Disneyland Canon 1957

[@robertholtz]

That brought me to the edge of tears. It is still such an extraordinary thing that Walt made his dream manifest into this world and it lives on. When you wish upon a star.

[@choney303]

This was a good thing to wake up to today! Thank you for this classic Disneyland happiness!

[@michaelterry1000]

I love Disneyland. It is magical, but the first 10 years were really special.

[@kimopuppy]

Two years before I was born! Nice camera and colorizing work

[@terrencedean1503]

I was there in 1957 and I'm not dead yet.

[@kradmedia]

how old were you?

[@akirafudo7826]

"yet"

[@ChristopherPayneMUA]

@@akirafudo7826 Well that's true of us all.

[@cidbliq]

This is an incredible view of Disneyland, back in the days when the Skyway could exist without people jumping out or spitting off the sides, and when mule trains, contestoga wagons, and pirate ships dotted the landscape. Thanks for sharing!

[@ericthegoalie31]

At 3:20 I saw the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes with guests paddling around Tom Sawyer's Island (that you can still experience to this day in the summer months) and also the Mike Fink Keel Boats which were used in the Davy Crockett and the River Pirates movie, the Bertha Mae and the Gullywhumper - only one remains at Disneyland and it is anchored near Tom Sawyer's Island. The other was sold on Ebay after it sank in the Rivers of America in 1997 and was deemed no longer 'seaworthy'.

[@briancalifornia1]

Looks so different then with all that space. Too bad we can't go back in time. It would be awesome if Disney can build a 1955 Replica where people can go and experience what it was like.

[@HistoricalHouseMouse]

I loved this clip. I wish people were more careful how they dressed in 2012! These people look like fashion models. It's a wonderful piece of history. Thanks for sharing it.

[@Tkfore21]

@stargatefansg1 The model at the Walt Disney Family Museum is not of any real version of Disneyland. It is a conception of what it could have been if Walt had been around for many more years. I love the model, and have spent so much time going over it. Their site calls it, "Model of the Disneyland of Walt's Imagination." Amazing piece. Now I want to go back!

[@stargatefansg1]

I've seen the model of the original Disneyland at the Walt Disney Museum in San Francisco. It's nice to see some of the original attractions that are now removed from the park in this video. Thanks for the upload :)

[@TrikeSquadron]

Beautiful restoration! the color and quality is incredible!

[@ejud2001]

Fantastic look into the real Disney Land! As I was watching this, and how wonderful it is, I realized Walt never envisioned the parks being so strained, made unpleasant even, but the huge numbers that they squeeze in there today. I remember his first description was of a park- ie, a city park, where people could relax and take it easy- and a few entertainments that the adults and kids could share. I could easily see him severely limiting admission.

[@JessicaKateTrader]

Yes, the people were extremely stylish... mostly because they CARED what everyone else thought of them. They were more respectful of the people around them. And they were more polite. That said, let's not forget the subject at hand! Even with the lesser technology of 1957, doesn't it still look as awesome to visit as today?! Whomever took that film did a wonderful job of capturing the magic in a place that only gets more magical with time. Kudos to everyone involved!

[@briancalifornia1]

Only if we can go back in time that would be so awesome to see what it was actually like then.

[@gedstrom]

I remember a time when if you visited DIsneyland during the week during the off-season, you would see VERY few kids in the park! They were in school!

[@zeroconsequences]

Just like a true Walt Disney Disneyland special, showing tuckered out tots in strollers lol

[@stargatefansg1]

@Tkfore21 The first time I went to the museum, I didn't know what to expect. The second time I went, I rushed through everything until I got to the park model room....I spent the longest time there lol. It's so amazing! Isn't the last room sad? I had to rush out of there the first time I went because all the artist's farewell drawings to Walt made me cry. LoL, other than the sad room at the end, the museum is such a great place. I wanna go again now haha!

[@leftforever]

The magic of Kodachrome film... looks like this is new footage, only the fashion and some of the rides give away its true time frame.

[@atomicpuppet]

Film and video are the true time travel methods we have.

[@Johnnyxmovie]

I think our memories of the place is actually better than being there. Thanks for sharing.

[@joelouden6592]

Absolutely wonderful footage. Thanks for posting.

[@quilt1201]

This is the year of my first visit, I was all of 7 years old, visiting with my Grandmother who wore her hat and white gloves throughout the day.

[@Steverinomeister]

Makes my heart happy.

[@richard654w]

That was beautiful. Such happy memories. :)

[@monalisa233]

so wonderful I wish we could go back in time for just a bit!! I would like a hot tuna sandwich from Captain Hooks boat in Fantasyland...my family always ate there when we were kids..I miss it so much..

[@shinyjebus]

Love the busy Rivers of America ... wish they'd bring back the Keel Boats

[@macncheese2392]

I always forget that the classic Disney movies I watched as a kid came out WAY before I was born. I kept looking through the video going Dumbo wasn't released til... oh yeah, I'm a young person looking back on someone else' time period...

[@Talon4ce]

I'd love to see a current shot-for-shot version of this

[@Kodachrome40]

The color is fantastic on this. I bet it was shot on Kodachrome 25. That may be why everything dropped out at the end in the night footage.

[@atrac88]

Utterly fantastic. Many thanks for allowing us to share in the dream.

[@Hevynly1]

Simply wonderful!

[@sushicourier]

Our family first went to Disneyland in 1970 when us kids were 7, 6 and 5 years old. We wore our dress school clothes, including our hard-soled shoes (remember when you wore GOOD clothes to school and only wore sneakers for gym class??). My father had on a dress shirt and pants and my mother wore a belted dress. Seeing the pictures now it looks like we are going to church when we are posing in front of rides and attractions. I still enjoy dressing up when going out--but most dress like pigs.

[@KReichow]

Especially enjoyed 0:41-0:45 with the Los Angeles Airways Sikorsky S-55 helicopter apparently departing the Disneyland Heliport, flying behind the castle. Thanks so much!

[@sfyc]

Thank you for sharing this!

[@MindMan424]

This film seems too clear to be from 1957 ... It seems like a 70s film ... Guess whoever filmed this had a pretty solid video camera ...

[@ChanceyAnn]

It is rounding the corner where the Matterhorn now stands. At the time it was called Holiday Hill for lack of a better name or purpose.

[@chuckbahr322]

Man i wish i could of seen Disneyland back then.

[@Anggva]

What is about the background music? Who is the author? It's so beautiful!

[@jasonmac70]

That song sounds eerily familiar to a sped up version of McCartney’s “Carry that weight”/“Lullaby”

[@huckaabuck]

Once there was a way, to get back home. Sleep pretty darling, do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby.

[@tikiduck]

Looks like professional footage, not your typical home movie.

[@DisneyHistory]

@MattTheRipper88 Check out our site (Disney History Institute), we've now posted up a response essay that helps explain why guests once dressed so formally to visit the park. Thanks for the comment.

[@atotallossforwords]

It is Golden Slumbers - but specifically, it's John Bayless and the album is "Bach Meets the Beatles."

[@missmichellerae]

The hippos in the water are slightly alarming! It would take a very sad person to not love Disneyland.

[@thisisntsarah]

And now, for an amazing spectacle, ladies and gentleman... It's the back side of water!

[@DanaTheInsane]

Beautiful old footage. Some of the best I have EVER seen! But to disagree with an earlier poster, as much as I'd like to have seen the park like that, I'm glad this eight years before I was born. I'd hate trying to enjoy an amusement park so overdressed!

[@millerjanis]

Sweet memories! :)

[@TheGamingCrysis]

kinda looks like a guy is on his phone at 1:33 haha

[@bigpeeler]

Wow. People really had style and knew how to dress back then. No belly shirts or saggy/baggy pants. What a sad time we live in.

[@briancalifornia1]

Yes I agree with you now you see a lot of low lives today Tattoos piercings all the shit. People are also rude now to.

[@SpadesEISL]

lol it seems that way....but there was indeed still people like that

[@popskism]

what piece is playing in the bg?

[@lohphat]

Look at the guy @ 2:45 chatting with the band leader. He kind of stands out as casually, neatly dressed in a short sleeved shirt, tanned, with sun glasses -- a "classic look". His hair is a bit "long" for the day. He looks like he was dropped in from a modern GQ magazine. At the rest look "typical" for the '50s, cropped hair, horn rimmed glasses. A time traveler??? ;-)

[@fanofbatman77]

@jimfmunro it sounds like The Beatles-golden slumbers to me..

[@danscottmiller]

I hear that too and started searching the comments for others who heard the same.

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Film looks crazy!

[@briancalifornia1]

Most of those people are dead by now probably more than half.The Kids are probably in their 70's today. Surely looks a lot different back then.

[@onlydreaming]

@curseofthetimelords that's what I kept thinking about too! so weird to think that those sleeping toddlers are grandparents now.

[@FreshBakedDisney]

Where is the Omnibus at 2:21? That can't be the same route it runs today.

[@fullermrff]

that is where the Matterhorn is now FB...

[@Redfroggy]

The cast members on the Jungle Cruise are wearing flipflops. That kind of amazed me.

[@wutgoddamit]

Ugh, that was so depressing to watch, knowing it will never be that way again.

[@briancalifornia1]

Yeah totally only if we can go back into time that would be nice since a lot of us were not even alive yet.A lot of the attractions we love were not even built yet.

[@SpadesEISL]

we were alive

[@HauntFreak13]

1:32 Empty seats on the Tea Cups?? Dang....

[@pnoeric]

Gorgeous! Wow!

[@TheBearSpiceKitchen]

@Talon4ce I agree - although the shots from the Skyway would be hard to reproduce !

[@oooraeooo]

Great film!!

[@theflinx]

I like how they didn't need people to walk in front of the horses to make sure no idiots got stepped on.

[@DonCorleone87]

ahh Disneyland.... a place I can ALWAYS call home.

[@Benstudio13]

Any particular reason why the music choice is a piano version of Golden Slumbers by the Beatles?

[@n8phillips]

so much space back then

[@elizahamilton9688]

Nate Phillips Agreed. Everything looked bigger and more spread out. It's like Disney World, but Disneyland, if you understand what I am saying.

[@PhilippeP62]

Thanks for sharing ...

[@elrandira]

@TheOnlineCommunity Thank you!

[@hockeykid1996]

What's the song that's used for the video?

[@fullermrff]

a piano rendition of golden slumbers by McCartney and the Beatles

[@กิตติศักดิ์แก้ววินิจ]

Beautiful

[@acbennett7]

@onlydreaming that was exactly my same thought. amazing!

[@wolfeatworld]

@MickyAvStickyHands - Do you have some insights you'd like to share with the rest of the class, Micky? :-)

[@Cleopas82]

@DisneyHistory I've looked on your site for this essay, but can't seem to find it. Could you provide a link?

[@ejud2001]

Interesting- even the toddlers are dressed up! :)

[@hunter46383]

OMG is that Aunt Jemima at 2:30 & 3:20?

[@ChanceyAnn]

I rather liked Golden Slumbers in the background played classically.

[@DeLaDank]

$10 admission no doubt.

[@PlainSaraJane22]

@popskism "Golden Slumbers," by the Beatles.

[@DonBallardVintageDisneyland]

I still say that's Ron Miller at the 2:44 mark in the film.

[@mikegruber172]

so you paid per ride?

[@n43kj]

In Japan, at that time the Disneyland introduction movie was screened

[@00yomomma]

No seats what if someone fell out of the coaster?

[@wolfeatworld]

@parrottmedia - revelatory, Watson. Simply revelatory. :-)

[@SteveDurnin]

@jimfmunro John Bayless improvising on Golden Slumbers and You Never Give Me Your Money a la Bach.

[@SaharRachamim]

just when you see footages in colours you realise that 55 years aren't too much.

[@briancalifornia1]

Yeah very rare to have color back then glad to see in in actual color then black and white.

[@blackandwhitedream]

looks like the next intro to jaws 5, jaws on vacation

[@lohphat]

@missmichellerae they're only dangerous when they're blowing bubbles and wiggling their ears.

[@punksodead9795]

back when class still strived, now....... i dont know

[@lucaspadilla4815]

Yeah... American casual fashion has definitely gone down the shitter. Hey, at least there's other parts of the world for you to go to where that still exists!

[@michaelottinger]

Working Jungle Cruise... in flip flops. :-)

[@gardengrovespin]

imagine how old kids in this video are now...

[@feralfoxer]

all these people are either really old or dead now. also, cool footage

[@nomiyasan39]

アメリカは偉大です！ ５５年も前とは思えません。 憧れの大国です。

[@nikmys15]

@JellybeanTheRebel what? where??

[@distantlandmusic]

nice.

[@MrKyleSchick]

weird to think that most of the boys in this video had their life's changed forever in the jungles of vietnam

[@halfahuman]

Were kids not allowed to smile in the 50s?

[@pnoeric]

Aunt Jemima at 3:15!

[@anniecat]

@Anggva: the beatles | golden slumbers

[@YourMrJohnson]

Good gawd, Aunt Jemima.

[@Tkfore21]

@dbanoone Keep looking and you'll find several African-American families enjoying the Park.