“To all who come to this happy place: welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”
With these words, Disney welcomed park visitors on opening day.
Walt Disney’s dream of having a place where kids and parents can enjoy started when his daughters were little, and Walt would take them to play on the carousel at Griffith Park in Los Angeles every Sunday.
To make this dream a reality, Walt found a 160-acre of former orange groves in Anaheim, California. He didn’t have enough money to build the park as the costs were around $17 million, so he partnered with the ABC television network. ABC helped fund the project, and in return, Walt created a popular TV show to preview his upcoming “Disneyland.”
Construction began in July 1954 and took only one year. The opening event was broadcast live on television, but behind the scenes, things went so wrong that staff called it “Black Sunday.”
The park was flooded with crowds because of counterfeit tickets. Quickly, food and drinks ran out, even some rides started having real issues. The Mark Twain Riverboat leaned to one side, almost flipping over. In Autopia ride guests were running to drive Bob Gurr’s vehicles that they jumped and ran up the tracks. By the end of the first week, only two of the 40 Autopia cars were still working.
The park started with eighteen attractions, including classics like the Jungle Cruise and the Disneyland Railroad. Some rides like the Stage Coach and Rocket to the Moon, were eventually retired. But others, like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, still work until this day.
The day after the opening Disneyland officially opened to the public for just $1 for adults and 50 cents for children. Walt welcomed feedback and immediately worked to fix the problems. In less than two months, the park welcomed its millionth guest.
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