Hong Kong Disneyland is giving away 20,000 tickets to underprivileged members of the community, who will visit the park next month before its grand opening in September, local newspaper said on Sunday.

Priority will be given to children from poor and immigrant families, the disabled and people affected by the 2003 SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak, the South China Morning Post quote the local Disney office as saying.

The free tickets would be valid for Disney's Community Caring Days on Aug. 30 to Aug. 31. Hong Kong's social welfare department will oversee the distribution and its service units and non-governmental organizations will soon be invited to apply to tickets.

The theme park is scheduled to open on Sept. 12, and tickets for opening day and the first 90 days is already on sale. 

(Xinhua News Agency July 4, 2005)