Disneyland | History, Map, & Facts (2024)

Disneyland, amusem*nt park in Anaheim, California, featuring characters, rides, and shows based on the creations of Walt Disney and the Disney Company. Though its central building, the Sleeping Beauty Castle, is modeled on Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle, it is an unmistakable icon of American popular culture. Disneyland is the only Disney theme park designed and built under the supervision of Walt Disney.

By as early as the 1940s, Disney had begun planning themed experiences to complement his Burbank film studio: a backlot tour that would include a train ride through a “village” set and an amusem*nt park that would cater to his employees and their children. By 1952 he had formed WED Enterprises, a corporate entity created to plan and build the amusem*nt park on studio grounds. Eventually, he chose a plot of land in rural Anaheim, close to Los Angeles, for the park instead, largely as a result of the hostility of Burbank city officials toward the studio project. This much larger plot allowed Disney to reconceptualize his park into the public “giant movie set” that would become Disneyland.

Financing the endeavour proved difficult, but Disney was able to secure a significant portion of the funding from the American Broadcasting Company (ABC); ABC received in return the rights to produce a weekly Disney television program and a share of the park’s profits. Construction began on July 21, 1954, and was completed on July 17, 1955.

Disney’s disposition toward nostalgic sentiment and fantasy is evident in the park’s design and construction. The themed areas originally opened in Disneyland were Main Street, U.S.A., evoking a Midwestern American town at the turn of the 20th century and modeled on Disney’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri; Fantasyland, based partly on stories from Disney animated features; Adventureland, a jungle-themed area; Frontierland, featuring the Mark Twain Riverboat; and Tomorrowland, an optimistic vision of the future. Subsequent additions were New Orleans Square, based on the southern U.S. city of New Orleans; Bear Country, later renamed Critter Country, featuring the Country Bear Jamboree and the Splash Mountain ride; and Mickey’s Toontown, a colourful world modeled on cartoon animation. A short-lived Holidayland existed from 1957 to 1961. The Anaheim property also holds a sister park, Disney’s California Adventure, which opened in 2001; a separate shopping, dining, and entertainment area called Downtown Disney District; and three hotels.

Disneyland became a mecca for tourists from around the world. By the turn of the 21st century, more than 14 million people visited the park annually. (See also Walt Disney World Resort; Epcot.)