Disneyland marks 50th anniversary
{{date|May 8, 2005}}
[[Image:Sleepingbeautycastle50.jpg|right|250px|Sleeping Beauty Castle decorated for the celebration]]
The American [[w:theme park|theme park]] [[w:Disneyland|Disneyland]] celebrated its [[w:Happiest Homecoming on Earth|golden anniversary]] on Thursday, in [[w:Anaheim, California|Anaheim, California]].

The theme park, created and opened by [[w:Walt Disney|Walt Disney]] in [[w:1955|1955]], hosted a special gala opening at 1pm in front of [[w:Sleeping Beauty Castle|Sleeping Beauty Castle]], the world-famous icon of Disneyland.

CEO of [[w:The Walt Disney Company|the Walt Disney Company]] [[w:Michael Eisner|Michael Eisner]], COO [[w:Bob Iger|Bob Iger]], honorary Disneyland Ambassador [[w:Julie Andrews|Julie Andrews]] and a host of stars opened the celebration, which is scheduled to run for eighteen months.

Singers [[w:Christina Aguilera|Christina Aguilera]] and [[w:LeAnn Rimes|LeAnn Rimes]] sang Disney classics, while actors [[w:Tim Allen|Tim Allen]] and [[w:Steve Martin|Steve Martin]] opened new attractions. Martin had worked at Disneyland as a teenager, and Aguilera was part of the [[w:Mickey Mouse Club|Mickey Mouse Club]] in the 1980s.

Within [[w:California|California]], Disney is calling it the ''Happiest Homecoming on Earth'', and worldwide it is known as the ''Happiest Celebration on Earth''. Several attractions have been swapped between parks, and the four main Disney theme parks (the [[w:Magic Kingdom|Magic Kingdom]], [[w:Tokyo Disneyland|Tokyo Disneyland]], [[w:Disneyland Paris|Disneyland Paris]] and [[w:Hong Kong Disneyland|Hong Kong Disneyland]]) gave a salute to Disneyland via live satellite feed.

The ceremony was hit with deep purple stormclouds but no rain. 

The park celebrates its actual birthday on July 17, 2005. There are no clear details on how Disney will mark the occasion.

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.miceage.com/allutz/al050505a.htm
|title=Launching the 50th Part 1
|author=Al Lutz
|pub=MiceAge
|date=May 5, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.miceage.com/suekruse/sk050605a.htm
|title=Launching the 50th Part 2
|author=Sue Kruse
|pub=MiceAge
|date=May 6, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.miceage.com/suekruse/sk050705a.htm
|title=Launching the 50th Part 3
|author=Sue Kruse
|pub=MiceAge
|date=May 7, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.disneyland.com
|title=Happiest Homecoming on Earth
|author=Disneyland.com
|pub=The Walt Disney Company
|date=May 5, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://news.tbo.com/news/MGB9SPMOD8E.html
|title=Disneyland's Latest Theme Is Gold
|author=Karen Haymon Long
|pub=TBO.com
|date=May 6, 2005}}

 
{{archive}}
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Culture and entertainment]]
[[Category:published]]
Sleeping Beauty Castle decorated for the celebration
The American theme park Disneyland celebrated its golden anniversary on Thursday, in Anaheim, California.

The theme park, created and opened by Walt Disney in 1955, hosted a special gala opening at 1pm in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, the world-famous icon of Disneyland.

CEO of the Walt Disney Company Michael Eisner, COO Bob Iger, honorary Disneyland Ambassador Julie Andrews and a host of stars opened the celebration, which is scheduled to run for eighteen months.

Singers Christina Aguilera and LeAnn Rimes sang Disney classics, while actors Tim Allen and Steve Martin opened new attractions. Martin had worked at Disneyland as a teenager, and Aguilera was part of the Mickey Mouse Club in the 1980s.

Within California, Disney is calling it the Happiest Homecoming on Earth, and worldwide it is known as the Happiest Celebration on Earth. Several attractions have been swapped between parks, and the four main Disney theme parks (the Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland) gave a salute to Disneyland via live satellite feed.

The ceremony was hit with deep purple stormclouds but no rain. 

The park celebrates its actual birthday on July 17, 2005. There are no clear details on how Disney will mark the occasion.
United States Culture and entertainment published