See 12 Vintage Photos from Disneyland’s Opening Day in Honor of the Park’s 71st Anniversary
See 12 Vintage Photos from Disneyland’s Opening Day in Honor of the Park’s 71st Anniversary
Kate Hogan, Nicole PomaricoFri, July 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM UTC
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Walt Disney points to sketches of DisneylandCredit: Hulton Archive/Getty -
Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955
Walt Disney first began dreaming of creating a theme park in the 1930s
In July 2026, Disneyland welcomed its 1 billionth visitor
More than 70 years ago, Disneyland opened to guests on July 17, 1955.
Inspired by his hometown of Marceline, Mo., Walt Disney decided he wanted to branch out into creating theme parks after the successes of his earliest movies, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio. He wanted to build a park where children and parents could have fun together while being completely immersed in a new world, away from reality.
“I don’t want the public to see the world they live in while they’re in the park,” Disney once said. “I want them to feel they’re in another world.”
After years of construction on 160 acres of citrus groves in Anaheim, Calif., Disneyland opened in 1955, though the first day of operations was so close to a disaster that Disney referred to it as “Black Sunday.”
Since then, the park has continued to evolve and Disney theme parks have opened all over the world, from Florida to Tokyo to Paris. In July 2026, Disneyland welcomed its 1 billionth visitor: 8-year-old Andres Robles.
Here’s a look at 12 vintage photos of Disneyland from the park’s opening in honor of its 71st anniversary.
01 of 12
Disneyland’s Parking Lot on Opening Day
Disneyland parking lot in 1955Credit: Los Angeles Examiner/USC Libraries/Corbis via Getty Images
Cars fill the parking lot in Anaheim, Calif., on Disneyland’s opening day: July 17, 1955.
02 of 12
Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship and Restaurant
Credit: Los Angeles Examiner/USC Libraries/Corbis via Getty Images
Visitors take five in front of one of the park’s brand new attractions: a pirate ship and restaurant that opened that August.
03 of 12
Meet Dumbo
Credit: USC Libraries/Corbis via Getty Images
Dumbo is the main event on Main Street.
04 of 12
Walt Disney and Goodwin Knight
Credit: USC Libraries/Corbis via Getty Images
Disney and then-California Gov. Goodwin Knight celebrate opening day.
05 of 12
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Richard Nixon Takes Flight
Credit: USC Libraries/Corbis via Getty Images
Then-Vice President Richard Nixon takes his nephew and daughter on Peter Pan’s Flight.
06 of 12
Actress Adele August Rides a Train
Credit: Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Actress Adelle August takes a ride around the park with a handful of guests.
07 of 12
Walt Disney by the Castle
Credit: Bettmann/Corbis/Getty
Disney greets the media from outside of Sleeping Beauty Castle.
08 of 12
Walt Disney Talking to Children
Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Later, he talks to kids on a ride on the Disneyland Stage Line.
09 of 12
Walt Disney and His Family Take a Spin
Credit: Gene Lester/Getty Images
One lump or two? Disney, his wife Lillian and daughter Diane go for a spin on the Mad Tea Party.
10 of 12
Mickey Mouse Greets Guests
Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Mickey Mouse himself greets guests arriving to the park.
11 of 12
Sleeping Beauty Castle
Credit: Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
A view of park-goers making their way through the castle.
12 of 12
Fast Friends
Mickey Mouse and Donald DuckCredit: Los Angeles Examiner/USC Libraries/Corbis via Getty Images
Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck hold hands on a most magical day!
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