Disney Attractions From Opening Day (That You Can Still Ride!)

This week marks the birthday of the original Disneyland Park, which opened on July 17, 1955. In the decades since then, the Walt Disney Company has built over a dozen other theme parks and multiple hotels worldwide and continues to be a leader in the tourism and theme park industry.

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When the original theme Park opened, there were multiple issues, including ride breakdowns, counterfeit tickets, food shortages, and extreme weather. But on that first day, despite the challenges, many Guests loved the original idea behind Disneyland. So in honor of the theme park’s 68th birthday, let’s explore some of its original rides and attractions – ones you can still enjoy if you visit Anaheim today!

Jungle Cruise

Although the “teacups” is a ride that various theme parks worldwide have copied, this version is the most famous. Themed to Alice in Wonderland (1951), which had only been out a couple of years when Disneyland opened, Guests can still spin themselves into a dizzying frenzy 68 years later.

Disneyland Railroad

Inspired by Walt Disney’s backyard model train, the Disneyland Railroad transported park Guests around the theme park. Although changes have been made through the years, such as taking Guests through dioramas depicting the Grand Canyon and Primeval World, it’s still in operation today.

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Peter Pan’s Flight

Today, Peter Pan’s Flight remains one of the most popular attractions in Fantasyland. When it first debuted, it set a new standard for dark rides by taking Guests on a “flight” over London and through the story of Peter Pan. Although it has been refurbished and updated somewhat through the years, it maintains its classic structure and layout.

Main Street Cinema

One of Disney’s simplest original attractions, this in-park theater once played silent (non-Disney) films as an homage to the film industry. Although Guests can still stop in today for a few minutes to cool down or take a break, the cinema now shows classic Disney shorts such as Steamboat Willie (1928).

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

Based on Disney’s The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949), Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride was one of the more thrilling rides at Disneyland when it opened (remember there was no Star Wars, Matterhorn, Splash Mountain, or Space Mountain). Although the movie from the ’40s is not as famous today as older classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) or Pinocchio (1940), the dark ride still gets a fair amount of traffic. It’s also one of the few Disney attractions without a happy ending: The grand finale literally sends riders rolling into hell.

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Autopia

At the time of Disneyland’s opening, this was a futuristic take on American highways. When it opened, it was one of the most unique attractions, allowing children to get behind the wheel and drive (to a maximum of 11 mph). It, too, has been updated many times throughout the years, but it can still be enjoyed today.

Canal Boats of the World

Known today as Storybook Land Canal Boats, this opening-day attraction was intended to take Guests through miniature models of international landmarks. But due to technical issues, the ride was refurbished only shortly after opening day to take Guests through Disney movie scenes. It was also then renamed Storybook Land Canal Boats.

King Arthur’s Carousel

The carousel is a classic theme park attraction (and one of Lillian Disney’s favorite rides). This particular carousel was a renovated version of a vintage merry-go-round from the Sunnyside Amusement Park in Toronto. Walt Disney and his team updated the animals to be exclusively horses so that Guests could gallop like knights of the round table.

Snow White and Her Adventures

Though it’s been in Disneyland since the beginning, this attraction has undergone plenty of changes. It originally debuted as Snow White and Her Adventures, but it was renamed Snow White’s Scary Adventures in 1983 to reflect better the ride’s elements that terrified children. The ride has since been toned down and was reimagined a few years ago as Snow White’s Enchanted Wish.

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Casey Jr. Circus Train

This mini-railroad attraction is based on Dumbo (1941). It takes Guests through many of the same settings in the Storybook Land Canal Boats but at a much quicker and more thrilling pace. Although it was an opening-day attraction, it was closed the next day for safety testing and reopened two weeks later. Nevertheless, it is still in operation today in Fantasyland.

This is a sampling – not a complete list – of EVERYTHING that remains in Disneyland today from its original opening 68 years ago. Certain icons, such as Sleeping Beauty Castle and various shops, eateries, and aesthetics, are still staples today. If readers have not been to Disneyland Park – it’s worth it! Although the layout and many rides are similar to the Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando – there are many differences. Pirates of the Caribbean has extra scenes, Space Mountain has an entirely different track and layout, and there several rides that aren’t in Florida, such as an Indiana Jones thrill ride, the Matterhorn Bobsleds, and an Alice in Wonderland dark ride.

Not to mention, it’s the original park built by Walt Disney himself, with a history and nostalgic ambiance that is hard to feel at Walt Disney World Resort. It’s a must-do for any Disney fan!

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