DISNEYLAND WELCOMES “HOME” STEVE MARTIN

All-New Attraction Created Exclusively for the “Happiest Homecoming On Earth”

© Walt Disney Company

ANAHEIM, Calif. (April 26, 2005) – On May 5, 2005, famed Hollywood star Steve Martin will return to Disneyland in the all-new attraction “Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years” at the Main Street Opera House in Town Square. As a teenager growing up in Orange County, California (home of the Disneyland Resort), Martin spent time working at the Magic Shop on Main Street, USA where he honed his talents for magic, juggling and creating balloon animals.

“It’s great to be a part of the 50th anniversary of Disneyland,” states Martin. “I have great memories of working at the park and it’s especially fun to be back on Main Street as part of this really unique look at 50 years of Disneyland.”

“We’re delighted to welcome Steve Martin back ‘Home’ to Disneyland for our 50th anniversary,” says Matt Ouimet, president of the Disneyland Resort. “Over the past five decades Disneyland has become synonymous with wonderful memories made in the company of families and friends and we’re simply thrilled to have Steve back as part of our Disneyland family.”

Premiering as part of the park’s “Happiest Homecoming On Earth” 50th anniversary celebration, “Disneyland – The First 50 Magical Years” was produced exclusively for the milestone anniversary and features an engaging historical exhibit highlighted by a heartwarming film salute to Disneyland’s incredible legacy of fun and laughter.

Inside the Opera House guests will enjoy a detailed exhibit of authentic attraction models, concept artwork, layouts and maps that will tell the fascinating story of how Walt Disney and his original team of “Imagineers” conceived, designed and built the world’s first Disney theme park.

Focal points of the exhibit include a painstakingly detailed new model depicting how Disneyland appeared in 1955 plus the original pencil aerial schematic of Disneyland sketched by legendary Disney Imagineer Herb Ryman. Created by Ryman and Walt Disney over a September weekend in 1954, the rendering was the very first overall visual interpretation of the Disneyland concept.

Inside the main theater guests will enjoy a newly produced film retrospective highlighting the first five decades of Disneyland. The humorous film, co-hosted by Donald Duck and Martin (resulting in a tug of war over who’s best qualified to host the story), features a score by Academy Award®-nominated composer John Debney. The film will take guests on a journey through the many memorable moments that have made Disneyland a national treasure.

Using archival photographs, familiar Disney tunes, narration by Walt Disney himself and newly discovered film footage (most of which has not been seen in 50 years) audiences will relive their own favorite Disneyland memories. Along the way they will catch glimpses of some of the park’s more famous visitors through the years, beloved attractions (past and present) and the numerous fun-filled special events and entertainment that have characterized the spirit of Disneyland over the past 50 years.

“Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years” will temporarily replace “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” (one of Main Street’s signature attractions) during the duration of the 50th anniversary celebration.

The new attraction joins an incredible array of new innovative adventures and astonishing entertainment premiering at Disneyland during its 50th anniversary “Happiest Homecoming On Earth” celebration, launching May 5, 2005. Other highlights include the fun-filled and interactive “Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters” inspired by a Walt Disney Pictures presentation of a Pixar Animation Studios film, “Toy Story 2,” in Tomorrowland, the re-launch of “Space Mountain,” “Remember . . . Dreams Come True,” (the biggest fireworks spectacular in Disneyland history), and the energetic “Block Party Bash” where Disney presents the Pixar Film Pals at Disney’s California Adventure.

The 50th anniversary will also be celebrated globally via the “Happiest Celebration On Earth” (Disney’s first-ever global celebration), and will be highlighted by the introduction of spectacular new shows and attractions at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida; Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan; and Disneyland Resort Paris in France, plus the first west coast itinerary for the Disney Cruise Line and the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland (September 12, 2005).