Disneyland
For more than 60 years, the “Happiest Place on Earth” has been a little park in southern California called Disneyland. Ok, maybe it’s not so little, but this 160-acre piece of land had humble beginnings as an orange grove before Walt Disney transformed it into an enchanted land that’s had more visitors since it opened than any other theme park in the world.Originally named “The Mickey Mouse Park,” and then “Disneylandia” before settling on “Disneyland,” Disney purchased 160 acres for the park in Anaheim and started construction in 1954. Disneyland opened on July 17th, 1955 with 18 rides and attractions. Just one year after Disneyland opened its door, 5 million people had visited the park. As of 2019, more than 700 million people have visited Disneyland.
The history of Disneyland is more than six decades-long, and in that time, the park has grown and evolved with the times but has managed to hold on to the magic that beckons people of all ages to visit, and dream of visiting, year after year. Fans of the park will tell you there’s just something about it—something special—that makes it a place unlike any other.
Disneyland Timeline: 1940s
Griffith Park Carousel:
Walt Disney first spoke of creating an amusement park while taking his daughters to ride the carousel at Griffith Park in Los Angeles. As he watched his girls from a park bench, he dreamed of creating a place that families could enjoy together; where children could play and parents could relax.1940sWalt Disney Studios had become well-known for its cartoon characters, including Mickey Mouse, and animated films like Snow White. Disney started receiving letters from fans who wanted to visit the studios; they wanted to do more than just go to the movies, they wanted to be part of an experience. Disney knew the actual studio wouldn’t offer much in terms of entertainment for the public, so he started dreaming up a place for tourists to visit.1948
Mickey Mouse Park:
Disney sent a now-famous memo to the studio production designer, Dick Kelsey, outlining his ideas for “Mickey Mouse Park”.The typical amusement park in those days wasn’t a family-friendly place to visit. They were dirty and disorganized, known for over-serving patrons at the beer stand and for attracting a criminal element. Disney wanted his park to be different.The original concept was slated to be a small park with a boat ride and a few themed areas on an 8-acre plot across the street from Walt Disney Studios in Burbank
1954
Anaheim:
The project soon outgrew the proposed location. They found the space they needed at a cost they could afford 27 miles southeast of Los Angeles, purchasing a 160-acre orchard of orange and walnut trees in Anaheim. In 1954, construction began on the site. Just one year and 17 million dollars later, Disneyland was ready to open its doors to the public.1955
The Opening:
On Sunday, July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened its gates for the first time with 18 rides and attractions and five lands including Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Main Street USA.Walt Disney:To all who come to this happy place: Welcome! Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.within seven weeks of opening, one million people had walked through Disneyland’s gates.
1956
5 million visitors:
Just one year after opening, Disneyland had welcomed 5 million visitors.1957
10 million:
Make that 10 million visitors.1959
The Matterhorn:
The Matterhorn Bobsled ride became the first tubular steel coaster ever built. Its design still influences the design of modern roller coasters.1963
Enchanted Tiki Room:
The Enchanted Tiki Room was the first of its kind to use new Audio-Animatronics technology and have three-dimensional birds, flowers and Tiki gods perform a live show.1966
It’s a Small World:
It’s a Small World water ride opened featuring 500 Audio-Animatronics dolls representing cultures around the world. We’ve been trying to get the theme song out of our heads ever since.1967
Pirates of the Caribbean:
Pirates of the Caribbean made its debut. It remains one of the most popular rides to this day and was the inspiration for the hit blockbuster movies of the same name.1969
The Haunted Mansion:
The Haunted Mansion and its 999 ghosts - always with “room for one more” - started haunting park visitors.1972
Main Street Electrical Parade:
The Main Street Electrical Parade premiered including more than 500,000 twinkling lights.1976
150 million:
150 million people had visited Disneyland1977
Space Mountain:
The Space Mountain coaster blasted off in Tomorrowland. Astronauts John Glenn and Alan Shepard were part of its inaugural journey.1979
Big Thunder Mountain:
Big Thunder Mountain railroad opened in Frontierland.1989
Splash Mountain:
Splash Mountain opened and it’s five-story waterfall drop still has us packing a poncho in our purse.1993
Mickey’s Toontown:
Mickey’s Toontown was added as the newest “land”.1995
Indiana Jones Adventure:
Indiana Jones Adventure invited guests to be part of the action with a thrill ride based on George Lucas’ films.2001
Disney California Adventure Park:
Disney California Adventure Park opened to the public, offering a whole new world of rides, restaurants, and attractions modeled after California’s most notable parks and landmarks.2005
50th anniversary:
Disneyland celebrated its 50th anniversary.2017
708 million:
708 million people had visited Disneyland.2019
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge:
The history of Disneyland continues to this day with the much-anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opening on May 31st. The new addition to Disneyland transports you back to “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.”2020
Temp Closed:
Due to COVID-19, Disneyland closed in March. In the entire history of Disneyland, the park has closed only a few times since 1955.2021
Disneyland reopenedhttps://www.adayinlatours.com/blog/the-history-of-disneyland
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Disneyland+Park
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Disneyland+Park
Bottom large half of the city block is Disneyland, the upper half is California Adventure
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Disneyland+Park
Some Facts:- Disneyland first opened July 17, 1955, and was the world's first Disney park - Disney World in Florida opened in 1971
- The Disneyland Monorail was the first daily operating monorail to open in the western hemisphere when it debuted in 1959.
- The top floor of the fire station on Main Street USA was Walt Disney's private apartment during the park's construction. It is still furnished but is not open to the public, though a light is left burning in one of its windows each day in tribute to Walt.
- The drawbridge on Sleeping Beauty Castle is real and has been raised and lowered twice; once when the park first opened, and again in 1983 when Fantasyland was rededicated.
- The Matterhorn Bobsleds coaster was the first tubular steel roller coaster in the world when it opened in 1959, and as such it revolutionized the design and construction of roller coasters.
- The park sits on 160 acres of land, but only 85 acres are open to the public.
- The dramatic centerpiece of the park is Sleeping Beauty Castle, which stands a mere 77 feet tall but looks much larger due to forced perspective scaling architecture. The castle is trimmed in 22 karat gold leaf to ensure it glitters even on cloudy days.
- There are 350 miles of fiber optic cable used in Fantasyland alone.
- The park is least crowded in mid-January, early to mid-May, and early December before the holidays.
- The Pirates of the Caribbean ride features 119 animatronic characters, including Captain Jack Sparrow, who was added to the buccaneer lineup in 2006. The 16 minute ride has been one of the park's most popular since it opened in 1967.
- Space Mountain first opened in 1977 but was completely redesigned in 2005.
- The It's a Small World ride features more than 300 audio animatronic characters representing more than 100 regions of the world.
- The King Arthur Carrousel has 68 horses, no two of which are alike and all of which move.
- The Disneyland Monorail stretches 2.5 miles and takes 9 minutes to make a roundtrip. Guests can request to be seated in the pilot's cabin, which can accommodate up to five passengers.
- The Fastpass express line system was first introduced in 1999.
- Tarzan's Treehouse stands 70 feet tall and features 450 branches with more than 6,000 leaves.
- On an average day, park guests generate more than 30 tons of trash.
- The park serves 4 million burgers, 3 million fry orders, and more than 1 million gallons of soda each year.
When Disney decided that he would be building a place that told a story, he knew that he would need people and technology to help create the magic and tell the stories. In 1952, Disney raised and set aside money to create WED Enterprises, standing for Walter Elias Disney. WED Enterprises would encompass all of the people and technology he had chosen to create his theme park. It consisted of the best of the best from his studio, together with carpenters, engineers, and scientists who would help him create his dream.
Disney’s vision was that he would tell the story and his workers would create the technology that would bring it to life. Disney himself loved technology, seeing it as a canvas on which to tell a convincing and magical story.
Imagineering:
Walt started WED Enterprises to create his magical world, and since the parks grew so did WED, or as it is called now, Imagineering. The name came about when Micheal Eisner, the last President and CEO of Disney, said that all WED did was imagine and then engineer things–imagineering. While Imagineering has grown to include more than 150 disciplines and imagine things from hotels to parks, they still do it all to tell a story.
What is an E-Ticket Ride?From 1955-1982, the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California, sold individual ride tickets with admission to the park. In 1972, simple rides like the King Arthur Carousel took A-tickets, while Alice In Wonderland and the Swiss Family Treehouse were B-tickets. C and D-ticket rides were a bit more advanced, including Peter Pan’s Flight, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and Flight to the Moon. The biggest, best, and newest rides in the park were reserved for the 85 cent E-ticket. In the 1970s, this list included Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, and the Matterhorn Bobsleds.
One interesting thing about the tickets is that Disney officials consistently referred to them as coupons, while guests insisted they should be called tickets, as they were sold in ticket books. The guests won this particular battle, with the terms becoming slang for a ratings system. In 1982, the tickets - or coupons - were phased out of the Disneyland world, as the park introduced a pay-one-price admission.
Today, although the tickets no longer officially exist, Disney fans still classify rides by their ticket status. In popular culture, the phrase has been used to refer to an extraordinary experience. American astronaut Sally Ride famously referred to riding the space shuttle as an E-ticket experience.
Current Ride Closure List:Also the daily event and show schedule
Camouflaged images of Mickey Mouse are concealed all around the Disneyland. The most common hidden Mickey is a formation of three circles that may be perceived as the silhouette of the head and ears of Mickey Mouse. There are around a thousand of hidden Mickeys.
Main Street Magic Shop:
Hidden within one of the displays is an Ace of Clubs playing card that has been altered to create a Classic Mickey.
A rope trick sold in the magic shop is shaped into a classic Mickey and on display in the counter case. Hidden within one of the other displays are three red balls that have been placed to create a Classic Mickey.
http://findingmickey.squarespace.com/hidden-mickey-checklist-dl
The Shortest wait times at Disneyland are during the first 2 hours after the park opens. Disneyland starts letting guests into their parks about 30 minutes before the official park opening time. You are allowed to enter Main Street(or Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure) and walk all the way to the end before you are stopped by cast members holding a rope that stretches the length of the street.
Right at opening time, you’ll hear an announcement welcoming you to the park for the day. The cast members will remove the rope and you’ll be free to head to your favorite Disney parks attraction. So, essentially, “rope drop” means that you’re one of the very first people to enter the parks for the day. There is no extra cost to rope drop. Anyone can do it.
Be an Hour Early:
In order to rope drop efficiently, you’ll need to arrive at the security gates at least 60 minutes before the park opens. You’ll go through bag check and security, then you’ll line up at the front gate.
About 30 minutes before the park officially opens, cast members will start allowing people through the front gates.
Once you're inside the park, you will head straight to your first attraction until you're stopped by a cast member and the actual rope. Here you'll wait until the park is officially open. I like to check off some of the big ticket attractions during the first 2 hours. I usually rope drop Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, then head to Jungle Cruise, Indiana Jones, Pirates and Haunted Mansion. I’m able to check of 5 big rides in the first 90 minutes or so of the parks being open!
Or, some days I’ll start with Space Mountain and then head to Star Tours, Buzz Light Year, Matterhorn and Alice in Wonderland. Again, 5 big rides checked off my list in the first 90 minutes! That’s a big deal.
Avoid Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in Galaxy’s Edge:
While most attractions are less crowded in the morning, this is one of the few exceptions. Hundreds of guests rush there each morning making the first few hours of the park the most busy of the entire day for this particular ride.
This is the same for Peter Pan:
Bunches of guests rush to Fantasyland to try to be the first ones on Peter Pan’s Flight, thinking they will experience shorter wait times. When in fact, they are actually waiting longer than they would if they had waited until later in the day.
The very worst part about rope dropping Rise of the Resistance or Peter Pan is that these misguided folks are now wasting prime morning hours that are famous for low crowds in long lines. It’s sad, really. Lucky for us, you now know better and won’t waste your precious morning hours on these attractions.
https://mixinsomemagic.com/2022/02/18/how-to-rope-drop-at-disneyland
This Disneyland Park map gives you an overview of the entire park and where the major features are situated. The areas of Disneyland’s Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Main Street, U.S.A., Tomorrowland, New Orleans Square, Mickey’s Toontown, and Critter Country are included.
One of the things that I love about this attraction being the original is all the props they used for the attraction from the actual Indiana Jones films. For example, as guests exit the attraction they’ll walk past a massive transport vehicle. This vehicle is the actual one used in the film Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The story that you will experience on this attraction has to do with Indy heading in to the Temple of the Forbidden Eye in search of a treasure. Many explorers have gone in before him but many have never returned. If they do they come back it’s with mass riches or eternal life. The key is to not look into the Eyes of Mara while you’re in the Temple.
So Indy goes into the Temple but ends up being in there for several days without word to the outside. You also go into the Temple seeking a fortune but end up looking into the Eyes of Mara (nice job) and run into Indy who guides you out of the Temple without being destroyed.
https://www.parksavers.com/indiana-jones-adventure-review-tips
One of the original Disneyland attractions from opening day in 1955 has gotten a brand-new revamp, with an expanded storyline, new characters and Easter eggs galore in the queue.
When Walt Disney originally created the original Jungle Cruise, he based it on the True Life Adventure TV shows and films that he had made, so that it would be very realistic for people who really didn’t get to travel much at that time, and it had a much more serious tone. The boat skippers still lead guests on an expedition through the Nile of Africa, the Amazon of South America, the Irrawaddy of Southeast Asia, and the Ganges of India, but what they encounter along the way has changed in different incarnations over the years.
https://collider.com/jungle-cruise-ride-update-disneyland-easter-eggs-new-characters
Overgrown with vines and constructed with salvaged parts from Tarzan's parents' shipwreck, the tree house features vignettes from Tarzan's life story. As you tour the ingeniously designed room built into the huge tree, look for illustrations from Jane's sketchbook that provide the details of how Tarzan was saved from the savage Sabor, raised by a kindly gorilla Kala and fell in love with Jane Porter.
Explore the mammoth tree with 450 branches containing over 6,000 leaves. The tree’s scientific name is Disneydendron semperflorens grandis or "large ever-blooming Disney tree." As you near the top, you're treated to astonishingly beautiful views of Adventureland far below you.
http://www.chaseskidsclub.com/fun-stuff/tarzan-s-treehouse-at-disneyland
- The Sherman Brothers, who created the famous song sung in the Enchanted Tiki Room, are also responsible for tunes on "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh," "Mary Poppins," "The Jungle Book" and other Disney films!
- There are around 225 birds inside the attraction! Around 120 of them sing.
- You'll only find the delicious Dole Whips in Magic Kingdom, Disneyland and Dole Foods in Hawaii.
- Does Fritz sound familiar? Maybe so - that's Thurl Ravenscroft's voice. He also voices Tony the Tiger, and you'll hear him on the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and as Uncle Theodore on the Haunted Mansion!
- Via Disneyland Detective by Kendra Trahan, the cast of the Enchanted Tiki Room includes 12 tiki drummers, 4 totem poles, 54 singing orchards, 24 singing masks and more!
- It's said that Walt Disney had a mechanical bird in a cage in his office, which inspired the Audio-Animatronic birds you now see in the Enchanted Tiki Room!
https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/secret-history-enchanted-tiki-room
This canoe attraction gives you a chance to view Tom Swayer Island from the water itself. Be ready to work because you’ll be paddling the whole time! Opened on July 4, 1956.
https://www.laughingplace.com/w/p/davy-crocketts-explorer-canoes-disneyland
The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh at Disneyland is a ride for the whole family. Tucked in a corner by Splash Mountain, you will board a beehive ride vehicle outdoors but the ride is located indoors in the old Country Bear Jamboree building.
- Look for the honey jars on the wall and count the misspellings of honey
- Look for the 3 mounted animal heads in the Hufflelumps and Woozles room. It is Melvin, Buff and Max from Country Bears Jamboree which was located where Winnie the Pooh’s ride is now.
- Look for the sign on the second story of Pooh’s Corner that says Barra’s Swigin Arcade. That’s a tribute to bear country.
- You won’t see Christopher Robin on this ride.
- At the exit of the ride, look to the right and you’ll see a statue of a bear. That’s a tribute to Country Bear Jamboree.
https://www.couponingtodisney.com/many-adventures-winnie-pooh-disneyland
In the 1951 movie and the 1865 fantasy novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Alice follows a white rabbit into the rabbit hole. Now it’s your turn. Have a seat in a two-row caterpillar—possibly the most unusual looking ride vehicle ever to come out of WED Enterprises. You begin in a garden of giant fiberglass leaves.
Shortly after you’re dispatched, you enter a black-light world featuring bizarre scenes such as the Upside Down Room and doors that keep getting smaller — smaller than you are — but you somehow fit through anyway. Your caterpillar vehicle exits from the show building onto a narrow ramp which resembles a series of leaves forming a vine. The delicate looking vine is hardly wider than your caterpillar. You quickly navigate a series of hairpin turns as you return to the load area — sort of like a real caterpillar sliding across the tops of leaves.
Opened in 1958 and enhanced in 1984 with dimensional characters replacing the flat-board ones. It was enhanced again in 2014 adding sophisticated digital projections.
https://www.yesterland.com/alice.html
At the edge of Fantasyland, across from the Village Haus restaurant and next to the old favorite Dumbo ride, sits Casey Jr. Circus Train. This was one of the original rides on Disneyland’s opening day in 1955.
Casey Jr. is the train from the Dumbo movie, so it makes sense that it sits next to the Dumbo ride. Both rides are known to have long lines, but Casey’s line moves fairly quickly- especially when there are two trains on the track! Each train takes a fair amount of passengers, who can choose whether to sit in a sleigh type car or an animal cage. If you have young kids, the chances are pretty good they will want to sit in the animal cage cars.
The ride takes you on a short visit over the Storybook canals. It has a fun narrative, largely filled with the catchy Casey Jr. song from the movie Dumbo. There is even a hill in which we hear Casey saying “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…” just like the Little Engine that Could.
Disney Diva Tip:Go for the seats in the caboose. You can ride forward or backward! Two guests to each seat.
http://www.tipsfromthedisneydiva.com/casey-jr-circus-train-disneyland
Dumbo the Flying Elephant is an iconic attraction at the Disneyland Resort that is a favorite for kids and the kids at heart. The new entrance to this attraction is shaded and evokes the feeling of Dumbo’s circus.
https://dapsmagic.com/2018/04/dumbo-reopens-at-disneyland-resort-with-new-queue
“Mickey and the Magical Map” takes guests on a musical adventure with a mischievous Mickey Mouse and the biggest character on stage, the Magical Map. The Map spans the entire stage and has magical powers that come to life through amazing theatrical wizardry, colorful visuals and wonderful music.
The show presents Mickey in his timeless role as the sorcerer’s apprentice. Wise sorcerer Yen Sid directs his Mapmakers, a singing-dancing ensemble cast that paints a wondrous map – capable of taking dreamers to any place imaginable.
Apprentice Mickey lets his curiosity get the better of him and he stumbles upon the map’s magical powers, which take him, along with the audience, on a fantastic journey of imagination in the company of the Mapmakers. The journey, presented through theatrical stage wizardry, unveils wonderful worlds of music, color, adventure and beloved characters with each new direction – all set to an original song, “Journey of the Imagination,” and music from classic Disney films like Jungle Book, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tangled, The Little Mermaid, Lilo and Stitch, and The Princess and The Frog.
https://www.momendeavors.com/new-show-at-disneyland-mickey-and-the-magical-map
It’s a Small World is a slow boat ride that shows the world through the eyes of a child. Everyone coming together in unity and peace. Outside there is a grand facade. The facade showcases various landmarks from around the world. For example, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Eiffel Tower. The centerpiece of this facade is a 30-foot clock tower.
The clock tower comes to life every 15 minutes. There is a procession of 24 dolls that come out the front and go off to each side of the clock tower. When the dolls are done, toy jesters come out and herald the time with fanfare. It was first designed to be at the 1964/1965 World’s Fair in New York. Walt Disney and his team only had 11 months to create the attraction. After the fair was over, the attraction was moved to Disneyland and opened May 28, 1966. On the opening day of the attraction, Walt Disney and children from around the world all poured water into the flume that came from every ocean and major bodies of water from around the world. It was to further signify unity and peace. During the voyage through, guests on the boat can see 7 continents represented. The waterway that the boats travel on is called the Seven Seaways.
It features almost 300 audio-animatronic children. Every outfit in this attraction is authentic. Not only in the design of their apparel but also the material that is used as well. Walt Disney’s costume designer at the time acquired the material from the areas that are depicted in the attraction.
The Song:When It’s a Small World was being designed, Walt Disney was calling it “Children of the World”. He wanted to have all the areas singing their national anthems as you went through. Walt realized that it would be disastrous to have all different temps and melodies clashing together. He then asked the Sherman brothers (they were songwriters for a lot of Walt Disney movies and attractions) to write a universal song that all the children could sing in their own languages.The song It’s a Small World was originally written as a ballad. When Walt Disney heard it he asked the Sherman brothers to speed it up and make it more lively. As a result, when Walt heard the final product he decided to change the name of the attraction to It’s a Small World.
https://lifeinmouseyears.com/10-secrets-of-its-a-small-world
Lyrics:
It's a world of laughter, a world of tears It's a world of hopes and a world of fears There's so much that we share that it's time we're aware It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all It's a small world after all It's a small world after all It's a small, small, world
There is just one moon and one golden sun And a smile means friendship to everyone Though the mountains divide And the oceans are wide It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all It's a small world after all It's a small world after all It's a small, small world
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
Enamored with the classic Griffith Park Carousel, Walt Disney wanted something similar for his new theme park. A Dentzel Menagerie Carousel built in 1875 was purchased from the Sunnyside Amusement Park in Toronto, Ontario and was moved to Anaheim, California for Walt's new Disneyland theme park.
Originally outfitted with three rows, Disney craftsmen created a fourth row to accommodate more riders. Designers were also asked to make each horse a jumper - so stationary horses were altered and repositioned in active poses.
Every carousel horse is hand carved and no two are identical. The majority of Disneyland's carousel horses have distinct names, as Disney designers named horses to fit their individual personalities. Disneyland's official roster of King Arthur Carrousel horses currently lists 85 names. However, there are quite a few names from earlier lists that do not appear on the latest roster. The extra horses are kept backstage, as they are periodically switched out for maintenance or repair.
http://findingmickey.squarespace.com/king-arthurs-carrousel-horses
Although Walt Disney and the Imagineers knew they wanted an Alice in Wonderland ride in Fantasyland, they struggled to nail down a concept at first. Early ideas for the ride included teacups running on a racetrack, interaction with the Mad Hatter’s dining table, and more complex decorations surrounding the ride. Eventually, Disney simplified the idea to oversized spinning teacups, and the Mad Tea Party was born.
The ride debuted on Opening Day in 1955, and guests were immediately obsessed. To this day the Mad Tea Party has some of the highest attendance of any Fantasyland ride.
Alice’s voice welcomes guests to the Mad Tea Party as they load into the teacups. Some of the musical score heard in the original film plays as the cups start spinning all around the Tea Party track, and each cup has its own wheel for adventurous guests to speed up their own ride. The cups spin beneath a series of colorful lanterns, lamps, and a treetop canopy, although most guests are too busy spinning to notice! After about a minute and a half of twisting and turning through the Tea Party, the cups come to a stop and Alice informs visitors that the party has come to an end.
The Mad Tea Party is one of the most famous rides in the park
Many guests claim that the purple teacup spins the fastest. I’ve gone on the ride several times just to test this theory, and have noticed no difference.
In the summer of 1959, Walt’s dream of including a mountain in Disneyland came to life when the Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction opened. The ride is still in operation today with only minor cosmetic and theming changes happening throughout the years.
Walt’s fascination with the real Matterhorn Mountain first grew during a set visit to the production of his live-action feature film Third Man on the Mountain (1959). Legend has is that while in Switzerland, he mailed a souvenir postcard back to Imagineering with a hand-written note: Build This.
While the Disneyland version resembles its real-life counterpart, its peak is only 147 feet high, making it exactly 100 times shorter.
https://wanderdisney.com/item/matterhorn-bobsleds
Matterhorn Bobsleds has been operating at Disneyland Park since 1959 and is a guest favorite attraction at the park. The attraction recently celebrated its sixtieth anniversary.
A funny yet almost to the point of too silly and politically incorrect ride that would ever exist today. Sure the ride is lame by today standards but it’s that classic feeling that made us ride this over and over and over. On a scale of 1.0 to 5.9 it got a 5.1 out of 5.9.
https://emod116.wordpress.com/2016/06/14/review-mr-toads-wild-ride-at-disneyland
An opening day attraction at the Disneyland Park in 1955 and to this day, is still incredibly popular and notorious for long lines. Peter Pan’s Flight is unique from other dark rides in that guests ride in a pirate ship than runs on a track suspended from the ceiling rather than on the ground.
It flies guests out of the Darling’s Nursery, over London, and then on to Neverland. It’s magical for kids, nostalgic and charming for adults.
https://touringplans.com/blog/disneyland-vs-disney-world-peter-pans-flight
Relive the classic adventures of the wooden puppet who dreamed of becoming a real boy.
https://infantasycare.com/en/park/disneyland-3/attraction/pinocchios-daring-journey-3
By day, the serene gardens of Pixie Hollow are a picture-perfect fairy garden meet-and-greet. Shrink to fairy size, walk among the flowers in tall grass, and stroll by the pond as Celtic music plays. Stand in line to see Tinkerbell, along with her fairy friends, who are delightfully welcoming to guests.
What you may not know is that by night, Pixie Hollow surprises unassuming passersby with a seemingly random, swirling light show. The nightly event is awash in writhing colors, spraying fountains, and dramatic music. It’s a charming wonder and a little-known delight in the parks.
Guests also seem to forget this area even exists at night because it’s almost empty every time we visit. It is, in fact, open to guests who want to stroll through perfectly tended gardens and relax with gigantic flowers and life-size mushrooms. It’s a nice little rest area – one of the few quiet out of the way rest spots left in Disneyland park.
https://www.micechat.com/242758-the-surprising-hidden-history-of-disneylands-pixie-hollow
Over the years, the colors and finishes on Sleeping Beauty Castle have been refreshed and updated since Disney Legend and Imagineering Artist Herb Ryman first created the concept illustration of the castle in the 1950s.
“What’s interesting about this time is that we used an ages-old painting technique called atmospheric perspective to visually heighten the castle,” said Kim Irvine, art director at Walt Disney Imagineering. “We warmed the pink hues on the lower towers and gradually added blue to lighten the colors toward the top.”
https://ziggyknowsdisney.com/big-refurbishment-coming-to-sleeping-beauty-castle-in-disneyland
Disney Legend John Hench worked directly with Walt in designing this peaceful, tranquil, garden-like setting just over a wooden bridge to the SE corner of Sleeping Beauty Castle.
One popular story states that it that it all began when a Milan-based sculptor, Leonida Parma, carved a beautiful set of Carrera marble statues of Snow White and the 7 dwarfs as a gift to Walt and shipped them to the U.S. The sculptor chose as his reference/model a set of soap figurines that were popular in Europe at the time.
To fit into the packaging, all the soap characters were molded to the same height, so the sculptor followed suit and carved Snow White the same height as her seven dwarfs. But in the movie, of course, the dwarfs appeared to be about 3 feet high.
So Hench came up with a plan to place Snow White’s statue up high at the top of a waterfall next to some smaller-than-normal woodland creatures. Then he positioned the 7 dwarfs lower and closer to the guests, making them appear larger. This idea is called forced perspective.
Side Note:Apparently the original marble statues did not tolerate the elements over the years and were replaced by fiberglass in the 1980’s
https://dizbuff.com/snow-white-wishing-well-and-grotto-in-disneyland
Using state-of-the-art audio and visual technology, including new music, LED black lighting, laser projections and a new animation system, the attraction brings to life Snow White’s “happily ever after.” Snow White cheerfully dancing and twirling with the Seven Dwarfs in their cozy cottage. You may even notice the scent of Doc’s handiwork – a baking apple pie – wafting through the air, before heading “off to work we go!”
Vibrant new shadow projections bring to life the dwarfs as they march happily off to work in the mine singing “Heigh-Ho.” The most dazzling scene is the mine, which sparkles with shimmering lighting effects and glittering jewels all around.
https://blogmickey.com/2020/12/first-look-snow-whites-enchanted-wish-attraction-at-disneyland
Opened as Canal Boats of the World in 1955, reopened as Storybook Land Canal Boats in 1956. Board these picturesque boats and journey through a miniature world of many Disney motion picture classics. Boats are scaled down replicas of Dutch, English, and French boats. Each is named after a Disney character.
https://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland-california/storybook-land-canal-boats.htm
Legend reports that after gold was discovered in the 1850s, the Big Thunder Mining Company and the town of Rainbow Ridge boomed. Many miners and prospectors moved in to try their luck on becoming rich. Soon thereafter, strange things started to happen. Little did residents know that the area was cursed. Equipment failed and trains would take off without a driver! Rainbow Ridge residents started moving out and even today ghosts play tricks on those that dare to brave Big Thunder Mountain!
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is inspired by Bryce Canyon in Utah. The large rock spires called Hoodoos make up the look and of the mountain.
- The location of Big Thunder Mountain used to house a Walt Disney original – Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland. Rather than a crazy fast train, the journey was a leisure ride that allowed guests to see the old west. The Caverns featuring stalactites and dripping water at the beginning of the ride are also remnants of the attraction.
- Tunnels and former tracks from Journey Through Nature’s Wonderland and the Rainbow Cavern’s Mine Train can be seen. In November of 1953, Walt Disney released a movie called the Living Desert, it won an Academy Award and scenes from the movie were recreated on past attractions.
- Many of the animatronic animals were relocated from Rainbow Caverns and Journey through Nature’s Wonderland attractions and can still be seen in the attraction. Be on the look out for opossums, rattle snakes, coyotes, skunks, and other critters.
- The mountain’s fan favorite resident “the dynamite goat” is found on the back-side of the attraction.
- Big Thunder Mountain gets its name from the frequent earth quakes and cave-ins. Upon entering the large mine on the mountain, your train tries to outrun dynamite fuses lit by unseen specters only to find that the explosion wins.
- Listen for sound effects throughout the attraction, you can hear coyotes howl, the steam whistle on the trains (even though the locomotives have no whistles).
- Upon entering Big Thunder Mountain, the queue lines create a western trail that winds through walls created by over 100 tons of gold ore from a gold mine in Rosamond, California. Antiques from the mining days including waterwheels, a mine sluice, and dinosaur fossils are all part of the Big Thunder Mountain experience.
- Each train has a unique name. The names of the six trains are: U.B. Courageous, U.R. Daring, I.B. Hearty, U.R. Fearless, I.M. Brave, and I.M. Bold!
- For a smoother ride, sit in the front, for a crazier ride sit in the back.
- Disneyland’s Big Thunder Mountain opened to the public on September 2, 1979.
https://www.getawaytoday.com/travel-blog/12-secrets-of-big-thunder-mountain-railroad
A shooting gallery was one of the attractions built at Disneyland when it opened in 1955. However, the guns were very different back then. Your expertise was judged by your ability to fire off small lead pellets. And the gallery was more traditional in display, where you could knock over a duck or hit a bullseye. The amazing thing was that every night after Guests went home, Disney repainted all of the targets as well as replaced shot out targets. When shot, they would have to be replaced. That’s how committed Disney was to maintaining the experience for Guests arriving the next day.
Times have changed. Infrared came in and the result allows for an animated response rather than gunpowder residue. No longer are employees painting through the night. It’s safer and more cost efficient, and kids still line up to take a shot.
http://disneyatwork.com/2016/01/maintaining-the-experience-guest-service-idea-21
The Golden Horseshoe has tons of history and details, like this sign outside the restaurant...
Inside, the main eating space looked beautiful, with tables spaced on the floor as well as on the upstairs locations. It wasn’t super busy when we visited.
Today we ordered the House-made Chocolate-Chunk Cookie Sundae, and it was as delicious as it was adorable. It comes with a warm triple chocolate-chunk cookie made with brown butter and topped with hand-scooped vanilla ice cream as well as drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauce. YUM.
https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/07/29/photos-golden-horseshoe-has-reopened-in-disneyland
A relaxing way to see the Rivers of America. Especially on nights when there is no Fantasmic, you can take an evening cruise. The backside of the Rivers of America was redone recently and has much more scenic views along with animatronics. Definitely a nice way to relax from the crowds.
It is a beautiful paddle-wheel steam powered ship. Lots of detail all over the place, from all the wood trim to all the mechanical workings, this is a great attraction. This is a nice piece of Disneyland to photograph, especially in lower light or to take photographs from. It is nice to go on the Mark Twain to get away from the crowds in Frontier Land and New Orleans Square.
https://mapsus.net/US/mark-twain-riverboat-2332195
After taking the rafts across the Rivers of America to Tom Sawyer Island, we check out the FANTASMIC stage area in front of Lafitte's Tavern. When Pirate's Lair was overlaid at Tom Sawyer Island ten years ago, they incorporated references into the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise.
Rope Bridges. A pirate skeleton clutching a treasure chest.
One of the fun features that has always been a part of Tom Sawyer Island are the caves. These caves have always been a child's playground, with many tight quarters that adults would have trouble with.
https://www.westcoaster.net/home/2017/6/20/disneyland-resort-update-tom-sawyer-island-returns
Disneyland has a new look for its iconic Rivers of America after an 18-month rehab that included hacking off a chunk of the area and giving it to Star Wars Land. I was not a fan of the idea, but I gotta say, I love the attention they’ve lavished on this area after years of neglect. They’ve also added some nifty new effects to the Grand Canyon Diorama that were a treat to discover.
https://disneytravelbabble.com/blog/2017/08/07/rivers-of-america-makeover-photo-tour
Board the 110-foot-long, fully rigged Sailing Ship Columbia and feel the wind and sun upon your face. Marvel at the towering 84-foot mainmast or inspect the merchant ship’s 10 cannons and 2 deck-mounted swivel guns—necessary to repel the attacks of ruthless pirates.
Sailing Ship Columbia recreates the grand pioneering adventures of the famous vessel that discovered the Columbia River and became the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe.
https://disneynews.us/disney-directory/sailing-ship-columbia
On the ship, you can see some of the fun things like cannons but you can also go down below to see the living quarters.
You can ring the bell and yell “The sky is falling the sky is falling!”. At least that is what the Clever Teen found really fun to do on the ship.
http://cleverpinkpirate.com/cool-unique-things-disneyland
Main Street railroad depot at the time of the park's fiftieth anniversary. The building is in the Queen Anne style with mansard roofs, widow's walks, dormers, and a clock tower. Main Street Station is designed to coordinate architecturally with the rest of Main Street, and is the first Disneyland structure visitors see upon entering the park. A sign on the roof shows an elevation of 138 feet above sea level and a population number that roughly corresponds with the number of visitors to the park over the past five decades.
Disneyland Railroad:
The Disneyland Railroad is a 36" narrow gauge Steam Railway that was built for the opening of Disneyland Park in 1955. The Railroad features 5 operating steam locomotives that burn fuel oil as they circle the park stopping at 4 stations along the way making this railroad both an attraction and a form of transportation throughout the park. When the park opened, the Railroad was known as the "Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad" and locomotives #1 - 4 are still named for past Santa Fe Railroad Presidents.
As the Railroad Circles the Park it makes stops at Main Street USA, New Orleans Square, Toontown Station, and Tomorrowland Station. The New Orleans Square Station is where the locomotives take on water and are serviced throughout the day. Across from the boarding platform, the original Frontierland Station from the opening of the park (there was no New Orleans Square when the park opened in 1955) still stands. Also at New Orleans Square, listen for the working telegraph inside the depot and watch for the working semaphore signals. Inside Main Street Station, a replica model of Walt Disney's original miniature steam locomotive, the "Lilly Belle" is on display.
Disneyland Railroad #2 E. P. Ripley - a 36 inch gauge, 4-4-0 American Steam Locomotive.
Disneyland Railroad #3 Fred Gurley - a 36 inch gauge, 2-4-4 T, originally built as a Forney 0-4-4T.
Disneyland Railroad #4 Ernest S. Marsh - a 36 inch gauge, 2-4-0 Steam Locomotive originally built as a 0-4-0T.
https://www.trainchasers.com/disneyland.html
Walt Disney not only wanted to create a tribute to Lincoln but he saw “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” as a means to educate and bring history to life.
Most Americans will agree with me that no man has had more of a positive impact on a nation than Abraham Lincoln has on our country. He is venerated not only in our land but in many parts of the world. Yet I have always felt too few people realize that Lincoln’s concepts and philosophies are as useful, as necessary, as applicable today as they were when he pronounced them a century ago. His analysis of freedom and its true meaning, his approach to justice and equality, his own courage and strength all are as vital in the 1960’s as they were during the mid 1800’s.
Once the NY World’s Fair was over, the Lincoln figure was shipped back to California and “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” was opened on July 18, 1966.
https://johngtestablog.com/2017/02/12/abraham-lincoln-and-walt-disney
Entering this stylish Victorian brick building, you will be transported back to the golden age of cinema, where you can view vintage animated shorts on six different screens. The headliner is the original 1928 Steamboat Willie, which introduced the world to Mickey Mouse.
When the cinema first opened in 1955, it showed a variety of silent movies and vintage news reels. It wasn't until the 1980s that the cinema stopped showing live action films and only showed Disney shorts, including Steamboat Willie.
Guests are greeted by Tilly, the ticket seller. According to her name tag, Tilly is from Marcelaine, Missouri, Walt Disney's boyhood home. Inside the wood-paneled interior is round shaped, where the audience stands in the center, surrounded by six projection screens that all play simultaneously.
https://www.shyguysworld.com/index.php?topic=21030.0
Legend has it that this is the bench Walt used to sit on when he would take his two daughters, Diane and Sharon, to the local park. Here at Griffith Park in Los Angeles, Walt would sit and wait while the girls rode the merry-go-round. Perhaps it was the boredom of sitting and waiting. Perhaps it was his desire to ride the merry-go-round himself. Perhaps it was nothing more than daydreaming. Whatever sparked the thoughts, it was while sitting on the bench waiting for his girls that Walt dreamt up a place where families could have fun together.
Disneyland really began when my two daughters were very young. Saturday was always Daddy’s Day and I would take them to the merry-go-round and sit on a bench eating peanuts while they rode. And sitting there alone, I felt there should be something built, some kind of family park, where parents and children could have fun together.
https://disneyaddicts.com/disneyland-history-whats-so-special-about-a-park-bench-275812
If you walk down Main Street USA at Disneyland you will notice a selection of vintage turn of the century vehicles out on display. But did you also know these vehicles are part of the Main Street Vehicles Ride and are available for rides down Main Street!
Main Street Vehicles are another of Walts Pet Projects. He used to use the Fire Engine to drive around the park prior to the opening. He loved the replica cars and they have been kept in incredible condition over the many years the park has no been operating.
There are 4 Vehicles at Disneyland California all based on vehicles from the 1900 period:
- Double Decker Bus
- Motor Car
- Horse Drawn Street Car
- Fire Engine
You board the Vehicles at either end of Main Street and the route follows the tram tracks down the street. It takes a few minutes to reach the end and there is a commentator pointing out the various buildings and sights along Main Street.
https://yourusacityguide.com/main-street-vehicles-disneyland-california
A quick glance at the entrance to the Penny Arcade will reveal a giant “penny” up above the sign. Ok, that makes sense, it’s a Penny Arcade after all, and a penny on the sign is totally normal and expected. But look a little closer...
You’ll notice that there’s a date on the Indian Head Cent. It reads 1901. Ok, so what. All pennies have to have a date on them. So what’s the significance of the year 1901, if anything? Well it just so happens that a man named Walter Elias Disney was born that same year.
https://dizbuff.com/disneyland-indian-head-one-cent-penny
Find the Pinocchio: Make Him Dance machine. Pulling Pinocchio’s strings is a dream come true, and you can do just that for 25 cents
Have Esmeralda tell your fortune for a quarter. Get your fortune told plus take home a souvenir fortune card. There’s another fun machine in the background here: get buzzed at the Electricity machine.
The Penny Arcade in Disneyland is real. Drop in one penny to watch the show. It’s not just an old fashioned sign—you can really play in this shop for a penny a turn. In this digital age, it is a delight to discover that a primitive frame-by-frame movie can still entertain kids.
The room is gorgeous, with lovely paneling and a stunning ceiling treatment. The theme of "Enchanting the Classics" is illustrated with a wide variety of artwork, starting with Walt Disney's first renovations of Tomorrowland and the Jungle Cruise, through to the recent addition of Disney characters to "it's a small world" and the current Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy overlay. Walt Disney's oft-repeated quote that "Disneyland will never be finished," is displayed on a sign at the entrance to this Gallery.
https://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/entry.php?542-The-Disney-Gallery-reopens-at-Disneyland&styleid=27
The newest of the four stations along the Disneyland Railroad is the Mickey's Toontown Station serving Toontown and Fantasyland. The small station combines the cartoonish lines of Toontown with the profile of the buildings of Fantasyland since it straddles the two areas.
http://amusementpics.com/TPTDL.html
Nuts of any age can climb their way to the top of the Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Treehouse. Enter the treehouse by going up a few steps. Once inside, climb a small narrow staircase to get to the top. Along the climb, you can look out a window. From the top of the Redwood, make your way back down to street level via an exterior staircase.
https://allears.net/disneyland/dlr-planning/chip-n-dales-treehouse-toontown-disneyland
Nestled in between Goofy’s house and Gadget’s Go Coaster is Donald’s Boat
https://myyearwiththemouse.com/2012/03/26/donalds-boat-s-s-miss-daisy
This speedy coaster zips through Mickey’s Toontown. It was built by the inventor mouse from Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers to give you brilliant view of Toon Lake.
https://thefirstdrop.net/disneyland-resort/disneyland-park/gadgets-go-coaster
The home of the main mouse himself sits nestled in the residential area of Toontown. Mickey’s House is basically an elaborate indoor air conditioned queue in order to meet Mickey.
On this very hot day, the wait for meeting Mickey was a whopping 60 minutes. However, we were happy that we got to wait in the cool, and my daughter was happy to explore Mickey’s House while we waited.
https://www.themouseforless.com/blog_world/tour-mickeys-house-disneyland
In November of 1928, an animated star was born. Minerva “Minnie” Mouse was created as the girlfriend to Mickey Mouse. Minnie’s pink and purple house isn’t a cutesy museum where you can stroll through and not touch, it’s totally interactive. It’s not a shell of a make-believe home. Visitors feel as if they are strolling through a home that’s lived in by Minnie herself.
Kids and adults can see a cake baking in the oven, watch the dishes clean themselves in her magical dishwasher, open cabinets, and lounge on Minnie’s cartoon-like furniture. It’s an incredible world of make-believe come to life. There's even a wishing well that talks back to you in the back yard!
https://screenrant.com/disneyland-minnie-mouse-house-trivia
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin in Disneyland is a runaway taxicab ride as you stay on the trail of Roger Rabbit and Benny the Cab who are trying to find Jessica Rabbit. Make sure you avoid the villainous Weasles who are pouring Toon-melting Dip in the paths of passing vehicles! Turn your steering wheel and your car will rotate a full 360 degrees!
https://www.couponingtodisney.com/roger-rabbits-car-toon-spin-in-disneyland
Those dots and dashes you hear coming out of the “telegraph” are not some random mumbo jumbo. They’re actually tapping out a real message. It’s a paraphrasing of the first two lines of Walt’s Opening Day speech in 1955. As I have often said, Disney’s genius is in the details. And these details are everywhere in the parks, if you just look for them.
https://dizbuff.com/disneyland-railroad-telegraph-office-new-orleans-square
The Disneyland version was the last attraction that Walt Disney himself participated in designing; it opened on March 18, 1967, three months after his death. He never got to ride it but did get to experience it on a sound stage that had everything set up as a mock ride. The ride was original supposed to be wax figures but Walt wanted to do animatronics after the success of the Jungle Cruise. They had only done animals at that point so doing people was a new challenge that Walt took on.
Pirates of the Caribbean’s film franchise was all inspired by the attraction. The first movie came out in 2003 and then in 2006, they started adding elements of the movie into the ride. New movies also came out in 2007, 2011, 2017...
https://jamonkey.com/seeing-where-it-all-began-at-the-disneyland-pirates-of-the-caribbean-ride
Real Skeletons- If you have ever been on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride you have most definitely noticed the skeleton props. What you probably didn’t know is that some of the skeletons are REAL. When the ride first opened in the late 60’s, skeletons from the UCLA Medical School were used instead of fake props due to the fact that they looked more realistic. Today, only one real skeleton remains. Look for the skull on the headboard of the bed!
If you poll guests and ask “What is your favorite attraction?” or “If you could only ride one attraction at Disneyland today, what would it be?”, you’d be amazed at how often the Haunted Mansion is named.
The first day the public was allowed to enter the Haunted Mansion as August 9th, 1969. The public response was incredible. After all, they had been looking at the completed mansion structure since ’63 and now everyone could finally go inside. In fact, shortly after the Mansion opened, Disneyland set an attendance record with over 82,000 guests (that would be an enormous day even today).
There have been a few technology improvements over the years, but the basic effects and sounds have remained the same. The biggest enhancement to the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland came in 2001. Following the success of Tim Burton’s film “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, Disneyland premiered the most impressive and expansive “overlay” that any Disney Park has seen to this day – The Haunted Mansion Holiday.
A dream come true for Star Wars fans as it puts you in control of the most iconic spaceship in film history. Guests board the Millennium Falcon for a special mission given by smuggler Hondo Ohnaka who you know from the Star Wars animated series “Rebels.”
You then control the ship in one of three roles: Pilot, Engineer or Gunner with real consequences on whether the mission is a success or if the ship turns to scrap metal once you’re finished.
Everything about this experience is made to be as realistic as possible. In fact Disney has built a full-sized, 100-foot replica of the Millennium Falcon, complete with an interior that looks identical to the one in the movies.
The actual ride length is 4 minutes and 30 seconds long from beginning to end. This, however, doesn’t include the ride’s extensive queue and pre-show which is almost an attraction all on its own. You’re entertained almost from the minute you step in line for the ride and it’s one of the best attraction queues in any Disney park worldwide.
Guests enter the iconic Millennium Falcon starship for a secret interactive smuggling mission, with each passenger playing a role in the completion of the mission. It’s almost as much video game as it is a ride, with dozens of buttons and levers to push to complete your tasks. Smugglers Run is not a roller coaster, but a motion simulator ride. There is no track and you do not move forward, only shake side to side and up and down.
Each guest onboard the Millennium Falcon will have a specific role required for your group to complete its mission. The different roles are as follows:
- Pilots: Steering he ship and making the jump to hyperspace
- Gunners: Shooting down the incoming TIE Fighters
- Engineers: Repairing any damage taken by TIE Fighters
The Millennium Falcon cockpit holds 6 crew members, 2 for each of the 3 roles listed above. The cockpit is set up in 3 rows: pilots in the front, gunners in the middle, and flight engineers in the last row.
https://ziggyknowsdisney.com/millennium-falcon-smugglers-run
It’s the most ambitious and immersive ride that Disney has ever built, and is more like an experience rather than only a ride. It completely sucks you in for the entire more than 15-minute long experience from start to finish! Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is on a scale like nothing else you’ve ever seen in a theme park attraction. It has 18 show areas and 4 ride system types in all bringing guests through the biggest attraction show building they’ve ever created.
The Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride is HUGE and it’s essentially 4 attractions built into 1 with guests boarding various ride vehicles, transports, and even walking the halls of a Star Destroyer as a prisoner.
Rise of the Resistance is set up with a 3-Act Structure:
- Act 1: The caves systems of Batuu and ride Pre-Show
- Act 2: Ascent into space aboard the I-TS shuttle
- Act 3: Escape from the Star Destroyer
To give you an idea though about how detailed this interior is, there are more than 65 state-of-the-art animatronic figures, including the Droids and Stormtroopers.
https://ziggyknowsdisney.com/star-wars-rise-of-the-resistance-ride-details
This station is always less busy and is tucked behind Autopia
https://foursquare.com/v/drr-tomorrowland-station/597e341835dfa729793ee6d3
Disneyland's Autopia ride has given many young gearheads their first taste of behind-the-wheel excitement. Autopia is one of the original attractions that opened with the theme park on July 17, 1955, and at the time was meant to preview America's yet-unrealized multilane highway infrastructure of the future. It wasn't long after, though, that President Eisenhower signed a bill authorizing the Interstate Highway System, and Autopia became less about the future and more about the present.
Since then, the ride's inclusion in the Tomorrowland section of the park has been somewhat questionable, and attempts at revamping the attraction have struggled to keep Autopia relevant. Honda is the latest sponsor to take on this challenge, and the automaker invited us to a preview event to be the first to ride the new Autopia.
https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/disneyland-autopia-powered-by-honda-review
This ride is great for all ages- though kids who are afraid of Evil Emperor Zurg might need someone to cuddle up to in a couple of the scenes. This interactive ride puts you in a spaceship and gives you a blaster, which you can shoot at targets to earn points and level up your Space Ranger rank.
Different shaped targets earn different amounts of points and moving targets earn more, too- and keep your eye out for some hidden targets that only come out when activated! This ride never gets old as you can always try to beat your high score- or the score of your seatmate!
The Monorail system opened for the first time on June 14, 1959. It’s the first transportation that has been made like it in the United States. It is essentially referred to as the “Highway in Sky,” and for a good reason. It had two train cars, and there were three cabins. There was the Monorail Blue and the Monorail Red. The view was astounding, and it was Walt Disney’s vision to have something so beautiful created so guests could experience a journey to take in all the scenery.
The Monorail’s interesting aspect is that when it first opened, it wasn’t a mode of transportation. They didn’t start using it to help get people where they were going until 1961. It was intended to be a ride, and it turned into a way for guests to get from point a to point b. Genius solution if you ask me.
https://www.pixiedustedjourneys.com/all-about-the-disneyland-monorail
It was originally the Submarine Voyage and it opened on June 14, 1959 and closed on September 9, 1998. The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage opened on June 11,2007.
It starts out with a “descent” into the lagoon. You’ll travel in the Australian Current, a shipwreek, a field of anglerfish, and into a whale.
Hold onto your hats, this here’s the wildest ride in the wilderness. Your train ride begins entering a dark cave and exiting on top of the mountain. You then drop into canyons passing amazing rock formations, waterfalls, and wildlife. The last leg of the ride has you entering an abandoned mine shaft with exploding dynamite and falling rocks. As you exit the mine, you pass by old dinosaur bones and the Town of Big Thunder and you safely arrive at the train station.
https://www.skywaytowonderland.com/the-mountains-are-calling
Disneyland’s Tomorrowland location is ideal for an attraction like this as it is a natural setting for a futuristic space port… albeit one long ago in a galaxy far, far away.
After picking up your flight glasses, you’re finally directed to your gate. You’re welcome to view the status of your Starspeeder on the overhead displays. The passengers aboard the safety spiel look much more “Star Wars” and we learn that C-3PO is on board the speeder working out some bugs.
Our real pilot ACE-38 takes a breather but insists that C-3PO makes it quick as we have a flight soon. It’s time to board but when we do, C-3PO is still at work. He unknowingly activates the autopilot and takes us on a grand adventure to destinations such as Tatooine, Hoth, Kashyyyk, Naboo, and many more.
Head towards the lower level of the Tomorrowland Expo Center and immerse yourself in the Star Wars universe. Constructed at the former site of Disney’s Innoventions in Anaheim, California, Launch Bay offers something for just about every Star Wars fan:
- The museum-quality displays showcase memorabilia, large-scale replicas (and an occasional original) of Star Wars props, costumes, vehicles and other artifacts.
- A Star Wars-style cantina offers you the opportunity to inspect, at your leisure, the hangout of most every scum and villain you can imagine. A cast of bounty hunters, smugglers and aliens should rotate throughout the day. And don’t forget to check out the holochess and sabaac (card game) in the Cantina as well.
- At the Game Center, you can play several interactive Star Wars video games, including new and exclusive Disney Infinity toy box levels available only at the Launch Bay.
- Launch Bay Theater: A short video features comments from various writers, directors, and other production members who have brought George Lucas’s vision to life since 1977.
- At the Star Wars Launch Bay Cargo (a/k/a “the gift shop”), remember to bring lots of galaxian credits (or a credit card) for some amazing merchandise. High-end purchases include signed memorabilia, life-sized costumed models and personalized D-Tech on Demand mobile device cases.
https://futureofstarwars.wordpress.com/2015/11/15/star-wars-launch-bay-opens-at-disneyland
The Disneyland Park, originally Disneyland, is the first of two theme parks built at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, opened on July 17, 1955.Disneyland:
- It is the only theme park designed and built to completion under the direct supervision of Walt Disney.
- It was originally the only attraction on the property; its official name was changed to Disneyland Park to distinguish it from the expanding complex in the 1990s.
- It was the first Disney theme park.
- Disney bought a 160-acre site near Anaheim in 1953.
- The Park was designed by a creative team, hand-picked by Walt from internal and outside talent.
- They founded WED Enterprises, the precursor to today's Walt Disney Imagineering.
- Construction began in 1954 and the park was unveiled during a special televised press event on the ABC Television Network on July 17, 1955.
Major Renovations:
- 1966 New Orleans Square
- 1972 Bear Country (now Critter Country)
- 1993 Mickey's Toontown
- 2001 Disney California Adventure Park (built on the site of Disneyland's original parking lot)
- 2019 Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Disneyland has a larger cumulative attendance than any other theme park in the world, with 726 million visits since it opened (as of December 2018). In 2018, the park had approximately 18.6 million visits, making it the second most visited amusement park in the world that year, behind only Magic Kingdom, the very park it inspired.According to a March 2005 Disney report, 65,700 jobs are supported by the Disneyland Resort, including about 20,000 direct Disney employees and 3,800 third-party employees.
For more than 60 years, the “Happiest Place on Earth” has been a little park in southern California called Disneyland. Disneyland opened on July 17th, 1955 with 18 rides and attractions. Just one year after Disneyland opened its door, 5 million people had visited the park. As of 2019, more than 700 million people have visited Disneyland. The history of Disneyland is more than six decades-long. There’s just something about it - something special - that makes it a place unlike any other.