I love Disneyland! I really do. Since I am an Orange County native I’ve been going to Disneyland for as long as I can remember. It was our family tradition to go to Disneyland every Christmas Eve. I’ve seen pictures of me as a baby sporting mouse years. Now that I have children we all are sporting season passes and starting our own Disney traditions (we always start the day going on the Pirates ride)
This will date me, but I can remember having to have tickets to go on certain rides (the E tickets). I have watched rides come and go over the years (I still miss the hanging baskets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but the ambiance and magic of the land has never faltered.
Little known facts about Disneyland:
Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955.
Opening day was such a disaster that pretty much every press organization that attended the celebration had predicted the park’s failure within one year.and it is said that ladies’ high heel shoes sunk into the tar. More than twice the number of invited guests showed up at the park that day due to widespread counterfeiting of the tickets. Rides broke down and food and drink ran out. By the end of the first day, all but 2 of the 48 Autopia cars were crashed and about half the rides were broken. Despite all that, park visitors loved it!
It opened on a day that was 101 degrees and the street asphalt still wasn’t dry
Disneyland’s address is 1313 Harbor Boulevard. M is the 13th letter of the alphabet, making the address MM for Mickey Mouse. Also, if you turn the address sideways it looks like 2 sets of mouse ears.
The drawbridge on Sleeping Beauty Castle is real and has been raised and lowered twice; once when the park first opened, and again in 1983 when Fantasyland was rededicated.
The coat of arms above the castle entryway is Walt’s family’s coat of arms.
The top floor of the fire station on Main Street USA was Walt Disney’s private apartment during the park’s construction. It is still furnished but is not open to the public, though a light is left burning in one of its windows each day in tribute to Walt.
Hidden Mickeys are spread all over the park and there’s at least one in every ride.
It’s a Small World was originally created for the 1964 World Fair in New York. After the World Fair, the attraction was shipped to Disneyland and opened there in 1967. (My favorite ride!)
The first Tinker Bell to glide down a cable from Matterhorn Mountain to Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in 1961 was a 70 year old circus performer.
There is a basketball Court for the Cast Members in the Matterhorn
All the horses were salvaged and are hand painted &more than 100 years old.
When the horses are washed they are washed by hand and only with water (No Soap). the horse with the roses, which reportedly was Lillian Disney’s favorite.
When Disney park first opened, Walt gave guests hard candy at the gate, then counted how many steps it took for them to throw the wrapper on the ground. That is how far apart trash bins are at the park now.
Did your balloon pop? Just show any balloon seller your popped balloon and they’ll give you a new one.
Coke Cola gives the park free soda to eliminate competition in the park and for the advertising
When you wish upon a star all your dreams do come true!
I wished upon a star and dreamed of having a family I could go to Disneyland with. It came true.
Below is the cutest mouse ears wearing baby ever! My little Kingston.
