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AVP
09-24-2004, 09:23 AM
Source: Disneyland Press and Publicity

GOLD MEDALIST SWIMMER MICHAEL PHELPS
TO “SWIM” DOWN MAIN STREET, USA AT DISNEYLAND

Gold Medalist Teammates Lenny Krayzelburg and Ian Crocker
to Make a “Splash” Too in First-Ever “Swim Meet” on October 5

ANAHEIM, Calif., September 23, 2004 - - On Tuesday, October 5 America’s three most celebrated swimmers - eight time medalist (including six gold) Michael Phelps, gold medalist Ian Crocker and gold medalist Lenny Krayzelburg will experience Disneyland like no one else has ever before - - by swimming down Main Street, USA! The three Athens medal-winners will participate in a 10:00am first-ever “swim meet” on Disneyland’s Main Street, USA in a specially constructed Olympic-length pool (50-meters long).

The pool, measuring 21 ft. wide, 4 ft. deep and featuring three swimming lanes, will span almost the entire length of Main Street. Local young swim champions will welcome and meet the three famed swimmers as well as participate in a relay and match race with the three athletes.

The visit to the Disneyland Resort culminates the swimmers’ cross-country “Disney’s Swim with the Stars” tour. Arriving in the United States directly from Greece, Phelps, Crocker and Krayzelburg participated in a series of personal appearances at local schools, meeting and greeting hundreds of children, and starring in a two-hour swimming celebration show in each city. The tour is set to finish at Disneyland as it prepares to celebrate its golden anniversary in 2005.

“Winning the gold in Greece was a dream come true but going on this tour with Ian and Lenny and meeting the young swimming stars of tomorrow has been simply incredible,” said Phelps. “It seems only fitting that we end our tour and Olympic journey at ‘The Happiest Place on Earth.”
__________________________________________________ ___________

Additional info: The three swimmers will participate in an online chat on Saturday, September 25, 2004, at 1pm PDT. Get more information about the chat at this link (http://disneyland.disney.go.com/dlr/detail/event?id=DisneysSwimwiththeStarsEventPage&CMP=ILC-VanURLDSWTS), and submit questions in advance at this link (http://www.liveworld.com/events/disneyland/?CMP=ILC-DSWTSChat).

sediment
09-24-2004, 09:47 AM
Couldn't use Rivers of America, versus the canoes?

Andrew
09-24-2004, 10:05 AM
He'd have to boil himself afterwards.

olegc
09-24-2004, 10:32 AM
We'll be auctioning off jars of the actual pool water from the meet, complete with imprinted signatures, character images, and a coupon for 10% off on Salt Water Taffy right after the meet - or look for us on DisneyDeals.com!!


Note - this is a fictitious announcement. Please don't look for it. Some of you are so gullible ;-)

cryan71
09-24-2004, 10:41 AM
and on Gay Days too. Man, its like sending fresh meat into a school of Piarranha.

Darkbeer
09-24-2004, 11:16 AM
^Notice it is after Gay Days, that event is Saturday and Sunday. This leave the park all day Monday to "install" the pool on Main Street and other prep work. It also gives them Wednesday to take down the setup.

By avoiding the weekend, and holding the event during the slow off-season helps minimize the impact.

More than likely, there will be no parades or Main Street Vehicles available Monday thru Wednesday.

DwoernAdale
09-24-2004, 11:28 AM
I'm totaly intrigued about the logistics of a pool that large on Main Street. I imagine they could easily construct the pool itself overnight. If they got a waiver from the Anaheim FD I suppose filling it would be possible fairly quickly using fire hoses. But how will they HEAT that much water that fast? And imagine the water damage to every store on Main if the thing broke!

I hope someone will post plenty of pics, as I just cant seem to wrap my head around the sight of such a thing.

averagedork
09-24-2004, 11:29 AM
and on Gay Days too. Man, its like sending fresh meat into a school of Piarranha.

The snot hit the screen after reading that...

I may have to call off work. If only to see a giant pool down Main Street.

sediment
09-24-2004, 12:12 PM
Temporary pools are the rage these days. US Swim Trials were held in a temporary pool in a parking lot in Long Beach.

DL pool will be about 14,000 cubic feet of water.
Need fire hoses, filtration system, heater. Heater could be built into the sides and bottom of pool.

And at 4 feet deep, I don't think race-diving will even be allowed.

So, where are the chicks? What up with that?

Opus1guy
09-24-2004, 12:33 PM
Heating??!! What a bunch of wimps! ;)

sediment
09-24-2004, 12:34 PM
Don't want any shrinkage.

dlandnut
09-24-2004, 12:54 PM
Gay days or not, I for one would LOVE to see these swimmers and their beautiful bodies! :)

DwoernAdale
09-24-2004, 01:22 PM
4 feet is plenty of water for race diving. I swam team for many years as a kid and our starts were in 3 and a half feet.

sediment
09-24-2004, 02:11 PM
These are Olympic swimmers. They tend to race-dive a lot deeper.

DwoernAdale
09-24-2004, 03:19 PM
I am aware of that. I was pointing out the fact that it would be possible for them to make a diving start, even at a truncated depth. Perhaps I should have been more clear.

I had visions of them making their starts in the water, which looks great as a backstroke start but as a butter, breast, or free start...umm, not so much. :)

sediment
09-24-2004, 03:30 PM
I am aware of that. I was pointing out the fact that it would be possible for them to make a diving start, even at a truncated depth. Perhaps I should have been more clear.

I had visions of them making their starts in the water, which looks great as a backstroke start but as a butter, breast, or free start...umm, not so much. :)
It's possible, yes. It might not be what they're used to. Since they'll be racing against local champions (kids probably), they might not need the dive start.

Darkbeer
09-25-2004, 02:18 PM
Well, due to the 50 meter pool being placed down the middle of Main Street, Disneyland had only two options, cancel the Parade for two days, or make a change in plans. Disney chose the later

First off, it will be held at 6 PM instead of 7 PM both days.

The Parade Route, start at iasw parade gate, march to hub, circle around the hub and head back to the iasw gate.

This will more than likely will make the parade unit smaller than normal, since all the elements have to fit in the hub.

Should be interesting:fez:

Barbossa
09-25-2004, 02:38 PM
This goes for non-Gay days also, only the piranhas are the ladies looking for gold medal beefcake.

Actually, I'm as ripped as those swimmers, only you can't tell 'cause of the layer of blubber hiding it all. ;)

Darkbeer
09-29-2004, 09:38 PM
Here is some more info....

In honor of the Swim with the Stars finale, the Disneyland Resort is building a three-lane, 50-meter pool on Main Street, U.S.A. Olympic gold medallists Michael Phelps, Ian Crocker, and Lenny Krayzelburg will be in attendance and swim down the specially-constructed pool.

The event will be held on Tuesday, October 5. Disneyland park opens at 10 a.m. that day, and there will be a cavalcade starring Michael Phelps, Ian Crocker, and Lenny Krayzelburg from the gates of "it's a small world" to the special pool on Main Street, U.S.A.

The event starring the Olympic swimmers will go from 10:30 to 11 a.m.

Viewing is very limited along the pool area. Best visibility of swimmers will be along the parade route from "it's a small world" to the Hub.

Disneyfreak
09-29-2004, 09:46 PM
This is one huge stunt that isnt worth risking if that thing breaks. Do you realize the damage that main street would have if that happened?

Darkbeer
09-30-2004, 06:41 AM
I wonder where they are going to set up the press area for the parade...

Think about it, it will start from its a samll world, go past the old Light Magic platform, which is under a tarp, then past the Matterhorn area and its large set of Refurb walls, then off to the Castle area, and its Blue Tarps, then by Adventureland, and its tarps next to the Plaza Pavillion, then Coke Corner and its tarps, keep going and you have the Tomorrowland entrance and the Refurb walls that cut thru the Astro Orbitor ride....

Should be interesting to see....

olegc
09-30-2004, 08:39 AM
I know! Just keep the public away from any common area and expand the area for press and guests...

oh, wait, that would take away all the viewing areas...

Oh, oh, make it a hard ticket event at the last minute and sell seats on the train station steps. Save money by telling the Dapper Dans to take a hike and provide recorded music. Make the Disneyland Marching band double as ticket takers and trash collectors. and no APs...

That will keep the crowds down...

(can you tell I'm less enthralled with CM Matt's overall vision day by day?)

dlandnut
09-30-2004, 09:11 AM
This goes for non-Gay days also, only the piranhas are the ladies looking for gold medal beefcake.

Actually, I'm as ripped as those swimmers, only you can't tell 'cause of the layer of blubber hiding it all. ;)

________________

lol; maybe you should prove it. Wear your speedos and a short shirt that day :)

TheEscapist
09-30-2004, 11:13 AM
Since medal-winning and record-breaking are not a concern, will they revert back to the good old days of swimming in their slightly-slower-but-oh-so-crowd-pleasing speedos?