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Disneyland Welcomes Its 2 Billionth Customer
Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 1:41 am
by Loomis
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?secti ... id=4137048
Anaheim, May 2, 2006 - Disney parks worldwide are celebrating a huge milestone today! They welcomed their 2-billionth visitor!
The happiest place on earth was extra special today for the 2-billionth visitor.
Emmalee Mason of Colorado was surprised by all the excitement as she arrived at Disneyland Park with her family. She got the golden key to the Magic Kingdom and a lifetime pass to all eleven Disney Parks.
She served as the Grand Marshal in Disneyland's 50th Anniversay Parade.
Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 2:26 am
by AwallaceUNC
By my count, I was the 2 billionth, but no key and lifetime pass for me!
-Aaron
Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 7:54 pm
by Timon/Pumbaa fan
OMG! That girl live in the same state/city as me!
Maybe I can be the 3 billionth visitor!

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 12:17 am
by memnv
that is not fair
Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 12:44 am
by GhostHost
What exactly does the key to the magic kingdom do? Are the tickets for her whole family?
Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 2:33 pm
by Escapay
GhostHost wrote:What exactly does the key to the magic kingdom do? Are the tickets for her whole family?
It's not necessarily a *real* key, like one you use to lock and unlock doors. Usually the "key to the (place)" is a symbolic or ceremonial thing. Like when they give a superhero the key to the city. My guess is the Key to the Magic Kingdom a REALLY NICE souvenir. Maybe an oversized skeleton key with mouse ears on it, the date, and the park.
As for the tickets for the whole family, I think it's only a lifetime pass for her. After all, she's the 2 billionth guest. It'd make no sense to give lifetime passes to the 1,999,999,996th, 1,999,999,997th, 1,999,999,998th, and 1,999,999th guest (assuming four family members of hers went in ahead of her). Then people will complain "Hey, I was the 385,285,991th guest! I deserve a lifetime pass as well!"
Escapay
Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 5:08 pm
by dizfan
They gave her and her family (of 10!) lifetime passes.
Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 5:39 pm
by Escapay
dizfan wrote:They gave her and her family (of 10!) lifetime passes.
Guess I was wrong then! So it must've sucked for the family ahead or family behind them who didn't have enough members to be the lucky 2 billion...
Escapay
Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 7:08 pm
by Loomis
Escapay wrote:dizfan wrote:They gave her and her family (of 10!) lifetime passes.
Guess I was wrong then! So it must've sucked for the family ahead or family behind them who didn't have enough members to be the lucky 2 billion...
Escapay
Call me a cynic, but I suspect who is chosen may have more to do with publicity than the actual gate count. A family of 10 winning looks very good for Disney PR.
Then again, maybe I'm just jealous that it wasn't me who won the lifetime pass for all the parks

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 7:52 pm
by Escapay
Loomis wrote:Escapay wrote:
Guess I was wrong then! So it must've sucked for the family ahead or family behind them who didn't have enough members to be the lucky 2 billion...
Escapay
Call me a cynic, but I suspect who is chosen may have more to do with publicity than the actual gate count. A family of 10 winning looks very good for Disney PR.
Now that you mention it, I remember reading in one of the Mouse Tales books (either the first or the second), that the Disney PR people did that (choose the guest) for the X-number-th guest, and that since they were negotiating with France for construction of DLP, they chose a French girl.
Escapay