OT: US Disney stamp PR

Fri Jun 4 03:24:21 CEST 2004

Press Release Source: U.S. Postal Service 

U.S. Postal Service to Honor Mickey Mouse and Friends
on Stamps, Postal Cards and Stationery June 23
Thursday June 3, 5:35 pm ET 

WASHINGTON, June 3 2004 /PRNewswire/ -- Disneyland, as
the "Happiest Place on Earth," will become even more
animated on Wednesday, June 23, when the U.S. Postal
Service dedicates The Art of Disney: Friendship, as a
set of four commemorative postage stamps honoring
friendship as it appears in the art of Walt Disney.
The stamps feature Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck
and a host of Disney friends. And thanks to a new set
of stamped postal cards and stamped stationery
available that day, the Postal Service and Disney are
making it easy to write home.
(Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031230/DCTU018 )
The 10 a.m. (Pacific Time) first-day-of-issue
dedication ceremony at the world-famous Disneyland
Resort in Anaheim, CA, is open to a limited number of
guests. To make reservations, call 1-800-5-MICKEY
starting June 4.

"With this stamp pane, the U.S. Postal Service honors
the 'art' of friendship as portrayed by Walt Disney
and his studio animators," said Postmaster General
John Potter, who will dedicate the stamps. He will be
joined by Walt Disney Company Chief Executive Officer
Michael Eisner. "Now, with the help of some famous
friends -- who are also some of Disney's most beloved
animated characters -- it's easy to add a cheerful
touch to your envelopes," Potter added.

Anaheim, as host city to the event, holds the unique
distinction of being the only city in the nation where
the stamps, postal cards and stationery will be
available June 23. Mickey and his friends will be
available at Post Offices and Philatelic Centers
nationwide June 24.

Guests who wish to enter Disneyland only to view the
ceremony must call 1-800-5-MICKEY beginning at 9 a.m.
(Pacific Time) June 4 to make reservations, since
space is limited. Regular admission to Disneyland Park
or Disney's California Adventure park is not included.
Guests who purchase admission and plan to spend the
day at Disneyland need not make reservations for the
stamp ceremony.

The Art of Disney: Friendship self-adhesive 37-cent
stamps, available in panes of twenty, feature
world-famous Disney friends on four stamp designs. 

    * Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck as the
perfect fun-loving group.
      Mickey Mouse made his debut on Nov. 18, 1928, in
the first synchronized
      sound cartoon, "Steamboat Willie." With help
from his pals Goofy and the
      "fowl-tempered" Donald Duck, clever little
Mickey quickly became an
      American icon.

    * Bambi and Thumper as childhood best friends.  A
friend can make good
      times even more fun and make bad times more
bearable. In Walt Disney's
      "Bambi" (1942), an energetic rabbit named
Thumper becomes a lifelong
      friend to a young deer. Thumper accompanies
Bambi in both pleasurable
      pursuits, such as their winter adventures on
ice, and in adversity.

    * Mufasa and Simba show the powerful bond between
parent and child.  Our
      parents can be our best friends, as the cub
Simba learns in "The Lion
      King" (1994) when his father, Mufasa, comes to
his rescue after Simba is
      chased by hyenas. Simba idolizes Mufasa and
hopes to grow up to be just
      like him.

    * Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket exemplify a
mentoring relationship.
      Sometimes, as in Walt Disney's animated film
classic, "Pinocchio"
      (1940), a friend acts as our conscience and
keeps us out of trouble --
      or, at least, tries to. After he is magically
brought to life, the
      wooden marionette Pinocchio is assisted by
diminutive Jiminy Cricket in
      his effort to become a real boy.

The 37-cent stamps and the booklet of twenty, 23-cent
stamped postal cards will be available at Post Offices
and Philatelic Centers nationwide on June 24. A
colorful 37-cent stamped stationery pad containing
12-sheets of the four designs will make it even easier
to keep in touch with friends for just $14.95. The
stationery pad will be available in select Post Office
locations and at Philatelic Centers.

For Disney memorabilia fans, there are a host of other
collectables, including a 

    * set of four 8 x 10 inch stamp-affixed Disney
Prints depicting each of
      the stamps for $14.95;

    * composite 18 x 10 inch stamp-affixed Disney
Metallic Print for $14.95;
      and,

    * Disney Cancellation Keepsake for $10.40.

To see The Art of Disney: Friendship stamps visit the
online Postal Store at http://www.usps.com/shop and
click on "Release Schedule" in the Collector's Corner.

Current U.S. stamps and stationery, as well as a free
catalog, are available by toll-free phone order at 1
800 STAMP-24. In addition, a selection of stamps and
other philatelic items are available at the online
Postal Store at http://www.usps.com/shop.
Custom-framed prints of original stamp art are
available at http://www.postalartgallery.com.

Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected
friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail.
An independent federal agency, the Postal Service
makes deliveries to more than 141 million addresses
every day and is the only service provider to deliver
to every address in the nation. The Postal Service
receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations,
but derives its operating revenues solely from the
sale of postage, products and services. With annual
revenues of more than $68 billion, it is the world's
leading provider of mail and delivery services,
offering some of the most affordable postage rates in
the world. Moreover, today's postage rates will remain
stable until at least 2006. The U.S. Postal Service
delivers more than 43 percent of the world's mail
volume -- some 202 billion letters, advertisements,
periodicals and packages a year -- and serves seven
million customers each day at its 38,000 retail
locations nationwide.

How to Order the First Day of Issue Postmark

Customers have 30 days to obtain the first day of
issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps
at their local Post Office, by telephone at 800-
STAMP-24, and at the Postal Store Web site at
http://www.usps.com/shop. They should affix the stamps
to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes
(to themselves or others), and place them in a larger
envelope addressed to: 

     DISNEY: FRIENDSHIP STAMPS
     POSTMASTER
     701 N. LOARA STREET
     ANAHEIM CA  92803-9998

After applying the first day of issue postmark, the
Postal Service will return the envelopes through the
mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders
must be postmarked by July 22, 2004.

How to Order the First Day Covers

Stamp Fulfillment Services also offers first day
covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service
stationery items postmarked with the official first
day of issue cancellation. Each item has an individual
catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA
Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free
catalog by telephoning 800-STAMP-24 or writing to: 

     INFORMATION FULFILLMENT
     DEPT 6270
     US POSTAL SERVICE
     PO BOX 219014
     KANSAS CITY MO  64121-9014

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: U.S. Postal Service

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