Disneyland, Anaheim CA

July 17, 1955 is still known as ''Black Sunday'' at Disney. By day's end, he and his team faced melting asphalt, food shortages, gas leaks, and 28,000 guests instead of the expected 15,000.

Here's what happened on opening day, when the Happiest Place on Earth felt anything but.

Walt Disney's Morning Mishap

Walt needed rest before greeting guests on opening day, so he went to his small apartment above the Main Street firehouse for a quick nap.

When he woke up, Walt found himself locked inside his own room. He had to yell for help through the windows until someone heard him and came to the rescue. This small problem was just the first of many bigger ones to come.

Ticket Fraud Created Massive Crowds

Disney planned a special event for 15,000 invited guests. But counterfeiters made fake tickets that looked real enough to fool the workers at the gates.

Some people didn't bother with tickets at all. They simply climbed over fences to get in. One man even set up a ladder and charged $5 per person for illegal entry.

Traffic backed up for seven miles and by midday, more than 28,000 people packed the park. The walkways became so crowded people could barely move.

High Heels Stuck in Main Street

Workers had poured fresh asphalt on Main Street that very morning, and it hadn't fully hardened. The hot sun and thousands of walking feet turned the pavement soft and sticky, as temperatures hit 100 degrees.

Women wearing fashionable high heels found their shoes sinking into the black surface. Many got stuck mid-step. Some pulled their feet free but left their shoes behind, forever trapped in Main Street.

Workers rushed to sprinkle sand over the worst spots, but couldn't fix all the melting areas.

No Water During a Heat Wave

A plumbers' strike forced Walt to make a tough choice days before opening: working toilets or working drinking fountains. He chose toilets.

This left most water fountains completely dry throughout the park. Thirsty guests found empty fountains everywhere. Some drank from decorative water features never meant for drinking. Others waited in huge lines at the few places selling beverages.

Newspapers accused Disney of turning off fountains on purpose to sell more drinks.

Fire Danger in Fantasyland

That same day, workers found a dangerous gas leak under Fantasyland, and this forced them to close Fantasyland, Adventureland, and Frontierland for several hours.

Someone reportedly dropped a cigarette near the castle, which lit the gas-soaked ground on fire.

Maintenance crews had to dig through the new pavement to find and fix the leaking pipe.

Riverboat Almost Sinks

About 500 people crowded onto the Mark Twain Riverboat, far more than it was built to carry. The overloaded boat began tilting from side to side as water washed over the lower deck.

The boat slipped off its underwater track and got stuck in the mud. Workers spent nearly 30 minutes trying to free it and get people off safely.

When the boat finally returned to the dock, everyone rushed to one side to get off.

This made the boat tip again, forcing many guests to wade through knee-deep water to reach land.

Popular Rides Remained Closed

Many excited children ended up disappointed during Disneyland's opening.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Peter Pan's Flight, and Rocket to the Moon all sat closed and unfinished. Most of Tomorrowland wasn't ready.

In fact, workers continued hammering, painting, and building as visitors walked past. Walt also noticed weeds growing along the Canal Boats ride, so he told staff to put Latin name tags next to the weeds, pretending they were exotic plants on display.

Restaurant Chaos on Opening Day

Only three restaurants were open to feed 28,000 hungry people, and kitchen staff had prepared for half the actual number of guests.

Food stands quickly ran out as lines stretched across the park. Many visitors waited in line for hours only to find empty food trays.

America Watched Live on Television

ABC broadcast ''Dateline Disneyland'' live across the country. About 90 million people watched, nearly half of all Americans at that time.

Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings, and Ronald Reagan (who later became President) hosted the 90-minute show.

The broadcast used 24 cameras and miles of cable throughout the park. TV viewers saw a seemingly perfect opening day because the cameras carefully avoided showing any problems, focusing instead on smiling faces and the few working attractions.

Hollywood Stars Amid the Chaos

Many famous people came despite the problems. Frank Sinatra rode the Autopia cars wearing his trademark hat and Sammy Davis Jr. smiled for photos in the heat. Jerry Lewis, Debbie Reynolds, and California Governor Goodwin Knight all attended.

Fess Parker rode a horse down Main Street dressed as Davy Crockett, with his co-star Buddy Ebsen performing nearby. The original Mouseketeers made their first public appearance as well.

Visiting Disneyland

You'll find Disneyland at 1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, California 92802. The park typically opens between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM and closes between 8:00 PM and midnight, with hours varying by season.

Multi-day passes offer better value if you plan to visit more than one day. Don't miss iconic original attractions that survived the 1955 chaos including the Disneyland Railroad, Jungle Cruise, and Mark Twain Riverboat.