ORLANDO, Fla (UPI) -- Inside the Magic Kingdom a man forgets he had to stand in line 10 minutes to board a tram 30 minutes to get a seat on a monorail and is ordered around constantly by fresh looking teenagers in snappy costumes.
Thats the magic of Walt Disney World, the $400 million showplace which admitted its first paying customers today.
Newsmen and hundreds of school children conducted a dry run at the amusement complex Thursday.
Some called it Disneyland East. A disgruntled workman compared it to a high-priced carnival and an awe-struck sixth-grader exclaimed, "Pinch me Im dreaming!"
But the most excited of all will be the family standing at the "lucky" entrance today, the one turnstile among 32 which opened at random.
The first family will be instant celebrities, get a VIP tour of the amusement complex and receive a lifetime pass to Walt Disney World.
From the fields of tourism, real estate, transportation, and traffic control have come predictions that Walt Disney World would cause a metamorphosis of central Florida, and perhaps the tourist flow throughout the state
But the statisticians will have to wait awhile, and the opening day crowd was interested more in Donald Duck and Goofy than in Chamber of Commerce reports.
The hotelmen reported there were still plenty of rooms available in the area even with the influx of hundreds of newsmen for opening day.
In fact there will probably be more whoop-dee-do Oct 23-25 when the park is officially dedicated.
The 20,000 acre amusement complex not only encompasses the familiar Disney rides and attractions but new features, resort hotels, golf, horseback riding, and plans are being made for the Disney organization to run an ocean-front resort 50 miles east of here for families who wish to combine an amusement park vacation with a trip to a Florida beach.
It will cost the average family of four about $30 per day at the park, eat a meal, and visit several of the big attractions.
