News Happy 64th Disneyland!

Disney Analyst

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Just here to celebrate 64 years of ups, downs, and all arounds. We love you Disneyland, except the people on here who hate you.

Also BOB posted a tweet celebrating 54 years... but he deleted it after 5 minutes. So there's that.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

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Rich T

Well-Known Member
Just here to celebrate 64 years of ups, downs, and all arounds. We love you Disneyland, except the people on here who hate you....
Nobody here hates you, Disneyland. There are, however, some of us who hate Galaxy's Edge, but we know it's not your fault. :D
(EDIT)
P.S. That's not a great look for your castle. It looks like it's wearing pajamas. Again, not your fault.
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
I can't wait until Tomorrow, July 18th!!!

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Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Let me share a post from today on The Anaheim Historical Society FB page.

Me - >>
You know that Opening Day was Monday, July 18th, 1955, and was the date Walt Disney Celebrated throughout his lifetime. Only after he passed away, did the Disneyland Staff circa 1970 switched the date of Celebration to July 17th, the date of the International Press Preview and the live ABC TV broadcast.
You know that Opening Day was Monday, July 18th, 1955, and was the date Walt Disney Celebrated throughout his lifetime. Only after he passed away, did the Disneyland Staff circa 1970 switched the date of Celebration to July 17th, the date of the International Press Preview and the live ABC TV broadcast.<<

AHS - >>
Correct. I tend to say 'anniversary' and 'public opening anniversary' - two dates, like getting to celebrate a birthday over 48 hours instead of 24. :) -Kevin
Correct. I tend to say 'anniversary' and 'public opening anniversary' - two dates, like getting to celebrate a birthday over 48 hours instead of 24. :) -Kevin<<

Me - >>
Oh both dates are important. The logistics of the live ABC broadcast in 1955 set some amazing records. Cameras were shipped in from across the country to make it happen. It was the term in the video "Opening Day Dedication" that got my attention. The word "Opening" was not used in the video, and the video was clearly from the ABC broadcast. The exact same speech was read again on Opening Day, Monday. It is just that if we want to present the correct historical content, that Walt Disney and his staff clearly used the word "Opening Day" to refer to Monday the 18th. Quite a few items at the Muzeo clearly show that. So let's celebrate both dates.
Oh both dates are important. The logistics of the live ABC broadcast in 1955 set some amazing records. Cameras were shipped in from across the country to make it happen. It was the term in the video "Opening Day Dedication" that got my attention. The word "Opening" was not used in the video, and the video was clearly from the ABC broadcast. The exact same speech was read again on Opening Day, Monday. It is just that if we want to present the correct historical content, that Walt Disney and his staff clearly used the word "Opening Day" to refer to Monday the 18th. Quite a few items at the Muzeo clearly show that. So let's celebrate both dates.<<
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
And let me share a Bob Gurr FB post from today....

>>
On this day 64 years ago, Disneyland previewed for the first time. It was on that day when Walt had a beautiful, famous redheaded movie star and her young twin boys with him as the first parade was about to start.
Since she wanted to tag along with Walt, he told her Bob Gurr would be delighted to babysit the boys for her! We had a large number of untried Autopia cars in the parade which constantly stopped with fuel vapor lock. They were restarted by hard stomps on a kick starter, and my legs were becoming cramped in the 100 degree heat. All I needed was some little kids to watch. They loved the parade view from inside the cars as their mommy waved back.
Later, her sons had to ride with me in one of the two police cars that were supposed to pace guests in the regular Autopia cars. Their idea of pacing was to get me to chase their mother's show biz friends with red light and siren. 'Git him!' they hollered as we pursued a short man wearing an eye patch. We hit him and he went over the curb onto the grass, giving us a startled look. The next morning's paper had photos of the famous guests, and sure enough—it was Sammy Davis Jr. I didn't see her until very late after dark when she finally came back to Autopia to collect them. If she only knew what a wild day we had!
So many opening day guests were in a frenzy to ride every attraction that they just went nuts. As the number of available Autopia cars dwindled due to mechanical breakage, guests jumped over the railings and ran up the track. They stopped the returning cars, pulled the occupants out, and drove off right past the ride entrance.
It was possible to spin out the Autopia cars and reverse the direction of the ride. Several super head-on collisions took place while the ride operators were trying to hold back the crowd at the gate. One crash injured two little boys. One, holding his knocked out teeth carefully in his hands for me to see, came over to me. When I escorted them to the City Hall first aid, they began to cry. They thought they would not be able to come back and finish their Autopia ride.
Starting out with 40 Autopia vehicles (two of which were police cars and one on display as 'Walt's Car') left 37 for guests. Mechanical failures happened faster than we could fix them. Since all the mechanics were repairing other attractions, which were vitally needed, I pitched in with my own tools to help the lone repairman. Shortly we were down to just two running cars. All the rest were hopelessly wrecked.
When Walt came by and saw our 'junkyard', he sat in the little car shelter sadly staring at the scene. No mechanics. No maintenance. No tools. No place to work. Nobody to go get parts. All my time was spent fixing, none on improving the first design. I wondered if I should haved stayed in Detroit as a car stylist, now that I was an 18 hour day auto mechanic.
Walt looked at the whole scene and asked, “What do you need?” I told him we needed mechanics to work on the cars, and we didn’t have any kind of facilities. In less than an hour, here comes this tractor dragging an old building and the driver says, “Here’s your damn building. Walt told me to bring it to you. Where do you want it?” We had mechanics the next morning.
In a few days, the area began to show signs that Disneyland would indeed live. Walt responded to reality and we were off to 35 wild years!

On this day 64 years ago, Disneyland previewed for the first time. It was on that day when Walt had a beautiful, famous redheaded movie star and her young twin boys with him as the first parade was about to start.
Since she wanted to tag along with Walt, he told her Bob Gurr would be delighted to babysit the boys for her! We had a large number of untried Autopia cars in the parade which constantly stopped with fuel vapor lock. They were restarted by hard stomps on a kick starter, and my legs were becoming cramped in the 100 degree heat. All I needed was some little kids to watch. They loved the parade view from inside the cars as their mommy waved back.
Later, her sons had to ride with me in one of the two police cars that were supposed to pace guests in the regular Autopia cars. Their idea of pacing was to get me to chase their mother's show biz friends with red light and siren. 'Git him!' they hollered as we pursued a short man wearing an eye patch. We hit him and he went over the curb onto the grass, giving us a startled look. The next morning's paper had photos of the famous guests, and sure enough—it was Sammy Davis Jr. I didn't see her until very late after dark when she finally came back to Autopia to collect them. If she only knew what a wild day we had!
So many opening day guests were in a frenzy to ride every attraction that they just went nuts. As the number of available Autopia cars dwindled due to mechanical breakage, guests jumped over the railings and ran up the track. They stopped the returning cars, pulled the occupants out, and drove off right past the ride entrance.
It was possible to spin out the Autopia cars and reverse the direction of the ride. Several super head-on collisions took place while the ride operators were trying to hold back the crowd at the gate. One crash injured two little boys. One, holding his knocked out teeth carefully in his hands for me to see, came over to me. When I escorted them to the City Hall first aid, they began to cry. They thought they would not be able to come back and finish their Autopia ride.
Starting out with 40 Autopia vehicles (two of which were police cars and one on display as 'Walt's Car') left 37 for guests. Mechanical failures happened faster than we could fix them. Since all the mechanics were repairing other attractions, which were vitally needed, I pitched in with my own tools to help the lone repairman. Shortly we were down to just two running cars. All the rest were hopelessly wrecked.
When Walt came by and saw our 'junkyard', he sat in the little car shelter sadly staring at the scene. No mechanics. No maintenance. No tools. No place to work. Nobody to go get parts. All my time was spent fixing, none on improving the first design. I wondered if I should haved stayed in Detroit as a car stylist, now that I was an 18 hour day auto mechanic.
Walt looked at the whole scene and asked, “What do you need?” I told him we needed mechanics to work on the cars, and we didn’t have any kind of facilities. In less than an hour, here comes this tractor dragging an old building and the driver says, “Here’s your damn building. Walt told me to bring it to you. Where do you want it?” We had mechanics the next morning.
In a few days, the area began to show signs that Disneyland would indeed live. Walt responded to reality and we were off to 35 wild years!<<
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Speaking of the senior discount at Denny's, anyone else notice that elderly people at Disneyland are becoming less and less frequent? It can't be because they're dying since old people are living longer and longer than ever.

Love the Denny's 15% AARP discount (MUST have the card) 24 hours of the day.

But ALL AAA members can get 25% off at NORM'S from 2 to 6 PM, even youngsters.
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
July 17th is the day I celebrate.

You can celebrste any day you want... Heck, look at the end of the Alice in Wonderland attraction....

I prefer to celebrate on the date Walt Disney did.

Heck, look what Walt did on the 10th Anniversary. He premiered the 10th Anniversary on Saturday the 17th for press coverage reasons. But he had the Birthday Party on Sunday, July 18th at the opening of the Plaza Inn.
 

GingerGirl3

Active Member
And let me share a Bob Gurr FB post from today....

>>
On this day 64 years ago, Disneyland previewed for the first time. It was on that day when Walt had a beautiful, famous redheaded movie star and her young twin boys with him as the first parade was about to start.<<

Darkbeer you know what I want to know, who was the redhead?
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
This same, tired argument comes up every year. Yes we know Disneyland had a press event on the 17th and officially opened the 18th.

No, we don’t care... as Disneyland celebrates on the 17th. The end.

To be fair, if it weren't for knowledgeable fans like @Darkbeer1 we'd all think that Disneyland always celebrated the celebrity/media preview on July 17th as the actual birthday. Hell, I'm an old guy who thought I knew a lot about Disneyland history, but if it weren't for @Darkbeer1 schooling me on the actual facts a decade or so ago I would still think July 17th was the first day Disneyland opened to the public. It wasn't.

That said, by the 1980's and onward into the 21st century "July 17th" became the holy grail date for Disneyland, just like July 4th is a sacred date to Americans. So I can appreciate how special today is, and yet also appreciate the very valid point that Darkbeer makes that July 18th was the real date when people who weren't Frank Sinatra or Sammy Davis Jr. or Irene Dunne were allowed to buy a ticket and go inside Walt's new entertainment concept.

In the spirit of inclusion, and because it's now the cocktail hour in my home and I'm enjoying a martini made with The Botanist gin (truly wonderful, perfect for summer cocktails that call for gin, find it at finer liquor stores everywhere), I offer this video of today's festivities. Disneyland management always does a nice job with the ceremony on July 17th, attended by neckbeard bloggers and serial YouTubers, while random tourists from British Columbia and Italy wander by wondering what the heck all the fuss is about. Happy 64th Birthday Disneyland!

 
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