One of the largest theme parks, and most famous tourist attractions in the world, is Disneyland. Feverishly fabricated over the span of 1954-55, the project was the only theme park Walt Disney personally oversaw in his lifetime. Today it is second only to Disney World as the most visited theme park in the world.

Disneyland opened on July 18, 1955. The idea for Disneyland came to Walt Disney over several years. His father had helped build the World's Fair in 1893 and many people believed that this was a significant point of inspiration for Disney. He visited various parks and wanted to create a place that adults and children could both enjoy. Since, over the years, he had been inundated with fan mail asking to tour the studio, he decided to use the studio itself as inspiration for the new park.

The initial idea for the park was called Mickey Mouse Park. It was an 8-acre park with a handful of rides for children. Once his park designers got involved, this modest park proved too small. Disney was forced to purchase 160 more acres to contain the new vision for what would become Disneyland. To aid the massive cost of development, Disney agreed to partner with the ABC Television Network in 1954. One year and $17 million dollars later, the park was ready to open.

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