Hong Kong Disneyland has celebrated the "Topping Off" of its Sleeping Beauty Castle.

It is a major milestone in the theme park's construction and signals that the first Disney vacation destination in China is on schedule to open by late 2005 or early 2006.

Hundreds of guests including government officials, business and community leaders, as well as future employees gathered at the Hong Kong Disneyland site for the first time since the park's ground-breaking ceremony in January 2003.

Hong Kong Disneyland's design is based on the original park in southern California. The entertainment venue will hire approximately 500 people to become the first-generation of Hong Kong Disneyland "Cast Members".

The Hong Kong Government estimates that the first phase of the project will generate 148 billion Hong Kong dollars, or 19 billion US dollars, in benefits over a 40-year period.

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