A lot has changed at Disneyland since the park first opened in 1955. Over the nearly six decades that have passed since its debut, many things at the Happiest Place on Earth have either been lost over time or met with a wrecking ball during one of the park's many expansions and refurbishments. We list five original Disneyland artifacts that existed in the park back when Walt walked Main Street, ...

Having first visited Disneyland as a 2-year-old, Fairfax journalist James Croot reflects after his recent sixth visit. "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 savour the challenge and promise of the future." Walter E Disney's words when he opened his theme park in July 1955 have never felt truer than ...

The key to a great theme park attraction is the same as with any other form of entertainment -great attractions tell great stories. But what makes a story great? Obviously, some tales endure for generations and passing that test of time is as good a sign as any that a story has reached greatness. But Disneyland fans with long memories might have noticed how storytelling in the parks has changed over ...

During the rush of getting the Park constructed, "Tomorrowland" was the last land finished. Budget cuts didn't allow all of its attractions to be opened that first day. One of those cuts was to use the "Nautilus" sets from "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" as a walk-through. When it closed in 1966, the organ belonging to Captain Nemo was moved to the ballroom of the "Haunted Mansion." For the first four ...

When Disneyland opened its doors in Anaheim, California, on July 17, 1955, the word astronaut was not yet a household term. But a bright white rocketship towered over Tomorrowland (and, in fact, the entire park), poised to blast off into soon-to-be explored galaxies. Behind it stood a geometric space station, red letters over the entrance labeling it "Rocket To The Moon," with two large spherical theatres ...

1955 Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week in summer; closed Mondays the rest of the year. Size: 60 acres, plus 100 acres for parking. Zones: Fantasyland, Frontierland, Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Main Street USA 18 attarctions Admission: $1 (including tax) for adults. 50 cents for children. Ride tickets, sold separately, priced from 10 to 35 cents. Employees: About 1,000 ...

Disneyland is a place where a grown man looks perfectly normal wearing Mickey Mouse ears and where a little girl can feel like a princess. The first true theme park also is a melting pot where an Indian woman in traditional dress poses for a photo in front of the Small World ride featuring children from around the world and where instructions to ride the Winnie the Pooh attraction are given in ...

The year is 1954, and construction for Disneyland park is in full swing. The many creative faces of WED Enterprises were hard at work so that it would reach its ambitious opening date in 1955. Scaffolders were placing finishing touches on the rugged cliffs of Adventureland, engineers were developing the precise movements of Abraham Lincoln, and Walt Disney himself was faced with a massive decision. ...

You 've probably seen it gliding over Disneyland, and likely felt the whoosh of the nearly silent machine as it sped past you at 30 mph. Maybe you turned your back, forgetting there was an elevated train track nearby, only to jump at the blast of the monorail 's horn. But unless you 're a guest at a Disneyland hotel, you probably don 't have much occasion to ride the monorail. ...

Of all the beautiful things Disney has given the world - anthropomorphic mice, immersive-environment theme parks, monorails - there 's only one that 's part of countless Super Bowl spreads in homes across America today. (And no, I 'm not talking about the “I 'm going to Disneyland!” thing. That 's another story.) You 've probably got it in your kitchen right now, actually. Doritos, you might ...

Even if you didn 't know what was ahead of you, you knew what you were walking toward. The smell was unmistakable. Turn the corner from Disneyland 's New Orleans Square, pass the Mark Twain Riverboat, and there it was - four spoked wheels, wooden-slat walls and thick canvas stretched across the top, emblazoned with one iconic phrase: “Westward ho!” The quick-service cart in Frontierland was ...

Man's activities in 1986, the world of the future, are being presented in various exhibits In Tomorrowland by some of the major corporations in the United States. The earth's history, dating back three billion years, is portrayed through an animated display by Richfield, while the "Story of Oil," in Cinemascope, is also present. The Autopia, gasoline powered car which travels the ...

The future came and went a long time ago at Disneyland. When Walt Disney was building his dream park in Anaheim, time and money were scarce and Tomorrowland was a prime place to cut corners. Autopia and Rocket to the Moon were the biggest attractions, with much of the remaining real estate occupied by corporate educational exhibits like Monsanto 's Hall of Chemistry and Crane 's Bathroom of Tomorrow. ...