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Some 160-acres of citrus trees had been cleared and 15 houses moved to make room for the park. The area was in semi-rural Orange county, near a freeway that would eventually stretch from San Diego to Vancouver. After a year of incredible accomplishments by a team that grew from 21 employees and 5 consultants to a work force 850 strong, Disneyland debuted to invited guests including the media. Walt Disney's future, financial and otherwise, was riding on this outcome.
It was a day to remember. Six thousand invatations to the Grandng had been mailed. By mid-afternoon over 28,000 ticket holders were storming the Magic Kingdom. Most of the tickets were counterfeit.
Walt Disney was 53 when he dedicated Disneyland Park. It was a memorable ceremony. There in Town Square, Walt could look around and see the fulfillment of his hopes, dreams, and ambitions in the form of a spectacular entertainment kingdom.
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is Dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world."
Disneyland Park is still the most personal of all Walt Disney's projects. The Park gave him the chance to bring his ideas completely to life. Main Street U.S.A. and the four other domains of Disneyland (Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland) still bear witness to Walt's concepts.
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