Disneyland celebrates 70 years as 'Happiest Place on Earth'

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Disneyland is celebrating 70 years of being "The Happiest Place on Earth."

The summerlong festivities in Southern California include the opening of "Walt Disney – A Magical Life," a show featuring a lifelike animatronic of the company’s founder that debuts Thursday and also marks Disneyland’s official anniversary.

What we know:

Walt Disney's vision revolutionized the amusement park industry by creating immersive attractions with robotic figures and holographs, along with shows and characters designed to appeal to children. 

The park's focus on storytelling and attention to detail remains a hallmark of theme parks globally.

By the numbers:

Disneyland is currently the world’s second-most visited theme park, trailing only Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Florida, which opened in 1971. 

In 2023, the park attracted over 17 million visitors, according to the Themed Entertainment Association, demonstrating a strong recovery after a 13-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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When it first opened on July 17, 1955, the cost of admission was $1 for adults and 50 cents for children, with individual ride tickets ranging from 10 to 50 cents. 

Today, a one-day ticket starts at over $100 and can exceed double that on certain days.

The Walt Disney Company now operates six resorts with a total of a dozen theme parks worldwide. 

The parks division has become one of the company's most successful and vital business segments. 

The Anaheim resort now encompasses Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney, a popular shopping and entertainment district.

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The backstory:

Disneyland was constructed on what were once orange groves in Anaheim, just outside Los Angeles. 

Its opening day on July 17, 1955, was famously a disaster, broadcast live on television. The park, having opened just a year after its groundbreaking, was not fully prepared for its grand debut. 

Attractions malfunctioned, restrooms were insufficient, food and drinks were scarce, traffic jams stretched for miles, and the shoes of early guests sank into freshly laid asphalt.

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Despite these initial challenges, several original rides, such as the Mad Tea Party, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Jungle Cruise, are still in operation today. 

Over its 70-year history, Disneyland has hosted numerous notable figures, including U.S. presidents, kings, queens, and countless celebrities. 

Some well-known personalities even began their careers at the park; actor Kevin Costner worked as a skipper on the Jungle Cruise, and comedian Steve Martin developed his performing skills at a magic shop within the park.

What's next:

While the original park retains many of the elements overseen by Walt Disney himself, it is continuously evolving. 

These changes, sometimes met with dismay by loyal fans, are implemented to adapt to societal shifts and to introduce more thrilling attractions incorporating the latest technology to compete with other theme parks. 

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Just last year, Disney received approval to expand its Southern California theme parks. 

The initial phases of these plans involve the development of a new parking structure and a transit hub, aiming to create more space for new attractions.

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