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100-504: The area opened in 1956, one year after the opening of Disneyland Park . Prior to the debut of Fantasmic! in 1992, when the south end of the Island was re-built to facilitate the nighttime show, Tom Sawyer Island saw very little change. In January 2001, the mock rifles at Fort Wilderness were removed from Disneyland after a six-year-old girl lost part of a finger while playing with one. The Island received major upgrades, new show elements, and

200-505: A Disney Legend in 2003), Disney acquired 160 acres (65 ha) of orange groves and walnut trees in Anaheim, southeast of Los Angeles in neighboring Orange County . The small Burbank site originally considered by Disney is now home to Walt Disney Animation Studios and ABC Studios . Roy O. Disney hired Wood away from SRI as executive vice president to undertake the task of actually building Disneyland. When Walt told Wood that he wanted

300-450: A double-decker bus , a fire engine, and an automobile. They are available for one-way rides along Main Street, U.S.A. The horse-drawn streetcars are also used by the park entertainment, including The Dapper Dans . The horseless carriages are modeled after cars built in 1903 and are two-cylinder, four-horsepower (3 kW) engines with manual transmission and steering. Walt Disney used to drive

400-483: A paddle steamer in Disneyland, it was Wood who introduced Walt to his good friend Joe Fowler , a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral. Difficulties in obtaining funding prompted Disney to investigate new methods of fundraising, and he decided to create a show named Disneyland . It was broadcast on then-fledgling ABC . In return, the network agreed to help finance the park. For its first five years of operation, Disneyland

500-511: A Safer Economy phased re-opening. Prior to this, Disneyland was operating at reduced guest capacity since it re-opened on April 30, 2021, after 13 months of closure due to the pandemic. On January 27, 2023, Disneyland kicked off the year-long celebration of the centennial of The Walt Disney Company , Disney100. Disneyland Park introduced the Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway attraction and Wondrous Journeys fireworks show. On April 13, 2023, it

600-419: A Small World . In addition, Sleeping Beauty Castle features a walk-through telling the story of Disney 's 1959 film Sleeping Beauty , in the style of the film's production designer Eyvind Earle . Mickey's Toontown opened in 1993 and was partly inspired by the fictional Toontown from the 1988 Touchstone Pictures film Who Framed Roger Rabbit . Mickey's Toontown is based on a 1930s cartoon aesthetic and

700-620: A complete re-theming in 2007 when it re-opened as Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island. The re-theming added characters and elements from and inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. A justification behind connecting the Tom Sawyer and pirate themes came in the form of a chapter from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer where Tom, Huck and Joe Harper go off to play pirates on a nearby island. Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island's opening coincided with

800-412: A cursed pirate prisoner. The pirate's cursed state is in reference to the first Pirates film, but is not representative of any specific character or scene. The cursed pirate comes alive in seemingly random intervals, warning onlookers of the danger of the cursed treasure, asking for help, or sometimes dealing threats. A small, high-up window in the prisoner's cell will occasionally reveal a full moon through

900-405: A fabulous treasure lies. Steady as you go, mates - for it be guarded by the fiercest of pirates. Gather your knowledge of the island well, for all who happen upon this treasure shall be asked to account for themselves. Them what pleases the guards, they say, may be allowed to join the pirate brotherhood and take the solemn oath. The Captain's Treasure is a large mound of loot at the furthest end of

1000-522: A king's ransom, hid in some dark passageway, too narrow for most to navigate. Castle Rock is a large rock structure which features stationary telescopes, giving guests views of specific scenery and points of interest back on the Frontierland and Bayou Country mainland. The area was mostly unchanged during the Pirate's Lair re-theme, and only features a couple of hidden pirate chests and themed barrels bearing

1100-644: A larger cumulative attendance than any other theme park in the world, with 757 million visits since it opened (as of December 2021). In 2023, the park saw 17.25 million visitors, making it the second most visited amusement park in the world that year, behind only Magic Kingdom , the very park it inspired. According to a 2005 Disney report, 65,700 jobs are supported by the Disneyland Resort, including about 20,000 direct Disney employees and 3,800 third-party employees ( independent contractors or their employees). To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland

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1200-635: A length of steel in one hand and a fair wind to guide me. Aye, there's nothing better - and nothing more a pirate needs. W. Turner Blacksmith features props and show elements reminiscent of the blacksmith shop from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in which the character of Will Turner is introduced. Tread carefully these dark and winding caves. Though none will argue there be treasure here in great abundance, ghostly apparitions do haunt these corridors of stone. And every jewel

1300-434: A longtime interest in transportation, and trains in particular. Disney's passion for the "iron horse" led to him building a miniature live steam backyard railroad —the " Carolwood Pacific Railroad "—on the grounds of his Holmby Hills estate. Throughout all the iterations of Disneyland during the 17 or so years when Disney was conceiving it, one element remained constant: a train encircling the park. The primary designer for

1400-580: A performance of Fantasmic! when the show's audio-animatronic dragon malfunctioned and erupted into flames. Guests visit the island, surrounded by the Rivers of America , by traveling on a motorized raft which is piloted by a Disneyland cast member . While aboard the Sailing Ship Columbia or Mark Twain Riverboat , Disneyland guests travel clockwise around the island. Looking to starboard, they can see

1500-565: A scene from Disney's The Old Mill . The gears inside the mill also "creak" to the tune of " Down by the Old Mill Stream ". When Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland was updated and themed to Pirates of the Caribbean in early 2007, Harper's Mill became Lafitte's Tavern presumably named after Lafitte's Landing from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction (which in turn was named after the pirate Jean Lafitte ). The Fantasmic! stage in front of

1600-466: A shopping, dining and entertainment complex named Downtown Disney , a remodeled Disneyland Hotel , the construction of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa , and the acquisition and re-branding of the Pan Pacific Hotel as Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel (known today as Pixar Place Hotel ). The park was renamed "Disneyland Park" to distinguish it from the larger complex under construction. Because

1700-411: A short-term increase in shareholder returns, they drew widespread criticism for their lack of foresight. The retail backgrounds of Harriss and Pressler led to a gradual shift in Disneyland's focus from attractions to merchandising. Outside consultants McKinsey & Company were brought in to help streamline operations, resulting in many changes and cutbacks. After nearly a decade of deferred maintenance,

1800-687: A site near the Burbank studios for tourists to visit. His ideas evolved to a small play park with a boat ride and other themed areas. The initial park concept, the Mickey Mouse Park, was originally planned for a sixteen-acre (6.5 ha) plot to the south, across Riverside Drive from the studio. Besides Greenfield Village and the Chicago Railroad Fair, Disney was also inspired by Tivoli Gardens in Denmark, Knott's Berry Farm , Colonial Williamsburg ,

1900-506: A special televised press event on the ABC Television Network on July 17, 1955. Since its opening, Disneyland has undergone expansions and major renovations, including the addition of New Orleans Square in 1966, Bear Country in 1972, Mickey's Toontown in 1993, and Star Wars : Galaxy's Edge in 2019. Additionally, Disney California Adventure Park opened in 2001 on the site of Disneyland's original parking lot. Disneyland has

2000-566: A visit to the " Grand Canyon / Primeval World " dioramas before returning passengers to Main Street, U.S.A. One of Disneyland's signature attractions is its Disneyland Monorail , a monorail service that opened in Tomorrowland in 1959 as the first daily-operating monorail train system in the Western Hemisphere . The monorail guideway has remained almost exactly the same since 1961, aside from small alterations while Indiana Jones Adventure

2100-527: A water wheel attached to, or near the building. They are all named after the character, "Joe Harper", from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . The official name of the mill at Disneyland is Harper's Cider Mill and serves as part of the stage for the nighttime show Fantasmic! . Inside the mill at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World there is a depiction of

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2200-440: Is arguably now irrelevant in regards to the Island's pirate theme, though it does play into the island's new backstory as being a backdrop for Tom and Huck's wildly imaginative pirate playtime. The Tree House was mostly unchanged during the Pirate's Lair re-theme, except for a couple of small pirate additions themed to appear as though Tom and Huck made them in the tree house. When the island reopened after its July 2017 refurbishment,

2300-404: Is guarded well by forces none may know. Formerly Injun Joe 's Cave (featuring a bridge over a bottomless pit along with wind and moan sounds), Dead Man's Grotto infuses more of the Pirates of the Caribbean film mythology into Tom Sawyer Island. The cave features several prominent interactive elements that feature state-of-the-art lighting and sound technology. The first thing guests will note

2400-419: Is home to Disney's classic cartoon characters. Toontown features three rides: Chip 'n' Dale's GADGETcoaster , Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway and Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin . The land also includes Mickey's House and Meet Mickey , Minnie's House, Goofy's How-To-Play Yard, and Donald's Duck Pond. Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway opened in 2023 and increased the size of Mickey's Toontown as well as

2500-612: Is that Captain Jack Sparrow has left a note of caution for explorers above the entry. The first major interactive feature guests will encounter is the Chest of Davy Jones from the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Upon touching the chest, lighting will change, Davy Jones' disembodied voice will utter words of warning, and guests will be able to feel the heartbeat of Jones' heart from within the chest. Skeletons of previous explorers and pirates litter

2600-504: Is the former Harper's Mill which has been part of Tom Sawyer Island since its inception. The outside walls and porch of Lafitte's Tavern features various swords and the salty pirates visiting this place are asked to stow their weapons outside. Despite the Explorer's Map's lively description of the place, Guests cannot actually enter the Tavern. There was small pirate stunt show that took place on

2700-514: Is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. 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 all the world. The concept for Disneyland began when Walt Disney was visiting Griffith Park in Los Angeles with his daughters Diane and Sharon. While watching them ride

2800-764: The Actors' Equity Association , with 79% voting in favor. The decision marked the first time these workers have unionized since Disneyland's opening in 1955. Disneyland Park consists of nine themed "lands" and a number of concealed backstage areas, and occupies over 100 acres (40 ha) with the new addition of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway that came to Mickey's Toontown in 2023. The park opened with Main Street, U.S.A. , Adventureland , Frontierland , Fantasyland , and Tomorrowland , and has since added New Orleans Square in 1966, Bear Country in 1972 (now known as Bayou Country ), Mickey's Toontown in 1993, and Star Wars : Galaxy's Edge in 2019. In 1957, Holidayland opened to

2900-638: The Aunt Jemima -themed pancake restaurant in Frontierland and the park's association with Bank of America , a subject of controversy at the time for its lending to military contractors such as Boeing . The Yippies were met by an estimated 100 riot police who established lookouts within the park and another 300 on standby just outside of the entrance gates. Around 4:00 p.m., many of the Yippies occupied Tom Sawyer Island , purportedly smoking cannabis and causing cast members to halt park guests from boarding rafts to

3000-625: The COVID-19 pandemic . After nearly four months of closure, Downtown Disney reopened on July 9, 2020. The parks had been scheduled to reopen on Disneyland's 65th anniversary on July 17, 2020, but due to rising cases in California , the parks' reopening was once again postponed. It was expected to stay closed until at least December 31, 2020. In February 2021, Disneyland announced a limited-capacity ticketed event called "A Touch of Disney", which would offer guests to shop at stores and enjoy eateries around

3100-664: The Century of Progress in Chicago, and the New York's World Fair of 1939 . His designers began working on concepts, though the project grew much larger than the land could hold. Disney hired C. V. Wood and Harrison Price of the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) to identify the proper area in which to position the planned theme park based on future population growth. Based on Price's analysis (for which he would be recognized as

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3200-622: The Chicago Railroad Fair the same month, with a two-day stop in Henry Ford 's Museum and Greenfield Village , a place with attractions like a Main Street and steamboat rides, which he had visited eight years earlier. When people wrote letters to Disney to inquire about visiting the Walt Disney Studios , he realized that a functional movie studio had little to offer to visiting fans, and began to foster various ideas about building

3300-534: The Congress of Racial Equality , was in discussions with Disneyland officials about hiring more black people, with Disneyland telling the group they would consider their requests. Unlike other amusement parks at the time, Disneyland was never racially segregated , and was open to all races since opening day. As part of the Casa de Fritos operation at Disneyland, " Doritos " (Spanish for "little golden things") were created at

3400-544: The Frank Gehry -designed Team Disney Anaheim , where most of the division's administration currently works, as well as the Old Administration Building, behind Tomorrowland. Photography is forbidden in these areas, both inside and outside, although some photos have found their way to a variety of web sites. Guests who attempt to explore backstage are warned and often escorted from the property. Walt Disney had

3500-573: The Give a Day, Get a Disney Day volunteer program, in which Disney encouraged people to volunteer with a participating charity and receive a free Disney Day at either a Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World park. On March 9, 2010, Disney announced that it had reached its goal of one million volunteers and ended the promotion to anyone who had not yet registered and signed up for a specific volunteer situation. In July 2015, Disneyland celebrated its 60th Diamond Celebration anniversary. Disneyland Park introduced

3600-465: The Indiana Jones Adventure , and Adventureland Treehouse, inspired by Walt Disney's 1960 film Swiss Family Robinson . Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room , which opened in 1963 and is located at the entrance to Adventureland, was the first attraction to employ Audio-Animatronics . New Orleans Square is based on 19th-century New Orleans , opened on July 24, 1966. It is home to Pirates of

3700-587: The Paint the Night parade and Disneyland Forever fireworks show, and Sleeping Beauty Castle was decorated in diamonds with a large "60" logo. The Diamond Celebration concluded in September 2016 and the whole decoration of the anniversary was removed around Halloween 2016. Disneyland Park, along with Disney California Adventure , Downtown Disney, and the resort hotels, closed indefinitely starting March 14, 2020, in response to

3800-475: The United States Bicentennial . In 1974, Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress was replaced with America Sings , an audio-animatronic theater show featuring the history of American music. America on Parade debuted in 1975 and ran through 1976 in celebration of the bicentennial. Several of the park's earliest attractions received major changes or were replaced in the mid-to-late 1970s. The Flight to

3900-416: The merry-go-round , he came up with the idea of a place where adults and their children could go and have fun together, though this idea lay dormant for many years. The earliest documented draft of Disney's plans was sent as a memo to studio production designer Dick Kelsey on August 31, 1948, where it was referred to as a "Mickey Mouse Park", based on notes Disney made during his and Ward Kimball 's trip to

4000-784: The Black Spire Outpost village on the remote frontier planet of Batuu . Attractions include the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars : Rise of the Resistance . The land opened in 2019, replacing Big Thunder Ranch and former backstage areas. Fantasyland is home to the dark rides Snow White's Enchanted Wish , Peter Pan's Flight , Mr. Toad's Wild Ride , Pinocchio's Daring Journey , and Alice in Wonderland . The area also includes King Arthur Carrousel , Mad Tea Party , Storybook Land Canal Boats , and It's

4100-696: The Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion . This area is also the home of the private Club 33 . Frontierland recreates the setting of pioneer days along the American frontier and is home to animatronic Native Americans, who live on the banks of the Rivers of America . Entertainment and attractions include Big Thunder Mountain Railroad , the Mark Twain Riverboat , the Sailing Ship Columbia , Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island , Frontierland Shootin' Exposition, and

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4200-454: The Caribbean , and Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room . Attractions that had been in the park on opening day had one ride vehicle painted gold, and the park was decorated with fifty Golden Mickey Ears . The celebration started on May 5, 2005, and ended on September 30, 2006, and was followed by the "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration, lasting twenty-seven months and ending on December 31, 2008. Beginning on January 1, 2010, Disney Parks hosted

4300-573: The Central Plaza (also known as the Hub), which is a portal to most of the themed lands: the entrance to Fantasyland is by way of a drawbridge across a moat and through the castle. Adventureland , Frontierland , and Tomorrowland are on both sides of the castle. The lands that are not directly connected to the Central Plaza are; New Orleans Square , Bayou Country , Star Wars : Galaxy's Edge and Mickey's Toontown . The design of Main Street, U.S.A. uses

4400-899: The Disneyland and Santa Fe Railroad, the DRR was presented by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway until 1974. From 1955 to 1974, the Santa Fe Rail Pass was accepted in lieu of a Disneyland "D" coupon. With a 3 ft ( 914 mm ) gauge, the most common narrow track gauge used in North America, the track runs in a continuous loop around Disneyland through each of its realms. Each 1900s-era train departs Main Street Station on an excursion that includes scheduled station stops at: New Orleans Square Station; Mickey's Toontown Depot; and Tomorrowland Station. The Grand Circle Tour then concludes with

4500-631: The East India Trading Company stamp. No fearsome storm did leave this shipwreck high upon the rocks at Pirate's Den, they say. T'was something monstrous that stirred the sea that day and tore this mighty ship in twain. That official description of the Shipwreck alludes to the Kraken creature featured in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. The shipwreck is a minor feature, only being a small walk-through feature with no interactive elements. Inside

4600-431: The Island accessible to guests. The area is a photo-op in which guests can pose with the mound of treasure, and often Captain Jack Sparrow can be found posing for photos with guests. Tom and Huck's Tree House was the only major guest-accessible feature on the Island not to be notably featured on the Explorer's Map of Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island. The Tree House was a remnant of the original Tom Sawyer Island theme, and

4700-527: The Moon attraction was rethemed as Mission to Mars in March 1975, five years after Apollo 11 had successfully landed humans on the Moon. Construction of Space Mountain began that same year adjacent to the new Mission to Mars attraction but was delayed by El Niño -related weather complications. The ride opened in 1977 to much acclaim as lines would often stretch all the way to Main Street, U.S.A. The final major change of

4800-450: The Pirate's Lair makeover. The area now appears to be the site of the wreck of a small sailing vessel which was carrying much pirate loot. Smuggler's Cove features several interactive play features including: The treacherous shoals what surround the island have claimed many a fair vessel and her crew. Here lie broken beams and planks, worn and weathered to serve as memorial, shelter, and lookout perch alike. While below, 'tis said, there lies

4900-462: The Shipwreck, Davy Jones' ghostly voice can be heard whispering warnings to those who dare inspect the wreckage. The inside of the wreckage features more state-of-the-art LED lighting design, similar to what is seen on a larger scale in Dead Man's Grotto. The wreckage is littered with barnacles, a skeleton, weaponry, and other features from a pirate ship. Somewhere beyond Smuggler's Cove and Castle Rock,

5000-484: The Stanford Research Institute to perform a feasibility study determining an appropriate site for his project, Disney bought a 160-acre (65 ha) site near Anaheim in 1953. The park was designed by a creative team hand-picked by Walt from internal and outside talent. They founded WED Enterprises, the precursor to today's Walt Disney Imagineering . Construction began in 1954 and the park was unveiled during

5100-539: The United States, with two requests: to visit Disneyland and to meet John Wayne , Hollywood's top box-office draw. Due to the Cold War tension and security concerns, he was famously denied an excursion to Disneyland. The Shah of Iran and Empress Farah were invited to Disneyland by Walt Disney in the early 1960s. There was mild controversy over the lack of African American employees. As late as 1963, civil rights group

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5200-487: The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of ABC in the mid-1990s. Construction began on July 16, 1954, and cost $ 17 million to complete (equivalent to $ 153 million in 2023 ). The park was opened one year and one day later. U.S. Route 101 (later Interstate 5 ) was under construction at the same time just north of the site; in preparation for the traffic Disneyland was expected to bring, two more lanes were added to

5300-529: The building could be burned in a similar fashion to the arson of a Bank of America in Isla Vista in February 1970. Police arrested 23 park guests and it was only the second unexpected early closure in park history, the first being in response to the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963. The incident was cited as a clash of the park management's perceived appeal to tradition following the death of Walt Disney and

5400-500: The cabin) indicated that it was the home of Mike Fink, keelboater and self-proclaimed "King of the River." When the island reopened in July 2017, the cabin was removed due to the shortening of the island for Star Wars : Galaxy's Edge . A new cabin that does not light on fire was built on the north-most tip of the shortened island as an homage to the original cabin. The most prominent structure on

5500-413: The clouds in a dark night sky, which transforms the prisoner into his cursed, undead form. Here be the site of many a dark deed by moonlight. And in these waters, who can tell how much plundered coin lies below in the hold of scuttled ships? And who can tell what forces guard these treasures still? Smuggler's Cove is a remnant of the original Tom Sawyer Island, however, has been changed dramatically for

5600-496: The company announced a plan titled DisneylandForward to expand the park with more rides, restaurants, and shops with The Anaheim City Council expected to receive the development plans for approval by 2023. On June 15, 2021, Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and other theme parks in California were permitted to return to full capacity with most COVID-19 pandemic restrictions lifted per California governor Gavin Newsom 's Blueprint for

5700-467: The decade came in 1977 when the slow-paced Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland was closed and replaced by the similarly themed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad rollercoaster in 1979. Fantasyland was closed for refurbishment in 1982 and reopened to the public in 1983 as "New Fantasyland." On December 5, 1985, to celebrate Disneyland's 30th year in operation, one million balloons were launched along

5800-524: The existing parking lot (south of Disneyland) was repurposed by these projects, the six-level, 10,250-space Mickey and Friends parking structure was constructed in the northwest corner. Upon completion in 2000, it was the largest parking structure in the United States. The park's management team during the mid-1990s was a source of controversy among fans and employees. In an effort to boost profits, various changes were begun by then-executives Cynthia Harriss and Paul Pressler . While their initiatives provided

5900-407: 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 his brother Roy, July 17 was considered 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,

6000-426: The fire engine around the park before it opened, and it has been used to host celebrity guests and in the parades. Most of the original main street vehicles were designed by Gurr. Harper%27s Mill Harper's Mill is a building located on Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland , Walt Disney World Resort 's Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland . All three have different, distinct appearances, but all of them feature

6100-483: The fire was described (at least in the Mark Twain steamboat narration) as the result of unspecified carelessness, and as having left not only the cabin's owner homeless, but also some of the wildlife in a nearby tree. The fire was later turned off. In 2007, the outward appearance of the house was cleaned up and all fire damage was removed, making it a regular homestead along the waters. The narration (and dialogue from within

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6200-570: The firehouse is where Walt Disney had his personal apartment, where it still exists today, off-limits to the public. Main Street is also home to the Disney Art Gallery and the Opera House which showcases Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln , a show featuring an Audio-Animatronic version of Abraham Lincoln . At the far end of Main Street, U.S.A. is Sleeping Beauty Castle , the Partners statue , and

6300-410: The freeway before the park was finished. 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 snuck into the park by climbing over the fence. The following day, it opened to

6400-547: The growing counterculture movement among young people in the United States. Despite the opening of the more expansive Walt Disney World resort in 1971, Disneyland continued to set attendance records and maintained its status as a major tourist attraction. In 1972, the Bear Country land was opened and the Main Street Electrical Parade was introduced. Disneyland underwent several changes in preparation for

6500-475: The island consists of a small dock in which the Rafts to Tom Sawyer Island travel to from the mainland. Guests exit the raft here, and then guests waiting in the dock's small switchback queue enter the raft to travel back to the mainland. Here be a safe harbor from all manner of storms. A wild and boisterous place, no doubt, but a place to learn the ways of the sea and the arts of the master sailors. Lafitte's Tavern

6600-408: The island, viewable from Frontierland , Adventureland and New Orleans Square , is Lafitte's Tavern, which was formerly Harper's Mill . Many a pirate's boot has trod upon this slip of land. And many's the adventure begun here. Keep your wits about you in your travels on the island, for there's treasure and danger here in equal measure. X Marks the spot you seek. Good luck, matey! The Landing on

6700-423: The island. An hour later, the group of Yippies converged at Main Street, U.S.A. and became confrontational with other park guests and riot police after tearing down patriotic bunting while unfurling Viet Cong and Youth International Party flags. Standby riot police entered and the park was evacuated around 5:00 p.m. when some of the insurgents approached the park's Bank of America branch, sparking concern that

6800-474: The many areas and adventure opportunities of the island. To port, they see Disneyland itself and from time to time will see a Disneyland Railroad train passing by. At the northern end of the island, inaccessible to guests, is the Settler's Cabin, a cabin that used to burn by spewing real fire from its roof. Today, the cabin is no longer burning. The Magic Kingdom version of the burning cabin lasted until 2006, where

6900-541: The monorail station did not change, but the original station building was demolished as part of the hotel downsizing, and the new station is now separated from the hotel by several Downtown Disney buildings. All of the vehicles found on Main Street, U.S.A., grouped together as the Main Street Vehicles attraction, were designed to accurately reflect turn-of-the-century vehicles, including a 3 ft ( 914 mm ) gauge tramway featuring horse-drawn streetcars ,

7000-485: The nighttime show Fantasmic! . Frontierland is also home to the Golden Horseshoe Saloon , an Old West -style show palace. On October 31, 2007, author Ray Bradbury attended the presentation of a Halloween Tree in Frontierland, to be included as part of its annual park-wide Halloween decorations every year. Bayou Country opened in 1972 as Bear Country. It was renamed Critter Country in 1988, and in 2024 it

7100-512: The one commemorated every year as Disneyland's birthday. Within a year after Disneyland's opening, increasing friction between Walt Disney and Wood resulted in Wood's termination. Most of the executives who led the development of Disneyland are now commemorated in window signs as proprietors of fictional businesses along Main Street, U.S.A. , with the exception of Wood. In September 1959, Soviet First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev spent thirteen days in

7200-472: The original park was showing signs of neglect. Fans of the park decried the perceived decline in customer value and park quality and rallied for the dismissal of the management team. Matt Ouimet , the former president of the Disney Cruise Line , was promoted to assume leadership of the Disneyland Resort in late 2003. Shortly afterward, he selected Greg Emmer as Senior Vice President of Operations. Emmer

7300-428: The park during business hours with members of their respective staff, wearing cast member name badges, standing in line for attractions, and welcoming guests' comments. In July 2006, Ouimet left The Walt Disney Company to become president of Starwood . Soon after, Ed Grier , executive managing director of Walt Disney Attractions Japan, was named president of the resort. In October 2009, Grier announced his retirement, and

7400-597: The park from March 18 through April 19, 2021. On March 5, 2021, it was announced by the California Department of Public Health that Disneyland could reopen with capacity restrictions beginning April 1, 2021. The following week, then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek said that the company was planning on officially reopening the park in late April 2021. Disneyland along with Disney California Adventure officially reopened on April 30, 2021, with limited capacity and social distancing/mask guidelines in effect. The following week,

7500-571: The park from above. Currently, the Mark VII is running with the colors red, blue and orange. The monorail was originally a loop built with just one station in Tomorrowland. Its track was extended and a second station opened at the Disneyland Hotel in 1961. With the creation of Downtown Disney in 2001, the new destination is Downtown Disney, instead of the Disneyland Hotel. The physical location of

7600-456: The park to recycle old tortillas that would have been discarded. The Frito-Lay Company saw the popularity of the item and began selling them regionally in 1964, and then nationwide in 1966. On August 6, 1970, an estimated 300+ anti-war Yippies entered Disneyland in a planned protest against the Vietnam War . The protestors held grievances with specific aspects of the theme park itself, such as

7700-499: The park transportation vehicles was Bob Gurr who gave himself the title of Director of Special Vehicle Design in 1954. Encircling Disneyland and providing a grand circle tour is the Disneyland Railroad (DRR), a 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow gauge short-line railway consisting of five oil-fired and steam-powered locomotives, in addition to three passenger trains and one passenger-carrying freight train. Originally known as

7800-537: 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

7900-411: The park. Main Street, U.S.A. is patterned after a typical Midwest town of the early 20th century, and took much inspiration from Walt Disney 's hometown, Marceline, Missouri . Main Street, U.S.A. has a train station, town square, movie theater , city hall, firehouse with a steam-powered pump engine, emporium, shops, arcades, double-decker bus, horse-drawn streetcar, and jitneys. The second-story of

8000-426: The pipes (the originals from 1971) were damaged by age and being turned off while the Riverboat was under refurbishment. Over the years, there have been theme changes to the cabin: originally, it was said to have been set ablaze by a hostile native tribe. This storyline was eventually changed to having been the home of a moonshiner who had fallen into a drunken stupor when he should have been minding his still; later,

8100-423: The pits of the cave, implying danger to those who continue to press onward. Additional features in the cave include "pop-up" gags featuring Pintel and Ragetti from the Pirates of the Caribbean films who are guarding cursed treasure as well as other effects featuring disappearing treasure and a genie in a bottle guarding treasure. The end of the Dead Man's Grotto cave features an Audio-Animatronics figure of

8200-539: The plaque for Tomorrowland, he read partway when an off-camera technician stopped him, and Disney responded, "I thought I got a signal", and began the dedication again. At one point, while in Fantasyland, Linkletter tried to give coverage to Cummings, who was on the pirate ship. He was not ready and tried to give the coverage back to Linkletter, who had lost his microphone. Cummings then did a play-by-play of him trying to find it in front of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride . Traffic

8300-405: The public with a nine-acre (3.6 ha) recreation area including a circus and baseball diamond , and was closed in late 1961. Throughout the park are " Hidden Mickeys ", representations of Mickey Mouse heads inserted subtly into the design of attractions and environmental decor. An elevated berm supports the 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow gauge Disneyland Railroad that circumnavigates

8400-429: 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. In Frontierland, a camera caught Cummings kissing a dancer. When Disney started to read

8500-579: The site while Hong Kong Disneyland has Tarzan's Treehouse , which is in Adventureland in a similar location. In August 2024, it was announced that the Magic Kingdom version of Tom Sawyer Island will be closed in 2025 to make way for a Frontierland expansion, based on Pixar 's Cars franchise. Disneyland Disneyland is a theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California . It

8600-534: The size of Disneyland Park from 99 to 101 acres (40 to 41 ha). Tomorrowland currently has a "retro-future" theme reminiscent of the illustrations of Jules Verne . Attractions include Space Mountain , Star Wars Launch Bay , Autopia , the Disneyland Monorail Tomorrowland Station, Astro Orbitor , Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters , Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage and Star Tours–The Adventures Continue . Major buildings backstage include

8700-452: The stage area in front of the Tavern, and between shows The Bilge Rats, a band of pirate musicians, entertained guests with lively sea chanteys. The Tavern actually houses a lot of show equipment and elements for the nighttime show, Fantasmic! . And beneath the ground that the tavern overlooks is a massive pit that houses the show animatronic Maleficent in her dragon form. The tools of me trade are forged in iron with fire and smoke. Give me

8800-428: The stairs up the tree house were removed and guests can no longer climb up the tree house. Fort Wilderness is an original 1956 feature of Tom Sawyer Island. Previously a guest-accessible feature of the island, Fort Wilderness was closed after the island re-opened from a refurbishment in 2003. In 2007 Disney demolished the original 1956 Fort Wilderness due to long-neglected termite and weather damage. A new Fort Wilderness

8900-540: The streets bordering Disneyland as part of the Skyfest Celebration. In the late 1990s, work began to expand the one-park, one-hotel property. Disneyland Park, the Disneyland Hotel, the site of the original parking lot, and acquired surrounding properties were earmarked to become part of the Disneyland Resort . At that time, the property saw the addition of the Disney California Adventure theme park,

9000-439: The technique of forced perspective to create an illusion of height. Buildings along Main Street are built at 3 ⁄ 4 scale on the first level, then 5 ⁄ 8 on the second story, and 1 ⁄ 2 scale on the third—reducing the scale by 1 ⁄ 8 each level up. Adventureland is designed to recreate the feel of an exotic tropical place in a far-off region of the world. Attractions include Jungle Cruise ,

9100-510: The theatrical release of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End . On January 11, 2016, Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island, along with the other attractions and shows along the Rivers of America, closed temporarily for the construction of Star Wars : Galaxy's Edge . Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island reopened on June 16, 2017. On April 22, 2023, the island was the site of a fire during

9200-533: Was a long-time Disney cast member who had worked at Disneyland in his youth prior to moving to Florida and held multiple executive leadership positions at the Walt Disney World Resort . Ouimet set about reversing certain trends, especially concerning cosmetic maintenance and a return to the original infrastructure maintenance schedule, in hopes of restoring Disneyland's former safety record. Similarly to Walt Disney, Ouimet and Emmer could often be seen walking

9300-688: Was announced that Disneyland would be holding its first official "Pride Nite", supporting the LGBTQ community. This comes 25 years after the first celebrated 'Gay Day' at Disneyland, which is identical to the Gay Days at Walt Disney World celebration. In May 2023, a male employee of Disneyland was dressed as 'Fairy Godmother's apprentice' welcoming the visitors to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Fantasyland , generating both criticism and support on social media. On May 18, 2024, Disneyland character performers voted to join

9400-460: Was being built. Five generations of monorail trains have been used in the park since their lightweight construction means they wear out quickly. The most recent operating generation, the Mark VII, was installed in 2008. The monorail shuttles visitors between two stations, one inside the park in Tomorrowland and one in Downtown Disney . It follows a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) route designed to show

9500-601: Was constructed; however, instead of being constructed with authentic hand-hewn logs, it was built with standard milled lumber. The new Fort Wilderness is not accessible to guests. Magic Kingdom within Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Tokyo Disneyland in Japan both have versions of Tom Sawyer Island, still known by their original names. Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland have islands, but with alternate themes. In Disneyland Paris, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad occupies

9600-435: 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

9700-401: Was owned by Disneyland, Inc. , which was jointly owned by Walt Disney Productions , Walt Disney , Western Publishing and ABC. In addition, Disney rented out many of the shops on Main Street, U.S.A. to outside companies. By 1960, Walt Disney Productions had bought out all other shares, but the partnership had already led to a lasting relationship with ABC which would eventually culminate in

9800-507: Was renamed Bayou Country. Formerly the area was home to Indian Village, where indigenous tribespeople demonstrated their dances and other customs. Bayou Country's main attraction is the log flume ride Tiana's Bayou Adventure . Other attractions include The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes . Star Wars : Galaxy's Edge is set within the Star Wars universe, in

9900-432: Was replaced by George Kalogridis. The " Happiest Homecoming on Earth " was an eighteen-month-long celebration (held through 2005 and 2006) of the fiftieth anniversary of Disneyland Park, also celebrating Disneyland's milestone throughout Disney parks worldwide. In 2004, the park underwent major renovations in preparation, restoring many attractions, notably Space Mountain , Jungle Cruise , the Haunted Mansion , Pirates of

10000-469: Was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney , and opened on July 17, 1955. Disney initially envisioned building a tourist attraction adjacent to his studios in Burbank to entertain fans who wished to visit; however, he soon realized that the proposed site was too small for the ideas that he had. After hiring

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