History Today: When Disneyland, the ‘happiest place on Earth, opened for the first time 70 years ago

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Walt Disney opened the first Disneyland in California's Anaheim on July 17, 1955. The park tried to bridge the gap between typical amusement parks and a more immersive and story-driven experience read more
Disneyland was Walt Disney's dream project through which he wanted to change the way traditional amusement parks were enjoyed. Representational image/Reuters
Today, most of us dream of visiting Disneyland and enjoying ourselves with our loved ones. From fun rides to life-size Disney theme characters, the place is designed in a way that you can enjoy a whole day there. It all began when the first Disneyland opened its gates in Anaheim, California, on July 17, 1955, revolving around the themes of fantasy and futurism.
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On this day in 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. The Boeing 777 was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
Here is all that happened on this day.
First Disneyland opened
Walt Disney always dreamt of opening a 'magic kingdom' where children and parents could enjoy themselves and genuinely have fun together. To fulfil this dream, he opened the gates of the first Disneyland to the public in California's Anaheim on July 17, 1955. Built on 160 acres of former orange groves, the $17 million theme park was an unprecedented venture which sought to bridge the gap between typical amusement parks and a more immersive, story-driven experience.
Actor Ronald Reagan, Art Linkletter and Bob Cummings hosted the opening ceremony, broadcast live on television. Though the event was meant to be a joyful celebration, the day was famously plagued by mishaps. Counterfeit tickets led to overcrowding, plumbing problems caused drinking fountains to run dry and high temperatures softened the freshly laid asphalt. Despite the rocky start, Walt Disney remained hopeful, calling it only the 'beginning' of what he envisioned would be a magical destination that would continue to grow.
In this file image from July 17, 1955, Governor Goodwin J Knight (left), Walt Disney (right), and Virginia Knight, wife of the governor take a ride in an antique-styled automobile at Disneyland near Anaheim, California at the premiere opening. File image/AP
Disneyland was originally divided into five themed lands: Main Street USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. It featured attractions such as the Jungle Cruise, Sleeping Beauty Castle, and the Mark Twain Riverboat, many of which are still in operation today.
Walt Disney's vision was for Disneyland to never be completed and the park has evolved over the decades with the addition of New Orleans Square, Critter Country, Mickey's Toontown, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and more. It has welcomed hundreds of millions of visitors from around the globe and remains one of the most iconic tourist destinations in the world.
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More than just a theme park, Disneyland has become a cultural landmark, symbolising imagination, innovation, and childhood wonder. As Walt Disney once said during the park's dedication:
'Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.'
MH17 shot down by over Ukraine
It was on July 17, 2014, that Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17), en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 passengers and crew on board. The Boeing 777 was struck by a Russian-made Buk surface-to-air missile launched from territory controlled by pro-Russian separatists.
Most of the passengers were from the Netherlands, with others from Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia and several other countries. The downing of the civilian aircraft occurred amid intense fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed rebels in the Donetsk region, a conflict that had escalated following Russia's annexation of Crimea earlier that year.
Lawyers attend the judges' inspection of the reconstruction of the MH17 wreckage. File image/Reuters
Despite overwhelming evidence, Russia has repeatedly denied responsibility, offering conflicting narratives and promoting conspiracy theories. In contrast, the European Union, the United States and other Western nations have blamed Moscow for supplying the missiles and fueling the conflict.
In 2022, a Dutch court convicted three men - two Russians and one Ukrainian - in absentia for their role in the attack, sentencing them to life imprisonment. Families of the victims continue to seek justice and accountability through international courts, including proceedings at the European Court of Human Rights and the International Civil Aviation Organization.
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This Day, That Year
The United Nations completed the statute establishing the International Criminal Court on this day in 1998.
In 1945, Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill and Harry S Truman met at the Potsdam Conference, the last Allied summit conference of World War II.
In, 1918, Former Russian tsar Nicholas II and his family were executed by Bolsheviks.