As we sit on the verge of Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary celebration, looking out over all that is to come in honor of the occasion, it feels like the right time to take a little walk back through time, to see how far Disneyland has come over the past 70 years. While Disneyland is about to kick off its colorful celebration tomorrow, fans of the Disney Parks are reflecting on what 70 years of Disney Parks magic means to them. I am one of the lucky ones to say that the privilege of growing up a Disney kid has afforded me many wonderful and priceless memories with my family. I cherish the time I spent there with those who are no longer with us, and have endless gratitude for the two very special young ones to whom I was able to pass on that same sense of wonder as they, too, grew up as Disney kids. Let’s take a look back through the decades at the milestones Disneyland has seen over the past seven decades.
1955 – 1965, Disneyland Opens
In 1955, Disneyland Park opened its gates on July 17th, forever changing the world’s idea of a family vacation. Initial attractions included many of the rides we still hold near and dear, like the Disneyland Railroad, Jungle Cruise, and King Arthur Carrousel. These formative years showed the world what Walt Disney intended, offering families a magical destination to create memories and bond. Never would we look at a castle the same way again. During this period, guests saw the first of many expansions, including the addition of the Disneyland Monorail, Matterhorn Bobsleds, and Submarine Voyage in 1959. The Enchanted Tiki Room opened in 1963, showcasing the first use of audio-animatronics in a Disney Park.
1965 – 1975
After its first ten years in action, the word was out that Disneyland was offering something very special. A new area, New Orleans Square, opened in 1966, and more attractions arrived, including the beloved Pirates of the Caribbean. Updates to the ever-changing Tomorrowland opened the same year, offering guests new experiences with the PeopleMover and Adventure Thru Inner Space. Entertainment became a new focus for the park, introducing the long-adored Main Street Electrical Parade in 1972, a fantastical nighttime spectacle with glowing floats. The magic of Disney began to set itself apart from the average family vacation. On the other side of the country, Walt Disney World opened in 1971, cementing Disney’s place in history with a second magical destination.
1975 – 1985
Over the next decade, Disneyland began a new phase of evolution, upgrading, redesigning, and replacing attractions that could be improved or didn’t quite hit the mark. This decade saw the birth of re-imagining, the ongoing pursuit of redefining what Disney could offer guests in the experience of a lifetime. In 1977, Space Mountain took guests rocketing into the galaxy, and a complete redesign of Fantasyland in 1983 added immersive architecture that gave the land its signature storybook style.
1985 – 1995
The late 80s and early 90s brought a whole new audience to the parks, as a second generation of Disney kids began visiting with their own children. It was a signal to the masses that Disney was here to stay. More modern rides started to appear, catering to a broader audience of park goers. Star Tours offered an intergalactic journey in 1987, followed closely by the famous flume ride, Splash Mountain, in 1989. Disney began to understand just how long guests would wait to ride the new attractions, with Splash Mountain attracting long lines of guests eager to take the plunge. In 1993, Mickey’s ToonTown welcomed audience guests, allowing them to walk into the world of their favorite Disney characters with a new area inspired by younger fans.
1995 – 2005
A new generation of thrill rides is born, as Disneyland kicks off a new anniversary decade with the opening of Indiana Jones Adventure. Filled with new technology and more characters to enjoy under the Disney umbrella, the latest ride featured an immersive queuing area to entertain guests during their long wait times. Tomorrowland was again relaunched in 1998, now including the (short-lived) Rocket Rods, which replaced the PeopleMover. Arguably, the worst ride in Disneyland history, frequent closures due to technical difficulties, and long wait times for an underwhelming attraction gave imagineers much to learn from. 2001 opened the gates to Disneyland’s sister park just across the walkway, as a state-themed Disney California Adventure debuted in its first iteration. Joining the expansion was a new hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Resort and Spa, and the Downtown Disney District, offering a non-ticketed dining and entertainment district. A third generation of Disney fans is introduced to a new experience, fully integrating their every need into the Disneyland Resort without needing to leave.
2005 – 2015
The Disneyland 50th Anniversary arrives, and celebrations echo from what is now well known as the Disneyland Resort (with two parks and two impressive hotels on property) all the way around the world. A new way of celebrating was introduced, heavily emphasizing decorations, specialty food, limited-time merchandise, and special events to mark the occasion. This tradition would accompany more and more Disney events in the years that followed. Attractions began receiving digital upgrades, and technology took the stage in the park as a primary contributor to state-of-the-art special effects. Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain both benefit from the changes, delighting fans in a whole new way as they return time and time again to the parks.
2015 – 2025
The fun had only just begun in 2015 when the Disneyland 60th Diamond Celebration brought even more excitement. New merch, shows, parades, and fireworks accompanied this royal occasion, as the park sparkled with a thematic diamond overlay. 2017 saw Disney making history again, introducing a new range of characters and experiences to Disneyland Park with the construction beginning on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in an all-new land that was built at the back of the park. The new addition opened officially in 2019, first featuring Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, and later joined by the incredible interactive experience, Rise of the Resistance, one of the most advanced rides ever introduced to a Disney Park. In 2020, the world would change forever as a pandemic swept the globe, changing how the population understood freedom. Disneyland undertook a year-long closure, reopening with restrictions, park reservations, and mask requirements. While guests were desperate to experience a small piece of vacation normality, it would be much longer until the Disney we knew and loved returned in full. A pandemic didn’t stop Disney’s Imagineers from working hard behind the scenes. 2024 saw a refreshed Mickey’s Toontown emerge from the shadows beneath the Disneyland Railway, now offering Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. More innovation was still in the pipeline with the likes of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, taking the place of the dated Splash Mountain with a more popular character IP. The controversial change eventually delighted most fans of the rides (once the glitches were worked out), opening in 2024.
As Disneyland rolls out the pink and purple carpet for the 70th celebration, we can’t wait to see what the next decade of Disney magic has in store for us.
Images: D23
