When Walt Disney, creator of Mickey Mouse and other animated film cartoon characters who have become household names, first viewed 160 acres of flat sandy land in suburban Anaheim, California, 25 miles southeast of Los Angeles, he envisioned what others would never have dreamed of--$17,000,000 Disneyland, which threw wide its gates to the public in mid-July of 1955. Before his magic hand began to mold it, ...
A report on the first six months of operation of Disneyland Monday disclosed that 2,006,362 persons have visited the park here since it opened last July 18.
The report by the park management said 35 per cent of that figure, or some 700,000 persons, had come from out of the state of California "making Disneyland the largest single attraction" in the Western United States. Out of-state visitors included ...
Parents entering Disneyland with their children are due for the same surprise they got from other Walt Disney creations. What is planned as a dutiful pilgrimage for the sake of the children turns out to be an eye-opening day of adult entertainment and education. Children who never saw a horse-drawn car of fire wagon are delighted. But adults are literally transported by these vehicles down nostalgic Main ...
Marking first anniversary of operation is one of the world most novel railroads, the 5/8-scale Santa Fe and Disneyland which is a feature of Walt Disney's magic kingdom near Anaheim.
The tiny railroad began operations in mid-July, 1955, with two trains. Since then an estimated 1,500,000 adults and children have viewed Disneyland in striking perspective from the perimeter of the 60-acre park.
The ...
Only auto of its kind, the early 1900's "horseless wagon," built by Carnation Company last summer to deliver its dairy products inside Disneyland has become one of the roost photographed objects in this photogra pher's paradise. Half the picture albums of the nation at the present rate will include its shiny red and white likeness, if it survives the stream of tourists who slide behind its old-fashioned ...
A $2,700,000 suit against Disneyland was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court Monday for alleged breach of contract in the selling of souvenirs at the famed playland.
In addition to the amount named in the suit, the court was also asked to restrain Disneyland from further sales of souvenirs -until an accounting of funds is made.
In the complaint it was alleged the American Souvenirs Corp. entered ...
The clock will be turned back a half century today at Disneyland as the multimillion - dollar amusement park celebrates Easter Sunday as it was at the turn of the century.
The traditional "Easter parade" will feature bonnets and costumes worn in the early years of the 20th Century. "Horseless carriages" of the same era also will be featured.
Most of the costumes have been donated for the ...
Disneyland is now past the half-way point in a spring construction program that will add 1 1/2 million dollars in new rides and amusements to Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom in Anaheim.
Major areas of activity are Frontierland and the Tom Sawyer Island in the Rivers of America. More than $250,000 is being spent to make the island a "playland out of a youngster's dream."
On the island -- named for and ...
President Sukarno of Indonesia dropped the cares of state Thursday to laugh and relax at Disneyland.
Like any other father, Indonesian's chief kept one eye on the sights and the other on his 12-your-old son, Guntur.
For President Sukarno the visit to Disney's playground was in contrast to the carefully planned high level talks and diplomatic discussions that discussions that head his list of ...
Disneyland offers some good news today. The fabulous fun land will be open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. starting Saturday, offering more opportunities for sightseeing to those who find the present 8 p.m. closing time inconvenient.
And starting now, Disneyland will be open every Monday - the day it formerly was closed.
From the Collection of James ...
Metro Operates Special Bus Line To Disneyland
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Even the ride from Los Angeles to Disneyland is enchanting for those who ride on a new bus line operated by Metropolitan Coach Lines direct to the l60-acre playground in Anaheim.
Since its opening in July, 1955 Disneyland has come the lading playground in Southern California. Of last year's nearly two million visitors, more than 40,000 have made the visit in Metro coaches.
As a promotional ...
Sound Effects Add Realism To Disneyland
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Realistic sound effects provide a great deal of realism at Walt Disney's 160-acre "Disneyland" park at Anaheim, California, thus heightening the illusion of a simulated trip to the moon or a river cruise through the African jungle, hence the extensive array of audio equipment.
A full-time service crew consisting of six technicians is required to maintain 290 loudspeakers, more than 40 miles of wiring, ...
Big Disneyland Expansion Since Original Opening
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When Walt Disney completed the $2,000,000 expansion program at Disneyland this summer, it was estimated by park officials that the capacity had increased by 100,000 rides per day.
Completion of Disneyland"s first expansion program came this past month with the opening of the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train Ride in Frontierland.
The Rainbow Caverns ride was the last and most costly of the new ...
Disneyland Hotel
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The formal opening festivities of the $10,000,000 Disneyland Hotel Saturday by owners Jack Wrather, Los Angeles and Texas industrialist, and Helen Alvarez of San Diego, marks a milestone in the 16-month construction program by Wrather-Alvarez Hotels, Inc., which commenced with formal groundbreaking ceremonies on March 18, 1955.
The first and largest major resort hotel to be built in the Southland ...
Young Industrialist Wrather Adds Hotel To Vast Holdings
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Disneyland Hotel brings the holdings of Jack Wrather, 37- year-old Texas California industrialist, to three hotels, a television station, The Lone Ranger, Inc., two radio stations, a 2.000-acre ranch, Corriganville, near Chatsworth, and his oil business.
"Youth" might be said to be the theme of the entire Wrather industrial and entertainment operation, for he feels that the West, and particularly ...
Jungle Trips Draw Crowds
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Disneyland officials report that 2,084,189 persons enjoyed Adventureland's jungle river cruise during the first year of operation. Runners-up were the Mark Twain with 1,318,926 passengers; the Santa Fe and Disneyland Passenger Train with 1,143,959; and Snow White Ride with 1,021,976 adventurers.
It was pointed out, however, that the popularity of individual attractions cannot be judged by the number ...
Hotel Restaurants Can Feed 2000 Visitors In Fine Settings
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The $350,000 Gourmet - Disneyland Hotel Restaurants, which opened this spring as a prelude to this week's formal opening festivities of the Wrather - Alvarez Disneyland Hotel, form the third of the triumvirate of facilities at the new western play-land:
1 Entertainment, at the internationally famous Disneyland.
2 Accommodations and recreation, at the $10,000,000 Disneyland hotel, with Olympic - ...
Crane Co Showing Plumbing Future
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One of the newest exhibits in Disneyland is the display by Crane Co., makers of "Everything AND the Kitchen Sink." Giant cranes, fabricated of pipe, join Walt Disney's cartoon characters in a park dedicated to a new concept of entertainment for youngsters and adults.
The Crane exhibit in the Tomorrowland section was dedicated by company President Frank F. Elliott and Walt Disney, creator of ...
Outstanding Shops Now Open In Hotel
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Disneyland Hotel has several outstanding shops which already have proven highly popular with the visitors.
Carrying the finest in imports and domestic merchandise, the shops are of the latest styling in decor and invite visitors to the hotel or restaurants to browse through them at leisure.
The Men's Shop is owned by Lee Williams who virtually was born in the clothing business in Ohio and has ...
New Type Of Locks Secure Each Room
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One of the unusual features which distinguishes the fabulous Disneyland Hotel is that it contains the first installation of new Yale 5400 series cylindrical hotel locks on the west coast. A product of the Yale & Towne Manufacturing Co. of White Plains, N. Y. these new locks combine all the features formerly found only in mortise locksets of large hotels, and have added features which will greatly increase ...
Disneyland Prices
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Admission prices to Disneyland in Anaheim will be lowered to 90 cents for adults and 70 cents for juniors effective Saturday. The reduction is in line with the abandonment of federal amusement tax on admissions amounting to less than one dollar, Disneyland management reported.
From the Collection of James ...
Ultra-Violet Sees Unseen In New Mineral Hall Exhibit
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Disneyland's newest exhibit, Frontierland s Mineral Hall, is giving many of the Park's guests their first exposure of the wonders of to Black Light, the Ultra Violet rays that are found at the low end or invisible end of the light spectrum.
The free exhibit gives dramatic evidence of the uses of Ultra Violet light in home, industry medicine, food processing and even crime detection.
The many ...
Rare Antiques In Disneyland
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Yes, the magic kingdom of Disneyland abounds in genuine antiques. Some of them dating back to the 1500's, are in Tomorrowland (of all places!) as part of the interior of the "Nautilus," the submarine in "20,000 leagues Under The Sea." Since the Nautilus foretold what we know today as atomic-powered underwater craft, this exhibit is located in Tomorrowland. There are other antiques in Frontierland, the area ...
Magic Kingdom One Year After
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Above is pictured Disneyland as it looks today, some 14 months after the Grand Opening, of July 18, 1955. In that brief span of time the Anaheim Magic Kingdom has come to rank as the number one visitor attraction in the United States. It is expected that the Park will great its five millionth-visitor sometime during the current month.
The now familiar "heart" shape of Disneyland makes it easy for the ...
Complain Elephants Trumpet
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Mrs. Ray Campbell. 900 S. Walnut St., Anaheim is having trouble -- with elephants.
They won't let her sleep she complained to the police.
Officers said they would ask authorities at Disneyland, where Mrs. Campbell says the elephants reside, to muffle the trumpeting pachyderms, especially at night.
But at Disneyland, officials denied they were harboring any elephants.
"All we have is the ...
5 Millionth Visitor At Disneyland
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Four-year-old Debra Rutherford knew Disneyland was going to be wonderful. When she arrived Wednesday it exceeded her wildest dreams.
It was her insistence -- and that of her 3-year-old sister Patricia-that convinced their parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Rutherford, to travel from their home in Quincy, Wash.
They reached Los Angeles Wednesday morning and drove straight to Disneyland.
When Debra ...
Omnibus In Wonderland
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Blending perfectly with its turn-of-the-century surroundings a specially constructed omnibus is the newest attraction on Disneyland's busy Main Street - of the world's most unusual thoroughfares. A "double-decker" with a capacity of 37 passengers and resembling the famous buses of pre-World War I London, it provides the practical function of transporting guests from the park's entrance to the four magic ...
Steamboat 'round The Bend
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A summer vacation with pay. . . traveling down the rivers of America into the past . . . the exotic and the whimsical . . . this was my summer travel adventure.
Dozens of school teachers and college students shared this unusual tour, yet none of us traveled more than 50 miles. All of us met thousands of people from nearly every corner of the earth. We were part of the newest of Americana, Disneyland, ...
Christmas In A Magic Kingdom
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Brightest spot in all the Southland this Christmas will be Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom in Anaheim.
Walt is presently readying a glorious old-fashioned festival for the enjoyment of the thousands of holiday season visitors to his 20 million-dollar entertainment capital.
Live entertainment in the form of hundreds of visiting choral groups, orchestras, choirs and bands will blend with the park's ...
Russians Live It Up In Anaheim
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Eighteen Russian Olympic Games coaches, trainers and officials en route home from Melbourne had the time of their lives at Disneyland Wednesday afternoon.
Visas were waived as was the Russian's inadmissibility to the United States as members of the Communist Party, the U.S .Immigration Service said, "but only for their 15-hour stopover between planes."
Four Russians wound up in a car labels ...
1956 Disneyland AttractionsOpening/Closing:
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Father Sues Disneyland For Sons Injury (Injury)
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Accident Date: April 14, 1956
Accident Type: Injury
April 15, 1956:--A petition filed in Superior Court yesterday sought $1,250 from Disneyland Inc. as settlement for damages suffered by a Menago boy in a miniature auto.
Garland Sumrall, stated in his petition to settle a disputed claim that his 10-year-old son. Garland Jr. suffered a broken leg, cuts, bruises and shock from an accident at the park April 14, 1956.
Sumrall 's attorney Herbert L. ...
January 1956
D Tickets added to Ticket Books.
5 Millionth Guest Admitted
October 1956
5 Millionth guest walked through the gates.
December 1956
New adventures for 1956 proved quickly that Walt Disney would keep his promise of Disneyland's continued growth. Added to the show were:
ADDITIONS :
*TOM SAWYER ISLAND -- Frontierland
*SKYWAY (aerial tramway between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland)
*TOM SAWYER ISLAND RAFTS -- Frontierland
*ASTRO-JETS (now the "Rocket Jets") -- Tomorrowland
*HORSELESS CARRIAGE -- Main Street, U.S.A.
*INDIAN WAR CANOES (now the "Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes") -- Frontierland
*JUNIOR AUTOPIA--Fantasyland
*OMNIBUS -- Main Street, U.S.A.
*RAINBOW CAVERNS MINE TRAIN (since removed) -- Frontierland
*STORYBOOK LAND CANAL BOATS (redesigned) -- Fantasyland
*RAINBOW RIDGE PACK MULES (redesigned) -- Frontierland
*RAINBOW MOUNTAIN STAGE COACHES (redesigned) -- Frontierland
*INDIAN VILLAGE, featuring live shows (removed for construction of Bear Country -- Frontierland
INVESTMENT: Total to date: $18.5 million
ATTENDANCE: 3.8 million for the year
HIGHLIGHTS: Disneyland's five millionth guest walked through the entrance gates in October.
At year's end, Disneyland had welcomed guests from every state and from 60 foreign nations. The holiday season featured scores of youth music groups performing in "Christmas Bowl."
This year marked the debut of the Park's spectacular fireworks displays, which highlighted the summer season.
Park hosted its first old-fashioned Easter Parade April 1.
FAMOUS GUESTS:
*President Sukarno of Indonesia (May)
*Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the U.S. (December)
