Disneyland's 60th Anniversary

Hello Everybody!! As many of you know this week, Disneyland is celebrating it's 60th Anniversary!! Disneyland Park will feature two new nighttime shows at Main Street U.S.A. They are Disneyland Forever and Paint the Night Parade. Plus, updates on Matterhorn Bobsleds, Peter Pan's Flight, Indiana Jones Adventure and other attractions. Don't forget to check back on the return of the Hatbox Ghost in The Haunted Mansion. Happy 60th Anniversary, Disneyland!! Here's to 60 years more!!

DBC’s History Lesson: 1976

 

Note: DBC stands for Disney By Chris.

For our today’s history lesson, let’s go back to 1976!

At Disneyland:

• Disneyland introduced America On Parade at Main Street U.S.A. to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

At Walt Disney World:

• Walt Disney World’s first water park, River Country opened on June 20th.

That’s our history lesson for today!!

More History Lessons are Coming Up!!

DBC’s History Lesson: 1977

Note: DBC stands for Disney By Chris!!

For our History Lesson for today, let’s go back to 1977.

Space Mountain opened in Tomorrowland at Disneyland in California. It became the second mountain to open at Disneyland.

The Main Street Electrical Parade premiered at Main Street, U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom in Florida.

That’s our History Lesson for today!!

Chris’s Tip Time: Attractions to See During 4th of July

Hope everyone enjoyed the 4th of July yesterday!!
If you are at the Disney Parks and planning to return home sometime next week, here are some attractions I recommend for the 4th of July celebration this week.
At Disneyland:

• Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln (Main Street U.S.A.)

At Walt Disney World:

• The Hall of Presidents (Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom)
• The American Adventure (World Showcase, Epcot)

Main Street Penny Arcade

The Main Street Penny Arcade is one of the first Disneyland attractions that opened on July 17, 1955. It contains machines such as the Nickelodeons and touch you hand on the electric toucher. In order to play with them, you have to deposit one penny inside the machine.
Images of these machines will be up soon!
Here is the image of the sign.
Photo by disneybychris.

Disneyland Candlelight 2011

On the first weekend of December on a cold evening during winter time, Main Street U.S.A. at Disneyland Park in California hosted it’s annual Candlelight Event. This Holiday event includes a Celebrity who tells “The Christmas Story”. It also featured an orchestra with trumpeters playing on the roof of the Main Street Station, and over 1,000 choir singers. Along with a human Christmas tree.
Photos by disneybychris.




Choir, Orchestra, and Trumpeters performing holiday music.



Behold, the Human Christmas Tree.


Celebrity Narrator: Gary Sinise from Epcot’s Mission: SPACE!!!



Finale: Silent Night with Soloists.
Happy Holidays!

The Haunted Mansion (Part One)

Halloween is just around the corner. The scary Disney Attraction to see is none other than the legendary Haunted Mansion. 
In 1957, Walt Disney was telling his guests on his Disneyland series on ABC what new attractions are coming to Disneyland Park. He said that The Haunted Mansion is one of them. His plan was to put it on Main Street U.S.A.  Instead, he decided to put it in New Orleans Square. 
The Original Idea for this attraction was to make it as a walk-through attraction to include images from Fantasia’s Night on Bald Mountain sequence, The Ichabod Crane sequence from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, and the very popular Mickey, Donald, and Goofy short, Lonesome Ghosts.
The one rumor about the early concept of this attraction is it was supposed to be a home for Walt Disney and his family.
The Building was completed at Disneyland Park in 1963.  The project was on hold because Walt was busy working on attractions for the New York World’s Fair. While that was happening, Walt assigned Imagineer Marc Davis to finish The Haunted Mansion.
When the members of WED Enterprises created the Omni-Mover vehicles for Adventure through Inner Space, they said it’s the answer for what primary vehicle to use for The Haunted Mansion. They call it the “Doom Buggy”.   
“Hurry Back” for Part Two.

Happy 56th Birthday, Disneyland

On Sunday July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened to the public and it was telecast live on ABC. The telecast was hosted by Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings, and Ronald Reagan.  The first five lands opened on that day were: Main Street U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Tomorrowland, and the Happiest Kingdom of them all, Fantasyland. Some big celebrities back then were at the opening of the park.
They were: Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, Alan Young, Danny Thomas, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Frank Sinatra. 
On my next blog,  I will reveal which attractions opened on the park’s opening day.