Happy Birthday, Disneyland!
On July 17th, 1955, Walt Disney, famous prior for his feature length animated films and a little guy called Mickey Mouse, introduced the world to a new form of family entertainment with his creation, Disneyland. On that day, which was full of festivities, though not without issues (including women’s heels sinking into the freshly laid asphalt, as temperatures reached 100), Guests got to step into the stories that Walt brought to life, through the innovative attractions in Fantasyland, they got to look into the future in Tomorrowland, join skippers on a dark jungle cruise in Adventureland, hitch a ride on a stagecoach in Frontierland, and of course walk down Main Street USA to see how their grandparents may have lived. Sixty years later, Disneyland is just as magical, with new lands and many new attractions over the years, and on July 17th, 2015, Guests got to reflect on Disneyland’s history.
Leading up the the Park’s birthday, Disneyland announced they wished their Guests to “Show their 1955 Disney side”, by wearing “1955-inspired ensembles”. As I selected my outfit, I knew I would have change out of it, store it, and change back into it, as I did work that day, and chose for a rather no-fuss outfit, but one that I still felt was neat for the day. Awhile ago, Joanna of Dividing Moments, brought this skirt to my attention, and I was thrilled to finally wear it to the Park. It is a skirt that was originally sold at the Guatemalan Weavers shop in Adventureland, which today is the Indiana Jones Outpost. You can actually spy Guatemalan Weavers in the background of this photo I found on the blog Stuff From the Park. I also wore a vintage Disneyland button featuring Tink.
To celebrate, Disneyland hosted a small ceremony in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, with the president of Disneyland, Michael Colglazier, who was later joined by Richard Sherman, one half of the incredible song-writing and composing duo, the Sherman brothers, who penned the classics from Mary Poppins, among many other Disney works. Sherman was joined by the current Broadway Mary Poppins, Ashley Brown, who sung one of Walt’s favorite songs, “Feed the Birds”, as Richard played the piano. The two then lead Guests in singing “Happy Birthday” to Disneyland.
Prior to the day-time parade, Mickey’s Soundsational, they had a mini parade featuring Cast Members who were there when it all started in 1955, along with a few very lucky current Cast Members.
Additionally, Guests were given cupcakes, and had unique photo opportunities throughout the park, including backdrops made by blowing up images of old photographs of Disneyland, and one of the old stagecoaches!
Patrick brought along the dual lens, and I’m eager to get the pictures back from the photo shop, and hope to share them with you!
I’m not sure that Walt knew that what he created that day would have the reach and draw it does today, with multiple parks across the globe, and tens of thousands coming through the turnstiles everyday. I feel very special to have been a part of celebrating Disneyland’s 60th birthday, and I also feel special to continue Walt’s dream of creating a place where dreams come true.
Outfit
Top: Jet Rag, Los Angeles, California
Skirt: Ebay
Disneyland Button: Expo
Scarf: Who knows!
Shoes: Miss L Fire
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Oh, how I love your blog! The pictures, the stories, your adorableness (is that even a word?)! I love opening my email and seeing new posts from you! Thank you for brightening my day!
Everything about this post just makes me so happy! (and a bit jealous as I love Disneyland but live in Colorado!) Your outfit is beautiful, and it’s even more special knowing the skirt is a piece of Disneyland history. I love the color scarf you chose to pair with the red too! I was so hoping I was going to get to visit the park in this landmark year, but it is looking increasingly like that wont happen, so I implore you to soak it all in and enjoy it extra for those who will miss those cute diamond decorations!
Very good point. He (Walt) may have dreamed about it, but I wonder if he really, fully knew just what an incredibly far reaching impact Disneyland would have on millions (if not billions) of peoples’ lives in the decades to come. Almost no matter where you go in the world, people know about Disneyland and few are those, I would venture to guess, who wouldn’t love to visit it in person at least once in their lives (myself included!).
Wonderful 1955 outfit. It’s immensely sweet that Joanna brought that great skirt to your attention. She has such a kind heart and an amazing ability to find things that are 100% what a person is dreaming amount on the vintage fashion front.
Here’s to the next sixty years of Disneyland and beyond!
♥ Jessica
Happy birthday Disneyland! Do you know how envious I am right now seeing all these photos? And you look so mighty fine miss!! I adore adore that skirt and your vintage camera! Sigh – I now live in London where supposedly everything happens but NO DISNEYLAND!!! My life is incomplete ahahhaha!
Such a Disney fan! We were there this Sunday and the morning was incredibly hot and humid, but it started raining in the afternoon. It was so fun to bond with all the other guests while waiting in line in the pouring rain. Nothing like riding Pirates of the Caribbean while soaked to the bone!
Funny story: I remember going to Disneyland as a kid when they still had the Skyway gondolas. A freak tornado blew through and tangled some of the gondolas together. No one was hurt, but it was so scary!
I worked that day! It was crazy! I got caught in the rain in taking lost items to Guest Relations.
I think I saw the fabulous Solanah waiting in line to get a Dole Whip, drenched like the rest of us! I guess it speaks volumes to the magic of Disney that people would be willing to wait in line in the pouring rain!
great pictures!!!! oh yeah, wonderful skirt … exact the same skirt I wrote to you about back in past winter …. sadly the turquoise version of this skirt was sold when I went back to the shop … meanwhile even the shop is gone … 🙁