Vesey Walker Disneyland Band's leader from 1955-1970 dies at age 84
Gyalwa Karmapa, spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism Visits Disneyland
Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau of Canada Visits Disneyland
Pope Shenouda III, spiritual leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church Visits Disneyland
America's first men in space, the Mercury astronauts --Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, Sen. John Glenn, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, Donald "Deke" Slayton, and Betty Grissom, widow of Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom Visits Disneyland
Prime Minister Brian Muldoon of New Zealand Visits Disneyland
Mrs. Jomo Kenyatta, wife of the President of Kenya Visits Disneyland
Prime Minister Datuk Hussein Onn of Malaysia Visits Disneyland
U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare Joseph Califano Visits Disneyland
King Goodwill Zwelethini and Queen Mantfombe of the Zulu nation--Africa Visits Disneyland
Minister of Foreign Trade for the U.S.S.R. Nikolai Patolichev Visits Disneyland
ADDITIONS:
After two years of construction SPACE MOUNTAIN opened May 27 in Tomorrowland along with the 1,100-seat Space Stage, the 670-seat Space Place fast-food restaurant and the Starcade electronic arcade. The total cost of the complex was $20 million.
The revamped PEOPLEMOVER including a preview of "Space Mountain" and a trip through the "Superspeed Tunnel," reopened after being closed two years during the "Space Mountain" construction.
INVESTMENT: Total to date: $184 million
ATTENDANCE: A record 10.7 million
HIGHLIGHTS:
Disneyland Ambassador Susan Donald, the Park's 13th Ambassador to the World, took the spirit of Disneyland to four countries around the world including Canada, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore and 15 major cities in the United States.
Disneyland's Community Service Awards program honored charitable organizations in Orange County for the 20th year by awarding $75,000 for 57 awards, including four special bicentennial awards. The Outstanding Award was presented to Meals on Wheels.
After two years of anticipation, Disneyland opened "Space Mountain" officially on May 27. On hand to dedicate the attraction were Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard and Betty Grissom, widow of Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom.
Thanks to the opening of "Space Mountain," a Memorial Day Weekend attendance record was set at the Park, with Disneyland hosting 185,500 guests over the three-day period.
The Park also set a new attendance record over its 85-day summer season (June 18-Sept. 10) entertaining a total of 4.3 million guests during that time span.
Summer saw the second generation debut of the "Main Street Electrical Parade" with half a million lights and three-dimensional units averaging 17 feet in height. The finale unit provided an innovation by combining revolving mylar mirrors with low voltage neon tubing to create a mystical reflection of light.
The Park also debuted a new Christmas pageant, the "Very Merry Christmas Parade," featuring a light-hearted look at popular Christmas traditions.
Five new cartoon characters were introduced to Disneyland guests during the year: Bernard, Bianca, Orville and Evinrude from the Walt Disney motion picture "The Rescuers." And from "Pete's Dragon", Disneyland introduced "Elliott" a star in both of the Park's new parades.
The "Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland" was permanently closed in January after 21 years of operation. Since its opening in July of 1956, the Mine Train played host to30 million Disneyland guests.
Seven Grad Nite celebrations were attended by a record 128,900 high school seniors and their dates, representing a total of 777 schools.
The year was highlighted by a variety of special events including Small World Days, Night of Joy, Festival Japan, Festival Mexico, Angels-Disneyland Fun Day, Senior Citizens Days, Kids Days and the New Year's Eve Party. Festival Japan and Festival Mexico, new events, brought an exciting new element of entertainment to Disneyland, as cultural exhibits and cultural performers from the respective countries were flown to the Park for two-day celebrations of the spirit of brotherhood.
Top names in the music world that performed at Disneyland during 1977 included: Minnie Riperton, Elvin Bishop, Andrae Crouch and the Disciples, Andy Russell, the Sylvers, the Tavares Brothers, Les Brown, Louie Bellson, Doc Severinsen, the new Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeers, Glenn Yarbrough and the Limeliters, the Kingston Trio, and Meco.
FAMOUS GUESTS:
*Gyalwa Karmapa, spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism (February)
*Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau of Canada (April)
*Pope Shenouda III, spiritual leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church (May)
*America's first men in space, the Mercury astronauts --Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, Sen. John Glenn, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, Donald "Deke" Slayton, and Betty Grissom, widow of Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom (May)
*Prime Minister Brian Muldoon of New Zealand (June)
*Mrs. Jomo Kenyatta, wife of the President of Kenya (August)
*Prime Minister Datuk Hussein Onn of Malaysia (September)
*U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare Joseph Califano (October)
*King Goodwill Zwelethini and Queen Mantfombe of the Zulu nation--Africa (November)
*Minister of Foreign Trade for the U.S.S.R. Nikolai Patolichev (November)
*Secretary of State of Scotland the Hon. William Ross (December)
*Ambassador to the United Nations from the U.S.S.R. Oleg Troyanovsky (December)
