Disneyland’s Disastrous Opening Day
And why Walt Disney’s dream project was a smash hit anyway
In the spring of 1955, my father, the good Dr. J. Patrick Sauer, turned thirteen. A few months later, on July 18, he got the gift of every Los Angeles kid’s dream. Disneyland opened to the public. Nearly 65 years on, he can still conjure remembrances of his Magic Kingdom past.
“The race track in Tomorrowland started out as two lanes, which encouraged racing but also accidents and spinouts, so the track was changed to a single lane and lost a lot of its charm,” he says. His recollection of Autopia is spot on. So many kids were getting banged up, including an unlucky young soul who left most of his teeth with Mickey Mouse, that the ride was tamped down. But as Dad got older, the park became even more important to the development of Southern California’s blossoming youth.
“As a teenager, Disneyland was the cheapest date in town,” he recalls. “You would go with the ticket books you saved from when your parents took you, so the rides were free, the entrance fee for two was $5, and they had four or five bands every Friday and Saturday. Can’t beat fun times and low prices. I still have such vivid memories of being overwhelmed by Disneyland.”
