History of Disneyland in Timeline
Disneyland is a theme park located in Anaheim, California, at the Disneyland Resort. Notably, it was the inaugural theme park created by the Walt Disney Company. Its significance lies in being the only park personally designed and built under Walt Disney's direct oversight. Disneyland officially opened to the public on July 17, 1955, marking a pivotal moment in the history of theme park entertainment.
1903: Horseless Carriages Modeled
The horseless carriages are modeled after cars built in 1903 and are two-cylinder, four-horsepower (3 kW) engines with manual transmission and steering.
1939: Inspiration from New York World's Fair
In 1939, The New York's World Fair inspired Walt Disney's Ideas for Disneyland.
August 31, 1948: Mickey Mouse Park Memo
On August 31, 1948, Walt Disney sent a memo to Dick Kelsey outlining plans for a "Mickey Mouse Park."
1953: Land Acquisition
In 1953, Walt Disney bought a 160-acre site near Anaheim after a feasibility study by the Stanford Research Institute identified the location as appropriate for the Disneyland project.
July 16, 1954: Construction Begins
On July 16, 1954, construction began on Disneyland at a cost of $17 million.
1954: Bob Gurr Title
In 1954, Bob Gurr gave himself the title of Director of Special Vehicle Design.
1954: Construction Begins
In 1954, construction began on Disneyland, led by Walt Disney's hand-picked creative team, WED Enterprises.
July 17, 1955: Disneyland Opening
On July 17, 1955, Disneyland Park officially opened to the public in Anaheim, California, marking the realization of Walt Disney's vision for a family-friendly theme park.
1955: Santa Fe Rail Pass Accepted
From 1955 to 1974, the Santa Fe Rail Pass was accepted in lieu of a Disneyland "D" coupon.
1955: Disneyland Opening
In 1955, character performers first unionized when Disneyland opened.
1957: Holidayland opened
In 1957, Holidayland opened to the public as a recreation area.
September 1959: Khrushchev's Disneyland Visit Denied
In September 1959, Soviet First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev's request to visit Disneyland was denied due to Cold War tensions and security concerns.
1959: Sleeping Beauty film
In 1959, Disney's Sleeping Beauty film inspired the Sleeping Beauty Castle.
1959: Disneyland Monorail Opens
In 1959, the Disneyland Monorail opened in Tomorrowland as the first daily-operating monorail train system in the Western Hemisphere.
1960: Walt Disney Productions Buys Remaining Shares
By 1960, Walt Disney Productions had bought out all other shares of Disneyland, Inc.
1960: Disney's Candlelight Processional
Each year since 1960 during the holiday season, Disney's Candlelight Processional is performed in Town Square.
1960: New heliport north of the Disneyland Hotel
In 1960, Service moved to a new heliport north of the Disneyland Hotel.
1960: Swiss Family Robinson film
In 1960, Walt Disney's Swiss Family Robinson film inspired the Adventureland Treehouse.
1961: Monorail Track Extended
In 1961, the monorail track was extended, and a second station opened at the Disneyland Hotel.
1963: Early Closure Due to Kennedy Assasination
In 1963, Disneyland closed early in response to the assassination of John F. Kennedy. This historical event was referenced in the context of an unexpected early closure in the park's history.
1963: Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room opened
In 1963, Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room opened at the entrance to Adventureland. It was the first attraction to employ Audio-Animatronics.
1963: Discussions with CORE
In 1963, the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) discussed hiring more black people with Disneyland officials.
1964: Regional Doritos Sales
In 1964, the Frito-Lay Company began selling Doritos regionally after their popularity at Disneyland.
1966: New Orleans Square Addition
In 1966, Disneyland expanded with the addition of New Orleans Square, a new themed area.
1966: Nationwide Doritos Sales
In 1966, the Frito-Lay Company began selling Doritos nationwide.
May 22, 1968: Helicopter crash in Paramount, California
On May 22, 1968, the crash in Paramount, California, killed 23.
August 14, 1968: Helicopter crash in Compton, California
On August 14, 1968, the second crash in Compton, California, killed 21.
1968: Theme Park Gross Income
In 1968, the Disneyland theme park grossed $65,151,000.
February 1970: Bank of America Arson
In February 1970, there was an arson of a Bank of America in Isla Vista which became a concern during the August 6, 1970 Yippie protest at Disneyland.
1971: Walt Disney World Resort Opening
In 1971, the more expansive Walt Disney World resort opened.
1974: America Sings Replaces Carousel of Progress
In 1974, Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress was replaced with America Sings at Disneyland.
1974: Santa Fe Railway Presentation End
In 1974, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Presentation ended.
March 1975: Mission to Mars Opens
In March 1975, the Flight to the Moon attraction was rethemed as Mission to Mars at Disneyland.
1975: America on Parade Debuts
In 1975, America on Parade debuted at Disneyland in celebration of the United States Bicentennial.
1976: America on Parade Continued
In 1976, America on Parade continued its run at Disneyland as part of the United States Bicentennial celebration.
1977: Space Mountain Opens
In 1977, Space Mountain opened at Disneyland and was met with much acclaim.
1979: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Replaces Mine Train
In 1979, the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland was replaced by the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad rollercoaster at Disneyland.
1982: Passport Tickets
Before 1982, passport tickets were available to groups only.
1982: End of Ticket System
From Disneyland's opening day until 1982, the price of the attractions was in addition to the price of park admission. In 1982, the ticket system was ended.
1982: Introduction of "Passports"
In 1982, Disneyland dropped the idea for individual ride tickets, replacing them with "passports", charging a single admission price with unlimited access to all attractions, "except shooting galleries".
1982: Fantasyland Closure
In 1982, Fantasyland was closed for refurbishment.
1983: New Fantasyland Reopens
In 1983, Fantasyland reopened to the public as "New Fantasyland."
December 5, 1985: Skyfest Celebration
On December 5, 1985, one million balloons were launched as part of the Skyfest Celebration, commemorating Disneyland's 30th year.
1988: Bear Country Renamed Critter Country
Bayou Country was renamed Critter Country in 1988.
1988: Who Framed Roger Rabbit film
In 1988, the Touchstone Pictures film Who Framed Roger Rabbit inspired Mickey's Toontown.
1993: Mickey's Toontown Addition
In 1993, Disneyland introduced Mickey's Toontown, a new themed area.
1999: Introduction of FastPass System
In 1999, Disney introduced the FastPass system which was a no extra cost means to reserve an entrance time to an attraction and reduce the time waiting in line.
2000: Mickey and Friends Parking Structure Completion
In 2000, the Mickey and Friends parking structure, the largest in the United States, was completed.
2000: Elaborate Firework Presentations
Since 2000, Disneyland's firework presentations became more elaborate, featuring new pyrotechnics, launch techniques, and story lines.
2001: Disney California Adventure Park Opening
In 2001, Disney California Adventure Park opened on the site of Disneyland's original parking lot, expanding the Disneyland Resort.
2001: Downtown Disney Created
With the creation of Downtown Disney in 2001, the new destination is Downtown Disney, instead of the Disneyland Hotel.
2003: Harrison Price Named Disney Legend
In 2003, Harrison Price of the Stanford Research Institute was recognized as a Disney Legend for his analysis that helped determine the location of Disneyland.
2003: Matt Ouimet Assumes Leadership
In late 2003, Matt Ouimet was promoted to assume leadership of the Disneyland Resort and selected Greg Emmer as Senior Vice President of Operations.
2004: New Air Launch Pyrotechnics System Introduced
In 2004, Disneyland introduced a new air launch pyrotechnics system to reduce ground-level smoke and noise, decreasing negative environmental impacts.
2004: Major Renovations for 50th Anniversary
In 2004, Disneyland underwent major renovations in preparation for its 50th anniversary celebration.
May 5, 2005: Happiest Homecoming on Earth Celebration Start
On May 5, 2005, the "Happiest Homecoming on Earth" celebration began, marking Disneyland's fiftieth anniversary.
2005: Jobs Supported by Disneyland Resort
According to a 2005 Disney report, 65,700 jobs are supported by the Disneyland Resort.
July 2006: Matt Ouimet Leaves Disneyland Resort
In July 2006, Matt Ouimet left The Walt Disney Company to become president of Starwood.
September 30, 2006: Happiest Homecoming on Earth Celebration End
On September 30, 2006, the "Happiest Homecoming on Earth" celebration ended.
October 31, 2007: Halloween Tree Presentation
On October 31, 2007, author Ray Bradbury attended the presentation of a Halloween Tree in Frontierland, to be included as part of its annual park-wide Halloween decorations every year.
November 7, 2008: "Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams" Ended
On November 7, 2008, "Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams" ended its run as part of Disneyland's 50th anniversary celebration.
2008: Mark VII Monorail Installed
In 2008, the most recent operating generation, the Mark VII, was installed.
December 31, 2008: Year of a Million Dreams Celebration End
On December 31, 2008, the "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration ended.
March 27, 2009: "Celebrate! A Street Party" Premiered
On March 27, 2009, "Celebrate! A Street Party" premiered at Disneyland, replacing "Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams".
October 2009: Ed Grier Replaced by George Kalogridis
In October 2009, Ed Grier retired and was replaced by George Kalogridis as president of the Disneyland Resort.
2009: Rotating Repertoire of Firework Spectaculars
Since 2009, Disneyland has moved to a rotating repertoire of firework spectaculars.
January 1, 2010: Give a Day, Get a Disney Day Program Start
On January 1, 2010, Disney Parks launched the Give a Day, Get a Disney Day volunteer program.
March 9, 2010: Give a Day, Get a Disney Day Program Ends
On March 9, 2010, Disney announced that it had reached its goal of one million volunteers and ended the Give a Day, Get a Disney Day program.
May 27, 2011: "Mickey's Soundsational Parade" Debuted
On May 27, 2011, Disneyland debuted "Mickey's Soundsational Parade".
2011: Projection Mapping Technology Debuted on It's a Small World
In 2011, projection mapping technology debuted on It's a Small World with the creation of The Magic, the Memories and You.
October 27, 2014: Permanent Zone of Prohibited Airspace
On October 27, 2014, the United States Federal Aviation Administration declared a permanent zone of prohibited airspace around both Disneyland and some of the surrounding areas at Sleeping Beauty Castle.
May 22, 2015: "Paint the Night" Debuted
On May 22, 2015, Disneyland debuted a new nighttime parade called "Paint the Night" as part of the park's 60th anniversary.
July 2015: 60th Diamond Celebration anniversary
In July 2015, Disneyland celebrated its 60th Diamond Celebration anniversary. Disneyland Park introduced the Paint the Night parade and Disneyland Forever fireworks show, and Sleeping Beauty Castle was decorated in diamonds with a large "60" logo.
2015: Projection Mapping Expanded to Main Street and Sleeping Beauty Castle
In 2015, projection mapping expanded to Main Street and Sleeping Beauty Castle with the premiere of Disneyland Forever.
February 2016: Demand-Based Pricing System Adopted
In February 2016, Disneyland adopted a demand-based pricing system for single-day admission, charging different prices for "value", "regular", and "peak" days, based on projected attendance.
September 2016: Diamond Celebration concluded
In September 2016, the Diamond Celebration concluded and the whole decoration of the anniversary was removed around Halloween 2016.
2018: Believe... In Holiday Magic
Believe... In Holiday Magic from the 2018 holiday season was the first fireworks show to have the B-show format.
February 2020: Multi-Tiered Pricing System Switched
In February 2020, Disneyland switched to a multi-tiered system, initially with 5 pricing tiers.
March 14, 2020: Disneyland Park Closes Indefinitely
On March 14, 2020, Disneyland Park, along with Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and the resort hotels, closed indefinitely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
July 9, 2020: Downtown Disney Reopens
After nearly four months of closure, Downtown Disney reopened on July 9, 2020, after closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
July 17, 2020: Parks Reopening Postponed
The parks had been scheduled to reopen on Disneyland's 65th anniversary on July 17, 2020, but due to rising cases in California, the parks' reopening was once again postponed.
2020: "Magic Happens" Debuted
In 2020, the parade "Magic Happens" debuted for two weeks before the closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There was also a virtual parade available for a limited time.
December 31, 2020: Closure Expected Until at Least December 31, 2020
It was expected to stay closed until at least December 31, 2020, due to rising COVID-19 cases.
February 2021: "A Touch of Disney" announced
In February 2021, Disneyland announced a limited-capacity ticketed event called "A Touch of Disney", which would offer guests to shop at stores and enjoy eateries around the park from March 18 through April 19, 2021.
March 5, 2021: Reopening Announcement
On March 5, 2021, it was announced by the California Department of Public Health that Disneyland could reopen with capacity restrictions beginning April 1, 2021.
April 1, 2021: Capacity restrictions
On April 1, 2021, it was announced by the California Department of Public Health that Disneyland could reopen with capacity restrictions.
April 2021: Park reopening planned
In April 2021, then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek said that the company was planning on officially reopening the park in late April 2021.
April 19, 2021: "A Touch of Disney" event end
On April 19, 2021, the limited-capacity ticketed event called "A Touch of Disney" ended.
April 30, 2021: Disneyland Reopened
Disneyland along with Disney California Adventure officially reopened on April 30, 2021, with limited capacity and social distancing/mask guidelines in effect.
June 15, 2021: Full Capacity Return Permitted
On June 15, 2021, Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and other theme parks in California were permitted to return to full capacity with most COVID-19 pandemic restrictions lifted per California governor Gavin Newsom's Blueprint for a Safer Economy phased re-opening.
October 2021: Sixth Tier Added
In October 2021, Disneyland added a sixth tier to its multi-tiered pricing system.
December 2021: Attendance Milestone
As of December 2021, Disneyland had a cumulative attendance of 757 million visits since its opening.
October 2022: Seventh Tier Added
In October 2022, Disneyland added a seventh tier to its multi-tiered pricing system.
2022: "Magic Happens" Return Announced
At D23 Expo 2022, it was announced that "Magic Happens" would return to Disneyland in spring 2023.
January 27, 2023: Disney100 Centennial Celebration
On January 27, 2023, Disneyland kicked off the year-long celebration of the centennial of The Walt Disney Company, Disney100. Disneyland Park introduced the Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway attraction and Wondrous Journeys fireworks show.
April 13, 2023: First Official "Pride Nite"
On April 13, 2023, it was announced that Disneyland would be holding its first official "Pride Nite", supporting the LGBTQ community. This comes 25 years after the first celebrated 'Gay Day' at Disneyland.
May 2023: Male employee dressed as 'Fairy Godmother's apprentice'
In May 2023, a male employee of Disneyland was dressed as 'Fairy Godmother's apprentice' welcoming the visitors to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Fantasyland, generating both criticism and support on social media.
2023: Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway opens
In 2023 Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway opened and increased the size of Mickey's Toontown as well as the size of Disneyland Park from 99 to 101 acres.
2023: Annual Visitors
In 2023, Disneyland saw 17.25 million visitors, making it the second most visited amusement park in the world.
2023: Anaheim City Council expected to receive the development plans
In 2023, The Anaheim City Council was expected to receive the development plans for approval of DisneylandForward.
2023: Cost Equivalent Adjusted for Inflation
In 2023, the $17 million cost to build Disneyland in 1954 was equivalent to $153 million.
2023: "Magic Happens" returned
In the spring of 2023, "Magic Happens" returned to Disneyland.
May 18, 2024: Character Performers Unionize
On May 18, 2024, Disneyland character performers voted to join the Actors' Equity Association, with 79% voting in favor. The decision marked the first time these workers have unionized since Disneyland's opening in 1955.
October 2024: Piloting "Lightning Lane Premier Pass"
In October 2024, Disney began piloting its new "Lightning Lane Premier Pass," which allows guests, for an additional $400 per person per day, to enter a faster line at any time (once per ride) without having to reserve it on the app.
2024: Critter Country Renamed Bayou Country
In 2024 it was renamed Bayou Country.
