MARY BRASWELL: Looking back at Disneyland | QUIK QUIZ

Each week Albany Herald researcher Mary Braswell looks for interesting events, places and people from the past. You can contact her at (229) 888-9371 or [email protected].

Disneyland in Anaheim, CA opened in July 1955. Here is a look back some of the many interesting facts about the park and its 60 years of success.

THE EARLY DAYS

— Disneyland was the inspiration of Walt Disney as he sat on a bench in Griffith Park in Los Angeles watching his daughters on the merry-go-round. That actual park bench is on display near the entrance of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at the theme park.

Mobile users can take the Quik Quiz here

— The opening day speech by Walt Disney began:

“To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here, age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”

— In the beginning, Disneyland had only 18 attractions. Fourteen of them are still in operation.

— The cost to open Disneyland was $17 million.

— The King Arthur Carousel is older than the park itself. It was built in 1922 for the Sunnyside Beach Park in Toronto, Canada. The horses were all hand-carved in Germany and no two are alike

— Sleeping Beauty’s Castle reaches a height of 77 feet. The Disney family crest is located above the castle’s drawbridge, which has been used twice — once on opening day and again for the opening of the remodeled Fantasyland in 1983.

— Disney originally wanted live animals on the Jungle Cruise. He changed his mind after a zoologist informed him that many of the animals he wanted were nocturnal and would be asleep during park hours.

— The park’s monorail was the first daily operating monorail in the Western Hemisphere.

— It took 18 months to build Cinderella’s castle. It is made completely out of fiberglass, not a single brick was used.

— In a rush to get as many attractions operating as possible for opening day, the Storybook Land Canal Boats opened with little to no scenery. There were only some weeds and other natural plants so Disney had his team make up interesting names for the weeds.

FUN FACTS

—More than 200 cats roam the park at night to control mice and other vermin. They are purposely feral so they won’t come out while crowds are there.

— There is a basketball hoop for employees in the top of the Matterhorn.

— It’s a Small World was created for the 1964 New York World’s Fair. It was expected to last two years. Fifty-one years later, it’s still a favorite.

— Coins thrown into fountains or moats are donated to Give Kids the World, a nonprofit that grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses.

— In the 1950s, comedian Steve Martin worked at Disneyland. He first sold guidebooks and later worked in the Magic Shop.

— The Matterhorn was the first tubular steel roller coaster in the world.

— The Haunted Mansion’s ghosts are named Phineas, Gus and Ezra.

— More than 100,000 light bulbs are used to outline the buildings on Main Street, USA.

— In the mid-1960s, Monsanto’s House of the Future had such items as video telephones, automatic dishwashers, 16-inch televisions, video games and microwaves.

— “Code V” is the term used by employees when a park guest vomits. Originally it was “Protein Spill.”

— On average, 210 pairs of sunglasses are turned in at the lost and found every day.

— During the Christmas season, Disneyland is decked out with about 1,500 trees with 15 miles of garland and 300,000 yards of ribbon.

— There is a secret suite in Cinderella’s castle than cannot be booked for any amount of money. It is by invitation only or for promotional giveaways. It was originally intended to be Walt Disney’s Apartment.

— Disney did have a private apartment at the park. It is located directly above the fire station on Main Street, USA. A lamp stays on in the window to represent his presence in the park.

The following are not allowed in the park:

— Frisbees, baseball bats, hockey sticks and golf clubs;

— Clothing and/or tattoos with bad words or lewd pictures;

— Air horns, stink bombs, pots and pans;

— Bicycles, tricycles, unicycles, wagons;

— Pogo sticks, laser pointers, roller skates and fire extinguishers;

— Human or animal cremated remains;

— Picnic baskets … food is allowed, but in a container no larger than 24 by 15 by 18 inches;

— Costumes on those who are age 9 and older.

THIS ‘N’ THAT

—A special air-conditioned kennel is located just outside the main entrance for pets to wait on their people to enjoy the park.

— Adult prices are for anyone 10 years old and up. Children under three get free admission.

— Bottled water will cost nearly $3. Bring your own or ask for a free cup of water at any concession stand.

— Walt Disney once played Peter Pan in a school play.

— Guests at Disneyland are never more than 30 steps from a trash receptacle.

— There are hidden Mickey Mouse head shapes all throughout the park. The fun is in searching for them. In fact, there are websites and smartphone apps devoted to finding them.

— Walt Disney never owned Disneyland. He was a stockholder but never owned a controlling share.

— Anyone can called Disneyland directly at (714) 781-7290 and actually get a real person on the line.

— On Aug. 6, 1970, a group of yippies took over Tom Sawyer’s Island for a Yippie Pow Wow. This caused the largest show of police presence in Disneyland history.

— After 9/11, the Federal Aviation Administration set restrictions for flying aircraft around Disneyland. No flights are allowed within a three-mile radius of the park or below 3,000 feet.

— With parks in Asia, Europe and North America, the sun literally never sets on Walt Disney’s dreams.