Walt Disney had a dream. He dreamt of having an amusement park that both children and parents could enjoy together. That dream came true on July 17,1955 when Disneyland opened for the first time.
Disneyland TV Series
Opening day of Disneyland was broadcast live on ABC's Disneyland TV series. It was hosted by Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings, and "Ronnie" Reagan. Twenty nine cameras were used and miles and miles of cable. Although things didn't always go smoothly, as Art Linkletter said, "It's all in fun."
Opening Moments Of Disneyland
Walt Disney arrived on the E.P. Ripley train along with Mickey Mouse, the governor of California and the president of Santa Fe Railroad. Aboard the train were children of the Foreign Counsel dressed in costumes from all over the world.
Walt, along with Govenor Goodwin Knight, quickly joined the mayor of Anaheim and chaplains representing the Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant religions. After Walt Disney's welcoming speech, a prayer was offered by his nephew, followed by a speech by Govenor Knight. Disneyland's first parade kicked off led by the United States Marine band.
Disneyland's Opening Day Attractions
Along with Main Street USA, the original Disneyland was comprised of Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Frontierland, And Fantasyland. Adventureland had only one ride when Disneyland opened; the Jungle Cruise. Rides in Frontierland consisted of pony and stagecoach rides. Tomorrowland was themed to look like the future in 1986. It's Rocket to the Moon allowed guests to blast off and travel around the backside of the Moon.
Some of Fantasyland's most beloved rides of today welcomed guests on Disneyland's grand opening. King Arthur's Carousel, Peter Pan's Flight, Snow White's Scary Adventures, Casey Junior, Storybook Canals, Mad Tea Party, and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride all made their debut on this fateful day. Also in Fantasyland were the Mouseketeers who performed for guests.
Movie Stars in Disneyland on Opening Day
Many movie stars attended Disneyland's opening day. Fess Parker and Buddy Epson entertained guests with Old Betsy, a song about Davy Crockett's rifle. Other stars like Frank Sinatra and Danny Thomas brought their families to join in on the celebration.
Opening-Day Mishaps In Disneyland
Opening day was not without its share of problems. Due to counterfeit tickets, three times as many people showed up for opening day than expected causing the park to run out of food and drinks. A gas leak caused Fantasyland to close down. Walt Disney would refer to this day as Black Sunday.
Disneyland Becomes A Success
Even with all of the problems on opening day and the bad press that followed, less than two months later Disneyland welcomed its one millionth guest. Today Disneyland is one of the premier theme parks in the world. Walt Disney's dream lives on and continues to grow.
