The day Disneyland was opened – level 2

17-07-1955

On July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened for the first time in California.

The park was built in just one year, and it cost $17 million.

Unfortunately, the opening day was full of difficult moments.

28,000 people came to see the opening, but only about half of them were invited. The others bought fake tickets.

The traffic was so heavy that many visitors had to wait in their cars for hours. There were too many people in the park that some restaurants ran out of food and drink.

The weather was very hot with a temperature of 38°C.

Water fountains weren’t working well because some workers went on strike.

This was a dark day for the park and its staff, who worked so hard to create a magical experience for visitors.

After the problems of the opening day, Walt Disney invited all guests again for a second day for free. It helped to ease some of the frustration and disappointment which was felt by visitors.

Despite all the difficulties of the first day, the park was a success, and it quickly became popular.

Difficult words: fake (not real), strike (time when workers don’t work because they are not happy with the pay), ease (to make better), despite (used when we want to say that something happened when there were things which could stop it).

What challenges did Disneyland face on its opening day in 1955 and how did they overcome them to become a successful theme park?

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