Disneyland was dedicated at an “International Press Preview” event held on Sunday, July 17, 1955, which was open only to invited guests and the media. Although 28,000 people attended the event, only about half of those were invitees, the rest having purchased counterfeit tickets, or even sneaked into the park by climbing over the fence. The following day, it opened to the public, featuring twenty attractions. The Special Sunday events, including the dedication, were televised nationwide and anchored by three of Walt Disney’s friends from Hollywood: Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings, and Ronald Reagan. ABC broadcast the event live, during which many guests tripped over the television camera cables.
Traffic was delayed on the two-lane Harbor Boulevard. Famous figures who were scheduled to show up every two hours showed up all at once. The temperature was an unusually high 101 °F (38 °C), and because of a local plumbers’ strike, Disney was given a choice of having working drinking fountains or running toilets. He chose the latter, leaving many drinking fountains dry. This generated negative publicity since Pepsi sponsored the park’s opening; disappointed guests believed the inoperable fountains were a cynical way to sell soda, while other vendors ran out of food. The asphalt that had been poured that morning was soft enough to let women’s high-heeled shoes sink into it. Some parents threw their children over the crowd’s shoulders to get them onto rides, such as the King Arthur Carrousel. In later years, Disney and his 1955 executives referred to July 17, 1955, as “Black Sunday”. After the extremely negative press from the preview opening, Walt Disney invited attendees back for a private “second day” to experience Disneyland properly.
At the time, and during the lifetimes of Walt and Roy Disney, July 17 was considered merely a preview, with July 18 the official opening day. Since then, aided by memories of the television broadcast, the company has adopted July 17 as the official date, the one commemorated every year as Disneyland’s birthday.
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Kids waiting to enter |
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Ronald Reagan |
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Art Linkletter, and “Davy Crockett” stars Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen |
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Walt Disney practicing for the Disneyland opening ceremony in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle |
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Walt Disney with California Governor Goodwin Knight at the Disneyland Opening Ceremony rehearsal |
Walt Disney with California Governor Goodwin Knight at the Disneyland Opening Ceremony |
1955 Disneyland opening ceremony |
Walt Disney rehearsing for the Disneyland Opening Ceremony |
Walt Disney and Fess Parker riding horses at the Disneyland opening |
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Walt Disney on the E.P. Ripley |
Walt Disney on the E.P. Ripley |
Walt Disney on the E.P. Ripley |
Walt Disney on a car |
Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck |
Parade |
Irene Dunne and Art Linkletter christening the Mark Twain riverboat |
Parking lot |
Parking lot |
Parade |
Parade |
Parade |
Irene Dunne christening the Mark Twain |
Fess Parker on horseback in Frontierland |
The Fantasyland view of Sleeping Beauty's Castle |
Fess Parker on horseback in Frontierland |
Entering Frontierland |
Parade - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs float |
Parade |
Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse piloting the Mark Twain Riverboat |
Walt Disney at the opening dedication |
Raising the flag |
Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in front of the Pirate Ship restaurant |
Sleeping Beauty's Castle from the Fantasyland side |
Pirate Ship Restaurant |
Sleeping Beauty's Castle |
Walt Disney leaving Main Street Station |
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs float |
Walt Disney on the E.P. Ripley |
Walt Disney speaks |
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Parade |