4. The plumber’s strike

Walt Disney had a difficult decision to make when he learned that Disneyland’s plumbers were going to go on strike in the middle of production. Understandably, he chose to focus their efforts on creating bathrooms instead of drinking fountains - but that didn't stop the complaints.

3. Lack of refreshments

Because of all the extra guests, food and drinks ran out fast across the park. That left people not even able to pay to quench their thirsts.

2. Long lines

The lines for rides and attractions are pretty long at Disney parks nowadays, but they're nothing compared to the lines on Black Sunday. Disneyland had 18 rides for 28,000 guests on its opening day - and the situation worsened as the day went on.

1. Rides shut down

Image via Flickr by Tom Simpson.

The lines got even longer when rides were forced to shut down. The most serious problem was a gas leak, which forced all of Adventureland, Frontierland and Fantasyland to be evacuated.

Image © Disney.

That first day may have been a catastrophe, but Walt Disney invited the attendees back Monday so they could “experience Disneyland properly” and by 2 a.m. the next morning crowds began to queue up for Day 2. Walt’s brother Roy O. Disney purchased the first official ticket, the first of 50,000 sold that day. Disneyland went on to sell over a million tickets in just 7 weeks, cementing the park as a massive success despite the events of Black Sunday. It took 24 hours longer than anticipated, but Walt Disney certainly fulfilled the promises he made in his opening day speech.

"To all who come to this happy place — welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America… with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world. Thank you.”

— Walt Disney, July 17th, 1955