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AnotherPixie
07-19-2005, 05:47 PM
As some may remember, I did a transcript for the May 5th ceremonies. Well, here it is! This is the new transcript, intended to be for those who are hearing impaired so that they could enjoy the ceremoy as much as possible :) If you intend to use this transcript on your site please give me credit :) It was a lot of work! Thank you!

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ANNOUNCER:
Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls...Welcome to this very historic day at the happiest place on earth! The 50th anniversary of Disneyland! (The song "When you wish upon a star" begins, followed by cheers and clapping)

JUMBOSCREEN:
(Hank Weaver is on the screen) This afternoon, Disneyland, the world’s most fabulous kingdom will be unveiled before an invitational world premiere and you are guests. Art Linkletter will be your host and with ABC crews and cameras on the spot will guide you through this truly magic land.

(Art Linkletter comes on the screen) Well I feel like Santa Claus with a $17 million dollar bundle of gift packages all wrapped in whimsy...

(the scene fades quickly to Ronald Regan and Bob Cummings)
Bob: Isn't this a riot today?
Ronald: Oh, it certainly is.
Bob: And Ron, your first job is down here in the Town Square?
Ronald: Well, uh right out here in front of the Depot, yes, for the Main Street and parade so..
Bob: We have lots to do, get busy!

(the screen switches to Art Linkletter but Bob Cummings is narrating) Art Linkletter is looking for a microphone, he's standing over there in front of the Mr. Toads Wild Ride!

(the scene fades into Irene Dunn and Art Linkletter) And there! The boat is christened and it starts on its daily trips up and down the rivers of the world!

(the scene switches to Art Linkletter and Walt Disney)
Art: Walt, you made a bum out of Barnum today.
Walt: (laughs)
Art: But we've gotta go.
Walt: I know but I just want to say a word of thanks to all the artists, workers and everybody that helped make this dream come true.
Art: Let's go into Fantasyland and have some fun. Goodbye folks!

ANNOUCER:
Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome the renound entertainment personality who 50 years ago presided over the live telecast of opening day July 17th 1955, the legendary Art Linkletter!

ART LINKLETTER:
(the trumpet horns are blown as Art takes the stage) Alright! Hi! Thank you! Thank you! Oh, what a nice welcome! See? I haven't changed a bit, have I? Because this is not only the biggest and happiest birthday party for the great park, but it's my 93rd birthday today. That's why I can say that I'm not only happy to be here, I'm happy to be anywhere. Actually, we have a pin on, I'm a member of the 55 class and all the wonderful people who make up the cast of this party have pins from 5 to 55 and on down. Actually, mine should be earlier than that, because I stood here 2 years before there was anything here with Walt Disney and 2 young men from Stanford University who'd be given the job of finding the right place in Southern California to build a Disneyland. They selected this place and you should've seen it. Orange groves, avocados, little places to live here and there, one road to Los Angeles, no freeway. I didn't have the heart to tell Walt that this was an idea that wasn't a keeper. (audience laughs) It wouldn't have done any good because everybody been telling him that ever since he started talking about it. Even his brother Roy said we can't afford it and you can't do it. But 2 years later I was standing here, it was done, it was open and we were ready to get going. And we were helped in that opening broadcast which went all over the world, listened to and watched by by about 81 billion people and covering the entire fairground with no rehearsal, very little script and all kinds of things happening that shouldn't have happened. But that's why Walt picked me to be the host, because he didn't want somebody that needed a script. And he knew that I could add-lib no matter what happened because he and I had spent a week together at the Olympic Winter Games up at Lake Tahoe, and he had put on a show every night for the athletes, just the athletes and the officials and I am seated. And I learned how to swing with the unexpected. For instance, I didn't realize that as they sat around the table they had 47 different languages and interpreters for all those languages with different lengths so when I would tell a joke, there'd be absolute silence. (audience laughs) And then the Spanish would laugh, and then the Greeks would laugh, and the Germans would laugh and then of course, finally the English. (audience laughs and applause) And then of course, he knew that I had opened 3 World's Fairs with all the unexpected things that can happen there, there was San Diego, there was Dallas and there was San Francisco. And so we opened with Ron Regan, my dear friend at that time, who was a actor, (audience applauses) and Bob Cummings who was a wonderful star and a great ab libber. And the young fellow named Walt Disney. And the 3 of us covered this fair with no rehearsal on a day required the unexpected to happen. It started with the temperature. 110 degrees. Then it started with the crowds, who had become very, very very onerous because the first day was an invitation day. It was a private free party for 11,000 people and you know how many crowded in that day? 30,000. There were more people climbing the walls, coming in through the cracks, swimming underground, faking tickets, riding on other peoples tickets, so by noon all the food and beverages were gone. There were no water in the water facets because 2 weeks before the plumbers told Walt Disney you have your choice of, we can't do it. You can have 1 of 2 things, you can have water in the facets or you can have water in the toilets. It was going to be there eventually of course, but Walt picked the toilets. (audience laughs) And so, there was no water. So, there were a lot of people that very unhappy but the cast is what made the difference. These wonderful kids who you'll see in costume here in a few minutes, (audience applauses) all the way from Mickey and Minnie Mouse to all the wonderful people that Disney made come to life on the screen. They pulled together and they made the crying children happy, they found the crying husbands happy, (Art laughs a little with the audience) and the 400 lost children were found, 400 an hour and they made it work. And so, black Sunday turned out to be okay in many ways because our show as great and the cast were great. And later on, the press lived to come back and visit and rewrite their bad things that they said about the opening day. That's what happened. But in the meantime, the show went on and millions of people came from all over the world, to relive their childhood, to have the fun and games that a guy like Walt Disney could dream of. And I was part of that and it will be a part of my life I will never forget and I as I stand here today, I thank Walt Disney for introducing me to a new world, a world of children and games and fun that I had been using in my own show "Kids Say the Darnest Things". You know I interviewed 27,000 children and those 27,000 children are now old men. (audience laughs) They come up to me at airports and say, do you remember me Mr. Linkletter, I was on your show when I was 4? (audience laughs) Now today, we have a great great party for you, we had thousands of people lined up outside tonight, last night at midnight. (audience cheers and applauses) Where are the people that were lined up, let me see your hands! I don't know what you did for sleep but wake up cause its showtime! How many of you were here 1955? Let's see the hands! (audience applauses) Here are the few, oh...they are wrinkled. Ah, that's alright, mine are too. And so, here we are, back to celebrate once again, the dreams of a man who was a great child until he died. And incidentally yesterday a man walked up to me in the park and said, "Isn't a shame that Walt Disney didn't live to see this?", and I said, he did see this, and that's why it's here. That was the mind of a man who was a dreamer and a do-er. (cheers and applause) Well now, I've mentioned, I mentioned Ronald Regan several times, he was a great help in the show, and of course he was here again in 1935 when they had a special party for the park. And in between of course, he did something else, what was it now? Oh, he was president for 2 terms. (audience laughs and cheers) And he was a great guy and a great president and we have him on film and we'll take a look and hear what he said in 1935 the 35th anniversary. Come on in Ronnie.

JUMBOSCREEN:
(Ronald Regan comes on the screen)
Ronald: It's an honor and a privilege to join with you as we re-dedicate one of America's treasures, a place that has captured the imagination and earned the affection of 4 generations of Americans and a place that has served as host and good will ambassador to millions of visitors from abroad. They say that one man of vision can change the world. Well maybe Walt Disney didn't alter the globe, but he did make one small section of it a happier, friendlier and more civilized place. And while it's said that faith can move mountains, Walt never tired. Instead he built his own mountains. (audience laughs) Giving the children of the world new summits in what would become a small world of friendship and understanding.

ART LINKLETTER:
Thank you very much Ronnie. (audience applauses and cheers) And now ladies and gentlemen, the show is about to start and I think I better turn it over to Mickey. He's the guy that makes it all work. (cheers and applause follows) Thank you very much!

MICKEY MOUSE:
(the trumpet horns blow the Mickey Mouse club song, the characters come out with the Marching Band following, they are playing the Mickey Mouse club song) Welcome everybody! Gosh! It's swell to have you with us! (Mickey chuckles) And now, on with the show! (audience applauses and cheers)

ANNOUCER:
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the President Chief Operating Officer and CEO Elect of the Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger!

BOB IGER:
(the Marching Band plays Zippity Doo Dah as Bob takes the stage)Good morning everybody, what a beautiful morning it is here in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Fifty years ago today Walt Disney stood just down the street, the town square and officially introduced the world to Disneyland. And five decades later what started as orange groves and rural Anaheim have coursed as one mans fantastic dream has grown into what we see here today, a place of fantasy, adventure and dreams come true, that has been embraced by the people world over, of all ages spanning all generations. And that indeed makes today the happiest birthday on earth. Speaking of birthdays, how about Art Linkletter? 93 years old Art, happy birthday to you! (audience applauses and cheers) Art was telling us backstage that he gave up skiing at the age of 92, a year ago. (audience applause) I was bragging I gave up skiing at the age of 53, a year ago. (audience laughs) I think Art is going to be climbing the Matterhorn later today if all of you are interested. Art again, happy birthday. And if you've ever been to the park when the gates first opened in the morning, it's really quite an extraordinary experience. I know a lot of you were here early today so perhaps you saw what I saw. A dad, flanked by 2 little daughters, making a B-Line for Adventureland, teenagers already wearing Goofy hats and a family of 6 excitedly hunched over a Disneyland guidebook, planning their day at the park. All these people had one thing in common, a smile. And those smiles were filled with excitement, happiness and enthusiasm because for a day, they could forget all the cares of the outside world and enjoy time together with family, friends or that special someone. Walt Disney's wish for Disneyland was that it would be a source of joy and inspiration for all the world. Everywhere you look around you, it's clear that wish was granted. But even surpassing Walt's wildest dreams our celebration spans far beyond the borders of Disneyland. In every sense of the phrase, this really is the happiest celebration on earth. From California to Florida, from Tokyo to Paris to Hong Kong Disneyland which will be joining the celebration in less than 2 months. And on hand, to make this celebration a special, memorable experience for our guests are the thousands of incredibly dedicated and amazing cast members who've embodied the magic of Disney today as they have for 50 years. Let's give all of them a great hand. (audience cheers and applauses) The excitement of our golden anniversary seems endless as our happiest celebration on earth truly touches every corner of the globe. And so now, it's a great privilege to introduce you to a man whose wisdom, support and guidance has meant so much to me personally for the last 10 years, and whose creative vision, leadership and countless contributions to the Disney legacy are the reason we are all able to celebrate the Disney theme park experience here and around the world, so ladies and gentlemen, the CEO of the Walt Disney Company, Michael Eisner.

MICHAEL EISNER:
(the Marching Band plays 'When you wish upon a star', audience applauses) Thank you Bob, ah for those kind words and ah more importantly for your dedication and I'm positive this company is under, will be under great direction moving forward under your helm. I also want to say, ah it is great to have ah Disney Disney Miller and Ron Miller and their whole family here with us today (audience applauses and cheers) all of their family, and more! Did I say what? Um, ah Ron proceeded me as the CEO and almost everything you see here today was created by Walt, moved forward by Ron and me and now Bob so were thrilled to have you here. It's hard to believe it's been 50 years since Disneyland welcomed it's first guests, in fact I remember watching Walt Disney's television show on ABC when he told us all about this new idea, a new idea called Disneyland. I didn't know quite what to expect sitting at a New Jersey school, but I was mesmerized and so was the rest of America because Walt's enthusiasm was so intoxicating we all wanted to like leave school of course and come to California. So for a full year, American's everywhere watched their television screens wide eyed as 160 acres of Southern California orange groves became America’s main street, a charming gilded castle, a rustic wilderness fort, lush inviting jungles and even, a land of the future. Today, this place is even more beautiful and filled with even more excitement, fantasy and adventure then maybe even Walt could have envisioned. Actually, getting off the San, the 5 freeway today, coming into a beautified Anaheim into Disneyland is just the latest step in the evolution of this great place. But Disneyland is more than just castles and imagination. Walt said it himself, "You can dream, you can create, you can build the most wonderful place in the world, but it requires people to make a dream reality." I couldn't agree more. The people, as Bob said our guests and our cast members are what constitutes the energy and enthusiasm and spirit of Disneyland. And all of you, are the heart and soul of the happiest place on earth. And that same philosophy rings true for all 11 of our Disney theme parks world wide. For five decades, people of all ages and from all walks of life, from every corner of the earth have come to visit Disneyland. The fantastic memories they have are from their time with us that makes Disneyland so special and so dear to so many. Hundreds of millions of people have passed through the gates of Disneyland, including countless presidents and dignitaries, heads of state, astronauts, sports legends, movie stars and everybody. Today we are lucky to have a very special guest joining us who actually fits into several of these categories. It is my sincere pleasure to introduce a very special guest, who has traveled from our state capital to help us celebrate this important day in the history of Disneyland. Ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome the governor of the great state of California, Governor, Arnold Swarzenager. (audience cheers and applauses)

CONTINUED ON NEXT POST----------------------->

AnotherPixie
07-19-2005, 05:48 PM
ARNOLD SWARZENAGER:
(the Marching Band plays "I can go the Distance" while the audience cheers and applauses) Wow! Look at all these people! This is incredible! Thank you very much. Thank you for the wonderful introduction, thank you Michael. And it is fantastic to be a part of this historic celebration, this is where it all began 50 years ago and Disneyland is a true original, it's a place everyone wants to go and a place you never forget once you have been here. I can still remember the first time I came here, when I came over here from Austria and I especially remember the first time Maria and I brought our kids here to Disneyland. We all had an amazing time here as a family and as a father, I love seeing my kids have so much fun. And let me tell you something, as governor, Disneyland is a California dream, every year it pumps billions of dollars into our economy and it supports more than 65,000 jobs in California. And Disneyland, (audience applauses) Yes, a big hand to Disneyland. (audience grows louder with cheers and applause) And another thing, Disneyland is like a magnet, it draws people from around the world, not only to come here, but to visit California's other spectacular sights like our beaches, our parks, cities, deserts and our beautiful mountains. (audience cheers and applauses) So this is an engine that drives California tourism and our economy. And, it brings opportunity to so many people in our state. So, today I am so pleased to join with millions of people from around the world to say happy birthday Disneyland and thank you for 50 years wonderful years, thank you very much! (audience cheers and applauses)

MICHAEL EISNER:
Thank you governor. Walt Disney knew that his work had tremendous influence on families and especially on children. He also knew this made him and his people sharper, looking forward to the world of tomorrow. Governor, you have championed many organizations that play an active role in supporting our youth and helping them reach a brighter tomorrow. So, on behalf of all of us here at Disney, I would like to present you with this one of a kind, golden motorcycle, designed by American Honda in honor of the 50th anniversary of Disneyland! (audience cheers and applauses as the motorcycle is brought out) And...(Michael chuckles) If the Governor had brought his helmet he would have driven it himself. (the audience laughs) We understand that you plan to donate this vehicle and that the proceeds will help the fantastic youth program 'After School All-Stars', with it's mission of bringing hope to young people in our state. (applause and cheers follow)

ARNOLD SWARZENAGER:
Well Michael, thank you so much. What a great generosity, thank you and you are absolutely right. I will donate this to my favorite charity, which are after school programs for our kids in California because I think children are the most important thing, that they are our future and we have to do everything we can to provide after school programs because so many kids are home alone after school. So this will provide some extra money. I am going to auction this off in the hope that we get a lot of money for this for our after school programs. Thank you very much for your generosity, thank you. (audience applauses and cheers)

BOG IGER:
So thank you very much Governor Swarzenager. Many of you have heard the story about the Genesis of Disneyland. When Walt Disney's 2 daughters were young, Sundays were daddy's day. He'd usually take them somewhere like the zoo, or the fair or an amusement park. And at those parks Walt would often sit on a bench eating peanuts while his daughters had all the fun. So he envisioned a wondrous place where dads and daughters, well the entire family to be exact, could share a day of fun, adventure and laughs together. The dream that became Disneyland was indeed inspired by Walt's own family. And I can think of no better way to celebrate this great day than to welcome home the very inspiration for Walt's vision. It is a great, great pleasure and honor to introduce you to one of Walt's beloved daughters, please welcome Diane Disney Miller. (audience cheers and applauses) Welcome home Diane.

DIANE DISNEY MILLER:
(the Marching Band plays 'A dream is a wish your heart makes') Thank you for your kind welcome. It is truly wonderful to be here to celebrate this milestone occasion with everyone who is here to honor my father’s vision, ah changing vision and his dream come true, Disneyland. I only wish that my sister Sharon was here by my side. But I find I have a host of other Disney family members, were all cousins, almost the whole 3 rows here and Art Linkletter is here, and that is the best! I love you, Art Linkletter. (audience cheers and applauses) Thank you, happy birthday. I really do! Some of you who are here today were here then, 50 years ago. I wasn't. Neither was my mother, nor my sister. My father had said to us the day before, "I don't want any of you women coming out there tomorrow, it's going to be a mess and I don't want to have to worry about you too." (audience laughs) Our feelings weren't hurt at all, seriously. We knew how important that day was to him. The invocation that day was given by the Reverend Glen Puder. My dad chose Glen because he liked and respected him and Glen was also married to dad's precious and only niece, Dorothy Disney Puder. Dorothy is the daughter of Roy and Walt Disney's oldest brother, Herbert. Dorothy and Glen were not able to be here today, but they live quite near me in Napa, their daughter Linda Puder Taylor is here though with her family and the family of her brother Paul. (applause) Linda, and her brothers David and Paul were here with their parents 50 years ago. Dad's vision called for this, for Disneyland, ah, to be something that would grow more beautiful every year and it has. He saw that it would change and grow and offer continually new even more delightful entertainment to its visitors. I really don't think though that he envisioned a lot of people would resist too much change. Because they love some of the original attractions so much. But the creativity and skill of the those who developed the attractions, the talent and dedication of every cast member, the good will and spirits of everyone who has been a part of this wonderful experience through these past 50 years have brought it along and will carry it on. Dad often expressed his gratitude to the public, those who understood and appreciated what he gave them. The support of the public he said enabled him to grow and to move on to do more and more. All of you who love this place so much have with your continuing support enabled it to go on, full filling his hopes and his expectations. Now I don't expect to be here for the 100th anniversary but I am certain that there will be one. And maybe some of you that are here today will be here then with your children and grandchildren and I'm willing to bet that the Enchanted Tiki Room will still be here when you come! (audience applauses and cheers) Thank you!

BOB IGER & DIANE DISNEY MILLER:
(audience applauses and cheers)
Bob: Diane, thank you very much. As a token of our great appreciation to you and your family for coming here today we'd like to present you with this famous photograph. This is a picture of your dad..I don't...
Diane: Oh!
Bob: I am told that he didn't even know this was being taken, walk, walking right through that castle.
Diane: Yeah..
Bob: And it's become quite a famous photograph, been copied probably thousands of times in 50 years.
Diane: We love this photograph, we don't have one and thanks so much.
Bob: You’re welcome. Thank you very much.
Diane: You couldn't have given me anything we'd all love more. Thank you Bob.
Bob: Thank you.

MICHAEL ESINER:
(audience applauses and cheers)
It certainly, it's certainly a tremendous pleasure having you here with us today to celebrate this incredible, ah re-dedication to your father's incredible legacy. I know I speak for everyone at Disney when I say thank you, and now, Diane, will you echo the very words that your father, her father Walt Disney delivered 50 years ago on this very day when he presented his gift of Disneyland to the world, dedicating it to the young and the young at heart everywhere. Diane?

DIANE DISNEY MILLER:
(audience applauses and cheers)
Thank you Michael. I'd love to try. To all who come to this happy place, welcome...

JUMBOSCREEN:
(Walt Disney comes on screen and picks up where Diane left off)
Walt: Disneyland is your land. Here, age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world. Thank you.

(the Marching Band plays 'When you wish upon a star', doves are released and cast members take the stage to sing)

Cast members singing: Forever, this will be a place of joy and inspiration, for children of all ages, with true imagination. Were timeless lands are dreams come true, and smiles on every face. We welcome you as family, all who come to this happy place.

MICKEY MOUSE:
Come on everybody! It's time to put on your golden ears and sing happy birthday to Disneyland! (All the characters come out and happy birthday is sang to Disneyland, it is repeated again and this time with fireworks)

ANNOUNCER:
Thank you for joining us for our 50th Anniversary ceremony. On behalf of all of us at Disneyland we extend our special thanks to Disney Disney Miller! Art Linkletter! And Governor Arnold Swarzenager! For celebrating this historic occasion with us. And from all of us to all of you, may you enjoy the rest of this very special day at the happiest place on earth!

(the ceremony ends with a lot of applause and cheers, the Marching Band playing 'When you wish upon a star')