Posted on 07/17/2005 6:30:46 AM PDT by Liz
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP (AP) -- When Walt Disney built Disneyland, he supervised every aspect of planning and construction - right down to the paint color inside the railroad station. But there were a couple of things he couldn't control at the opening 50 years ago: the temperature and the turnout.
The sun rose bright and glowing in a cloudless sky on that Sunday, and the mercury climbed higher and higher. By early morning, all roads leading to the park were clogged. Thousands poured through the turnstiles, more than twice as many as had been invited.
The heat and the crowds, along with a Magic Kingdom full of other problems, contributed to what will forever after be called Black Sunday in the Disney organization.
Long lines formed at the rides, forcing visitors to stand in the sweltering sun. Later it was discovered that counterfeit tickets had been used by the uninvited. Adding to the congestion, crashers scrambled over fences and berms in remote areas of the park.
Several of the rides shut down because of overuse, and by the end of the day all the "Autopia" cars had been sidelined. The deck of the river boat Mark Twain was awash; too many passengers had climbed aboard. And a gas leak was discovered in Tomorrowland, forcing evacuation of the entire area.
Refreshment stands quickly ran out of food and drink, and there were few drinking fountains. Women's spiked heels sank into the newly laid asphalt on Main Street. Families waited in long lines to use toilets. A saboteur snipped electrical lines in Fantasyland, bringing all rides to a halt.
Survivors of Black Sunday retain vivid memories of that day, including Disney consultant Harrison "Buzz" Price, who chose the then-sleepy agricultural town of Anaheim as the location for Disneyland.
"I was on the bridge that led to Sleeping Beauty's Castle, and it was full of people," he recalls. "We couldn't move. and the asphalt was sticky. I looked down and saw Frank Sinatra, and he was cursing."
Bob Kurr, designer of the vehicles for Main Street, had been assigned by Disney to oversee "Autopia," a miniature freeway with real gasoline-powered cars.
"It was hotter 'n hell and these cars were suffering from the typical gasoline vapor lock," Kurr remembers.
Walt Disney knew little about the snafus, since he was busy on the live ABC-TV broadcast with his fellow master of ceremonies Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings and Ronald Reagan. The next day he read devastating reviews in the newspapers and heard dismaying reports from his staff.
"Walt was furious," Price recalls. "In a helluva hurry, he fired Woody, the guy who built the park in 18 months."
Woody was C.V. Wood, a former U.S. Army general. While opening day was crumbling, Price says, "Woody was upstairs mixing a lot of mint juleps for his staff; it was kinda like firing-squad day."
Disney's damage control was immediate.
"Walt was personally around the park every day that first week, looking into every situation and then getting something done about it," Kurr says.
He also was mending fences with the press, hosting small groups of reporters and editors for dinner and a tour of Disneyland.
One reporter had suggested that Disneyland had skimped on drinking fountains in order to sell soft drinks. Disney called her and explained, off the record, that a local plumbers strike had been settled shortly before opening day. He had to decide between toilets and drinking fountains.
Within seven weeks, thanks in part to months of national build-up on ABC's "Disneyland" TV show, the park had attracted a million visitors - 30 percent more than had been predicted. And they were spending 30 percent more money than predicted.
Realizing that swarms of journalists from around the world would be reporting about opening day, I decided to try something a little different: How would Disneyland look through the eyes of a pair of young girls?
With the aid of a park publicist, my daughters Nancy and Janet were treated to a tour of the brand-new park dressed in their pastel Easter dresses.
Nancy, who was almost 7, has vivid memories of the old-fashioned railroad that circles the property - "the first train ride of my life" - and the jungle boat "where the guide would crack jokes and make the most of the `threatening' moments."
Janet, who was only 3 1/2, understandably has little recall of that day, although she does remember her shoes "sticking in the hot asphalt and thinking that was great fun."
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Editor's note: The author has been covering the world of entertainment for The Associated Press for more than 60 years, including Disneyland's opening day on July 17, 1955.
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Thank you so much for sharing this!
I wonder if they still hand out free copies of The Constitution at the City Hall.
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Note:
After his attending Garden Grove, California's Rancho Alamitos High School during his Freshman & Sophomore years...
STEVE MARTIN attended Garden Grove High School during his Junior & Senior years...
...after school boundaries changed with the addition of new High Schools in the District.
While in High School he entertained at Disneyland's 'Golden Horseshoe Saloon' in FRONTIERLAND as well as in the 'Enchanted Tiki Room' and on ADVENTURELAND's 'Jungle Boat Ride.'
STEVE went on to entertain at nearby Knott's Berry Farm's Bird Cage Theater, with his banjo, during his Long Beach State College years.
And "The Jerk" NEVER looked back.
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But, unfortunately, with the continued slide of American societal norms and behaviors down the toilet, Disney had to remove that ride, as there was just too much stuff being thrown/spit down onto others below.
Anyone know when they were removed?
Many thanks for the great links----wonderful Disney retrospective.
They should really write an article about the first kid killed on one of their rides. That place is a deathtrap!
WDW, Fla as well----several people have died there---a kid drowned in the swan lake bordering the castle.
Hi Ronnie, I remember my first trip, shortly after it opened...it cost $6.00! Remember the "e" tickets?
Didn't Steve Martin perform at that Pepsi Review, not the Tiki thing?
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You're very welcome for everything, Liz.
T'is such good fun reliving the fond Disneyland Memories of my youth on its 50th Anniversay.
I even got to meet WALT DISNEY himself during my first visit there.
Simply amazing stuffies.
Think I'll bookmark your wonderful thread.
ALOHA RONNIE
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At Disneyland's 'Enchanted Tiki Room' STEVE MARTIN wore a white trainer's uniform and cap, assembling each new crowd into their seats for the mechanical singing birds show.
Very similiar, actually, to what he did at the helm of his 'Jungle Boat Ride' boat.
Only on that one STEVE also fired a gun with blanks at encroaching open mouthed Rino's.
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I grew up in a house on a hill which faced south toward Disneyland. Even though they were about 10 miles away, the fireworks could be seen (and heard) every summer night at 9 o'clock.
I wonder how many people remember or even know what the term "E" ticket experience means
The junk drawer in the kitchen was full of A and B tickets, some C's and D's, but there were never any leftover E tickets. For some reason we just weren't hip on racing over to the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse. I don't recall what ticket was needed to get to Tom Sawyer's Island, but we only went once and decided that the smell of urine wasn't all that appealing.
The 70's was an interesting time in Disneyland operations. The train passed by undeveloped areas of the park, and for years the recorded message dangled the carrot of "future expansion". Well for all my youth that expansion never came, so I learned to be cynical of promises from a young age. :-)
Many of the rides and programs (Tiki Room still around?) were already dated or showing their age (the Jungle Ride was pretty decrepit), so it was a huge deal when they finally got around to building Space Mountain. At least before the thrill wore off, it lessened the line at the Matterhorn. Of course, the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted House seemed timeless in their appeal, even if the transportation of the future (the slug-paced Peoplemover) was often broken down and closed for repair. LOL.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
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I'll NEVER FORGET all those wonderful 'Date Nite at Disneyland' ballroom dances we used to have at the Carnation Plaza set in between the entrances to FRONTIERLAND and Sleeping Beauty's castle.
The Disneyland Head of Park Entertainment was none other than the same Mr. Gruder of 'The CARPENTERS' ..'Mr. Gruder'.. song. Seems he had heard them early on and then didn't hire them for the Park.
Years later in 1977 'The CARPENTERS' told their audience about him during their sold out concert at the Anaheim Convention Center parked right across the street from the Entrance to Disneyland.
T'was a bit of told ya so time, USA
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Thanks for posting this.
A nice reminder that sometimes, things do get better.
It seems like they had them every weekend after regular park hours.
Musta been so nice way back when.......in contrast to the moral and cultural breakdown of today.
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Thanks for listening, CP.
The Real Deal WALT DISNEY gave us all such real happiness.
Happiness we are celebrating today.
Totally.
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I too will NEVER FORGET those Rock Bands that came up to the TOMORROWLAND Dance Area Stage and then went back down underground for their breaks.
A new large Entertainment and Snack Area that had replaced my original 'Space Bar' Snack Shop Area.
What great fun it was.
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Pepsi Review =
FRONTIERLAND's Golden Horseshoe Saloon..?
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I too will NEVER FORGET those Rock Bands that came up to the TOMORROWLAND Dance Area Stage and then went back down underground for their breaks.Oddly enough the thing that impressed me most was everything you didn't see...An amazing hidden infrastructure..no delivery trucks, no employees sitting around on breaks, no characters in partial uniform etc.
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