This Is How Much Disneyland Has Changed In 60 Years

    Happy birthday to the "The Happiest Place On Earth"!

    Gabriel H. Sanchez
    by Gabriel H. Sanchez

    BuzzFeed Staff

    1. 1955

    David F. Smith / AP

    Scaffolding covers what will eventually become the entrance to Sleeping Beauty's Castle in the heart of Disneyland.

    2. 1957

    mickeyphotosdisneyland.blogspot.com

    Main Street USA at Christmas Time in 1957. The town situated at the entrance of the park was modeled after a turn-of-the-20th-century American town, circa 1910.

    Walt Disney once said, "For those of us who remember the carefree time it recreates, Main Street will bring back happy memories. For younger visitors, it is an adventure in turning back the calendar to the days of their grandfather's youth."

    3. 1958

    Anaheim Historical Society

    Walt and Lillian Disney dancing at Carnation Plaza Gardens, June 1958. So cute!

    4. 1960

    Keystone Features / Getty Images

    The Disney Monorail ride at Disneyland, California, circa 1960. The ride opened the year before in 1959 and was the first operating monorail in the Western Hemisphere.

    5. 1961

    Flickr: miehana

    Mickey and Minnie Mouse posing for a photo in 1961. Creepy.

    6. 1962

    Flickr: 18026860@N03

    Visitors enjoying the "Flying Saucers" ride at the Tomorrowland portion of the park. The ride was opened in 1961, but in the end was too expensive to operate. It was finally closed in August of 1966.

    7. 1963

    Flickr: miehana

    Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at pose for a photo in front of Captain Hook's Pirate Ship Restaurant. Summer, 1963.

    8. 1965

    Disney

    From 1965 to 1967, Disneyland's Submarine Voyage lagoon housed actual mermaids that swam and frolicked around the submarine lagoon, performing synchronized swimming and underwater stunts for guest. Eventually Disney ended the show after several of the women reported health concerns due to the submarine's diesel fuel and excessive amounts of chlorine in the lagoon.

    9. 1966

    Nick DeWolf / Via Flickr: dboo

    A visitor shakes hands with the Tomorrowland spaceman in 1966.

    10. 1967

    Disney

    Children watch a "Traditional Indian Dance" in the Frontierland portion of the park in 1967.

    11. 1968

    Flickr: miehana

    Cinderella's Stepmother and her Stepsisters pose for a studio portrait in 1968. Um, NOPE!

    12. 1969

    discoveringthemagickingdom.com

    In 1969, the moon landing was shown live to visitors on the Tomorrowland stage. How cool is that!?

    13. 1970

    Ed Widdis / AP

    Police officers line the street in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle on August 7, 1970, as the huge amusement park was closed for the day because of anti-Vietnam War demonstrations. There were 18 arrests.

    14. 1974

    Horst Faas / AP

    A delighted little girl meets a larger-than life celebrity at Disneyland, Feb. 28, 1974.

    15. 1976

    parksandresorts.wdpromedia.com

    This is what the entrance sign to Disneyland looked like in 1976! Crazy!

    16. 1977

    Disneyland Vacationland Magazine / Via joshwilltravel.wordpress.com

    In 1977, the iconic space-themed indoor roller coaster ride, Space Mountain, opened it's doors to the public for the first time. Six of the original Mercury astronauts attended the opening–all except Gus Grissom who was killed in a fire aboard Apollo 1, ten years earlier.

    17. 1978

    AP

    Mickey Mouse celebrates his 50th birthday in 1978!

    18. 1981

    blogger.com

    This what a ticket to Disneyland looked like in 1981.

    19. 1984

    news.upperplayground.com

    Michael Jackson visits Disneyland in 1984 with actor Emanuel Lewis.

    20. 1986

    Bob Galbrailth / ASSOCIATED PRESS

    Participants in "Hands Across America" at Disneyland on May 24th, 1986. For fifteen minutes, about 6.5 million people held hands in a human chain across the continental United States.

    21. 1987

    Bob Galbraith / AP

    Michael Eisner, who was the the Disney chairman in 1987, and Star Wars creator George Lucas use a light saber to cut the ribbon to open the new Star Tours attraction at Disneyland.

    22. 1990

    Flickr: randar

    A 1990 map of Disneyland.

    23. 1993

    Disney

    A magazine cover from 1992 advertises the 1993 opening of "Mickey's Toontown" at Disneyland, a cartoon style town where guests can visit the characters in their actual homes.

    24. 1995

    Fred Prouser

    Over three thousand cast members and employees of Disneyland gather on Main Street USA to celebrate Disneyland's 40th birthday in 1995.

    25. 1997

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

    NASCAR greats Bill Elliott and Kyle Petty race a host of Disney characters down Main Street at the first "Disneyland 500".

    26. 1998

    Reuters Photographer / Reuters

    The newly renovated Tomorrowland attraction at Disneyland is opened to the public in 1998.

    27. 1999

    Reuters Photographer / Reuters

    Members of the United States Women World Cup soccer team ride with Minnie Mouse during a parade down honoring the winners of the 1999 Women's World Cup

    28. 2001

    Scott Nelson / Getty Images

    Disneyland got a new neighbor in 2001 when Disney's California Adventure opened to the public right next door!

    29. 2003

    Chris Pizzello / ASSOCIATED PRESS

    Actress Keira Knightley gets her hand kissed by Mickey Mouse while attending a screening of "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," at Disneyland.

    30. 2004

    Reuters Photographer / Reuters

    Actress Anne Hathaway poses for photographers with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as she arrives for the premiere of "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," at Disneyland.

    31. 2005

    Damian Dovarganes / ASSOCIATED PRESS

    Mickey and Minnie Mouse wave during the "Happiest Homecoming On Earth," an 18-month commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the very first Disney theme park.

    32. 2008

    Mario Anzuoni / Reuters

    Miley Cyrus poses with Mickey Mouse at the "Miley's Sweet 16 Celebration" party at Disneyland.

    33. 2010

    Handout / Getty Images

    Kevin Jonas of the Jonas Brothers and his wife Danielle go for a ride on the classic ride, "Dumbo the Flying Elephant". Jonas, on a break from touring, planned the Disneyland visit as a surprise for Danielle.

    34. 2011

    Handout / Getty Images

    OneRepublic performs during the 2011 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade at Disneyland.

    35. 2012

    Disney / Via blog.touringplans.com

    This is what a map of Disneyland looks like in 2012!

    36. 2013

    Paul A. Hebert / Getty Images

    Disneyland's new stage show "Mickey and the Magical Map" opened on May 23, 2013.

    37. 2014

    Handout / Getty Images

    Gwen Stefani meets Sulley from the Disney-Pixar films 'Monsters, Inc.' and 'Monsters University' at Disneyland on October 6, 2014.

    38. 2015

    Handout / Getty Images

    Disneyland celebrates its 60th anniversary with a preview of its three new nighttime spectaculars, "Disneyland Forever", "Paint The Night" and "World of Color - Celebrate"

    WOOOHOOO!!!!! HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY DISNEYLAND!!!!