What crosses your mind when you think of the word "Disney"?
Aladdin? Beauty and the Beast? The Little Mermaid?
And when you combine them altogether, what do you get? Disneyworld and Disneyland!
As a kid, I was always been a big fan of Disney. And it all came true after a little wish upon a star. My parents took me to Disneyworld twice, though I couldn't remember much.
But baby I gotta tell you, it's the place where any kids would like to be.
Well, here's a little something about the history of Disney...
Disneyland began as a dream of young boy who fantasized of creating a magical little park. This boy was Walter Elias Disney or known as Walt Disney. In 1923, Walt and his brother Roy Disney formed Walt Disney Studio. In the early 1950’s, Walt got the idea of creating a Mickey Mouse Park.
It started with his taking his two kids around to the zoos and parks. While they were on the merry-go-round riding for about 40 times, Walt would sit trying to figure out a way to be more imaginative. Then he got the idea to form a three-dimensional park where the parents and children could have fun together.
At first, Roy Disney thought his brother was crazy with the whole idea. Roy simply didn’t trust the project and was concerned about the failure. Walt Disney then worked on his project with his own money. He borrowed on the insurance he had been paying for the last 30 years and even sold his house. But it was Roy Disney who was able to make a deal with ABC (American Broadcasting Co.) television to show the weekly television project which allowed them to finance to Disneyland. Using the new show 'Walt Disney's Disneyland' was a great way to showcase Walt’s plans and dreams for the future and at the same time getting financial support to make the dreams come true.
The site for Disneyland was finally found. A 160-acre Orange Grove in Anaheim, California. This spot was chosen to hold a mountain, rivers and other various ideas. July 21, 1954 was the start of the construction on what the world now knows as Disneyland. On July 17, 1955 Disneyland was officially opened. The first day was not for the general public to enjoy but instead the people from the press, dignitaries and family members of the employee were invited to join the opening of Disneyland Park.
Many sponsors helped finance Disneyland and because of this their names were put on various attractions and shops. The cost to open Disneyland was up to 17.5 million dollars. The official general admission cost $1, while the cost of attractions ranged from 10 cents to 35 cents. The lands on opening day were Main Street USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. These lands were nothing like the ones we know today. It was Walt Disney's intention that guests leave the outside world behind when they enter Disneyland and join the fantasy and wonder of Disneyland.
On the opening day, Adventureland had just one ride which was the Jungle Cruise. The Frontierland had Stagecoach rides, the Pack Mules, Golden Horseshoe Revue and the Mark Twain Riverboat. Most of the attractions in the Tomorrowland were exhibits such as Monsanto Hall of Chemistry, the Dutch Boy Paint Gallery and Kaiser’s Hall of Aluminum Fame. Fantasyland has the most rides with King Arthur Carousel, Canal Boats of the World (now known as the Storybook Land Canal Boats), Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Peter Pan’s Flight, Sleeping Beauty Castle, Mad Tea Part and Snow White’s Adventures.
Many sponsors helped finance Disneyland and because of this their names were put on various attractions and shops. The cost to open Disneyland was up to 17.5 million dollars. The official general admission cost $1, while the cost of attractions ranged from 10 cents to 35 cents. The lands on opening day were Main Street USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. These lands were nothing like the ones we know today. It was Walt Disney's intention that guests leave the outside world behind when they enter Disneyland and join the fantasy and wonder of Disneyland.
On the opening day, Adventureland had just one ride which was the Jungle Cruise. The Frontierland had Stagecoach rides, the Pack Mules, Golden Horseshoe Revue and the Mark Twain Riverboat. Most of the attractions in the Tomorrowland were exhibits such as Monsanto Hall of Chemistry, the Dutch Boy Paint Gallery and Kaiser’s Hall of Aluminum Fame. Fantasyland has the most rides with King Arthur Carousel, Canal Boats of the World (now known as the Storybook Land Canal Boats), Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Peter Pan’s Flight, Sleeping Beauty Castle, Mad Tea Part and Snow White’s Adventures.
Sleeping Beauty Castle
Disneyland’s opening was a disaster. Many rides broke down and attractions were not fully operational. Restaurants ran out of food while only a few toilets that worked properly. Disneyland was then predicted to fail based on the opening day catastrophe. But before the end of 1955, more attractions have been added such as Rocket to the Moon, the Casey Junior Circus Train, the Autopia, 20.000 Leagues Under the Sea, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mike Fink Keelboats, Tomorrowland Boats (now named the Phantom Boats) and the Mickey Mouse Club Tent. Disneyland was making money by the end of the first year of operation.
Disneyland got bigger than anyone could have ever expected. More and more rides have been added, ones that are known today as the Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones, It’s a Small World and the Matterhorn.
After Disneyland, Walt Disney dreamed of something much more, yet still similar to it. He still wanted to bring entertainment in his theme parks. On November 22, 1963, he flew to Orlando, Florida to begin his project on Disney World. He wanted to test his concepts of urban planning through the project which then emerged as the EPCOT or Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. But on December 15, 1966, Walt Disney died of lung cancer five years before his vision was realized. His brother, Roy Disney came to take his role. The resort was originally to be named Disney World, but before its opening, Roy renamed it to Walt Disney World in his honor.
The Walt Disney World Resort first opened on October 1, 1971 in Orange and Osceola Counties, Florida, USA. It is the largest theme park resort in the world. It consists of four theme parks, two water parks, six golf courses, and more than twenty resort hotels with various entertainment and shopping centers. Three months after the property was opened, Roy Disney died exactly on December 20, 1971.
The main theme park is what we know as The Magic Kingdom. It was also improved upon Disneyland’s design. It was opened as the first part of Walt Disney’s planned Florida Project on October 1, 1971 and was the only theme park on the resort at that time. This park has seven themed ‘lands’ called the Main Street, Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Mickey’s Toontown Fair. The Main Street which runs along the perimeter of the Magic Kingdom was inspired by Walt Disney’s childhood and the movie Lady and the Tramp. On this street also stands the Cinderella Castle as the icon of the Magic Kingdom.
Disneyland got bigger than anyone could have ever expected. More and more rides have been added, ones that are known today as the Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones, It’s a Small World and the Matterhorn.
After Disneyland, Walt Disney dreamed of something much more, yet still similar to it. He still wanted to bring entertainment in his theme parks. On November 22, 1963, he flew to Orlando, Florida to begin his project on Disney World. He wanted to test his concepts of urban planning through the project which then emerged as the EPCOT or Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. But on December 15, 1966, Walt Disney died of lung cancer five years before his vision was realized. His brother, Roy Disney came to take his role. The resort was originally to be named Disney World, but before its opening, Roy renamed it to Walt Disney World in his honor.
The Walt Disney World Resort first opened on October 1, 1971 in Orange and Osceola Counties, Florida, USA. It is the largest theme park resort in the world. It consists of four theme parks, two water parks, six golf courses, and more than twenty resort hotels with various entertainment and shopping centers. Three months after the property was opened, Roy Disney died exactly on December 20, 1971.
The main theme park is what we know as The Magic Kingdom. It was also improved upon Disneyland’s design. It was opened as the first part of Walt Disney’s planned Florida Project on October 1, 1971 and was the only theme park on the resort at that time. This park has seven themed ‘lands’ called the Main Street, Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Mickey’s Toontown Fair. The Main Street which runs along the perimeter of the Magic Kingdom was inspired by Walt Disney’s childhood and the movie Lady and the Tramp. On this street also stands the Cinderella Castle as the icon of the Magic Kingdom.
Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom
EPCOT became EPCOT Center, the resort's second theme park, which opened on October 1, 1982. The park permanently adopted the name Epcot in 1996. The park is dedicated to international culture and technological innovation. The pavement at Epcot was engineered by Disney and Kodak photography to be painted a specific custom color of pink that makes the grass look greener and pictures look brighter. The colored sidewalks give an overall cleaner look to the park. Spaceship Earth is the icon of Epcot.
Epcot
On May 1, 1989, the resort added Disney-MGM Studios, a theme park inspired by show business. The park consists of six themed areas; Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake, Streets of America, Animation Courtyard, Pixar Place, and Sunset Boulevard. Unlike all the other Walt Disney World parks, Disney-MGM Studios does not have a defined layout, but more of how a real motion picture studio would with an interesting design characteristic of streets and buildings. On January 7, 2008, Disney-MGM Studios changed its name to Disney’s Hollywood Studios due to the development in music, television, movies and theater. The Sorcerer’s Hat is the icon of Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Disney's Hollywood Studios
The resort's fourth theme park is called Disney’s Animal Kingdom and was opened on April 22, 1998. It is the first Disney theme park to be themed entirely around animal conservation and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The park has seven themed areas called Oasis, Discovery Island, Camp Minnie-Mickey, Africa, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Asia, and DinoLand USA. The icon of Disney’s Animal Kingdom is The Tree of Life.
Animal Kingdom
Later on, Tokyo Disneyland was built locating in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan near Tokyo. It was the first Disney Park to be built outside United States and was officially opened on April 15, 1983. The park was also constructed by Walt Disney Imagineering and was designed the same style as Disneyland in California and the Magic Kingdom in Florida. There are seven themes in the area of Tokyo Disneyland. These are the World Bazaar, Adventureland, Westernland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Critter Country, and Mickey’s Toontown. Like the Magic Kingdom, Cinderella Castle is also the icon of Tokyo Disneyland.
Cinderella Castle of Tokyo Disneyland
Sleeping Beauty Castle in Hongkong Disneyland
On April 12, 1992, Disneyland Park Paris was officially opened locating in the complex outside of Paris, in Marne-la-Vallée, France. It has five themed areas: The Main Street USA, Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Discoveryland. Like Disneyland in Anaheim, Disneyland Paris has the icon of Sleeping Beauty Castle or in French, Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant.
Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant in Paris Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland was the fifth Disneyland style park locating in Penny’s Bay, Lantau Island. It was opened on September 12, 2005 which was considered as a lucky date according to the Chinese. The park currently features four themed lands similar to the ones at other Disneyland parks: Main Street USA, Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. Sleeping Beauty Castle was also the icon in Hong Kong Disneyland.
Sleeping Beauty Castle in Hongkong Disneyland
To this day, the Disney theme parks are not yet complete. New attractions are added frequently and more Disneyland style parks have been built outside the boundary of the United State. If Walt Disney were alive today, he may be shocked by the success of his own dream that turned into reality.
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