The Disneyland Hotel opened 60 years ago today, on October 5, 1955. While Disneyland park opened in July of that year, the hotel, built and operated by Jack Wrather, wasn't ready for several months. Walt and the Disney Company didn't have the money to build both the park and a hotel to go with it, so Walt arranged for his friend Wrather to take care of the hotel, which the Walt Disney Company eventually acquired in 1988, after Wrather's death.
Once Disney took control of the Disneyland Hotel, it brought that brand name to new hotels at its other theme park resorts around the world, starting with Disneyland Paris and eventually extending to Hong Kong Disneyland, the Tokyo Disney Resort, and soon, to Shanghai Disneyland as well. I look at the global expansion of the Disneyland Hotel in my Orange County Register column this week.
As a bonus, I also explain the column how the Disneyland Hotel is responsible for development of the world's best theme park, Tokyo DisneySea. Please take a look.
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Can't imagine anyone choosing to stay there at those prices. Paradise Pier is a much better value, and the Grand Californian an infinitely better hotel.