Disneyland Planning Information


General Disneyland Information

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts (WDP&R) is where dreams come true and magic comes to life. Its story began more than 50 years ago when Walt Disney – already one of the most celebrated filmmakers in America – dreamed up a new kind of family entertainment. Walt got the inspiration for this new venture after taking his daughters to local Southern California amusement parks on the weekends. He found himself bored, sitting on a bench with nothing to do while his daughters played. Walt wanted to create an entirely new kind of place – one that families could experience together, immersed in an atmosphere rich in detail and storytelling. His vision became Disneyland, the place Where Dreams Come True. From the moment it opened, on July 17, 1955, Walt's new park was a sensation, going on to become a global icon that has literally defined and shaped the modern theme park industry for more than a half-century. Out of Disneyland grew a collection of 11 Disney theme parks at five of the world's leading family vacation destinations. Dedicated to providing the best in innovative and immersive family entertainment, these destinations today constitute the cornerstone of the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts portfolio:
  • Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, California
  • Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
  • Tokyo Disney Resort, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan
  • Disneyland Resort Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, France
  • Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Lantau Island, Hong Kong, China
In addition to theme parks and resorts, WDP&R also includes the world-class Disney Cruise Line, with two ships – the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder; Disney Vacation Club, with eight resorts and more than 100,000 member families; Adventures by Disney, a storytelling-based guided group vacation program that takes guests to some of the world's most popular travel destinations; the World of Disney stores in New York, Orlando and Anaheim; and Walt Disney Imagineering, which creates and designs all Disney parks, resorts and attractions. The Growth Continues WDP&R continues to create magic outside its theme parks – in exciting and innovative ways, and in new and different places. In 2007, WDP&R announced the purchase of 21 acres in Hawaii on the island of Oahu to build a luxury family resort. The property, located on the island's western side in the picturesque Ko' Olina Resort & Marina, one of Honolulu's premier resort destinations, will be home to Disney's first mixed-use family resort outside of its theme park developments. The expansive resort, scheduled to open in 2011, will have more than 800 units including hotel rooms and villas for Disney Vacation Club. Disney Vacation Club is also continuing to build Animal Kingdom Villas at the Walt Disney World Resort, where accommodations feature intricate African-inspired details, home-like amenities and – from most villas – sweeping views of a savanna inhabited by a variety of African animals. Following the opening of Kidani Village at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney Vacation Club is scheduled to open in 2009 the Treehouse Villas at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort and The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. Also in 2009, Adventures by Disney is offer exciting new itineraries to Africa and Switzerland, as well as returning favorite trips to China, Australia, Peru, Germany, England, Italy, Ireland, Costa Rica, the Mid-Atlantic region, and the Southwestern United States. These guided tours are presented in an immersive, authentic and distinctly Disney style. In 2011 and 2012, Disney Cruise Line will double its fleet with the launch of two new ships – the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. And in 2011, the Disney Wonder cruise ship will return to Port of Los Angeles for an extended stay, offering its highly-popular West Coast sailings.

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Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Facts*

  • Disneyland Resort: 510 acres; three hotels; 2,224 rooms; 20,000 Cast Members
  • Openings: Disneyland Park - 1955; Disney's California Adventure – 2001
  • Walt Disney World Resort: 25,000 acres; 23 hotels; 24,500 rooms; 60,000 Cast Members
  • Openings: The Magic Kingdom - 1971; Epcot - 1982; Disney's Hollywood Studios -1989; Disney's Animal Kingdom - 1998; Disney's Typhoon Lagoon - 1989; Disney's Blizzard Beach - 1995; Disney's Wide World of Sports – 1997
  • Tokyo Disney Resort: 494 acres; three hotels; 1,711 rooms; 20,000 Cast Members
  • Openings: Tokyo Disneyland Park - 1983; Tokyo DisneySea – 2001
  • Disneyland Resort Paris: 4,800 acres; seven hotels; 5,760 rooms; 12,300 Cast Members
  • Openings: Disneyland Paris - 1992; Walt Disney Studios Paris – 2002
  • Hong Kong Disneyland: 311 acres; two hotels; 1,000 rooms; 6,000 Cast Members
  • Opening – 2005
  • Disney Cruise Line: Disney Magic (launched 1998) and Disney Wonder
  • (launched1999); both 964 ft. in length; 877 staterooms; 3,000 Cast Members
  • Disney Vacation Club: Eight properties, 2,969 two-bedroom equivalents; 2,000 Cast Members; Opening – 1991
  • Walt Disney Imagineering: 1,000 Cast Members; Opening – 1952
  • The World of Disney Stores: three locations; 750 Cast Members; Opening - 1996
Total hotels: 38 with 34,000+ rooms
Total full-time, seasonal and part-time Walt Disney Parks and Resorts employees (excluding those of Euro Disney S.C.A., Oriental Land Co., Ltd., and Hong Kong Disneyland): 90,000+
*All figures are approximations as of May 2009