| * Toontown Opening Dedication * Disneyland - January 1993 |
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This was my first experience participating in a "Disney Media Event". I waited two hours (in the midday sun) before the "Celebrity Parade". This parade was wonderful and I had a great vantage point. The first parade car to arrive was carrying Michael Eisner. He signed the official Toontown guest book and then proceeded through the special archway into Toontown. Many stars and personalities followed: Robin Williams (with a character Genie from Aladdin), Sally Fields, Whoopie Goldberg, Dan Ackroyd (& Donna Dixon), Candace Bergen, Danny DeVito, Ted Danson and George Whent (I had to yell out, "Norm!"), Tom Selleck Tony Danza, George Lucas and at the end of the parade...
I have found since that much of the media just get the basic shots and then leave the area, I like to stay and just watch the happenings. Here was a time that it paid off for me. After all the ‘celebrities’ had going in to Toontown, the crowd disbursed and it got quiet, but then Mickey and Minnie came out from behind the scenes. The two most famous Disney characters walked though the decorated archway hand-in-hand... and "click!"... this was really what I thought Toontown was all about ! The Disney characters. |
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I arrived early (about 8:00 am) in Toontown. The press was starting to arrive and I decided to walk the new land. It was great fun to see all of the new architecture and attractions. As I was over by the Roger Rabbit fountain, I noticed this man standing there by himself having a cigarette. It was Roy Disney! I walked over to him to say "hello" and we had about a 20 minute, one-on-one conversation... a wonderful gentleman. Roy told me that he had recently read this book, "Storming the Magic Kingdom", and he found it very interesting. He said he lost track of the details (but never the mission of the "Brain Trust") of what they were doing at that time. It was a very intense period. I, for one, am glad he had the "push" to do it! I then took a few pictures of Roy in a Toontown car... Thanks Roy! |
 The podium was ready for Michael Eisner and Harry Anderson (Toontown's honorary mayor) to dedicate this new land. The ceremony started and it went by so quickly, I hardly stopped taking pictures for a second. I took a few during the ceremonial speech itself but the best ones were at the end when all of the confetti was flying around. Quite an experience!
After the dedication was completed, most of the press got up and left. I know that it's just a job to them but I wanted to hang around to just see what was going on... and to suck-up the atmosphere and the excitement of the moment. Again, it proved to be a good move! I wandered into the courtyard area of the "Five and Dime" store and standing there were Frank Wells and Michael Eisner! I had the opportunity to walk up to Michael and Frank and say, "Good morning, gentlemen" and we had a few moments to chat. This was a special moment for me! They took a few minutes out of their busy schedule and I'll remember that for a long time. > Final thoughts... |
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> Journal - January 25, 1993
> Journal - Monday, January 26, 1993| All photographs on these pages © Mckyfoto Photography All photographed images © The Walt Disney Company This web site is not an official document of the Walt Disney Company |
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