Guests spin around in circles as fast or slow as they desire in giant tea cups from the Alice in Wonderland film.
I Found Secret Book Reserved For One Guest Per Day
Dateline: September 25, 2023
Status: Current
Source: SFGate
There are two kinds of Disneyland fans: the ones who ride some rides, have some fun and go home, and the ones who go so often that they 're looking for something more. Some of those people get obsessive about collecting merch or sampling every new food item. Some of those people dig deep into obscure historical tidbits about the park. And some of them push
Opening Day Attractions You Can Still Enjoy At Disney
Dateline: September 1, 2023
Status: Current
Source: disneydining.com
Opening on July 17, 1955, Disneyland Park changed the world.
Over the past few decades since then, it has undergone multiple changes, including the addition of adjacent hotels, Downtown Disney, and Disney California Adventure Park. But let 's explore the attractions that were there from the very beginning.
The Mad Tea Party
Duck Races Turn Its A Small World Into The Worlds Biggest Bathtub
Dateline: July 7, 2023
Status: Current
Source: Orange County Register
Hundreds of yellow rubber ducks decorated to look like Spider-Man, Maleficent, Madame Leota, Kermit the Frog and even Donald Trump waded around the It 's a Small World waterway in the annual Disneyland Duck Races.
The 2023 Disneyland Duck Races around the Small World canal were held on Friday, July 7 before the Anaheim theme park opened to the
Why Some Rides Shut Down When It Rains
Dateline: January 5, 2023
Status: Current
Source: SFGate
Ask a longtime Disneyland fan, and they 'll likely tell you that Disneyland can still be enjoyable on rainy days. So many people decide to stay home and wait for better weather, the general thinking goes, that ride queues clear out. For those who brave the elements, it can be a better, if not wetter, park experience. But does that thinking hold up now that so many
Something Nostalgic Something New Disneyland Blends Both With A Touch Of Pixie Dust
Dateline: October 22, 2022
Status: Current
Source: Calgary Herald
An ideal vacation often serves up a perfect fusion of experiences - some familiar, some new and others a tad bit magical.
Creating that blend isn 't always an easy task, but one destination that celebrates its classic attractions while changing with the times is Disneyland. As founder Walt Disney said decades ago, “Disneyland will never be completed. It
I Went To Disneyland By Myself Even Though I Hate Rides And Crowds Here Are 11 Of My Favorite Things I Did
Dateline: September 4, 2022
Status: Current
Source: insider.com
When I embarked on a five-week trip across California, I had no intention of hitting up Disneyland. But when I booked a beach resort close to the theme park, it felt like too good of an opportunity to pass up.
Even though park reservations were sold out, I managed to snag a last-minute ticket by repeatedly checking the website the morning of.
My Trip To Disneyland The Year It Opened 1955
Dateline: June 28, 2022
Status: Current
Source: beaconseniornews.com
The jungle hung low over the green-gray waters, thick and humid. Exotic bird calls sounded around us. Something slithered and splashed into the river as the captain guided his boat downstream, pointing out beasts only seen in comic books and tropical art.
Suddenly the water surged as a gigantic beast broke the surface, its huge mouth opening wide in a
12 Essential Tips For Enjoying Disneyland On A Rainy Day
Dateline: December 23, 2021
Status: Current
Source: Orange County Register
A day at Disneyland is usually fun in the sun thanks to Southern California 's reputation for year-round sunshine - unless you happen to show up at the theme park on one of the two dozen days when it rains each year on average in Anaheim.
A series of storms headed for Southern California are expected to bring showers to the region over the next two weeks,
11 Attractions From Opening Day
Dateline: July 11, 2021
Status: Current
Source: mentalfloss.com
When Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California, on July 17, 1955, it wasn 't an immediate success. The park experienced numerous setbacks, including counterfeit tickets, concession shortages, and malfunctioning rides. But it also featured many rides and attractions that are considered classic parts of the Wonderful World of Disney today. Here are 11 attractions guests got
Disneyland Reopens To The Public After 13 Month Coronavirus Closure
Dateline: April 30, 2021
Status: Current
Source: Orange County Register
Disneyland has returned after a yearlong coronavirus closure with a rethemed Snow White 's Enchanted Wish, updated Haunted Mansion and refreshed King Arthur Carrousel to the delight of die-hard fans who waited hours to snag tickets for the reopening of the Anaheim theme park.
Fans anxious to ride the wildly popular Rise of the Resistance attraction and the
Disneyland Gives Renamed Snow White Dark Ride A New Happily Ever After Ending
Dateline: December 22, 2020
Status: Current
Source: Mercury News
Disneyland has removed the scary ending from Snow White 's Scary Adventures and added a happily ever after finale to the classic Fantasyland dark ride that will return when the Anaheim theme park reopens following an extended coronavirus closure.
Walt Disney Imagineering updated the interior and exterior of the Snow White 's Scary Adventures attraction during
Time Disneyland Had Its Own Circus And It Did Not Go Well
Dateline: November 26, 2020
Status: Current
Source: cinemablend.com
When Walt Disney first conceived of the idea that would eventually become Disneyland, much of his desire to build his own amusement park location was born from the fact that he was largely unhappy with the offerings of the day. Simple "kiddie rides" were only fun for children, and mom and dad had little to do. Carnivals and circuses tended to be dirty and frequently
4 Ways Technology Powers The Disneyland Metaverse
Dateline: November 18, 2020
Status: Current
Source: Orange County Register
A day at Disneyland in the very near future will be filled with a slew of behind-the-scenes technology that will help place your lunch order, arrange a meeting with your favorite character and change your ride itinerary as part of the Disney theme park “metaverse.”
What is the Disney theme park metaverse?
“It all starts with having a connected
How 50 Attractions Could Change When The Parks Reopen
Dateline: August 1, 2020
Status: Current
Source: Orange County Register
Virtually every Disneyland ride and attraction will change in some way to accommodate the new normal of COVID-19 health and safety protocols when the Anaheim theme parks reopen following an extended coronavirus closure.
Visitors returning to Disneyland will find social distancing measures stretching from attraction queues to the rides themselves with
When Will Disneyland And Other Parks Reopen How Will They Keep Visitors Safe
Dateline: April 23, 2020
Status: Current
Source: Los Angeles Times
A Disneyland fan since he was 5 years old, Ryan Temple visited the park up to twice a month before it closed because of the coronavirus outbreak, often wearing his favorite Mickey Mouse letterman jacket.
But now the 22-year-old Phoenix resident says he would be cautious about returning to the Anaheim theme park once it reopens - whenever that may be.
10 Major Rides In Disneyland That Are Not At Disney World
Dateline: March 21, 2020
Status: Current
Source: screenrant.com
When it comes to the American Disney Parks, it's a regular Battle Royale between the east coast and the west coast. On the one hand, Disneyland is Walt's original park. On the other, you have a bigger, better, and brighter version of the California classic. In our humble opinion, it all comes down to a matter of attraction.
Walt Disney World in Orlando
Disney Recalls The Small World War And The Challenges Of Changing Classic Rides
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Dateline: December 19, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: Mercury News
Walt Disney Imagineering faces an never-ending challenge: Should Disney 's creative team change a classic Disneyland ride or preserve the beloved attraction for nostalgia 's sake?
The fifth episode of “The Imagineering Story” on the new Disney+ streaming service delves into the dilemma of updating cherished Disneyland attractions and the inevitable uproar
9 Amazing Secrets To Look For During Your Next Visit
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Dateline: November 28, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: narcity.com
As Disney lovers, we 're always looking for ways to visit the parks and TBH, we 've already binged well over half of our favorite childhood classics on Disney Plus. For those of you planning out your dream Disneyland visit, we 've got some news you 'll love to hear. You can go on a magical adventure to find Disneyland secrets. The park is full of them. All you have to do
Which Attractions Have The Most And Least Downtime You Will Be Surprised
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Dateline: November 22, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: Orange County Register
The only thing more disappointing than finding your favorite Disneyland out of service is having the ride break down while you 're waiting in line to board.
Fortunately, that doesn 't happen very often.
Disneyland experienced an average downtime of 4% across all of the Anaheim theme park 's attractions according to data collected from January
Snow Whites Scary Adventures Dark Ride A Major Facelift In 2020
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Dateline: November 8, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: Orange County Register
Snow White 's Scary Adventures is about to become the latest classic Fantasyland dark ride to undergo a major refurbishment when the Disneyland opening day attraction goes under the knife in 2020.
Disneyland filed a building permit with the city of Anaheim for a $445,000 refurbishment of Snow White 's Scary Adventures, according to city records.
Behind The Ride Mad Tea Party
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Dateline: November 2, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: themeparktourist.com
Quick! Name an attraction that everyone knows but not everyone wants to ride. Out of all theme park options in the entire world, a singular name should spring to mind. Mad Tea Party somehow claims the sort of branding that corporations spend millions of dollars trying to earn.
Yet, despite the fact that everyone can recognize Mad Tea Party at first sight or
8 Things You Loved As A Kid And Still Do Even In Your 20s
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Dateline: October 5, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: elitedaily.com
If you think Disney is just a place for kids, I'm here to let you in on a little secret: Adults can have just as much fun there. Disney is meant for everyone, and it's the things about Disney you loved as a kid and still do in your 20s that prove exactly that.
I'm a proud 29 year old who spends her free days going to Disneyland to ride on Big Thunder
8 Rides In Under 25 Hours These Rides May Be Underrated
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Dateline: September 30, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: Arizona Republic
There comes a time in every adult's visit to Disneyland that you 're so tired of the lines that you 're happy to ride anything, even the kiddie attractions that offer little in the way of excitement or legroom.
That 's exactly how Melissa and I felt on a recent trip as we bobbed in a sea of people in the middle of Fantasyland
A check of the
Longest And Shortest Waits
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Dateline: September 28, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: themeparktourist.com
When you 're at the Happiest Place on Earth, you want to feel, you know, happy. Waiting too long in line is the ideal way to feel decidedly displeased. My goal here is to arm you with the best information so that you 'll know which FastPasses to target and which lines aren 't that long. Here are the longest and shortest Disneyland wait-times.
6. Haunted
Haunted Mansion 50th Anniversary Celebration Inside Special Event
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Dateline: August 16, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: SlashFilm
I couldn 't have been older than six or seven years old when I first stepped foot inside The Haunted Mansion. Even at that young age I was already attracted to scary stuff, so on my first trip to Disneyland, I was drawn more to the creepy house in the middle of New Orleans Square than I was to the flying Dumbos or spinning tea cups.
I 'm not one of those
Ride Capacity How Long Will You Have To Wait In Line
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Dateline: August 16, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: Arizona Republic
Many a Disneyland guest has walked past the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and been struck by the long line pushing through the attraction 's entry arch. Yet the posted wait time is a reasonable 20 minutes.
Conversely, those drawn to the Astro Orbiter 's short line tend to think the wait time on the sign is wrong. How could it be possibly be 40 minutes?
20 Surprising Things You Can And Can Not See Do And Taste At Your Next Visit
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Dateline: August 13, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: idaily.com
Blue milk. Human ashes. Feral cats.
Disneyland may be 85 acres of carefully curated mirth, but even after nearly 65 years of operation in Anaheim, Calif., the vacation destination can still surprise -- as park-goers who 've encountered the blue milk, human ashes and, yes, feral cats can attest.
Before you next pass through the turnstile en route
Rare Walt Disney 20000 Leagues Under The Sea Personal Presentation Nautilus To Be Auctioned
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Dateline: April 27, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: PR NewsWire
700 Items to Auction in One Day
Van Eaton Galleries has announced The Art of Entertainment, a pop culture & Disneyland auction taking place May 4, 2019 beginning at 10:00 a.m. PT at Van Eaton Galleries in Sherman Oaks, California. A striking item included in the collection is a very rare, one-of-a-kind original presentation Nautilus used by Walt Disney in 1954 to
Celebrating 70 Years Of KTTV Opening Day At Disneyland
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Dateline: January 17, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: FOX 11
It was July 17, 1955 in Southern California. The greatest Imagineer to ever live unveiled his personal dream come true. KTTV cameras were there, Opening Day at the "happiest place on Earth."
Everyone wanted to be first to see what iconic showman Walt Disney spent decades dreaming about.
The ceremony was full of pomp and pageantry, hosted by TV legend Art
12 Essential Tips For Enjoying Disneyland In The Rain
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Dateline: January 16, 2019
Status: Archive
Source: Pasadena Star-News
A day at Disneyland is usually fun in the sun thanks to Southern California's reputation for year-round sunshine - unless you happen to show up at the theme park on one of the 23 days when it rains each year on average in Anaheim.
This will go down as one of the rainiest weeks of the year in Anaheim, with the forecast calling for showers stretching into the weekend.
Every Attraction Ranked By Three Disney Superfans
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Dateline: August 15, 2018
Status: Archive
Source: cinemablend.com
While pretty much everybody loves Disneyland to one degree or another, for some of us, love borders on obsession. Three of us in particular at CinemaBlend have been to Disneyland so many times that we've lost track. Jessica and Mack are both former Southern California residents who used to frequent the park regularly and still make a yearly pilgrimage back. While I live a
It Is A Real Mickey Mouse Operation
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Dateline: March 18, 2018
Status: Archive
Source: Faribault County Register
I had a chance to get away for a few days earlier this month and I ended up in Disneyland of all places. You know, the one in California, as opposed to Disney World, the one in Florida.
I have to confess, I have been to both of them a few times.
Growing up in San Diego, California, it was an annual event for my family. Disneyland opened up when I was six-years
Disney World And Disneyland Have 11 Iconic Matching Attractions Heres Which Park Has The Best Version Of Each Ride
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Dateline: February 27, 2018
Status: Archive
Source: thisisinsider.com
Disney parks are known for thrilling rides, epic foods and drink, and a creatively magical experience. The original Disneyland park in California has many rides that match up with Florida's Disney World, but not all rides are created equal. For example, the Space Mountain in Disney World is drastically different (and worse) than its California counterpart.
After
Everything We Saw At First-Ever Vintage Theme Night
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Dateline: January 30, 2018
Status: Archive
Source: popsugar.com
When Disneyland throws a party, you know we're gonna be there - and Disneyland After Dark: Throwback Nite was no exception. Disneyland's first event in a forthcoming series of themed nights this year was an ode to the rides, tunes, and thrills of yesteryear, complete with food, music, entertainment, and characters fit for vintage-obsessed Disney fans.
There were few
A Sprinkle Of Pixie Dust
Dateline: July 14, 2017
Status: Current
Source: MickeyMousePark.com
"Fantasyland" is said to be Walt Disney's favorite Land. And it's tough to blame him. "Sleeping Beauty Castle" welcomes you, as both the main entrance and park icon. "King Arthur Carrousel" was built in 1875 and operated in Ontario, Canada from 1922 until 1955 when it was relocated to Disneyland. Until 1975, only one horse was white, and now all of them are. Merlin hosted
Disneyland And Imagineering Part 12
Dateline: May 15, 2017
Status: Current
Source: MickeyMousePark.com
Although Disney had a dislike for the typical carnivals of the time, it wasn't so much the content, but the environment and the lack of attention to detail. Long before the park was built, after one of his frequent visits to Griffith Park with his daughters, he stated, "Things could be done better than this. A park should be designed for total family enjoyment. Besides a
Hang With Mickey And Friends
Dateline: April 19, 2017
Status: Current
Source: MickeyMousePark.com
"Mickey's Toontown" is designed cartoonishly. Everything from "Mickey's House" to the post office looks, well, goofy. Opening in 1993, it was inspired by "ToonTown" in the 1988 movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" It was originally planned to be behind "Main Street, USA" and called "Hollywoodland." "Hollywoodland" combined the concept of "Mickey's Birthdayland," which was to
Teen Apprentice Who Painted Disneyland In 1955
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Dateline: February 9, 2017
Status: Archive
Source: riverscenemagazine.com
Gary McLearn, 78, of Lake Havasu City, was a union painter's apprentice who helped prepare Disneyland's Main Street for the grand opening in July 1955.
It was his junior year of high school in 1955, McLearn was 17 years old. A friend of the family was employed at the under-construction Disneyland, in Anaheim, Calif. It was a connection that landed McLearn a
Todays Future
Dateline: January 9, 2017
Status: Current
Source: MickeyMousePark.com
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
This Day In History Disneyland Opened 61 Years Ago Today
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Dateline: July 17, 2016
Status: Archive
Source: abc7
Disneyland, the only theme park designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, opened on Sunday, July 17, 1955. Construction lasted for exactly one year, and cost only $17 million to complete.
The opening was only intended for about 11,000 invited guests and press, though a total of 28,000 attended due to a rush of counterfeit tickets. The event was
This Is How Disneyland Changed In The 1980s
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Dateline: July 14, 2016
Status: Archive
Source: Orange County Register
Changes at Disneyland in the 1980s started slow, then ended in a splash down a mountain.
During the first couple years of the decade, Disney Imagineers were busy with the design and building of Epcot Center (as it was called then) at Walt Disney World. But they were also planning a project for Disneyland - rebuilding Fantasyland.
1980-83
In early 1982, most
This Is How Disneyland Looked In 1955
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Dateline: July 11, 2016
Status: Archive
Source: Orange County Register
When Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, there were sections of it that were not done. A reporter noticed all the construction still ongoing and asked Walt Disney if Disneyland would ever be finished. Disney replied in what has become an oft quoted quote: "Disneyland will never be completed, as long as there is imagination left in the world."
Disney was true to his
We Survived Disneyland With A Little Help From The Disability Access Service Card
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Dateline: April 1, 2016
Status: Archive
Source: chicagonow.com
I guess third time's the charm in HJ's case.
HJ has been to Disneyland two times before. The first time she was 2.5 years old. She went on "It's a Small World" and fell asleep. We stood in line to meet Tinker Bell and then she refused to take a picture with her. Fortunately, I don't remember her having any major meltdowns, but I don't think she really enjoyed any of
Disneyland Ride Review Spin Into The Madness At The Mad Tea Party
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Dateline: January 20, 2016
Status: Archive
Source: Orange County Register
Where else could you go to a party that is mad but at Disneyland? The Mad Tea Party was inspired by the Walt Disney animated movie "Alice in Wonderland" and has been twirling its challenge to spin as fast as you can since the park opened in 1955.
Since the ride is next to the Alice in Wonderland attraction, you hear the music from the movie playing as you get in
Hollywood Home Movies Disneyland Is An E-Ticket To The Park Past
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Dateline: October 16, 2015
Status: Archive
Source: Los Angeles Times
Baby boomers with stardust memories of Disneyland often lament how the park has changed. Gone are the E-tickets, the Rocket to the Moon, the Skyway, the Submarine Voyage, the PeopleMover and the mule rides.
For a misty-eyed ride into that past, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is presenting "Hollywood Home Movies: Disneyland," a sold-out show Saturday
Disneyland Ride Review Take A Trip Down The Rabbit Hole With Alice In Wonderland
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Dateline: September 11, 2015
Status: Archive
Source: Orange County Register
Ready for a trip down the rabbit hole? Then step aboard a caterpillar for a ride on the Alice in Wonderland attraction at Disneyland.
Based on the 1951 animated movie of the same name produced by Walt Disney, the attraction is boarded outside in a fanciful garden setting, right next to the Mad Tea Party attraction.
Your ride is the back of a caterpillar. After
In Defense Of Disneyland Why Its Worth Revisiting As A Jaded Adult
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Dateline: August 30, 2015
Status: Archive
Source: uproxx.com
I went to Disneyland for the first time when I was 10-years old. My parents, aunt, and grandma loaded my sisters, two cousins, and me into two Oldsmobile Cutlass wagons and we caravanned from Portland (OR) to Anaheim (CA) in a sprawling, Vacation-esque road trip.
We visited the Redwoods, Universal Studios, and San Diego. Wonderful places, all. And yet I only have
Disneyland Imagineer Shares Memories At MV Historical Association Event
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Dateline: August 12, 2015
Status: Archive
Source: LosAltosonline.com
As Disneyland celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, more than 150 history lovers gathered to celebrate Mountain View's connection to the theme park's early history.
Disneyland's iconic giant spinning teacups, flying elephants and speeding bobsleds were engineered in Mountain View by pioneering amusement park ride manufacturer Arrow Development Co.
At its
Everything You Need To Know For The Perfect Disneyland Holiday
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Dateline: July 5, 2015
Status: Archive
Source: hearldsun.com.au
I'm on bended knee in front of hundreds of strangers when it strikes me that the magic never really dies.
Beauty and the Beast - the 1991 Disney film that made history as the first animated movie up for Best Picture at the Oscars - was also the first film I ever saw at the cinemas.
And here I am 24 years later, hand outstretched, heart on sleeve, asking for
Disneyland Turns 60 Ranking Its Attractions by Land
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Dateline: May 22, 2015
Status: Archive
Source: Eonline.com
Oh, boy! The Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration begins today!
Disneyland Park opened in Anaheim, Calif., on July 17, 1955, and ever since, it has entertained millions of guests from all over the world. That's no small feat!
"It's amazing to contemplate all that Disneyland has come to mean to so many people around the world," Tom Staggs, COO of the Walt Disney
Disneyland The Exhibit Takes A Ride Through 60 Years Of History
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Dateline: May 12, 2015
Status: Archive
Source: Los Angeles Times
Here's a challenge: Try to condense 60 years of Disneyland history into a single museum-like exhibit.
That's the test facing Becky Cline, Walt Disney Archives director. She's putting the finishing touches on "Walt Disney Archives Presents - Disneyland: The Exhibit," which in August will attempt to encompass the theme park's past six decades for D23 Expo, Disney's
Revealing The Secrets Of Disneyland
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Dateline: May 11, 2015
Status: Archive
Source: sandiego6.com
It's the theme park that started it all, but no matter how many times you've visited Disneyland, there are some things you probably don't know about the Magic Kingdom.
As the park comes up on its 60th anniversary this year, San Diego 6's John Carroll traveled to Anaheim to reveal some of Disneyland's surprising secrets.
"To all who come to this happy place,
Disneyland In 1955 Rides Now Long Gone Weird Glitches On Opening Day
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Dateline: July 18, 2014
Status: Archive
Source: Mercury News
Disneyland was dedicated during a special preview opening day on July 17, 1955. The public opening was July 18. The dedication aired on ABC at 4:30 p.m. July 17. Some details of the opening:
Park attendance: 6,000 guests were invited for the special preview opening, but an additional 22,000 showed up with counterfeit tickets, making for a total of 28,000 guests that
Disneyland Celebrates Its 59th Anniversary
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Dateline: July 17, 2014
Status: Archive
Source: CBS
Take a stroll on Main Street USA inside Disneyland in Anaheim and you will find a plaque in middle of the main square with Walt Disney's famous July 17th 1955 opening day speech.
"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 Top Man Michael Colglazier Literally Walks In Walt's Footsteps
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Dateline: April 19, 2014
Status: Archive
Source: Orange County Register
The parks' CEO will need a little magic to preserve what Walt Disney created while ushering in necessary growth and change. It's a challenge he relishes. 'It truly is the greatest job in the world. A lot of people may say that, but I truly can say that.'
Michael Colglazier treats the immense concrete sprawl of Disneyland as if it's a living room carpet. Never mind
7 Disneyland Secrets That Will Transform Your Trip
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Dateline: January 13, 2014
Status: Archive
Source: Huffington Post
Whether you're young, or just young-at-heart, the magic of Disneyland appeals to the child in all of us. But each of us gets something different from the experience -- some have an adventurous side that longs for the thrill of the scariest ride, some have a girly side that wants nothing more than to meet the dazzling princesses of the park, some have an indulgent side
Make The Most Of Disneyland Anaheim California
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Dateline: July 28, 2013
Status: Archive
Source: hearldsun.com.au
It's known as the Happiest Place on Earth. And judging by the wide-eyed look on my daughters' faces as we walked through the front gates of Anaheim's Disneyland Park, the statement is spot on.
Wandering up Main Street USA, the central thoroughfare at the world-famous theme park, one of the first things we see is Sleeping Beauty's castle. It looms before us like a
When Goths Go To Disneyland
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Dateline: May 2, 2013
Status: Archive
Source: Los Angeles Weekly
If you go to Disneyland on Sunday, May 5, and find yourself surrounded by kids of all shades of pale, looking as sinister as the Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, don't be alarmed. It's just Bats Day in the Fun Park, the annual Magic Kingdom gathering of goths and their punk/metal/steampunk brethren, which has been confusing tourists since 1999.
It
Disney Begins 4 Million Dollar Big Thunder Overhaul
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Dateline: January 3, 2013
Status: Archive
Source: Orange County Register
Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will undergo its biggest project in more than three decades when the ride closes Monday for at least nine months.
The Frontierland ride, which mimics a runaway mine train through an Old West canyon, will close so crews can begin a makeover that will last until fall. A reopening date has yet to be announced.
The
Single Rider Option Saves Time
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Dateline: June 20, 2012
Status: Archive
Source: Press-Enterprise
Three may be a crowd, but at Disneyland Resort this summer, it may also be an advantage.
That's because two of Disney's signature rides load in groups of three and have special lines for single riders.
Since there are far more couples than groups of three, there is frequently one left-over seat that can be claimed by a person in the single rider line.
You
Mitt Somebody
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Dateline: June 4, 2012
Status: Archive
Source: talkradionews.com
While in California attending my nephew's high-school graduation, I acted on a whim and decided to divert to Disneyland. I have been to Walt Disney World in Florida several times but had not actually been to Disneyland since I was six years old. Blessed with a great memory for things in the past, that amazing day spent at Disney in the '50s came racing back as I walked
Solo Parent Can Do Disneyland
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Dateline: June 3, 2012
Status: Archive
Source: Sacramento Bee
Fear not, intrepid parent. Going solo at the Happiest Place on Earth isn't the worst idea you've ever had. With some planning, expert advice and a shot of courage, it could be one of your most memorable trips to Disneyland.
For Amanda Ficili, mother-and-daughter trips to Disneyland are great opportunities to bond.
"It was a little intimidating the first time
7 Tips For Tackling Disneyland In A Day
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Dateline: February 28, 2012
Status: Archive
Source: Los Angeles Times
I've been to Disneyland hundreds of times over the last two decades and have been writing the Funland theme park blog for about four years now. As a result, people are always asking me how to do everything at Disneyland in a single day.
The short answer is you probably can't. It can be a struggle for even hard-core fans with military assault-like strategies. The
Disney's Do's And Don'ts
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Dateline: February 13, 2012
Status: Archive
Source: The Daily Aztec
Disneyland is often called "The Happiest Place on Earth". When you break it down, this claim has a lot of validity. Magic comes to life when your favorite childhood characters begin dancing in front of you. Suddenly Belle, Prince Charming and Mickey Mouse come alive in one location, forcing you to discover your pupils aren't big enough to take in the entire scene all at
Reflections On My Trip To Disneyland
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Dateline: October 12, 2011
Status: Archive
Source: SFGate
I was a little worried about our trip to Disneyland, which took place last week.
Last time I went with my older son, then 4 years old, and misjudged the scariness of Pirates of the Caribbean by a factor of about 10. He didn't want to go on rides after that, pegged me as a complete liar (it was going to happen some time ) and stayed in the fetal position for the
Scariest Place On Earth Just Got Scarier
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Dateline: October 4, 2011
Status: Archive
Source: sbsun.com
Disneyland is advertising its annual Halloween fright fest and, as usual, I'm confused. The theme park is scary year-round as far as I'm concerned. So, what happens in October? It gets even scarier?
Oh, my.
Halloween Time, which continues at the park through the end of the month, features a specially decorated Main Street, retooled rides like "Haunted Mansion
Disneyland It All Started With A Mouse
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Dateline: October 3, 2011
Status: Archive
Source: etravelblackboard.com
Who wants sugar in their tea? The Mad Hatter asked. Everyone cheered. It is at this moment when I realised the greatest thing for the 'little traveller' was the parks unique way to bring treasured favourites to life, such as a favoured classic, Alice in wonderland.
Many years on from its opening on 17 July 1955, Walt Disney's theme park has sparked the imagination
California vs. Blackpool: General
Dateline: September 1, 2011
Status: Current
Source: MickeyMousePark.com
Earlier in the year, I wrote an article for DLDHistory.com comparing the Alice in Wonderland ride in Disneyland to Alice's Wonderland at Pleasure Beach Blackpool (the most visited theme park in the United Kingdom).
As I have recently come back from a week's vacation in Blackpool (and seeing as my main article this month was shorter than usual) I thought I would
Storm In A Teacup
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Dateline: July 30, 2011
Status: Archive
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
With a boy of his own, Stephen Lacey makes his first visit to the Disneyland of his childhood.
When I was a boy, my idea of Disneyland was pretty sketchy; it was where Mickey and Donald lived. And there was a ride where you sat in a giant spinning teacup.
I knew only one kid who had been, a boy in third class named Brian. He was terribly thin, with bruises all
California vs. Paris: Alice In Wonderland
Dateline: April 7, 2011
Status: Current
Source: MickeyMousePark.com
In the seventh of my series comparing the two Disneylands closest to my heart (California and Paris), I shall be looking at selected references to Disney's 1951 animated movie Alice in Wonderland within the parks.
The best place to start is perhaps the "Teacups ride", officially known as Mad Tea Party (MTP) in California, and Mad Hatter's Tea Cups (MHTC) in Paris.
Most Exhausting Place On Earth
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Dateline: April 6, 2011
Status: Archive
Source: dogster.com
The happiest place on earth is even happier with a four-month-old Golden Retriever. An integral and fun part of the service dog training experience is taking a trip to Disneyland. Sights, sounds, smells, and millions of distractions await the service dog-in-training at a Disneyland Park. People are overjoyed when they see a service dog partaking in the Disney experience,
Smoke Closes Fantasyland Section Of Disneyland
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Dateline: December 2, 2010
Status: Archive
Source: KPCC
A handful of Disneyland rides were closed Thursday when an electrical problem sent smoke wafting into Pinocchio's Daring Journey.
The smoke was reported just after noon in the Fantasyland section of Disneyland, said Maria Sabol of the Anaheim Fire Department.
"It was described as a wall producing smoke," Sabol said. "We were called out because people could smell
Most Disney Rides Re-Opened After Smoke
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Dateline: December 2, 2010
Status: Archive
Source: Orange County Register
Disneyland has re-opened seven Fantasyland rides shut down this afternoon because of smoke behind the scenes.
More than 20 firefighters were sent to the park about 12:07 p.m. regarding smoke coming from a large electrical conduit inside the wall behind Pinocchio's Daring Journey ride, said Maria Sabol, an Anaheim Fire Department spokeswoman.
That ride, as of
A 6-Year-Old's First Visit To Disneyland Hits Some Attractions, Misses Others
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Dateline: November 14, 2010
Status: Archive
Source: Los Angeles Times
You can't do it all, and truth be told, a child doesn't miss what she doesn't know about. A look back at what we saw and did -- and didn't do -- in one day.
Don't miss the Toontown roller coaster, somebody said. Don't bother with Toontown, somebody else said. Don't risk the Matterhorn with a first-grader, somebody said. Don't miss the Matterhorn with a first-grader,
Brimming With Colour
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Dateline: August 28, 2010
Status: Archive
Source: LFPress
Over the top is a good thing at Disneyland California.
The bigger, the brighter, the brasher and the more blockbuster, the better at the Happiest Place on Earth.
Take for instance the theme parks' latest attraction World of Color - a night-time spectacle of 1,200 fountains that shoot water 75 metres into the air, creating a 6,000-square-metre projection surface
Family Fun At Disneyland
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Dateline: August 18, 2010
Status: Archive
Source: CityNews.ca
With the recent launch of a new direct flight between Toronto's Pearson International Airport and the John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA, Air Canada teamed up with the folks at Disneyland and the tourism boards of Orange County, Anaheim, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Huntington Beach to send a select group of Toronto-based media to tour the West Coast paradise in
Phoenix Delivers Blast From The Past
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Dateline: July 23, 2010
Status: Archive
Source: Metropolitan News
It's no secret that Disneyland is my happy place. It is, therefore, a pretty good bet that you can find me at the Happiest Place on Earth each July 17 celebrating Disneyland's anniversary.
This year, my daughter and I took a detour on our way to Disneyland's 55th anniversary celebration, stopping by a Garden Grove hotel to view a slide presentation by an entertainer
Magical Career Included Encounters With Walt Disney
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Dateline: May 25, 2010
Status: Archive
Source: Orlando Sentinel
Lee Biggins' third day on the job as a stage worker at Disney studios found him seated in a mockup miniature train being designed to transport visitors around Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif.
There was another passenger seated across from Biggins: Walt Disney.
The year was 1957, and Biggins, at 19 and a new member of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage
Stomach-Turning Spin Ride Not Quite My Cup Of Tea
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Dateline: May 15, 2010
Status: Archive
Source: recordnet.com
"Dizzy, I'm so dizzy my head is spinning
"Like a whirlpool it never ends
"And it's you girl makin' it spin
"You're making me dizzy"
- "Dizzy" by Tommy Roe and Freddy Weller
When I was about 10 or 11, I spent a summer at my Aunt Setsuko and Uncle Sumio's home in Irvine, in Southern California. It's not far from Anaheim, so of course, we had to go
Trivial Pursuit At The Venerable California Theme Park
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Dateline: April 22, 2010
Status: Archive
Source: Salt Lake Tribune
Disneyland, the theme park that bills itself as "the happiest place on Earth," filled with people during a recent spring-break April day when the temperature hovered near 90.
People waited for more than two hours for a chance to ride Splash Mountain. Finding a bench to sit for a moment with a napping grandson proved challenging. Lines formed to use restrooms or
Happiest Place On Earth
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Dateline: March 31, 2010
Status: Archive
Source: California Aggie
My spring break was way better than all of yours. I feel like I can confidently say this because I went to the happiest place on earth. No, not Vegas. Disneyland! Probably the only place in the world where you can eat foods shaped like mice and not want to throw up. Tell me that's not magical.
A trip to the park was long overdue. I was still closing my eyes on the
There's A Secret Members-Only Club At Disneyland Let Me In
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Dateline: January 7, 2010
Status: Archive
Source: USA Today
First, a word about my relationship with Disney theme parks: I don't have one. When I was a kid, my parents took my brother and I to Grandma's house for summer vacation. So while many of my friends were vomiting on the Teacups and seeing Captain EO, I was (kid you not) catching lightning bugs in Mountain City, Tenn.
Because I still haven't visited Disney World or
6 Not To Miss Disneyland Treats: Your Tastebuds Will Thank You
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Dateline: August 29, 2009
Status: Archive
Source: Examiner
Disneyland is one of those exciting places where they test all your sensorys so you get the full experience. You can look, hear, feel and even taste the best that Disney has to offer.
It doesn't matter what day you choose to enjoy the Disneyland Resort, you need to to a little tasting on your own of the best treats Disney has to offer. Here are the top 5 treats not
How To Visit Disneyland In The Rain
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Dateline: February 8, 2009
Status: Archive
Source: Examiner
Don't be the poncho guy.Everybody knows you can count the number of rainy days Southern Californians have to deal with on two hands. This leads to such unfortunate things as hyper-cautious drivers, crowded weekend movie theaters, and canceled outdoor events. However, there is an upside to those drizzly, wet days that we Angelinos consider "rainy".
That's right:
Disneyland Most Dizzying In Anaheim
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Dateline: December 14, 2008
Status: Archive
Source: nydailynews.com
"Are you in good health?" asks Olivia, my 9-year-old niece. We're waiting in line for the Hollywood Tower of Terror, which she says is the scariest ride at Disney's California Adventure, the theme park that opened next door to Disneyland in 2001.
"I like to think I am," I respond.
"Do you barf easily?"
"No, not really. I recently had a nine-year no-barf
Silicon Valley Innovator Left Legacy Of Fun And Thrills
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Dateline: December 9, 2008
Status: Archive
Source: Mercury News
Karl Bacon was a quiet guy who never wanted much of a fuss. So when he died last month at 98, he almost slipped away from us without being noticed.
And that just wouldn't have been right.
Bacon was a Silicon Valley inventor who did as much for the business of laughs, squeals and butterflies in the stomach as Bill Hewlett and David Packard did for the test
The Happiest Place In The World
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Dateline: November 17, 2008
Status: Archive
Source: commonwealmagazine.org
After giving a talk in Northern California, I prepared for the long winter in Indiana by going on a trip with family to Disneyland-which advertises itself as the "Happiest Place in the World."
You know what-it just well might be.
First of all, the weather -Southern California in mid-November. It was 85 degrees, with a cloudless sky, no humidity. I understand why
Disneyland California - Always Something New
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Dateline: November 10, 2008
Status: Archive
Source: bellaonline.com
It's been over 30 years since I took my six year old son to Disneyland in Anaheim, California and over 20 years since my last visit. So, when I began thinking about how fun it would be to take my granddaughter there, I had some catching up to do.
For starters, the Disneyland® Resort is now two theme parks in one, Disneyland Park® and Disneyland's California
Disparity Of Passions Unveiled At Disneyland
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Dateline: June 12, 2008
Status: Archive
Source: Ventura County Star
There are things I can't tell my family. Things they wouldn't understand.
They don't know, for example, that elbow-length satin gloves make me warm and tingly inside. They've never noticed how my eyes go swirly-girly at the mention of glass slippers or fairy wings. They're entirely ignorant of my impeccable "Little Mermaid" impression - a spot-on vocal triumph
Disneyland Trip With Special-Needs Child Brings Tears Joy
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Dateline: May 5, 2008
Status: Archive
Source: statesman.com
Nothing brings three generations of family together like a teacup spinning out of control.
It had been 50 years since my mom, Adrienne, first had her turn on the teacups at Disneyland, and she was relishing the chance to live it again with her granddaughters Meredith, 10, and Caroline, 7.
So the three of them, along with my husband, Jim, and I, hopped aboard
My First Long-Awaited Much Anticipated Wonderful Trip To Disneyland
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Dateline: March 2, 2008
Status: Archive
Source: Deseret Morning News
I had never been to Disneyland. When I was growing up, we watched "The Wonderful World of Disney" TV show and thought it looked like a magical place, but the idea of piling all seven of us into the 1953 Plymouth and heading for California was not something that occurred to us.
I didn't even know anyone who lived in California, and in those days our few vacations were
Disneyland Presents Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
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Dateline: June 27, 2007
Status: Archive
Source: blogcritics.org
It's a little-known fact that Sombrero Grande's first job out of high school was working at Disneyland as a "captain" on the Submarine Voyage attraction in Tomorrowland. In 1998, I left the park's employ and the Subs were mysteriously closed down soon afterwards. Immediately rumors began swirling on the Internet theorizing that the Subs were closed due to "budget cuts" or
Is Elvis In The Building?
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Dateline: November 29, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: o-meon.com
From a parade grand marshal who's a real turkey named Marshmallow to giant Christmas trees and Elvis sightings, both real and perhaps imagined, the holidays have arrived at The Merriest Place on Earth. And, along with nightly snow showers on Disneyland's Main Street USA has come a flurry of speculation as to what the future holds for Walt Disney's original Magic
Disneyland Marks 50 Years Of Magic
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Dateline: November 26, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Los Angeles Times
To build his dream theme park a half-century ago, Walt Disney borrowed against his life-insurance policy and cashed in property, including a vacation home in Palm Springs, to pay the $17 million construction bill.When the theme park opened July 17, 1955, on a sweltering day, toilets clogged, the food ran out and women's high heels sank into wet asphalt. Disney officials
Horoscopes
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Dateline: October 17, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Daily Orange
This week, our unlicensed astrologers tell your fortune based on your favorite attraction at Disneyland.
Splash Mountain
Drinking a can of beer through a straw is totally unclassy, but drinking an entire pitcher that way will make you the biggest badass in a 12-mile radius.
Dumbo
You'll attend a "Funk and Waffles" party. Waffles - $1. Funk - free. Funk
The Kingdom Was His Glory
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Dateline: July 31, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Los Angeles Times
To build his dream theme park in Anaheim a half-century ago, Walt Disney borrowed against his life insurance policy and cashed in property, including a vacation home in Palm Springs, to pay the $17 million construction bill.
When the park opened July 17, 1955, toilets clogged, the food ran out and women's high heels sank into wet asphalt. Disney officials still refer
A Park With A Powerful Spell
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Dateline: July 17, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Los Angeles Times
Disneyland opened on this day in 1955. For five decades, the Anaheim attraction has worked its magic on our culture and transformed the entertainment industry.
To build his dream theme park in Anaheim a half-century ago, Walt Disney borrowed against his life insurance policy and cashed in property, including a vacation home in Palm Springs, to pay the $17-million
First-Ever National 'Golden Ears' Survey
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Dateline: July 11, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: PR NewsWire
On the eve of the actual 50th anniversary of Disneyland (July 17, 2005), Disney celebrates 50 years of theme park magic by announcing the results of a national consumer survey, conducted by independent research firm, Directive Analytics, that reveals what America loves most about Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
The "Golden Ears Survey"
Go Ask Alice
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Dateline: July 1, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Orange County Weekly
For one former Alice in Wonderland, the Fourth of July remains unforgettable
Melissa Tye played Alice in Wonderland at Disneyland from 1997 to 2001.
WAS IT A HARD JOB?
The Fourth of July was always hard. You walk out from backstage, and you're instantly surrounded by 50 people shoving autograph books in your face. You're stuck. It's hot. You can't move. I
Disneyland Turns 50 Magic Kingdom's Opening In 1955 Was Treat For All
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Dateline: June 19, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: TheReporter.Com
The summer of 1955 was magical for two children living in Southern California. Like thousands of others, they visited Disneyland.
But, unlike their peers, the visit by cousins Bill Krauch and Sybil Stanton was part of a revealing peak at the Magic Kingdom weeks before the park opened to the public. Walt Disney personally served as their host and tour guide.
Two Magic-Makers Celebrate Life After Disneyland
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Dateline: June 14, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Knight-Ridder
The two old men are holding hands. In the sunlight outside the Mountain View, Calif., rest home, while a parakeet sings in the lobby, Ed Morgan and Karl Bacon reach across 60 years of being each other's muse. Among the wrinkles in their faces there are twinkles in their eyes.
They are laughing about the time the elephants refused to fly.
It was opening day at
Disneyland Comes to Washington
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Dateline: June 6, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: PR NewsWire
WHAT: The National Museum of American History will receive ride vehicles from two of Disneyland's opening year (1955) attractions: "Dumbo the Flying Elephant" and the "Mad Hatter's Tea Party."
WHEN: Thursday, June 9, 9 a.m.
WHERE: National Museum of American History, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW, First floor, West corridor
WHO:
-- Brent Glass,
1st Disney Park Goes Golden
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Dateline: May 17, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Sacramento Bee
After half a century, those mad teacups are still spinning, the baby elephants are still flying, the hippos' ears are still wiggling and the cash registers are still jingling.
Disneyland, a place both timeless and frozen in time, hits a milestone this summer when it turns 50 in Anaheim, Calif.
But not everybody sees the self-proclaimed Happiest Place on Earth as
A Considerable Town
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Dateline: May 13, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Los Angeles Weekly
Pam Wells has been to Disneyland, she estimates, 50 times in her 43 years. In fact, she's going again this weekend, for her 44th birthday. She can still remember being too excited to sleep the night before a Disneyland outing. And she can list all the places you used to be able to make out and/or smoke pot (Monsanto, the Sky Buckets) back in her teenage days. She talks of
Dear Walt, Thanks For The Memories
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Dateline: May 10, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Seattle Times
From smooching in the tunnels to wide-eyed kids and sobbing adults, our readers have been through it all in Disneyland's 50 years.
We've chosen excerpts from our favorite stories and photos among scores of tales told by readers who've paid countless visits to "The Happiest Place on Earth."
Disney's celebration begins this week and runs for 18 months - some
Mouse Memories
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Dateline: May 10, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Modesto Bee
Disneyland's golden anniversary party began Thursday and will run through Thanksgiving 2006. We asked Bee readers to share memories of the park's early days. Here's what they recalled. Pop on your golden mouse ears and take a trip back in time ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My wife and I were married Sept.
Dizzy For Disneyland
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Dateline: May 6, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: USA Today
Mickey and Minnie Mouse welcomed some famous friends to their Disneyland home Wednesday to help the theme park kick off its Happiest Homecoming 50th anniversary celebration, which continues through the end of 2006.
Former Mouseketeer Christina Aguilera was spotted in the Haunted Mansion, wrapped in the arms of her fiance, music exec Jordan Bratman.
Jim
Disneyland Begins 50th Anniversary Celebration
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Dateline: May 5, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: North County Times
Backed by the sound of trumpets, the release of doves and the explosion of fireworks, Julie Andrews stood before Sleeping Beauty Castle Thursday to kick off Disneyland's 18-month birthday celebration.
Andrews, dressed in a white suit, stood with Dakota Sandak, who has appeared in a Disney commercial, and said, "Do it together, one, two, Welcome Home!"
Art
Disneyland Celebrates A Half-Century Of Joy
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Dateline: May 1, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Desert Sun
From Sleeping Beauty's castle to the spinning teacups, the magic of Disneyland has endured for 50 years. The 60-acre Anaheim park opened on July 17, 1955, but Disney officials aren't waiting for summer. They'll kick off 18 months of celebration on Thursday.
We knew there had to be desert residents who were there, enjoying the fun on that first day, and that the park
Disneyland Then And Now
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Dateline: May 1, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Sacramento Bee
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
Your Best Or Worst Memory Of Disneyland?
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Dateline: May 1, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
Donna Cleveland, San Francisco
Disneyland '59 was the scene of a double date gone bad. My boyfriend and my best friend were sneaking around the attractions behind my back. Her "date" was in on the deception. At a serendipitous Disneyland reunion in '94, the same old boyfriend belatedly apologized with an expensive gift..
MaryAnn Wofford, Fremont
My
Magical Memories
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Dateline: April 30, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Disneyland was built on a dream. And it was Walt Disney's dream that has made millions of wishes come true during the past 50 years.
Hundreds of millions of wishes, really. And also special moments - first dates and honeymoons, birthdays and anniversaries, and fun days spent with kids and later with grandkids.
Several weeks ago, we asked readers to recall their
Glaring Glitches Aside, The Debut Was Glorious
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Dateline: April 29, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Knight-Ridder
It was sweltering that day. And crowded. People swarmed to the entrance to Disneyland even if they didn't have tickets, that's how eager they were to get inside.
"Hotter than hell" is how Art Linkletter, the emcee and Walt Disney's longtime friend, remembers the opening day of Disneyland July 17, 1955.
"The asphalt had just been rolled, and people's shoes got
Disneyland At 50: Walt's Wild Ride
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Dateline: April 17, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Mercury News
"Hotter than hell" is how Art Linkletter, the emcee and Walt Disney's longtime friend, remembers it. "The asphalt had just been rolled and people's shoes got stuck in it. But we carried on. We didn't worry about stuff like that."
Fifty years is a long time, but those who were there when Disneyland opened its gates on July 17, 1955, still remember the tiniest details
In Step With The Mouse, Disneyland's Opening Was A Wild Adventure
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Dateline: April 16, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
No one said magic would be easy. Still, 50 years later, what almost no one remembers is the opening day that stumbled like Dumbo dancing in leg irons.
When the widely anticipated, but hardly completed, Disneyland opened its doors on July 17, 1955, so eager was the world to share Walt Disney's dream that instead of 6,000 invited guests, more than 28,000 people - most
Frantic Kingdom: A Wild Ride In Search Of Lost Sister
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Dateline: March 25, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Seattle Times
It was 1968, and Mom had volunteered to take us four girls from Portland to Disneyland while Dad was on a business trip.
We were a handful - I was the oldest at 13; Mary was 9; Jean, 5; and Sarah, 3. And we had big plans: the Matterhorn, Teacups, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Sleeping Beauty's Castle and those nutty submarines that weren't even completely submerged.
Disneyland Memories Stay Forever Young
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Dateline: March 10, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: USA Today
When I read of the battles being waged by soulless egomaniacs for control of the Disney entertainment empire, my mind instinctively retreats to the pre-Beatles 1960s when there was just kindly old Walt and his Wonderful World of Color enchanting my family on a black-and-white TV screen on Sunday nights in Ashland, Ohio.
Walt Disney was a god, conversant in the
Disneyland Celebrates 50 Years
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Dateline: February 24, 2005
Status: Archive
Source: Australian Associated Press
Disneyland, an oasis of niceness in a cynical world wracked by terrorism, war and scandal, celebrates its 50th anniversary on May 5.
And what a birthday party it promises to be: 18 months of "the Happiest Homecoming on Earth", starring every Disney character you know, from Mickey Mouse to Mary Poppins.
Julie Andrews, who won the best-actress Oscar for her role
Jungle Cruise Visitors Get Another Shot At Fun
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Dateline: October 8, 2004
Status: Archive
Source: Orange County Register
Rounding another bend in the treacherous river, your skipper tells you to watch out for the hippos. They can be dangerous when they blow bubbles or wiggle their ears.
"Look out!" he cries, as the hippos instantly wiggle their ears. "I'm going to try and scare them off."
Bang!
That sound - absent for about four years - returned this week to the Jungle Cruise,
Disneyland Turning 50
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Dateline: September 26, 2004
Status: Archive
Source: Knight-Ridder
Here's the deal with Disneyland. The two women ahead of me in line were Elizabeth and Lexi, twins fromWinnetka, Ill. Elizabeth is a communications and political science major at the University of Southern California. Lexi is a philosophy major atYale.
They knew the words to ''We Can Fly,'' a song from Walt Disney's ''PeterPan.'' It's the song the chorus sings when
Still Magic In The Kingdom
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Dateline: June 6, 2004
Status: Archive
Source: Salt Lake Tribune
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
Disneyland Purists Decry Tame Teacups In Fantasyland
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Dateline: February 29, 2004
Status: Archive
Source: Associated Press
The teacup ride has turned tame and longtime fans of the Fantasyland attraction are not happy.
The Mad Tea Party ride with 18 giant spinning teacups was recently modified in the name of safety to make it harder for people to spin.
The move has prompted fans of the ride to march to City Hall on Disneyland's Main Street in protest and post hundreds of messages on
King Arthur Carrousel
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Dateline: March 1, 2001
Status: Archive
Source: E Ticket
On July 17, 1955, an excited crowd of Disneyland visitors ... the first ever ... waited at the Park's central hub for the signal to rush across the drawbridge and enter Walt Disney's magical Fantasyland realm. As the television cameras rolled, a heroic mounted "knight in armor" advanced towards the crowd from along the castle wall, signalled with his lance, then turned
Disneyland's Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship Resturant
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Dateline: March 1, 2000
Status: Archive
Source: E Ticket
Walt Disney's first Fantasyland was designed to give the impression that Sleeping Beauty Castle (with its rockwork turrets and extended walls of stone) was the single permanent structure in the area. Fantasyland's rides and concessions were arranged in the castle courtyard as if part of a traveling fair or medieval tournament. Peter Pan and the other dark rides (housed
Disneyland In One Day
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Dateline: March 1, 2000
Status: Archive
Source: Disney Magazine
The First Hint that my mission will be daunting: I tell the cast member in Guest Relations the title of the article I'm researching, and she starts to giggle. Disneyland in a day? Who am I kidding? "It might be a little hard," she says, handing me my tickets, "to do it all in a day."
Disneyland has its own special feel, and nostalgia is only part of it. Yes, it's
Your Best Day Ever At Disneyland
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Dateline: June 1, 1992
Status: Archive
Source: Sunset
Enjoy a Mickey Mouse flapjack for breakfast, then hit Splash Mountain early. Eat lunch at the Big Thunder Ranch. Top off your day at Disneyland by watching fireworks from a little know vantage point. Those are some of the tips we picked up after visiting Disneyland five times last season. We learned how to tackle the park during its busiest time-summer. We discovered how
Walt Disney Reveals Just How Disneyland Was Created In Rare Interview
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Dateline: April 1, 1966
Status: Archive
Source: Readers Digest
“Twenty years ago,” Walt said as we drove toward Disneyland, some 25 miles southeast of central Los Angeles, “I was always trying to think of a place to take my two small daughters on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon-a place where I could have fun, too.
“At an amusement park, the only fun provided for a father, besides having his bottom dropped out from under
Onward And Upward With The Arts
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Dateline: September 7, 1963
Status: Archive
Source: New Yorker
One day last year in Los Angeles, as I was about to step aboard a helicopter that would take me to Disneyland with my teen-aged son and daughter, these two, smiling wanly, nodded toward a tourist poster that gave equal billing to our destination and to Forest Lawn cemetery. Their gesture reminded me that in earlier years they had wasted hundreds of child-hours vainly
Magic Worlds Of Walt Disney
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Dateline: August 1, 1963
Status: Archive
Source: National Geographic
Disneyland really started more than 20 years ago, when Walt got the idea for an amusement park that grownups as well as children would enjoy.
"I had all my drawing things laid out at home, and I'd work on plans for the park, as a hobby, at night."
At the time, amusement parks were dying all over the country, "I talked Disneyland but no one could see it," Walt
Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom
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Dateline: April 1, 1960
Status: Archive
Source: Readers Digest
Twenty years ago," Walt said as we drove toward Disneyland, some 25 miles southeast of central Los Angeles, "I was always trying to think of a place to take my two small daughters on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon - a place where I could have fun, too.
"At an amusement park the only fun provided for a father, besides having his bottom dropped out from under him on the
Autumn And Disneyland
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Dateline: October 1, 1959
Status: Archive
Source: Vacationland
It's a wonderful, leisurely time of year to visit Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom!
Anytime is a "good time" to visit Walt Disney unique Magic Kingdom - just ask the 12 million adults and 4 million children who've already been here!
But with the Fall season, there is particular appeal and a still different enchantment about Disneyland, where guests find themselves
Intrepid Kids Of Disneyland
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Dateline: June 28, 1958
Status: Archive
Source: Saturday Evening Post
It was a normal Sunday afternoon at Disneyland. The Gay Nineties show had just broken at the Golden Horseshoe, a make-believe salon located in the Frontierland area. The tourist-packed Mark Twain, a scaled-down reproduction of a nineteenth-century Mississippi river boat, was sailing around Tom Sawyer's Island. Stagecoach passengers were jolting through the Painted Desert,
He Spent 21 Million Dollars Just For Fun
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Dateline: October 27, 1957
Status: Archive
Source: Independent Press Telegram
Last week the 9,474,254th visitor walked through the gates of Disneyland since they were opened July 18, 1955.
And just for fun-that these visitors might have the time of their lives - $21 millions have been spent on the fabulous playground at Anaheim by its creator, Walt Disney.
That's not all. Says Disney:
"Disneyland never will be completed. . . . It
Variety Keynotes A Day At The Magic Kingdom
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Dateline: June 1, 1957
Status: Archive
Source: Disneyland Holiday
Hop aboard the horse-drawn trolley (or if you prefer a surrey, a double-decked bus, a "horseless carriage" or fire wagon) and let's begin a tour through Disneyland with a jaunt down 1900 Main Street.
To our right as we leave Town Square is the Santa Fe and Disneyland Railroad Station, where passenger and freight trains depart for a trip around Disneyland.
Land That Does Away With Time
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Dateline: February 1, 1956
Status: Archive
Source: Better Homes & Gardens
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
Disneyland
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Dateline: August 15, 1955
Status: Archive
Source: Life
It may be more than the kids can bear. It has an Adventureland from Tahiti, a Frontierland entered through the log gates of an old fort complete with a Davy Crockett museum, a Fantasyland full Snow White, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty and all their associates, and a Tomorrowland with a Space Port. Walt Disney arranged it all, of course, and then named it Disneyland. Sprawled
Disneyland Gates Open Celebrity Throng At Premier
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Dateline: July 18, 1955
Status: Archive
Source: Independent Press Telegram
Disneyland, a $17,000,000 fairyland dedicated to the pleasure of children, opened Sunday in a special preview of 35,000 invited guests whose enthusiasm indicated that Walt Disney's dream had lived up to expectations.
The spectacular park will be opened officially to the public at 10 a. m. today and upward of 50,000 persons are expected for the event.
Sunday the
Tomorrowland Exhibits Show World Of Future
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Dateline: July 18, 1955
Status: Archive
Source: Disneyland News
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
Story Book Adventures Live Again In Fantasyland
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Dateline: July 18, 1955
Status: Archive
Source: Disneyland News
Story-book adventures have long fascinated and excited the imagination of young and old alike. The stories of the escapades of Snow White, Peter Pan, Mr. Toad and a whole host of other unforgettable tales have been read through the years, and passed on from generation to generation.
Recognizing this and desiring that the youth of all ages have the
500 Anaheim Children To Help Introduce Disneyland On TV
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Dateline: July 13, 1955
Status: Archive
Source: Independent Press Telegram
Five hundred children from Anaheim Sunday Schools will play a big role in the ABC television -Show which will introduce Disneyland Park to a national TV audience Sunday.
The lucky youngsters will enjoy a preview of Sleeping Beauty's Castle and the rides of Walt Disney's new magic kingdom.
They will arrive at the park in 14 buses each of which will be under
Disneyland Gets Its Last Touches
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Dateline: July 9, 1955
Status: Archive
Source: New York Times
The final fantastic touches are being put on Disneyland. The $16,500,000 amusement park created by Walt Disney, the film producer, is scheduled to open July 18.
It covers sixty acres and is calculated to draw about 5,000,000 visitors a year.
Disneyland is situated in this citrus-ranching suburb twenty-two miles from Los Angeles. For it the appellation
Disneyland A New Wonder Of The Amusement World Nears Completion
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Dateline: May 29, 1955
Status: Archive
Source: Sunday News Journal
A wonderland of delights such as the World may never have seen before is rising out of the orange groves in this sunny suburb of Los Angeles.
It is Disneyland, a 17 million dollar paradise for children. When the gates are opened on July 19, customers will see an amusement built on the scale of a World's Fair. The fantastic world of Disney films will be transformed
Disneyland
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Dateline: January 1, 1955
Status: Archive
Source: McCalls
This July, Walt Disney will realize a lifelong dream, when the fabulous wonderland he is raising out of the dust of a 160-acre tract in the heart of California's orange-growing country opens to the public. The 5 million young at heart who are expected to visit it annually will know it as Disneyland-"a place where you can leave Today, with its cares and worries, behind and
One of the original Fantasyland attractions that debuted in 1955 the Mad Hatter's mad tea party has gone through several changes the preliminary
concept drawing show. Basically what guess seen now the whirl of teacups with an Alice in Wonderland themed that Echoes the 1951 Disney film. The
most conspicuous stylistic differences between what was drawn and what was built concern the track layout in the attractions centerpiece one early
illustration show 22 teacups circling a central Hub as if they were on a racetrack with bank curves.
Originally the main platform upon which the cup spun was grey later it was painted with a giant red and orange psychedelic spiral.
Guests instantly took to the crazy cups enthusiastic about the control wheel in the center of each cup that enabled riders to spin themselves faster
or slower clockwise or counterclockwise.
So frantic is the action that many guests don't realize the 90 second mad tea party is one of the shortest rides in the park.
Promoting the Mad tea party has always been pretty easy for Disneyland publicist. The attraction is easily understood and basically sells itself.
When it opened the Mad tea party and its colorful tea cups were positioned in the Sleeping Beauty Castle Courtyard to the west of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride a location now occupied by the King Arthur Carrousel.
While, it may seem nauseating and perplexing to some older guests millions still enjoy the Thrills that have kept this particular party going for over five decades.
Currently the music that plays is "The Un-Birthday Song" from the Alice In Wonderland movie
In early 1982 Disney designer shut down the teacups for over a year so they could be relocated near the Alice in Wonderland attraction about 150 ft to the east. The carousel which was already in the castle Courtyard move north to fill the Mad tea parties former location and the teacups filled what had once been an empty walkway new party lights for strong above the cups and the Very Merry unbirthday Song from the Alice film was piped-in to enhance the connection.
During the rides first two years, the Tea Cups had no brakes or clutches--nothing to limit how fast they could be spun. Mad Tea Party And Dumbo are the only attractions to switched locations.
The Mad Tea Party has three small turntables, which rotate clockwise, each holding six teacups, within one large turntable, rotating counter-clockwise
Ride Information:
Maximum seating capacity: 4 per teacup
Dispatch interval: 2 minutes 54 seconds
Required a "B" ticket in 1955-1957
Required a "C" ticket in 1959
Required a "C" ticket in 1964-1965
From WED Disneyland Dictionary 1968
Mad Tea Party is inspired by the Mad Hatter's wild celebration as described in the story of Mice in Wondentand, This attraction features a merry whirl in spinning cups and twirling saucers. MERLIN'S MAGIC SHOP offers monster masks, tricks and magician's supplies of many kinds in a medieval setting. King Arthur's rock-locked sword is on display.
Required a "C" ticket in 1970's
From Steve Birnbaum brings you the best of Disneyland 1982:
The sequence of Walt Disney's 1951 production of Lewis Carroll's novel Alice in Wonderland, in which the Mad Hatter hosts a tea party for his un-birthday, is the theme for this at- traction a group of oversize pastel teacups that spin and whirl on a spinning platform as wildly as many old amusement parks' Tubs o' Fun. As a result, it's always a great hit with the 9-to-20 crowd. (However, it does tend to make more riders sick to their stomachs than any other attraction in the park, so watch what you eat beforehand, and at least let a reasonable interval pass after eating be- fore you embark on this mad whirl.) When this now- closed attraction reopens in 1984, it will occupy the space between Storybook Land and Alice in Wonderland, where a fast-food facility had been previously situated.
