January 29--Maria Helen Alvarez Smith passed away in her Rancho Santa Fe home on January 29. At 88 years old. One of the happiest memories she left was the legacy of the Disneyland Hotel, she financed and built the landmark.
March 11--Richard and Robert Sherman were given their own Main Street window which reads, 'Two Brothers Tunemakers'
March 18--Fess Parker, the iconic actor who played Davy Crockett in Walt Disney's television show 'Disneyland” in the 1950s, died at his home, he was 85. Fess Elisha Parker Jr. was born Aug. 16, 1924, in Fort Worth, Texas. Family spokeswoman Sao Anash said Parker died at his Santa Ynez Valley home. His death comes on the 84th birthday of his wife of 50 years, Marcella.
May 26--Art Linkletter, who hosted Disneyland's opening day broadcast, dies at age 97. Art had forged a great friendship with Walt Disney, which led him to host Disneyland's groundbreaking live opening day broadcast on ABC in 1955. Linkletter returned to the park for Disneyland's 50th anniversary festivities.
May 28--Retired Disney Imagineer Bob Jolley, who worked on Disneyland rides, dies at age 88. Jolley began his Disney career at at the Walt Disney Studios and moved in 1973 to Walt Disney Imagineering, the division that creates and builds Disney's theme parks and attractions.
July 17--Disneyland celebrates it's 55th birthday
August 3--One Day Adult Ticket Prices increase from $72 to $76
August 15--Harrison 'Buzz' Price, the U.S. research economist who recommended the locations for Disneyland and Disney World, has died. He was 89. Price died of chronic anemia at Mount San Antonio Gardens' hospice in Pomona, Calif
October--Rima Bruce, one of the original Disneyland employees on the park's opening day, dies of a stroke. She was 85.
Bruce worked at Disneyland for 32 years, starting the day before Disneyland opened as a secretary to the food liaison and ending as an executive assistant to the vice president. She retired in 1987.
Bruce decided to apply for a job at Disneyland one day when she and her mother were looking for a place to picnic as they drove on Harbor Boulevard. She noticed a wood frame, which ended up being the Disneyland train station, and knew it was the theme park.
She was called in for an interview July 15, 1955, she started her job the next day and Disneyland opened the following day.
October 12-- Disneyland announces 2 new Disneyland Resort Ambassadors: René Torrico, 29, and Jolie Hales, 28. They will term will run from January 1, 2011- 2013