Tutu to Visit Disneyland Today at Child’s Urging

Acting on a grandchild’s request, Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu will be making an unscheduled stop today at Disneyland, where he and his party of 17 plan to tour the world-famous amusement park.

The South African cleric, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader of the struggle against apartheid, had planned a weeklong series of speeches and sermons in Orange and Los Angeles counties. But on Thursday an aide told Disneyland officials that Tutu’s party--and especially his 3-year-old grandson, Xabiso Tutu--wanted to visit the park.

The aide did not specify what attractions the little boy wanted to see, but, according to Disneyland spokesman Bob Roth, the aide did make one request: “The Rev. Tutu wants the little boy to have the time of his life.”

Tutu, Xabiso, Tutu’s wife, Leah, daughters Mpho Tutu, Thandi Tutu and Naomi Tutu as well as family friends and Episcopal Church officials are expected to arrive at the park’s main gate at 12:30 p.m. They will sign the VIP guest book, meet Mickey Mouse and spend part of the day touring Fantasyland, which offers a carousel as well as attractions based on fairy-tales.

At Tutu’s request, most of the nearly six-hour visit will be private--away from reporters and photographers, Roth said, so the archbishop and his 17-member entourage “can be like everyone else when they’re in the park.”

Well, not quite like everyone else, he conceded. As guests of Disneyland, Bishop Tutu and his party will not have to pay the admission of $25.50 for adults, $20.50 for children ages 3 to 11. Also, the Tutu group will be treated to lunch and probably escorted to the front of all lines.

Also arriving at the park this morning will be another dignitary--Zhu Quizhen, the Chinese ambassador to the United States, and his wife. An official of the People’s Republic of China Consulate in Los Angeles said the couple, who live in Washington, would spend the entire day at Disneyland. They also will get VIP treatment--a free and very private tour, Roth said.

Tutu is making his first visit to Orange County with his trip to Disneyland, but he plans to return here Monday at 7:30 p.m. when he speaks at Santa Ana High School. That visit is being hosted by the Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Santa Ana.

He is also scheduled to deliver two sermons in Pasadena on Sunday and will appear at Cal State Long Beach on Monday before his arrival in Santa Ana. Tutu also has appearances scheduled at Caltech in Pasadena and at UCLA on Tuesday.

Tutu, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his anti-apartheid efforts, is expected to discuss the recent dramatic turn of events in South Africa, including the release of African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela.

Tutu and Zhu are the latest in a long line of luminaries who have visited Disneyland in the past 30 years. Park records show there have been cosmonauts and astronauts, princesses and prime ministers, presidents and would-be presidents--not to mention a couple of kings.

Almost every famous visitor has taken in the Matterhorn roller coaster and several other rides, he said. But there have been exceptions.

“When (Japanese) Emperor Hirohito was here in October, 1975, for a very brief time, he spent the majority of his time watching our bicentennial parade,” Roth said. Roth noted that a child of about 7 or 8 got into the VIP seating area and climbed into the Emperor’s lap, and Hirohito “treated him as if he were his own child,” letting him stay through the rest of the parade.

Each time a celebrity comes to Disneyland, “I think we’re honored,” Roth said. “It’s a feather in our cap. It says what this place is all about . . . that people want to see a real piece of the United States.”

When Tutu returns to Orange County on Monday, the program at Santa Ana High School will also include an appearance by the Saint Joseph’s Ballet Company, accompanied by the Biola University Gospel Choir.

Parishioners from the program’s organizer, the Episcopal Church of the Messiah, were granted the first opportunity to buy tickets for the speech. They and other local leaders and residents snapped up the 1,500 available tickets within 10 days and are “very excited” about the visit, said Leonora Will, an organizer of the event.

“The Anglican Church in South Africa has played an important role in the struggle,” Will said. “We’re very proud and excited that he’s coming.”

While Tutu’s Monday visit to Orange County is expected to be peaceful, Will noted that “there are security concerns wherever the archbishop goes because he and his family have received death threats in the past.” She added that organizers of the visit have taken security measures that are required by the county and that Santa Ana police will be on hand, but no unusual security arrangements are planned.

At Disneyland, Roth declined to comment on the park’s security plans for today.