Walt Disney is one of the most prolific animators the world has ever seen. He is the creator of Mickey Mouse and co-founded Walt Disney Productions with his brother, Roy O. Disney. Mickey Mouse was created in 1922, and by the late 20’s his comrades included his girlfriend Minnie Mouse, his dog Pluto, and his friends Donald Duck and Goofy. Then Walt Disney decided to open up a theme park with those characters.
On this day July 17th, in 1955, Disneyland is dedicated by Walt Disney. The park was opened on live television by Walt himself and is now referred to as Dedication Day. The park would not be open publicly until the next day, July 18th. Walt was inspired to open up a theme park after taking his daughters to amusement parks in the 30’s and 40’s, but this amusement park was a need breed, a theme park.
The plan was for Disneyland to be opened adjacent to Disney studios, located in Burbank California, much like the way Universal Studios is where sets are intertwined with the amusement park. That didn’t happen, but in 1953 Disney bought 160 acres in Anaheim, California, and construction began the following year. In 2010 nearly 16 million people visited Disneyland, still the quintessential childhood fantasy experience.