Disneyland draws more 15 million visitors to its gates every year, as families from across the globe come to enjoy the Happiest Place on Earth. To imagine and engineer the magical kingdom, Disney has employed some of the most creative minds in the world (dubbed Imagineers) to work together to design world-class attractions that are both awe-inspiring and entertaining.
When Walt Disney opened the gates for the first time on July 17, 1955, the park consisted of 33 different attractions. Today, 13 of these opening day experiences still exist to delight visitors with timeless thrills and memories, while the full Disneyland park has expanded to over 50 unique attractions.
Stacker, set out to compile a definitive list of every Disneyland attraction you can enjoy today and ranked them by their age. Using real-time data from Touring Plans, Disney archives, and historical news releases and reviews, our list starts with exciting recent park additions and stretches back to the oldest opening-day classics. This list focuses on the original Disneyland Park, so you will not see any rides from its neighboring California Adventure located just across the promenade. Read on to discover the oldest Disneyland rides you can still ride today.
July 17, 1955: Autopia
Randomgbear // Wikimedia Commons
Autopia is the only Tomorrowland ride that remains from opening day. When the park opened, this attraction represented the future of auto travel, as interstate highway legislation had yet to be signed. Guests hop aboard mini cars and totter around a designed track. This attraction is particularly fun for kids, who can help drive the car at speeds of up to 6.5 miles per hour. The ride underwent a 5-month refurbishment in 2016 where the vehicles were all repainted, re-tired, and given lower-emission engines.
July 17, 1955: Disneyland Band
Loren Javier // Flickr
The Disneyland band helped herald in a new era in amusement parks. In 2015, 14 of the 16-member ensemble were reassigned to other musical groups around the park and new blood was brought aboard to bring a new energy for the 60th anniversary. The band performs four times per day, including the flag retreat ceremony at the end of the day.
July 17, 1955: Disneyland Railroad
Tom Arthur // Wikimedia Commons
When the first train departed from the Disneyland Main Street Station, it only had one other stop, New Orleans Square, and just two trains. Today, there are four stops—Main Street, New Orleans, Tomorrowland, and Toontown—and five trains. The 18-minute tour is unique to Disneyland, as it features a few dioramas in addition to the park scenery.
July 17, 1955: Jungle Cruise
Ken L. // Flickr
The Jungle Cruise is the third ride to inspire a film. The theme of the ride is a journey through a tropical jungle. While onboard, guests will see exotic animals in The Mekong River, African Congo, Nile River, and Amazon. In addition to narrowly escaping an angry hippo, guests also endure some seriously punny humor from the cast members. Disney briefly considered using real animals in the trek but changed his mind after consulting animal care specialists.
July 17, 1955: King Arthur Carrousel
Anthony Giorgio // Wikimedia Commons
King Arthur Carousel still operates after more than 60 years. This particular carousel (and many of the horses) first appeared in Sunnyside Beach Park in 1922. Walt bought the carousel and replaced other animals (there were giraffes and deer as well as horses) with additional antique horses. The attraction features 68 wood-carved horses and more than 3,300 lights, while the vignette scenery inside the carousel is all hand-painted.
July 17, 1955: Mad Tea Party
Derek Key // Flickr
This classic fair ride gets guests plenty dizzy as they spin and twirl in giant teacups. The ride consists of 18 cups sitting on three separate turntables, spinning on top of an even larger turntable. The cups all twirl a bit, but passengers can spin the center wheel faster for a more intense ride. Make sure to check the weather if you’re eager to go on this ride, as it’s one of the few attractions that don’t run in the rain.
July 17, 1955: Main Street Cinema
Loren Javier // Flickr
This attraction has six separate movie screens in one room. The screens show a set of classic Disney cartoons like “Steamboat Willie” and “The Dognapper.” Disney built the attraction as an homage to early filmmaking.
July 17, 1955: Mark Twain Riverboat
Wikimedia Commons
Walt Disney named The Mark Twain Riverboat after his favorite author. The 28-foot tall boat is 105 feet long and has four decks, including the Pilot House, Promenade Deck, Sun Deck, and Main Deck. The ride is 14 minutes long and includes narration. The captain of this ship doesn’t actually control the boat at all, instead communicating with an operator on the boiler deck who controls the speed and direction of the vessel along a guide rail.
July 17, 1955: Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
HarshLight // Flickr
Passengers climb aboard a car for a beautiful drive through the country with Mr. Toad, but the trip takes several zany turns as the cart races past boxes, books, and barrels. The ride was refurbished in 1983 to give it a more updated exterior and to add more detail and special effects to the ride. Original ideas for this ride included a rollercoaster version, but Imagineers ditched the idea in favor of a more family-friendly option. This attraction is unique to Disneyland Park. Walt Disney World’s version of the ride was closed in 1998, despite massive protests, leaving Anaheim the sole home of Mr. Toad’s road trip.
July 17, 1955: Peter Pan's Flight
Woolennulum // Flickr
As one of the oldest rides in Disneyland, it’s also one of the most popular, with lines regularly settling in at an hour or more even on less crowded days. Passengers board individual flying ships and lift up into the air to view different scenes from London and Neverland as the vessel hangs from a track above and navigates gentle dips and turns.
