Fantasyland is one of the five original themed sections of Disneyland. The park opened for guests on July 17, 1955. The opening ceremony aired live on ABC Television.

Fantasyland is home to Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, which is Disneyland’s central landmark and Disney’s corporate logo. The castle, based off the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, serves as the entrance of Fantasyland.

Fantasyland holds some of the most famous and recognizable Disney attractions including Peter Pan’s Flight, Snow White’s Scary Adventure, “It’s a Small World,” Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and a host of others.

The themes of Fantasyland originated from Walt Disney’s animated feature films. Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937, is the first full-length animated feature film ever made. Because he viewed the animated features as his greatest accomplishment, creating Fantasyland held a deep personal significance for Walt Disney.

Fantasyland received the most attention in the planning stages of the park; however, it encountered unique challenges. For instance, Disney’s classic animations do not have one universal architectural theme, and consequently it took much longer to design and build the structures.

Additionally, the attractions are based on imaginary stories that are easier to sketch and paint than to mold into a three-dimensional form. For example, the main character from the 1941 animated film, Dumbo, is a giant-eared, flying baby elephant.

Due to funding shortages, Fantasyland was the last Land created, and the last area revealed to the public. Although designed for children, Fantasyland attracts guests of all ages due to its highly marketable and relatable characters, along with its nostalgic atmosphere.