Even merry Mickey himself would have to admit that opening day at Disneyland was something of a roller coaster. When a heat wave pushed temperatures to 110 degrees, the newly laid asphalt melted and women's heels sank into Main Street, U.S.A. Water fountains ran dry, due to a plumbers' strike. A counterfeiter sold thousands of fake tickets to the festivities. And just when it seemed things couldn't get any worse, restaurants across the park ran out of food, and Fantasyland was hit by a power outage. Walt Disney referred to the opening as “Black Sunday."
Still, amid the mayhem, there was magic. When Disney welcomed the crowd that day - July 17, 1955 - he said, “Here age relives fond memories of the past ... and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future." […]
