July 17 ~  Disneyland Insider's Pocket Guide to Disneyland

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." ~ Walt Disney

mickey mouse

On this day in 1955, Disneyland, "The Happiest Place on Earth," opened at 1313 Harbor Boulevard.

The amazing amusement park was built on 160 acres in the middle of Anaheim, California orange groves. Disney called his crew of architects and planners who worked on the park "Imagineers" and said that he wanted the finished place to be "something of a fair, an exhibition, a playground, a community center, and a museum of living facts."

He was turned down 302 times before he got the financing in place for Disneyland. Rejections to get to a dream...

Many have speculated as to why the visionary Walt Disney selected this unusual address. Some say it is that 'M' is the thirteenth letter in the alphabet, making the address MM for Mickey Mouse. Others said the "unlucky" number thirteen was Disney's way of thumbing his nose at those who said Disneyland would fail.

Well, the Magic Kingdom certainly did not fail. Disneyland, with its Fantasyland, Frontierland, Adventureland, and Tomorrowland, celebrated its millionth visitor just seven weeks after its opening.

Walt Disney's "impossible" dream single-handedly created the theme park industry and today remains unique and stellar.

"Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to the world," he said on opening day.

"Disneyland will never be complete as long as there is imagination left in the world."

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