Disneyland in Anaheim, California, opened to the public on this day 56 years ago. Walt Disney had dreamt up the idea of the park as a place where adults and children could go and have fun together. Construction began on 16th July 1954 and an international press preview event occurred a year and a day later, on Sunday 17th July 1955. The park became open to the public from Monday 18th July, and crowds started gathering at 2am to get tickets.
Disneyland, which is located over an area of approximately 34 hectares, is divided into a number of themed environments which are distinct from each other. For example, Adventureland is a jungle-themed environment, Tomorrowland is a future-themed environment, New Orleans Square is an environment replicating elements of 19th-century New Orleans, and Main Street USA is themed around a Midwest town from last century.
The success of Disneyland flows from the extraordinary lengths to which the creators have gone to capture the imagination of guests. The immersive environments with their elaborate attention to detail tell compelling stories which connect with guests on an emotional level and provide fantastic fun not only for children but also for adults who have not forgotten how to enjoy childish things.