58 Years Ago: Disneyland Opened

And inspired generations of gay boys and girls everywhere
Of course we know that Disneyland wasn't officially intending his theme park of fantasy and futurism for queer kids. But we know plenty that were inspired by the nostalgia and promise of escape.

The $17 million faux metropolis was built on 160 acres of former orange groves in Anaheim, Calif., near Los Angeles, and officially opened its doors on July 17, 1955. Which was a mistake. Apparently the park was not ready for the public. According to History.com: "food and drink ran out, a women's high-heel shoe got stuck in the wet asphalt of Main Street USA, and the Mark Twain Steamboat nearly capsized from too many passengers."

But we know that didn't last long and the park recovered and now, according to reports, Disneyland hosts more than 14 million visitors a year these days, and guests spend close to $3 billion. That includes the annual Gay Days Anaheim that takes place this year October 4-6, 2013. And that's not even counting its Orlando, Florida counterpart, Disney World (and the international destinations: Disneyland Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong).

Want to see how gay it gets in Disneyland? Here's a clip of the 2011 Gay Days below: