Visiting Disneyland
This park is the original of its kind. It remains the only one designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney himself.
History of the project
The concept took shape in 1948. By 1952, he established WED Enterprises to launch the project. Initially, the small park was slated to sit across from his studios, but the vision outgrew the available space. Walt decided to purchase an orange grove located just outside of Los Angeles. To fund the land acquisition, he cashed out his life insurance, sold his vacation home, and negotiated a deal with the ABC network. Disneyland officially opened its gates on July 17, 1955. The opening was broadcast on ABC in a special hosted by Walt Disney, featuring high-profile guests including Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, and Ronald Reagan.
Attractions in constant evolution
The park undergoes continuous changes to maintain visitor interest. During its first decade, the park debuted 7 new attractions. In 1966, the park unveiled New Orleans Square, a full-scale themed land with its own unique attractions.
The following years saw the arrival of classics such as "Pirates of Caribbean", "Haunted Mansion", and "Space Mountain", which opened in 1977. As a historical footnote, the park hosted a notable visitor in 1975, Hirohito, the Emperor of Japan.
Today
The park is divided into 5 Lands, each with its own specific theme.
Main Street serves as the embodiment of an early 20th-century American town, complete with storefronts and daily parades. Adventureland is dedicated to tropical expeditions. Frontierland offers a Disney-fied take on the American Old West. Fantasyland is a storybook world heavily inspired by medieval carnivals. Finally, Tomorrowland presents a vision of the future as imagined during the 1960s.
With 64 attractions and shows, a sprawling layout, and distinct environments, the park provides an experience for the entire family, exactly as Walt Disney intended.
We loved this park. There is something for everyone!
Think about getting a Fastpass if you do not want to spend hours waiting in line for the rides.
Because of that, we were able to do all the rides, some of them several times.
Radiator Springs Racers is really awesome. My family rode the Incredicoaster on a loop!
On the other hand, the Pixar Pal-a-Round makes you feel sick pretty quickly, so you need to be prepared before getting on and definitely do not eat right before.
At nightfall, we were able to see the World of Color light show and it was truly magnificent.
This park was a great experience and everyone had fun.