Copenhagen

Among the visitors to Tivoli from its 1843 opening was Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen, who found inspiration for his fairy tale The Nightingale. The park's Chinese-inspired pantomime theatre, with its mechanical peacock curtain and commedia dell'arte performances, particularly captivated him. Andersen's fairy tale The Nightingale, published in 1845 just two years after Tivoli's opening, drew direct inspiration from the park's Chinese aesthetic and its contrast between artificial entertainment and natural beauty. The pantomime theatre is an open-air theatre designed by Wilhelm d'Ullerup. The theatre's curtain is a mechanical peacock's tail. From the very beginning, the theatre was the home of Italian pantomimes in the commedia dell'arte tradition. The Rüchebernern wooden roller coaster, built in 1914, remains one of only seven worldwide, still employing a brakeman riding along to control speed.

Tivoli Gardens opened on the 15th of August 1843, and is the second-oldest operating amusement park in the world, after Dyrehavsbakken in nearby Klampenborg, also in Denmark. It was founded by Georg Carstensen, who famously convinced King Christian VIII to grant him the land by arguing, when the people are amusing themselves, they do not think about politics. With 4.25 million visitors in 2024, Tivoli is the most visited amusement park in Scandinavia. Walt Disney visited Tivoli multiple times before and after opening Disneyland in 1955, seeking to understand and replicate the park's enchanting atmosphere and seamless integration of gardens, entertainment and dining. Travelling with his wife Lillian and TV personality Art Linkletter, Walt reportedly took copious notes during his visit. He was particularly struck by how Tivoli was, spotless, brightly coloured, and priced within the reach of everyone.