Happy Birthday, Disneyland

[Californian Elitist]

Tomorrow, Disneyland will be fifty-eight years young. On July 17th, 1955, Disneyland opened its gates to everyone on a hot, sunny day. Tickets were ninety-one cents, plus an extra nine cents for tax for adults. Disneyland's first admission ticket was sold to Roy Disney. Disneyland's opening day was broadcast live on ABC, with plenty of celebrities there, including Ronald Reagan, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra and others, with Art Linkletter hosting. Walt Disney presented opening speeches for the various lands, as well as an opening speech for the park in general. Thousands of guests showed up to experience Walt's park for the first time. Since then, the park has continued to change and evolve, just as Walt Disney said it would, and Walt's spirit continues to present itself throughout the park. Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom, the "Happiest Place on Earth" never fails to put smiles on many faces and it never fails to make people feel just that. Happy. I'm looking forward to the next fifty-eight years.

According to the OC Register, in honor of Disneyland's birthday tomorrow, guests will be given simple choreography to learn, with "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" to dance to. Characters will also come out to sing "Happy Birthday".

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/park-517159-dance-dancing.html


Thousands of uninvited guests show up to experience Disneyland for the first time:

Children run through Sleeping Beauty Castle's entrance, straight to Fantasyland on opening day:

Tony Baxter and others present a time lapse video of Disneyland's construction:



Opening day ABC broadcast:



An old but nice video of Disneyland through the years:

 

[tare]

I loved reading this. Thx for taking the time to post!!!!

 

[Californian Elitist]

I loved reading this. Thx for taking the time to post!!!!

I had to do something special for my favorite park's special day.

 

[Marc Gil]

Thanks for posting! I'll be watching Dateline Disneyland (you posted), Disneyland '59, Disneyland After Dark, and my favorite: Disneyland 10th Anniversary show tomorrow and Thursday to celebrate Disneyland's anniversary. In less than a month, I'll be returning to the happiest place on earth once again! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DISNEYLAND!

 

[Californian Elitist]

Thanks for posting! I'll be watching Dateline Disneyland (you posted), Disneyland '59, Disneyland After Dark, and my favorite: Disneyland 10th Anniversary show tomorrow and Thursday to celebrate Disneyland's anniversary. In less than a month, I'll be returning to the happiest place on earth once again! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DISNEYLAND!

Yay! That sounds like a great idea, I've got that on DVD (Disney Treasures). I will be doing the same, thanks for this comment haha.

 

[Marc Gil]

Yay! That sounds like a great idea, I've got that on DVD (Disney Treasures). I will be doing the same, thanks for this comment haha.

Haha well it's going to be one joyous day!
Well here's a little song I came up with in memory of this memorable day (see if you can find the resemblance):
"58 Years of Fantasy, 58 Years of Fun, 58 Years of Growing and You've Only Just Begun! 58 Years of Building Every Dream That Never Ends, 58 Years Happiness for 600 Million Friends. 58 Magic Years Ago You Had Your Start, Now You're the Kingdom of the Young and Young At Heart! May You Forever Be the Land Where Dreams Come True. Congratulations Disneyland, Happy Birthday to You!" LOL

 

[Californian Elitist]

Haha well it's going to be one joyous day!
Well here's a little song I came up with in memory of this memorable day (see if you can find the resemblance):
"58 Years of Fantasy, 58 Years of Fun, 58 Years of Growing and You've Only Just Begun! 58 Years of Building Every Dream That Never Ends, 58 Years Happiness for 600 Million Friends. 58 Magic Years Ago You Had Your Start, Now You're the Kingdom of the Young and Young At Heart! May You Forever Be the Land Where Dreams Come True. Congratulations Disneyland, Happy Birthday to You!" LOL

Beautiful. Really, I love it! You're a great poet!

You're making me really wish I could be at the park, tomorrow.

 

[Marc Gil]

Beautiful. Really, I love it! You're a great poet!

You're making me really wish I could be at the park, tomorrow.

LOL I didn't make it up... I wish I did... When you watch the Tenth Anniversary Show tomorrow, you'll see where I got it from. That's why I said "see if you could find the resemblance" I just plugged in the 58 years XD

 

[Californian Elitist]

LOL I didn't make it up... I wish I did... When you watch the Tenth Anniversary Show tomorrow, you'll see where I got it from. That's why I said "see if you could find the resemblance" I just plugged in the 58 years XD

I've only seen then tenth anniversary once, and that was years ago. Evidently I don't remember it haha! Still, it's very nice.

 

[Marc Gil]

I've only seen then tenth anniversary once, and that was years ago. Evidently I don't remember it haha! Still, it's very nice.

LOL, they sing it in the part when the candles dance around the huge birthday cake in front of the castle.

 

[Californian Elitist]

LOL, they sing it in the part when the candles dance around the huge birthday cake in front of the castle.

I definitively remember the candles, but definitely not the song. Gonna have to watch it tomorrow!

 

[Magenta Panther]

Thanks so much, Raven. And a Happy Birthday to the Happiest Place On Earth!

 

[croboy82]

Love this post.

 

[TP2000]

Haha well it's going to be one joyous day!
Well here's a little song I came up with in memory of this memorable day (see if you can find the resemblance):
"58 Years of Fantasy, 58 Years of Fun, 58 Years of Growing and You've Only Just Begun! 58 Years of Building Every Dream That Never Ends, 58 Years Happiness for 600 Million Friends. 58 Magic Years Ago You Had Your Start, Now You're the Kingdom of the Young and Young At Heart! May You Forever Be the Land Where Dreams Come True. Congratulations Disneyland, Happy Birthday to You!" LOL

I LOVE IT!

That Tenth Anniversary Jingle from 1965 is one of the Sherman Brother's lesser known works, but it's utterly charming and ridiculously catchy.

Here's the original version "10 Years Of Fantasy" as seen on national televsision, and In Living Color, on Walt Disney's Wonderful World Of Color for Disneyland's 10th Anniversary.

The catchy jingle is at the 3:30 mark.


Fun Fact: That big drum float that Mickey rides in on at the 8:00 mark of the parade was built especially for the Tencennial. It served as the inspiration a few years later for the Drum Float that leads the MSEP. And in 2013 it's referenced yet again in Mickey's Soundsational Parade by the lead Drum Float that Mickey rides on. Except now Mickey emotes and blinks and speaks as he plays a full drum set. But it all ties back to that big Drum Float created in '65 for the Tencennial. And now you know!

And Happy 58th Birthday, Disneyland! You don't look a day over 20! (Seriously, the park has never sparkled more than it has in recent years, and 2013 continues that sparklingly happy trend.)

 

[TP2000]

LOL I didn't make it up... I wish I did... When you watch the Tenth Anniversary Show tomorrow, you'll see where I got it from. That's why I said "see if you could find the resemblance" I just plugged in the 58 years XD

And you had to change "50 Million Friends" from 1965 into "600 Million Friends" for 2013. The place has grown a bit.

But I love it! Thanks for reminding us of a fun birthday song written especially for Disneyland USA.

 

[Nemo14]

I'm old enough to vaguely remember seeing some of those scenes on the original Mickey Mouse Club and Disneyland shows. I was pretty young then, but I remember how much it made you want to go there. We eventually did go when I was in my teens, and I remember how excited I was to see it in color!

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I LOVE IT!

That Tenth Anniversary Jingle from 1965 is one of the Sherman Brother's lesser known works, but it's utterly charming and ridiculously catchy.

Here's the original version "10 Years Of Fantasy" as seen on national televsision, and In Living Color, on Walt Disney's Wonderful World Of Color for Disneyland's 10th Anniversary.

The catchy jingle is at the 3:30 mark.


Fun Fact: That big drum float that Mickey rides in on at the 8:00 mark of the parade was built especially for the Tencennial. It served as the inspiration a few years later for the Drum Float that leads the MSEP. And in 2013 it's referenced yet again in Mickey's Soundsational Parade by the lead Drum Float that Mickey rides on. Except now Mickey emotes and blinks and speaks as he plays a full drum set. But it all ties back to that big Drum Float created in '65 for the Tencennial. And now you know... the rest of the story.

And Happy 58th Birthday, Disneyland! You don't look a day over 20! (Seriously, the park has never sparkled more than it has in recent years, and 2013 continues that sparklingly happy trend.)

fyp

 

[lego606]

It's amazing to think that Sleeping Beauty Castle is 58 years old and yet still looks new.

 

[Marc Gil]

And you had to change "50 Million Friends" from 1965 into "600 Million Friends" for 2013. The place has grown a bit.

But I love it! Thanks for reminding us of a fun birthday song written especially for Disneyland USA.

Haha I didn't forget