“Almost everyone warned us that Disneyland would be a Hollywood spectacular—a spectacular failure. But they were thinking about an amusement park, and we believed in our idea—a family park where parents and children could have fun—together.”
– Walt Disney


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Sixty years ago, Walt Disney’s vision became a reality — Disneyland was finally revealed to the world.

On April 2nd, 1954, ABC and Disney completed financial negotiations for what was to become the ‘happiest place on earth’. With 160 acres of orange groves and nearly $9,000,000 acquired, construction on Disneyland Park was ready to begin!

In addition to the enormous amount of construction that needed to be completed in just over a year, the contract with ABC included plans for a weekly television show. ‘Disneyland’ (later, ‘The Wonderful World of Disney’) highlighted the stories and characters that would soon come to life in Anaheim — a series that would last for decades and become the 2nd longest running television series in history.

Today, Disney Parks around the globe continue to bring smiles to the faces of the young and young at heart — and of course, as Walt once said: “It’s just been sort of a dress rehearsal and we’re just getting started.”

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