1955 - The opening day of Disneyland, Anaheim, California

 


It may be more than the kids can bear. It has an Adventureland from Tahiti, a Frontierland entered through the log gates of an old fort complete with a Davy Crockett museum, a Fantasyland full of Snow White, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty and all their associates, and a Tomorrowland with a Space Port. Walt Disney arranged it all, of course, and then named it Disneyland. Sprawled over 160 acres at Anaheim, Calif., 23 miles southeast of Los Angeles, it is easily the most lavish amusement park on earth.

The principal problem seemed to be getting through the place. On opening day three weeks ago a mob of small and large fry started lining up at 2 a.m., eight hours before the turnstiles began clicking. By midafternoon there were 20.000 paying customers milling about the "lands" and queued up to travel over or around them in such vehicular wonders as whirling teacups and Mr. Toad's motorcar. Disney had expected that $2 would see a child through enough of his $17 million wonderland, but mothers said twice that was needed to keep any enterprising small boy pacified. They added, as they emerged spent and spinning, that it was probably well worth it.







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images by Loomis Dean and Allan Grant and info provided by the LIFE Magazine / LIFE Magazine International / LIFE Magazine Atlantic ARCHIVE from the Zetu Harrys Collection

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