20 Magical Photos From Disneyland's Opening Day

On July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened its doors to the public for the very first time after only one year of construction. Walt Disney had finally completed the amusement park he had been dreaming of on a 160-acre Anaheim lot, complete with different themed "lands," such as the now-famous Adventureland and Fantasyland. Although only 6,000 invitations were sent for that first day, more than 30,000 guests flooded the park, armed with forged tickets.

Today, Disneyland is a beloved park with an avid following of fans and its own share of secrets. While the extreme heat of the first opening days nearly thwarted Walt's plans, Disneyland has since blossomed into a mega corporation that strives to bring magic to life. In fact, it has only closed a total of three - almost four - times since 1955. It closed for the first time following the assassination of President JFK, for a second time following the events of September 11, 2001, and again from March 14-31, 2020, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. After the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the park was partially closed to inspect for damage. 

Check out the photographs below that commemorate the birth of the world's most popular theme park.