"It's a fabulous, fabulous movie," Mr. Proulx said. "We came all the way for this. It's just great. As for the story, it caters to children as well as adults. It's based on a theme of getting along with people you don't know, different races, different cultures, protecting the environment."

After heated debate about whether the city should be holding such an event in a public park, frenzied planning for security, and efforts to mount the intricate technology for the screening, the overall mood was decidedly mellow throughout the day. Police officials reported that one man was fined for selling the free tickets for $20 each, but no major problems were reported. There were some complaints that the Great Lawn filled so quickly that some ticketholders were forced to sit behind it.

The majority of the tickets to the event had been given away in advance in a random lottery to those who responded to newspaper advertisements. There were reports that Disney officials handed out some tickets the day of the event to people who showed up at the park.

Live entertainment began early in the afternoon, as parents sought the best space to see a screen and escorted children to the hundreds of portable toilets lining the perimeter of the Great Lawn. Because thousands of people had thronged intoCentral Park by early yesterday afternoon, Disney officials opened the gates at 2 P.M., an hour early.

While the premiere unfolded smoothly, what happened in the days before had almost as many plot twists as the film, this being New York.

There were scalpers -- or at least rumors of scalpers -- selling the free tickets for as much as $50. There were charges that hundreds of tickets had been unfairly distributed to city employees and assorted big shots. There was talk that the police would be checking the free tickets.

And there was the audio backdrop of former Mayor Edward I. Koch and others complaining that the city had no business holding a commercial event in Central Park, a place for softball players, Rollerbladers, sunbathers and nature lovers.