Seventy years ago this week, a bold dream opened its gates in Anaheim—and with it, the world of themed entertainment changed forever.

Walt Disney’s vision for Disneyland didn’t come from a boardroom or a spreadsheet. It came from a park bench. As the story goes, Walt sat watching his daughters ride the carousel at Griffith Park in Los Angeles and thought, “There ought to be a place where parents and children can have fun together.” That one spark—a simple idea with heart—lit the fuse on a concept so different from the gritty, rundown amusement parks of the era that most people predicted it would fail.

But Walt bet big. He combined creativity with cutting-edge media—particularly the still-new medium of television—to invite the world along as Disneyland took shape. And when the gates opened on July 17, 1955, the crowds came. They kept coming. And they haven’t stopped since.

Today, Disneyland is not just a theme park—it’s an icon of Americana. It launched an entirely new genre of entertainment, set the bar for immersive experiences, and inspired expansions across the globe: Walt Disney World in Florida, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disney Resort. But Anaheim remains unique. It’s the only park that Walt Disney himself walked through, shaped by his hands and heart.

A Park Built by Vision—and People

Walt may have had the dream, but it’s been cast members past and present who have kept it alive. Imagineers who engineered magic. Construction crews who turned sketches into structures. Operations teams who bring the shows and attractions to life. Custodians, maintenance staff, food and beverage pros, retail workers, entertainers, and greeters—the visible and invisible hands that have kept the “Happiest Place on Earth” running every single day for 70 years.

As someone who built a creative business out of photography, I owe a personal debt of gratitude to Disneyland. Its Magic Key (formerly Annual Pass) program gave me access to what became my classroom, my training ground, and my creative canvas. I didn’t need a new location every week—I just needed to see the familiar differently. And Disneyland is a masterclass in subtle changes, seasonal overlays, and themed details hiding in plain sight. I honed my techniques there. I discovered light, composition, storytelling. And once I took an image I thought was my best… I always came back, wanting to do it even better.

This Park Helped Me Build My Dream

That’s the thing about a place like Disneyland—it doesn’t just deliver escapism. It awakens something in you. A spark of wonder. A drive to create. For me, it inspired me to launch Fairy Tale Photo Academy, my way of helping others capture their own epic vacation memories—whether they’re at Disneyland, another theme park, or anywhere their adventures take them.

So on this 70th anniversary, I just want to say:
Thank you, Walt.
Thank you to every cast member, past and present.
And thank you, Disneyland, for being the spark that helped me chase my dream.

🎁 Want to capture your own magical memories on your next park visit?
Download my free guide:
📱 “Top 3 Tips to Shoot Epic Theme Park Photos with a Cell Phone”
➡️ FairyTalePhotoAcademy.com

Happy 70th, Disneyland. Here’s to many more years of making magic. 💫