Today (17/07/2025) marks 70 years since the opening of Disneyland, California.
Disneyland, California, was the first Disney Company theme park, and the only of Disney’s six resorts whose production and construction was overseen by the company’s founder, Walt Disney.
Disney had envisioned a theme park based on his company’s creations long before Disneyland opened in 1955, with his earliest ideas dating back to the 1940s.[1] In 1952, he began to make these ideas a reality, forming WED Enterprises to handle the planning and building of the park.[2] After purchasing a large plot of land in Anaheim, construction of the park began in 1954. It took just less a year to complete, beginning on 21 July 1954 and ending on 17 July 1955, the day of the park’s opening.[3]
The iconic Sleeping Beauty castle, which stands in the centre of the park, was an essential aspect of the park’s design. According to artist Herb Ryman, who produced concept art for the castle, Disney “insisted . . . that there be a very, very conspicuous castle, because the castle is gonna be the symbol of this whole place”.[4] Disney, of course, was correct—the Sleeping Beauty castle remains iconic. The five other Disney resorts also feature central castles inspired by the original castle at Disneyland, California.
[1] “Disneyland”, Britannica, 6 July 2025, available at https://www.britannica.com/place/Disneyland.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Sophie Jo, “Once Upon a Dream: The History of Sleeping Beauty Castle”, 19 December 2018, available at https://www.waltdisney.org/sleeping-beauty-castle?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwOe8BhCCARIsAGKeD54NST85fBEMoO4FzhRZSbR0C1lQDT8u4zeuFrVLI8lTmYS_c_IkJ5EaAq-AEALw_wcB.