Walt Disney’s dream of creating a make-believe world where children and adults could enjoy the whimsical places made famous in his animated films became a reality with the opening of Disneyland in 1955. The original park in California was groundbreaking in every way. Prior to its creation, the only amusement parks were relics such as Coney Island or the old Palisades Park, located on a pier in Santa Monica. Disneyland was designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Built in exactly one year, the 160 acre park was an immediate success and today has the largest cumulative attendance of any theme park in the world. |