Disney Offers Up a Clean, White Space

New York Times - Like Times Square, Disney’s home page is a crowded, noisy place. Starting next week (Monday around 1 p.m., to be specific) there will be something radically different — a completely silent, blank canvas surrounded by creativity tools.

Create on Disney.com is a suite of four open-ended activities that pushes the envelope for Web-delivered creativity tools.

At the core of Create is Digital Painter, with features that Photoshop users used to dream about: unlimited undo or redo, unlimited layers that can be moved after they’re placed, and no limits to the number of objects that can be stamped on the screen. Basic drawing tools let you highlight, sketch or blob on watercolors — with a color palette that can be programmed with your favorite colors.

Besides the Digital Painter, three other activities are Animods, for creating animated creatures; Comic Creator, with white blank panels waiting to be filled in with graphics, text and Disney clip art; and Photo Mashups, an open-ended celebration of Disney celebrity — where you can drag and drop the Jonas Brothers and compose a room poster. Projects can be tagged and stored on the Disney site, after it has been approved by a panel of screeners based in Disney’s Kerpoof Studios, in Boulder, Colo.

Examiner - Q: What is the best age for young children to visit Walt Disney World?

A: It depends upon the comfort level of each individual child, but families visit Disney with kids of all ages.

Although some people advocate waiting for that first magical trip to Walt Disney World, taking younger children has many benefits. First of all, children under three gain free admission to all Disney World theme parks and water parks. Also, a one-year-old will not argue with siblings or adults about which ride to go on next.

My son was 14 months old when we first took him to Walt Disney World. Aside from pulling my hair when we waited in a long line for the Dumbo ride, he enjoyed the long day at the Magic Kingdom. Having just started walking a couple months before our trip, every step was an adventure. For a curious one-year-old (or a baby, for that matter), rides are not even a requirement for endless amusement at the Disney parks. One of my son's favorite activities was dancing to the beat of drums activated by his steps in front of the Adventureland totem poles. Crawling around Chef Mickey's restaurant with Goofy following quickly behind was another exciting adventure.

An added bonus of traveling with babies and toddlers is that Disney World cast members and characters show them an extra bit of Disney magic. Mickey Mouse visited the Magic Kingdom's Baby Care Center--located near the Crystal Palace restaurant--and took the time to let my son sit on his lap. Over several subsequent trips with our annual passes, Mickey soon became his favorite character.

The first time my son expressed a preference for a Disney ride was actually before he was able to speak (except to say Muh-muh, which later became Mummy). He used a special all-purpose baby word to indicate that he wanted to go on Small World, a favorite with children all over the world since it debuted at the 1964 World's Fair.

Disney World did more than motivate my son to articulate his concerns, however. Over his toddler years, he would learn his colors from the stripes on the Walt Disney World monorail. He gained an appreciation for world cultures before he had even entered preschool. A frequent diner at 'Ohana, "Polynesian" became one of his first words. One of the only times my son cried at Disney World was when we tried to skip the educational movie that follows the Maelstrom boat ride in the Norway pavilion at Epcot.

One of the benefits of living in Florida is that Disney World has become an extension of our backyard, a place where regular trips with family and friends provide a temporary escape from the burdens of domestic drudgery and hectic work schedules. Following Walt Disney's original intentions for Disneyland, Disney World continues to provide Americans and travelers from around the world with the chance to enjoy family togetherness.

The key to having a pleasant experience at the Disney World parks is preparation. Parents of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers should bring a bag or backpack with at least one change of clothes; diapers, wipes, and diaper rash ointment; pacifiers; disposable diaper changing pads; bibs; formula if babies are not breastfed; juice; sippy cups; baby food; containers with snacks such as Cheerios or Goldfish; hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen; and several toys. Guests who forget an item can purchase it at the Baby Care Center (each theme park has one) or at a gift shop. Healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, yogurt, and milk are available for purchase at the theme parks. Don't forget to pack a camera and a video camera, and take a cell phone to keep in touch with other members of your party.

Children will inevitably make a mess, so take several changes of clothes instead of getting upset when an accident happens. When a child becomes fussy, it is the parent's job to remember that it is nap time. Do not let your child scream in her stroller. Remember that Disney World can provide too much stimulation for young children at times. Disney also offers many creative ways to help a child fall asleep. At the Magic Kingdom, try the Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland. Sitting in a darkened, air conditioned theatre with music can be just the trick a tired child needs. At Epcot, place your child in her stroller and take a ride on Friendship I, the boat that ferries guests from one side of World Showcase to the next. The vibrations on the floor of the boat are sure to put a young child to sleep in his stroller (this is easier than holding the child and trying to place him in his stroller after he falls asleep). Whichever theme park you visit, be sure to take a standard reclining stroller. Umbrella strollers and the strollers Disney World rents do not recline, which makes nap time challenging.

Another advantage to traveling with babies and young children is the savings in food costs. A kids' meal can cost more than $5 at the parks, whereas there is no additional charge for sharing your meal with a young child. Nonetheless, it is wise to bring healthy snacks and juice boxes in order to avoid feeding your baby or toddler french fries or carbonated beverages. Disney World has taken steps to make its children's meals healthier in recent years. Parents now have the option of ordering grapes, apple sauce, or carrots instead of French fries; most restaurants also offer apple juice or milk instead of soda. Avoid the temptation to splurge on environmentally unfriendly water bottles. Disney World restaurants serve ice water for free. Simply ask for a cup of ice water instead of bottled water, which requires a great deal of energy (and plastic) to produce.

Examiner - This article presents observations from a recent cruise on the Disney Wonder and offers observations about the training process on the cruise ship.

As a former leader in Walt Disney World Learning Solutions, this author knows a thing or two about how Disney trains its new “cast members.”

The challenges Learning Solutions faced writing training for several thousand crew members spread out over 55 square miles at Walt Disney World were difficult enough. Imagine the difficulty in training a crew of 950 from over 60 countries that must work in excess of 80-hour workweeks, with shipboard positions range from navigation officers to entertainment performers. The challenge of getting it right is huge.

It obviously works. In 2009, Conde Nast Traveler magazine recognized Disney Cruise Line as the No. 1 cruise experience in the 9th Annual “Cruise Poll” and the Disney Wonder itself as best ship cruise ship in it’s category.

A recent cruise experience aboard the Disney Wonder provided the following observations.

Service focus - To a person, every crew member encountered – captain, cruise director, cabin steward, head server, server, and assistant server – all asked a variation of the question, “What can we do to make your vacation everything you want it to be?”

Togetherness - The crew members demonstrated friendliness towards each other, almost as if they were a part of an extended family. There were many examples of crew members greeting each other with hugs, engaging in friendly banter, and displaying a warm comfort with each other.

This comfortable demeanor extended to the guests, with warm greetings, easy smiles, and open posture. This being a Disney cruise, special attention focused on children.

Extras - The cabin stewards and restaurant servers all had their little extra bits of magic. Towel animals, magic tricks, interactive puzzles, and jokes were are employed. Special attention was focused on the children.

The captain, upon encountering this author’s party on an elevator used his key card to bypass all elevator floors, in effect giving us an express ride and an extended opportunity to ask us how he could make our cruise more memorable.

Our server offered – when one member of the party was experiencing sea sickness and left the dinner service before ordering – and then had delivered a four course meal directly to the stateroom.

These and many more special touches were presented extemporaneously in spite of the very long hours worked. The restaurant servers’ workday begins around 7AM and doesn’t end until approximately 11PM. They work a multi-month contract, seven days and 80+ hours per week – breakfast, lunch and dinner – with only one lunch and one dinner shift off per month.

How is all this possible? How can someone work so many hours per weeks and still maintain a friendly and focused attitude?

Training is a process

It is often said that training isn’t an event, it’s a process. On the Disney Wonder, the process works. Some of the practices that make this particular magic.

• A hiring process that identifies and hires friendly, outgoing, energetic, and caring individuals
• A mandatory – even for leadership – three day shore side orientation program that shares and demonstrates the organization’s traditions, values, and safety and service expectations
• Job task descriptions that clearly articulates exactly what is expected of each team member
• On-the-job training that focuses on honing crew member skills.
• Full time managers dedicated to organizing social and recreational activities for off-duty crew members to relax
• Back stage living quarters with comfortable amenities, including a private crew swimming pool, a nightclub, free Internet access, and a crew-only beach at the Lines private island
• A Human Resource officer stationed on board with enough clout to be an active participant of the Wonder’s Steering Committee
• Finally – perhaps most importantly – management that holds crew members accountable, celebrates guest compliments, provides those extra services and amenities for the crew, and actively lives the crew expectations too

All this effort adds costs to the bottom line. But a friendly crew, clear job task responsibilities, targeted and specific training, a clear focus on the mission, and management delivering guest AND crew satisfaction increases return on investment in higher guest satisfaction levels and multiple return visits.

In the comedy, Williams will play one-half of a long-divorced couple who kidnap their daughter on her wedding day in order to keep her from making a mistake. The divorced parents rekindle their relationship as they elude cops and the angry groom.

Deal quickly pairs up Williams again with Disney after making the comedy "Old Dogs," which bows Nov. 25 and also stars John Travolta.

The Mouse House picked up the "Wedding" script from Jack Amiel and Michael Begler last summer for Mandeville's David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman to produce.

Nicole Rocklin and Blye Faust, who developed the script with its scribes, also serve as producers on the pic. Amiel and Begler also penned the comedies "Raising Helen" and "The Shaggy Dog" for Mandeville.

By all means, take advantage of this wealth of information. When you’re enjoying yourself in the parks or any other venue, you’ll see a lot of people who work there. Admittedly, a lot of these are part time help who truly know very little outside the scope of their particular location, and their scope of knowledge is usually limited to right where they work. While that can offer valuable information, the mileage is low. However, there are a lot of people (and I mean a lot of people) who have worked out there for years, some of them decades. Consider the fact that Walt Disney World has been there since 1971. Years earlier than that, if you consider the ground-breaking. So, this industry has been here at least that long, and since then, the Tourism & Hospitality Industry has been the chief industry of the region.

The point is that a significant percentage of these people, particularly those who grew up in this region, know more than even they realize. To be honest, a lot of them know very little else regarding industries other than tourism. So, there is a wealth of information working all around you, and when you’re on vacation, the more information you have, the more value you’ll gain from your time and money.

When I worked in the theme parks, I was asked a lot of questions by a lot of people. I recognized the market and did a lot of writing on the subject, such as what I am doing through this venue with Examiner. But I also noticed an inordinate amount of people appearing lost, dazed and confused, or downright frustrated because they needed information they did not have on hand. I did my best to talk with these people and ease their minds with information and knowledge I had gained, but since I am only one person, I could only do so much. Further, a lot of people I worked with desired to help, but they didn’t necessarily possess the skills needed to convey information in an effective way. Not everyone who works in a theme park is an out-and-out people person. Many people working in the theme parks today are part timers who do not have the dedication of a full time employee, which is basically just like everywhere else.

But, there are still a lot of people who know more about where they work than you may ever need to know, so take the time to chat with some of the locals working where you’re playing. Not only might you learn something you didn’t even fathom before the conversation, but you just might make a friend. Moreover, you might gain insight on what it’s like to be there daily, which is an interesting thing in itself. More likely, you’ll gain helpful, practical information that you won’t find in most of those so-called guidebooks. If you take the time, the real time, to peruse the information presented in most guidebooks, you’ll see a lot of the information is presented in a way that’ll prompt you to buy the book rather than provide you genuine wisdom, knowledge and experience. 

The program is scheduled for 7 and 9 p.m. Sept. 5 at Madcap Theatres

China View - Hong Kong Disneyland has planned a new attraction featuring the alien invasion theme for this year's Haunted Halloween events that are expected to run from Sept. 18 to Oct. 31, the park said Wednesday.

"The (Alien Intelligence) Agency reported that a gigantic spaceship has landed inside Hong Kong Disneyland with signs of alien life detected onboard," it said in a press release announcing the added attraction for the upcoming Halloween.

Some other attractions, such as the Main Street Haunted Hotel and the Demon Jungle, will also come back to the theme park to be part of the Halloween events.

Together with the Glow in the Park Halloween Parade and the Space Mountain -- Ghost Galaxy, they are expected to bring scary and spooky sensation back to the park around Halloween.

Disney villains including pumpkin men, gatekeepers and pirates will also appear at the Scary Photo Fun locations and Mickey will also put on spooky Halloween costumes.

The Haunted Halloween offers will be starting one week earlier this year, with special evening tickets available at 228 HK dollars
(29 U.S. dollars), said Frederick Chan, director of marketing for the park's Hong Kong business.

OCRegister - This time last year, Disneyland guests could stroll into the Main Street Magic Shop and immerse themselves in a mesmerizing world of magic tricks and gag gifts.  An enthusiastic cast member would sit at the counter of the intimate yet bustling shop, entertaining guests with clever antics, while the walls were bursting with merchandise running the gamut from basic card decks to whoopee cushions.

Now, Disneyland guests stroll into the same shop, only to find plain walls sparsely covered with generic Disney merchandise. Disney board games sit on one shelf, while Mickey gloves and hats sit on another.

In its heyday, the shop was operated by Disney. Now, Disney is seeking a third party vendor to take over the shop.

“We’re always looking for ways to improve our guests experience at Disneyland, including our merchandise offerings,” Disney spokeswoman Suzi Brown said.

Disney is still looking into a new strategy for updating the shop. For now, the plan is to continue operating the shop as a “magic” shop, as opposed to another generic merchandise location.

In the past, Disney had a number of specialty shops on Main Street, including a candle shop, flower mart, tobacco shop and a bra shop. Fantasyland also housed a similar magic shop, where comedian Steve Martin worked for three years.

The Grand Californian Hotel and Spa is undergoing a renovation that will add about 203 hotel rooms and 48 time share units when completed next month. With those new rooms, the city is counting on the extra bed tax money tied to the rooms.

The new hotel rooms are projected to generate more than $2 million annually, while the time share units could make $464,748 the first year alone, according to city documents. The amount will go up each year.

Hotel rooms’ taxes are calculated on a straight percentage. For time shares, city officials must compute the equivalent amount of taxes based on the time share’s value and reach agreements with operators.

The City Council this week unanimously approved an agreement for Disney’s time share units without any discussion.

Hotel bed taxes make up the biggest chunk of Anaheim’s budget — a projected $79.6 million in 2009-10.

The expansion of the Grand Californian is scheduled to open Sept. 23.

Terms of the deal, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, were not disclosed.

A&E Television Networks is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co., Hearst Corp. and General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal. Lifetime is already owned 50-50 by Disney and Hearst.

Under the terms of the deal, NBC Universal may elect or be required to exit the venture within 15 years, which would make Disney and Hearst 50-50 partners in the larger group.

The acquisition should result in cost savings by merging advertising sales forces and corporate overhead, and should be a positive for Disney shareholders, said David Joyce, an analyst with Miller Tabak & Co.

"There's incremental streamlining of the operations, which could result in better margins and more of a stake in those cable networks over time," he said. "It doesn't move the needle for Disney in the grand scheme of things but it would skew positive."

NBC Universal was already the junior partner in A&E Television Networks, with a 25 percent stake, compared with 37.5 percent each for Disney and privately held Hearst.

If no cash was exchanged, NBC Universal's stake in the venture would shrink, giving it less of a strategic position, said Standard & Poor's analyst Tuna Amobi.

What's more, Lifetime targets women viewers, which overlaps with the target demographic of NBC Universal's Oxygen.

"This offers a clear path for NBC potentially to exit," Amobi said.

Lifetime, A&E and History channels are among the top 10 cable networks on television.

Combined, the three channels alone are expected to take in about $2.2 billion total from advertising and subscription fees this year, and generate about $740 million in cash, according to research firm SNL Kagan.

With the addition of Lifetime channels, the group will now include: A&E Network, History, Lifetime Television, Lifetime Movie Network, Bio, History International, Lifetime Real Women, History en Espanol, Military History and Crime & Investigation Network.

“Since our inception, families have come to know and love Disney Cruise Line, and they are looking for additional ways to enjoy all that we have to offer,” Disney Cruise Line President Karl Holz said during the ceremony at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.  “Our fleet expansion will allow us to satisfy demand on both the East and West coasts of the United States while also giving us the flexibility to explore additional global destinations for our Guests.” 

The keel laying ceremony is the first time the Disney Dream will begin to take shape after many years of design work.  In the maritime industry, the ceremony marks a momentous occasion when the first block – or section – of the ship is lowered into the building dock and a coin is placed under the keel for good fortune.

Doing the honors of placing the coin was Captain Tom Forberg.  With a distinguished maritime career aboard Disney Cruise Line, Forberg was the first crew member hired and the captain who launched the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder.  Recently, Forberg was named as the future Master of the Disney Dream.

The ship will continue to take its form through a block construction process in which pre-fabricated complete hull sections are joined together in block units and are then brought together to form the ship.  The Disney Dream will be made up of 80 blocks, with the first block weighing in at approximately 380 tons.

Designing the Disney Dream

The Disney Dream is scheduled to join the current fleet in 2011, followed by Disney’s second new ship, the Disney Fantasy in 2012.  Together the two new ocean liners will more than double the capacity of Disney Cruise Line, each having 1,250 staterooms and a tonnage of 128,000.

Bringing together innovation in superb shipbuilding and creativity in imaginative storytelling, Disney Cruise Line and Walt Disney Imagineering, along with the Meyer Werft shipyard have created a truly distinctive design.  Like the existing ships, these ocean liners were designed to deliver a unique vacation that every member of the family believes was created just for them.  Design details will be revealed later this fall.  

Synonymous with its name, the Disney Dream will evoke the unique heritage of the company’s ideals in creating enchanting places and stories where families’ vacation dreams come true.

Homeports

Both new ocean liners will call Port Canaveral, Fla., their home, where expansion efforts are underway to accommodate the larger ships and additional guests.  In addition to an extension of the dock and enlargements to the one-of-a-kind Disney terminal building, a new multi-level parking structure will be built, complementing the design and storytelling elements of the ships.  The new enhancements will provide guests an even more seamless transition from land to sea during their vacation experience.

Disney Cruise Line also recently announced that the Disney Wonder will operate from the Port of Los Angeles starting in 2011.

Future Itineraries

In addition to the new ships, Disney Cruise Line continues to expand itineraries, with plans to once again sail the Mediterranean region aboard the Disney Magic during the summer of 2010.  In addition to the popular ports in Spain, Italy and France, the ship will visit Tunis, in Northern Africa, the island nation of Malta and Corsica.  Disney Magic will also visit the historic cities of Northern Europe for the first time calling on Warnemunde, Germany, the gateway to Berlin and St. Petersburg, Russia.  Enchanting Scandinavian ports like Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm, will also be a first for Disney.

Orlando Sentinel - In a ceremony in Papenburg, Germany, earlier today, Disney Cruise Line Captain Tom Forberg (with an assist from Donald Duck) places a commemorative DCL coin under the keel of the Disney Dream, the company's cruise ship under construction there. The keel-laying ceremony marks when the first block of the ship is lowered into the building dock. The coin goes under the keel for good luck.

Orlando Sentinel - The new Pemba Savanna flanks the wing set to open Sept. 1 at Disney Vacation Club's Kidani Village. Guests will get an eye-full of okapis (related to the giraffe), red river hogs, impala, waterbuck, blue cranes and spur-winged geese, Disney says.

The lawsuit claims the network used the tune in a 12-second clip, even after the song owners said A&E could not use it. The lawsuit is seeking financial compensation.

Felice and Boudleoux Bryant penned the song in 1967 and the couple's children own the rights under the corporate name House of Bryant.

A&E's attorney Robb Harvey would not discuss the case with The Tennessean newspaper and an attorney for House of Bryant did not return calls for comment.

The A&E show, called "City Confidential," highlighted an attempted contract killing in Knoxville in 1994. The episode first aired in 2004.

The weekend features activities for the whole family, including a Health & Fitness Expo, Mickey's Main Street, U.S.A. 5K, Kids' Races and the main event -- a 13.1-mile half marathon affectionately dubbed "The Happiest Race on Earth."

Participants from all 50 U.S. states and 13 countries are set to compete in weekend races. More than 13,500 are registered to participate in the Half Marathon Sept. 6, and 5,000 are registered in the Family 5K and Kids' Races Sept. 5.

The Disneyland Half Marathon features a course unlike any other in the world. Passing through the two Disneyland Resort theme parks – Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure – and the streets of Anaheim, participants will experience a race full of inspiration only Disney can provide. There are flaming cannons at the start, live entertainers along the route and Disney characters as cheerleaders. Many participants come dressed in costume, and some might even stop mid-race to pose with their favorite Disney characters.

"We've had tremendous success with the Disneyland Half Marathon, reaching capacity months before the race for the fourth year
in a row, said Ed Grier, president of the Disneyland Resort. "In partnership with the City of Anaheim, we provide a unique and entertaining Half Marathon course, giving participants another reason to celebrate during this year's 'What Will You Celebrate?' initiative."

In 3 1/2 hours or less, runners will pass Disneyland icons such as Sleeping Beauty Castle and the Matterhorn, and Anaheim landmarks such as the Anaheim Convention Center, Honda Center and the Angel Stadium of Anaheim, before finally crossing the finish line in the Downtown Disney District.

The road race has become popular for its flat loop course and mild climate – ideal for personal best times. Hosted by the Disneyland Resort and the City of Anaheim, it reached registration capacity in July.

Half Marathon race finishers will earn a commemorative medal depicting Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland, one in a series of Disney race-specific medals. An estimated 1,751 runners are also eligible to earn a special medal for the second annual Disney's Coast to Coast Challenge Race. To be eligible, runners must have completed the Walt Disney World Marathon, Half Marathon or Disney's Princess Half Marathon this year at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla., in addition to completing the 2009 Disneyland Half Marathon. The Coast to Coast medal showcases the iconic statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse (known as
the Partners Statue).

The Anaheim Community Foundation (ACF) will receive a monetary donation as part of this year's race.

The Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend builds off the successful 16-year history of the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend held annually in January at Walt Disney World Resort. More than 225,000 runners, joggers and wheelchair athletes have successfully participated in the previous Walt Disney World Marathon Weekends.

To kick off the weekend, participants can check out the Health & Fitness Expo at the Disneyland Hotel starting Sept. 4. The two-day expo features information sessions on last-minute race tips and exhibits related to training, nutrition and the latest running equipment. Expo hours are 2 p.m.-8 p.m. Sept. 4 and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 5.

The Half Marathon is just one of 11 weekend events that make up the Disney's Endurance Series, which gives recreational athletes
of all ages and abilities the chance to walk, jog, run, bike and swim their way "around the world." From running marathons to road races and triathlons, participating athletes at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World compete to stay in shape, achieve personal-best times and raise donations for charitable causes.

Honorees in film, TV, music, sports and behind-the-scenes categories will be feted at the revamped ceremony, with one person in each category receiving a special achievement award.

Other honorees at the Sept. 17 ceremony at UCLA's Royce Hall will include Javier Bardem, John Leguizamo, Penelope Cruz and Rosario Dawson. Salma Hayek will be given the Anthony Quinn Award for Industry Excellence while Oscar De La Hoya will receive the Special Achievement in Sports Television. Rita Moreno will present a tribute to the late Ricardo Montalban.

The show, televised by ABC, will be hosted by comedian George Lopez and "Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria Parker, who also serves as executive producer. Performers will include David Archuelta, Nelly Furtado, Selena Gomez, Sean Kingston, Pitbull and Luis Fonsi. Adam Rodriguez, Benjamin Bratt, Michelle Rodriguez, Oscar Nunez and Rey Mysterio are among the show's presenters.

The ALMA Awards were created in 1995 by the National Council of La Raza, a national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization, as part of its effort to promote diverse and fair portrayals of Latinos in the media. ALMA stands for American Latino Media Arts and also means "soul" in Spanish.

The Food Network star -- Jeffrey Adam "Duff" Goldman -- created a wild wedding cake for “You Again,” the new Disney comedy, directed by Andy Fickman and currently shooting in and around L.A.

We visited him on the Pasadena set last week. Duff was making a cameo in a wedding shower scene with Kristin Chenoweth, Kristen Bell, Sigourney Weaver, Jamie Lee Curtis and Betty White.

As the game progresses, players will have the opportunity to find a number of coins and magic trinkets hidden in each of the game locations. Fans can use these items to unlock new wardrobe options to customize clothes for Alex and her brothers.

“In Wizards of Waverly Place on DS, players will experience a brand new storyline along with familiar characters and exciting
mini-games,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios, “This is an exciting
opportunity for fans of the hit television show to explore and enjoy the world of their favorite wizards.”

Wizards of Waverly Place for Nintendo DS features Disney’s DGamer functionality allowing players to engage with other Disney game players in a secure online community via their Nintendo DS (Wi-Fi or local wireless) or computer. The service allows users to log into their DS and online accounts to create and customize a unique 3-D avatar and persistent profile. Kids can chat, view user profiles of their DGamer friends, and post high scores to leaderboards.

Developed by Black Lantern Studios, Wizards of Waverly Place is rated E for Everyone with Comic Mischief by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). Wizards of Waverly Place for Nintendo DS is priced at $29.99.

Wizard of Waverly Place: The Mobile Game is also available on all major wireless carriers for Java/Brew platforms. Fans play as one of the Russo kids in this puzzle game, featuring favorite characters from the hit series on Disney Channel. Prices for mobile
games vary by carrier.

About Wizards of Waverly Place

Alex Russo and her brothers Justin and Max are a lot like the teens in their Manhattan neighborhood but they have one significant difference…they come from a long line of wizards and they must learn to hone their budding magical powers or soon risk losing
them. Their dad Jerry was born with the same powers but was forced to relinquish them when he married their mom, a mortal named Theresa. Now, while their parents run the family business, Waverly Sub Station, the three siblings get into and out of comedic situations as they grapple with both their budding wizardly powers and typical teen challenges spanning school, friends and family.

About Disney Channel

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 on basic cable in over 97 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on
Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney-ABC Television Group.

About Disney Interactive Studios

But some of Zhaohang village's 4,000 people weren't included in what residents said was enrollment in an insurance and annuity program. Fearing they would be left out of an opportunity for compensation, more than 100 villagers launched two days of protests that culminated with the death on Aug. 5, apparently by a stroke, of a woman who had led them.

The response raised the prospect of more tension if construction of the theme park gets the green light from Beijing.

Negotiations between Disney and the municipal government to build a theme park in Shanghai have dragged on for more than a decade, enough time for Disney to build, operate and eventually agree to expand a park in nearby Hong Kong. A Shanghai park was officially proposed this year in a feasibility report to China's central government, according to people familiar with the situation.

The project, costing more than $3 billion, a person familiar with it said, would be one of China's largest foreign investments and provide the Burbank, Calif., entertainment giant an important platform in China.

Disney has announced few specifics about its plan. "No deal has been agreed to, no project has been approved," a Hong Kong-based spokeswoman said this month.

Other Disney officials have said more. Chief Financial Officer Thomas O. Staggs referred to a framework agreement for a park submitted to Beijing in a conference in June, saying, "We're waiting to see whether that gets approved and whether we can go forward, and we don't know as yet if and when that will come."

The spokeswoman said other issues should be raised with Shanghai authorities. Shanghai officials declined to offer an update.

Jin Weilun, a county-level vice director for administration, said officials canvassed local residents in early August as part of a routine survey to improve government databases, "but this work has nothing to do with any specific project." He suggested residents may have jumped to conclusions about a Disney park.

Under terms outlined this year, according to the person familiar with the plans, Shanghai would control 57% of the project through municipal government-owned companies. It would also be responsible for delivering the land in developable condition.

Land-use matters have been a sticking point for many large projects in China. A husband and wife in Chongqing famously fought a developer's eviction efforts in 2007, even as building went on around them and left their house propped up on a narrow rise of land.

Shanghai's government has sought to avoid such situations in the cluster of leafy canal villages near the city's international airport that would be the location of Shanghai Disneyland. The government has, for instance, limited development there for several years, keeping population numbers low. On Aug. 3, the theme park suddenly seemed more than a fantasy. In one of the villages, Zhaohang, government officials visited local wheat farmers and others to prepare what residents said was described as an insurance and annuity plan due to kick in if the Disney project proceeds.

That action was regarded by many as a sign development would soon begin, and they happily handed over their documents to facilitate compensation. One of them, Zhao Jingfang said, "We can't welcome it more." Nearby, an elderly woman wearing a yellow Minnie Mouse T-shirt beamed as neighbors cleaning beans mused about their impending payday.

It also became apparent that not everyone in the village would be eligible for the benefits. Confused and angry, some residents marched through heavy rain to the town seat to complain. Spearheading the effort was a gregarious insurance saleswoman, Li Zhengfang, 57 years old. The following day, they boarded a bus for an hourlong ride to Shanghai City Hall to lodge a formal complaint. There, Ms. Li jostled with police trying to prevent their protest.

Back in the village later that day, Aug. 5, inside the offices of Zhaohang's top official, Communist Party Secretary Huang Wei, an exhausted Ms. Li grew agitated. Within a few hours, Ms. Li was dead of what police say was an apparent brain hemorrhage.

Tickets will be given away to fans listening to ESPN radio affiliates in Los Angeles, Dallas and Columbus, Ohio, later this week.

The Galen Center on the USC campus in Los Angeles will screen the game in 3-D, as will theaters in Columbus and Hurst, Texas -- the lone neutral site for gathering unbiased fan reaction. ESPN staff will also watch a screening in Hartford, Conn., near its Bristol headquarters.

Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins and Willem Dafoe already are on board the production. Morton plays Sola, the daughter of Dafoe’s Tars Tarkas, who must hide her softer side from her warmongering race. West plays Sab Than, prince of the Zodangans who believes he is entitled to rule Mars. Walker plays Sarkoja, a merciless, tyrannical Thark.

The film tells the story of a Civil War soldier transported to the red planet where warring races vie for control, Dafoe will play Tars Tarkas, a leader of the Thark race who knows that the only way his people can survive is if they turn away from war, a position that may cost him dearly.

Theme Park Rangers - Now this sounds like fun... the classic board game of Life, but played out in Disney Haunted Mansions from around the world -- our New England home, Disneyland's Southern mansion and Disneyland Paris's Old West Phantom Manor. (Tokyo Disneyland's Haunted Mansion looks like the Walt Disney World version.)

The Spokesman Review - Not even Mickey Mouse is immune to this recession. But he’ll make it through all right.

Kansas City Star - Local movie fans can get a jump on the holiday season with a visit Tuesday to Union Station for Disney’s “A Christmas Carol” Train Tour.

The free interactive train attraction, which is crisscrossing the country with its own colorfully painted diesel engine and cars, features a clip from the 3-D “A Christmas Carol” to be released Nov. 6, as well as Charles Dickens memorabilia and displays about the creation of the beloved tale.

“Audiences are always looking for value, something compelling that will stand out on its own, something they can’t see any place else,” said Bob Gault, Disney’s vice president for motion picture special events.

“We’re bringing that to town.”

The train tour is part of the marketing drive behind the latest screen incarnation of Dickens’ ever-popular tale about the miserly Scrooge and his visitation by three Christmas spirits (four, if you count the ghost of dead partner Jacob Marley).

This version was directed by Oscar winner Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump”) in the same animated 3-D style as his hit “The Polar Express.” It stars funnyman Jim Carrey not only as Ebenezer Scrooge but also as the yuletide ghosts.

Other actors who performed their roles for the camera and were then transformed into animated characters include Gary Oldman, Robin Wright Penn, Colin Firth, Cary Elwes and Bob Hoskins.

The train will be parked on the rails beneath the station, with visitors moving through the cars to view the exhibits, many of which employ touch-screen technology. There’s a scale model of London’s Big Ben under construction and a glass case containing Dickens’ personal possessions.

One exhibit shows how actors in bodysuits and headgear performed their roles on a soundstage surrounded by 120 high-def cameras that recorded them from every possible angle.

“You pretty much do it at your own pace,” Gault said. “You can speed through in 10 minutes or take an hour to really listen to all the audio explaining what you’re seeing.”

A highlight is an inflatable 100-seat movie theater that will be erected near the tracks. Audiences will don 3-D glasses to watch scenes from the movie.

“And despite any hot weather, we’ll have snow, too,” Gault said. “A little Disney magic.”

The Kansas City visit represents the halfway point on the tour, which will visit 40 cities and cover 16,000 miles in 36 states.

Riding the rails to get the word out is a very Disney concept, Gault said.

“One of first attractions Walt put in at Disneyland was a steam-powered train,” he said. “He had a miniature train in his backyard. That was one of his passions.

“Turns out Robert Zemeckis loves trains, too,” he said. “They figured prominently in the third ‘Back to the Future’ movie, not to mention ‘Polar Express.’

“And from a logistical standpoint, having the exhibits aboard the train minimizes our setup and takedown time. The train is pretty self-sufficient once it pulls into the station.”

It will also give the local economy a tweak. In addition to the dozen workers who travel with the train, as many as 120 locals are hired in each city as ushers, security personnel and carolers in Victorian outfits.

“It’s free,” Gault said. “You just have to show up and go through it. The exhibit opens at 9 a.m., but we suggest fans come early. The crowds have been tremendous — in L.A. and Chicago, we were averaging 10,000 a day. Sometimes there’s been a three-hour wait to get in.”

The exhibit officially closes at 7 p.m., but Gault said anyone in line at that time will be admitted.

Examiner - Coming this September guests can “Play All Day” at four Walt Disney World Resort golf courses. This is a terrific special and will only be offered for a limited time from Sept. 2 through Sept. 4, 2009.

LODGING

Figure out this piece of the puzzle first, since it will affect your strategy for the others. Sehlinger's advice on this count is simple:
``You're always going to save a lot of money if you stay in a non-Disney property outside of Disney World.''

FOOD

Your lodging decision will have a big effect on your food bill: Book a private home or a suite with a kitchen, and you can more
easily avoid paying amusement-park prices for food. Even a cooler in your hotel room (or the mini-fridge at a discount hotel,
where it won't be stocked with overpriced snacks) for OJ, milk and lunch meat can work wonders at cutting breakfast and lunch
costs.

ADMISSIONS

This is the toughest nut to crack: Nominal discounts are typically the best you can hope for on admission fees at Disney World.

WATCH THE EXTRAS

You can make all the right moves on the big-ticket items and still spend a small fortune at Disney World if you don't watch the
extras.

THE BOTTOM LINE

How did my family do with the Midas challenge?