Step Into the Past: Date Nite at Disneyland

Despite the beast that the Disney Company has become since its conception, and the thousands of guests who walk through the gates of Disneyland everyday, it is still an objective of the company to continue to be innovative. This was especially true at the beginning, as Disneyland did not have the most successful traction when it first opened in 1955. It was up to the executives to come up with something fresh, something that would draw the attention of guests that were not just families with small children. The idea of Date Nite at Disneyland came to fruition and was launched in 1957.

the concept of date nite at disneyland

When Walt first approached his close friends and family about bringing his vision of a theme park to life, many of his visions were shot down, as the reputation of amusement parks at the time were not stellar. It was important not only to Walt but also for the company’s future that everything they did was profitable, so they could continue to build and would not have to halt operations due to a lack of interest by the public. Walt hired Jack Lindquist, who was working at a Los Angeles advertising firm in 1955, to become Disneyland’s official advertising manager. He is credited for playing a part in the formation of the E-Ticketing structure for attractions, and was a respected executive member of the team. One of his ideas he brought to the table was an attempt to attract young couples to Disneyland, as prior to that, the focus audience was children and families. By bringing young couples in to enjoy the park, they could also bring their friends, and one day, their future children. It was a way to appeal to a larger audience and make the park more profitable, so they went for it. In order to do so, Date Nite at Disneyland was formed in May 1957.

Jack Lindquist. Image from: https://news.chapman.edu/2016/06/17/in-memoriam-jack-lindquist/

This new initiative included extending the operational hours of the park until 12am, sometimes 1am on Friday and Saturday nights. The appeal of this was that couples could get a discounted ticket, so long as they were okay with the hours of admission being 5pm-1am. The price of the deal was $6.50 for two park admissions and 10 attractions (adjusted for inflation in 2023, it’s about $70). The value of the deal was actually $10.10, so there was a fair discount. The idea of only having select attractions open during the new extended hours was tossed around, but Walt pushed for having the same offerings as any other guests would experience during the daytime.

new experiences for date nite at disneyland

Not only could guests experience the magic of all Disneyland had to offer, but Disney also decided to expand their offerings for date nite participants. At Carnation Plaza Gardens, couples could dance the night away to a live band and enjoy their meals along the way. Dance floors were also populated on the Mark Twain Riverboat for a romantic cruise and inside the Golden Horseshoe. Live music became a tradition for Date Nite, featuring the stylings of Glen Campbell, The Carpenters, and John Williams.

Date Nite at Disneyland was also the debut of Disneyland’s very first fireworks show, “Fantasy in the Sky” in 1958. It was not as elaborate as fireworks shows are now in Disneyland, but it began a tradition of celebrating beautiful lights in the sky paired with everyone’s favorite Disney songs.

Revamp of “Fantasy in the Sky” in 2015. Image from: https://www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2018/04/05/disney-extinct-attractions-fantasy-sky-disney-dreams/

advertising date nite at disneyland

In order to attract to people to this new campaign, it was up to Jack to really create eye-catching advertisements, from posters to flyers to a new design for the ticket books. Little cartoons were made of couples enjoying a ride on a teacup for flyers, images of couples enjoying a stroll on Main Street USA were crafted, and they all really reflect the time it was in. Couples were encouraged to dress up for the night, as shown by the 1950s and 1960s attire on the adverts.

Date Nite at Disneyland advertisement. Image from: https://www.amazon.ca/Gorgeous-Collection-Disneyland-Unframed-Frameable/dp/B094FZ84DL

“Walt Disney’s fabulous attractions are more fun than ever under the stars.”

— Date Nite at Disneyland advertisment

“We hope that your visit with us tonight will be a happy and memorable experience for you. This ticket book is your passport to many wonderful adventures in the Magic Kingdom. May your “Date Nite” visit to Disneyland be a pleasant one. Return and visit us again soon.”

— walt disney productions

date nite at disneyland by the elliott bros. orchestra

One of the biggest draws to the event was the dancing, so the local band the Elliott Bros. were brought in to perform various genres. One of the numbers they always did was La Raspa. In 1958, the Elliott Bros. released an album through Disneyland Records specifically commemorating Date Nite. The tracks included “Let’s Dance at Disneyland”, “Night Train”, “At Last”, “Billy Boy Bop”, “Mexican Hoe-Down”, and “Goodnight Sweetheart”.

the evolution of date nite at disneyland

The original Date Nite at Disneyland was discontinued in the 1960s, but the essence of what it was has continued until today. It can be argued that Date Nite was the catalyst to nighttime entertainment in Disneyland, starting the longstanding tradition of Disneyland fireworks, and expanding their programming to Fantasmic and World of Color. It was also the start of the regularly scheduled longer operational hours, as before this initiative, the park was only open until 6pm, sometimes 8pm.

Disneyland has continued to ride off of this idea by creating other special events that only happen at night, called Disneyland After Dark. Some of which include in 2023: Throwback Nite, Star Wars Nite, and Pride Nite.

Jack Lindquist also made his mark with the company, becoming the Director of Marketing in 1965, and Vice President of Marketing for Disneyland and Walt Disney World in 1972. 10 years later, he became the Executive Vice President of Marketing and Entertainment of outdoor activities and recreation.