LP Lotion: Hong Kong Disneyland - Grand Opening
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Hong Kong Disneyland Opening
September 12 2005 was chosen by a feng shui master to be a prosperous date for the opening on the latest Magic Kingdom.
On Monday in Hong Kong Lindsay and I arose early
to make our way to the park. Due to the presence of a gigantic Chinese
government contingent we had been warned that security checks could mean lines
of 2-3 hours. Thankfully we got there early enough to miss it all. In the
blistering sun and nasty haze we waited on Main Street USA as the ceremony
team got the seats in place.
The ceremony itself was breath-taking. The show
unfolded with a battery of drummer along the seating area. Four dignitaries
arrived on stage namely Walt Disney Company CEO Michael D. Eisner and
CEO-elect Robert A. Iger with the Chief Executive for the Hong Kong SAR
government Donald Tsang and the Vice-President of the People's Republic of
China Zeng Qinghong.
An eye-dotting ceremony then took place where the
dignitaries dotted the eyes of the lions to bring them to life. An intricate
acrobatic display then followed as the lions jumped from pole to pole.
The four existing Disney Ambassadors to the World
where joined with the first from Hong Kong Disneyland Angela To. Each
ambassador had bought a child to the ceremony from their own country. What
ensued was a musical number to "it's a small world". Hong Kong Disneyland
spokesman Jackie Cheung officiated.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony the children
returned with the local choir to sing a hybrid version of "Two Worlds" from
Tarzan and the official Hong Kong Disneyland song (which is superb) called
"One". The song is on the Celebration Album from the park that will shortly be
offered on Laughingplacestore.com
The sky lit up with fireworks as the ceremony was
brought to a close. Attention was then turned to the entrance where 16,000
excited guests gathered outside waiting for the turnstiles to click open at
1pm. It was an incredible sight to stand on the train station platform and see
a colorful sea of parasols all the way back to the Bauhinia fountain and then
watch them flood into Main Street USA.
Lindsay and I would like to thank the cast members
of Hong Kong Disneyland, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts and Walt Disney
Imagineering for their tremendous hospitality over the past few days (and
during our visit last month too). Without their dedication we would not have
been able to create Issue 4 of Tales and be able to share images from the
festivities to the world at large.
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