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 December 14 - 20, 2008 |
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Saturday December 20, 2008 |
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Ashland native handles costumes for Disney on Ice Deals at Disneyland Disney Exhibit Gives Visitors a Warped Idea of Waste and Consumption |
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Ashland native handles costumes for Disney on Ice Mansfield News Journal - Learning how to sew in 4-H ultimately turned into a career for Amy Stauffer. "I started sewing in 4-H when I was in third grade," the former Ashland resident said. "My mom and grandma would always help me with my projects. I eventually started a career from it. Not a lot of people know how to sew today. I've found job security in that. There is a high demand for people who can sew and take care of costumes." The head of wardrobe for "Disney on Ice: Worlds of Fantasy," the 27-year-old Stauffer takes care of all the costumes in an elaborate show filled with magnificent, bold colors and unique wardrobe. Disney movies "Cars," "The Lion King," "The Little Mermaid" and "Tinker Bell" come to life on the ice in "Worlds of Fantasy." Skaters dance and move around as they mimick characters and animals of the movies. The show continues at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. today and Sunday, and 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com. "I load them, pack them, wash and dry them and take care of them," Stauffer said of the costumes. "Anything you see (worn) on the ice, I maintain. I also fit people into their costumes." After honing her craft by majoring in technical theater production at The Ohio State University-Mansfield, Stauffer received her degree from the main campus. She's worked with costumes and set designs at OSU-M's Conard Theatre, The Renaissance Theatre, The Johnny Appleseed Outdoor Drama, Cedar Point and on a cruise ship. After that last stop, working on a Hawaii cruise ship, Stauffer sought a job closer to home. "I found it online," she said. "We travel a year at a time, usually nine to 12 months." Stauffer said the best part of her job is getting to see all the different cities and restaurants in the United States. "It's fun to find someplace new in every city," she said. "Out west, seeing the Rocky Mountains was cool. We have seen some awesome sunrises." She and her boyfriend travel with in their own trailer. "We always have our own bed," Stauffer said. "Just to be in a house. We can take the comfort of home on the road. The costumes in "Worlds of Fantasy" are diverse. The show takes audiences from the underworld sea fantasy of "The Little Mermaid" to the jungles of Africa in "The Lion King" to the pixie-dust land of "Tinker Bell." The intricately detailed costumes vary from costumes of Disney favorites Mickey and Minnie Mouse to those of animals, flowers and sea creatures that extend from a pole on a skater's back into the air. "The costumes are handled with extreme care," Stauffer said. "A lot of it is hands-on." The glowing Queen Clarion costume from the movie "Tinker Bell" was Stauffer's big-gest challenge with this show. "She's got a lot of sparkles," Stauffer said. "The sparkles are all put on by hand." Stauffer said she never dreamed she'd be working for Disney on Ice. "Don't be afraid to start small," she said. "It builds a resume." |
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Deals at Disneyland
The Orange County Register - I can start by saying I'm a bit Disney Crazy, not obsessed, just a tad crazy. As a former Disney employee, I tend to look back at my time with the company with rose colored glasses. One of the things I miss most from my time with the company is my discount. But last night as my husband and I bundled up for a quick trip to the happiest place on earth before his annual pass is blocked, I was pleasantly surprised to find that most Christmas merchandise is marked down to 50% off. Plus I got my AP discount on top of it! Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I have ever seen discounted merchandise in the park. |
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Disney Exhibit Gives Visitors a Warped Idea of Waste and
Consumption AlterNet - I had never really considered a career as a sanitation engineer, but suddenly the idea doesn't seem far-fetched. "Good job!" a perky female voice commends me as I spill a load of dirt over a fresh pile of trash at the bottom of a dump. Really? I think. "You have a great future in landfill management," she adds emphatically. Maybe. But I'm not really at a landfill, only moving a little yellow dozer with a joystick at Walt Disney World's Epcot, where Waste Management Inc. has an exhibit called "Don't Waste It," and the voice is prerecorded. I could be doing nothing -- and since I've never touched a joystick before today, it's possible I am doing nothing -- and she'd be happy. Since opening in 1982, Epcot has celebrated human achievement, particularly in the technological sphere, and projected hope for the world's future. The goals sound high-minded, though most of Epcot's offerings are no more than rides or games with the thinnest of educational veneers. For example, Epcot visitors -- or "guests," in Disney parlance -- learn how to prevent house fires by playing an interactive game sponsored by Liberty Mutual, how engineers design safe cars by screaming around a test track sponsored by General Motors, and how biotechnologists "feed a growing population" on a boat ride sponsored by Nestlé. Elsewhere, we are shown how Siemens refrigerators coated with special powders will prevent the growth of microbes in homes of the future. Might the powders lead to powder-resistant bacteria, the way our profligate use of antibacterials has given rise to bugs that resist all antibiotics? That's a possibility our Disney "cast member" doesn't address. I wanted to see what Waste Management, the country's largest garbage company, was up to, and not only because it has such a long way to go in the public relations department. (It was rocked by an accounting scandal in the late 1990s and has paid many millions of dollars in fines for environmental violations, including burying waste illegally, spilling hazardous waste, and violating the federal Superfund law.) I was also curious about its new slogan, "Think Green," which seems the pinnacle of doublespeak. After all, the company's success -- it posted record-breaking earnings in February 2008, when this exhibit opened -- depends on a steady, if not rising, stream of waste. It stands to reason that consuming and wasting less stuff, one of the best things an individual can do for the health of the planet, is antipodal to corporate goals. The line for "don't waste it," billed as an "interactive playground" and lit like a casino, is mercifully short. A cast member in a green shirt ushers two family groups and me inside to a computer kiosk. "Has anyone eaten today?" she asks over the dinging of computer consoles and the crash of glass from a nearby Underwriters Lab exhibit, where videos of smashed television screens and falling safes endlessly loop. Heads nod. "Has anyone bought anything?" More nods. "Then you've made garbage!" We brace for her spiel: Americans generate enough waste to fill 60,000 garbage trucks a day. Waste Management recycles 3.5 million tons of paper a year, enough to save 41 million trees. By recycling aluminum, which cuts down on bauxite mining, it saves enough energy to run a TV for ... My attention wanders to a child trying to ram a miniature garbage truck, which weighs about 30 pounds, into a docking station. "Mumble, mumble, renewable energy," I hear. "Save the environment..." She seems to be wrapping up. "OK! Now we're going to learn how to reduce, reuse, and recycle every day." I'm game. Our guide splits us into three groups that she positions in front of three computer kiosks (the families stick together; I'm on my own). I name myself Team Leachate and proceed to answer a list of questions on the screen: how many individually packaged beverages do I consume each day ("none" isn't an option); how big is my lawn (I don't have a lawn); how do I get my media (both online and dead-tree style, alas). The machine calculates that I generate 1,300 pounds of waste a year. The information is digitally recorded inside my own mini garbage truck that I trundle to a port in Sort It Out, the recycling phase of the game. On a monitor, I drag animated bits of paper from a speeding conveyor belt into a bin and learn nothing, though that perky woman keeps hiccuping "Good job!" (Had I teammates, the screens would have let them drag the animated speeding glass, metal, and plastic into the proper bins.) When time's up, I push my truck over to the Fuel the Burn station, where waste is "cleanly burned to make energy." Since 2005, Waste Management has spent more than $90 million on print and TV ads emphasizing how much energy it generates by burning trash, how many trees it saves by recycling paper, and how many acres of land it sets aside for "wildlife habitats." You can't blame the company for accentuating the positives. What Waste Management doesn't tell you is that incineration isn't completely benign. Though the technology has improved in recent years, incinerators in this country still leak small but dangerous amounts of mercury, lead, and dioxin into the atmosphere. They also generate more carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour of energy generated than do power plants, and their ash is toxic. At Fuel the Burn, I'm supposed to transfer what's left of my discards after recycling into the fire using a joystick. We never learn what the waste is composed of, but presumably it's all the materials for which easily accessible markets don't exist, including food waste, yard waste, and other things that shouldn't end up in the curbside trash -- like electronics and other hazardous household wastes -- but usually do. The trash forms two piles. One is red, one is blue; the distinction has something to do with the temperature at which each will burn. Again, I have no idea what I'm doing, but Miss Perky doesn't seem to mind ("You guys are doing great!"). No matter what I do, a second voice drones, "Too hot, add more blue garbage; too cool, add more red garbage," as a clock ticks down. At the bell, I'm in a lather, but I've created enough energy to power eight houses. For how long? Unclear. Incineration may trump landfilling, but burning waste captures far less energy than recycling it would save (making new goods from old avoids the extraction, transportation, and transformation of raw materials). Because incinerators rely on a steady stream of waste, they compete with waste prevention, recycling, and composting -- once you burn all those discards, they're lost to recovery forever. And then there's this: a company or municipality that gets state and federal tax credits for generating "renewable electricity" -- in this case from waste-has little incentive to reduce waste in the first place. Team Leachate moves on to Landfill Up, the last of the three computer stations. Now, do I want to create a ballpark, a golf course, or a nature reserve? "The whole community can enjoy the landfill when it's closed," Miss Perky says. I choose nature reserve, and with my virtual bulldozer I start spreading dirt atop the vague piles of garbage. "Hey," I want to ask the cast member who'd been shadowing me, "didn't we just burn all the garbage?" But she drifted away after asking me what leachate means. (Leachate is the garbage juice that accumulates at the bottom of landfills, I told her, and is typically laced with pesticides, motor oil, flame retardants, and other nasties.) My virtual landfill lacks a leachate collection system, which at a properly managed dump sucks up the juice and either treats it on-site before discharging it into a waterway or sends it off-site to a wastewater treatment plant. But my landfill does have gas-collecting pipes running into a nearby plant that produces "clean, green energy." Collecting landfill gas, which contains methane generated by rotting biodegradable resources like food, paper, and wood, is better than letting it waft into the atmosphere. But contrary to the depiction at Epcot, landfills don't start collecting gas until years after operations commence, and fewer than half of Waste Management's landfills have such gas-to-energy systems. To make them financially viable, the dump has to contain large amounts of organic waste and be close to transmission lines in places where conventional energy costs enough to make the energy from landfill gas competitive. The average system is prone to failure and, according to Peter Anderson of RecycleWorlds Consulting, in Madison, Wisconsin, collects at best only 20 percent of the gases released over the course of its lifetime. Still, it gets Waste Management another tax credit, and it makes landfills appear to be a great source of energy. ("Lipstick on a pig" is how Nathanael Greene, a senior policy analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council, has characterized dumps' efforts to polish their image.) Miss Perky's breathless voice prompts me. "Thirty seconds left! Your nature reserve is going to be beautiful." Why am I hurrying? Because "the more layers [of garbage] you create, the more energy you produce." One of Waste Management's sustainability goals is to provide at least 25,000 acres of wildlife habitat on its property by 2020 (a 35 percent increase). Such habitat, of course, is the product of closed and capped landfills. The new, structurally simple landscape, which lacks trees and favors nonnative plants, has limited value to at-risk species and favors the types of animals, such as white-tailed deer and raccoons, that don't exactly need our help. Ding! Time's up. I've generated enough energy to power six houses. The landfill looks like a green carpet, with shrubs and a gazebo. According to Waste Management's script, it belongs to the community now. What goes unscripted is that so does liability for any future environmental or health problems. I heave my little truck to a final docking station and await my results. I get two of three points for my recycling efforts, six of eight points for burning trash, and four of six points for burying it. "Think green and have a nice day," the computer says. It's a welcome change from "Have a magical day," the usual sign-off of Disney employees on the phone. Wandering through Future World, I convert my points -- a total of 12 out of 17 -- to an overall percentage (a mediocre 70) and ponder the exhibit's takeaway. Will anyone remember the facts and figures after the furious time pressure, the pinging and roaring of the computer games? It doesn't take me long to realize that the point of "Don't Waste It" isn't so much to inform visitors as to leave them feeling that everything is A-OK, trashwise. Not only is our garbage under control, thanks to Waste Management, but it can even be a positive force, a source of renewable energy. In the upbeat "Don't Waste It" world, there are no problems with landfill gases and liners that leak, with unhappy or sick neighbors, with toxic incinerator ash, mercury-contaminated fish, or dioxin-laced soil. The message from Waste Management, and by association from Disney, is that we needn't radically change either our lifestyle or our way of thinking. Put our recyclables in the right container and there's no need to alter our consumption habits. Why is this so important? Because visitors to Epcot can't go 100 feet without an opportunity to buy something -- Disney backpacks, mouse-shaped straws, logo caps, colorful buckets, plastic sandals, T-shirts, tutus, towels, stuffed toys, disposable cameras. On and on it goes -- merchandise that will, in short order, be dumped. Twenty-five years ago, Americans visited Epcot to learn about the future. Today the future looks grim, at least in terms of the economy, the environment, and security (guards search all visitors' bags on entry, and a computer scans our fingerprints), but Disney's corporate sponsors still have an opportunity to share their optimism. Nestlé will feed billions by growing genetically modified food in arid regions, we learn in The Land; GM is manufacturing cars that burn ethanol (though the Hummer 3, on display outside Test Track, gets only 14 miles per gallon of conventional fuel); and Waste Management, of course, is generating renewable energy. I'm not completely naive. I understand that corporations routinely sponsor exhibits to tell their side of the story (though consumers are starting to wise up to the transparent manipulation of greenwash: Britain's independent Advertising Standards Agency, which tracks such complaints, noted a fourfold increase last year). But at Epcot things seem to have reached an absurd extreme. In the butterfly garden, small signs from Claritin offer advice on dealing with pollen allergies. In bathrooms, Brawny offers tips on hand washing ("Scrub hands and rinse"), and Nestlé welcomes mothers at the diaper-changing station to visit its nearby baby-care center. No experience, it seems, can go unbranded here. "Don't Waste It" began when Disney approached Waste Management with the germ of an idea. Disney needs content -- empty pavilions are sad -- and sponsorship helps to pay the bills. For their part, corporations agree to build exhibits and sponsor rides because Disney parks see countless happy visitors every day. Epcot is a terrific platform. At the center of our consumer culture, Disney World and its sister parks could be an epicenter of greening, a shining example of how we might still have our cake (in this case, an entertaining vacation) and eat it too. But reminding visitors that we must tread more lightly on the planet is a tricky line for Disney to walk. Folks are here to have fun, after all. Maybe that's why Disney's "environmentality," as the corporation has branded its green campaign, seems so feeble. Recycling has barely gotten off the ground, plastic water bottles abound (though there are plenty of drinking-water fountains, and the company does promote a $12.99 mug that visitors can fill with soft drinks for free throughout their stay), composting is in its infancy, air conditioners run in empty hotel rooms. Where are the solar panels? Where's the low- or no-irrigation landscaping? If technology could indeed fix our mess, Epcot would seem a natural place to tell this story. Imagineers could start by tasking Disney suppliers to make consumer goods that are designed to cycle back either into the manufacturing process or into nature. Compostable Finding Nemo backpacks, anyone? Or better yet: what about selling experiences -- the rides and other entertainment, built to the highest green standards -- without the side offerings of disposable crap? Yes, it's a radical change in thinking, and it would probably cut into the company's profits, at least in the short term. But such a policy might also attract a whole new demographic: parents like me who have eschewed Disney for the consumerist frenzy it elicits. If it chose to, the enormously powerful and influential Disney could position itself as the country's leading platform for corporate environmentalism. That makes more sense than ceding that role to a company that manages waste. |
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Friday December 19, 2008 |
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Knievel gets
animated with Disney Family sues Disney over bassinet death Cirque du Soleil La Nouba celebrates 10 years at Disney Disney Offers Guests Magical Moment with New Pirate-Themed Pool Deck Union leaders bring children into Disney protest Disney Research Scientist Promotes Conservation in Colombia with Plush Monkeys Asian Holidaymakers Can Enjoy Vacation Exchange at Disney Vacation Club Resorts Through RCI Disney sees the light Walt Disney's Dumbo |
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Knievel gets
animated with Disney
The Hollywood Reporter - Disney XD, which is rebranding from Toon Disney in February, is partnering with daredevil "Kaptain" Robbie Knievel for a 2-D animated comedy series about a 12-year-old boy who wants to become the world's greatest daredevil. "Kid Knievel," from Walt Disney Television Animation, marks the first animated show for Disney XD, which is primarily targeted at boys ages 6-14 and their families. Knievel will serve as a stunt consultant on the series, which is in production for a fall 2009 premiere. The series centers on a boy (voiced by Chris Edgerly) -- short in stature but big in heart -- who, inspired by Knievel, overcomes incredible obstacles in his quest to become the world's greatest and most extreme daredevil. Matt Jones and Danny Cooksey also voice roles in the show, which was created by Sandro Corsaro. Chris Savino is the executive producer and director. " 'Kid Knievel' sets the tone for the animated series to come," said Eric Coleman, senior vp original series at Walt Disney Television Animation. "It has breakout characters, fresh designs, big laughs and great action." Disney XD.com will present five 55-second original animated shorts ahead of the series premiere. The shorts will air thereafter on Disney XD. |
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Family sues
Disney over bassinet death Chicago Tribune - The family of a child who died this year in a Winnie the Pooh bassinet has sued the Walt Disney Co., alleging the company allowed sales of the bassinets despite a flawed design that had been linked to another baby's death a year earlier. The bassinet had a drop-down side for easy access, but the design created a gap where babies could slide through and hang to death. Kennedy Brotherton Jones was 6 months old when she was strangled on Aug. 21. Shortly after Kennedy's death, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission directed retailers to stop selling the bassinets, which were manufactured by Simplicity Inc. Disney's consumer products division licensed its Winnie the Pooh name and image to Simplicity, records show. The suit, filed in California state court in Los Angeles on Wednesday, raises questions about a common practice in the nursery products industry: Are companies that license their names and characters to other manufacturers responsible when those products turn out to be deadly? |
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Cirque du Soleil La Nouba celebrates 10 years at Disney Orlando Sentinel - It's an artistic and acrobatic achievement every time the lights go up on La Nouba, Downtown Disney's very own piece of the Cirque du Soleil phenomenon. Tuesday marks a particular milestone: The show celebrates its 10th anniversary here in Orlando. By their reckoning, that's 2,094,484 feet walked on the high wire; 9,486 people jumped over by mountain bikes; and 853,740 minutes of leaping for Alexander "Sasha" Daniltchenko, a trampolinist whose particular claim to fame is never having missed a show since La Nouba's inception. We sat down before the show last month with Daniltchenko to see what keeps him on (and off) his feet for so long. I can't go a year at my desk job without missing a day. How do you go 10 years of trampolining? Eat healthy food? No, I'm joking. I would call it an accident, maybe. The first time I was sick I went to the doctor's office. I took a note from the doctor to bring to the theater, but I didn't realize it was my day off. In the beginning, we had a little competition going [with the other performers], but. . . That's one thing that surprised me, to hear that you have had a lot of people here from the start. I believe it's about 35 percent of the artists working here since the beginning. What do you do in your off hours? I have a family. I have a little one. She really misses me, and I like to spend time with family. What is your history before Cirque Du Soleil? I was a trampolinist. I mean, I'm still a trampolinist, but I was on a national team. I got five gold medals. I'd say I was a professional trampolinist, but the professional people make money. Now, trampolining is in the Olympic games, but I quit before it was included. How hard was it to make the transition to this kind of work, where there are so many other people and objects to interact with? You have to be very observant. You practice every day, and you can only see your partner a little bit. But you can feel him, and you can hear him. You use all your senses. Seems like this show alone has created an entire new job market. Any advice for budding jumpers, aside from buying a trampoline? No, don't buy a trampoline. It's better to go to a gym and be supervised by a professional coach who can spot you. Lots of people have a trampoline in their backyard to have fun, and so many injuries happen. Better to be supervised when you do this, and afterward you can have some fun. It becomes routine, and your brain starts working with your body. |
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Disney Offers Guests Magical Moment with New Pirate-Themed Pool
Deck Disney
News - Every day, two special guests are recruited to help rid
the newly renovated pool at Ole Port Royale of pesky pirates at
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. Donning pirate hats and eye
patches, the young lads and lassies take up their swords to
defend the pool’s territory from the buccaneer who is later
locked away in the pirate dungeon. As part of the Disney Difference, this Magical Moment reflects the unique events Walt Disney World Resort guests can experience only at Disney. Robin Burkett, area manager of recreation for Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and Pop Century Resort, said more guests are volunteering to participate in the Magical Moment openings. “It’s something out of the ordinary that makes the guest experience unforgettable,” she said. The new pirate-themed pool and deck, which opened in early September, nearly doubles the capacity of the previous facility and features an 82-foot-long slide from a pirate fort. The nine-month upgrade also includes two anchor-shaped spas, another pool and a children’s “aqua play area,” which sits under a crow’s nest, empting water on young mateys every few minutes. Recreation Host Rich Alvis, one of the original creators of the resort’s Magical Moment, said the pool’s pirate theme sets the stage for imaginative adventures. “It’s a real Magical Moment for the kids because it’s personally involved. They make sure the pool deck is safe before we can open it,” he said. “It’s our way to make children feel a part of the magic at Disney” |
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Union
leaders bring children into Disney protest OCRegister - The union of Disneyland Resort hotel workers battling the entertainment giant over stalled contract negotiations staged another protest Thursday night – this time trying to win sympathies by bringing in children. About 1,000 people, many from the union fighting for a new contract, Unite Here 11, formed a picket line outside Paradise Pier hotel. Later, they held a candlelight vigil outside while dozens of their children marched to the entrance of the Disneyland Hotel in a posada procession. The Christmas tradition symbolizes the journey Mary and Joseph took in search of shelter for the birth of Jesus. The children, ranging in age from 3 months to 13 years, carried letters with their Christmas wishes to the hotel entrance. There they sang Christmas carols in English and Spanish before an organizer announced, "There is no shelter for us here," and led the group away. Police and Disneyland security were at the entrance, but protestors didn't attempt to enter the hotel, knowing they would be turned away. Some onlookers questioned the wisdom of involving children in a union protest; Disney officials said they were disappointed to see children brought into the process. "This is very much a family issue," said union spokeswoman Ada Briceño. "We're trying to teach everyone to stand up, no matter what their age." Thursday's event was the latest in a series of union-organized protests and exhibitions meant to bring attention to their cause – and to try to embarrass Disney in the process. Last March, more than 25 people were arrested during a protest outside the park when several protestors – some dressed in homemade Disney character costumes – blocked a crowded street during rush hour. The union, which represents about 2,300 dishwashers, bell workers, room attendants and cooks, has been working without a contract since February. "We don't believe Disney has put forward a fair offer and we think it's time they do," Briceño said. Disney officials say they have a good working relationship with most of the 23 other unions representing almost 15,000 employees at the Disneyland resort and they are surprised by the contentiousness of the negotiations with Unite Here 11 (which recently switched its name from Unite Here 681 because of a reorganization.) "We believe we have put a fair and comprehensive offer on the table and we stand behind it," said Lisa Haines, a spokeswoman for Disneyland resorts. "We've made every effort possible to resolve this and believe that union leaders are being unreasonable." The union rejected an offer to extend the contract until negotiations were complete and declined an offer to bring in a federal mediator, Haines added. The major sticking point in contract negotiations has been health-care benefits. The Unite Here 11 is the only union at Disneyland that still operates a separate health-care trust that Disney pays into. The company pays $2.55 per hour, per employee into the union trust fund, for about 1,400 employees. Other union members are part of the company's Signature health-care plan. In the next four-year contract, Disney is offering to continue paying into the trust fund through 2010. After that workers would have to transition to the company's plan, but would get a 75 percent discount from what other Disney employees currently pay. Union leaders don't want to give up the medical trust fund option. They said cutting worker benefits is unfair any time, but should be particularly highlighted at Christmas. Protest organizers speaking to the crowd equated being denied shelter during the posada procession with being denied justice in contract negotiations. Disney officials disagree that they are seeking to cut benefits; they argue that are offering to pay the same benefits all other Disney workers get, even at a reduced cost. That's a disagreement that union leaders said will be hard to get past. At the end of Thursday's protest, organizers handed out a truckload of more than 1,000 donated toys to the children who participated. Gabriella Ruiz, brought her two daughters, Paulina, 8, and Sofia, 5. Her husband, Juan Ruiz, works at one of the Disney hotels. "I came here with my daughters to show that we cannot lose the health care," she said in Spanish. "If we lose (it) all of us lose … That's why I think we should participate as a family." |
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Disney Research Scientist Promotes Conservation in Colombia with
Plush Monkeys Disney
News - A Walt Disney World Animal Programs scientist and an
Imagineer recently returned from Colombia, South America, where
they taught local women to sew plush monkey dolls to promote
wildlife conservation and economic opportunity. The goal of this
program, organized by Proyecto Tití, is to generate awareness of
the critically endangered cotton-top tamarins while helping
residents learn and implement new skills to boost economic
stability.“By providing local families with a stable income, they don't have to go into the forest and capture tamarins to sell in the illegal pet trade or cut trees for sale to get money to feed their family,” said Anne Savage, Ph.D., senior conservation biologist at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. “We’ve been able to create employment opportunities for communities that allow them to join us in protecting and promoting the conservation of the cotton-top tamarin in Colombia.” Savage, one of the Proyecto Tití founders, said the women were enthusiastic about finishing their first plush monkey. During the 10-day program, Savage also led the group through a forest to see the cotton-top tamarin first-hand in the wild. “They were so amazed to see these animals up close and were very touched by the way the tamarins take care of the youngsters in the group.” Proyecto Tití is a multi-disciplinary conservation program that combines field research, education initiatives and community programs to make the conservation of natural resources economically feasible for local communities in Colombia. The conservation program not only recruits local conservation advocates but also contributes to the long-term preservation of the rare cotton-top tamarin found in the northwest region of Colombia. There are fewer than 6,000 of these small primates left in the wild, threatened by habitat destruction and capture for the pet trade. Savage encourages her teams to continually investigate economic alternatives to support local communities and decrease their dependency on forest products, including the development of a cooperative that makes eco-mochilas (tote bags woven from recycled plastic bags). Using recycled plastic for these traditional Colombian bags reduces the amount of waste littered in the forests and villages of Colombia. Since the eco-mochila program started four years ago, the number of cotton-top tamarins caught for the illegal pet trade and the illegal harvest of trees in the forest has decreased significantly. |
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Asian Holidaymakers Can Enjoy Vacation Exchange at Disney
Vacation Club Resorts Through RCI PR Newswire - Following the recent alliance between Group RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange, and Disney Vacation Club, one of the world's most innovative and fastest-growing brands in the vacation-ownership industry, Asian holidaymakers can now enjoy their dream vacations at Disney Vacation Club resorts through RCI's vacation exchange network. The new multi-year affiliation agreement allows subscribing members access to a broad array of exciting vacation opportunities.
Effective Disney Vacation Club Members will be able to enjoy vacations at a variety of destinations across six continents and 25 countries and will have access to a significantly broader range of resort experiences, including more all- inclusive options, more nightly exchanges than ever before and even a selection of luxurious, high-end fractional properties. Similarly, RCI's more than 3.6 million members will now also enjoy the opportunity to exchange into Disney Vacation Club resorts and may rent at Disney Vacation Club resorts throughout the year. "Group RCI has the management
depth, technology resources and global marketing infrastructure
to align with Disney Vacation Club's strategic growth plan,"
said DVC President "It's an honor for all of us at
Group RCI to have been selected by one of the most
internationally recognized and revered brands on the planet,"
commented
About Group RCI Group RCI, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies, (NYSE: WYN) is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the European leader in vacation rentals, with exclusive access for specified periods to more than 67,000 vacation properties in approximately 100 countries. The company is comprised of vacation exchange, including RCI(R), the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and provider of travel services to businesses and consumers and The Registry Collection(R), the world's largest luxury exchange program; vacation rentals, including Endless Vacation Rentals(SM) , Landal GreenParks(R), Novasol(R), English Country Cottages, French Life(R), Cuendet(R), and more than 30 other vacation rental brands, through which vacationers can rent a variety of property types, from city apartments to villas; and NorthCourse(R) Leisure Real Estate Solutions, an international leader in providing a full spectrum of advisory, research, and asset management services. Wyndham Worldwide Corporation is one of the world's largest hospitality companies with leading brands in lodging franchising, vacation ownership, vacation rentals and vacation exchange. For additional information visit http://www.grouprci.com or the media center of http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com . About Disney Vacation Club Disney Vacation Club is a vacation ownership program that helps families enjoy flexibility and savings on vacations for decades to come. By becoming a member of Disney Vacation Club, families can enjoy vacations at Disney destinations worldwide as well as other popular Member Getaways vacation locations around the globe. Disney Vacation Club resort accommodations blend Disney's famed attention to storytelling detail with all the comforts of home. From well-appointed studios equipped with convenient kitchenettes to sprawling, one-, two- and three-bedroom villas complete with full-size kitchens, washers and dryers, luxury tubs and other homelike amenities, Disney Vacation Club resorts create flexible options to meet the needs of thousands of families from around the world. Since its inception in 1991, Disney Vacation Club has grown to serve more than 135,000 member families from approximately 100 countries and all 50 states. Disney Vacation Club is owned by Disney Vacation Development, Inc., part of the magic of The Walt Disney Company. |
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Disney sees the light Radar Online - In celebration of National Flashlight Day this Sunday (yes, it's an actual holiday), Disney Channel will spotlight a related character on its popular cartoon series, Handy Manny. Blue-collar handyman Manny Garcia, voiced by That '70's Show's Wilmer Valderrama, will re-introduce children to his toolbox friend, Flicker, "a flashlight that speaks only Spanish," Valderrama revealed. "[Flicker] is learning English for the first time through his English-speaking friends." Disney will air 3 consecutive episodes on the Dec 21 holiday. |
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Walt Disney's Dumbo
The Guardian - "Dumbo," coming to the New Gallery on Sunday, is Mr. Disney at his most irresistible. It is certainly the most satisfying Disney since before or after "Pinocchio," and some will even prefer it to that masterpiece of puppetry. "Dumbo" lasts sixty-five minutes, and for once in a way it seems neither a minute too long nor a minute too short. It is enchanting, and as gay as a rondo of Mozart. Dumbo is a blue-eyed baby elephant with abnormally big ears. May one dare to suggest to Mr. Disney that his eyes are one shade too light in color? Elephants' eyes, baby or adult, are the color of the periwinkle or wild clematis. Dumbo's eyes have, in Tennyson's phrase, "the little speedwell's darling blue". However, the major point about this lyrically charming person is his ears and not his eyes. They make him the butt and the joke of the circus. But Timothy Mouse is a valiant though tiny sympathiser. Together they drink a bucketful of champagne, have an elephantine nightmare (a fantasia far more exciting than "Fantasia" itself), and wake up at the top of a tree. Six amusing black clowns with Negro voices laugh at their plight. But Timothy has a notion. Dumbo, in his accidental cups, can have arrived there in only one way. He must have flown. He must be able to fly. He must be the world's new wonder - a flying elephant. His fortune is made as quickly as his fame. Dumbo is a joy, but Timothy Mouse is still more. He is a complete and rounded character. We are concerned about him, whereas we were only amused by his progenitor Mickey. It is the difference between a personage and a figment. Timothy must have a whole short Disney to himself. So must Casey Junior, that delightful live railway-train which whoops with joy and relief when it reaches the top of a gradient. Meanwhile, we have "Dumbo" for Christmas, with all these pleasures in it. It is rich in imaginative fun, it is often witty, and even its inevitable piece of slop - a zoological lullaby - does not last long. |
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Thursday December 18, 2008 |
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Disney sued
over profit sharing contract Walt Disney Imagineers Make Science and Math Fun in New DVD Series Fitch Assigns 'A' Rating to Disney's Proposed Note Offering Mickey Celebrates the Year of the Ox Disney Releases first publicity still from "The Surrogates" Walt Disney steps into the fashion arena with its Mickeys hidden Analyst downgrades Disney, partly because of parks concerns 'Bolt' iPhone Game App Pays Off For Disney 'Monday Night Football' tops TV cable ratings Playhouse Disney comes to Frank Erwin Center this weekend |
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Disney sued
over profit sharing contract Reuters - Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) has been sued by its main film financing partner Kingdom Films LLC, accused of violating a profit-sharing agreement, the Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday. Kingdom Films is accusing Disney of breaching a 2005 contract that guarantees Kingdom a share of profits from the recent hit "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" and next year's release of "Hannah Montana: The Movie," the paper said. "The clear understanding was that, except for certain films and categories of films that specifically were carved out, Magic Films would benefit from the value of Disney's properties," the lawsuit said, according to the paper. Disney and Kingdom Films could not immediately be reached for comment. Magic films was formed by Kingdom and Disney in 2005 to finance a slate of 32 films, the paper said. In the suit filed in Delaware Chancery Court, Kingdom disputes Disney's claim that "High School Musical 3" is ineligible for inclusion in the slate because it is a sequel to television movies that were not released in theatres, the paper reported. According to the paper sequels are excluded from the deal. Disney, the No. 2 U.S. entertainment company, is seeing lower advertising revenue hurt its networks while its U.S. theme parks and resorts are suffering from higher labor and fuel costs. However, its film "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" was among the top movies at the box office, while some 223,139 "Hannah Montana" merchandise items have changed hands on online marketplace eBay during the year. |
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Walt Disney Imagineers Make Science and Math Fun in New DVD
Series Disney
News - Imagine making math and science fun for middle-school
students. That’s the goal of a new educational DVD series
produced by Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Educational
Productions. Called “The Science of Imagineering,” the series
features Imagineers introducing basic scientific principles as
they apply to theme park attractions in a fun and relevant
format.At Walt Disney World Resort, for example, production crews recently filmed Imagineers Joe Rohde and program host Asa Kalama at Disney’s Animal Kingdom who explained the design process involved in creating Expedition Everest. During the episode, they talked about the way Imagineers take ideas from concept to completion.
With
Imagineers as their E-ticket instructors, plus a mix of edgy
animation and kid-friendly demonstrations, even kids who are
less scientifically inclined will enjoy learning about the
gravity of the situation at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror,
how the centripetal force may be with them at Mission: SPACE, or
why science really matters at Catastrophe Canyon.
Imagineer Rohde was one of the guest presenters who talked about
the design process. “It’s great to be able to inspire children
with how cool science can be,” he said. “Once students
understand that no matter how impressive the whole end result
is, it’s made up of understandable steps, then they can really
be inspired to try it themselves.” The DVD content meets national curriculum standards for middle school science teachers and will be available this spring. |
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Fitch Assigns 'A' Rating to Disney's Proposed Note Offering
Disney's ratings and Stable Outlook continue to reflect the company's leading market positions in core businesses, unique brand franchises, strong cash flows, and significant financial flexibility. Disney has benefited from strong multi-year performance at its cable networks which has resulted in significant increases in stable, incrementally high-margin carriage fees. In addition, Disney continues to successfully leverage its hit-driven brands across multiple platforms. Credit concerns center on the cyclical volatility of its theme parks and resorts, studio and broadcast network businesses. The stresses required to impair the company's financial flexibility are consistent with an 'A' rating, and Fitch believes that even in the midst of a difficult economy, potential rating pressure is less likely to be driven by operating performance than by discretionary actions on the part of management. The cyclical challenges facing the media & entertainment industry relate to both the existing weak macro-economic environment, as well as the general volatility that accompanies hit-driven businesses. Fitch believes that Disney is less exposed to some of the advertising-based cyclical challenges facing other Media & Entertainment companies given its small reliance on local advertising. While the current macro-economic environment could put pressure on the Parks and Resorts segment, Fitch believes the company's focus on its lower cost value packages and efforts to cross collaborate and implement best practices rather than operating the parks as standalone businesses could make a downturn less severe than historical periods. While results have been resilient thus far, the segment's revenues are generally tied to the health of the macro-economy and its profits can swing widely (2 to 3 times the changes in revenue) due to the significant operating leverage in the business. Fitch believes that in a downside case the parks business could experience 10%-15% declines in attendance, modest pricing pressure and reduction in per-capita guest spending, and a more than 20% reduction in segment EBITDA. This scenario still results in significant segment cash flows and would not impair the company's overall credit quality. For additional information, please see Fitch's report 'The Walt Disney Company: Credit Stability Amid a Weakening Economy dated July 21, 2008, available at www.fitchratings.com, under the tags: Corporate Finance then Corporates then Special Reports Fitch's rating definitions and the terms of use of such ratings are available on the agency's public site, www.fitchratings.com. Published ratings, criteria and methodologies are available from this site, at all times. Fitch's code of conduct, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, affiliate firewall, compliance and other relevant policies and procedures are also available from the 'Code of Conduct' section of this site. |
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Mickey Celebrates the Year of the Ox Disney News - Snow is falling at Hong Kong Disneyland's Royal Kingdom and the sparkling Christmas spirit is still running high, however, the Resort is already gearing up for the arrival of the Year of the Ox. Auspicious celebrations are an integral part of Chinese tradition and as Guests prepare for new beginnings during the soon-to-arrive Chinese New Year, the Resort will be the best location to prepare for a fantastic Year of the Ox. Running from January 16 to February 8, 2009, Mickey Celebrates the Year of the Ox is set to be an exuberant experience, filled with luck, love, longevity and many other prosperous aspects of Chinese New Year. Dressed in their best Chinese New Year finery, Mickey Mouse and Hong Kong Disneyland spokesperson Jacky Cheung traveled to Shanghai and Beijing to give media and trade partners a glimpse of the energy, luck and unity that will soon await them, at the Resort. "With the festivities beginning 10 days before Chinese New Year, Guests will enjoy an immersive traditional celebration with a Disney twist that only Hong Kong Disneyland can provide. There will be plenty of time for Guests of all ages to take part in their favorite Chinese New Year activities, as well as collect the unlimited blessings that will be available at the Resort – for the best start to the new year," said Maple Lee, Vice President, Marketing of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. Creatively combining a traditional Chinese celebration with the magic of Disney, Guests can snap some auspicious photos on the Lucky Trail. Using its expertise in horticulture, the Resort will depict the attributes of Happiness, Love and Romance, Prosperity, Achievement, Wealth, Family Harmony, Longevity and Success in Studies through innovative landscaping. Guests will be able to pose for colorful photos with heart-shaped peach blossoms, delicate peonies, towering bamboo and whimsical pussy willows, each depicting a unique Chinese blessing. To drive out the old and welcome the new, Mickey Mouse will lead a lively group of Chinese drummers in an energetic daily routine during the all-new Celebration in the Street procession. Disney Characters including Minnie Mouse as well as Goofy will be taking part in this elaborate and high energy procession, filled with giant puppets, glittering costumes and even a golden dragon – this will be a party to remember. With circles symbolizing 'unity' in Chinese tradition, Hong Kong Disneyland will be filled with 'unity rides' that families can experience together. Guests shouldn't miss the opportunity to stock up on some luck and ride the Orbitron, Dumbo the Flying Elephant and the Mad Hatter Tea Cups over and over again. To share the excitement of his Year of the Ox celebration, Mickey will be decorating his home for the Chinese New Year season. With festive decorations and special treats waiting in his kitchen, Mickey is looking forward to welcoming Guests to his house to celebrate Chinese New Year. Of course, there will be feasts galore throughout the Park and at the two Disney themed hotels, with delicious menus offering 80 all-new tempting dishes. Guests should also remember to grab that Chinese New Year keepsake or gift, as the Resort presents 70 all-new merchandise. For more details on Mickey Celebrates the Year of the Ox, please call (852) 1-830-830 or visit www.hongkongdisneyland.com. |
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Disney Releases first publicity still from "The Surrogates" MTV.com -
We’ve done our part here at Splash Page covering Disney’s
upcoming adaptation of Top Shelf’s “The Surrogates” graphic
novel — from exclusive chats with the film’s producer, Elizabeth
Banks (yes, that Elizabeth Banks), to interviews with one of the
creators behind the comic, Rob Venditti – so needless to say,
we’re pretty excited about this upcoming film which follows two
FBI agents (played by Bruce Willis and Radha Mitchell)
investigating a murder in a world where people own robot
likenesses of themselves and live vicariously through them.
And now, Disney has finally debuted the first production still from “The Surrogates,” which you can check out below! |
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Walt Disney steps into the fashion arena with its Mickeys hidden Orlando Sentinel - Two years ago, a decision was made: It was time to take the Mickey out of some Disney products. The company that for decades put Mouse ears on everything from beanies to water towers, and Disney cartoon characters on everything from sweat shirts to bed sheets, would launch a line of "noncharacter" fashions and home furnishings. It would include Walt Disney Signature (home furnishings), Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings (bridal), Disney Couture (women's fashions and accessories) and Bloc28 (hip guy stuff). All would be decidedly upscale: $3,900 designer wedding gowns fit for a Disney princess; $140 Snow White-inspired cashmere cardigans; $2,800 leather club chairs based on those in the company's original art deco offices. Signature "is a new luxury lifestyle brand inspired by Walt Disney himself," says Robert Oberschelp, the line's director. "We looked at our portfolio for consumer products and saw a market void. Furniture for the high-end consumer who has an affinity for Disney and trust in the brand -- that was the missing puzzle piece," he says. The lines are designed to appeal to "everyone from first-time homebuyers to empty-nesters with disposable income. Disney fanatics, and just people who appreciate Disney design and quality," he says. The first 12-piece furniture collection is based on items in Disney's former Burbank studio -- desks, martini tables, credenzas. Produced in collaboration with the Drexel Heritage furniture company, and sold in Drexel showrooms, it was launched in April 2006. The following year, 50 pieces were added, including dining and bedroom suites and mirrors. For inspiration, designers raid Disney's archival vault. "It's full of original sketches, animations, storyboards. We go to our classic films -- Fantasia, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty -- for color and mood," says Oberschelp. "But everything is made for modern times. We don't want to hold the collection to the 1930s and '40s. Walt lived through many eras. The collection will evolve through those eras." Recent additions to the line include a tabletop collection with Zak Designs, lighting with Minka, rugs with The Rug Market and outdoor furniture with Agio. The last features casual dining sets from the Animal Kingdom Collection and cocktail furniture from the Grand Floridian Collection. Sales of the lifestyle products will total about $300 million during the next four years, says Oberschelp. Before sitting down to create gowns for Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings line, designer Kirstie Kelly spends weeks watching the "princess movies." She draws her inspiration from the stars: Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, Ariel and Belle. Each gown is designed with the personality of a princess in mind. "But I update the personalities to fit the women of today. I create gowns that are sophisticated and elegant, but I use texture, color and styling to capture the essence of the princess within them," she says. Kelly has been producing her own line of couture bridal and special-occasion designs for almost 20 years. Her first collection for Disney was launched in April 2007. She produces two princess collections a year, each featuring two to three gowns. They are sold in about 150 bridal stores, with prices ranging from $1,100 to just under $4,000. The best-seller so far is a Jasmine gown, a "flowy, strapless, chiffon style." Kelly also designs bridesmaid and flower-girl dresses under the Maidens and Princess Blossom labels, and a jewelry line, Kirstie Kelly Jewels. And next spring she will launch the Red Label collection for full-figured women, featuring similar styles to those in the regular line, but in sizes 14W-32W. "Full-figured women are not able to walk into most bridal salons and try on gowns. Having their sizes will make the experience so special," says Kelly. Also set to debut early next year is her collection of gift ware developed in collaboration with Lennox. "It's a lifestyle business -- not just for the bride on her wedding day. We're relating to the bride as a woman, and to her needs moving forward." And, as with the furniture, the line is only lightly sprinkled with pixie dust. Subtly Snow White A variety of designers are tapped to do collections for the Disney Couture line, including knitwear maven Charlotte Tarantola. "It's a neat pairing. I take what I do and make a Disney version," says Tarantola, whose cashmere pieces are a favorite of Hollywood celebrities such as Jessica Alba and Lindsay Lohan. Her first collection for Disney is inspired by Snow White, "but in a really subtle way," she says. One cardigan, for example, appears to feature a leopard print. But close up, the leopard changes its spots. "If you look real close, you see that the spots are actually silhouettes of the forest animals that surround Snow White -- rabbits, squirrels, birds," she says. The collection includes cardigans, zip hoodies and chiffon-backed T-shirts, all with special trims. "Groovy buttons with crowns, things like that," says Tarantola. The first collection will launch in upscale department stores and boutiques in February. Prices will range from $88 to $140. "Every single person like me, who grew up loving Disney, needs to keep loving it just a little bit longer," says Tarantola. "I hope my collection helps them do that. It's familiar Disney, but grown-up Disney." |
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Analyst downgrades Disney, partly because of parks concerns Tourism Central - An investment firm has downgraded shares in the Walt Disney Co. from "buy" to "neutral" in part because of concerns about weakness at Walt Disney World.
Pali Capital analyst Rich
Greenfield wrote in a research note distributed last week
that Disney recently began "significant mid-week room-only"
hotel discounts in Orlando, such as value resort rooms for
between $49 and $92. Greenfield's concern is that the
room-only discounts follow Disney's even bigger promotion
launched in early November in which guests could buy
four-night room-and-ticket packages and get three more
nights free (which Greenfield writes appears to have been
"quite successful").
With the further hotel discounts, Greenfield writes, "the question becomes is Disney simply topping off capacity for calendar Q1 [January through March] or are booking trends weakening further?" |
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'Bolt' iPhone
Game App Pays Off For Disney MediaPost Publications - Six weeks since its launch, a free 3-D iPhone "adver-game" promoting Walt Disney Pictures' animated theatrical film "Bolt" has been downloaded more than 700,000 times, according to online marketing agency AvatarLabs. Starring the film's fat hamster character Rhino, the aptly named "Rhinoball" app invites iPhone owners to navigate obstacles as they help the rodent reach Bolt, the dog who doubles as the movie's title character. Players tilt their phones forward, backwards, left and right to guide Rhino through city streets, as he avoids cars and other obstacles on his way to the finish line. The game makes use of the iPhone's accelerometer, a feature that allows the phone to respond to motion. When the phone is rotated from portrait to landscape, the accelerometer detects the movement and changes the display accordingly. The Rhinoball app also includes "Bolt"'s theatrical trailer and TV commercial. The film itself just received two Golden Globe nominations--for best animated feature and best song. No. 4 at the box office last weekend, "Bolt" has made $89 million at the box office in four weeks of release, according to Studio Briefing. In addition to Apple's iPhone, the Rhinoball app is also available to iPod Touch users. Rhinoball has ranked as high as No. 11 on AppShopper.com's rankings of the most-downloaded free iPhone apps. On Wednesday, it still ranked in the top 100, at No. 70. With the number of iPhone applications now topping 10,000 and growing rapidly, other brands have also been launching applications. They include the Virtual Zippo Lighter, at No. 37 on AppShopper.com's list, and the Target Gift Globe, at No. 46. The Virtual Zippo Lighter "opens with a flick of your wrist and lights with a turn of your thumb. The windproof flame sways as you move your iPhone or iPod Touch and reacts when you try to blow it out." As for the Target Gift Globe, "tell us a little about the person you have in mind, shake the snow globe, and we'll provide great gift idea." AvatarLabs, based in Hollywood, specializes in digital movie promotion, including Web sites, rich media/ad banners and widgets for other current films like "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Slumdog Millionaire," and "Four Christmases." |
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'Monday
Night Football' tops TV cable ratings AP - Rankings for the top 15 programs on cable networks as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for the week of Dec. 8-14. Day and start time (EST) are in parentheses: 1. NFL Football: Tampa Bay vs.
Carolina (Monday, 8:30 p.m.), ESPN, 8.49 million homes, 11.58
million viewers. 3. "Suite Life on Deck" (Friday, 8 p.m.), Disney, 3.25 million homes, 4.28 million viewers. 4. "Suite Life on Deck" (Friday, 7:30 p.m.), Disney, 3.18 million homes, 4.18 million viewers. 5. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Sunday, 9:30 a.m.), 3.13 million homes, 4 million viewers. 6. "WWE Raw" (Monday, 10 p.m.), USA, 3.12 million homes, 4.74 million viewers. 7. "WWE Raw" (Monday, 9 p.m.), USA, 3.1 million homes, 4.83 million viewers. 8. "Wizards of Waverly Place" (Sunday, 8:30 p.m.), Disney, 3.08 million homes, 4.12 million viewers. 9. "2008 Heisman Trophy Presentation" (Saturday, 8 p.m.), ESPN, 3.05 million homes, 4.15 million viewers. 10. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 9 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.02 million homes, 3.87 million viewers. 11. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 11:30 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.948 million homes, 3.91 million viewers. 12. "NCIS" (Monday, 7 p.m.), USA, 2.94 million homes, 3.78 million viewers. 13. "Suite Life on Deck" (Friday, 7 p.m.), Disney, 2.92 million homes, 3.91 million viewers. 14. "Hannah Montana" (Sunday, 8 p.m.), Disney, 2.91 million homes, 3.81 million viewers. 15. "Suite Life on Deck" (Friday, 8:30 p.m.), Disney, 2.9 million homes, 3.77 million viewers. ESPN and The Disney Channel are owned by the Walt Disney Co. Nickelodeon is owned by Viacom Inc. USA is owned by General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal. |
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Playhouse Disney comes to Frank Erwin Center this weekend CBS 42 - Mickey Mouse and all his Disney friends are coming to Austin. They'll be here this Friday for "Playhouse Disney Live!" The show brings together the favorite characters from four popular TV shows, “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” “Little Einsteins,” “Handy Manny,” and “My friends Tigger & Pooh,” at the Frank Erwin Center on Friday, Dec. 19. There will be three performances at The Theatre at the Frank Erwin Center at 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. Reporter Bettie Cross talked with the Baby Einsteins characters in our morning show. Check out the video to the left. |
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Wednesday December 17, 2008 |
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Walt
Disney launches $1 bln, 5-yr bond sale Disney makes offer to Hong Kong park 25 Years of Walt Disney Worl Christmas Parade Viwawa, Partners with Disney Interactive Angela Lansbury, set to host TCM doc about Disney, reflects on an extraordinary career Mr. Disney mom has park wired Families of fallen soldiers travel to Disneyland Trying to Join a Corporate Head and a Cloth Heart Vanessa Hudgens Cancels Bar Marmont B-day Bash |
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Walt
Disney launches $1 bln, 5-yr bond sale Reuters - The Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) launched a $1 billion, five-year debt sale on Wednesday, which is expected to price at around 337.5 basis points over comparable U.S. treasuries, said IFR. Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan are co-managing the sale, said IFR, a Thomson Reuters publication. |
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Disney makes
offer to Hong Kong park Variety - Disney is offering to fund expansion at the loss-making Hong Kong Disneyland theme park. But plans to develop the site have yet to be approved by Hong Kong's government, which is the park's majority owner, and it may demand changes in the shareholding structure. The Mouse House's commitment was made clear Monday in a submission to Legco, the territory's equivalent of a parliament, by HKDL managing director Andrew Kam Min-ho. "Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is the first priority of The Walt Disney Company's investment in Asia. Despite the economic uncertainty, we are confident of the growth potential of the resort," Kam said. The funding offer is separate to the HK$3.26 billion ($420 million) that Disney loaned the park to repay commercial loans to 26 banks that were due in September. The park has had 15 million visitors since opening in September 2005. |
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25 Years
of Walt Disney Worl Christmas Parade Disney Insider - In a way, you could say that it really all started back in 1950, when Walt Disney was welcomed into homes around the country on Christmas Day, appearing in his first-ever TV show. Or you could say it started in 1971, when Walt Disney World Resort opened its doors--and began a tradition of holiday season revelry. One way or another, Disney has been making the yuletide bright for a very long time! But this year marks a special anniversary, as the Walt Disney World Christmas Parade celebrates 25 years of telecasts. For a quarter-century, watching the Parade on Christmas Day has brought a slice of Disney magic – and Florida sunshine! – to millions of families. We thought it would be fun to look back at some Parade highlights over the years, and see what special events we can look forward to this year as ABC-TV brings us all the festivities on Christmas morning. Although the earliest telecasts were focused on events at Walt Disney World, today audiences get a peek at events at Disneyland Resort and beyond. We'll also see a special segment courtesy of Adventures by Disney that gives us a look at Christmas in Italy, hosted by Joey Fatone. The first official Walt Disney World Christmas Parade took place at the Magic Kingdom Park and included floats celebrating "Jungle Book" Characters, "Herbie the Love Bug," "Dumbo," "Pinocchio," "101 Dalmatians," and "Alice in Wonderland." The Toy Soldiers that delight Guests each year have also been a part of the Parade from the very beginning – the tradition started at a Disneyland holiday parade way back in 1955, and they've been part of the Christmas Parade every year. Through the years, Guests and viewers have been treated to some spectacular moments – in 1994, Olympian Nancy Kerrigan ice-skated during the event; a number of Presidents of the United States have offered holiday greetings on the telecast; and stars from Mariah Carey to Andrea Bocelli to Julie Andrews have performed. 2008 might just be the most star-studded year ever, with performers including Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Sarah Brightman, Jose Feliciano, American Idol's David Cook, and Vanessa Williams. This year, Corbin Bleu will be debuting a brand-new song on the telecast. And, of course, Santa is one Parade performer we can always count on making an appearance – after that snowy trip around the world on Christmas Eve, we're sure he welcomes a dose of Florida sunshine! Regis Philbin will be cohosting with Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest once again in 2008. Regis is practically a Parade tradition, having been involved for 18 years, starting as a "man on the street" commentator. Other hosts over the decades have included, Joan Lunden, Alan Thicke, Suzanne Somers, Tom Bergeron, and Jerry Van Dyke. The Parade has grown and changed through the years, and it's a bigger, brighter, more spectacular show than ever. The floats change, new performers make their debuts, and Guests and television viewers alike can be sure of new surprises every year. But some things about the Walt Disney World Christmas Parade, we hope, will never change – the magic, the joy, and the warm holiday spirit that makes Christmas morning extra-special for millions. |
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Viwawa,
Partners with Disney Interactive MarketWatch - Viwawa, Asia's fastest growing social gaming network, announced today their partnership with Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG) to offer Disney-inspired avatar customizations for its subscribers in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Now with hundreds of Disney outfits and accessories available on Viwawa's new Disney avatar creation engine, subscribers can engage in multiplayer games with avatars dressed in Mickey and Minnie Mouse Ears, Disney shirts, hats, balloons, and more.
Combining Viwawa's growing
reach and user base with Disney's universal appeal for
audiences of all ages, this is the first time for DIMG to
bring a touch of Disney to the virtual lives of Netizens and
fans in these markets. ComScore has recently reported that
51% of Asia-Pacific internet users visit online gaming
sites, indicating continued interest in virtual worlds.
"Our multiplayer games, live
chat, forums and mobile gaming portal have gained Viwawa a
huge market share in the Asian teen and young adult online
gaming segment. By offering Disney-themed customizations, we
will further entrench Viwawa as the online gaming site with
the coolest avatars and social networking tools," stated
Chris Low, Viwawa President. "By generating an influx of new
subscribers with the Disney avatar creation engine, Viwawa
will gain brand awareness in these Asian markets."
About Viwawa
Viwawa, a division of Pendulab,
offers imaginative online games that challenge the mind and
encourage playful competition. Intense battles ensue where
strategy and skill prevail in fighting games Wahlords,
dynasty chess and Numeroid while players stay enthralled on
the memory battlefields of Wahjong, with trickery and plain
luck being paramount. Trash talk may start in the forums but
the in-game live chat encourages duels that last all night.
Visit
www.viwawa.com for the
hottest free games and visit
www.pendulab.com to learn
more about the Viwawa creators.
About SilkRoad Equity
SilkRoad Equity is a private
investment firm founded by Andrew J. "Flip" Filipowski and
Matthew Roszak. SilkRoad Equity targets investments in the
areas of technology, life sciences, media and entertainment
and real estate, and is comprised of a portfolio of
companies that includes: Pendulab, SilkRoad technology,
SolidSpace and Viwawa. For more information, visit
www.silkroadequity.com.
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Angela Lansbury, set to host TCM doc about Disney, reflects on
an extraordinary career
The Envelope - Aside from a few child stars, there aren't many actors who began their careers 65 years ago and are still working today, but that is precisely what stage, television and film legend Angela Lansbury is - and loves - doing. Today, when people discuss a blond with a British accent who has repeatedly reinvented herself, it's usually Madonna, but Lansbury fits the bill even better — she'd already gone through several different career incarnations before Madonna was even born ... plus she's actually British! Lansbury was still a teenager when she made made her big screen debut and earned a best supporting actress Oscar nomination for playing a conniving, cockney maid opposite Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman in "Gaslight" (1944). Then, she portrayed the snooty older sister of Elizabeth Taylor in "National Velvet" (1944), before earning yet another Oscar nomination for best supporting actress as a rather pathetic dance hall performer infatuated with the ageless Hurd Hatfield in "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1945). Over the next few years, she was aiding Judy Garland in "The Harvey Girls" (1946), tormenting Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in "State of the Union" (1948), and taking direction from Cecil B. DeMille in "Samson and Delilah" (1949). During the 1950s, Lansbury gave birth to two children and consequently worked less often, mainly on episodic television shows. When she returned to the big screen in the 1960s, though only in her 30s, she was not infrequently asked to play mother figures. She played these roles to great effect with Elvis Presley in "Blue Hawaii" (1961), Warren Beatty in "All Fall Down" (1962), and, most famously, with Laurence Harvey as the manipulative Mrs. Iselin, possessor of the Ace of Hearts, in "The Manchurian Candidate" (1962), for which she earned her third Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. In 1964, facing limited prospects on the screen, Lansbury turned to the stage. Over the next 15 years, she returned to the big screen only two or three times, one being to make the family favorite "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" (1971). During that short span, she appeared in numerous hit productions, gave four performances that won Tony Awards for best actress (musical) — in "Mame" (1966), "Dear World" (1969), "Gypsy" (1975), and, most famously, as Mrs. Lovett in "Sweeney Todd" (1979) — and altogether solidifed her standing as one of the greatest and most beloved Broadway actresses of all time. But Lansbury was not done yet — not by a long shot — as there remained one more medium to conquer: television. Conquer it she did, earning 10 Golden Globe nominations, four Golden Globes and a fortune for her portrayal of amateur detective Jessica Fletcher on "Murder, She Wrote," which was one of the most popular shows on CBS from 1984 through 1996. And if the audience for the show skewed older, well, she more than compensated by using some of her off time to provide the voice of the animated teapot Mrs. Potts in Disney's best picture-nominated "Beauty and the Beast," which introduced her to a whole new generation. At 83, Angela Lansbury is preparing to return to Broadway next year in "Blithe Spirit" and continues to lend her name (and inimitable voice) to special causes and family-friendly programming. In fact, on Sunday evening at 8:45 p.m. PST, she can be heard on the cable network Turner Classic Movies narrating a brand-new documentary entitled "The Age of Believing: The Disney Live-Action Classics," which focuses on Disney's expansion from an animation-only studio into one that also produces live-action films, and which is part of TCM's celebration of family classics every Sunday in December. |
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Mr.
Disney mom has park wired Chicago Sun-Times - Planning a trip to Walt Disney World isn't child's play. Florida's famous attraction contains a dizzying array of 20 resort hotels, four theme parks and two water parks -- all sprawled over a space twice the size of Manhattan. To help people plan their visits, Disney earlier this year debuted the Walt Disney World Moms Panel (disneyworldmoms.com), an online forum led by park-savvy parents. These Disney devotees share their insight on everything from when to visit and where to stay to tips on avoiding the lines at Space Mountain, the best spot to snag Goofy's autograph and where to find "hidden Mickeys" scattered discreetly across the park. The panel is made up of 11 moms and one lone dad: Bret Caldwell of Evanston. Caldwell, 43, was the only male to survive Disney's three-round application process, which drew a whopping 10,000 applicants. The father of three decided to try out for the panel "on a lark," figuring it would be a good way to share the copious research he did for a family vacation to Disney in 2006. "I built a pretty crazy Excel spreadsheet for that trip," Caldwell said, a little sheepishly. "It can be amazingly complicated going to Disney World. That's why they have panels like this." When the panel debuted in January, it was an instant hit. Caldwell and the moms fielded more than 11,000 questions in the first 10 months. Questions like, "Is Cinderella's Royal Table suitable for boys?" (Caldwell's answer: Absolutely. It's one of his son's favorites for three reasons: He gets a sword, they serve fantastic bacon, and it's not so bad being surrounded by a bunch of little princesses.) Another query: "When is the 3 o'clock parade?" (Caldwell's answer: It's not as silly a question as it sounds. It depends on where you are in the park.) Disney's Moms Panel members' tour of duty lasts one year. The new panel will be announced next month. The 2009 group will expand to 16 people, including a parent specializing in questions about Disney Cruise Line vacations. Caldwell's tenure on the Moms Panel may be coming to an end, but not so for his love of Disney. That started at age 8 when his dad first took him to the park. "I went back as an adult. I went again as a married couple. Then with one kid, two kids, three kids," he said. "I've had a lot of different Disney experiences." Caldwell taps into those experiences when answering roughly 14 questions a week; the minimum requirement for panelists is eight. He estimates that most weeks he'll spend up to 15 hours responding to queries and keeping up to date about all things Disney by listening to podcasts and going over guidebooks. Disney treated panelists to an orientation at the resort shortly after they were chosen. Panel members also get an all-expenses paid, five-night trip to Disney World -- a reward Caldwell cashed in last month with his wife, Patty, and children Alexandra, 8; Peter, 7, and Lauren, 4. Aside from these perks, being a panelist doesn't come with a paycheck. Caldwell's real job is partner at the sales and marketing consulting firm ZS Associates. "Panelists aren't cast members. We're not employees of Disney," he said, "so we're unbiased and completely uncensored." They're also semifamous pseudo-cult figures among ardent fans of the Web site. Caldwell and other panelists have been recognized on the street. Well, the streets at Disney. "You go to the parks," he said, "and sometimes, to the right people, you're a microcelebrity." |
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Families of fallen soldiers travel to Disneyland
WRAL - More than 100 people from Fayetteville are traveling Tuesday on an all-expense-paid trip to Disneyland. Chartered American Airlines planes, dubbed the Snowball Express, are picking up hundreds of families across the country for the four-day trip, which is for the children of service members who have died in combat since Sept. 11, 2001. For the past three years, American Airlines has treated families to the free trip. BP has joined the event this year by donating fuel for the planes. Two chartered flights arriving from other military communities in Norfolk, Va. and Pensacola, Fla. were to stop in Fayetteville to pick up about 130 parents and children. "Last year was our first Snowball. It was the first time I saw my girls smile again," Teresa Priestner said while waiting with her daughters, Megan and Breanne, to catch one of the chartered flights at the Fayetteville Regional Airport. Both of Priestner's daughters wear special dog tags honoring their father, Army Chief Warrant Officer John R. Priestner, of Sanford, who died in 2006 after his helicopter crashed in Iraq, according to the Arlington National Cemetery. For Breanne Priestner, 16, the trip to Disneyland was a way to connect with others going through the loss of a loved one. "I can have fun. I don't have to explain anything. Life, if I get sad or just feel down, they know what I'm feeling," Breanne Priestner said. Darcy Siebert's husband Capt. Todd M. Siebert died in early 2007 after a mortar blast in Iraq. While waiting to board the Snowball Express, Siebert wore a shirt with her husband's photo on it. She said the trip gave her and her family a chance to "have fun and stop thinking about the day to day." Nationally American Airlines chartered flights for 20 cities to carry 1,400 people to Disneyland. Families will also visit Universal Studios. They are expected to return on Saturday. |
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Trying to Join a Corporate Head and a Cloth Heart New York Times - In September, Geekdad, a blogger on Wired.com, inquired, “What good will it do to get kids to like the Muppets if they lose their essential Muppetness in the process?” That question referred to Disney’s purchase of the Muppets four years ago and the company’s efforts to re-energize the brand and capitalize on the audience for whom Hannah Montana is Elvis. Apparently there are a lot of children who don’t know about the Muppets and thus probably cannot define “essential Muppetness.” But it must have been scary for Disney to think that if asked to identify a Muppet character, some children might not have an answer or, after thinking a very long time, might take too long to come up with one or might say Scott Baio. So Disney has started to drench the market with Muppet product. Among the results: “A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa,” a special being shown Wednesday on NBC. I am no Muppets purist (perhaps alone in the world, I am Muppet-neutral), but I know enough to realize that the cognoscenti are not going to soak up this offering. Why? Because this effort at Disney-fying the Muppets feels like a big old sellout, loaded with appearances by celebrities and fake celebrities: Jane Krakowski turns up, presumably as a reminder that we are watching the network of “30 Rock.” You would have to clock the minutes to be sure, but she seems to get more airtime than Miss Piggy, who is probably calling a puppet lawyer right now to sue for reduced exposure. It is hard not to wonder, also, how children are going to react to seeing Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in line at the post office, during an opening sequence that establishes the plot. (Mail to Santa goes missing. The Muppets must deliver the letters to the North Pole.) What will they say? “He is way hotter than the Jonas Brothers.” Or: “I have had it up to here with the media’s New York provincialism — what would have been so wrong with casting the mayor of Denver?” (Nothing. And actually the name “John Hickenlooper” is a much funnier reference in a Christmas-special kind of way.) Playing a North Pole airlines ticket clerk, Uma Thurman looks as though she is headed to Gstaad in 1970, but that does not make up for music and jokes that are entirely anodyne. “A Muppets Christmas” is only visually nostalgic, wistful for an era before high-tech animation. But the Muppets’ satiric legacy is not much in evidence, nor is the moral conflict that made Christmas television classics like “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” so transfixing for children. Yes, Virginia, everything really was better in the ’70s. And don’t even go looking for indictments of capitalism because here all you get is Nathan Lane as a cranky airport security guard. The subliminal message of “A Muppets Christmas” is that airline travel is a hassle. This is not children’s television operating on two levels, slyly speaking to adults and enchantingly colonizing the minds of 8-year-olds. It is possible that “A Muppets Christmas” operates on no level. But I’m not Scrooge enough to speak so decisively for a demographic that seems to regard the “High School Musical” soundtrack as its own “Blood on the Tracks.” A MUPPETS CHRISTMAS Letters to Santa NBC, Wednesday night at 8, Eastern and Pacific times; 7, Central time. Written by Hugh Fink, Andrew Samson, Scott Ganz and Paul Williams; the Muppets Studio, executive producer; Martin G. Baker, producer; songs by Mr. Williams. |
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Vanessa Hudgens Cancels Bar Marmont B-day Bash
E! Online - Did bad press cause Disney star Vanessa Hudgens to cancel her 20th birthday party at Chateau Marmont? Hudgens was scheduled to have a soiree Sunday night at Bar Marmont—and even sent out invites—but decided at the last minute to put the kibosh on the bash. "She canceled because she didn't want the bad press because it's a bar," a restaurant source tells E! News. "She could have gotten in though, because they serve dinner as well." So what did she do instead? Vanessa spent the day with boyfriend Zac Efron. The duo dined at Stanley's Restaurant & Bar in Sherman Oaks. "She's been here before," Stanley's manager Luis Morales tells E! "They came in for lunch and sat by themselves. We don't bother them much." And Vanessa's birthday wasn't a total bust. She got a bouquet of flowers and a gift from Zac when he picked her up for their date and had a "small, intimate dinner" instead of a big party. And just for the record, Vanessa's rep says of the soiree that it "was never for sure. [Bar Marmont] was just one of the places we considered." |
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Tuesday December 16, 2008 |
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"Tron 2.0" has its
first two players Disney's Race to Witch Mountain Poster ESPN releases ESPN.com Beta to wider audience The Walt Disney Company and Media-One Form Joint Venture to Launch Disney-Branded Free-to-Air Television Channel in Russia 'Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep,' CD of Classical Children's Lullabies Receives Disney iParenting Award ESPN Web Overhaul About Done; 'Less Is More' Design Aimed At Advertisers Give the Gift of Green The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea Special Edition on DVD Power Rangers - Jungle Fury: Way Of The Master on DVD Power Rangers - Jungle Fury: Into The Jungle on DVD The Cheetah Girls: One World Extended Music Edition on Blu-ray and DVD UNITE HERE Local 11 Launches Blog Exposing Disney's Unfaithfulness Lawsuits Claim Leibovitz Owes $778K For Photo Services Disneyland Resort Makes Annual Passes More Accessible and Affordable Need Disney travel tips? Ask these moms Disney Extends KIDS GO FREE Ticket Offer Through Dec. 23 Walt Disney World Resort and Steve Harvey Inspire Teens Through Disney's Dreamers Academy 2009 Class |
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"Tron 2.0" has its
first two players Reuters
- "House" co-star Olivia Wilde and Beau Garrett are the first to
sign on for "Tron 2.0," a sequel to the 1982 Disney cult
classic.
The original, about a programmer thrust into a computer and forced to fight in games he helped create, is remembered for its sci-fi gladiator-style battles and groundbreaking special effects. The new movie is acting as a "next chapter." Plot details are being guarded closely, but Wilde will play a worker in the virtual world who tries to help fight Master Control Program, the villainous intelligence protocol that was the nemesis in the original. Garrett ("Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer") will play a siren in the virtual world. The male lead has not been cast, but the studio and filmmakers are screen-testing actors as it brings on other leads and supporting players. Joseph Kosinski is directing; Steven Lisberger, who co-wrote and directed the original film, is one of the producers. "Tron 2.0" is eyeing a spring shoot and is shaping up as one of the studio's most anticipated projects in years. Kosinski shot reels to test technology and showcase his vision for the film; the footage screened at Comic-Con in July and was one of the most buzzed-about films coming out of the annual San Diego geekfest. |
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Disney's Race to Witch Mountain Poster First
Showing - You've already seen the trailer, now check out the
poster. Disney has unveiled the official poster for Race to
Witch Mountain starring Dwayne Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, and
Carla Gugino. This poster doesn't actually look that bad, and it
reminds me a lot of the epic posters for kids movies of the
past, the kind that were actually good. Nowadays, barely any of
them turn out that great. While I wasn't particularly fascinated
by the trailer, I'm still hoping that Race to Witch Mountain is
at least thoroughly entertaining for all ages in the end. And by
the looks of the this poster alone, that's exactly what we'll be
getting next March.Race to Witch Mountain is directed by Andy
Fickman, of the Disney hits She's the Man and The Game Plan
previously. The screenplay was co-written by both Mark Bomback
(Live Free or Die Hard) and Matt Lopez (Bedtime Stories). While
this is a remake of Disney's Escape to Witch Mountain, it's
actually based on the book of the same name written by Alexander
Key. Disney's Race to Witch Mountain will hit theaters
everywhere on March 13th, 2009 next year. Will you be seeing
this in theaters? Or not at all? |
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ESPN
releases ESPN.com Beta to wider audience
LA
Business - ESPN is releasing the beta version of the
new ESPN.com to a wider audience for testing ahead of a
formal launch on January 5.
ESPN Beta was actually launched last week, but was only available to subscribers to ESPN's Insider service. A hallmark of the new design is reducing clutter on the page and integration of video elements. The plethora of links above the main story element and headlines has been greatly reduced into a series of drop-down menus. The singular main story element has been replace with a carousel offering top stories and videos. The video player itself has been upgraded, now offering videos with a 16x9 aspect ratio. The new site offers greater personalization, with a myESPN button and a customized "My Headlines" tab in the box with the familiar group of top headlines in sports. ESPN Beta offers links for bug reports and feedback. ESPN is a division of The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS). |
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The Walt Disney Company and Media-One Form Joint Venture to
Launch Disney-Branded Free-to-Air Television Channel in Russia businesswire - The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), through one of its subsidiaries, and Media-One Holdings Limited, a broadcaster operating assets in the regions of Russia, are forming a joint venture to launch a Disney-branded television channel in Russia. The joint venture plans to launch the new family-oriented entertainment channel on 30 stations throughout Russia currently owned and operated by Media-One. Anchored by Disney programming for kids and family, the channel also plans to air original Russian programming. In addition to programming the TV channel with acquired content, the joint venture also has plans to produce its own programs which will occupy more of the schedule as the company matures. The launch of the predominately free-to-air national network is slated for 2009, pending regulatory approval from Russian government authorities. In return for a 49% stake in the joint venture company, Disney will invest cash and provide programming and marketing expertise and content acquisition support. Media-One will provide its knowledge and operational experience in the Russian market, its local broadcast station portfolio and its advertising sales expertise. Media-One will be the majority shareholder and will appoint a majority of the joint venture company’s board of directors. “We are delighted to sign this landmark deal with the world’s leading multinational media company for the Russian television market,” said Ivan Tavrin, CEO of Media-One. “We believe that the combination of Disney’s unparalleled media experience and content capabilities and our knowledge of the local television market will enable us to create a unique channel that is predestined for success. We set ourselves the goal not only to become a popular kids and family focused free-to-air television channel in the country, but also to produce attractive financial results in a relatively short time frame.” “Russia is an extremely important market for Disney and this new Disney channel is a great way for us to expand our brand and business,” said Robert A. Iger, President and CEO, The Walt Disney Company. “We are incredibly excited about bringing great Disney family entertainment and locally-produced content into the homes of millions of Russians.” “We're extremely honored to be able to launch Disney Channel in Russia together with such a reliable and capable local partner as Media-One,” says Marina Jigalova-Ozkan, Managing Director for The Walt Disney Company CIS. “This is one the most significant steps for the development of the Disney brand in Russia and we strongly believe that the Russian audience will enjoy the high-quality family entertainment that Disney is known for.” About The Walt Disney Company CIS LLC The Walt Disney Company CIS LLC was established in Russia in April 2006. Currently the Company’s business activities include: Media Networks (Branded TV, DAIT – Media, Disney Internet Group, Jetix Licensing, Jetix Broadcasting), Studio Entertainment (WDSHE, WDSMPI), Consumer Products (Toys, Home, Stationery, Food, Health & Beauty, Other Licensing, Publishing, Disney Interactive Studios). The Walt Disney Company CIS recently announced it joined forces with some of Russia’s top filmmaking talents for its first Russian produced feature, “The Book of Masters.” The film started shooting in September 2008 outside Minsk. Upon completion of the first stage of shooting, production will then move on to the Mosfilm Studio stages. “The Book of Masters” Russian premiere is scheduled for fall 2009. About The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with four business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment and consumer products. Disney is a Dow 30 company, had annual revenues of more than $35.5 billion in its last fiscal year. About Media-One Media-One Holdings Limited is a holding company owning and operating assets in 2 business segments – Radio and Television. Established in 2007 Media-One has consolidated 86 regional radio and TV stations. Media-One TV stations group owns and operates 30 regional TV stations which are currently affiliated with various TV networks or programmed locally. Media-One Radio (brand name “Vyberi Radio”) owns and operates 56 radio stations in 18 markets (54 stations are affiliated with national radio holdings; 2 stations are programmed locally). Major shareholders: Ivan Tavrin (founder of the company, ex-President of TV3 network), Igor Mishin (VP of National Association of Television, VP of Academy of Russian TV, founder of Channel4 media holding, Ekaterinburg) and Renaissance Private Equity Fund I, LP. Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made on the basis of our views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the time the statements are made and we do not undertake any obligation to update these statements. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences may result from actions taken by the Company as well as from developments beyond the Company’s control, including governmental actions and changes in domestic and global economic conditions. Additional factors are set forth in Item 1A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 27, 2008 and subsequent reports. |
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'Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep,' CD of Classical Children's
Lullabies Receives Disney iParenting Award MarketWatch - "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep," a collection of classical lullabies from Child Music Online Inc., has received an iParenting Media Award, presented annually by the Disney Internet Group. The CD costs $12.99 and is available now at the company's Web site ( www.childmusiconline.com), iTunes.com and CDBaby.com. The iTunes download is $9.99.
Featuring Eric
Davis on acoustic guitar and Susan Davis on violin, "Now I
Lay Me Down to Sleep" includes compositions by Brahms,
Gershwin, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky. "We wanted to create
children's music that can be listened to and enjoyed by
adults while their infants and toddlers are lulled to
sleep," said Eric Davis. "Lullabies are a wonderful way to
introduce children to classical music."
The iParenting
Media Awards Program was founded to provide "a credible and
objective method of determining the best products in the
marketplace." iParenting.com, a Disney Internet Group media
property, is a premier media site focused on parents and is
part of a network that includes more than 40 Web sites
devoted to the entire family lifecycle and the "Points on
Parenting" radio show.
Since its
release, "Now I Lay me Down to Sleep" has earned wide
praise. Linda Vester, former host of Dayside with Linda
Vester on the Fox News Channel, said: "My two-year old
daughter calls 'Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep' her 'cloud
music' and simply won't go to sleep without hearing it each
night." The My ParenTime's Family Community Web site
(www.myparentime.com)
was also emphatic.
Eric and Susan
Davis have been performing together for over a decade. Eric
Davis has a Masters Degree in guitar from the Juilliard
School and has performed in Europe, South America and
throughout the U.S. Susan Davis attended the Mannes College
of Music in New York and, as a music department faculty
member at Smithtown High School West on Long Island, was
recently nominated for inclusion in Who's Who among
America's Teachers.
About Child Music
Online
Child Music
Online, a subsidiary of Verdict Entertainment, creates and
distributes children's music that appeals to infants,
toddlers, kindergartners and youngsters, as well as their
parents. Acknowledging the important role music plays in
early childhood development, the company's original
recordings are musically and lyrically engaging and designed
to retain their freshness. In addition to "Now I Lay Me Down
to Sleep: An Album of Classical Lullabies," other child
music online CDs include "Hangin' Out With My Baby," and
"Songs From My Classroom." For additional information,
please visit
www.childmusiconline.com/
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ESPN Web Overhaul About Done; 'Less Is More' Design Aimed At
Advertisers
paidcontent - ESPN.com's year-long revamp is finally ready today and set for its formal debut on January 5. Aside from emphasizing video and smarter search, as the company have talked about over the past few months in previews, execs at the Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS) sports unit tells the NYT that the site's overarching ethos is all about reducing ad clutter. As John Skipper, ESPN's EVP for content, explains: "If we are frustrating people, they're not going to spend as much time as we want on the site." Some of the key changes include: -- The revamped home page has done away with the big block of 36 links at the top, and reduced it to 19 tabs for Fantasy (a rollover unveils about 16 sub-categories), NFL (which unfolds to offer eight links that take users to the "scoreboard" or "blog network") and a "More" tab, which has 20 links to areas such as Olympics, poker and cricket news. -- With fewer links taking up space on the site, advertisers are getting more display options. The most popular pages will feature eight spots for advertisers, instead of the usual three. Next month, ESPN.com will add a new ad choice for video that will largely be targeted to movie studios. And in a sign that Ford believes it will survive the current financial crisis gripping its Detroit competitors, it has signed up as the revamped site's initial sponsor. -- ESPN.com is also creating more spaces for user customization, such as personalizing what scores are displayed. |
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Give the Gift of Green Disney News - ‘Tis the season to be environmentally friendly with green gifting options around every corner. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts introduced several green items this year for that sometimes hard-to-shop-for eco friend:
Disney supports organizations that are reaching out with conservation-focused holiday gifts, contributing to wildlife protection worldwide:
Cheetah Conservation Fund has teamed up with Café Press to offer a large variety of CCF merchandise, from dog t-shirts to stationary and greeting cards:
The Nature Conservancy offers a way to spread holiday cheer by helping to protect the places that plants and animals rely upon for survival:
The Snow Leopard Trust is offering gift ideas this season that can help preserve the endangered snow leopard. You can adopt a snow leopard, purchase unique crafts handmade by community members in Central Asia, and order Jackie Morris holiday cards made from recycled material. Jackie Morris’ greeting cards are offered specially to support the cause of protecting snow leopards.
The Atlantic Forest in Brazil, a location for the Plant a Billion Trees gift, offered by The Nature Conservancy; the Godwana Link in Australia, home to rare orchids and eucalyptus, part of the Adopt an Acre gift program (Photos courtesy of The Nature Conservancy); The Snow Leopard Trust’s baby snow leopard to adopt (photo by: Takahashi Hiroyoshi), a unique holiday gift set made by women in impoverished communities, and one of the featured Jackie Morris greeting cards for this year; Cheetah Conservation Fund photos can be seen on stickers, holiday cards, and Larry Broutman poster; the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund receives 10 percent of the sale of the re-usable Every Tree Has Character bags featuring Mickey Mouse himself; The Peregrine Fund’s ornament for this year features the Snowy Owl; Disney’s Animal Kingdom sells baskets handmade from recycled telephone wire.
The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) is an annual awards program focused on the study and protection of the world's wildlife and ecosystems, involving communities and addressing human needs. The DWCF has taken Walt Disney’s legacy across the globe with $12 million in grants to more than 750 conservation programs in 110 countries. The DWCF is funded by Disney and donations from guests of Walt Disney World Resort, including Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney Vacation Club and Disney Cruise Line. |
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The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea Special Edition on DVD Walt
Disney Studios Home Entertainment - Disney's under the sea
classic continues in this new Special Edition of THE LITTLE
MERMAID: RETURN TO THE SEA, the magical sequel to one of the
most celebrated animated films of all time! Ariel, Sebastian,
Flounder and all your favorite characters from the original
movie splash into a wonderful adventure overflowing with more
unforgettable characters, fin-tapping songs and an exciting,
action-packed story. Ariel and Eric must hide their precious
daughter Melody's mermaid heritage to protect her from Ursula's
revengeful sister Morgana. But when the lure of the sea proves
too strong for Melody, they call upon King Triton and all the
good creatures on land and under the waves to help rescue their
daughter and restore harmony to the seas. Dive in for more fun
with the all-new Mer-Venture Challenge Game, trivia and more!
Again and again, your entire family will share the wonder and
excitement in THE LITTLE MERMAID II: RETURN TO THE SEA Special
Edition. |
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Power Rangers - Jungle Fury: Way Of The Master on DVD Walt
Disney Studios Home Entertainment - Adventure runs wild in this
action-packed volume as the Power Rangers team up against an
unimaginable family of foes! the evil Dai Shi forces grow
stronger while the Five Fingers of Poison wreak more havoc and
the Bracelets of the Overlords are discovered and deployed.
Beastly threats are all too real as the Power Rangers are joined
and trained in the ways of the master by members of the Kung Fu
clan. But can they learn new weapons, work closely as a team,
and harness their jungle pride in time to defeat the fury of
ferocious spirit beasts? |
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Power Rangers - Jungle Fury: Into The Jungle on DVD
 Walt
Disney Studios Home Entertainment - Get ready for a seriously
wild ride as the fury of an ancient evil is unleashed, calling
for three new teenage heroes to rise up and defend the world.
the valiant skills of the Order Of the Claw have kept a
10,000-year-old spirit completely caged -- until now. Dai Shi
has escaped and three new warriors must find and destroy him.
The earth's only hope against being taken over by an army of
villainous animal spirits is a trio of courageous Power Rangers
who still have a lot to learn about teamwork. Plunge INTO THE
JUNGLE and this ultimate battle of the beasts! |
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The Cheetah Girls: One World Extended Music Edition on Blu-ray
and DVD Walt
Disney Studios Home Entertainment - Brace yourself Bollywood.
Here they come! Chanel (Adrienne Bailon), Dorinda (Sabrina
Bryan) and Aquanetta (Kiely Williams) are back and all revved up
for a new Cheetah-riffic musical adventure in The Cheetah Girls:
One World, coming to DVD and Blu-ray Hi-def on December 16,
2008. The magical melodies of Mumbai provide a vibrant backdrop
for an exciting new chapter filled with romance, fashion and
music as the talented teens navigate through India with their
signature sassiness. The Cheetah Girls: One World Extended Music
Edition on DVD and Blu-ray delivers all the top-rated movie's
spicy new tunes, couture-worthy clothes and lavish Bollywood-style
production numbers plus exclusive bonus content including a
never-before-seen musical sequence, music videos, , hilarious
bloopers and even Bollywood-style glitter tattoos!
The Cheetah Girls spawned a worldwide phenomenon with their debut in the record-breaking Disney Channel Original Movie, The Cheetah Girls, based on award-winning author Deborah Gregory's bestselling book series. The film was 2003's highest rated movie on broadcast or cable among kids 6-11 and kids 9-14. The Cheetah Girls: One World, their third Disney Channel Original Movie, premiered August 22, 2008 as the No. 1 telecast overall with kids 6-11 and tweens 9-14 and No. 2 in total viewership, second only to the 2008 Summer Olympics! Fans lined up for the movie's soundtrack CD when it hit stores on August 19. The girls kicked off a 50-city, 10-week Cheetah Girls One World Tour on October 8, 2008. Conquer the US? Check. Take Spain by storm? Double-check. Now, for another exciting summer of friendship and fun, the Cheetah Girls have set their sights on Bollywood! When an unexpected opportunity arises, Chanel, Dorinda and Aquanetta pack their bags and journey to exotic Mumbai where a Bollywood director has cast them in his musical extravaganza. The trio thinks the movie is going to be their big break, but they learn instead that they will have to compete against each other to be the film's leading lady. With their friendship on the line, can the girls figure out how to make their individual dreams come true and still remain best friends? Find out in The Cheetah Girls: One World! The Cheetah Girls: One World on DVD has a suggested retail price of $29.99 US and $35.99 CAN. On Blu-ray Hi-def™ it is priced at $34.99 US and $44.99 SRP CAN. |
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UNITE HERE Local 11 Launches Blog Exposing Disney's
Unfaithfulness MarketWatch - UNITE HERE Local 11 has launched www.disneyisunfaithful.org, a blog created to document how Disney is being unfaithful to workers, communities and customers around the world. The website exposes Disney's deteriorating wages for employees and the impact this has on the Anaheim and Orlando economies, it reveals environmental practices by the company, and exposes exorbitant CEO salaries and expenses as well as the negative impact on families of Disney's proposed cut to hotel workers' benefits.
The blog is meant to be an
interactive site that invites Disney's fan base, employees
and cultural critics to share their stories.
The blog discusses how Walt
Disney once famously declared that "Disneyland is a work of
love. We did not go into Disneyland with the idea of making
money." Walt truly believed that treating his employees
fairly and humanely was crucial to his vision of the
"happiest place on earth." It claims that the company that
carries Walt's name is not upholding the values that he
espoused.
2,300 employees of the
Disneyland Hotels, including bellmen, dishwashers, room
attendants, and cooks, have been working without a contract
since February 2008. Many hotel workers who have given years
to the company will be faced with increased difficulty in
obtaining healthcare for their families due to the company's
proposals. These proposals include increasing both cost and
eligibility requirements for benefits like health-care,
vacation and seniority. Thousands of low-wage workers and
their children would suffer as a result.
Jean Bustamante, a Server at
the Yamabuki Restaurant at the Disney owned Paradise Pier
Hotel in Anaheim says, "I am a single mother of two
children. My 7 year old son has Cerebral Palsy as well as
many other disabilities. With the company's proposal of
"casual regular" he would surely lose his much needed health
insurance. As a 15-year employee, even when I work 6 days a
week, I still don't average 30 hours. How can Disney deny
how much this proposal will hurt my family?"
When business slows down, the
company cuts employee hours. Currently, even with less than
30 hours, workers can still qualify for health insurance,
holidays and vacations. With the new company proposal, many
would become Casual Regular and lose many benefits.
UNITE HERE Local 11 represents
over 15,000 hotel, food service, laundry, airport and
stadium workers in the Los Angeles area.
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Lawsuits Claim Leibovitz Owes $778K For Photo Services
Photo District News - These days, lots of people are having money trouble. But Annie Leibovitz? The renowned photographer is the subject of two lawsuits over unpaid bills totaling more than $778,000 for photography-related services. The suits offer a rare glimpse into the big budgets behind Leibovitz’s celebrity portraits, which are surely among the most expensive shoots in the industry. A wardrobe stylist who worked on a Disney campaign with Leibovitz claims the photographer owes her $386,467 – including $109,960 for one shot alone. And a lighting rental house says Leibovitz owes $392,036 — $221,715 for rental services, over $5,094 for damaged equipment and $165,227 for failing to deliver enough business to justify the discount rates she was getting. As a celebrity, Leibovitz is bound to attract lawsuits, but these suits are unusual for her. Searches of legal databases turned up no lawsuits against Leibovitz over unpaid bills until this year. The plaintiffs in these cases do not appear to be working together and have not sought publicity over their suits. The case involving the stylist was first reported by the New York Post; the lighting rental case has not been previously reported in the press. An attorney for Leibovitz, Rachel E. Williams, was invited to comment on this story, but declined. Two messages left at Leibovitz Studios were not returned. Briese USA vs. Annie Leibovitz In March, Briese USA, a professional lighting company in New York City, sued Leibovitz for failing to pay $221,715 for service and equipment in 2006 and 2007. The suit, filed in the New York Supreme Court in Manhattan, also claims the photographer damaged equipment worth more than $5,000 and failed to pay for it. And according to the lawsuit, Briese U.S.A. offered Leibovitz “substantial discounts” in exchange for ongoing business that she failed to provide, costing the company $165,227. Leibovitz is fighting the suit. In a motion filed in August, Leibovitz’s attorney asked for the suit to be dismissed, arguing that it is missing facts about the terms of the agreements that Leibovitz allegedly breached. Brent Langton, who runs the lighting shop, and his attorney Edward R. Finkelstein both declined to comment for this story. Langton is currently involved in another suit by German company Briese Lichttechnik Vertriebs GmbH over the right to use the Briese name. Art Department vs. Leibovitz Studios In November, the agency that represents fashion stylist Nicoletta Santoro filed a suit accusing Leibovitz Studios of failing to pay Santoro’s fees for work on eight advertising shoots. J.S. Reps Corp., which does business under the name The Art Department, claims it sent Leibovitz invoices totaling $515,017. The bills cover seven shoots for Disney and one for Paul Mitchell between July and December 2007. “At no point has Leibovitz rejected, protested or questioned any of these invoices,” the lawsuit says. The suit, dated November 9, says Leibovitz has paid The Art Department only $129,450, including a $25,000 payment received in November 2008. Santoro billed Leibovitz $6,000 a day, plus a 20 percent agency fee, plus expenses. On one invoice, Santoro billed $62,943 for work on a July 13, 2007 shoot for Disney Parks featuring tennis player Roger Federer dressed up as King Arthur. That included two half travel days, four prep days, one shoot day, $12,477 for the wardrobe, $5,000 for an assistant, $1,027 in car service, plus the agency fee and other expenses. The most expensive bill in the suit is labeled “Disney / Aladdin,” referring to a shoot for a Disney Parks print ad featuring Marc Anthony as Aladdin and Jennifer Lopez as Princess Jasmine. Santoro charged Leibovitz Studios for eight prep days, one fitting day and one shoot day, plus expenses, for a total of $109,960. Neither the lawyer representing The Art Department, Neal Johnston, nor Santoros’s rep, Jordan Shipenberg, returned messages seeking comment. $5 Million Mortgage A fixture of American photography since the 1970s, Leibovitz is among the most commercially successful photographers in the world. Among her assets are a large home in New York City's Greenwich Village. In September, Leibovitz was able to borrow $5 million against the value of her property, mortgage records show. Leibovotz has steady work as a contributing editor to Vanity Fair, where she has been on staff since 1983. She has shot recent campaigns for major advertisers including American Express and Louis Vuitton. And now Leibovitz has a bestselling book, Annie Leibovitz at Work, which was released this fall to glowing reviews. Currently it is number 15 on the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover nonfiction and is number one in Amazon’s Art’s & Photography category. |
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Disneyland Resort Makes Annual Passes More Accessible and
Affordable
Disney News - As Disneyland Resort celebrates the holiday gift-giving season, a newly launched Monthly Payment Program for Annual Passholders will make it easier for Southern California residents to have their own frequent Disneyland Resort celebrations in the year to come. This new program lets Southern California residents enjoy the Disneyland Resort magic throughout the year with an Annual Passport, while paying in 12 monthly installments. By selecting the payment option, Guests will pay for the cost of a 1-Day, 1-Park ticket upon purchase and will pay the remaining amount over the next 12 months, with no finance charges applied. For example, a Guest purchasing a Southern California Select Annual Passport for $134 would pay $69 at the time of purchase -- with the remaining balance of $65 spread out over the next 12 months. "Annual Passports provide a great entertainment value and flexibility for our Guests who make frequent visits to our parks throughout the year," said Jill Estorino, senior vice president of Marketing for the Disneyland Resort. "Through this new program, Guests can literally turn a one-day ticket into an Annual Pass for less than $6 a month. "This program was based on feedback from our current Annual Passholders -- and we're excited to provide them with this new option just in time for the holidays," added Estorino. The Monthly Payment program for Annual Passports is offered only to Southern California residents within the 90000 and 93599 zip codes. All Annual Passport options are available through the program, including Premium, Deluxe, Southern California and Southern California Select Annual Passports. The program is available only at the Resort's ticket booths. Next year, it will be offered for online purchases. About Annual Passports The Annual Passport is an ideal and practical gift for anyone who visits the Resort more than two or three times per year. Along with admission to Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure, the Annual Passport entitles the Passholder to attend special Annual Passholder events, enjoy discounts at many Resort food locations and Downtown Disney vendors, take advantage of special rates at Disneyland Resort hotels, and receive regular updates on new events and Annual Passholder benefits through the exclusive Annual Passholder website, the collectible "Backstage Pass" newsletter and e-mail. In 2008, Annual Passholder benefits included exclusive opportunities to preview the new Toy Story Mania and Innoventions Dream Home attractions, the Pixar Play Parade and the one-of-a-kind, money-can't buy Disneyland Dream Suite. Disneyland Resort offers an Annual Pass option for every lifestyle and budget. The Premium Annual Passport is valid every day of the year. Other Annual Passports have "blockout dates" but entitle the bearer to purchase discounted "blockout day" tickets.
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Need Disney
travel tips? Ask these moms
Orlando Sentinel - Seeking more help and a broader range of ideas, Walt Disney World has selected a new and larger panel of officially sanctioned yet unofficial Internet advisers for the resort's 2009 "Moms Panel." As with the 12 members who served on Disney World's inaugural Moms Panel, the 16 new panelists are parents who volunteered to work from their homes offering advice to people who submit sometimes very-personalized vacation questions to Disney World's Moms Panel Internet forum. The 2008 panel answered more than 12,000 such inquiries. This year's panel, selected from thousands of applicants, includes a grandmother, Kay Belin of Valparaiso, Ind.; a father, Doug Ingersoll of Carmel, Ind.; a Canadian, Joanne McCabe of Ottawa, Ontario; and a British subject, Jo Young of West Malling, England. And as with the 2008 panelists, all are unabashed fans of Disney and have made themselves into Disney World experts, at least in some specialty areas. Ingersoll is author of the book The Complete Idiot's Guide to Walt Disney World, 2009 Edition. Whitney Pickering of Laurel, Miss., said she has eaten in more than 50 Disney World restaurants during various vacations. Anna Skamarakas of Bellmawr, N.J., said she has planned more than 200 trips to Disney World and stayed in every Disney World resort. "The main reason we all applied to be on the panel was our passion for the brand," said Laura Spencer, a Boston-based member of the 2008 panel who has since gotten a paid job with Disney World public relations and moved to Orlando. |
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Disney Extends KIDS GO FREE Ticket Offer Through Dec. 23
Broadway World - Disney Theatrical Productions today announced that it is extending its Kids Go Free! ticket offer until 11:59 PM on Tuesday, December 23, 2008. The offer, which has generated over $2 million in ticket sales, gives buyers one free ticket for kids under 18 with each ticket purchased to all performances of The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Mary Poppins between January 6, 2009 and March 13, 2009. Disney has added additional seats to match buyer demand for the performances available under the offer. Kids Go Free! arrives just in time for holiday gift giving, and provides an alternative for gift givers shopping for presents that offer memorable experiences. Tickets can be purchased by phone, through Ticketmaster, at the box office or through a special website created for this offer, www.DisneyOnBroadway.com/KidsGoFree. Some restrictions apply. For more information on the Kids Go Free! campaign or on Disney's three Broadway shows please visit DisneyOnBroadway.com. All tickets must be purchased between 12/1/08 at 10AM EST and 12/23/08 at 11:59PM. Offer is valid only with purchase of full-priced orchestra or front mezzanine tickets. With the purchase of one full-priced orchestra/front mezzanine ticket, customer will receive a ticket of equal value. Each ticket will be issued at a face value of 50% off plus $1.50 restoration fee per ticket. Additional orchestra/front mezzanine tickets may be purchased under offer for 50% off full-price plus $1.50 restoration fee per ticket. Ticketmaster service fees for each ticket also applicable to online or phone orders. Discount not applicable to restoration fee or Ticketmaster service fees. Offer not valid on prior purchased tickets and may not be combined with any other offer. ALL SALES FINAL. No exchanges or refunds. Not all seats discounted. Not applicable to groups. Other restrictions may apply. Dates, times, prices and cast subject to change without notice. Offer may be revoked without notice. Limit 14 tickets per person per 7-day period. Not applicable to groups. DISNEY THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS (DTP), a division of Disney Theatrical Group, operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher and is among the world's most successful commercial theatre enterprises. Reaching a global annual audience of more than 10 million people in over 40 countries, DTP produces and licenses Broadway musicals around the world including Grammy®, Tony® and Olivier-award winning The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida, TARZAN ® and Mary Poppins, a co-production by Disney and Cameron Mackintosh which is about to launch its national touring engagement. Its most recent Broadway production, The Little Mermaid, debuted in 2007 and immediately became a Broadway sensation. That same year, DTP launched the professional touring stage version of Disney's High School Musical. In addition, DTP licenses musical titles for local schools and community productions through Musical Theatre International and on its recently launched website, DisneyMusicals.com. Disney Theatrical Group also delivers live entertainment around the world through its partnership with Feld Entertainment, producer of Disney on Ice and Disney LIVE!, including High School Musical: The Ice Tour and Playhouse Disney Live! |
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Walt Disney World Resort and Steve Harvey Inspire Teens Through
Disney's Dreamers Academy 2009 Class MarketWatch - Walt Disney World Resort, in partnership with nationally syndicated radio personality Steve Harvey, announced its selection of 100 nationwide high school students to participate in the Disney's Dreamers Academy of 2009. Selected students and a guardian will travel to Walt Disney World Resort to take part in an innovative career inspiration program that includes interactive workshops, motivational talks, hands-on creative experiences and fun. The program will take place February 12-15, 2009, during national Black History Month.
"With the nation's attention on
change and a spirit of renewed hope, we are very pleased
with the excitement centered on this year's Disney's
Dreamers Academy and the overwhelming enthusiasm it has
generated from young people spanning America," said Xiomara
Wiley, a vice president of marketing at Disney Destinations.
"We want to educate and open doors for our young dreamers by
helping them to realize the power within and inspiring them
to discover their dreams and follow them wherever they
lead."
Celebrating its second
"Dreamers Class," the Disney's Dreamers Academy reaches out
nationwide to teens, grades 9-12, extolling the virtues of
preparing for the future. The program's aim is to expose
teens to creative and nontraditional career opportunities in
everything from culinary arts to animation, set design and
show production to the business of sports, while inspiring
them to exceed the boundaries of their dreams and
imaginations.
The Steve Harvey Morning Show
conducted the Dreamer's Contest to identify the participants
in Disney's Dreamers Academy. This program was created for
high school students who show promise -- but may need
additional motivational support to excel. However, all of
the selected students share a trait: the power to DREAM.
Parents, teachers, school administrators, church groups and
even the students themselves nominated more than 4,000
aspiring dreamers from across the nation for the program.
"The Walt Disney World
organization has been a great partner in this initiative,
and their commitment to providing students with a once in a
life time experience, such as Disney's Dreamers Academy, is
commendable," said Steve Harvey. "Together, we have the
ability to enhance the lives of these deserving kids by
showing them that there are many ways to follow your
dreams."
During Disney's Dreamers Academy, students are given unprecedented access to the magic behind Walt Disney World Resort. As part of their experience this group of dreamers will participate in interactive workshops focusing on a variety of subjects including Walt Disney Imagineering techniques, entertainment, the business of sports, culinary arts, and more. Disney cast members, executives and celebrities will share their blueprints for success. Participants will also explore Disney's theme parks and then end their special weekend with a graduation ceremony where a special guest will deliver a motivational address. Participants in this year's Disney's Dreamers Academy class were selected by a distinguished panel of judges including: Harvey; Wiley; Rushion McDonald (executive producer of the Steve Harvey Morning Show); Reverend Randolph Bracy (president of the NAACP, Orlando); Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed (president, Bethune-Cookman University); Terrence J. (host of BET 106 & Park); Eugene Campbell (vice president of community relations & minority business development, Walt Disney World Resort); Steve Smith (NBA TV analyst/Ex-NBA player); Stephen A. Smith (ESPN Radio host/sports journalist); Cassie Davis (actress, "Tyler Perry's House of Payne"); Mark Hayes (WAGA-TV anchor, Fox Atlanta); and Eduardo Correia (director, Kodak Multicultural Marketing).
The Disney's
Dreamer Academy was launched in 2007. For more information
visit
http://steveharvey.com/disneysdreamersacademy/.
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Monday
December 15, 2008 |
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Sunday December 14, 2008 |
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Disneyland most
dizzying in Anaheim Disney Dining Plan Can Be Good Deal For Family Disney: The happiest recovery play on Earth Disney Teams With TCM to Make You Believe in Movie Magic A Pinay lead star in HK Disney Walt Disney World Lets You Bring Food In Walt Disney World Lets You Bring Food In |
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Disneyland most dizzying in Anaheim New York Daily News - "Are you in good health?" asks Olivia, my 9-year-old niece. We're waiting in line for the Hollywood Tower of Terror, which she says is the scariest ride at Disney's California Adventure, the theme park that opened next door to Disneyland in 2001. "I like to think I am," I respond. "Do you barf easily?" "No, not really. I recently had a nine-year no-barf streak." Soon we are wearing seatbelts and free-falling. I scream at the top of my lungs. Olivia is stoic, fearless. Back on the pavement, she appears energized by the experience, not nauseated. "That was awesome," she says. I agree. We're on Night 1 of a three-day Disney vacation. Since I don't have kids of my own, I borrowed my sister Arin's: Olivia and her 6-year-old brother Mitch. Arin tags along with her youngest, 2-year-old Sam, in a stroller. Arin and her husband live mere minutes away from Disneyland, so the whole clan gets season passes every year. Since coming here is a regular affair, they agreed to guide Uncle Eric around the Disney-plex for the weekend. Tonight we're exploring California Adventure before walking back to the lodge-like setting of the Grand Californian Hotel - where Mitch and Olivia are staying with me for two nights - and having dinner at the hotel's resident fine-dining restaurant, the Napa Rose. We ride two more coasters - Mulholland Madness and the loop-de-loop California Screamin' - before making it over to Napa Rose. Everything, from the plump stuffed prawn to the semolina gnocchi with caramelized figs to the Italian-style rabbit - all paired with impeccably selected wines - is a culinary revelation. I'm lost in the flavor of my chocolate bread pudding when Arin breaks my trance. "Not bad for Disneyland, huh?" Not bad for anywhere. The next day, we make it into the park before the official opening of 9 a.m., a perk of staying at the Grand Californian, and in short order ride the dizzying Mad Tea Party teacups, the interactive Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, and the twisting and turning Indiana Jones Adventure. Time and time again, I see Mitch and Olivia's faces shift to blissful mirth. But it's only two hours in and I'm wearing down rapidly. Can I survive an entire day? We meet Arin and Sam for a visit
to Tom Sawyer's Island, then the Haunted Mansion, then lunch.
Afterwards, Olivia and I ride Pirates of the Caribbean and Space
Mountain (twice!) before retreating to the picture-perfect pool
and waterslide at the Grand Californian. Then it's time for a
pre-dinner excursion back into California Adventure. "If you talk to a lot of the locals, we love California Adventure," Arin tells me. "We have it down pat." One of the main reasons she likes the park is the availability of beer and wine, verboten in Disneyland. Her M.O.: A glass of wine and cheese and crackers at the Tasting Room at the Vineyard around sunset before hitting the sourdough and tortilla factories for free samples, then stroll around the park with the kids. She insists her strategy makes the happiest place on Earth that much happier. As for Disneyland, Arin advises visitors to make lunch reservations (walk-in only) at the Carnation Café on Main Street first thing in the morning, then hit Fantasyland. "Ride Peter Pan first or don't ride it at all," she says. "It's the most popular ride in the park." She also recommends to get Fastpasses early in the day for Space Mountain and other big thrill rides, then plan your day around the times you're scheduled to return. And weekdays are better than weekends. "You have the parks to yourself," she says. Back in California Adventure, we stroll over to the sourdough bakery at the Pacific Wharf for free samples before hitting the Animation Building on the Hollywood Pictures Backlot. It's one of the park's lesser known gems, and an intellectually stimulating break from the long lines and short bursts of adrenaline. It blows me away. In short order, we get an animator's-eye view of the making of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves," watch the remarkable, spinning plastic animation of the "Toy Story Zoetrope," and record a twisted version of "A Very Merry Unbirthday." "You could spend an hour in here," Arin says. I could easily double that, with or without kids. But the long and hectic day makes for five growling stomachs. We exit the park and head to the outdoor Uva Bar in Downtown Disney for steaks and pasta - and more wine for the adults. It's an ideal mature (albeit family-friendly) ending to an ultra-kid-oriented day. I feel like I've walked 15 miles, mentally jellified, strung out on thrill rides. There is some talk of making it back to Disneyland for the nightly parade and fireworks, but I'm more exhausted than I was after surfing near San Diego, backpacking in Yosemite, or biking across Los Angeles. Exploring Disneyland with two kids might just be the most extreme sport in California. IF YOU GO ... Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.: www.disneyland.com Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa A fantastic hybrid of modern California resort and national park lodge, the 745-room hotel has perks like a lobby TV running old Disney shorts, bunk beds, two pools - one with a water slide - and your own private entrance into the parks. Reservations: 714-956-6425. Napa Rose One of California's culinary standouts, the restaurant features a transcendent wine list and a cellar 17,000 bottles strong. Reservations: 714-781-3463. Most major airlines fly into the John Wayne Airport (www.ocair.com), 10 miles south. For information, contact the Anaheim CVB (714-765-8888; www.anaheimoc.org). |
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Disney
Dining Plan Can Be Good Deal For Family Hartford Courant - There are a lot of decisions to make when planning a trip to Florida's Walt Disney World, and they don't end after you've selected a date, chosen a hotel and booked your airfare. Perhaps the biggest challenge remains: Where to eat? Although that might seem like a minor concern, with all the choices of restaurants at the four main theme parks, the resort hotels and locales like Downtown Disney, deciding where to eat, and when, can take hours. One of the hardest choices — and the subject of much debate on Disney websites — is whether to participate in the Disney Dining Plan. This pre-paid option provides most of your food for each day at the parks and hotels, but it comes at a pretty hefty price. The dining plan was introduced in 2005, and although it has changed — most significantly this year, when appetizers and tips were removed — it is popular among resort guests. That's why reservations are now required for most Disney World sit-down restaurants, which can fill up months in advance. On our trip to Florida in October, one family casually walked into a seafood restaurant at Epcot, asking for any availability that night. "We're booked through December," the polite but incredulous hostess told them. Briefly, here's how the basic Disney Dining Plan works: It gives each person in your group one counter-service meal (where you walk up and order at the cashier), one table-service meal (at a sit-down restaurant) and one snack for each night of your stay. The meals include an entree, a dessert and a nonalcoholic drink such as soda or iced tea. Snacks include a variety of items usually priced at $4 or less, such as soft drinks, coffee, pastries, fruit cups, gift-shop treats and ice cream. So why the controversy? The price. At about $38 per adult per day, and $10 per child (ages 3 through 9), the cost can add up quickly (and it is scheduled to increase by a few dollars a day in 2009, with several different dining plans to choose from). "I love having the dining plan. It saved my family a lot of money," wrote one commentator on the all-things-Disney website AllEars.net. "I would definitely recommend anyone going to purchase this as part of their vacation package." Not so, said the very next entry. "The dining plan is a letdown. If you are planning to eat out at sit-down restaurants every day, this may be the way to go, but you can eat much cheaper by using good counter service. I would never do this again." What did we do? During our six-night stay, our family of five opted for the basic Disney Dining plan, which added about $635 to the cost of our trip. That gave us 30 snacks, 30 counter-service meals as well as 12 adult and 18 children's table-service meals. Trust me, it's a lot of food. Our verdict? Unless you are an incredibly light eater, the plan is worth the money if for no other reason than most of your food is paid for in advance, including the all-important snacks. Here's how we decided. The meal plan broke down to about $125 per person for our weeklong vacation. I don't see how you could spend less than that over the course of seven days at theme parks where a hot dog costs $5.79 and plenty of sit-down dinners cost $30 a plate before adding on drinks or dessert. And because of the dining plan, we ate far better food than simply hitting a hamburger stand. We savored grilled mahi-mahi at the Coral Reef, black bean burritos at Cantina de San Angel in Epcot, and thoroughly enjoyed a Hawaiian-style cookout at the 'Ohana in the Polynesian Resort. We also chose two "character buffet meals" where our kids got to meet Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and a variety of villains and princesses. We never would have paid $30 an adult for a buffet, but the total cost of the Chef Mickey, about $90, was covered as part of the dining plan. On The Other Hand There are disadvantages. Table-service meals require reservations, which Disney recommends you make six months in advance of your visit. It's hard to think about where you want to eat on a Tuesday in October when it is only April. Locking in where you eat also sets your agenda for the day and therefore your entire trip — you most likely aren't going to reserve dinner at the Animal Kingdom if you plan to spend that day at Epcot. Also, if you plan to spend days away from Disney, the dining plan is probably not for you. It would be hard to get the value from the plan if you are away from Disney for more than a day. Could you eat for less? Yes, especially if you bring much of your own food and drinks (see accompanying story), which Disney generously allows. But if you plan to eat more than burgers, chicken fingers and french fries, the dining plan is the way to go. Here are a few tips to make the plan work for you. >> While table service credits can be used for breakfast, lunch or dinner, using the credit for dinners will maximize your dollar value. One table service credit is just that — one meal — whether it is a $15 breakfast or $50 dinner, so save it for dinner. >> Sharing meals on the dining plan is allowed, which is how we made our plan stretch further. We could share three counter-service meals for lunch, leaving us two counter-service meal credits for breakfast. >> If you have children in your group and eat at a sit-down restaurant, the children must order off the kids' menu. But that's not the case at counter-service restaurants, something we discovered halfway through our trip. And this made a big difference when we could order chicken breast nuggets off the adult menu — which were actually made with real chicken — instead of the processed and disgusting nuggets served as part of the kids' menu meals. >> Some restaurants have coupons that allow you to return at a later time for dessert, a great way to get the most out of the plan. We also substituted fresh fruit cups for some desserts and took them to go, a great snack for later. >> Snack credits can be used to purchase packaged Disney cookies, rice crispy treats and other food items in resort gift shops. Those are great take-home gifts, and a way to use up any leftover credits you might have near the end of your stay. Also, grab food to go from your resort hotel to eat at the airport on the way home. |
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Disney:
The happiest recovery play on Earth BloggingStocks - There truly are very few places to hide during the current financial crisis and economic recession. Trust in the markets is at an all-time low, and volatility is at an all-time high. The most senior of professionals in this business are shaking their heads in amazement. We have not seen anything like this during our lifetimes. When it will end is anyone's guess. The silver lining, I suppose, is that it will indeed end at some point. When it does, investors can look forward to a landscape of well-run companies trading at discounted prices. One of my favorite blue-chip names that have been taken down along with everyone else is Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS). I wrote about the company in early September when times were tough, but before the financial crisis brought its wrath. At the time, I thought shares were undervalued at a price just north of $30 per share. Today, in the midst of a bear market, shares trade for $22. Understandably, investors are concerned about an economic recession that is long and deep. For an entertainment company dependent on a strong economy, Disney faces the very real risks of smaller revenue and profit numbers in the near term. My point is that the pain today will eventually subside. Growth will return and so, too, will profit growth. Disney properties are still top notch, and it is a leader in its category. No one can compare. At current prices, shares of Disney trade for less than 10 times trailing and forward earnings. Even though profits are expected to be flat next year, the company is still profitable. I would say that is impressive given the operating environment. Analysts expect the company to make $2.12 per share in the current fiscal year ending in September, and $2.34 per share in the following year. If the company earns $3 per share down the road with a 15 multiple, Disney shares would price out at $45 per share. It is not unreasonable to think that DIS can earn that amount in the next three to four years. I like to own stocks that have the potential to double, and with very conservative assumption, Disney fits that profile. In addition, while you wait for higher earnings at a greater multiple, Disney pays a dividend of 1.5%. Even if the recession is longer and deeper than expected, I think Disney is positioned to rebound nicely. We have learned that the world is much smaller than most believed during the past few months. Everything is interconnected. Disney now finds itself operating in that smaller world. Given its properties, I think it will do just fine. |
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Disney Teams With TCM to Make You Believe in Movie Magic New York Press - Is Disney planning a new effort to indoctrinate the youth of America? Or is TCM (previously known as Turner Classic Movies, Ted Turner's way of airing his uber collection of archived films) soon going to be bought up by Disney? It's the question that arises when watching the made-for-TV doc The Age of Believing: The Disney Live-Action Classics, which will premiere tonight on TCM and starts a month-long orgy of Disney films—Swiss Family Robinson, The Parent Trap, The Black Hole, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, etc.—on the cable network. Like many youngsters, I soaked up the weird flicks on ABC and later The Disney Channel, when it had less original programming and they dredged up everything from their backlist to play 24-7. That's the only excuse for why I watchd Darby O'Gill and the Little People 20 times. So I was intrigued to see what the backstory was for Disney's slew of live-action films that spanned from the 1950s to early '80s. But The Age of Believing, partly narrated by Angela Lansbury (who starred in Bedknobs and Broomsticks) is pure hagiography, with talking heads like film "critic" Leonard Maltin and Disney Board Director Emeritus Roy E. Disney spreading the gospel without nary a critical word. No talk of the way Walt was a mastermind of so many insidious ideas, how he strong-armed government into giving him sweet tax breaks and assisted in his landgrab schemes. There's a hint at the controversy with P.L. Travers in the making of Mary Poppins, but it's cut short. And Kurt Russell (whose career started with the studio) can't be muzzled and seems to be about to spill some beans, as does Haley Mills, on ol' Walt, but it never happens. The duds like The Black Hole never get discussed and everything is wrapped with a tidy little bow with Tron (which will not be aired on TCM, unfortunately). The whole thing feels like a 2 hour advertisement for the Disney machine. There's no discussion about the horrible remakes of such classics as The Absent-Minded Professor or Pollyanna, but this arrangement between media behemoths is peculiar enough to make us ponder some potential collaboration between the two. Is it time for an Apple Dumpling Gang remake or a Herbie Rides Again with some new souped up car (this one an American car, natch) as an advertising vehicle? We'll all just have to wait and see. |
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A Pinay lead star in HK
Disney Inquirer.net - —“High School Musical” has evolved for an Asian crowd at Hong Kong Disneyland, where Filipina Kakki Teodoro sings and dances daily as the female lead. The 21-year-old previously performed in Manila productions of Disney musicals. “High School Musical: Live!” is an interactive, 30-minute outdoor show staged on a moving set that traverses Main Street thrice a day. Kakki spoke about her Disney-themed experiences in a recent e-mail interview with Inquirer Entertainment. How similar to Vanessa Hudgens’ performance do you have to make yours? I’m introduced as Kakki, the female lead singer, so there’s no need to make the performance similar to Vanessa Hudgens’ portrayal of Gabriella. Before “HSM,” what other shows have you done? It’s my first time at Disney. Aside from “HSM,” I’m also the Tarzan Singer in “The Golden Mickeys.” Before Hong Kong Disneyland, I was an actor in musicals in the Philippines. I was in “First Name,” “Disney’s Cinderella,” “Disney’s High School Musical Onstage,” and “Disney’s Aladdin Jr.” How does it feel to regularly play a Disney character? It is overwhelming, but I am very honored to do it. I grew up watching Disney movies on VHS. How challenging is it to perform the show live? It’s an outdoor show so we have to adjust for changes in the weather. Sometimes it gets so hot, and then in the winter it gets chilly. Other factors include unexpected technical difficulties like losing microphone reception. But these are little things, because the work is so much fun. Describe your rapport with the actor playing Zac Efron’s character. There are three male lead singers. Two of them are Filipino. Anthony Suen Ming Kit is consistent so it’s very comfortable. Ariel Reonal and I worked together in Repertory Philippines. He always makes me want to step up my game when we’re together. Bill Castillo is very playful so we have the most fun. What are you learning? I am learning the importance of balance—keeping the show consistent and being in top shape everyday—while being open to changes and learning more things. |
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Walt Disney World Lets You Bring Food In Walt Disney World Lets
You Bring Food In Hartford Courant - There are a lot of things that Disney does right, and one of them is allowing guests to bring their own food and drinks into the resorts and theme parks. Yes, you read that right. Here's the Disney policy, direct from the website disneyworld.disney.go.com: "Guests are allowed to bring food items, such as snacks or foods that do not require heating, into any Walt Disney World® Resort. If you have items that need to be refrigerated, please ask the front desk Cast Member to have a refrigerator placed in your room. Guests are allowed to bring food items, such as snacks or foods that do not require heating, into any Walt Disney World® Theme Park. Just inform a Security Cast Member." What that means is that you don't have to shell out $3 for a bottle of water every time you are thirsty. Just bring in your own. And we discovered the best way to do that is by ordering your drinks and groceries online at www.gardengrocer.com. This online grocery store is so accustomed to delivering to the Walt Disney World Resorts that each hotel's address is pre-programmed into the ordering system. And if you are not at your resort during your selected two-hour delivery window, the bell services desk will hold and even refrigerate your order until you return. We ordered our groceries online weeks before our arrival in Florida, to make sure we got our desired delivery window. We centered mostly on breakfast items, to supplement the food not included in our Disney Dining Plan.. We ordered two cases of water for our trip, as well as yogurt, milk, bagels and cream cheese, cereal, bread, bananas and peanut butter. (I tucked paper plates, plastic utensils, paper towels and even some snacks like granola bars in a suitcase, leaving me room for souvenirs on the way home). Garden Grocer's minimum order price is $40, and delivery costs $12 but is free on orders of $200 or more. Orders are delivered seven days a week between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. The website is easy to use and includes more than 4,700 grocery items. Our food arrived cold. The bread was fresh. And the bananas were in perfect condition. |
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The
Peregrine Fund offers a signature holiday ornament each year,
with this year’s featuring the Snowy Owl. The ornament and other
items available for purchase (100 percent of the proceeds goes
to help fund projects), can be found at