"On This Day" In Engineering History

Walt Disney and his brother Roy weren't engineers, but they designed and built what one observer has termed "a unique combination of technology and artistry". During the 1950s, the Disney brothers dared to dream of a clean, well-organized, family-friendly, amusement park. Built at a cost of $17 million (USD), Disneyland Park was opened to invited guests on July 17, 1955.

The Not So Magical Kingdom

But the opening of the Anaheim, California facility didn't live up to its billing as "the happiest place on Earth". Asphalt that had been poured on the morning of that 101° F day was still soft, causing visitors to lose their shoes in the sticky surface. A plumbers' strike left many of the park's drinking fountains dry, while a gas leak in Fantasyland failed to bring a storybook ending to that failed first day.

Undaunted, Walt and Roy Disney invited members of the press back for a second, private "opening day" before extending the invitation to the general public. The rest, as they say, is history. Although The Walt Disney Company was unable to stop a bawdy, carnival-like atmosphere from sprouting-up outside Disneyland Park, the Disneyland Railroad that encircled the park separated two very different worlds.

From Abraham Lincoln to Nikita Khruschev

Inside Disneyland, patrons could enjoy the majesty of Sleeping Beauty's Castle, well-landscaped grounds, and venues such as the Jungle Cruise and Rivers of America. So successful was Disneyland that in September of 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschchev arrived in the United States with two requests: to visit Disneyland and to meet John Wayne.

During the 1960s, the Imagineering Department of The Walt Disney Company built four attractions for the New York World's Fair. As Brian Bennett notes in A Brief History of the Disney Parks, Disney "learned a great deal about new ride and attraction technology". While the boats of the "It's a Small World" exhibit moved large numbers of fairgoers with speed and efficiency, the audio-animatronics of "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" and "Progressland" astounded visitors.

To the East Coast and Beyond

Just as importantly, the Disney brothers learned that the East Coast could support a Disneyland-like attraction. Although Walter Elias Disney died before the Walt Disney World complex in Orlando, Florida was complete, this newer amusement park still incorporated elements of his creative vision, including several Disney-owned hotels.

Today, The Walt Disney Company is one of the world's largest media and entertainment corporations. According to its profile on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the multi-divisional enterprise has four segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, and consumer products. The company's holdings include Pixar, a digital animation studio, as well as popular television networks such as ESPN and ABC.

Editor's Note: Click here for Part 1 of this two-part series.

Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disneyland

http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/archive/other/history.htm

http://www.nyse.com/about/listed/dis.html