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Oakland Museum of California
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Elizabeth Whipple
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PUBLIC CALLS: 510/238-2200
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Exhibition dates: May 6–August 20, 2006

BEHIND THE MAGIC—50 YEARS OF DISNEYLAND®
Disneyland Opening Day 1955

By all accounts, July 17, 1955, was a very hot day in Anaheim. The weather, however, didn’t stop thousands of people from jamming area roads to get to opening day at Disneyland, the world’s first theme park.

About 10,000 people too many showed up for what was supposed to be an invitation-only affair. But the excitement surrounding the opening—which had been promoted for nine months on ABC’s Disneyland TV show—inspired a brisk business in counterfeit tickets. (On July 18, the public opening day, admission was set at $1 for adults and 50 cents for children; rides were extra.)

More people meant more lines for food and drink. Still visitors pressed on eagerly to experience the four areas of the park: “Frontierland,” “Adventureland,” “Fantasyland,” and “Tomorrowland.” When the time came to witness the park’s dedication, everyone gathered on Main Street and waited for founder Walt Disney to make his appearance. Ironically, Disney—who had spent the night in an apartment above the park’s fire station—had inadvertently locked himself in, delaying the ceremony but delivering an inspiring speech when he did arrive:

“ To all who have 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 hard facts that have created America—with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”

ABC carried the opening event live. Though three cameras were the norm for most TV shows, the network placed 22 cameras around the park to capture the action. A few miscues were captured, too, such as the sprinklers being turned on Davy Crockett cast members.

Three hosts were used to document the day: Bob Cummings, Art Linkletter, and a man who later served the country as president, Ronald Reagan. Additionally, Hollywood stars were positioned throughout the park at various attractions.

Throughout the coverage, Walt Disney was seen leading visitors and viewers throughout the park. In a nod to his origins as a cartoonist, he concluded the program at the entrance to “Fantasyland,” strolling away from the camera through the archway of Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Though the press was not kind about the mishaps and even his own employees would call July 17 “Black Sunday,” Walt Disney had realized a dream that was years in the making.

The next day, he set about correcting the problems that had occurred and conceiving new attractions for the park, later noting, “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow was long as there is imagination left in the world.”

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Back to the main Behind the Magic Press Release

Behind the Magic was developed by The Henry Ford in association with Walt Disney Imagineering, a division of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Produced and managed by ExhibiTour, LLC.

The Oakland Museum of California exhibition received generous support from the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and Ron and Diane Miller.

USA TODAY is the official media partner of Behind the Magic—50 Years of Disneyland. USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co, Inc. (NYSE: GCI) is the nation's top-selling newspaper and is headquartered in McLean, VA. USA TODAY has an average daily circulation of 2.3 million and is available worldwide. The USA TODAY brand also includes: USA TODAY Sports Weekly, USATODAY.com, and USA TODAY LIVE.