17th July: Disneyland opened

This date in 1955 saw the opening day of Disneyland in Anaheim, California, the most famous theme park in the world. 10 things you may not know about Disneyland:

1. The opening day was not the greatest success. It was supposed to be invitation only, but about half the people who turned up had bought counterfeit tickets. Celebrities who were taking part were delayed by traffic jams; there was a local plumbers' strike and so Disney had to choose between working drinking fountains and working toilets. He chose toilets, but many guests believed that the drinking fountains didn't work in order to force people to buy Pepsi (as Pepsi was one of the sponsors). It was so hot that the newly laid asphalt paths didn't set so ladies in high heels kept getting stuck; there wasn't enough food and a gas leak closed several of the rides. It was so bad that Disney executives dubbed it "Black Sunday". Disappointed guests were invited back for a private day so they could get the proper experience and hopefully dispel the negative publicity.
2. The first person to enter the park on a purchased ticket was David MacPherson with ticket number 2. Ticket number 1 had been purposefully given to Roy Disney, Walt's brother.
3. Aside from Micky and his cohorts, mice are not welcome in Disneyland. There are about 200 feral Cats living on the site, and rather than get rid of them, Disneyland actually looks after them - feeds them, neuters them and puts kittens in shelters - and the cats in turn keep the rodent population down. The cats are largely nocturnal so are not usually seen by guests, but even if they were, the Disney authorities believe it's better for them to see a wild cat than a Rat, or a mouse (which isn't called Micky or Minnie).
4. The staff use theatrical terms to underline the idea that guests are witnessing a performance. Employees are "cast members" and their job is a "role". Private, staff only areas are called "backstage" while any area of the park that can be seen by guests, including any part of the "backstage" area visible when the door is open, is "on stage". If a guest has to sign when using a credit card, they are asked for their "autograph" and the terminology and code of conduct that staff must use at work is the "script". A less magical term in the lexicon is "Code V" which means somebody has vomited in the park. Staff, many of whom are expected to work six day weeks for little more than minimum wage, have been known to refer to the park as "Mousewitz". Management forbade them from doing so, so the disgruntled staff started calling it "Duckau" instead.
5. The only place in Disneyland where it is possible to buy alcohol is Club 33, which is only open to a very exclusive membership (which is thought to include Tom Hanks and Jack Nicholson).
6. Among the "props" of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, there is a real human skull.
7. Many of the buildings, including Cinderella's Castle and Main Street USA, are designed and built to appear taller than they actually are.
8. Since 9/11, Disneyland has been a no fly zone. No flights are allowed within a three-mile radius around the parks or below 3,000 feet.
9. Disneyland is occasionally asked for permission to scatter the ashes of their cremated loved ones somewhere in the park - the most popular such request being the Haunted Mansion ride. Disney will always say "no", which led one guest to take matters into her own hands in 2007. She was caught on security camera dumping an unknown substance onto the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. The police were called and confirmed the substance to be somebody's ashes! The ride was closed for an hour while the mess was cleaned up, and Grandad presumably ended up in a Disneyland drain rather than on the ride.
10. Doritos were invented at Disneyland, as a use for left over tortillas.