The Most Popular Vacation Spots For Americans The Year You Were Born

On July 17, 1955, one of the most beloved institutions in Americana was born: Disneyland. One of the most cherished and visited tourist spots in the entire world, Disneyland got off to an interesting start. The opening of the park was broadcast on television throughout the country and 18 attractions were unveiled, including the Disneyland Railroad, Jungle Cruise, King Arthur Carrousel, Peter Pan's Flight, and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (via Stacker). Famous actor and future president Ronald Reagan attended, along with other big stars of the time Art Linkletter and Robert Cummings (per California State University). Over 30,000 guests attended, more than twice the expected number, and the five original lands were Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Main Street USA.

However, it was not all fun and games. Guests started to climb the fences and walls of the park to get in without tickets, and several women lost the heels of their shoes on the new and partially wet asphalt. According to History, they also ran out of food and drink for the larger-than-anticipated crowd, and the Mark Twain Steamboat almost overturned because it was overloaded with passengers. Still, over 90 million people viewed the event on television, and within three months over 1 million people had visited the park. It became the family vacation destination of the year, as kids from throughout the U.S. clamored for a chance to experience the park in person.