61 years ago, on July 17th, Walt Disney’s dream of opening a new concept of family entertainment had reached its reality. The highly anticipated opening of Disneyland was televised in a live broadcast on ABC, watched by 90 million viewers. At that time there were only five themed lands with twenty total attractions, and the opening day was fraught with problems.
50,000 recorded visitors entered the park that day. Many, many more than anyone had expected. Adults were passing their children over the heads of guests to get on the carousel, women’s high heels were sinking into the freshly poured asphalt on Main Street, attractions were breaking down left and right, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. An Orange County plumber’s strike forced Walt to choose between available water fountains or working public toilets (Walt wisely chose the toilets!). Despite a horrendous opening day Walt was not discouraged and not deterred in his vision. He knew Disneyland was a special and magical place. It still is for millions of people.
Now in 2016 what started as a single special park of Disneyland has grown into something larger than life. Six themed parks, Adventures by Disney, the Disney cruise line, and the Aulani resort in Hawaii. I wonder if Walt knew all that when he said, “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination in the world.” Although Disneyland started as a bumpy ride it now represents, at least for me, a wondrous happy place where I can escape to be myself and enjoy life with youthful abandon. Thanks, Walt, for pursuing your dreams.
What does Disneyland mean to you?
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