Some of you might remember my post from September where I posted an unidentified (to me at least!) photo of a guest with Disneyland Marketing Director Jack Lindquist, standing at the podium at Main Street Train Station. It wasn’t long before a reader identified the mystery girl as Valerie Suldo (sorry, Major - I know you were hoping it was bachelorette #1), 100 millionth guest of Disneyland, in June 1971. I was able to get in touch with Valerie and she was kind enough to send these additional photos from that memorable day.
Here, Pluto, Mickey, and Goofy are changing the sign at the Main Street Train Station. I don’t believe this is something I’ve ever seen in a photo or in person...always wondered who changed the number, how often, and when it occurred.
Here’s Valerie in Town Square looking like a pageant winner with her sash!
Valerie looks like a celebrity being mobbed in this shot that includes the other not-so-lucky guests of the day and Mickey:
Personally, this type of thing is truly a wow. To be able to put something unknown on the web, have it identified in a matter of hours, and then be put in contact with the person in the photo (which was taken 30+ years ago!) is just amazing to me. Another reason to be thankful for this blog and my readers.
See more Disneyland Main Street Train Station photos at my website.
5 comments:
This is an amazing set! Thanks for sharing Valerie's special day.
She's really very attractive and looks quite personable in the photos. A Miss "Everyday" America. The last, candid picture is particularly winning.
To be blunt: I wonder if you don't see these "millionth customer" promos anymore because its now impossible to trust to chance that your true, millionth customer is going to be somebody you want involved in a publicity campaign.
And how would you even count the guests? Do you count Annual Passholders more than once a year? Do you count a family on vacation each day they visit the park? There's plenty of room there for intepretation.
What is Valerie up to these days? I have the "100 Million" button in my archive. It was handed out to the park employees (me being one at the time). Nice post.
How the heck did you manage to get in touch with her? Amazing. I was just a lad in 1971, but I liked mature women, so I would have definitely liked Valerie to be bachelorette #1!
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