Over the last 50 years Disneyland has become a household name.
The first Disney Theme Park opened on July 17,1955 in Anaheim California. Since then
four other Disney themed resorts have opened around the world. But the Disneyland
Park in Anaheim is the ONLY completed park that Walt Disney himself walked in. The
history of Disneyland is fascinating.
Walt's hand can be seen in the design
of the park. While Walt was alive he was constantly making small and large
changes to Disneyland. Walt wanted the park to be a family park where
everyone in the family could enjoy all the different attractions. To Walt,
Disneyland was like a big toy he could change and improve.
Walt's biggest change to Disneyland came in 1959. He opened the Disneyland Monorail (the first
in the western hemisphere to cross a street), Matterhorn Bobsleds (the first tubular steel roller coaster), Fantasyland Autopia, and Submarine Voyage. One
of Walt's favorite attractions opened in 1963: Enchanted Tiki Room with 225 Audio Animatronics. In early 1966 Walt brought us It's A Small World.
The world mourns as we find out that our "Uncle Walt" has
passed away on December 15, 1966. Roy O Disney ( Walt's brother) takes over as CEO.
For a few years after Walt's death the company used the plans that he had created for Disneyland. Using those plans Haunted Mansion and Pirates Of The Caribbean
are completed.
Then in the 1970's Disneyland started changing drastically. Walt was gone and the new management had to figure out how to keep the park fresh.
New attractions in the 70's were very different from Walt's time like Space Mountain: a high-speed roller coaster in the dark and Big Thunder
Mountain Railroad. As the '70s end Card Walker takes over as CEO.
The 1980's brought a complete redesign of Fantasyland. The first one since Disneyland opened. Also in Tomorrowland Captain EO starring Michael Jackson and Star Tours opens.
America Sings closes and the Carousel Building will sit empty for 10 years. As the 80's wind down Splash Mountain opens in Critter Country in 1989.
The 1990's as part of CEO Michael Eisner's Disney Decade, Disneyland received a lot of changes. In 1993 a completely new land was created: Mickey's ToonTown.
Mickey's ToonTown opened with 7 attractions. In 1995 the biggest attraction ever built for Disneyland: Indiana Jones Adventure, Temple Of The Forbidden Eye
opened in Adventureland. In 1998 a complete redesign of Tomorrowland was made. We lost attractions like Submarine Voyage (the lagoon will sit empty for 9 years), Circle-Vision,
Rocket Jets and People Mover. The Carousel Building finally gets a new attraction: Innoventions. Circle-Vision, Rocket Jets and People Mover are replaced by the very short-lived
Rocket Rods. The Astro Orbitor is added to the entrance of Tomorrowland. Unfortunately the year also brings one of the worst accidents in
Disneyland's history on Christmas day involving the Sailing Ship Columbia. Just as the 20th century ends Tarzan’s Treehouse replaces Swiss Family Robinson’s Treehouse.
As the 21st century begins: A combining of Tomorrowland and Fantasyland Autopia opens as
Autopia in 2000. In 2001 the parking lot of Disneyland became a whole
new park: Disney's California Adventure. In 2003 Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh opens in Critter Country. Toward
the end of 2003 another tragic accident happens involving Big Thunder Mountain.
A complete redesign of maintenance park wide is ordered.
For Disneyland's 50th birthday in 2005, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters opens in the old Rocket Rods queue in Tomorrowland.
Robert Iger takes over as CEO.
The much anticipated replacement for the old Submarine Voyage: Finding Nemo: Submarine Voyage opened in 2007. The lagoon finally has movement again...
The future? Disneyland is always changing sometimes for the better and
sometimes for the well....
Here at DLDHistory.com we strive to provide the very best information on the
history of the Original Disneyland Park in Anaheim California!
