WESH - A Disney cruise ship is stuck in the Bahamas due to inclement weather, leaving passengers frustrated at the delay.

Officials said guests will remain on board Saturday night and will debark the following day.

"Gale force winds at the end of the day and into the night created an unfavorable environment for departure," a Disney Cruise Line statement said.

Christi Donnan, of Disney Cruise Line, said it's not known exactly how many passengers will be affected by this delay. Donnan said about 2,400 passengers are on board the Disney Magic, and another 2,400 will now be delayed.

Authorities said Disney is offering passengers on board the Disney Magic:

Variety - Disney has given "Rapunzel" a new name: "Tangled."

The animated pic, a comedic reimagining of the classic Brothers Grimm fairytale, will still unspool November 12 as a limited release, and open wide on November 24 in 3D.

Roy Conli, the film's producer, announced the new title on Disney's Facebook page on Friday.

"It was important to me that YOU guys -- the Disney fans -- hear it first," he wrote, calling it "a really fresh, smart take on the Rapunzel story."

In the film, bandit Flynn Rider meets his match in the girl with the 70 feet of magical golden hair.

Many of you have asked and searched for the different songs you can sing at the attraction. So, we’re sharing the entire list along with a few of the most popular songs (at bottom of list):

Most Frequently Selected Songs:

“Hit Me with your Best Shot”
“This is Me”
“Our Song”
“Reflection”
“Black Horse Cherry Tree”
“Colors of the Wind”
“Sweet Home”
“I Will Survive”
“Part of Your World”
“Old Time Rock and Roll”

About the Dream Ticket:

Dream Ticket recipients must satisfy AMERICAN IDOL* TV program requirements in effect at time of use, such as age and residency (Season 8 – only ages 16-28 and U.S. citizens or legal permanent U.S. residents eligible to work full-time in U.S.). Dream Ticket does not include travel, meals, lodging or other expenses.

About the Audition:

But Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger did just that this week, when he implied following the release of the company's   earnings that the studio would start shortening the theatrical window for its movies. 

"The problem with waiting these days is that you're dealing with a much more competitive marketplace than ever before," Iger told CNBC in an interview after the company's quarterly numbers were reported.

"The sooner we put a product into the marketplace -- the less vulnerable we are to piracy."

Exhibitors were furious, TheWrap has learned, and Disney has quickly been tap-dancing to clean up around Iger's remarks. 

"It is important for us to maintain a healthy business on the exhibition side and a healthy business on the home video side,” distribution president Bob Chapek said in a written statement. “We remain committed to theatrical windows, with the need for exceptions to accommodate a shortened time frame on a case-by-case basis.”

It all started with a negotiation by Disney with theater owners, to shorten the normal release window from four months to about three, to allow the studio to release the DVD earlier.

But that's as far as it was supposed to go.

Instead, last Tuesday Iger implied that the recent decision to shorten the theatrical release window of the studio's upcoming "Alice in Wonderland" was the start of a long-term shift in Disney's approach to distribution.

Exhibitors -- who had only consented to the shortened release because they felt that Disney's need to ramp up the film's DVD debut represented an exceptional circumstance -- were stunned, an exhibition executive told TheWrap.

Disney declined to comment for this article.

"Alice" is an example of ongoing efforts by distributors to bolster the sagging DVD sales and rental markets by experimenting with shorter theatrical releases for high-profile films.

Disney wants to release "Alice" on DVD just three months after its March 5 debut, a month ahead of the standard four-month window. By doing that, the studio ensures that "Alice" will hit retailers at the beginning of June and not July, when the company feared a worldwide roll out would be dwarfed by the mania surrounding the month-long World Cup.

And Warner Bros. is hoping to shorten the window for its animated "Guardians of Ga'hoole."

Though Warner insists nothing is definite yet, it wants to have "Guardians" in theaters for only 86 days, starting on Sept. 24. It would thus be able to get the DVD in stores in time for the holiday season -- a rare boom time for the beleaguered home entertainment market.

Some theater owners have balked at the idea of seeing their own profits take a hit so studios can move a few more Blu-rays. But recent negotiations between exhibitors and Disney and Warner Bros. show an effort on the part of both sides to show flexibility.

The two studios are being allowed to shave weeks from their release in exchange for having the two family friendly, 3D tentpoles hit multiplexes in the spring and early fall -- traditionally a barren season for blockbusters.

Going forward, exhibitors say they are amenable to such arrangements -- provided they be reserved for only one to two releases per studio every year.

Theater owners insist they recognize that DVD's decline has changed the financial picture for studios and that studios may need to speed up home-video release dates or experiment with other tactics such as premiering certain films simultaneously on video on demand.

To give a sense of just how bleak things are for studios, last year DVD sales dropped 13 percent year-over-year to $8.73 billion, down from $10.06 billion in 2008, according to Adams Media Research, and the downward trend shows no sign of abating.

The move to find some common ground was initiated between the two camps after many exhibitors publicly groused about Paramount and Sony's decisions to limit the theatrical runs of "G.I. Joe" and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" respectively.

Yet the detente was almost jeopardized by Iger's recent comments -- though Chapek's clarification appeared to placate national distributors.

Internationally, however, Disney may have to smooth more ruffled feathers. Upset by the studio's move to rein in the theatrical release window on "Alice," many of the United Kingdom's major theater chains, including Odeon, Vue and Cineworld announced Friday that they may consider a boycott of the film.

Sonny's writers then set about writing Knight back into the show as a different character, Chad Dylan Cooper. The show's success led to his first starring role in a Disney film, StarStruck, which airs at 7 p.m. Sunday on the Disney Channel.

Knight plays a pop star in the romance/adventure, though because he joined the production so late, he doesn't do his own singing. But he says unlike so many of Disney's other TV stars, he really doesn't have any pop aspirations. Having grown up in Sugar Land and Manvel (where he says his family still lives) Knight, 20, did work with Theatre Under the Stars, Theater Southwest and Fort Bend Theater.

He made appearances on Hannah Montana, The Closer and Grey's Anatomy before landing with Sonny in 2009. The show — which puts him with fellow Texans Demi Lovato and Tiffany Thornton — begins its second season next month. “It really is just a coincidence,” he says, “though I guess we just grow them better in Texas.”

You may be surprised to know that there are some very romantic escapes for couples on Disney Cruise Line:

Palo, Disney’s signature restaurant at sea, treats adults to sweeping ocean views and exquisite cuisine. Located high atop both ships, it’s the perfect setting for a romantic dinner. For true indulgence, try Palo’s famous chocolate soufflé.
For the ultimate in luxury, the Vista Spa offers Spa Villas, with an indoor treatment suite, a private outdoor verandah, hot tub and chaise lounge. With incredible ocean vistas and warm tropical breezes, the Spa Villas provide guests with a romantic retreat for two.

On Disney Cruise Line’s private island, Castaway Cay, Serenity Bay is a pristine stretch of beach exclusively for adults. At Serenity Bay, sparkling turquoise waters meet pristine white sand, palm fronds sway in the breeze. Walk hand-in-hand down the beach or relax in a two-person hammock.

Also at Serenity Bay, adults can enjoy a Couples Massage at one of the nearby cabanas overlooking the ocean.

Watch the sunset on Deck 7, aft. A little known spot, this secluded deck is also the location for many onboard weddings and vow renewal ceremonies.

Orlando Sentinel - Between the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500 and other NASCAR races, and now Disney World’s ESPN The Weekend, this is the month for sports fans in Florida. ESPN The Weekend runs Feb. 25 through 28, and there are loads of
activities for families and children.

The ESPN Sports Zone Interactive Area at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where most of the event activities take place, allows
guests of all ages to test their skills at a variety of sports, including sections for the MLB, NBA and NFL. Last year’s Sports Zone also included two playgrounds.

Children ages 8 and older who are able to maintain a 15-minute-per-mile pace can enter the Champion 5K, a race through Disney’s Hollywood Studios with appearances by star athletes and ESPN personalities on Saturday morning. Runners are encouraged to dress up in their favorite team’s colors or as their favorite athletes, and awards will be presented to the Ultimate Fan and Most School Spirited. Register here.

During the Champion 5K from 7 to 10 a.m. Feb. 27, children ages 1 to 8 can compete in their own races ranging from the 100-
meter to the 400-meter dash. Online registration for all races closes Feb. 21 or when it reaches capacity. Register here for kids races.

Older children with an interest in a career in sports broadcasting will want to check out “Dream Job – The Experience.” Aspiring sportscasters from the audience will experience what it’s like to audition for ESPN, and the audience will select the best sportscaster with its applause. Celebrity mentors often stop by.

If you or your child think your sports knowledge is superior, you could earn the right to go head-to-head with the sultan of sports trivia, Howie Schwab. Contestants team up with celebrities in a three-round elimination game; the winning team faces off against Schwab in the final showdown.

Plus, professional athletes cruise down Hollywood Boulevard and participate in question & answer sessions each day during ESPN The Weekend. Also, you can be in the audience when ESPN First Take, NFL Live and Baseball Tonight telecast live from the Sorcerer’s Hat Stage.

The other venue, ESPN Wide World of Sports, will host the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic during the weekend; tickets
are available at the complex box office for $13.50 for two games. Mike and Mike in the Morning and The Herd with Colin Cowherd will broadcast live from the complex.

Harlem Globetrotters, A Very Special Performance, will feature ESPN personalities, sports celebrities and appearances by Disney characters at 7 p.m. Feb. 25 at ESPN Wide World of Sports. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, but Disney World passholders can save $5 on a $35 lower level ticket by showing passholder IDs at the ESPN Wide World of Sports box office.

MTV - There's plenty of mystery surrounding "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." We know that Johnny Depp will
reprise his Jack Sparrow role. Also, that director Rob Marshall intends to take a fresh approach with the series. And we know
that the
plot will in some way involve the fabled Fountain of Youth.

There's certainly some cast to be filled out, as we learned only a few weeks ago from the actor himself that Orlando Bloom will
not be returning to reprise his role as Will Turner. This echoes Marshall's own comments in December, when he told us that he couldn't commit to Bloom or co-star Keira Knightley coming back.

announcing big news at Walt Disney World, we have more to share. We just unveiled the largest canned food structure ever created — more than 115,000 cans.

The massive sculpture titled “Celebrate Volunteers” was unveiled as part of a special “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” celebration honoring family volunteers and the spirit of giving at Epcot’ World Showcase. It took about 500 hours of volunteer work to construct and shape the 44 tons of food into the Disney character structure. Look closely…Mickey’s head was shaped from cans of black olives and Pluto’s eyes were created with cans of sliced pineapple. Here’s how the rest of it came together:



We figured out that if all of the cans in the sculpture were stacked on top of one another, the topmost can would be more than one mile above the 29,035-foot summit of Mt. Everest. But what goes up, must come down. The sculpture will be disassembled by Disney VoluntEARs and other volunteers and the cans will be taken to food banks for those in need. There’s enough food for more than 70,000 meals.

Unkrich describes the pink bear, who made a cameo appearance under a little girl's bed in last year's Up, as "a warm, grandfatherly figure who oversees all the toys at the day care center."

However, there has been speculation that Lotso, voiced by veteran actor Ned Beatty, might not be as cuddly and nice as he seems. Perhaps making him suspect: He smells like strawberries, both in the film and as an actual tie-in product. When asked if the fuzzy fellow has ulterior motives, the director will only say, "I suppose anything is true."

•Ken doll. Barbie, last seen playing tour guide to Hamm the piggy bank and Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story 2, is rewarded by finally being able to meet this so-called "swinging bachelor."

"Ken has changed a lot over the years," says Unkrich. "But I wanted this particular one from the '80s that epitomized a certain vain, handsome, well-groomed look." This model of Ken, voiced by Michael Keaton of Batman fame, certainly doesn't lack for accessorizing, what with the bandanna, sockless loafers and flashy gold belt.

"Ken, in a lot of ways, steals the movie," the director says. "Michael is incredibly funny."

•Peas-in-a-Pod. What child doesn't love peas? Probably quite a few, but not when they are as sweet as this felt-covered threesome. "Even jock guys, when they see these peas, think they are adorable," says Unkrich of the trio whose voice talent has yet to be announced.

The Horticulture team at the Disneyland Resort is dressing up floral displays—including pink and red azaleas—with Valentine’s
Day hearts, like the display shown here at Minnie’s House in Mickey’s Toontown. You can also see the Horticulture team’s
creations at Town Square on Main Street, U.S.A.

If you’re not visiting the parks this week, I’ve heard the horticulture team is planning some other fun surprises for St. Patrick’s
Day in March and Independence Day in July.

2010 celebrates the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, the film which originally debuted Boba Fett, and for those fans with a slant for the old-school Star Wars aesthetic, you can't miss that nod to the classic double-bar wrap-around logo!

Look for this event logo artwork on merchandise offered at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida starting in May, and don't miss the four Star Wars Weekends happening this summer:

DisneyParks Blog - The romance of Valentine’s Day is spreading across the Disneyland Resort, and today we’re revealing some of that romance.

We asked guests in Disneyland park to share some of their romantic stories. One couple told us how they exchanged a ring under the fireworks. We also heard from newlyweds about their honeymoon plan, and another couple shared some tips for romantic dinners and attractions at the Parks.

Orlando Sentinel - Great news for fans of “thousands of sparkling lights and electro-synthe-magnetic musical sounds”:  Walt Disney World will bring back the classic Main Street Electrical Parade to the Magic Kingdom this summer.

Other changes around Walt Disney World:  A new Magic Kingdom fireworks show, and new effects at Hollywood Studios’ Tower of Terror, including a change to the drop sequence.

But it’s the return of the Electrical Parade, the most beloved parade in Disney history, that will have Disney fans rejoicing.

As part of a seasonal promotion called “Summer Nightastic!,” the parade is being shipped from the Disneyland resort in California.  Although it’s the classic parade, it will have some tweaks: A new Tinker Bell presentation at the head of the parade, and floats dedicated to Snow White and Pinocchio.

On the technology front, the lights will now be LED bulbs and there is new audio technology being employed.

“Even the music is guaranteed to bring back Disney memories,” said Walt Disney World president Meg Crofton Wednesday evening.

The return of ELP, as aficionados abbreviate it, is expected to take place in June; it will  run through the summer.

The parade debuted at Walt Disney World in 1977 and ran until 1991, when it was replaced by the SpectroMagic parade. It later returned for a limited engagement from 1999-2001.

“Disney wants to be a strategic partner not just a financial investor in Bus Online as Disney is going to do
many things in Chinafor example, the theme park to be opened in Shanghai… To Disney, the deal is not
just about sharing in the growth of China’s advertising market but more about the promotion of Disney,
the brand itself, and this is strategically important to Disney in China.” Unnamed source “close to the deal”

BBC - In a conference call about the Disney Company's first quarter earnings, Iger told financial analysts the film would be released in December 2011.

The sequel to Pixar's 2006 film about talking cars was due to come out in the US on 24 June and on 22 July in the UK.

The date shift is likely to affect the release of another Disney title, fairy tale The Bear and the Bow.

The first Pixar feature to be directed by a woman, Brenda Chapman's film had been set for a December 2011 release but is now expected to be delayed as well.

Cars 2 will see race car Lightning McQueen - voiced by Owen Wilson - embark on a world tour that takes him to Britain, France, Germany and Japan.

Also along for the ride are slow-witted tow truck Mater and new four-wheeled character Finn McMissile, a Bond-style secret agent.

In the same conference call, Mr Iger revealed the re-release of classic animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on the Blu-ray format had been a big success for the company.

Orlando Sentinel - Disney Movie Rewards, the free online program that gives you prizes for buying Disney DVDs, music and movie theater tickets, was scheduled to end this month but has now been extended through summer 2011.

Magic Codes can be entered at DisneyMovieRewards.com through July 11, 2011 and redeemed through Aug. 31, 2011. Plus, if you have inserts with eligible Magic Codes and earlier end dates, they’re still valid.

Most titles are valued at 100 points, though some may be less and some more. You can choose rewards for your account balance at any time. Of course, the more points you have, the better the prize, for the most part. Prizes include everything from movie posters and Disney merchandise to Snapfish products. One of my favorite prizes was two child and two adult movie theater passes, good for any Disney movie within six months.

In addition to the prizes you earn, you will receive coupons for current DVD promotions, offers for free movie stuffed animals (you must pay shipping), sweepstakes, and online goodies, such as kids’ activities and printables. The I (heart) DMR Sweepstakes is giving away five 40-inch HDTVs and Blu-ray players, and members can earn extra points by referring friends through March 28. If you buy the I (heart) JONAS DVD and the StarStruck CD and enter the codes by Feb. 23, you’ll get 50 bonus points.

DisneyParks Blog - Valentine’s Day is the best excuse for eating chocolate. We did our homework and tasted chocolate all over Walt Disney World Resort -– warm Valrhona chocolate cake at Narcoossee’s, double chocolate semifreddo at California Grill, Jiko’s decadent Tanzanian chocolate cheesecake, chocolate budino cake at Kouzzina by Cat Cora . . . the list goes on.

But if you’re looking to slip away and share something chocolate with your Valentine, we love the casual Turf Club at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort. Nothing fancy, but it’s one of the few spots for al fresco dining, weather permitting, or where you can find a quiet corner for conversation and a sip of their signature mint julep.

DisneyParks Blog - They’re baked and ready to go…a first-ever batch of Disney Parks Blog pins.

We’re giving you a first look at the pins because attendees of the Disney Social Media Moms Celebrations event at Walt Disney World will be the first guests to receive them this week. They’ll never be for sale so we’re working on some unique ideas on how to get them into your hands. We’ll post more details here.

OC Register - Attendance at Disneyland Resort parks jumped 15 percent in winter months compared to the same period the previous year — the second quarter in a row that Anaheim venues experienced the same increase.

The Walt Disney Co. today released its earnings for the first quarter of 2010, which runs from Oct. 4 to Jan. 2.

DisneyParks Blog - Most men give flowers and candy to their favorite lady. Walt Disney named a train after his. Back in 1948, Walt set out to build a miniature steam power train that he could operate in his backyard. Once finished he named it the “Lilly Belle,” in honor of his wife Lilly. Eventually Walt’s gesture to Lilly made its way to Disneyland where the original Grand Canyon observation car was renamed the “Lilly Belle.” It’s not in commission all of the time, but on special occasions you can see this special car pull up the rear of the train. Take a look at this video and enjoy a ride on the “Lilly Belle.”

LABusiness - Online sports streaming outlet ESPN360 is getting a new name, ESPN3, and a renewed push from ESPN to gain wider distribution, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

Earnings before one-time charges climbed 15% to $0.47 a share, while revenue managed to inch 1% higher to $9.74 billion. Analysts were braced for net income of $0.38 a share on $9.74 billion in revenue.

The only segment to gain ground on the top line was Disney's media-networks arm. This isn't really a surprise. Recessions are perfect for couch potatoes and escapism. Discretionary income may be scarce, but that didn't stop movie theaters from posting record box-office results last year. Just as Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) continues to tack on subscribers at a heady clip, Disney properties like ESPN and Disney Channel, which rely primarily on steady cable subscription revenue from folks starving for cheap in-home entertainment, are thriving.

The real surprises at Disney actually come from its other divisions. The four non-media-networks subsidiaries may have suffered revenue slips during the company's fiscal first quarter, but half of them managed to post double-digit percentage gains in operating profits. Predictably, the operating-margin laggards were Disney's theme-park and consumer-products divisions.

The future should be generally upbeat for Disney. Its Toy Story, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Cars franchises all have sequels hitting the local multiplex -- and in Toy Story 3's case, IMAX (Nasdaq: IMAX) theatres -- over the next two summers.

Disney World's Magic Kingdom and Disneyland's California Adventure are in the early stages of massive expansions. When complete, they should be major attendance draws.

Disney's strongest subsidiary now may actually be its biggest long-term question mark. Disney Channel appears vulnerable. It won't just be competing against Viacom's (NYSE: VIA) Nickelodeon later this year, now that Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA) and Hasbro (NYSE: HAS) will be launching their own kid-centric station, The Hub.

Programming costs continue to escalate at ESPN, but the real threat here is that consumers may shun pricey cable and satellite television plans altogether. Even market leader Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is shedding cable-television subscribers these days. Is that just a recessionary reaction, or are folks substituting Hulu, YouTube, and other free streaming sites for old-school content?

Orlando Sentinel - Christmas is always the most wonderful time of the year for Orlando’s theme parks, as hordes of families flock to the resorts while their kids are briefly out of school. The Walt Disney Co.’s latest quarterly earnings offer a glimpse of just how profitable that holiday period really is.

Thanks to a quirk in Disney’s financial year calendar, the first quarter of the company’s fiscal 2010 ended Jan 3. — meaning it included the full benefit of the spike in travel surrounding Christmas and New Year’s. It also made for a favorable comparison with Disney’s fiscal first quarter last year, which ended on Dec. 27 and thus did not include results from the final week of the annual holiday rush.

That New Year’s swing was a big reason why Walt Disney Parks and Resorts managed to ring up better-than-expected results during this year’s first quarter, as operating income slipped just 2 percent (to $375 million) after several quarters of much sharper drops. But it’s also a big reason why Disney says hotel-room reservations for its second quarter (January through March) are currently running 10 percent behind last year, the weakest pace Disney has reported since the recession began.

In fact, Jay Rasulo, the former Disney parks chairman who recently became Disney’s chief financial officer, said the shift of that week around New Year’s added about $60 million of operating income to parks and resorts’ first quarter — about 16 percent of the division’s total operating profit for the period. Subtract that out, and operating profit at the parks division would have fallen nearly 18 percent from a year ago, rather than just 2 percent.

What’s more, Michael Nathanson, an analyst who covers Disney for Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., calculates the shift works out to about a $90 million revenue shift. Without the boost, he says, overall sales at the parks would have dropped 4 percent during the quarter, rather than remaining flat with a year ago.

Of course, as much as the New Year’s swing helped Disney’s theme-park comparisons during the first quarter, it will hurt comparisons during the second quarter. But there’s another calendar quirk that should help soften that hit.

Last year, the peak two-week travel period around Easter fell completely in Disney’s fiscal third quarter, but, this year, one of those two weeks falls in its second quarter. So while Disney’s parks will be hurt by not having New Year’s in the second quarter, they’ll be helped by having one week of Easter.

Princess Tiana Window at Magic Kingdom Park

DisneyParks Blog - Hello! My name is Dara Trujillo and I’m the manager for Merchandise Communications here at the Walt Disney World Resort. It’s my job to make sure you’re informed of the latest and greatest merchandise happenings here at our Resort.

Today, I’m excited to show you something really unique. Recently, we unveiled our official Princess Tiana window in the Magic Kingdom Park at our Emporium retail location on Main Street, U.S.A. It’s already a guest favorite. So, to get the “inside scoop,” I sat down with the designer and creator of the window, Ron James.

“I am constantly looking for new innovative ways to showcase our merchandise to our guests,” Ron said. “A few years ago, in celebration of Disneyland’s Golden 50th Anniversary, we creatively took our Belle doll, dressed in her traditional gold gown, and created a show stopping window fit for any Disney Princess. Since then we have replicated Cinderella and Aurora. The newest Princess to don the Main Street window is Princess Tiana.”

Look for this window to support our newest Princess throughout 2010.

LATimes - It's no secret that Walt Disney Co. boss Bob Iger wants to change the way entertainment is delivered into the home, reducing the traditional months-long lag between a film's arrival in theaters and its release on DVD.

Change may be coming sooner than conventional opinion holds, judging from Iger's remarks during Tuesday's call with Wall Street investors.

Iger told analysts that he had been in discussions with theater owners about release "windows" -- the sequential distribution of movies through the theatrical, DVD and TV chain -- pointing out to the exhibitors that maintaining a viable home entertainment business -- long the cash cow that has buttressed the studio -- is key to making the kinds of movies that will lure audiences to theaters. 

"A healthy business is good for [theater owners]," Iger said. "They want us investing in innovation, investing in higher-quality content. And so, mindful of what's going on in the home video side, we feel that it's time, on a case-by-case basis, movie-by-movie basis, to really take a look at how we're windowing the home video product into the marketplace."

Note that case-by-case, movie-by-movie basis.

Iger didn't say which films might be the first to break the traditional window patterns, but the chief executive is clearly priming the pump for a shake-up to come.

Analysts questioned Iger about another timing issue -- the decision to put the Miramax Films library up for sale, as the investors in the MGM catalog struggle to fetch its multibillion-dollar asking price. 

"We've determined that continuing to invest in new Miramax wasn't necessarily a core strategy of ours," Iger said, adding that Disney's only remaining commitment is in the production and distribution of films that are already in the production pipeline but haven't been released. "We believe that it is prudent for us to explore all our options."

Fox 35 - A spokesman with Reedy Creek Fire Rescue confirmed that a ride at Walt Disney World's Epcot theme park was evacuated due to an electrical short that prompted a fire alarm.

BusinessWire - The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) today reported earnings for its first fiscal quarter ended January 2, 2010. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter were $0.44 compared to $0.45 in the prior-year quarter. EPS for the current and prior-year quarter include the items discussed in the following paragraph. Excluding these items, EPS for the quarter increased 15% to $0.47 compared to $0.41 in the prior-year quarter.

The current quarter included restructuring and impairment charges and a gain on the sale of an investment in a television service in Europe, which together had a net adverse impact of $0.03 on EPS. The prior-year quarter included a gain on the sale of our investment in two pay television services in Latin America, which benefited EPS by $0.04.

Now, guests usually can expect to see Snow White, Jasmine, Aurora and Belle during breakfast, lunch and dinner. The royal beauties stop by each table to chat, pose for photos and sign autographs. In addition, guests greet Cinderella in the castle lobby, where a PhotoPass photographer documents the fun. A photo package, which is included in the price of the meal, is given to each family by the end of the meal.

Be aware that there is no guarantee which princesses will circulate in the restaurant. This is an important footnote for my family because my children certainly have their favorite characters. When we have visited Cinderella’s Royal Table, we explain to them that other than Cinderella, we don’t know for sure who will greet us. (Ariel typically does not appear at the castle; Norway’s Princess Storybook breakfasts, lunches or dinners at Epcot are her only venues.)

Visiting Cinderella’s Royal Table for lunch has been a birthday tradition at our house for years. Of course, my daughter is thrilled to see her aristocratic friends, but my son is fascinated by being inside the castle. He enjoys seeing all the nooks and crannies, and the view of Fantasyland is beautiful. It is a special treat, though, because it isn’t inexpensive. Breakfast is $49.65 for adults and $32.22 for children ages 3 to 9; lunch is $53.38 for adults and $33.46 for children ages 3 to 9; and dinner is $59.61 for adults and $35.95 for children ages 3 to 9.

Disney will create a series of PSAs featuring the First Lady and leading Disney Channel stars to inspire healthier eating habits, physical activity and more. The messages will be featured across Disney’s kid and family targeted media platforms, including Disney Channel, Disney XD, Radio Disney, and Disney.com and will begin airing later this year.

“Having been at the forefront of making healthier lifestyle choices appealing to kids and families, Disney is delighted to work with the First Lady to promote exercise, nutrition and healthy living,” said Robert A. Iger, president and CEO, The Walt Disney Company.

Disney’s participation in “Let’s Move” complements its long-standing commitment to kids’ health and nutrition. In 2006, Disney pioneered groundbreaking nutritional guidelines aimed at giving parents and children healthier eating options. Disney food policies limit the use of the company name and its characters to only those kid-focused products that meet specific guidelines, including limits on calories, fat, saturated fat and sugar. Disney made nutritionally-beneficial changes in the meals served to children at all Disney-operated restaurants in the Disney Parks and Resorts. Today, more than 85% of Disney’s licensed food portfolio consists of healthier options, including produce and low-fat dairy with more than one billion servings of fruits and vegetables sold in 2009 alone. Disney Channels Worldwide is committed to programming that reflects and recognizes that everyone shares a responsibility to encourage kids and families to adopt healthy lifestyles. Guidelines are employed to model behavior that demonstrates good nutrition and physical activity. At least one episode of each series currently in production -- including "Hannah Montana," "Wizards of Waverly Place," "Sonny With A Chance," "Zeke and Luther," "Phineas and Ferb" and "The Suite Life on Deck" -- centers on a healthy lifestyle theme. In addition, over 100 interstitials have been dedicated to encouraging healthier lifestyles. They include 'Pass the Plate,' a global effort to both inform and empower viewers, showing them how kids just like them around the world enjoy and benefit from healthy foods, and "Get’cha Head in the Game," an interstitial series that inspires kids to follow their dreams through physical activity.

Here are my suggestions for the most romantic restaurants that Walt Disney World Resort has to offer:

1. Victoria & Albert’s, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
2. Narcoossee’s, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
3. California Grill, Disney’s Contemporary Resort
4. Jiko-The Cooking Place, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
5. Bistro de Paris, Epcot
6. Artist Point, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
7. The Hollywood Brown Derby, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
8. Restaurant Marrakesh, Epcot
9. Le Cellier, Epcot
10. Flying Fish Cafe, Disney’s Boardwalk

Disney News - Phil Holmes started his career delivering blueprints to construction sites at the Magic Kingdom prior to the park’s opening in August of 1971.  In 2001 after eight roles, 18 locations, and almost 30 years to that date, he returned back to the place where it all began when he was named to his current role as vice president of the Magic Kingdom. 

Phil sat down for a visit with Mouse Minute to talk about the new Fantasyland expansion and a few other topics.

Resort operating segment revenues decreased by 10% to EUR 290.8 million from EUR 323.0 million in the prior-year period.

Theme parks revenues decreased by 12% to EUR 164.7 million from EUR 186.1 million in the prior-year period, primarily resulting from an 11% decrease in attendance. The decrease in attendance was driven by fewer guests visiting from the United Kingdom and France. Average spending per guest remained on par with the prior-year.

Hotels and Disney(R) Village revenues decreased by 10% to EUR 112.3 million from EUR 124.6 million in the prior-year period, due to a 9.9 percentage points decrease in hotel occupancy, partly offset by a 3% increase in average spending per room. The reduction in hotel occupancy resulted from 52,000 fewer room nights compared to the prior-year period, primarily due to fewer guests visiting from the United Kingdom and lower business group activity. The increase in average spending per room reflected changes to pricing and promotions strategies.

Other revenues, which include participant sponsorships, transportation and other travel services sold to guests, increased EUR 1.5 million to EUR 13.8 million.

Commenting on the results, Philippe Gas, Chief Executive Officer of Euro Disney S.A.S., said:

"Our First Quarter revenues reflect the continuation of the difficult economic environment with a decrease in Resort visitation. In the first quarter 2009, our revenues had not yet been fully impacted by the economic decline, partly because of the way guests book their vacations in advance of visits. This changed and intensified throughout 2009, with our guests now booking closer to their visits while also searching for promotions. However, our pricing and promotion strategies in the First Quarter enabled us to increase hotel per room spending and keep per guest spending in our parks on par with the prior-year.

This year, more than 400 teams from 32 states will head to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando to compete in the 30th annual National High School Cheerleading Championship in the hopes of bringing home the title of National Champion.

“Our 30th Anniversary Championship is a testament to the popularity and growth of cheerleading across the U.S.” said Jeff Webb, founder and CEO of Varsity, parent organization of UCA. “We are proud to celebrate this milestone with the more than 8,000 talented cheerleaders representing teams from all over the country. We feel privileged to give these amazing athletes a proper showcase for their talents.”

Kentucky’s Greenup High School has competed at the NHSCC every year for the past 30 years. Coach Candy Berry explains, “This is the premier event for high school cheerleaders and it allows us to showcase our students and kids in the manner in which they should be showcased.”

A team of Disney engineers is providing the answers, taking their road show to local schools across Central Florida.  The team does a demonstration highlighting Disney Park attractions, using models and videos to create an excitement amongst the children about math and science.  In the past, they’ve even brought in a Tiki Bird to tell the story of the math and science behind the Magic.

“There really is an interest not only to see us but to learn more about their favorite attraction,” said Lee Wilson, an engineer with Walt Disney World Design and Engineering. “We want to get them excited about math and science but we also want to provide a visual for teachers to use and refer back to.”

Wilson says the most popular attractions to use for the demonstration are the Disney roller coasters, including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom and the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

“We have some very dedicated cast members,” added Wilson. “It really is a program where all of our engineering partners from across Walt Disney World Resort come together to teach these kids and show students the exciting possibilities of careers involving math and science.”

The hour-long session always generate plenty of questions from the kids – and the teachers.

The Disney team of engineers is back on the road February 26 at Doctor Phillips Elementary and planning stops the rest of the school year at various Orange County elementary schools and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Florida.

So is there a clear favorite amongst all of the Disney attractions for the kids to learn about?

A: The mouse house and the company that Spider-Man built are now one.

Regulators and investors signed off on the deal that made Marvel Entertainment, the company behind Spider-Man and X-Men, a unit of Walt Disney as of Dec. 31. And you're right, the day the deal was announced, it was worth about $50 a share.

But as you point out, Marvel ceased trading at about $54 a share. You ask a question many investors wonder about. Why does the value of a company targeted in an acquisition sometimes exceed the dollar value of the offer?

But Disney's stock trended higher after the offer. The stock closed at $32.25 Dec. 31, the day Marvel shares stopped trading. Using the same math, you can calculate the value of the deal as 0.745 of $32.25 or $24.03 plus the $30 in cash to arrive at $54.03. That's $30 in cash plus the $24.04 value of Disney stock.

It was the ultimate celebration. Three hundred guests were invited to celebrate Walt and Lillian’s 30th wedding anniversary. Invitees included Spencer Tracy, Cary Grant and Gary Cooper. Can you imagine getting this invitation?

WHERE: Disneyland . . . where there’s plenty of room . . .
WHEN: . . . Wednesday, July 13, 1955, at six o’clock in the afternoon . . .
WHY: . . . because we’ve been married Thirty Years . . .
HOW: . . . by cruising down the Mississippi on the Mark Twain’s maiden voyage, followed by dinner at Slue-Foot-Sue’s Golden Horseshoe!

Hope you can make it – we especially want you and, by the way, no gifts, please – we have everything, including a grandson.

Lilly and Walt

If you’ve haven’t heard the story, party guests piled into horse-drawn surreys and were taken down Main Street and into Frontierland where they boarded the Mark Twain Riverboat and sipped mint juleps. At the Golden Horseshoe Saloon (as it was called then), guests were treated to the very first, but unofficial, performance of the Golden Horseshoe Revue, created by Wally Boag, the original Pecos Bill.

After making several memorable plays against the Colts in the 31-17 Super Bowl XLIV win, Drew looked into the TV cameras and proclaimed “I’m going to Disney World!’’

Drew joins a long list of marquee athletes from a variety of sports, such as Michael Phelps, Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Joe Montana and Magic Johnson, who have uttered that iconic phrase after winning a major championship.

Like those athletes, Drew is appearing in a nationwide commercial this week and heading to Walt Disney World Resort where he’ll celebrate his team’s magical Super Bowl win with a ticker tape parade down Main Street USA at the Magic Kingdom along with several NFL Youth kids.

The commercial featuring Drew Brees will be the 42nd installment in Disney’s famous “I’m going to Disney World’’ campaign, which began in 1987 when New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms first uttered the signature phrase about going to Disney World immediately following the Giants’ Super Bowl win. The campaign was considered a groundbreaking concept at that time and has since become a fixture in American culture.

DisneyParks Blog - Not all of the celebrating today is Super Bowl related. There’s a new member of the family at Disney’s Animal Kingdom — a baby white-cheeked gibbon — and we’re sharing a first photo.

The male baby gibbon was born last week and has not been named. You can see baby, mom (Melaka) and the baby’s two sisters, Suki and Tuyen, in their habitat near Kali River Rapids.

White-cheeked gibbons, an endangered species, spend their lives in the tops of trees. They produce offspring about once every 2-3 years after 7 to 8 months of gestation. Infants have the ability to cling to their mothers immediately after birth, which allows females complete range of motion while moving about the forest with their offspring.

Orlando Sentinel - A day before the Walt Disney Co. reports earnings for the final three months of 2009, analysts at J.P. Morgan today upgraded shares in the company based on improving economic trends. But they are less upbeat about Disney’s theme-parks division than they are about the company as a whole.

J.P. Morgan predicts that revenue at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts slipped 3 percent during the October-through-December period (the first quarter of Disney’s fiscal year) and operating profit shrank 12 percent when compared with the same period a year ago.

“Discounts will continue to be a drag on earnings recovery at Parks and Resorts,” J.P. Morgan analyst Imran Khan wrote in a research note. For the year, J.P. Morgan projects “flattish” attendance at Disney’s parks and a 3.6 percent decrease in guest spending.

The fairy dwellings reminded me of an article I read in Disney Family Fun magazine. A reader explained her children’s tradition of building fairy houses out of natural materials in the backyard for the sprites who would take refuge there overnight. After the construction was complete, the architects would check daily to see if fairies had been in the house. This was apparent to them when objects had been moved or added to the décor.

Now, you — and your child — have the opportunity to design a fairy house that could be displayed at this year’s Flower & Garden Festival, which runs March 3 through May 16.

Draw an original design for a fairy house that you would see on the mainland using lost things and materials from nature. The design must include a description of all of the materials needed to build the house and must be hand-drawn. No computer screenshots allowed.

This contest is in honor of the third movie in the series, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue, which will be released in November. The director will choose the winner based on these criteria: 50 percent for how well the contest theme is captured, 25 percent for creativity and 25 percent for overall appearance color, detail and artistic quality.

The grand prize includes a vacation for four to Walt Disney World to see the winning fairy home in person. Winner must be able to travel to Orlando between March 30 and April 5 for a five-day, four-night stay and must be a registered user on PixieHollow.com.

Mary J. Blige to Keynote Disney’s Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey

DisneyParks Blog - In November, we announced the names of the 100 high school students who’ll be participating in this year’s Disney’s Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey at Walt Disney World. Now we’re excited to share this year’s keynote speaker — singer/producer/actress Mary J. Blige.

Blige is being joined by a list of other celebrities scheduled to share their “blueprints for success” at this year’s event. The list includes:

• R&B star Cupid
• Actor Roshon Fagen (“Camp Rock”)
• Celebrity Chef Jeff Henderson
• CNN correspondent Christopher Lawrence
• Actor Daniel Curtis Lee (”Disney’s Zeke & Luther”)
• Songstress Kimberley Locke
• Actors Chris (“Zoey 101”) and Kyle (“Cory in the House”) Massey
• Actress Tamara Mowry (“Sister, Sister”)
• Producer Will Packer (“Stomp The Yard”)
• Singer Ruben Studdard
• Gospel Group Trin-i-tee 5:7
• Celebrity trainer Harvey Walden

Also, Sherri Shepherd, actress and co-host of “The View,” will return to host the celebrity conversations and Gospel Star Yolanda Adams will speak at the event’s opening ceremony.

As many of you already know, the “Dreamers” program offers amazing experiences for young adults at our parks. They participate in interactive workshops learning Walt Disney Imagineering techniques, entertainment and the business of sports. One of the main goals of the upcoming program is to inspire the students to take what they learn back to their communities and help others realize their dreams.

“MGM might be too much of a mouthful for them, but Miramax is much more bite-sized,” one source told The Post.

The New York Times reported earlier this month that the initial discussions with potential buyers indicate a price of over $700 million for the Miramax name and its 700-film library, including films like “Pulp Fiction” and “Shakespeare in Love,” which is essentially all that remains of the once-mighty art house label.

Interest is sharply higher than a year ago, when Disney briefly floated a Miramax sale before reconsidering because of the recession, and has been helped by a loosening of the credit markets.

Not to worry, my husband reminded me. We were traveling with the pros: my sister and her family from North Carolina.

We experienced Disney World with the Southerners once, several years ago, before we had a child. We marveled at how this family breezed through lines, avoided crowds, dug up deep discounts and scored a seat inside Cinderella's Castle for breakfast.

I wanted to tap these experts once again for this trip, which promised to be extra special because my 2½-year-old son, Daniel, would be experiencing Disney for the first time with his cousins Ashley, 13, and Matthew, 10.

My sister Alexandra's first tip came early. Because the weather is unpredictable in January, pack hats, gloves and coats or you'll be fighting over scraps at Wal-Mart, she warned.

"Ha. I live in Chicago," I thought. "I think I can handle Florida."

But she's the big sister, so I shrugged and threw the stuff into the suitcase.

It turned out to be a crucial move.

With jackets zipped up over our red noses, we huddled in the frigid night air, watching Magic Kingdom's magnificent fireworks explode around us. This seemed like a good time to introduce our toddler to hot chocolate. (Drink more, drink more!)

Temperatures in Orlando usually hover in the 70s this time of the year. But our early January visit to Disney coincided with a record cold spell that still delivered sunny days but sent the thermostat plummeting below freezing at night.

Being prepared -- along with frequent stops at the parks' hot chocolate stands -- made the long days outdoors more bearable.

Our next lesson involved when to visit Magic Kingdom. Cinderella's Castle was calling, and we wanted to head there our first day, a Monday.

My sister practically laughed at our naivete.

It lures everyone there on the first day, she noted, and everyone's first day is Monday.

So off to Epcot we went.

When we arrived, the expected barren landscape was instead occupied with our first long line at security.

"Open all your bags at once," my sister said. Everyone in our group unzipped purses, backpacks and diaper bags and passed them forward to my husband.

Since the checker moves back and forth through the crowd, he inspected our whole batch at once, allowing the seven of us to breeze through together.

We ran into another glut of people at the ticket entrance.

"Veer left," said my brother-in-law, Sim. "Everyone walks to the nearest line first."

So we made a beeline to the farthest entrance, crossing dozens of Disney neophytes needlessly waiting in line. They were still waiting while Ashley and Matthew led us into the park to pick up our free Fastpasses.

Each Disney theme park offers these so-called Fastpasses for its most popular attractions. You simply put your park ticket into an attraction's Fastpass machine and the machine spits out a card listing a time when you can come back and go through a separate entrance that has little or no wait. It's a simple time-saver, but only about half of all visitors use Fastpasses, according to The Complete Walt Disney World 2010 (Coconut Press, $24.95).

Our rule was to pick our must-dos in each park and head for those Fastpasses first, ensuring we'd get on at some point.

"I always say, get in everything you want first, then everything else is gravy," said Disney spokeswoman Michelle Baumann.

The strategy worked. No one left feeling they'd missed out on anything.

We also made a point of hitting the resort's new features. New this year at Hollywood Studios is a live "American Idol" show, as well as a 3-D Toy Story ride, a fast-paced game-ride combination.

The new face at Magic Kingdom was that of our president. Last summer, Disney added an animatronic Obama to its Hall of Presidents. Obama, standing between Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, gives the closing remarks after an overview of U.S. presidents narrated by Morgan Freeman.

The nice thing about being at Disney in early January was that we got to enjoy the spectacular holiday decor, but the crowds were relatively thin.

It was easy, for example, to meet Ashley's request to get a spot up close to spy Tinker Bell during Magic Kingdom's nightly fireworks show -- an impossibility just a few days earlier.

And the weather, thankfully, did take a turn. By Thursday of that week, we watched the parade at Animal Kingdom with no jackets on, soaking in the sun.