring Historical Society. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.