For Immediate Release - Mouseketeers Celebrate 50th Anniversary

Original Mouseketeers to Unveil the World's Largest Pair of Mouseketeer Ears!

    ANAHEIM, Calif., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Disneyland, "The Mickey Mouse
Club" and the Mouseketeers -- three American pop culture icons -- share their
50th anniversaries in 2005 and 10 of the original Mouseketeers are returning
"home" to Disneyland on Monday, October 3, to celebrate their golden milestone
where they first made their initial public appearance. In salute to one of
the most popular children's television shows of all-time, the Mouseketeers
will return "home" to Disneyland for a 9 a.m. reunion saluting the debut of
the classic 1950s television series. (This event occurs before normal park
operating hours and is open to only Disneyland Resort annual passholders and
Disneyland Resort cast members).
    The special salute honoring the original cast of Mouseketeers and "The
Mickey Mouse Club" is just one of many memorable moments taking place during
the 18-month Disneyland "Happiest Homecoming on Earth" 50th anniversary
celebration as it kicks into high gear and continues throughout 2006.
Additional upcoming milestones and celebrations include "Golden" holidays at
Disneyland, the January opening of the all-new attraction "Monsters, Inc. --
Mike & Sulley to the Rescue" at Disney's California Adventure and the 40th
anniversary of "it's a small world."
    In a nostalgic ceremony in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, the
Mouseketeers will reflect on 50 years of "Mouske-Memories" in story and song
before unveiling the world's largest pair of "Mouseketeer Ears," comprised of
nearly 1,000 "Honorary" Mouseketeers filling the expansive forecourt of the
castle. Seen from above, and to the strains of the familiar "Mickey Mouse
Club Alma Mater," the iconic black ears with the "Mickey Mouse Club" logo will
magically come alive and be transformed to mark the milestone occasion.
    "We are very proud to honor the Mouseketeers for their contributions to
Disneyland and to children's television," said Matt Ouimet, president of
Disneyland Resort. "The Mousketeer hats that 'The Mickey Mouse Club' made so
popular 50 years ago continue to be popular with Disneyland Guests today."
    "The Mickey Mouse Club" made its national television premiere on Monday,
October 3, 1955, on the ABC television network. The Mouseketeers were a
talented cast of youngsters who starred in the popular variety series that
included cartoons, music and live-action adventures. The show began with the
famous "Mickey Mouse Club March" (a tune still familiar with today's
generation) and ended with another popular song, "The Mickey Mouse Club Alma
Mater," which expressed a heartfelt goodbye with the famous: "M - I - C -- See
ya real soon -- K - E - Y -- Why? Because we like you! M - O - U - S - E."
    The Mouseketeers were first introduced to the public during the live
broadcast of the Disneyland opening day festivities, televised nationwide on
Sunday, July 17, 1955. They were featured in the inaugural Main Street parade
and were showcased with their very own musical production number. All 24
initial Mouseketeers performed the "Talent Round-Up" song at the Mickey Mouse
Club Theater in Fantasyland, culminating in the soon-to-become familiar
"Mouseketeer Roll Call." Over the course of a four-year run (1955-1959), 39
original Mouseketeers appeared on the show.
    For many years, The Mickey Mouse Club Theater at Disneyland was the
official home of the Mouseketeers. Opening on August 27, 1955, the theater
featured a program of Disney cartoon shorts and 3D films. On November 24,
1955, Disneyland premiered the elaborate "Mickey Mouse Club Circus," starring
many of the Mouseketeers as stunt riders and trapeze artists, plus head
Mouseketeers Jimmie Dodd and Roy Williams. From 1963-64 the Main Street Opera
House at Disneyland became the "Mickey Mouse Club Headquarters" where children
could sign-up and get their own official membership cards in the club.
    Throughout the years the original Mouseketeers have returned to Disneyland
numerous times, including reunions in 1980, 1990, 1995 and most recently at
the actual 50th anniversary of Disneyland on July 17, 2005.
    "The Mickey Mouse Club" featured numerous Mouseketeers that would go on to
successful entertainment careers including Annette Funicello ("Babes in
Toyland," "The Shaggy Dog," numerous "Beach Party" films with Frankie Avalon),
Bobby Burgess ("The Lawrence Welk Show"), Tommy Kirk ("Old Yeller," "Swiss
Family Robinson"), Cubby O'Brien (professional drummer for numerous Broadway
shows and headliners) and Tommy Cole (Emmy Award winning make-up artist).
    The show was revived in 1977 as "The New Mickey Mouse Club" with a whole
new cast of Mouseketeers including Lisa Whelchel who later starred in the hit
TV series "The Facts of Life." From 1989-1994, the "MMC" was broadcast on The
Disney Channel and launched the careers of such successful performers as
Christina Aguilera, J.C. Chasez, Ryan Gosling, Keri Russell, Britney Spears
and Justin Timberlake.

    More information about the "Happiest Homecoming on Earth" and vacations at
Disneyland Resort is available at http://www.disneyland.com, by calling
(877) 700-DISNEY, or by visiting local travel agents.

Original Mouseketeers Reunite at Disneyland Where It All Began

    Feed Date:     Monday, October 3, 2005       Monday, October 3, 2005
                                                      **NEW VIDEO**

    Feed Time:     01:00 - 01:30 PDT             13:00 - 13:30 PDT
                   04:00 - 04:30 EDT             16:00 - 16:30 PDT

    Coordinates:   IA 5C-7                       IA 5C-7

    Downlink:      3840 (V)                      3840 (V)

    Audio:         6.2, 6.8                      6.2, 6.8

    B-Roll:     *  B-Roll of Mouseketeers     *  B-roll of today's
                   1955 debut at                 celebration at
                   Disneyland in color for       Disneyland
                   the 1st time               *  B-Roll of Mouseketeers
                *  B-Roll of original            1955 debut at
                   Mickey Mouse Club             Disneyland
                *  B-roll of Mouseketeers:    *  B-Roll of original
                   Tommy, Bobby, Sherry,         Mickey Mouse Club
                   Cubby                      *  B-roll of Mouseketeers:
                *  B-roll of Annette             Tommy, Bobby, Sherry,
                *  B-Roll of "The New            Cubby
                   Mickey Mouse" Club" and    *  B-roll of Annette
                   "MMC"                      *  B-Roll of "The New
                                                 Mickey Mouse" Club" and
                                                 "MMC"

    Interviews:                               *  Original Mouseketeers


    Summary
    Disneyland is celebrating another "golden" milestone -- The Mickey Mouse
Club is turning 50!  Ten of the original Mouseketeers will be on hand at the
Happiest Place on Earth for the celebration: Sherry Alberoni, Sharon Baird,
Bobby Burgess, Lonnie Burr, Tommy Cole, Cheryl Holdridge, Cubby O'Brien, Karen
Pandleton, Doreen Tracey and Mary Espinosa will once again put on their famous
Mouse Ears.
    The Mouseketeers made their national television debut during Disneyland's
live opening day special, Sunday, July 17, 1955.  And the Mickey Mouse Club TV
show premiered on October 3, 1955, and aired every weekday afternoon until
1959.  Each of the 39 original Mouseketeers was personally chosen by Walt
Disney.
    The show was revived in 1977 as "The New Mickey Mouse Club" and again in
the late 1980s as "MMC."  The new generation of Mouseketeers included future
superstars Christina Aguilera, J.C. Chasez, Ryan Gosling, Keri Russell,
Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.
    The 50th anniversary of the Mickey Mouse Club is one of many magical
moments taking place during the 18-month celebration of Disneyland's 50th
Anniversary.

     For more information contact, Valarie Sukovaty, Disneyland Press &
     Publicity at 714-781-7506, or email valarie.sukovaty@disney.com.
     Satellite Control (during feed only) 714-781-7599.
     Satellite feed free for News and Public Affairs use only