ANAHEIM, Calif.-
On July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened its doors in Anaheim, Calif., giving birth to the modern theme park.
In this photo from opening day, children sprint across a drawbridge and into the castle that marked the entrance to Fantasyland.
Last summer, thousands of Disney fans donned special gold-colored Mickey Mouse ears as they streamed through the entrance to Disneyland to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the park.
Disneyland was wildly innovative when it opened, using robotic figures, holographs and panoramic movies in circular theaters to spin stories for children. With virtually no competition, the park had little trouble capturing the imagination of the world.
Over the years, it has pioneered new technology on thrill rides such as the revamped "Space Mountain" in Anaheim and "Mission Space" at Epcot in Orlando, Fla.
But Disneyland's opening day is now remembered as "Black Sunday." The $17 million, 160-acre park initially had prepared for about 15,000 people. Instead, fans burst through the perimeter fence or found other ways inside, swelling the crowd by nearly double.
The wild success of Disneyland led the company to build other theme parks in Florida, Japan, Hong Kong and France. Now, Disney operates 11 theme parks worldwide.
Ticket prices also have changed. An entry ticket into the theme park on its opening day was $1, but people had to purchase individual tickets to go on rides.
