Disney's Lost Land: Holidayland
If you visit California’s Disney park today, you’re met with 9 choices of locations to start with. You begin your trip in Main Street USA. You can head straight forward through the castle and into Fantasyland, keep walking past it and head into Toontown. You can also head left, into Frontierland, through Adventureland, New Orleans Square, and finally stop in Critter Country. You can also be immersed into the land of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Or, you can go all the way across the park and into Tomorrowland. The point, is that Disneyland currently houses 9 lands. When Disneyland opened in 1955, there were only 5: Fantasyland, Adventureland, Frontierland, Tomorrowland, and Main Street USA. The first land to be added to the park since the opening was Holidayland on June 16th, 1957.
Holidayland overview. Image from: https://duchessofdisneyland.com/park-history/holidayland/
Planning Holidayland
In 1953, while plans were being made for Disneyland park, the idea of Holidayland did exist. It’s original purpose was to be a “turn of the century” park, and it would be located where the present-day Matterhorn is. You’ll recall in my Matterhorn history post, that area became Holiday Hill. The plans for Holidayland fell through as the park progressed, but were brought up again when they started to refer to the circus elements in the park as Holidayland. Then, in 1957, the plan was fully realized when they decided to use a 9-acre plot of land for it.
Holidayland entrance. Image from: http://www.davelandweb.com/mmcc/holidayland.html
Your Visit to Holidayland
Holidayland would become a place for families to relax and get away from the long lineups and crowds. Something that makes Holidayland special was that it is the only land in Disney history that could be accessed from outside the park gates. It also had its own gates to get into Disneyland by around 4pm, allowing guests to avoid the long entrance lineup. Tickets were still purchased for Holidayland, but they also doubled as tickets to get into Disneyland. There was grassy fields, a picnic area, a circus tent, and playgrounds. Families could play volleyball, badminton, use the baseball field, or play horseshoes. Food and drink from the Red Wagon Inn would be housed inside the circus tent. The tent was the former Mickey Mouse Club Circus tent.
Holidayland map. Image from: https://www.disneyhistory101.com/holidayland
The Problem with Holidayland
Guests could also rent out the land for large events and parties, which sometimes was a disadvantage to the park as alcohol was allowed to be served as well. Holidayland could hold up to 7,000 people, but it only had a few bathrooms, which was one of the first problems that came up. Another problem was that since it was designed to be an open field, there were no proper areas for shade and no nighttime lighting. The park’s attendance began to drop, especially in the colder seasons. The new additions of the Matterhorn Bobsleds, Monorail and Submarine Voyage in 1959 also distracted people away from the land. Soon, the park executives decided it was time to close.
Holidayland pin. Image from: https://www.pintradingdb.com/pin/17484
Holidayland’s Closure
Milt Albright, credited for coming up with the idea of Holidayland and becoming the manager of it, said “It wasn’t any one thing that killed Holidayland. It was just the combined effect of a whole lot of things.” In 1961, Holidayland officially closed. The only remains of it for a few years after was a small yellow structure that eventually disappeared as well. In the mid-1960s, a new idea for the spot was developed, and it eventually become New Orleans Square. But, more on that later.
Remains of Holidayland. Image from: http://www.disneyhistoryinstitute.com/2012/04/holidayland-least-photographed-land-in.html
Walt Disney at the opening of New Orleans Square. Image from: https://d23.com/this-day/dedication-of-new-orleans-square-at-disneyland/
