Disneyland in 1989 - 60 Days to 60 Years!
I'm so excited to share the happenings of Disneyland Resort in 1989!
*updated to add the Disneyland Park map
I am proudly one of the happiest bloggers on earth, and with my fellow magic makers, under the inspiration of DisTherapy and Disney Gals blog founders - DiDi and Gayle, we are sharing Disneyland history from 1955-today. We embarked on a journey for 60 days, each one representing a year in Disneyland history and it culminates on July 17th – the 60th anniversary of our beloved Disneyland Resort! It's the year of the Diamond, and well, we know that diamonds are a girl's best friend! So let's dive in!
Below, you'll see the Disneyland Park map from 1989. I love looking at the old maps and seeing how the Resort has changed over the years.
There are a few notable things that happened in 1989 at Disneyland and if you're an 80s child that grew up visiting this happy place, you probably remember!!
The Disneyland Marquee
I don't know about you, but as a kid I was narcoleptic. Literally. We lived in the San Fernando Valley, but a drive to LA to see my Granny, or Anaheim to Disneyland, usually meant I slept the entire way. My favorite thing about the drive to Disneyland was waking up and seeing the beloved Disneyland sign off of the freeway. I knew I was home. It brings back so many memories for me, and quite frankly I am sad that there is no huge sign welcoming me anymore.
As the Resort has expanded, there are multiple signs that we see near the various entries to the Park. However, my favorite will still be the big marquee in 1989 which was an awesome PINK!
Splash Mountain!!
Splash Mountain opened on July 17, 1989 and there was a lot of dancing in celebration of the "laughinest and splashiest" place on earth. It was a sure hit from the start! The ride is based on Disney's film Song of the South and with over 100 audio-animatronics, it sure did add a lot of action to Disneyland Park's Critter Country. We love the music and of course "Zip-a-dee-do-dah" rings throughout the ride.
This is our family's favorite ride, hands down. As you can see, our faces tell you just how priceless this is. In a recent "Magic Kids Talk" post, I shared the fun about our favorite rides, but Splash takes the cake on being our #1 family "must-do." It's one ride that we can always agree on! There's something about that 87 foot tall drop into a splash that makes us pretty happy. Granted, many times I've thought I'd fly out of the ride, but I survive. It's one of the few rides that our entire family can fit on at once, which is pretty stellar, too! What's funny about Splash, is you know what is going to happen. You're going to end up in that briar patch at the bottom of the mountain. But it's exhilarating.
Disneyland Park's 300 Millionth Guest
Okay, this is a HUGE milestone. In September, Disneyland welcomed a guest from France, Claudine Masson, and she was given a lifetime pass, amongst other prizes for showing up to Disneyland. She had never been before, so what are the chances that she arrive and end up leaving with a LIFETIME PASS to The Happiest Place on Earth?! I seriously cannot even imagine. I would probably cry. So much emotion. To think, so many doubted the success of the park and within 34 years they had 300 million people enjoy the magic. Today we're in the billions, and I wonder if they'll be giving something away for the Diamond Celebration!
Check out the awesome video below! I love the music and the happy feelings from watching all of the fun from 1989.
Fun facts about 1989:
- Disneyland Park hosted and achieved "The Twist" World Record with Chubby Checker
- First Annual Minnie's Moonlit Madness - an amazing cast member + family & friends scavenger hunt after dark, in the Park! How many assignments can they complete before the clock strikes midnight?! :)
- "One Man's Dream" show reigned in Fantasyland
- Disney Dollars are a hit and the $10 bill released featured Minnie Mouse
- 25th anniversary of MY favorite attraction – "it's a small world"
Disneyland in the 80s was awesome. It's amazing now, but the 80s bring back a lot of memories for me. While I couldn't pinpoint exact images from trips in 1989, I can say that I was almost 8 years old and it's been a laughing place for me since I was young. I'm so excited that I get to share this place with my family.
Check out 25 years of Splashdowns!
