Disneyland's 30th Anniversary - My Small Role In History

July 11, 1984: I was there that early morning before the park opened, along with a bunch of other Cast Members, to help form a human "30" for a photograph in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle that would later be used in promotional literature (and the 1985 Guidebook).

The article to the left is from the Disneyland Line. In digging through my old stuff, I was surprised to see that there was actually an article on the event! I was there, along with some fellow sweepers. I was on the Plaza Gardens side of the photo in my white sweeper garb, waiving with my right hand over my head. I actually received a much larger copy of the photograph at the time, but it has been lost along the way. Anyway, the photograph ended up on the cover of the 1985 Disneyland Souvenir Guide Book.

I wasn't part of the lucky few who made up the "30," but I am just to the left of the top portion of the "3." Can't you tell? Anyways, I still remember that morning, because I was only about two months into working at the Park and it was all still new. It never stopped being fun. Down below I have blown up my copy of the 30th photograph. You can see me in the left hand side. I am looking back to my right (just my luck) and there is a red circle around me. It's got details kinda like the Zapruder film, but I promise---that's me. My friends Eric Grubb, Michelle Garden and John Toth are a bit more recognizable in their sweeper whites (at least to me they are).

I did get my Donald Duck birthday button for showing up at the crack of dawn to be part of the picture! I'll have to see if I can dig that up somewhere.

Hard to believe the Park celebrated its 50th just three years ago! My wife was there this past Wednesday with my daughter and my mother. She said Disneyland was looking very clean (quite a change from the Eisner days). It was also amazingly uncrowded, but don't tell anyone---we'd like to get over there before the crowds return.

One way to avoid crowds is to fly to Florida and hit Walt Disney World for nine days. That is where we're heading in just under three weeks. I'll be sure to post photographs of our trip.