What year did Disneyland first open?

Disneyland first opened in 1955, welcoming its initial guests in Anaheim, California, on July 17 of that year.

Walt Disney had imagined a park where parents and children could enjoy attractions together. Early plans focused on a small site near the Disney studios in Burbank, but the idea grew too large for that location. A Stanford Research Institute study helped identify Anaheim, where Disney bought an orange-grove site in 1953. Construction began the following year.

The July 17 event was a televised international press preview attended by invited guests, celebrities, journalists, and some people who entered with counterfeit tickets. The park officially opened to the general public on July 18, 1955, creating a date that sometimes causes confusion. Disney later adopted July 17 as Disneyland's official opening date and birthday. The park was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and built under Walt Disney's direct supervision.