This morning started at 5:30 am. The weather was perfect for the festivities. Just the morning before, there were thunder storms in the early morning and then it constantly rained until about noon. This 40th birthday Monday morning weather was a special order: warm, clear and not a cloud in the sky. Absolutely beautiful! We had heard earlier on the news the traffic around Disneyland was terrible. It actually was all of the cast members, past and present, trying to get to the Park.

Disneyland Cast and Alumni Anniversary Photo

As you entered into the Park down Main Street, you could see multi colored balloon arches lining the building tops and huge "Mickey" shaped balloons were suspended in the center of the street. Loud music filled the entire Main Street area. The guests walked and danced as they made their way into the Kingdom. There was Pixie Dust in the air! A cast member photo was taken on Main Street, USA, at 7 am. There was an estimated 3000 past cast members in attendance along with current Disneyland cast members. The crowd was as wide as the street starting from the Penny Arcade (mid way down Main Street) all the way to the Castle forecourt. A wall of people, a sea of cast members!

A Disney DJ lead the crowd in song and chants between the photo shooting events. "Oh Mickey, your so fine. Your so fine, you blow our mind. Go Mickey!..." Cast members, Disney characters and of course Mickey and Minnie, were joined by Judson Green (President of Walt Disney Attractions) and Paul Pressler (President of Disneyland Resort) to complete the photo. The still photograph was taken to record the event and a copy was to be placed in the Time Castle later that morning. It was wonderful to see that many people there just because they wanted to be there. Similar to the swallows that return to Capistrano, these people felt the internal, instinctive call to return to Disneyland. The excitement and energy of these cast members were intoxicating.