It is July 18th, time to say "Happy 65th Anniversary" Disneyland

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
OK, most of you know, that when Walt Disney was alive, the Park's Anniversary was always celebrated on July 18th. (The 1st, 5th and 10th were clearly held on the 18th). It matches what Walt called Opening Day, Monday, July 18th, 1955.

Sunday the 17th was the International Press Preview and amazing ABC Live Special. They flew cameras from all of the USA, to make the largest, and most complex, live broadcast at the time. It is something to celebrate.

But like all other Disney Parks, Opening Day, not when the park opened for previews, or a TV special was done (WDW had one a few days before opening), but when the General Public could buy tickets, and the gates opened to them.

So for Disneyland, it is clearly July 18th.

So Happy 65th. Amazing to think next year, Disneyland has been operating in 8 different decades!

.





 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
So then I have to ask when and why did they change it to make the official birthday celebration take place on 17th?
It looks like in 1970. The 18th was a Saturday, and the PR folks wanted a press event on Friday, to make the weekend papers. (A big deal back then). And whoever made the campaign didn't understand Walt's edict, the Anniversary is on the 18TH!!!

And since Walt was 6 feet under and/or frozen, he couldn't correct the person. And that was when it switched. Nobody pointed out the historic date, or wasn't listened to.

If you look at the opening dates of the Tiki Room and Mr. Lincoln, you see Walt made sure the date was the 18th. Mr. Lincoln was the main event for 10th Anniversary.

Remember the 17th was referred to as "Black Sunday".
 

1HAPPYGHOSTHOST

Well-Known Member
It looks like in 1970. The 18th was a Saturday, and the PR folks wanted a press event on Friday, to make the weekend papers. (A big deal back then). And whoever made the campaign didn't understand Walt's edict, the Anniversary is on the 18TH!!!

And since Walt was 6 feet under and/or frozen, he couldn't correct the person. And that was when it switched. Nobody pointed out the historic date, or wasn't listened to.

If you look at the opening dates of the Tiki Room and Mr. Lincoln, you see Walt made sure the date was the 18th. Mr. Lincoln was the main event for 10th Anniversary.

Remember the 17th was referred to as "Black Sunday".
A bunch of vloggers posted videos yesterday saying "happy birthday" Disneyland. Does that sort of thing bug you?
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
A bunch of vloggers posted videos yesterday saying "happy birthday" Disneyland. Does that sort of thing bug you?

Not really.

But July 18th, 1955 is an important date in history, and what bugs me is that it is being forgotten.

But a lot of history is being lost currently, especially in the USA.

Yes, bad things happened in History, but you still need to teach it and discuss it, so they don't happen again.

There are some that are trying to reduce the information abut Adolf Hitler, the Holocaust, etc.

I love watching the Oak Island series on History, and I hope they can prove things that correct the record. That is exciting. But even then, you have to teach the fact that everyone had it wrong for a couple of centuries, before new information was discovered.

 
Last edited:

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I did find it interesting that some folks that Disneyland opened on May 5th.

The 50th Anniversary Celebration started on 5/5/05, implying the date was 5/5/55.

So some Media folks were saying May 5th, at least until the Disney PR staff caught them doing it.

What an interesting couple of days in my life. I was helping KTLA on May 4th do its special, which was before the main press event.

But it was two long days, but happy I got full credentials, and one that didn't require a handler!

 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
One more thought, the Galaxy Edge thread talks about Disney Spin today.

The 17th/18th issue is a good example.

Also, I posted this week that Construction started on July 21st, 1955, not on July 17th, so the year and a day is another myth.

Folks have to understand that no matter the source, you just can't accept it as Fact.

As they say, Trust, but verify.

Something I was taught early, and still live by the motto.
 

SuddenStorm

Well-Known Member
Disney has a longstanding history of adapting their history to be best possible story, both the fans and official Disney publications do it. I imagine the 17 being the notorious day that everything went wrong (though the 18 had its own issues and wasn't much better) greatly contributed to Disney's advertising of the 17 being the opening.
 

1HAPPYGHOSTHOST

Well-Known Member
One more thought, the Galaxy Edge thread talks about Disney Spin today.

The 17th/18th issue is a good example.

Also, I posted this week that Construction started on July 21st, 1955, not on July 17th, so the year and a day is another myth.

Folks have to understand that no matter the source, you just can't accept it as Fact.

As they say, Trust, but verify.

Something I was taught early, and still live by the motto.
What do you say to those who counter your point by saying the 17th should be considered the opening because that is the day guests were first allowed in the park and rides operated and Disney gave the dedication?

also i was led to believe the first thing done on the property was to put in the plants for the jungle cruise for disney wanted a year for that foilage to grow in then they broke ground on 7/17/55 and opened the park one calendar year later per Tony Baxer in this video:
 

No Name

Well-Known Member
Not really.

But July 18th, 1955 is an important date in history, and what bugs me is that it is being forgotten.

But a lot of history is being lost currently, especially in the USA.

Yes, bad things happened in History, but you still need to teach it and discuss it, so they don't happen again.

There are some that are trying to reduce the information abut Adolf Hitler, the Holocaust, etc.

I love watching the Oak Island series on History, and I hope they can prove things that correct the record. That is exciting. But even then, you have to teach the fact that everyone had it wrong for a couple of centuries, before new information was discovered.


These are some wild analogies for a theme park celebrating its birthday one day early!
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
What do you say to those who counter your point by saying the 17th should be considered the opening because that is the day guests were first allowed in the park and rides operated and Disney gave the dedication?

Easy, when Does Disney celebrate the openings of all the WDW parks, DCA, DLP, HKDL, SDL and both Tokyo parks?

DCA should be January 2001, because the park was operating and guests were in the park.

The answer is that every other Disney Park celebrates its opening on the date the park was open to anyone who could buy a ticket that day, and enter the gates.
 
Last edited:

1HAPPYGHOSTHOST

Well-Known Member
Easy, when Does Disney celebrate the openings of all the WDW parks, DCA, DLP, HKDL, SDL and both Tokyo parks?

DCA should be January 2001, because the park was operating and guests were in the park.

The answer is that every other Disney Park celebrates its opening on the date the park was open to anyone who could buy a ticket that day, and enter the gates.
Well let me ask you this because I was not alive back then and am rusty on early disney history, were those in attendance on the 17th in 1955 invited guests or were there some who did infact have to purchase admission that day? if they were invited in were the rides free or did they have to buy a ticket book for rides or did Walt comp everyone that day? I ask because there are reports from "opening day" that there were fraudulent tickets made and sold causing the park to be over crowded and reports of people's shoes sinking into the pavement from the still not fully dried streets of main street that has become a tale in disneyland lore. so did that all take place on the 17th or 18th?
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Well let me ask you this because I was not alive back then and am rusty on early disney history, were those in attendance on the 17th in 1955 invited guests or were there some who did infact have to purchase admission that day? if they were invited in were the rides free or did they have to buy a ticket book for rides or did Walt comp everyone that day? I ask because there are reports from "opening day" that there were fraudulent tickets made and sold causing the park to be over crowded and reports of people's shoes sinking into the pavement from the still not fully dried streets of main street that has become a tale in disneyland lore. so did that all take place on the 17th or 18th?

The invited guests had different colored tickets and arrival times. Some were extras for the TV filming, some were members of the press, some were family members of the CM's,etc.

No tickets were sold for the 17th.

Some folks did forge the press preview tickets, also, reportedly, fence jumpers also happened.

No ride coupons were needed, it was all comped.

The asphalt issue was on both days.

July18th%20002-M.jpg
July18th-M.jpg


 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
July18th%20003%20cropped-M.jpg


This exact copy of the Disneyland News has been posted in the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln in 2005, and many years since.

>> More than 50,000 visitors were attracted to Disneyland on Monday, July 18, when the Park officially opened its gates to the general public.<<
 
Last edited:

1HAPPYGHOSTHOST

Well-Known Member
The invited guests had different colored tickets and arrival times. Some were extras for the TV filming, some were members of the press, some were family members of the CM's,etc.

No tickets were sold for the 17th.

Some folks did forge the press preview tickets, also, reportedly, fence jumpers also happened.

No ride coupons were needed, it was all comped.

The asphalt issue was on both days.

July18th%20002-M.jpg
July18th-M.jpg


Thank you for clarifying
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
OK, here is another piece of Fiction.

On July 18th, 1955, Walt Disney posed with two kids, who were named the first guests of Disneyland.



Well, we know that Dave MacPherson was the first person in line, at bought the first ticket sold to the general public.

But it was the two kids, Michael Schwartner and Christine Vess, who got the media's attention. They were awarded Lifetime Passes that day. Now, a few days later, they gave Dave MacPherson one also (aka after the fact).

Now, I have seen this done first hand. I was given a heads up when Disney was going to announce its 2 Billionth Guest. A select few members of the press were told to show up to the Disneyland front gates early on May 2nd, 2006.

So I caught the Senior Managers eyeing the folks buying the tickets for the day, and they found a young lady, and asked her and her family to step out of line. I told Sarah, the OCR writer, that just watch, that will be the honorary family.

And it was.

I spent the next hour or so with the "rest" of the family, explaining what was going on, what will happen, and getting the backstory of this family from Colorado.


 
Last edited:

1HAPPYGHOSTHOST

Well-Known Member
OK, here is another piece of Fiction.

On July 18th, 1955, Walt Disney posed with two kids, who were named the first guests of Disneyland.



Well, we know that Dave MacPherson was the first person and line, at bought the first ticket sold to the general public.

But it was the two kids, Michael Schwartner and Christine Vess, who got the media's attention. They were award Lifetime Passes that day. Now, a few days later, they gave Dave MacPherson one also (aka after the fact).

Now, I have seen this done first hand. I was given a heads up when Disney was going to announce its 2 Billionth Guest. A select few members of the press were told to show up to the Disneyland front gates early on May 2nd, 2006.

So I caught the Senior Managers eyeing the folks buying the tickets for the day, and they found a young lady, and asked her and her family to step out of line. I told Sarah, the OCR writer, that just watch, that will be the honorary family.

And it was.

I spent the next hour or so with the "rest" of the family, explaining what was going on, what will happen, and getting the backstory of this family from Colorado.



Were they the first general public kids in the park on 7-18-55? And was that 2006 family the actual 2 billionth customers or were they picked at random?
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Were they the first general public kids in the park on 7-18-55? And was that 2006 family the actual 2 billionth customers or were they picked at random?
Listen to the video, the kids claimed they snuck up, when a Disney Press person asked where their family was? They said back in line. But they were cute, so they pulled the family out of line. So no, they were in line, but not first.

As for the 2 Billionth, we were told that Disney calculated the approximate time when the 2 Billionth guests would enter a Disney Park.

Well, it was close to opening (kinda is what one senior CM said), and TWDC wanted Disneyland to be the park. So at "9:02", Emmalee, who was picked around 8:30, and told they wanted her to help open the park that day (Not disclosing the big event). So the family agreed.

It made good video (Disney was the only official coverage that day) to have the family be truly surprised when told.

So yes, the 2 Billionth Guest walked into some Disney Park in the World on May 2nd, 2006, who knows exactly when and where, but Disney forced the place and time to meet its schedule and preferences.

But for many Decades, Disney was using the term Honorary, mainly due to being caught on July 18th, 1955.

White Lies, aka Disney Magic.
 
Last edited:

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom