REFERENCE: OPENING DATES (DL & WDW)

DISNEYLAND


PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
Cast Member Opening/Preview: 14 February 1967
Public/Soft Opening: 18 March 1967
Grand Opening/Dedication: 19 April 1967

HAUNTED MANSION*
Cast Member Opening/Previews: 6-8 August 1969
Soft/Public/"Grand" Opening: 9 August 1969
"Grand" Opening/Dedication: 12 August 1969

COUNTRY BEAR JAMBOREE
Soft Opening (Magic Kingdom Club Members): 23 March 1972
Soft/Public Opening: 24 March 1972
Grand Opening: 25 March 1972

THE WALT DISNEY STORY
Soft Opening
Grand Opening/Dedication: 14 April 1973

SPACE MOUNTAIN
Soft Opening: 4 May 1977
Grand Opening/Dedication: 27 May 1977



WALT DISNEY WORLD

HAUNTED MANSION**
Opening: 1 October 1971

IF YOU HAD WINGS
Soft Opening: 5 June 1972
Grand Opening/Dedication: 24 June 1972

THE WALT DISNEY STORY
Soft Opening: April 1973
Grand Opening/Dedication: 6 May 1973

TOM SAWYER'S ISLAND
Soft Opening: 16 April 1973
Grand Opening/Dedication: 20 May 1973

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN***
Soft Opening: December 1973
Grand Opening: 15 December 1973

SPACE MOUNTAIN
Soft Opening: 26 December 1974
Grand Opening: 15 January 1975

BIG THUNDER MOUNTAIN RAILROAD
Soft Opening: 23 September 1980
Grand Opening: 15 November 1980





NOTES

*Disneyland's Haunted Mansion's "Grand Opening" was advertised as the 12th, and yet the 9th was advertised as the opening day at the time by the LA Times.

**Opening day attraction. This means that while previews were likely held before the Park opened to the public or given their Grand Opening, this attraction was available on the Park's opening day. For reference, Disneyland had its Grand Opening (press dedication and special) on 17 July 1955 before opening to the public on 18 July 1955. Walt Disney World opened to the public on 1 October 1971 and was dedicated on 25 October 1971.

***For these attractions, there are no soft openings (to my current knowledge), but they still had cast member previews or at least WED tests.


INDEX

Grand Opening (includes Dedication) = the day an attraction is "opened" by the Park, usually with a ceremony.

Soft Opening = the day the guests (general public) were allowed to experience the attraction.