For years Walt Disney dreamed of constructing a theme park populated by the characters and settings his movie studio had created. By 1952 he had established WED Enterprises; and within that company a staff immediately set to. work designing the park and deciding upon its location. Within two years construction of Disneyland began in Anaheim, California, thirty minutes from Los Angeles by freeway.

Many observers thought that Disney's theme park was doomed to failure. Disney had no intention of creating a conventional park with roller coasters, Ferris wheels, and hot dogs and beer. He envisioned a place that catered equally to children and adults. Investors were initially skeptical: during the 1950s it seemed as if amusement parks had permanently lost their popularity. Disney was obliged to find much of the funding himself. A fortunate agreement with the ABC television network, for whom Disney's studio produced...