Whenever I’m feeling the blues — whether it’s because I can’t make it to the parks anytime soon or I’m just not having the greatest week — I think of Walt Disney. Walt was full of optimism and a positive attitude, and of course, he created the theme park that started it all: Disneyland. And these vintage photos of Walt Disney in Disneyland are sure to make any fan smile!
The Instagram account @disneyland.retro constantly shares daily photos of vintage and retro Disneyland Resort. They always bring the biggest smile to my face and make me feel all warm and fuzzy as if I’m spending time with an old friend. While I wasn’t alive when Disneyland first opened and I didn’t get to experience many of the attractions that are now extinct, I can still appreciate the park’s history. After all, without Disneyland, we wouldn’t have any of the other Disney Parks all around the world!
To help spread some joy, here’s a handful of images of Walt Disney in the original Disneyland park. In these images below, you can see his memories of vintage Disney attractions and times he spent with his family, as well as how much he loved the park guests.
Walt Disney’s dedication speech:
Walt, his wife Lillian, and their daughter Diane on the Mad Tea Party:
Walt and Diane having a chat with guests:
Walt living it up on Main Street, U.S.A. signing autographs for happy guests:
Walt with the rhino animatronic from Jungle Cruise, one of his favorite attractions in Disneyland park:
Care for a ride on the world-famous Jungle Cruise? Let Walt himself be your skipper!
The Enchanted Tiki Room was one of the most remarkable attractions at Disneyland, and Walt loved it:
Walt Disney also loved coffee. Here he is at Creole Café, which is now Café Orleans:
Finally, here’s Walt with some of the cutest vintage Disney characters around: