Skip to content

Do You Know the Truth About Disneyland’s Opening Day?

Many die-hard Disney fans wish they could visit Disneyland on opening day. After all, opening day was a historic day for Disney fans, and you can’t pass having tickets as low as $1!

Related: “How Much Did a Disneyland Ticket Cost in 1955?” Some Perspective on Disney Ticket Prices

Disneyland on Opening Day: The Positives and Negatives

Along with only having park tickets for only a dollar, there was excitement for being among the first-ever people to experience Disneyland, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

People all over the world wanted to visit Disneyland to see Walt Disney’s vision come to life. The media portrayed Disneyland as a must-see destination (which many Disney fans would still agree with)!

While yes, July 17th, 1955 (the day Disneyland opened) might seem like an amazing day to visit the parks, think again. This day was far from perfect, as it was filled with problems all across Disneyland. Just for starters, the opening day capacity was only supposed to be 15,000 guests, there ended up being over 28,000 people who attended the park that day!

For a place that is known as “the happiest place on earth”, there were many problems that came up on this day. Some of the early problems included scorching heat, technical glitches, and overwhelming crowds that made it nearly impossible for cast members to keep up and provide a magical experience.

From construction starting to opening day, it only took 1 year and 1 day. This may sound impressive (especially with Disney taking years to build a single ride in recent years), but Disneyland should not have opened that soon with all of the problems.

The Quiz

Test your knowledge on Disneyland’s opening day here!

Disneyland Opening Day Troubles

1 / 10

What was the main reason for overcrowding at Disneyland on its opening day?

2 / 10

Why did women's high heels sink into the ground on Main Street during Disneyland's opening day?

3 / 10

What did Walt Disney choose to prioritize due to a plumbers' strike during the opening of Disneyland?

4 / 10

Which attraction almost capsized due to overcrowding on Disneyland's opening day?

5 / 10

What caused significant complaints from visitors due to the hot weather on Disneyland's opening day?

6 / 10

What problem did the live television broadcast of Disneyland's opening ceremony face?

7 / 10

Which attraction frequently broke down and crashed due to lack of experience and proper testing?

8 / 10

What was seen lying around in Disneyland's incomplete landscaping on opening day?

9 / 10

What significant problem did Disneyland's parking lot face on its opening day?

10 / 10

What issue did the Disneyland Railroad face on opening day?

Your score is

The average score is 58%

0%

How did you do? Let us know in the comments!

Test more of your Disney knowledge!