Disneyland's Opening Day Mishaps, And Disney World's Triumph

In 1955, Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California, changing family amusement forever. The kid-friendly site, divided into various "lands" (Adventureland, Frontierland, etc.), dotted with rides and populated by characters Walt Disney had created set a new standard. Celebrities and civilians alike attended the opening, mingling with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and other walking, talking animals, even though much of it didn't go as planned. The park in California was so successful that a second venue, on a lot more land in Florida, was opened a decade later.
Plan Of The Park

Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, on what had previously been 160 acres of orange groves in Anaheim, California. Six thousand special invitations were sent out to people involved in the $17 million project as well as to the press. ABC broadcasted a live special that was hosted by Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan, and Billy Cummings.
The original park was divided into five sections: Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Main Street, USA. Some of the attractions included Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan’s Flight, Mad Tea Party, and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. The iconic Dumbo ride would open the following month., while the classic “It’s a Small World” would not make its debut for more than a decade.
Things Didn't Go As Planned

Disneyland Today

Despite its rocky beginnings, the park was a huge success, surpassing one million visitors in only seven weeks. Many consider it to be the original “theme” park, with the ones that came before it being considered amusement parks, and it became the blueprint for all the theme parks which came after it.
Today, Disneyland Resort has added a second park, California Adventure, as well as several resort hotels. In 2015, it was ranked second in most popular theme parks by attendance with 18.29 million visitors. It was beaten only by the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida, which had 20.49 million visitors and just happens to be the second Disney theme park to open during the groovy era.
Walt Goes To Florida

The Magic Kingdom

Additions And Expansion

The dedication ceremony included a performance by the World Symphony Orchestra, a television special with Bob Hope, the debut of the Electric Water Parade, and a 1,076-piece marching band. On October 25, 1971, Roy Disney dedicated Disney World as “a tribute to the philosophy and life of Walter Elias Disney.” In 1982, EPCOT center, a theme park version of Walt’s vision of a progressive community, became the second park at Walt Disney World.
Today, there are four theme parks and two water parks, though Magic Kingdom remains the most popular. Several resort hotels have been added over the years and are now categorized into different price ranges in an effort to make affordable options for everyone. While Walt did not live to see his vision for the park become a reality, his statue stands near the entrance, welcoming guests as they enter the park.