That’s me and Windy on the ends.
Disneyland opened in July 1955 and I was THERE! Cousin Susan sent me these pictures sent to her by “Anna Wilson, Aunt May’s youngest daughter, who has all of Aunt Gert and Uncle Bill’s old photos.” I have seen a couple of these pictures before and they represent my only memory of the occasion. I did retain the certain knowledge that I had been to Disneyland right when it opened.
In The Beginning there were five Lands, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Main Street USA and there were 18-20 attractions (depending on the source).
Here come the pictures, thanks to Uncle Bill! I’m going to ask Kelly, Disney employee of 20+ years, to help me identify what’s what – I’ve numbered them for her convenience to tell me a sensible order.
I found this on the internet asking what were the rides when Disneyland opened. Many sites have done a cut and paste on this list…
Main Street, USA
- Horse-drawn Street Cars
- Horse-drawn Fire Wagon
- Horse-drawn Surreys
- Main Street Arcade
- Main Street Cinema
- Main Street Shooting Gallery
- Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad
Fantasyland
- Canal Boats of the World
- Casey Jr. Circus Train
- Dumbo Flying Elephants
- King Arthur Carrousel
- Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
- Mickey Mouse Club Theater
- Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
- Peter Pan
- Snow White’s Adventures
Tomorrowland
- Autopia (numerous enhancements over the years)
- Circarama U.S.A.
- Dutch Boy Paint Color Gallery
- Kaiser’s Hall of Aluminum Fame
- Monsanto Hall of Chemistry
- Rocket to the Moon
- Space Station X-1
- Thimble Drome Flight Circle
- Tomorrowland Boats
- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
- The World Beneath Us
Frontierland
- Conestoga Wagons
- Davy Crockett Museum
- Golden Horseshoe Revue
- Indian Village
- Mark Twain Riverboat
- Mike Fink Keelboats
- Pack Mules
- Stagecoach Ride
Adventureland
- Jungle Cruise
Here’s another guy’s list that was very specific, he’s right, the other lists are wrong. I haven’t tried to match up the lists yet.
Horse Drawn Fire Wagon This now permanently sits in the firehouse, no longer operational.
Horse Drawn Surrey
Horse Drawn Trolley Of the original Main Street Vehicles, this is the only one still in operation today.
Disneyland Railroad On opening day, there were 2 stations. Frontierland and Main Street. Each station had it’s own train and only the one station stop so you went on a full circle each time (I.e. if you boarded at Frontierland, the train didn’t stop until you reached Frontierland again).
Autopia This ride is relatively unchanged from 1955. The vehicles have been updated, it’s been fenced in, the guidelines were installed and the ride updated to feature the sponsor.
Rocket to the Moon Star Tours now sits where this ride was
Phantom Boats This ride was replaced with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and is now Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
Canal Boats of the World This ride changed its name quickly and the locations were redone to show Disney’s animated movie locations. It became Storybook Canal Boats.
King Arthur’s Carousel
Mad Tea Party Originally this ride was roughly where Dumbo is now.
Mr Toad’s Wild Ride
Peter Pan’s Flight
Snow White and Her Adventures
Casey Jr’s Circus Train Many will say this ride didn’t open until July 31st, 1955 but it was actually open on Opening Day. It just closed the very next day for safety reasons and didn’t reopen until the 31st.
Jungle Cruise Riders of the current ride would not recognize the opening day attraction in many ways. It was a much more serious, “educational” ride. The jokes and puns weren’t added until the 60s, same as the now iconic Elephant bathing pool, and other comedic elements. It was originally longer than it currently is as the ride has been shortened and rerouted twice. First for Indiana Jones and then again for Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge.
Mule Pack You could ride an actual mule around a frontier area on opening day. The town of Rainbow Ridge and a mine train ride was added on later, known as Rainbow Ridge Pack Mules and then as Pack Mules through Nature’s Wonderland. This ride and the mine train were located where Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is today. You can still see some of the mine train tracks by Big Thunder Mountain Railroad if you pay attention.
Stage Coach & Conestoga Wagons This ride traveled in the same area as the Mule Pack and the soon to arrive mine train. The difference between the wagons, the train, and the mules is exactly where they went in the large frontier & living desert areas. So you got a unique view depending on which mode of transportation you picked.