Anyone who knows me knows that Disneyland is my favorite place. I love talking about it to anyone who will listen! Last year I applied to be on the Disney Parks Moms Panel (if you don't know what that is, click the link to find out more!) While I didn't get past round 2, I've gotten to "know" some amazing women (and men!). While I wait to apply this year, I thought it was about time to start regularly updating this blog. When the opportunity to participate in 60 days to 60 years came up, I was so excited to contribute!
My year is 1957, As I was researching for this blog, I found that most of what opened in 1957 were things that I thought opened earlier or later.
One of the key events that started in 1957 was Date Nite at Disneyland. I had never heard of this until I got the Walt Disney Treasures DVD that had a show called: "Disneyland After Dark". This was an opportunity for people to come and go dancing at Disneyland. There was a live band (The Elliot Bros. Orchestra) and it looked like a great time!
The biggest attraction to open in 1957 was Monsanto's House of the Future. From the outside, it looked like a huge, plastic house shaped like a plus sign but inside was futuristic appliances and a preview of what houses would look like in the future. Going along with the general year of Tomorrowland at that time, the year of the house was said to be 1986. Now 1986 even seems like long ago! I was not alive when the attraction was open but I've seen videos of it and it has been interesting to compare what they thought would happen to what actually did happen.
Photo Credit: Tom Simpson on Flickr. You can find the picture here.
Now Date Nite and the House of the Future were exciting but as the mother of a toddler, I am most excited about the Baby Care Center which opened in 1957. This was an idea of Walt's so mothers would have a place to take care of their babies. There is a nursing area, multiple changing stations, high chairs and a microwave to heat up food for your little ones. Before my son could walk, we would go in there during every trip and let him crawl around and burn off some energy. This made it so my son could last the whole day since he got to move around and wasn't stuck in the stroller. I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who is going to the parks with a child 3 and under.
Photo Credit: Tom Simpson on Flickr. You can find the picture here.
Thank you for going on this journey back to 1957 with me. Be sure to check out the other years during 60 Days to 60 Years.
There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,
Kelly
