July 16, 1955 – The Golden Horseshoe Opens for a Private Party
On July 16, 1955, the Golden Horseshoe Saloon opened for a private party for corporate sponsors of Disneyland, which was to open the next day. Though the Golden Horseshoe Revue wasn’t to begin its run until the park’s official opening day, the saloon’s private party did feature eventual show mainstay Wally Boag in his first official appearance as Pecos Bill and the Traveling Salesman.
July 15, 1955 – The Register Prints Special Disneyland Edition
“Presented in this special newspaper section are a few of the many delights and wonder that are yours to enjoy in Disneyland.”
On July 15, 1955 the Southern California newspaper The Register printed a special Disneyland 16-page advertisement, which would then be printed as a souvenir edition for guests. Printed in preparation for Disneyland’s grand opening two-days later, the ad featured glimpses into some of the attractions and areas guests would be able to enjoy upon entry. This was part of a large-scale advertising campaign for the park, as a similar ad ran in newspapers across the country with the header changed to reflect the paper in which it was printed.
July 14, 2000 – The Specialty Shop Pooh Corner Opens in Tokyo Disneyland
“プーさんのあたたかい笑顔がいっぱい！”
On July 14, 2000, the specialty merchandise store Pooh Corner opened in Tokyo Disneyland’s Fantasyland area. Not to be confused with the similarly named stores in Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland, the Tokyo Disneyland store sells umbrellas and ponchos, along with items for babies, stationary, Winnie the Pooh themed house goods, and snacks.
July 12, 2015 – The Magic of Disney Animation Area Closes in Hollywood Studios
“Work is underway on a new experience, and we look forward to sharing more information in the future.”
On July 12, 2015, the attraction area The Magic of Disney Animation closed in Hollywood Studios to make way for the new Star Wars-themed area. It was one of the original attractions from the park’s opening in 1989, and originally explained animation to guests while working as an active animation studio. The animation studio closed in 2003, but the area still featured explanations of the process of animation, along with special character meet and greets. The area now is home to the Star Wars Launch Bay.
July 9, 2014 – The Interactive Activity Legends of Frontierland: Gold Rush! Begins in Disneyland
“It’s time to choose your alliance in the fight for Frontierland!”
On July 9, 2014, the interactive park activity Legends of Frontierland: Gold Rush! began in Disneyland. Similar to the interactive experiences in Walt Disney World, guests were able to play a character and explore the park to play a part in the story set in the Frontierland area of Disneyland. Guests could choose to either be a lawful citizen, or plan an outlaw to outwit them all. Guests also earn “bits” – the currency of the game – to help influence the story and gather needed information. This interactive game ended its run on September 27, 2014.
July 6, 1997 – The Grand Floridian Restaurant Flagler’s Closes
“Specialties include Veal Scaloppini with Marsala Wine Sauce and Sauteed Shrimp.”
On July 6, 1997, the Grand Floridian restaurant Flagler’s closed. Open since 1988, the restaurant specialized in Italian cuisine. After it closed, it was replaced with Citricos, a restaurant that had a Mediterranean-inspired menu.
July 5, 2007 – The King’s Gallery Closes in Walt Disney World
On July 5, 2007, the fine art merchandise stop The King’s Gallery closed in Walt Disney World. Selling such pieces as the glassware created by the Arribas Brothers, the store was located within Cinderella’s Castle, and was closed to allow the creation of Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. The artwork within the store was repurposed to fill the halls of the Main Street Cinema.
July 4, 1994 – The Attraction Les Mystères du Nautilus Opens in Disneyland Paris
“Continue your quest through Discoveryland and navigate your crew to Jules Verne’s Nautilus for a tour with a tentacular surprise.”
On July 4, 1994, the walk-through attraction Les Mystères du Nautilus opened in Disneyland Paris. Based on the live-action feature film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, this Discoveryland attraction allows guests to board Captain Nemo’s submarine, the Nautilus, and learn the secrets of what lies below the surface of the water.
July 3, 1998 – Innoventions Opens in Disneyland
On July 3, 1998, the Innoventions attraction opened in Disneyland. Housed in the former Carousel of Progress attraction area, it was a two-story exhibit that featured up and coming innovations in areas such as computer science, robotics, and even regular home chores. The area was enhanced in 2013 to include the characters from Marvel, featuring Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America. The area was officially closed on March 31, 2015.
July 2, 1967 – Tomorrowland Terrace Opens in Disneyland
“Grab your dancing shoes and head to the hoppin’est place on earth where you can strut your stuff weekend nights all summer long!”
On July 2, 1967, the dining area Tomorrowland Terrace opened in Disneyland. Not only was it a fast-food facility, the area also had live bands and a dancefloor, with a stage for the bands that could be raised to meet the guests at the restaurant level. Similar versions of this facility were opened in Walt Disney World (which closed in 1994) and Tokyo Disneyland. The Disneyland version closed in June, 2001, and later opened as Club Buzz; it has since reopened in that space with different varieties of bands playing every night.
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