WASHINGTON, June 3, 2004 -- 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.

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.

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.

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

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