# Disneyland

By [Untitled](https://paragraph.com/@0xe932a8929fbfc3d47b0390af583b9d4aab5e642d) · 2022-12-21

---

**Disneyland** is a [theme park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amusement_park) in [Anaheim, California](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaheim,_California). Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by [The Walt Disney Company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Walt_Disney_Company) and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of [Walt Disney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney). Disney initially envisioned building a tourist attraction adjacent to his [studios](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_Studios_\(Burbank\)) in [Burbank](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burbank,_California) to entertain fans who wished to visit; however, he soon felt that the proposed site was too small. After hiring the Stanford Research Institute to perform a feasibility study determining an appropriate site for his project, Disney bought a 160-acre (65 ha) site near Anaheim in 1953. The park was designed by a creative team hand-picked by Walt from internal and outside talent. They founded WED Enterprises, the precursor to today's [Walt Disney Imagineering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_Imagineering). Construction began in 1954 and the park was unveiled during a special televised press event on the [ABC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Broadcasting_Company) Television Network on July 17, 1955. Since its opening, Disneyland has undergone expansions and major renovations, including the addition of [New Orleans Square](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans_Square) in 1966, [Bear Country](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critter_Country) in 1972, [Mickey's Toontown](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey%27s_Toontown) in 1993, and [_Star Wars_: Galaxy's Edge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_Galaxy%27s_Edge) in 2019.[\[2\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disneyland#cite_note-Savvas-2) Additionally, [Disney California Adventure Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_California_Adventure) opened in 2001 on the site of Disneyland's original parking lot.

---

*Originally published on [Untitled](https://paragraph.com/@0xe932a8929fbfc3d47b0390af583b9d4aab5e642d/disneyland)*