I just found something that I had copied and sent to myself on another e-mail account in July of 2005. It comes from a news report, but not sure the newspaper. Probably the Orlando Sentinel. Sometimes it pays never to delete e-mail!
Anyway, here is a copy of the speech Diane Disney Miller gave on July 17, 2005, to re-dedicate Disneyland, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary:
Diane Disney Miller Rededicates Disneyland
On July 17, 2005, in the forecourt of Sleeping Beauty Castle, Walt Disney's eldest daughter, Diane Disney Miller, rededicated Disneyland on the occasion of its 50th Anniversary. Her comments:
"Thank you for your kind welcome! It is truly wonderful to be here to celebrate this milestone occasion with everyone who is here and to honor my father's vision - - his 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... we're all cousins almost the whole first three rows here.... and Art Linkletter is here... and that is the best! I love you, Art Linkletter. Thank you. Happy Birthday!
Some of you who are here today, were here then, fifty 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." 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 Rev. 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. Linda and her brothers David and Paul were here with their parents fifty years ago.
Dad's vision called for this, for Disneyland, 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 that a lot of people would resist too much change, because they loved some of the original attractions so much. But the creativity and skill of those who developed the attractions... the talent and dedication of every cast member, the good will and good spirits of everyone who has been a part of this wonderful experience through these past fifty 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, fulfilling his hopes and expectations.
Now I don't expect to be here for the 100th anniversary, but I'm 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. Thank you."
(Invoking Walt's original 1955 dedication) "To all who come to this happy place... Welcome."
—Diane Disney Miller July 17, 2005
