Disneyland's 47th Birthday
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Danny Rodriguez was born and raised in Brooklyn, in the Sunset Park section.

Although he'd been to Walt Disney World a few times, as a kid he'd dreamed of going to Disneyland. He fully realized the difference, he said, when he was in Walt's apartment this weekend. (It was his very first time visiting Disneyland, and he got a tour as well as rehearsal). It finally hit him, as he stood there, that this Walt's park. He'd lived here; he'd made the dedication speech right where he'd been standing a few minutes earlier.

When Daniel started in the music business, he wanted to be in a Disney live show like Kids of the Kingdom or Hunchback, he says. When Cynthia announced that Mickey Mouse would be presenting his award, Danny took a visible gasp and clutched his microphone to his chest, as excited as a little kid.

Such is the power of Mickey Mouse. At that moment, his dream came true; he got to sing in a Disney park with Mickey Mouse by his side.

In the future, Danny says he hopes to be working on a tentatively-planned Disney symphonic concert. Asked if he'd ever think of working on a cd of Disney songs, Danny said, "Oh, I'd love to do that."