Take a trip through memory lane by looking through these historic photos of Disneyland from opening day! In a park filled with iconography, Dumbo is among the most iconic and beloved sights. A crowded Mark Twain Riverboat sails at Disneyland in July 1955. The televised opening is hosted by Ronald Reagan, Art Linkletter and Bob Cummings. The star-studded broadcast featured Fess Parker, who played the title role in the Disney series “Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier,” parading on horseback down Main Street, USA and Sammy Davis, Jr. and a fedora-wearing Frank Sinatra speeding around a miniature motorway on the Autopia ride. Parade participants and costumed Disney characters ready themselves for the televised grand opening of Disneyland on July 17, 1955. January 16 - Switzerland 3. The movie producer and animator Walt Disney smiles as he stands in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at the grand opening of Disneyland in 1955. Traffic was delayed on the two-lane Harbor Boulevard. But the Chicago-born illustrator had magic … Children run through the gate of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Disneyland, Walt Disney’s theme park, in July 1955. Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images. In later years, Disney and his 1955 executives referred to July 17, 1955, as “Black Sunday”. After one full year of rigorous construction demands and a total investment of $ 17 million, the gates of Disneyland would be opened for its first guests on Sunday, July 17, 1955. People rest in Tomorrowland’s Space Port on July 17, 1955. A reporter noticed all the construction still ongoing and asked Walt Disney if Disneyland would ever be finished. Walt Disney sits on a rock in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle in the Fantasyland section of Disneyland on opening day of the amusement theme park in Anaheim, Ca. It took only seven weeks for attendance to surpass 1 million visitors, and the theme park soon surpassed the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park in popularity. A view of the Tomorrowland Boats (renamed the Phantom Boats) attraction at Disneyland in July 1955. Since then, aided by memories of the television broadcast, the company has adopted July 17 as the official date, the one commemorated every year as Disneyland’s birthday. The park opened to the public the week of July 17, 1955. Disneyland's historical opening day, 1955 Children run through the gate of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Disneyland, Walt Disney’s theme park, in July 1955. A simple spinning ride, Dumbo is nonetheless a timeless and classic attraction. Although 28,000 people attended the event, only about half of those were invitees, the rest having purchased counterfeit tickets, or even sneaked into the park by climbing over the fence. Tourists enter Frontierland, a re-creation of the Old West, in Disneyland, ca. On July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened for a few thousand specially invited visitors; the following day, Disneyland officially opened to the public. Passengers baked in their cars, and kids were forced to take bathroom breaks on the side of the freeway and even in the Disneyland parking lot. Mickey Mouse rides in the locomotive cab of a train (with Walt Disney just to his left) as it arrives at a station in Disneyland on July 18, 1955. The theme park was the first one ever created by Walt Disney, and later served as the inspiration for Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Disneyland, Walt Disney ’s metropolis of nostalgia, fantasy and futurism, opens on July 17, 1955. Disneyland’s opening-day parade, photographed on July 17, 1955. A little girl laughs with excitement while riding a carousel at Disneyland in July 1955. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Disneyland, originally known as Disneyland Park, opened to the public on July 17, 1955, in Anaheim, California. Visitors take a ride on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disneyland on July 17, 1955. When Walt Disney opened the gates for the first time on July 17, 1955 the park consisted of 33 different attractions. Today, 13 of these opening day experiences still exist to delight visitors with timeless thrills and memories, while the full Disneyland park has expanded to over fifty unique attractions. (Photo credit: The LIFE Picture Collection / USC Libraries / Corbis via Getty). Ubicato ad Anaheim, nella periferia di Los Angeles, è stato inaugurato nel 1955. Major buildings backstage include the Frank Gehry-designed Team Disney Anaheim, where most of the division's administration currently works, as well as the Old Administration Building, behind Tomorrowland. After the extremely negative press from the preview opening, Walt Disney invited attendees back for a private “second day” to experience Disneyland properly. The theme park expected a crowd of 15,000 people at the invitation-only opening, however, 28,154 passed through Disneyland’s gates thanks to counterfeit tickets. First daily operating monorail in the Western Hemisphere – When the Disneyland Monorail opened in 1959, no other monorail operated daily on this side of the planet. Disneyland was dedicated at an “International Press Preview” event held on Sunday, July 17, 1955, which was open only to invited guests and the media. Even worse, Disneyland was overloaded with party crashers. A children’s saloon, the Golden Horseshoe, photographed at Disneyland on July 17, 1955. The first person to buy a ticket and enter the park was David MacPherson. Disneyland, located in Anaheim, California on what used to be a 160-acre orange orchard, cost $17 million to build. It’s not typical to see people on horseback at Disneyland nowadays, but on opening day in 1955… Original caption: “Eddie Fisher (left) was a host at the opening of Walt Disney’s ‘Disneyland,’ where he served on the Coca-Cola refreshment corner. In addition to the price of entry, each of the park's 35 rides had a fee. When Disneyland Opened In 1955 It Cost $1, Prices Have Skyrocketed Since! Built at a cost of $17 million, Disneyland … Walt Disney reviewing a plan and model of Disneyland while chatting with some imagineers in Los Angeles, California, 1954. After more than two decades of planning and a breakneck year of construction, the Mickey Mouse creator had transformed a 160-acre orange grove in Anaheim, California, into a $17 million theme park—Disneyland. Even by southern California standards, the seven-mile backup to Disneyland on the Santa Ana Freeway was epic. Part 2: 1956-19… The temperature was an unusually high 38 °C (101 °F), and because of a local plumbers’ strike, Disney was given a choice of having working drinking fountains or running toilets. The $17 million theme park was built on 160 acres … Septemb… A tiger and a panther in a circus parade broke loose and staged a “furious death struggle” on Main Street, USA. Mickey and Minnie Mouse appear at Disneyland’s opening day, on July 17, 1955. Like Casey Jr., the ride is a bit of a cheat for this list. A few more even scaled a fence using a ladder erected by a makeshift entrepreneur who charged $5 a head. Famous figures who were scheduled to show up every two hours showed up all at once. Unprepared for the throng, Disneyland’s refreshment stands and three restaurants ran out of food, and sweating parents and thirsty kids abandoned many of the long lines. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. Bankers and even Disney’s brother Roy, who was the financial director of his movie studio, thought the ambitious project would lead to ruin, but the animation mogul borrowed against his life insurance and sold vacation property to build what some in Hollywood dubbed “Walt’s folly.” With his reputation and finances at stake, Disney pushed a frenzied schedule to open Disneyland only one year and one day after construction began. He got admission ticket number two, as Roy O. Disney arranged to pre-purchase ticket number one. Interest in the attraction was so great that, according to Neal Gabler’s book “Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination,” an estimated 70 million people—in a country of 165 million—tuned in to watch the unveiling co-hosted by actor and future president Ronald Reagan. While the cost of an adult ticket was $1.00, 9 cents of that price went to a Federal tax, which was abolished in 1956. The first tickets to Disneyland were sold on July 18, 1955. Disneyland officially opened for business on July 17, 1955, in Anaheim, California. Nearly all of the 36 cars on the Autopia, which Disney envisioned as a utopian miniature freeway on which children would learn respectful rules of the road, were wrecked by aggressive drivers who crashed into other vehicles. Visitors to the unfinished Tomorrowland, which was to depict life in 1986 when a trip to the moon would be an everyday occurrence, remained stuck in 1955. May 25 - Arizona Sheepdog 7. The park opened to the public the week of July 17, 1955. It’s very cool to know that Disneyland’s first customer is still visiting today! The History of Disneyland Disneyland® Park opened to the world on July 17, 1955. In July 1955 about three weeks after Disneyland opened my family spent the day at the new park. A pack of “wild animals,” caged for safekeeping at Disneyland in July 1955. Look back at the problem-plagued unveiling that park employees dubbed “Black Sunday.”. March 11 - Contrasts in Rhythm 4. Viewers were also treated to frequent 'progress reports' in which actual Disneyland construction footage was shown to pique the interest of would-be guests. The 17th, a Sunday, was … Sixty years later, more than 750 million people have passed through Disneyland’s turnstiles, and, unlike on that opening day, most of those have left the “Happiest Place on Earth” with smiles on their faces. Whether or not Walt Disney wished upon a star, his dreams were about to come true as nearly half of the United States gathered around black-and-white televisions on July 17, 1955. Things didn't go as planned on opening day — many rides weren't open, and bootleg-ticket sales created unexpected crowds. He chose the latter, leaving many drinking fountains dry. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Disneyland's first day, 1955 Walt Disney opened Disneyland, at Anaheim, California, on Sunday 17th July 1955. 1955. 17 1955 – Disneyland opens with 18 attractions, including the Jungle Cruise, Tomorrowland, Autopia, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and the Mark Twain. So many weeds sprouted along the banks of the Canal Boats of the World ride that Disney ordered workers to place signs with exotic species names in Latin next to them to resemble an arboretum. I remember I was dressed in navy blue shorts, a red and white stripped top and the brand new sailor hat with my name embroidered on the front which my … On July 18, 1955, Michael Schwartner convinced his family to go to the general public's opening day of Disneyland, instead of golfing in Mexico. Disneyland is considered the first truly immersive, themed 3D storytelling experience, influencing concepts for modern-day experiences like resorts and interactive museum exhibits. In honor of the park’s anniversary, this story is the first of a seven-part series looking at how Disneyland has changed decade by decade. At the dedication ceremonies, Walt Disney was joined by California Governor Goodwin Knight and celebrities such as Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan and other distinguished guests. Dumbo and other characters from Disney movies appear in a parade down Main Street, U.S.A., at the Disneyland opening on July 17, 1955. Since then, the park has undergone many renovations and expansions—all of which add to the overall experience. In temperatures that reached 100 degrees, the fresh asphalt on Main Street, USA melted into a sticky tar that ensnared the high heels of some women while a paucity of drinking fountains due to a plumbers’ strike led to frustrations, rather than water, bubbling over. All Rights Reserved. First up, its grand opening in 1955. “Probably for the first time in his career,” reported the Associated Press, “Disney disappointed thousands of youngsters.” For years to come, Disneyland workers referred to opening day as “Black Sunday.”. Park attendees relax under sunshades near a TWA rocket in Disneyland in July 1955. The rush to finish construction also caused other problems. An aerial view shows Disneyland as guests attend opening-day festivities in Anaheim, California, on July 17, 1955. July 25 - The Flying Gauchito 10. A one-day ticket to Disneyland in 1955 cost $1 for adults and 50 cents for children. Tickets cost $1 for adults and 50 cents for kids, but each of the park's 35 rides also had their own fees. May 13 - Pedro 6. Despite the fact that it has been a mega-success ever since and welcomed more than 650 million visitors, the first day was a disaster. The 11,000 invitation only tickets to opening day are so easily duplicated that first day attendance shoots to Children run into Disneyland on opening day, July 17, 1955. In fact, they are currently building a new … June 24 - Aquarela do Brasil 9. Some parents threw their children over the crowd’s shoulders to get them onto rides, such as the King Arthur Carrousel. January 14 - No Hunting 2. The Painted Desert in Frontierland, photographed on July 17, 1955. The Rocket to the Moon, Peter Pan and Dumbo the Flying Elephant rides were all closed. Total attendance on the first day was 28,154. Disney replied in what has become an oft quoted quote: “Disneyland will never be completed, as long as there is imagination left in the world.”. During the week of July 17, 1955, Walt Disney’s new theme park, named “Disneyland,” opened to the public in Anaheim, California. in 1955. At the time, and during the lifetimes of Walt and Roy Disney, July 17 was considered merely a preview, with July 18 the official opening day. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Then viewers took a virtual tour of the Magic Kingdom’s four realms—Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Whether or not Walt Disney wished upon a star, his dreams were about to come true as nearly half of the United States gathered around black-and-white televisions on July 17, 1955. Plenty of water, however, could be found washing over the deck of the Mark Twain riverboat, which was filled beyond capacity and listing from side to side. Crowds of people watch the Tomorrowland portion of a parade celebrating the opening of the Disneyland amusement park on July 17, 1955. The opening-day problems, however, did little to dissuade visitors from flocking to Disneyland. 1. August 19 - Bearly Asleep 11. Guests enjoy the Autopia attraction on July 17, 1955. Disneyland Park originally opened in the summer of 1955. On Sunday, July 17, 1955, the Disneyland gates opened for the first time. Like many Disney productions, the live broadcast was fantasy, not reality. Everything appeared to be unfolding like a dream, but away from the television cameras, Disneyland’s opening day was more of a nightmare. Visitors ride the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party attraction in Fantasyland on July 17, 1955. “We’ll settle down and get this place operating,” Disney assured the press before adding, “It may take a month before everything’s going smoothly.” According to “The Magic Kingdom: Walt Disney and the American Way of Life” by Steven Watts, that indeed was the case. Disneyland is commonly known as the “Happiest Place on Earth,” but when the park opened on July 17, 1955, it didn’t live up to its now-ubiquitous nickname. Disneyland, the only theme park designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, opened on Sunday, July 17, 1955. This generated negative publicity since Pepsi sponsored the park’s opening; disappointed guests believed the inoperable fountains were a cynical way to sell soda, while other vendors ran out of food. VIDEO: Disneyland’s first two kids on opening day (1955) [VIDEO COURTESY OF THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER.] April 1 - Blame It on the Samba 5. The asphalt that had been poured that morning was soft enough to let women’s high-heeled shoes sink into it. The Disneyland parking lot, full on opening day, July 17, 1955. Father stares at the hand and foot of his five-year-old, severed as a punishment for failing to make the daily rubber quota, Belgian Congo, 1904, A Punt Gun, used for duck hunting but were banned because they depleted stocks of wild fowl, 1910-1920, Adolf Hitler's eye color in a rare color photo, The remains of the astronaut Vladimir Komarov, a man who fell from space, 1967, “Tragedy by the Sea”: A dreadful incident that changed a couple's life forever, 1955, The 100 most influential historical pictures of all time, Evgeny Stepanovich Kobytev: A soldier's face after four years of war, 1941-1945. Shown are Eddie Fisher as he gives a drink to aluminum-clad spaceman Don MacDonald, as Debbie Reynolds looks on.”. In … In Disneyland’s first few weeks, the stagecoach ride in Frontierland was discontinued after it proved too top-heavy and prone to flipping over. To the disappointment of many children, some of the park’s attractions weren’t ready to operate on opening day. Disneyland o Disneyland Park è il primo parco divertimenti aperto dalla Walt Disney Company e l'unico inaugurato in vita da Walt Disney in persona. The first day of Disneyland wasn’t actually open to the general public, but instead was an invite only affair. Then-actor Ronald Reagan attends the opening day of Disneyland in Anaheim, California, 1955. Cowboys on horseback ride across a bridge into Frontierland on opening day. The Disneyland gates on July 17, 1955. The attraction lasted only from the park’s opening until 1956. Disneyland Park opened to the public on Monday, July 18, 1955 at 10 a.m. By 2 o’clock in the morning, people were already lining up outside the park’s gates. In 1955, 7-year-old Michael Schwartner was supposed to take a trip to Mexico with his family, but he somehow persuaded his parents to take a detour to a new amusement park opening that day in 1955… I was eight years old. In 1955, the world of theme parks changed forever. © 2021 A&E Television Networks, LLC. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! MacPherson came up with the idea of attempting to be first in line after seeing Disneyland’s opening celebration on television on July 17, 1955. 2. Allan Grant/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images. June 10 - El Gaucho Goofy 8. The work of hammering and painting continued right up to the start of a 90-minute live broadcast of Disneyland’s opening on the ABC television network, which aired Disney’s highly rated weekly show and was a one-third investor in the theme park. Showgirls in costume sit at an outdoor table and drink from mugs at Disneyland in July 1955. America watched as Disney presided over the official dedication ceremony, which included a benediction by a Protestant minister, a band playing the national anthem as military members raised the American flag and a flyover by the California Air National Guard. Dumbo didn't take flight until August, 1955, a month after Disneyland first opened. WHEN Disneyland was founded in 1955, it was on the blood, sweat and tears of founder Walt Disney. However, 1955 tickets were a bit easier to fabricate. Disneyland opening day 1955 / Disneyland Courtesy Photo.
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