Disney currently owns five theme parks around the globe. There are two locations in the US and one each in Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong. While bringing endless joy to the world, Disneyland also generates dramatic financial profits from these five sites. Damion Jones tells us about the rise of this legendary institution.

The world's first Disneyland opened on July 17th, 1955, in California. The 65-hectare theme park was a totally new kind of entertainment experience. It was like entering a movie screen and being able to fly with Peter Pan, explore the Wild West with Davy Crockett, or have a crazy tea party with the Mad Hatter.

Walt Disney once said that the concept would "never be completed ... as long as there is imagination left in the world." His statement remains true today.

In 1983, the company's first international venue opened in Japan. It was an immediate success as Tokyo Disneyland set a wide range of theme park attendance records.

In France, the locale now known as Disneyland Resort Paris opened on April 12th, 1992. This spectacular new creation attracted nearly 11 million visitors during its first year.

Disney ventured into Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2005. In its initial year, 5.6 million visitors flocked to the park, bringing huge profits to the area's economy.

Now, Disney has received long-awaited approval from the Chinese central government, and will set up its sixth stop in Shanghai.