On its 59th anniversary, the Disneyland Resort celebrates a rich heritage of magic happening every day plus the excitement of the upcoming Diamond Celebration in 2015. Since 1955, the Disneyland Resort has grown from a single park to a world-class, family destination resort with two renowned theme parks, three hotels and the shopping, dining and entertainment district known as Downtown Disney. This magic kingdom is continually evolving and expanding. Disney Princesses recently found a new home with the creation of Fantasy Faire at Disneyland Park, and new characters joined the fun in 2012 with the addition of Cars Land to top off the five-year expansion of Disney California Adventure Park.

• Since opening day in 1955, the Disneyland Resort has welcomed nearly 700 million guests to the happiest place on earth.
• Through the years, a virtual “Who’s Who” of the 20th and early 21st centuries has visited the Disneyland Resort, including U.S. presidents (dating to Harry S. Truman), heads of state and countless athletes, artists, authors and celebrities.
• Mickey Mouse ear hats are the most popular Disneyland Resort souvenirs of all time, with more than 84 million “ears” sold since 1955.
• The Matterhorn Bobsleds was the first tubular steel roller coaster in the world when it opened in 1959. It set the standard for modern-day roller-coaster design.
• Disneyland Park created the first daily operating monorail in the Western Hemisphere. It opened June 14, 1959.
• The popular Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in New Orleans Square features more than 120 Audio-Animatronics figures, and guests often sing along with that catchy refrain: “Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate’s life for me.”
• At nearly 300,000 square feet and 125 feet tall at its peak, The mountains of Ornament Valley in Cars Land make up the largest rock structure in any domestic Disney theme park.
• The nighttime water spectacular “World of Color” uses a submersible platform that’s bigger than a football field, with more than 18,000 points of control and revolutionary lighting that infuses nearly 1,200 fountains with color — making it one of the largest show systems ever built. The show is regularly enhanced, with updates including “Glow With the Show” ears that flash in sync with the performance, and an all-new holiday version: “World of Color – Winter Dreams.”
• Thirty-eight different languages are spoken among Disneyland Resort cast members.
• More than 50 scuba divers work year-round to maintain Disneyland Resort attractions, including “World of Color” at Disney California Adventure and Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at Disneyland.
• From colorful flowers to 18,000 trees and 22 topiary animals and characters, the landscape panorama helps tell the story of each land in the parks.
• More than 800 species of plants indigenous to 40 nations grow at the Disneyland Resort, making it one of the most extensive and diverse botanical locales in the western United States.
• Guests will find more than 140 food and beverage locations at the Disneyland Resort, including 23 full-service restaurants and themed lounges such as Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel.
• Disneyland Resort serves more than 6,500 food items, including citrus-marinated turkey breast at Flo’s V8 Café (Disney California Adventure), Hacienda Chicken Caesar Salad at Rancho del Zocalo (Disneyland) and Fire Cracker Duck Wings at Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge (Disney California Adventure).
• Napa Rose, the award-winning restaurant at the Grand Californian Hotel, has a 17,000-bottle cellar with more than 1,000 different labels and 80 wines available by the glass. The wine service ranks among the best in the country, with more than 31 certified sommeliers (four who are certified as advanced) on staff.
• Fresh fruits and healthful options are available throughout the parks, and guests can look for the Mickey Check on menus to find meals that meet Disney Nutrition Guidelines.
• Disneyland Resort employs 26,000 cast members, making it the largest single-site employer in Orange County.
• The longest-serving cast member is Oscar Martinez, who started in December 1956. He works at Carnation Café.
• More than 1,200 different costumes are maintained for use by cast members in the parks and hotels.