Today marks the 62nd. Anniversary of Disneyland…the Happiest Place on Earth! So for this “Exploring LA with Kids” post we visited the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round, the small carousel that was Walt Disney’s inspiration for Disneyland.
When Walt Disney’s kids were young, he would take them here on the weekends. One day, while sitting on the watching his kids on the merry-go-round, he was inspired to create a place where families can go and enjoy together. And on July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened to the pubic!
The Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round was built in 1926 by the Spillman Engineering Company and was brought to Griffith Park in 1937 – located between the Los Feliz entrance and the Los Angeles Zoo. There’s 68 horses, all of which jump and there’s a Stinson 165 Military Band Organ playing over 1500 selections of marches and waltz music. The music can be a little for some, especially for the little ones, so be prepared to cover some ears.
After the ride, make sure to check out section in the back that’s dedicated to Walt Disney. Every Disney fan will enjoy it!
Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round
4730 Crystal Springs Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Tickets are $2 per ride (Cash Only) and it’s open weekends throughout the year and weekdays during the summer, and over Christmas and Easter vacations, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more info, visit http://www.laparks.org/griffithpark/griffith-park-merry-go-round.
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