Vintage photos of Disneyland's opening day in 1955 that will make you wish you were there

Business Insider

07-07-2025

Walt Disney spent years inventing his first theme park.
Walt Disney spent much of the '40s and '50s visiting theme parks and carnivals around the world before he began to create Disneyland in Anaheim, California, PBS reported.
He and his brother, Roy Disney, worked with ABC to construct the park, and also hosted a show on the network where they promoted their creation.
Thousands of people flocked to Disneyland on opening day.
When Disneyland opened for business on July 17, 1955, tickets were provided on an invitation-only basis.
The theme park anticipated 20,000 visitors at the time, Wired reported.
People also crowded the park's entrance.
The surplus of visitors was likely the result of bootleg tickets.
Because Disneyland's original tickets were made from standard paper, many people created bootleg versions to enter the park illegally. The incident later inspired Disney to create tickets with unique patterns and backgrounds, Mental Floss reported.
Still, the crowds didn't stop children from rushing into Disneyland. Many even followed Disney characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck through Sleeping Beauty's castle into the park on opening day.
Disneyland tickets weren't as simple to use in 1955 as they are today.
In 1955, adults could enter the park for $1, while children's tickets cost $0.50. However, Disneyland tickets were not all-inclusive at the time, CNBC reported.
Park-goers had to pay a fee for each individual ride, of which there were 35 at the time. Ticket books were sold for $4.75 in 1955, while individual rides cost between $0.10 and $0.50 each.
Though some rides weren't accessible on opening day, park-goers still made the most of their experiences.
Some of the rides malfunctioned due to overcrowding in the park. The Mark Twain Riverboat began to sink with too many riders, and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride lost power when the park's electric grid became overloaded, KTLA reported.
Rides that were open, however, were filled with joyous children. The Mad Tea Party ride, for example, saw kids fascinated by the spinning teacups that swirled them around a circular track.
Some of Disneyland's earliest rides still exist today.
The Casey Jr. Circus Train, for example, traveled above the Canal Boats of the World. Both rides had simple designs at the time, and brought park-goers through patches of barren land.
Today, Disneyland visitors can still ride the train and the renamed Storybook Land Canal Boats. Both rides have also been updated to bring passengers past miniature replicas of scenes from fan-favorite Disney films.
However, the same can't be said for other attractions.
On opening day in 1955, Disneyland park-goers could ride mules through Nature's Wonderland, PBS reported.
The attraction went through multiple changes over the years, including enhanced scenery and animated creatures. However, it was eventually closed in 1973 to make room for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Tomorrowland featured a chic "space port" in 1955.
The area was comprised of black-and-white chairs underneath circular shades. The decor created a futuristic atmosphere, while also providing some respite to park-goers on opening day.
The Golden Horseshoe was one of the first restaurants to open at Disneyland.
According to Disneyland's website, the Golden Horseshoe was one of Walt Disney's favorite locations within the park. He's said to have opened the establishment — which served food and hosted live performances — by celebrating his 30th wedding anniversary there.
Disney also had a private booth — that's now open to the public — where he watched the "Golden Horseshoe Revue," which was once named "the world's longest-running live stage show" by the Guinness Book of World Records.
But if you didn't want to have a formal, sit-down meal, Disneyland also offered classic snacks in 1955.
On opening day, some sharply dressed park-goers were photographed eating popcorn alongside a red-and-yellow food cart.
Popcorn is still a staple snack throughout Disney theme parks. Multiple flavors are offered — maple bacon, chocolate caramel, and confetti are among the options — and character-themed popcorn buckets are always high in demand.