12 Questions
What year did Disneyland officially open to the public?
1955
Which area was added to Disneyland in the year 1966?
New Orleans Square
What was the location of Disneyland's original parking lot?
Disney California Adventure Park
Who led the creative team that designed Disneyland?
Walt Disney
Which company performed the feasibility study to determine an appropriate site for Disneyland?
Stanford Research Institute
In which year did Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge join the attractions at Disneyland?
2019
What was the initial concept for Disneyland referred to as in Walt Disney's 1948 memo?
The Mickey Mouse Park
Which of the following was NOT a source of inspiration for Walt Disney when conceptualizing Disneyland?
The Las Vegas Strip
According to the 2005 Disney report, approximately how many direct Disney employees were supported by the Disneyland Resort?
20,000
Which of the following statements about the initial location planned for Disneyland is correct?
It was initially planned for an 8-acre plot across Riverside Drive from the Walt Disney Studios.
What was the name of the initiative announced by Disney in 2019 that included major structural renovations to Disneyland?
Project Stardust
What was the inspiration behind Walt Disney's initial idea for Disneyland?
Watching his daughters ride the merry-go-round at Griffith Park in Los Angeles
Study Notes
Disneyland Resort
- 2022: 16.9 million visits, making it the second most visited amusement park in the world
- Supports 65,700 jobs, including 20,000 direct Disney employees and 3,800 third-party employees
- "Project Stardust" (2019) included major structural renovations to account for higher attendance numbers
History of Disneyland
- Concept originated when Walt Disney visited Griffith Park in Los Angeles with his daughters in the 1940s
- First documented draft of plans sent to Dick Kelsey on August 31, 1948, referred to as "Mickey Mouse Park"
- Inspired by:
- Henry Ford's Museum and Greenfield Village
- Tivoli Gardens in Denmark
- Knott's Berry Farm
- Colonial Williamsburg
- Century of Progress in Chicago
- New York's World Fair of 1939
- Original plan was for an eight-acre plot near the Burbank studios
- Harrison Price from Stanford Research Institute identified a suitable location for the planned theme park
- Acquired 160 acres of orange groves in Anaheim, California in 1953
Construction and Opening
- Construction began in 1954
- Park unveiled on July 17, 1955, during a special televised press event on ABC Television Network
- Designed by a creative team hand-picked by Walt Disney, founded WED Enterprises, precursor to Walt Disney Imagineering
Expansions and Renovations
- New Orleans Square added in 1966
- Bear Country added in 1972
- Mickey's Toontown added in 1993
- Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge added in 2019
- Disney California Adventure Park opened in 2001 on the site of Disneyland's original parking lot
- 757 million cumulative attendance since opening (as of December 2021)
Explore the rich history of Disneyland, the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company in Anaheim, California. Learn about its construction under the direct supervision of Walt Disney and its opening in 1955.
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