Disneyland in Anaheim, California is the original Disney theme park. Opened in the 1950s, it is the only park that Walt Disney saw to completion. Dubbed ‘the happiest place on Earth’, Disneyland is where you’ll find iconic and legendary attractions like Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, the Partners statue, Pirates of the Caribbean,  Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Curious to learn more about this Southern Californian theme park? Then, read on. We’ll tell you how long it took to build Disneyland, as well as plenty of other interesting facts about its construction.
How Long did it Take to Build Disneyland?
It took one year and one day to build Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
When was Disneyland built?
Workers started the construction of Disneyland on the 16th of July 1954 and the gates of the resort opened to the first guests on Sunday the 17th of July 1955.
Where is Disneyland?
The original Disneyland is located in Anaheim in Southern California in the United States of America.
Who built Disneyland?
Walt Disney developed the idea for a Disneyland after visiting lots of theme parks and amusement parks all over the world. This is the only Disney theme park that Walt Disney designed and built to completion. He died of lung cancer in 1966 before construction had even started on Disney World in Florida.
What was the inspiration for Disneyland?
Many places and things inspired Walt Disney when it came to designing and planning Disneyland. For instance, one such place was the Tivoli Gardens in Denmark. A trip to Munich in Germany inspired the Disneyland-Alweg Monorail System and a trip to Switzerland to see the Matterhorn inspired the Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction. The inspiration for Sleeping Beauty’s Castle came from many castles in France and Germany including Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau, Germany. The “hoodoos” of Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah were the inspiration behind Big Thunder Mountain. However, what sparked the initial idea to build a theme park was watching his daughters on a merry-go-round in Griffith Park in LA.
How much did it cost to build Disneyland?
In 1955, it cost $17 million USD to build Disneyland.
Who was the first person to visit Disneyland?
22-year-old Dave MacPherson bought the first Disneyland ticket sold to the public. He was the first guest to ever set foot inside the happiest place on Earth.
What theme parks are in Disneyland?
The Disneyland entertainment and recreation centre has two theme parks – Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. The park consists of nine themed “lands”. The park originally opened with 18 attractions, and 14 of those are still around.
How big is Disneyland?
How many rides are there in Disneyland?
Disneyland has 53 attractions with 50 rides. Disney uses the word ‘attractions’ to mean rides, shows and exhibits.
How many people work at Disneyland?
Disneyland employs around 32,000 people. Some famous faces also worked in Disneyland. Steve Martin worked in the magic shop in the 1950s and Michelle Pfeiffer dressed up as Alice from Alice in Wonderland in the 1970s.
How many people visit Disneyland?
In 2018, Disneyland received around 18.6 million visits. It is the second most visited theme park in the world. The most visited amusement park in the world is Magic Kingdom at Disney World Resort in Florida.
