Disneyland was built in 1 year. Construction began on July 21, 1954. Walt Disney hired a research team to find the best place to hold the vision he had for Disneyland. Anaheim California was the spot chosen to hold a mountain, rivers and the other various ideas Disneyland now contains.
Disneyland was built for a total cost of 17.5 million dollars. July 17 1955 - Disneyland opens with 18 attractions, including the Jungle Cruise, Tomorrowland, Autopia, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and the Mark Twain. The televised opening is hosted by Ronald Reagan, Art Linkletter and Bob Cummings. The 11,000 invitation only tickets to opening day are so easily duplicated that first day attendance shoots to 28,154, with an ABC television audience of 90 million. One entrepreneur folds a ladder over the park's backside fence and lets people in for $5. Official general admission cost $1. Cost of attractions ranged from 10c to 35c.
I could never convince the financiers that Disneyland
was feasible, because dreams offer too little collateral.
--Walt Disney
By late 1953 Disney had stretched his personal resources to the limit. At that point, television, in the form of the American Broadcasting Co., came to the rescue. ABC had been after Disney to produce a weekly show for their struggling network. Disney agreed--in exchange for partial financing of his amusement park. Loans and an investment from the Santa Fe Railroad covered the rest, and with money secured, work began on Disneyland in earnest.
Studio employees were taken out of their old jobs of cartooning and set to work on their boss' latest endeavor. Architects, engineers and designers were hired. Bill Martin, an art director from Twentieth Century Fox, came in on the early stages of planning and was amazed at Disney's attention to detail.
Walt was a typical case of an obsessive/compulsive. The biographies do not do proper justice, to the ruthless ambition,and, driving force, that made him, what he came to be known, as.
Some loved him,
Others despised him,
Some saw him as a modern day 'saviour', of moral values, etc,
Some still see him, as a user of others, a manipulator , a not very nice, person.
I see him as a genius, but, like all genius, flawed.
'Mandala symbolism', is produced by the collective unconscious, to restore balance in the Psyche.
My previous postings, show a little of the variation, that is possible, in Mandala productions.
'Disneyland is a giant Mandala'
The actual geometry and location, of Disneyland, reveals much about it's creator!
The original central point , of Disneyland, was an OLIVE TREE.
[now replaced with, 'Uncle Walt, and Mickey Mouse'.]
Orange County, California, the actual location, is very relevant, notwithstanding Walt's financial status, at the time of construction.
The sections of the original plan, formed 'worlds', or segments, built around the central point.
There is much symbolism here. The abundance of Water, the contrasting Worlds, of, Old and New. Greenery, Animals, and, a search, for, the 'Historic ' America , So keenly, and, idealistically,felt, and, remembered, from, his Youth.
Bounded, by, the 'Monorail', [Very significant!, One Rail, Power Boundary], Disneyland, -Fulfils, all, the requirements, of, a Giant, 'Mandala'.
[I,Can, of Course, expand,the Symbolism.Inherently,and patently obvious, is the 'Fire' , Element. Little wonder, that, Walt's, favourite, 'Haunt',was the 'Fire-House', near, to, the Entrance.....]
Men, of, Genius, -like Walt Disney, are, Driven.
Driven,- by, a desire, to Create.
Disneyland ,is, His Monument, -His, Last, 'Will and Testament' . It, stands, as a Reminder.
A Reminder, that, what, is created, through, hard work, inspired dreams, and sheer Determination, is, created, from,- Love.
Little wonder, then, That, I, Love, Disneyland!
Just listen, and you will plainly see!
That as life travels on, and things do go wrong....
Just Follow, steps1, 2, and 3!
[Eddie Cochrane]
I'm outta here, back in 2 weeks......
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