Ten Blaisdell Center ticket windows will open at 6 a.m. tomorrow to launch individual ticket sales for "The Lion King," the highly anticipated Broadway musical premiering Sept. 15 at Blaisdell Concert Hall.

Between 500 and 1,000 ticket-buyers are expected to be in line by the time the box office opens at 6 a.m., but the crowds could be significantly larger. For three hours, from 6 to 9 a.m., tickets will be sold exclusively at the Blaisdell; at 9 a.m., online and phone sales will be available from Ticketmaster.

Early arrivals at the Blaisdell will get coffee and breakfast pastries, even smoothies, from Starbucks and Times Supermarket, beginning at 5 a.m. The Honolulu Advertiser will hand out morning papers and there will be entertainment and prizes.

The first 100 in line will receive "The Lion King" cast album, and there will be logo T-shirts for all ticket buyers (one shirt per ticket order).

It's all about making the box office launch an "event," said Jack G. Lucas, president of Spokane, Wash.-based WestCoast Entertainment, which is presenting "The Lion King" in its first Honolulu visit.

"It's like the show itself; we'll raise the bar for an on-sale (event), to make it fun. We want this (box office opening) to be something nobody's ever done before us, and something nobody's going to do after us," Lucas said.

"Crowds vary from city to city. But one consistent thing happens — we create excitement, which generates enthusiasm, so it's not just an on-sale thing — it's an event."

Promoters and officials are ready for the onslaught; security will be on hand, and Mayor Mufi Hannemann plans to greet ticket buyers personally Saturday morning.

There is no set time that the line can begin; it starts when the first buyer shows up.

"The minute the first person stands in line at the box office, security will be called" to watch over ticket buyers, said StarrPR's Mei Jeanne Wagner, local press representative for the Honolulu-bound musical.

"We'll continue to sell tickets all day, till the last person in line is taken care of," said Lucas. Traditionally, the box office would close at 6 p.m.

There will be no token distribution. Lawn chairs and sleeping bags will be allowed. And Blaisdell restrooms near the box office will be open.

Tickets for a six-week run, through Oct. 28, will be on sale, though the Tony Award-winning play has the Blaisdell on hold until December for potential extensions.

"We're encouraged by group sales (under way for several months) but we're very excited about the Saturday box-office opening," said Lucas, by phone from Spokane; he declined to give specifics on the ticket sales.

Lucas is scheduled to arrive in Honolulu today but has an advance person already here.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com.