Disneyland Park turns 71 today. Walt Disney welcomed an invited audience to the Anaheim park on July 17, 1955, and the gates opened to the public the next morning.
The first Disney theme park represented a $17 million investment. It remains the only Disney park designed and built under Walt Disney's direct supervision.
About 90 million viewers watched ABC's live Dateline Disneyland special. The broadcast used 24 cameras, with Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings and Ronald Reagan among its hosts.
Walt opened the dedication with 10 words that remain on a plaque near the flagpole: “To all who come to this happy place, welcome.”
Disneyland's Opening-Day Attractions Still Welcome Guests
Sleeping Beauty Castle, Main Street, U.S.A. and several 1955 attractions remain part of a normal park day. Jungle Cruise, King Arthur Carrousel, Peter Pan's Flight, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Mad Tea Party and the Mark Twain Riverboat still operate in their original lands, though each has changed over seven decades.
Disneyland is marking its 71st birthday while the resort's formal 70th Celebration is still underway. Paint the Night, Tapestry of Happiness, anniversary décor and other limited-time offerings continue through August 9.
Photos From Disneyland's 1955 Opening Day
Opening-day history and images: Walt Disney Archives and Disney Parks Blog. Park history: D23. Current attractions: Disneyland Resort. Current anniversary offerings: Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration.