Disneyland Opens For The First Time To The Public In 1955

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On July 17, 1955, Walt Disney brought to life characters that children had only seen on the silver screen. With Disneyland, Uncle Walt didn't just create a space inspired by his animation but an entire world where new adventures could be had every day. The road to opening Disneyland was long and full of narrowly averted disaster, but it was worth it. The opening day featured some of the park's most well known attractions, rides that have gone by the wayside, and plenty of mishaps, but it was the beginning of something magical.

Disney Fever

In the 1950s Disney was firing on all cylinders. Cinderella, Alice In Wonderland, and Peter Pan were all released within the first three years of the decade, and Walt was starting to think about expanding his empire. Letters poured into the studio begging for tours of the company, but what would people enjoy about seeing an animation studio?

After visiting Griffith Park with his daughters, Disney had an idea. What if Disney were a more fantastic place than a film studio? What if it were a place that children and adults could enjoy together? Walt traveled the world to inspect some of the biggest and most accommodating theme parks, including Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen as well as Playland and Children's Fairyland, both in California.

On his travels, Disney came to the conclusion that his park should be, above all, clean and family-friendly. In 1952, he received zoning permission to start building Disneyland right in the heart of Burbank.