The arrest of the 32 protesters, many of whom wore costumes representing famous Disney characters, came at the end of an hour-long march to Disneyland's gates from one of three Disney-owned hotels at the center of a labor dispute.

Those who were arrested sat in a circle on a busy intersection outside the park holding hands until they were placed in plastic handcuffs and led to two police vans while hundreds of hotel workers cheered and chanted.

The protesters were arrested on a misdemeanor count of failure to obey a police officer and two traffic infractions, and were expected to be booked and released later Thursday, said Sgt. Rick Martinez of the Anaheim police.

Bewildered tourists in Disney T-shirts and caps, some pushing strollers, filed past the commotion and gawked at the costumed picketers getting hauled away. The protest shut down a major thoroughfare outside Disneyland and California Adventure for nearly an hour.

"It's changing my opinion of Disneyland," said tourist Amanda Kosato, who was visiting from north of Melbourne, Australia. "Taking away entitlements stinks."

The dispute involves about 2,300 maids, bell hops, cooks and dishwashers at three Disney-owned hotels: the Paradise Pier, the Grand Californian and the Disneyland Hotel.

The workers' contract expired in February and their union says Disney's latest proposal makes health care unaffordable for hundreds of employees and creates an unfair two-tier wage system. The union also says Disney wants to create a new category of part-time employees who would receive greatly reduced benefits.

"The other hotels around the area all have health care that is provided by the boss and have been able to get wage increases," said Ava Briceno, president of Unite Here Local 681, which represents the workers.

"At the other hotels in the same classification, for the same work, the workers get paid $2 to $3 an hour more."

Disney spokeswoman Lisa Haines said that Disney and the union are in negotiations and nothing has been finalized. She said workers have protested 14 times but sat down to negotiate only 11 times in the past six months.

"Clearly we're disappointed that Unite Here Local 681 has spent more time protesting," she said. "Publicity stunts are not productive and are extremely disruptive to the resort district."

Before the arrests, the picketers marched and chanted outside Paradise Pier, holding signs that read, "Disney is unfaithful," and "Mickey, shame on you." They were joined by community activists and religious leaders from local churches.

Luz Vasquez, who works in the bakery at Disneyland Hotel, said she can't afford to lose many of her benefits. She said it's already hard to care for her three grandchildren and aging mother while earning $14.32 an hour.

"Disneyland is being unfair with us because we're fighting for our health care and they're trying to take it away," said Vasquez, 45. "They're trying to cut our hours and take away our seniority."

Co-worker Diane Dominguez, 50, said she was worried about losing health care because of the heavy labor involved in lifting mattresses, moving furniture and making dozens of beds a day. She also said rising prices and the cost of gas were eating into her salary of $11.11 an hour.

"The most important is health care. We need that and they want to take it away," she said.

At the heart of the issue is a free health care plan that has been provided to Disney hotel workers through a trust fund that Disney and other unionized hotels in the area pay into.

Briceno said that in exchange for the free medical plan, union members agreed in previous contracts to a lower wage for hotel workers in the first three years of their employment.

But Disney now wants to eliminate the free health plan for new hires and wants to create a new class of workers who put in less than 30 hours a week, said Briceno. Those part-time workers would receive no sick or vacation pay and not be given holidays, she said.

The company also wants to increase the number of hours full-time employees must work before qualifying for the health plan, she said.

"At the end of the day what it means is that workers are going to be priced out of health care," she said.

Haines said the majority of other employees at Disneyland pay for a share of their health plan, even though the resort shoulders about 75 percent of the overall cost. She said it's important to negotiate a contract that's fair to those other unions, too.

Enter my friend Sandra. She's well aware of my quirky obsessions, but having never experienced me in full Disney mode, she actually requested that we make a pilgrimage to Anaheim so she could see me in full Mickey glory. Who am I to say no? I even took it so far as to suggest that we turn ourselves into Disney Princesses for 24 hours. But just so she didn't get the wrong impression of my maturity level, I decided we should split our princess time two ways: first as adults, then as kids.

The Adult Way:

The Disneyland Resort is only about a 45-minute drive outside of Los Angeles (on a good, no-traffic day), but even so I feel it necessary to fully immerse myself in the Disney experience by spending the night in Anaheim the day before our theme park excursion, ensuring we'd be there for rope drop the next morning (this is when they play Walt Disney's opening speech on Main Street, then drop the rope that sections off the park to visitors until they're ready to roll for the day.) So to start our Disney odyssey, Sandra and I checked in at the Grand Californian Hotel. The Grand Californian is situated on the Downtown Disney strip, just a short walk away from the parks themselves... and if you're lucky, your room will overlook Disney's California Adventure. The hotel really is amazing, built with a California craftsman aesthetic that carries through from the dramatic lobby area - complete with cozy couches and a centerpiece fireplace perfect for bedtime stories - all the way up to your room.

Sandra and I stayed just long enough to drop off our bags and took off for the AMC Theatres for a showing of Sex and the City. We'd assumed that in the throes of the movie's release that chances were the least occupied theatre would be in Downtown Disney. And we were right. We shared the theatre with a handful of die-hards and paid homage to Carrie and the girls with bottled water and a bag of popcorn, then spilled out into the California sunshine to let our wallets do the walking through the shopping district. We sniffed all the candles in Illuminations, tested body lotions in Basin, snooped through stylish offerings at Vault 28, and drooled over jewelry at Something Silver.

Finally, we had an appetite for dinner at Napa Rose. Napa Rose makes its home in the Grand Californian and continues the Californian theme through its menu, focusing on locally-sourced cuisine and wines from the Napa Valley. Master sommelier Michael Jordan chose the perfect wines to go with our meal starting with Portobello Mushroom Bisque "Cappuccino" and Brandied Thyme "Froth" alongside Winter Endive & Duck Confit Salad, followed by our mains: Roasted Breast of Pheasant on a Ragù of Butternut Squash, Wild Mushrooms, Parsnip and Pecans, and Braised Short Rib of Angus Beef with Pumpkin Risotto, Baby Brussel Sprouts and a Rich Zinfandel Wine Sauce. Everything was melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

As if that weren't enough, the icing on the cake came in the form of a visit to the Mandara Spa. After showering down and unwinding in the steam room, I partook in one of the best hot stone massages I've ever experienced, while Sandra detoxed with an Elemis Aroma Spa Ocean Wrap - made with freeze-dried seaweed - that left her glowing by treatment's end. It was the perfect way to wind down our adult princess day.

The Kid Way:

By 7am the next morning Sandra and I were ready to be kids. We leapt out of bed and hurriedly dressed and primped so we could take advantage of early entry, a treat offered to Disney hotel guests that grants them access to Disneyland a full hour before regular guests. It's the perfect opportunity to knock out all those attractions that have never-ending lines, like the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage in Tomorrowland, or Peter Pan's Flight in Fantasyland. We were able to ride many of the attractions that get overloaded during busy park days, then made our way to the Carnation Café for a quickie breakfast. The bakery has a multitude of delicious offerings ranging from healthy muffins to not so healthy but oh so delicious cinnamon buns. It was the perfect fuel we needed to work our way through Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin... you name it, we rode it - and squealed with girlish glee as we did.

By lunchtime Sandra and I decided to make our way over to Disney's California Adventure, where we hunkered down at the Farmer's Market for lunch. The meal of choice? Smoked turkey legs so large they beg you to wear a Viking helmet while you eat them. They were perfect for on-the-fly eating, as we didn't want to waste precious riding time, and the refreshment stand had fresh fruit, veggie sticks, pickles and more - a great alternative to the burger-rama style of eating. After tearing through Tower of Terror, California Screamin', Grizzly River Rapids and more, we made our way back over to Disneyland for pot roast and salads at the Plaza Inn - the perfect spot to dine and peek through the trees at the passing parade.

Our grand finale moment as kid princesses came in the form of VIP seating for Fantasmic!, Disneyland's mixture of live action, animation and fireworks that takes place on Tom Sawyer's Island. The show is so popular that purists set up camp on the Rivers of America hours before the show starts, but VIP seating gives you the best view in the house without having to stake your claim. With a fabulous unobstructed view of all the action, we clapped and cheered along with the crowd as Mickey took us on a journey through his imagination. The crowd cleared after the show, and continued to thin the closer we got to closing time - making it easy to walk on many of the best rides in the park. As the clock struck 12, Sandra and I begrudgingly - and exhaustedly - headed for Main Street toward the exits, our inner children properly satiated.

Then he and his companion, Donna Broder, watched a magnificent tiger splash playfully in the moat of an absolutely convincing but totally fake Indian temple ruin. They were entranced, and they were right to be.

Here we go.

Epcot

Everyone knows about the country pavilions. If you squint a little, you can almost talk yourself into thinking you actually are in Marrakech — unless of course you've actually been there, in which case you know it's way too orderly. And so it is with almost all the international stops in Epcot.

Exceptions to the unrealism: The market space that's part of the China Pavilion is an absolute ringer for some of the country's traditional tourist-centric "friendship" stores; the same pavilion's exhibit of the Terra Cotta Army, though scaled down, is astonishingly accurate; the same pavilion's acrobats are just like (and, of course, probably are) Shanghai's; and the pub part of the Rose & Crown in the United Kingdom Pavilion is perfect. All of which, except maybe the acrobats, will bore children, also perfect.

It's possible for grown-ups to eat and/or drink their way around the world without leaving the World Showcase or waiting for a table.

Within a couple of hours, I sampled and mostly enjoyed, in order: guacamole (Mexico; $2.95), lefse (Norway; $1.99), pot stickers (China; $4.99), a fat pretzel ($3.29) and a Beck's beer ($7; both at Germany), a cannoli (Italy; $3.99), miso soup (Japan; $2.29), mint tea (Morocco, $2) and a Boddington ale (England; $3.95).

A couple of good rides (and yes, there are rides at Epcot), including one adults absolutely should not miss:

Mission: SPACE puts you at the controls, sort of, of a space vehicle under the leadership of Gary Sinise.

Soarin' — the unmissable — is absolutely wonderful. It's all euphoria. It's also low-impact, for the ride-wary and bad-of-back. People who have problems with heights might hesitate to do this, but they should just grab somebody's hand and hang on. That's all I'm going to tell you. Trust me.

Hollywood Studios

This was formerly Disney-MGM Studios, which in fact looked (and looks) like a Mickey Mouse version of Universal Orlando's Hollywood layout.

There are two major thrill rides: the Rockin' Roller Coaster and, at the end of mock Sunset Boulevard, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Didn't ride this roller coaster, but Jeff Hoover, 46, a coaster buff from Minneapolis, did. "Once is enough," he said.

But don't miss the Tower of Terror. If you've ever wondered how it would feel to be the ice in a martini shaker (and who hasn't?), you'll get your answer here.

Indiana Jones' Epic Stunt Spectacular isn't quite epic but is a fun little show and a good excuse to get off your feet for a bit and watch things explode. If you have any problems at all with motion sickness, avoid the Star Wars flight simulator.

Downtown Disney and Boardwalk

Boardwalk, a Disney resort complex, is linked with Downtown Disney here because 1) it has a couple of grown-up magnets: an ESPN Club sports bar (what you'd expect) and the recommendable Flying Fish Cafe (mostly seafood, as you'd expect); 2) it has the Atlantic Dance Hall, if you like to shake your whatevers; and 3) I don't know where else to put it.

Downtown Disney opened late 1997, created just for us adults as an opportunity to get a rest from both Disney-ness and from all those baby strollers, and as a place to drop yet more cash. It has, among other stuff, a House of Blues, a Planet Hollywood, Cuban, Italian and seafood restaurants (try the too-good and too-expensive-for-kiddies $15 crab cake starter at Fulton's Crab House), a Wolfgang Puck all-purpose food court and — as adult as you can get at a Disney property — a cigar store.

And there's La Nouba, a Cirque du Soleil production that celebrates its 10th birthday in December. Kids may sleep through it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing except that tickets start at $55; grown-ups will pay more and be enthralled. This is a good one.

Finally, linked to Downtown Disney by bridges, there's Pleasure Island, named for the island in Pinocchio where bad little boys who overindulged turned themselves into jackasses. It isn't that — but it also isn't what it used to be.

"This place used to have an ambience," said Brian, 42, a veteran Pleasure Islander. "People would just walk through and it was a party. It's not even close to that anymore."

But you'd better hurry if you want dance-the-night-away fun at Pleasure Island. On Sept. 27, the six clubs — 8Trax, Mannequin Dance Palace, BET Soundstage Club, Motion, a Comedy Warehouse and Adventurers Club — will close. During the next couple years, Disney will re-imagine the party district. To make it more "family friendly."

Golf

Of the 6 zillion courses in Central Florida, four are on Disney property: Osprey Ridge, Lake Buena Vista, Palm and Magnolia. Most popular: the last two, particularly Magnolia.

"It's the fan favorite," says Rodney Green, the two courses' manager and director of instruction, "for the simple reason it's the course that Tiger Woods plays."

His own favorite: Osprey Ridge, a Tom Fazio-designed course.

The Mickey Hole, No. 6 on Magnolia, is a par 3 with a sand bunker shaped like those ears guarding the green.

"That," says Green, "makes it about as Disney as you can get."

Animal Kingdom

In a very true-life way, it's almost the anti-Epcot. Animal Kingdom's mini-Mombasa isn't sanitized (like Epcot's Marrakech) but appears age- and weather-worn, exactly like the colonial-era remnant towns that dot East Africa.

Grown-ups who have done the real thing, and those who haven't but are curious about the real thing, should not miss Kilimanjaro Safari. The way the open-sided trucks bounce along the dirt roads, and the sense of excitement in rounding a bend and seeing zebras and wildebeests, and cheetahs and gazelles, and elephants, sure gives you a strong hint of what it's like.

As for Expedition Everest — it's a marvelously entertaining roller coaster that's set up by a marvelously entertaining series of Yeti-themed bits.

In sum: Better for grown-ups than it is for kids, who will nonetheless have a non-whining good time if you keep them watered.

The Magic Kingdom

Unless you have a bad back, Space Mountain is a pretty good roller coaster, mostly in the dark, with dips and tight turns and sudden jolts. Mickey's PhilharMagic is a 3-D movie (plus other surprise effects) mainly starring Donald Duck at his most manic, and it's very funny — like a great Warner Bros. cartoon (sorry, Walt) and far too good for children.

I never miss going on Peter Pan's Flight. Personal fetish. You don't have to.

A dining note: First hotel on the monorail from the Magic Kingdom is Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, which is very expensive (from $385) primarily because it's the first hotel on the monorail from the Magic Kingdom. It's home to Victoria & Albert's, the hotel's gourmet experience mentioned before that, as of this year (and at long last), bans children younger than 10.

Incredibly, until the ban there were people who would bring 4-year-olds here and pay the required $125 prix fixe for the little dickenses. ("Now, Cornelius, eat your chanterelles or no creme brulee! Cornelius, stop playing with your chard this minute!")

Not anymore — and everybody wins. "No kid," said a server, "wants to sit for three hours." It's a great res

If you go

Walt Disney World

Pupils and staff at Ysgol yr Eos staged their annual two-night summer concert at the Soar Centre to bring a close to the school year.

The concert was called, Walt's Wonderful World of Music and featured the school children performing songs, dances and gymnastics to a range of music from Walt Disney films.

Each of the concerts began with a "fanfare" from the school's brass band which brought the curtain up on an evening's entertainment.

The musical numbers were followed by narration from pupils about the relevant films.

Some of the films featured in the children's performances were: Snow White, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, The Jungle Book, Aladdin, The Lion King and the more recent High School Musical.

Among the show's many highlights were the school's year one children as the seven dwarfs performing the song "Heigh Ho!", and the children of year three, dressed as fish and crustaceans, singing and dancing to the song, Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid.

Ebony Denton put in a great performance, singing I've Got No Strings, from Pinocchio while Kelsey Bassett, Caitlin Thomas, Kyle Barratt and Joseph Roberts took the part of puppets and puppet masters respectively.

For the finale, the school choir performed Can You Feel the Love, from The Lion King and pupils from Class 6B sang We're All in This Together from High School Musical.

Irwyn Wilcox, headteacher at Ysgol yr Eos, said he was very proud of the children's efforts, in this, the last school concert he would attend before leaving for a Fishguard primary school in September.

He said: "I would like to thank the parents for their all-round support of the concert and its preparations.

"And the entire staff for all of the extra time and hard work they put in towards making the show a success."

Special guest at the performance was RCT Mayor Margaret Davies – a welcome supporter of many of the school's events during the past year.

At the end of the second performance, Mr Wilcox introduced his successor Marilyn Borland.

"Advance showings of top-quality programming is another reason why FiOS TV is the ultimate home-entertainment experience," said Shawn Strickland, vice president of video solutions for Verizon. "We know that families are looking for this kind of family entertainment, and we're delighted that our FiOS TV video-on-demand customers will get a first look at this popular film, at no additional charge and with the stunning picture-and-sound quality that FiOS is known for." "The Cheetah Girls One World" is the latest in a summer of Disney Channel on Demand sneak peeks for FiOS TV customers, following early debuts of the popular "Disney Channel Games" and "Camp Rock." FiOS TV customers can find the new movie advance premiere by pressing the VOD button on their remote control.

"The Cheetah Girls One World" stars Adrienne Bailon as Chanel, Kiely Williams as Aqua and Sabrina Bryan as Dorinda, all reprising the roles they originated in the blockbuster Disney Channel Original Movies "The Cheetah Girls" and "The Cheetah Girls 2." Filmed in Mumbai and Udaipur, India, the film continues the story of these best friends as they pursue their dream to become recording artists and embark on their biggest adventure yet -- starring in a Bollywood movie. The production includes 1,500 local extras, 450 local dancers and 45 principal core dancers from Mumbai.

FiOS TV is delivered over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network straight to customers' homes and businesses, providing stunning picture-and-sound quality, more HD and video-on-demand choices, a broad spectrum of content diversity, and interactive features that create the ultimate home-entertainment experience. FiOS TV's industry-leading VOD family programming, which includes Disney Channel content at no extra charge to the consumer, also offers a collection of on-demand programming for children and families and includes programming from Discovery Kids, Nickelodeon, PBS Kids Sprout and others. FiOS TV also offers free parental controls to help parents manage the content their children view. Verizon offers its FiOS TV subscribers more than 11,000 VOD titles each month, 70 percent of which are free. The VOD library includes an increasing number of high-definition titles, with plans for 1,000 HD VOD titles per month by the end of the year. In addition, FiOS TV also offers free parental controls to help parents manage the content their children may view.

Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series and movies. Currently available in more than 95 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on 27 Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney-ABC Television Group.

Beauty and the beasts
It's amazing to think that one brand could house so many memories and mean so much to people, young and old. Disney's feat appears unparalleled. I decided to see how the company's name fared among Interbrand's 2007 ranking of global brands.

It was quite understandable that Coca-Cola topped the list. Established in 1886, this beverage juggernaut owns four of the world's top five carbonated brands. Regardless of one's soft drink preference, the company has undeniably sold the world a Coke, delivering 1.5 billion moments of refreshment daily.

However, when Interbrand determined that Microsoft and IBM won the second and third spots, I took exception. Beyond its shareholders and employees, I doubt anyone would shed a tear if the Microsoft monopoly were unseated by cloud computing. As for IBM, does anyone really look back longingly on the days of punch cards?

Amazingly, I could only find a handful of companies on the global brands list with the chops to both invoke childhood memories and maintain lifelong relevance with their customers. However recognizable these monster brands may be, few possess the beauty of an emotional moat.

The circle of life
Imagine how long a Disney memory lasts, and the subsequent lifetime value of a delighted customer. With life expectancies hovering around 78 years, a person may have 70 years or more to be enchanted by Disney; first as an awestruck child, then as a parent seeking to relive the experience, and finally as a grandparent, looking to simply spoil their grandchildren rotten.

And you don't have to enter the theme parks to have experienced the world of Disney. Visit the home of most young parents, and you'll find Nemo perpetually situated in the DVD player, or perhaps you'll trip over a stuffed Simba on your way to the bathroom. Whether you're watching Monday Night Football on ESPN with friends, High School Musical with the teenagers, or taking the wife out to see Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean, you've just been touched by the magic of Disney.

The cryptic message accompanied a video of Gomez, 16, and her "Wizards of Waverly Place" co-star, David Henrie, 19, in which they encouraged viewers to buy the new Jonas Brothers album, "A Little Bit Longer," which became available for sale earlier that day.

Among the text that accompanied the footage was the fragment "TEAM JONAS!" which may have been a reference or even a thank you to one of the band members, Kevin Jonas, 20, who was spotted by throngs of fans and photographers Sunday in New York wearing a "Team Demi and Selena" T-shirt.

Though that message alone may have served as confirmation and even a blessing of the alleged feud between Gomez (and best friend Demi Lovato) and Disney megastar Miley Cyrus (and best friend Mandy Jiroux), Gomez made sure to throw a monkey wrench into the rumor mill by writing another message to fans a few lines later, asking them to buy Cyrus' "Breakout" CD, which came out on July 22.

In a July 19 interview previously released by Popstar! Magazine, Cyrus insisted she had no ill will toward Gomez or Lovato, contradicting rampant tabloid speculation to the contrary. Gomez's pro-Cyrus prompting of fans Tuesday seemed to support a mutual respect, and not a seething hatred, between two of Disney's most popular personalities.

Meanwhile, Vanessa Hudgens, another member of the Disney idol crop, as well as her father and her record label, were accused in a Los Angeles court Monday of failing to pay money allegedly owed to a producer that previously worked with the "High School Musical" star.

Johnny Vieira claimed in court papers that Hudgens, 19, had refused to honor a settlement that voided a contract entered into with him when the actress/singer was a minor. The original contract purportedly carved out a large share of advances, royalties and merchandising for Vieira, but when it was disputed, the two parties allegedly agreed Vieira should instead receive a percentage of earnings from her first three Hollywood Records solo albums (she has released two so far).

Vieira is asking the court for $5 million in compensation. In a separate lawsuit, he has also accused Hudgens' father, Greg, of defaming him, by referring to him as a "predator" in an e-mail.

"I am happy to be a part of this important campaign to prevent the spread of MRSA and help raise awareness among my fans and kids of all ages to stay healthy," said Musso. "Hopefully they will see me in this PSA and get the message that clean hands are cool and most importantly are less likely to spread germs."

Because of its resistance to antibiotics, MRSA accounts for 19,000 deaths in the United States each year, 86% of which are healthcare-associated and 14% which are community acquired.(1) HCA's 169 hospitals across the nation, under the leadership of Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jonathan B. Perlin, have implemented more aggressive infection prevention protocols to tackle this issue.

"The growing prevalence of MRSA in hospitals and communities, including in schools, is creating new challenges for the healthcare community," said Perlin. "It is important to make parents and kids aware of the little things they can do at home and at school to prevent its spread, such as washing their hands with soap and water or using a hand sanitizer."

The 30-second television PSA was shot in July in Los Angeles, California and features Musso interacting in an animated world of everyday items that can pass on germs and make us sick. Musso emphasizes how easy it is to come in contact with germs throughout the day and how something as simple as washing your hands can dramatically reduce the spread of these germs and help prevent the illnesses that they can cause.

"We chose to partner with Mitchel due to his popularity and appeal to our target audience -- young kids, tweens, teens and even parents," Joanne Pulles, Executive Director for the HCA Foundation. "MRSA is becoming an increasing concern and cause for absence in schools, and we think Mitchel's participation in this campaign will help deliver the message that hand washing is the single most effective and simplest way to prevent its spread."

The PSA aimed at kids in grades K-4, is set to debut later this month on television stations across the United States. Dr. Perlin and Mitchel Musso will also be promoting the campaign through broadcast media tours, TV appearances, and kick-off events in cities throughout the country, including Las Vegas, Nashville and Tampa.

Also as part of its 2008-2009 product roadmap, the company is stepping up efforts in the musical instrument (MI) category targeted to 8- to 12-year-old tweens, and it is taking a new design approach to enhance the ruggedness and usability of preschool consumer electronics by 3- to 5-year-olds, he said.

Traditional Disney-themed consumer electronics for 3- to 12-year-olds remain in the line, including small LCD TVs, MP3 players, portable media players (PMPs), digital cameras, boomboxes and portable DVD players.

The technology-toy expansion and robotic-toy launch are part of the company's nine-month-old Toymorrow Initiative, under which the company hired designers and technologists "to position Disney at the forefront of technology, to be first with new technology and innovative concepts not tried in the toy space before," Heatherly said. Technology toys will complement Disney's position in traditional non-electronic toys and leverage a trend in which consumer electronics are competing with toys for the attention of kids.

New technology toys due in stores from Disney this year include a remote-controlled Ultimate Wall-E robot, a remote-controlled flying Tinker Bell, two Wii-like motion-game systems said to combine toys and video games for kids ages 3 and up, two guitar-based TV games for kids 6 and up, Disney Fairies Clickable charms that unlock gifts on Disney's online virtual world at www.pixiehollow.com , and iDance Wall-E, a tabletop version of the robot that dances to the beat of music playing on a connected MP3 player.

These products will reside in toy stores and the toy aisles of mass merchants, both of which have expanded their assortments of kid-targeted CE products in recent years, said Heatherly, who also believes the products will be of interest to many consumer electronics stores. RadioShack, he noted, plans to offer select Disney technology toys, putting Disney's electronics brand in the chain for the first time to join an assortment of electronic learning aids and remote-controlled robots.

In mass merchants, Disney expects to gain expanded shelf space in the youth electronics areas of the toy aisles. "In the CE aisles, Disney is the top kids' CE brand, but in the toy aisles' youth electronics area, we had a small presence. We want to fill out our assortment there." In these outlets, Disney's technology toys will be follow the drift of products, such as digital cameras, from these retailers' CE aisles to the retailers' toy aisle, he said.

Disney's stepped-up focus on the MI category reflects the growing frequency with which musical instruments are turning up in CE stores and mass merchants' toy departments to replace declining product categories, including music CDs, Heatherly said. Best Buy has pared down its music CD department to make room for MI, he noted, and Wal-Mart has added kid and adult MI to its toy area, having previously offered MI on a seasonal basis.

In musical instruments, Disney will follow up last year's launch of a three-quarter-size Hannah Montana guitar with a pair of Camp Rock models and multiple new Hannah Montana accessory products. Those include a pocket amp for use with headphones, a microphone kit, and Vocal Trainer PC software with microphone and stand. In 2009, the company plans electronic keyboard and an electronic drum set bearing the Hannah Montana name.

In preschool consumer electronics, the company continues to offer Disney-themed TVs, clock radios and the like targeted to preschoolers, but whereas these products "largely" rely on cosmetics to appeal to preschoolers, the new products ergonomics and operation are designed specifically for preschoolers, and they're ruggedized to withstand drops.

The first two preschool products designed according to this strategy include the ruggedized $49-suggested Pix Jr. 1.3-megapixel camera with large color screen, only four control buttons and the ability to insert Disney characters into a picture. The $79-suggested Mix Max Jr. PMP and game machine accepts large plug-in cartridges that store music, video and games and will retail for around $10 each.

"This is the direction of preschool electronics in the future," Heatherly said. "Our technological experience will position us well against Fisher-Price," which he described as the market leader in preschool electronics. He said he expects consumer electronics stores, not just toy stores and mass merchants, to pick up Disney's preschool electronics.

Seeley began singing and acting at age 11 while living in Canada. He got a lucky break recording for a yet-to-be released Disney project about students navigating their way through the halls of high school set to music. Seeley's recordings were blended with Zac Efron, who played Troy in the movie, to create the finished version.

"You always hope that everything you do is not a waste of time," said Seeley. "It didn't immediately open doors."

The movie's success led to a couple sequels, an ice tour and a concert series. For Seeley, it also allowed him the chance to focus on his own music. On Monday, his voice can be heard on the San Mateo County fairgrounds as he performs on Kids' Day.

Seeley will bring a mix of his work with Disney and personal songs into the mix while performing while gauging the crowd to decide what's going to get the audience excited. Just having the opportunity to tour is not lost on Seeley who remembers working as a food runner only a year and a half ago.

As a result, his voice can be heard on seven Disney CDs. Additionally, he co-wrote "Get'cha Head in the Game," a song for High School Musical, with Ray and Greg Cham. The song earned a 2006 Emmy nominee for outstanding original music. Seeley also took over the role of Troy in the "High School Musical: The Concert," tour while Efron was shooting "Hairspray."

The stadium tour put Seeley before crowds of up to 60,000 per show.

Fairs give Seeley a chance to create a more intimate performance. He plans to keep it high energy. If attendees are lucky, Seeley may throw in a song or two from the upcoming movie "Another Cinderella Story," in which he plays Prince Charming alongside Selena Gomez. Seeley sings, acts and dances for the movie due out in September. The soundtrack, however, will hit airwaves later this month.

Located in Disney's Contemporary Resort, the new restaurant is "bold cooking inspired by fresh markets," said Dieter Hannig, vice president of new concepts for Walt Disney World Food & Beverage. "America is more and more a melting pot, and The Wave features American cooking with world flavors."

Guests enter the stylish new space on the first floor of the hotel through a brushed steel arch "tunnel" into The Wave's lounge, one of the largest at Walt Disney World Resort. The sleek, serene décor is earthy browns and golds, with frosted glass lamps for soft ambient light and a copper-colored metal ceiling. Banquettes and booths line the perimeter of the dining room, and wooden tables are set with white linen napkins. A large central table is draped in sheer fabric in purples and golds.

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the 220-seat restaurant takes casual dining into the health-conscious 21st century. The classic American breakfast menu includes plenty of egg creations, but guests also can make their own Wave muesli or sip a Beta Berry Smoothie with raspberry puree and non-fat yogurt blended with Odwalla Berries GoMega (a great source of Omega-3). The Pure Sunshine breakfast cocktail features organic vodka and orange juice topped with Vitamin Energy Drink. Coffee is organic Colombian (fair trade and "Smithsonian-certified bird-friendly") and teas are whole leaf Pyramid bags in flavors from chamomile blossoms to monsoon chai.

At lunch, light eaters might enjoy lettuce wraps with sautéed lamb and bay scallops, or a lump crab cake with crispy papaya slaw. Entrées include oversized salads and a vegetarian sandwich with grilled tofu, roasted veggies and herb goat cheese on multi-grain bread, but guests also can chow down on an Angus chuck burger with cheese and Applewood smoked bacon, or a classic grilled Reuben.

The dinner menu offers a delicious spin on comfort classics such as pan-seared Alaskan black cod with corn and edamame (soybean) stew with cilantro chutney; braised lamb shank with bulgur lentil stew and red wine sauce, and a nouvelle chicken pot pie with thyme pastry. Sides at both lunch and dinner include braised greens and roasted sweet potatoes and carrots.

"Lots of stocks, lots of broths and seasonal ingredients keep the menu well balanced," said Chef Frank Brough. "We are sourcing ingredients locally and regionally to create fresh flavors, and our fresh catch of the day features sustainable seafood."

Desserts continue the theme with a dozen choices for mixing and matching three mini-favorites for one price. From chocolate mousse with chocolate ganache, to yogurt sorbet with blueberry compote and coconut panna cotta with passion fruit, guests can indulge their sweet tooth without a big hit in calories. Or go overboard with a dessert cocktail like the Mudslide martini: Baileys Irish Cream, vanilla vodka, Kahlúa and vanilla ice cream.

Wine 'With a Twist,' Innovative Spirits Menu

The wine program, with only screw cap wines, is cutting-edge and supports sustainable agriculture, says Master Sommelier John Blazon, manager of wine sales and standards for Walt Disney World Resort.

"The surge in the use of the screw cap is nothing short of a revolution in wine packaging," says Blazon. Industry experts say that the screw cap is the most significant technical evolution in the wine industry since the glass bottle was introduced 250 years ago.

And the options for screw cap wine are growing, said Blazon. The Wave serves no California wines (California Grill on the resort's 15th floor has a corner on the California market), but instead focuses on bright-style New World wines from the Southern Hemisphere, including Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

Sparkling wines from Tasmania, Rieslings from South Australia, floral New Wave whites from Argentina and pinot noirs from New Zealand are among the interesting choices, with 50 available by the glass. A flight of 3-ounce samplings and dessert wines, ports and sherries round out the wine list.

For beer fans, certified organic ales from Orlando Brewing are on the menu. Produced in Orlando, these handcrafted ales use only American-grown certified-organic barley malt. Three Orlando Brewery ales are available on tap, including Blonde Ale, Pale Ale and Blackwater Dry Porter. Also on the menu is gluten-free Redbridge lager.

Trendy cocktails are served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Start the day with a Pomegranate Splash (vodka, pomegranate liqueur, cranberry juice and soda water) or the Ultimate Bloody Mary (organic vodka, Bloody Mary mix and a dash of red chili sauce).

"Natural and flavorful are the buzzwords for cocktails," said Stuart McGuire, director of beverage sales and standards for Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts. The Pure-tini mixes organic vodka with organic mango and passion fruit liqueur. The Antioxidant Cocktail features wild berry vodka, black raspberry liqueur, açai juice with agave, lychee, aloe juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

The program is for students who have finished high school or who have received their GEDs within the last 48 months to work for a semester at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

The program is open to the public, according to Jackson, who has worked on the program with state Rep. Yusuf Salaam. The reception and program begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Striplin Performing Arts Center.

"Our goal is to give some young adults in the Black Belt some jobs, education and a different world experience that will be invaluable to them when they come back to the Black Belt," the district attorney said.

Hampton said the positions for the fall are filled, but the program will need students who can begin in January and work until May.

Participants may work indoors and outdoors, depending on the role at Disney World. Those hired will receive an hourly rate of pay, ranging from $6.79 to $8.14 an hour, depending on the role they are selected for. Generally, depending on the work, the workers will be scheduled 30 to 50 hours a week.

The participants will live in the program's housing complex. The information on www.disneycareerstart.com states one-to four-bedroom apartments are available, with two program participants in each bedroom. Costs of the apartments range from $75 to $97 per week, and the program will deduct the rent automatically from the paycheck. There is also a one-time $75.50 program assessment and activities fee due if the person is accepted.

European Legal Head Helps Disney Go Digital

Law - For Peter Wiley, the Walt Disney Co.'s European head of legal, these are interesting times. His employer, one of the most iconic companies in the world, is currently engaged in a drive to expand internationally and take the House of Mouse into the digital age. Not that there is any shortage of lawyers to help. Disney maintains one of the largest legal teams in the world with 350 lawyers companywide. The team is overseen in the U.S. by Alan Braverman, one of the country's most high-profile and best-paid general counsel.

Wiley's part of the empire is also significant: he oversees a 32-lawyer team, 20 of whom are based in London. He certainly retains his enthusiasm for the job, commenting: "I was attracted to the in-house scene from my early days in private practice. There is a more holistic view -- when you understand the business through from start to finish, you can really add value to the company."

Since Wiley's arrival at Disney, the legal function has enjoyed measured growth internationally, keeping pace with the progress of the entertainment company as a whole.

After a period of stability in Disney's U.K. legal team, the company is moving to expand its team abroad.

"At the moment, one of our main priorities is international growth," says Wiley. "In order to grow we have to be strong in the international market and not just in the U.S. We are particularly focused on emerging markets, such as Russia, India and China, and recently recruited our first in-house lawyer in Moscow."

Further testament to Disney's expansion was the development of the Hong Kong Disneyland resort -- a joint venture with the nation's government -- which was officially opened in September 2005, making it the third major Disney resort outside of the U.S. and the second in the emerging Asian market.

However, the company's growth is not confined to emerging market expansion. Disney completed the acquisition of Pixar Animation Studios in 2006 and online gaming experience Club Penguin in 2007.

Wiley explains that his team has had to embrace different forms of content delivery, such as video on demand, as part of its continued growth and its changing role as a legal function.

He says: "Boundaries are really breaking down in terms of different forms of digital delivery of media content. The business models are changing now and we need to adjust our legal skills as business models develop."

Given this backdrop of digital revolution, Disney has been trying to uphold its intellectual property rights in the battle against piracy.

Wiley says that the company is keen to avoid recent troubles that have plagued the music industry. He says: "One of the major challenges to the business is Internet-based piracy. It has hit the music industry very hard and is obviously a big issue for the film industry.

"However, anti-piracy initiatives are often controversial; not least in the relationship between data protection and copyright enforcement."

The company has so far focused its large legal team mainly within its business divisions rather than building a big, centralized team.

Wiley says: "Seventy-five percent of the Europe, Middle East and Afria (EMEA) legal team sit with specific lines of business and are defacto dedicated. There is a small central group, but the vast majority of the group are responsible for specific business units regionally."

He adds: "The lawyers for areas of the business such as the Disney Channel, for example, are physically located with business units. We deliberately avoid using a large, centralized legal function. It destroys the essential closeness to the business."

An integral part of the Disney in-house ethos is communication. As well as the legal function working closely with the business, the worldwide lawyers form a coordinated network so that they can work together on common issues.

Wiley explains: "Worldwide business functions have close business relationships with lawyers in similar functions across the world. It is important that information and knowledge is shared on a worldwide basis and not just in EMEA, and that there is a high degree of coordination in the legal function."

He adds: "Some specialist functions are run globally, for example trademark issues -- because trademark registrations are determined on a global basis -- and also antitrust where we need a worldwide perspective. We talk to each other and discuss issues consistently on a worldwide basis."

With Disney requiring its lawyers to interact closely with the commercial side of the company as well as being able to offer assistance to their legal colleagues, it is essential that recruitment for the team is carried out carefully.

Wiley says: "We place a high value on strong technical ability. We are a large legal department with a culture of legal excellence and newcomers have to be able to survive in that environment as well as speak the language of a media business."

However, like other general counsel, one of Wiley's main concerns is meeting the ambitions of his team. He says: "Career development is always a challenge for in-housers, so we try to move people around. We are in the process of transferring a lawyer in our Madrid office to London and we recently transferred an American lawyer from Japan to London."

Alongside the in-house team, the company uses a range of law firms to conduct more specialist business. Although Disney operates no formal panel, Clifford Chance, Bird & Bird, Olswang, Bevan Brittan and SJ Berwin are among the firms regularly used in the U.K. and Europe.

"In our U.K. legal function we tend to only outsource specialized work," Wiley says. "Bread-and-butter business advice, we do in-house. We act very much like a small firm.

"We outsource more outside of the U.K. across the European Union and use a relatively large number of firms for special tasks. We spread our instructions around. I would describe it as horses for courses. We tend to use individuals that we know."

With the entertainment company continuing to perform well despite the economic downturn -- the company recently reported a 9 percent hike in profits for the third quarter -- Wiley is looking forward to the future.

At the same time UTV Software Communications Ltd (UTV), has been allotted 15,00,000 equity shares of Rs 10 each of UGBL, constituting 75 per cent of the paid up share capital of the company, for a aggregate consideration of Rs 240 crore, making UGBL a subsidiary of UTV. The remaining 10 per cent continues to be held by Ronnie Screwvala's Promoter Group.

UGBL is the parent company for its two wholly owned subsidiaries that have launched four channels in six months between September 2007 - March 2008. First is the youth GEC that houses the youth brand Bindass, launched in September 2008. Bindass Movies is another innovative offering sharply targeted at Indian youth.

Second is UTV Entertainment Television, that houses World Movies, the only 24 hour channel dedicated to movies from around the globe. Launched in February 2008, UTV Movies, is the 24-hour premium Hindi movie channel, that has the lineage of UTV Motion Pictures, one of the largest Hindi movie studios in India

With the completion of this investment, Disney has completed 32.1 per cent acquisition in parent UTV Software Communications and 15 per cent in the broadcast arm UGBL at a total out lay of Rs 818.3 crore.