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| MickeyXtreme's News Archive January 8-14 2006 | ||
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Saturday January 14, 2006 |
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The more time that passes without a new
distribution deal between The Walt Disney Co. and Pixar
Animation Studios, the greater the speculation, including a
theory that Disney is angling to buy Pixar and install its
chief executive, Steve Jobs, as Disney's chairman.
Analysts believe a new distribution deal is likely — and soon. But they dismiss the notion that Disney would buy Pixar. An outright purchase would be too expensive, analysts say, and would not be wise for either company in the long term. "I think it's absurd," said David Miller, an analyst with Sanders Morris Harris. "It would have to be an enormously compelling offer to even have Mr. Jobs stop and consider it for maybe more than five seconds." Still, guessing the terms of a deal has become a bit of a sport on Wall Street, with speculation pushing Pixar shares higher in recent days. Most analysts who cover both companies believe Pixar will soon announce a new deal that has Disney distributing its highly popular — and profitable — animated films. Its current agreement with Disney expires later this year when Pixar delivers its latest film, "Cars." During an earnings conference call last November, Jobs said of Disney: "We will know if we are going to continue our relationship with them by the end of this year." That target date has come and gone with no elaboration from either side on the status of the talks, thus fueling the current rumors. Renewed speculation about a deal helped drive up shares of Pixar nearly 8 percent to $58.16 last Wednesday. Another possible trigger for the sudden jump was the expansion of an earlier deal between Disney and Jobs' other company, Apple Computer Inc., to provide more entertainment for download on Apple's iPod. Shares dropped back to $56 the next day and have been trading around that price since. Shares fell 37 cents to $56.04 at the end of regular trading Tuesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market. "Something has to happen soon," Marla Backer, an analyst at Research Associates Llc, wrote in a recent report. The current Disney-Pixar deal expires with the June 9 release of "Cars." Marketing plans for Pixar's 2007 release, tentatively titled "Ratatouille," must be made soon. "We continue to believe that a deal gets done with Disney that offers Pixar better economics and greater control of its characters," Backer wrote. The most likely reason for the delay is that a new deal with Disney is complex, despite the mutual respect that has developed between Jobs and Disney CEO Robert Iger. Animosity between Jobs and former Disney CEO Michael Eisner led to the two sides breaking off talks in 2004. "There are a lot of moving parts here," Miller said. "It's not as simple as slapping together an extension of the current agreement." Under the existing deal, Disney co-finances each of Pixar's productions, and the two companies split the profits evenly after Disney takes a distribution fee. The two companies also share ownership of the films, and Disney has the right to make sequels on its own if Pixar refuses to participate. That has led to some conflict, especially over Disney's announced plans to produce "Toy Story 3." Pixar has said it wants to own 100 percent of its own films after "Cars" and wants to pay a straight distribution fee without splitting any profits — an arrangement similar to the one George Lucas had with Twentieth Century Fox for his "Star Wars" films. Pixar has more than $1 billion in cash, enough to finance its own films. Analysts believe Pixar also wants to regain control of its film library from Disney and might be pushing to keep more of the profits from "Cars" than the current deal allows. Perhaps the most intriguing bit of speculation is that Disney will buy Pixar and make Jobs its chairman. Not likely, several analysts say. "We reaffirm our view that a Pixar acquisition by Disney makes no sense," Doug Mitchelson, an analyst with Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., wrote last month. Disney would have to pay a hefty premium for Pixar, anywhere from $70 per share, or $8.4 billion, to $100 per share, or $12 billion, analysts believe. Such a large deal would depress Disney's stock, saddling it with enormous debt and lowering its earnings, some analysts have said. Jobs owns 50 percent of Pixar stock and would stand to make a fortune if he sells. But Miller believes something more than money drives Jobs. "He looks at Pixar like you and I look at our children," Miller said. "Our children aren't for sale." |
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Latest
Photos of Expedition Everest 1-13-05 Below are the latest photos from Animal Kingdom's Expedition Everest. The last three photos are business cards and the opening page of Expedition Everest the Official Website. |
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ESPN,
ABC wager on 'Ruffian'
Sports cable giant ESPN said Thursday it will soon shoot an original movie titled "Ruffian," based on the true story of the legendary racehorse. But in a twist, the movie will actually premiere on Disney corporate sibling ABC in conjunction with the network's presentation of the Belmont Stakes in June 2007. Principal photography is slated to begin in February. Additionally, the movie will air on the Internet via broadband on ESPN360 and in high definition on ESPNHD and also will be available via video-on-demand and released on DVD, all within four days of its ABC bow. Additional content will be available on ESPN.com, Mobile ESPN and ESPN Motion. ESPN made the announcement Thursday at the Television Critics Assn. winter press tour in Pasadena. ESPN produced a 30-minute documentary about "Ruffian" in 2000. The thoroughbred filly, undefeated in 10 races, broke down at New York's Belmont Park in 1975 during a keenly anticipated race watched by 18 million TV viewers. ESPN executive VP content John Skipper said the network is "looking for programming that can play across all platforms. We're completely neutral in terms of platforms. Our job is to serve fans with content in whatever platform they want it on." He added that he's looking to increase ESPN's original programming overall, including dramatic series, documentaries and original movies. While "The Contender" failed to connect with viewers in its first season on NBC, Skipper expects the boxing show to be a success when it makes its second-season debut on ESPN on July 18, saying "the bar they gotta get at NBC is a little higher in a lot of ways." ESPN also spotlighted its new series "Knight School," a reality show in which legendary coach Bob Knight gives 16 unsigned basketball players from Texas Tech the chance to compete for a walk-on position with the Division I NCAA team. The show premieres on February 19. |
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What's the
Buzz
Disneyland Paris - Evil Emperor Zurg is plotting to use a massive robot army to capture all the batteries in the universe. Pretty scary - especially if you're a battery-operated toy. But you can foil his dastardly plan by teaming up with Toy Story action hero Buzz Lightyear, boarding your own space cruiser and zapping the invaders. Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast is the newest ride at Disneyland Resort Paris this year. Opening in April, it's already a big hit at other Disney parks and because all your laser blaster hits are tallied up at the end of the ride kids will love the fact that they can compete against mum and dad. It's not the only reason to visit the resort this year. From February 4 to March 12 it's Kids' Carnival Time, which kicks off with a lively procession down Main Street, USA, led by characters from the Jungle Book. Elephants, giraffes, crocodiles, ostriches and other animals invite children to join their parade until everyone is merrily grooving to the jazzy music. Later the Little Mermaid joins the fun and hundreds of bubbles float over the crowds in Carnival Square. During the Carnival Season there's a Kids Free offer at the resort. For each adult package booked and paid for in advance, one child (up to 11) sharing a room goes free. The offer includes travel-inclusive packages with Eurostar or Air France and applies to other options booked as part of the package, including Breakfast with the Disney Characters. The offer runs from January 8 to March 30. Other special deals include Magic Unlimited Season from January 9 to February 3, where guests can ride some of the most popular attractions again and again without requeuing and eat as much as they like in some of the resort's restaurants. Halloween is a time when you can dress up and join the Pumpkin Men as they take over the Disneyland Park and paint everything orange. In the Christmas Season -between November and January 2007 - snow is guaranteed to fall every day during the magic of Christmas at Disneyland Resort Paris. For more details call 08705 03 03 03 or go to www.disneylandparis.com A bumper 10-year anniversary brochure has been launched by Leger Holidays for 2006 breaks to Disneyland Resort Paris. Holiday packages for a family of four - including Channel crossings, accommodation and Disney Hopper passes - start from only £248 by self-drive, £398 by coach or Eurostar and £558 by air. Prices available on selected dates in January and February. The company also has a Single Parent Super deal, where lone parents, grandparents or guardians receive a discount of £40 on a three-day break or £60 on a four or five-day break. This offer applies to all holidays staying in a Disney Hotel or MyTravel's Explorer Hotel. |
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2006 to Be Tough for Verizon, but Good for Disney, Analysts Say Verizon could be in for a
struggle with cable companies and pension issues, while
Disney seems poised for a big tourist season, according to
Jim and Patti Wells of Wells Investments in Winter Haven. |
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Theme parks put on party hats for convention goers By day, an estimated 100,000
building industry professionals roamed the Orange County
Convention Center this week looking for new customers and
products. |
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Friday January 13, 2006 |
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Official Cast Member Preview dates for Everest Official Cast Member preview dates for Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom are January 20th-23rd from 9:00am to 5:00pm each day. |
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Sun City residents know the story of "Glory Road" better than anyone in the nation. The Disney movie depicting Don Haskins' 1966 Texas Western title team will be released nationally on Friday. While it's based on a true story, there are scenes in it that never happened. While "Glory Road" reviews are starting to pour in, at least 25 major newspapers across the country have already picked the film apart. Many of those reviews are positive, however other reviewers have given it a 'thumbs down' because of its inaccuracies. El Paso City Councilman Steve Ortega says he's read every book that's been written about the 1966 championship season. He saw the sneak preview last weekend and tends to agree with some of the negative reviews. Mr. Ortega tells ABC-7, "I know it's Hollywood, but there were three depictions in the movie that could have stayed true to how it happened and it would have enhanced the movie." Those three things include his impression that the movie depicts Texas Western as more prejudiced than Kentucky. Ortega adds, "Texas Western was the first college in the state of Texas to have African Americans on their sports teams. People have always said that El Paso at that time... race wasn't as big an issue." The most questionable scene in the movie involves Coach Haskins speaking to his team the night before the championship game. In the film, "the Bear," played by Josh Lucas, is shown saying he is going to play only black players. Its that statement that the author of Glory Road, Dan Wetzel, says slights Coach Haskins. Wetzel tells ABC-7, "The idea that the night before, Don Haskins decided he'd only play five black players is completely unreal and untrue. He obviously played five blacks prior to the 65-66 season and I think it's a little unfair to coach who really was a color blind individual." Another major problem with the movie for some is the depiction of racial strife between the black and white players on the team. The starting center on that team, David Lattin, said that simply did not happen. Mr. Lattin tells ABC-7, "There are some things that they portrayed in the movie that didn't happen, of course...if they [other fans] did some of those things I'm not aware of them ... but the story line is right on ... Texas Western did beat Kentucky and this story was about the players and what happened in their lives." While it may be simply based on a true story and some of the scenes in the movie didn't actually happen, El Pasoans who saw the movie last weekend give it a thumbs up anyway As for comments from Coach Haskins, as he is under contract with Disney he is prevented from criticizing the film. "Glory Road" director Jim Gartner told ABC-7's Darren Hunt simply, the movie is simply based on a true story. Josh Lucas has stated several times during the pre-release publicity blitz that every single moment in "Glory Road" is legitimate. But El Pasoans who see the film this weekend may decide that "Glory Road" has a few more twists than the road Don Haskins' Miners traveled in 1966. |
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Not
the Real New Orleans, but It Will Have to Do
Last Friday, Jack and Jennifer Jacobs piled into their car and drove from wintry Buffalo to the French Quarter for a week of revelry - eating Cajun food, listening to jazz and walking narrow cobblestone streets lined with row houses with ornate verandas. They could almost imagine that they were in New Orleans, a place they visited regularly and where Mr. Jacobs used to live. And that was the point. For the Jacobses were at Disney World in Florida - at the French Quarter replica in the Port Orleans Resort, a place that duplicates the Big Easy right down to its lampposts, wrought-iron railings and hurricane cocktails. "It's not the real New Orleans, but it'll have to do for now," Mr. Jacobs said, drinking a beer at Scat Cat's, the resort's jazz-themed lounge whose walls are covered with mounted saxophones and trombones, photographs of Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines and sheet music for "Basin Street Blues." It seems that in this post-Katrina world, some people who can't get to the real New Orleans are opting for the next best thing. The real French Quarter may still be shaking off the effects of Hurricane Katrina and struggling to lure tourists back, but the Disney World version has managed to avoid the devastation and has remained open for business since the hurricane struck four months ago. Disney officials would not say whether bookings were up or down since Katrina, but conversations with a dozen guests at the resort last week indicated that it has been bustling with New Orleans-lovers seeking a substitute for the real thing. What has been long regarded as a good-natured and slightly hokey theme has taken on a greater poignancy since late August. "I've had a lot of people since Katrina telling me they came because it's the only New Orleans left to visit," said Elliot Dyson, 58, a musician at the resort who plays New Orleans staples like "Iko, Iko," "Mardi Gras Mambo" and "Jambalaya," switching from saxophone to guitar to keyboard throughout his set. The hotel exteriors simulate the filigreed row houses of the French Quarter. They are bordered by lush courtyards and cobblestone streets bearing names of their real-world counterparts. The grounds are landscaped to resemble New Orleans gardens. Even New Orleans aficionados acknowledged the place does have the feel of a tamer, more sanitized Big Easy. "You can never recreate the real New Orleans because it's all about the people and the history, but I'd say this place definitely gives you a bit of the feeling of the real New Orleans," Mr. Jacobs said.. Mr. Jacobs, 38, said he chose the resort partly out of nostalgia for the French Quarter, where he lived for two years while managing a restaurant opened by a friend on Decatur Street. "It's funny, I waited tables at a place called Port Orleans on Bourbon Street when I first moved down there," he said. He recalled spending nights at Tipitina's hearing bands like the Radiators and the Neville Brothers. "There are definitely differences," he said. "For one, this place is immaculate. All the service people are smiling and well dressed, healthy looking." The Jacobses visited New Orleans two years ago and stayed with friends in the Ninth Ward, a neighborhood devastated by flooding. The friend lost the house and has moved away for good, Mr. Jacobs said. Nearby, Richard and Christine Williams ordered drinks. They had just been married at the nearby Boardwalk Inn, a Disney resort with a seaside theme, and they proudly wore their Disney-themed wedding headgear - her wedding veil and his top hat both sprouted Mickey Mouse ears. The Williamses, both lawyers, said they had chosen the resort because they had never visited the real New Orleans and were wary of visiting there now. "We figured this is the next best thing," said Ms. Williams, 31, "It's kind of a G-rated version, but we wanted a taste of New Orleans, even if it was by proxy. "We've always heard about New Orleans - the food, the music and the French Quarter - and you do get the feel of it here," she added. "The music is piped in wherever you go." Lilting swing is broadcast throughout the resort from speakers tucked discreetly throughout the property, and there are statues of garishly green, grinning gators dressed in vests and playing jazz. Building signs have banjo and tuba designs, and guests do their wash at Laundry on the Levee. The poolside bar is called Mardi Grogs, and depictions of Mardi Gras revelry are ubiquitous. Disney workers constantly prune, rake, sweep, trim and water. The front entrance is a New Orleans-style train depot. At the rear, riverboats ply a waterway Disney calls the Sassagoula River, to take guests to other Disney areas. The main eating area, the Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory, is bedecked with Mardi Gras floats and props. A half-dozen sugar-powdered beignets, the famous New Orleans-style doughnuts, cost $3.99. Cajun-inspired dishes include jambalaya, and seafood and chicken Creole. Some guests shrugged when asked about New Orleans and said they chose to stay at Port Orleans only because of its proximity to Disney attractions and moderate price. Other guests, however, said they chose the resort specifically because of the theme. "We've never been to New Orleans, and now I don't think we'll be going there anytime soon," said Johan DeKok, 42, a beer salesman from Pretoria, South Africa, who brought his wife and two daughters to the resort. "This seems like a good way to try to get the feel of it." Loraine Lopez, 53, a health care administrator from Tampa, said parts of the resort reminded her of the real New Orleans, which she had visited. "You can't recreate the music of New Orleans or the people and the culture," Ms. Lopez said. "I've got to say, though, the beignets are pretty good. They got that recipe down pat." Colin Quinn, 45, a psychiatrist from Atlanta, was lounging at the Doubloon Lagoon pool. "The place definitely brings back fond memories of New Orleans," he said. "There is a little piece of New Orleans here." His sister Terry Quinn, 53, of Orlando, said, "In a way, something like this might give the new New Orleans something to shoot for, in the rebuilding." She added: "They keep this place much cleaner. I've walked down Bourbon Street, and there's a little different odor." For more Info and Photos of Port Orleans
French Quarters click the links below. |
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Walt
Disney Earnings Conference Call (Q1 2006)
Walt Disney Earnings Conference Call (Q1 2006) Scheduled to start Mon, Feb 6, 2006, 4:30 pm Eastern. |
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Euro
Disney plans reverse share split of 1-for-100
Euro Disney (EDLP.PA) plans to propose to reduce the number of its shares through a reverse share split in order to temper price volatility of its stock, the French theme park operator said on Wednesday. The company that runs Europe's most visited tourist attraction said it would propose at its annual shareholder meeting to exchange one new share with a nominal value of 1 euro for 100 old shares bearing a nominal value of 0.01 euro each. A reverse share split will reduce the number of outstanding shares without affecting the company's overall capital. Euro Disney, 39 percent owned by the Walt Disney Co (DIS.N), carried out a financial restructuring that was completed with a capital increase earlier this year. Euro Disney shares hit a year-high of 0.18 euros in February and a year-low of 0.10 euros earlier this week. The authorization of the reverse split would last until the following annual shareholder meeting in 2007. |
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Castaway
drama "Lost" strikes a chord worldwide
"Lost," Disney's TV drama about a plane crash on a remote island, is proving to be an unusually universal hit as its confounding plot sucks in global viewers from Laos to Latvia. "The survivor instinct is universal," said Tom Toumazis, a senior vice president and managing director for Disney's Buena Vista International Television unit. "It's not set in a forensic lab in Vegas, or a police station in New York. The setting could be anywhere, any island, any plane." Disney bet big on the lavishly produced show, with an international cast and $10 million pilot episode that was the most expensive in television history. The plane crashes in the first moments, and viewers only learn about the back stories of the survivors through extended flashback sequences. The finale of the first season -- which posed roughly twice as many questions as it answered about the Island, the Hatch and the mysterious "Others" -- scored blockbuster ratings in Britain this week, with similar success in countries including Australia, France, Russia and Hungary. The rights have even been sold to Cuba, the subject of a decades-long U.S. trade embargo. An exemption exists for "informational materials" like TV shows. In the United States, the show returned from a six week vacation for a second series to pull in more than 20 million viewers, after a lead-in recap caught up fans on the ins and outs of the complex plot. And at a time when network television is in decline, "Lost" branched out beyond the airwaves with DVD sales, downloads through Apple's iTunes Music Store in the United States, and a slew of Web sites, blogs, podcasts and mobile phone video clips. "You have a loyal following that wants to digest it in all forms," Toumazis said. "It's a puzzle, and people like puzzles." Faced with a gap of several months between the first airing in the United States and episodes abroad, some fans have turned to illicit TV downloads. Australia and the UK, two of the biggest "Lost" markets outside of the U.S., are also among the biggest offenders for downloading pirated TV. Toumazis said it is too soon to say when Disney might sell TV downloads in other markets. "What we're doing is evaluating the success of the shows and the electronic downloading of the shows," he said. "We need to think very carefully about how it would affect our existing businesses and relationships." "Lost" is aired in the UK on government-owned broadcaster Channel 4, which has been at the centre of a dispute between broadcasters and producers about who will control new media rights for services like TV downloads and video-on-demand. |
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'Lost'
Actress Tells Court She's Sorry
Cynthia Watros, who plays Libby on ABC's hit series "Lost," pleaded guilty to drunken driving Thursday. She was fined $370 and had her driver's license suspended for 90 days. District Judge James Dannenberg also ordered Watros, 37, to undergo an alcohol assessment and to submit to 14 hours of counseling. "I'm sorry," Watros said after entering her plea. Under a plea agreement with prosecutors, a citation for crossing the white line was waived. "This is no fun, but you know how much worse it could have been. Get on with your life, and I wish you luck," Dannenberg told Watros. Michelle Rodriguez, who co-stars with Watros as police officer Ana Lucia on the castaway drama, was also charged with drunken driving. The two were pulled over in separate cars within 15 minutes of each other Dec. 1. Their cars had been spotted weaving on a road in Kailua, on the island of Oahu, where "Lost" is filmed. Both failed field sobriety tests and were released on $500 bail, police said. Rodriguez, 27, who was scheduled to stand trial March 30 after pleading not guilty last month, was also cited for speeding in Hawaii three times last year. In 2004, Rodriguez pleaded no contest in Los Angeles to three traffic violations, including drunken driving. She completed a three-month alcohol program and is serving a three-year probation term. |
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Sarandon playing wicked queen in Disney fairy tale Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon will star as a wicked queen intent on destroying true love in "Enchanted," a Walt Disney Pictures fairy tale that will blend animation and live action. Sarandon has signed on to play Queen Narissa opposite a star-crossed princess (Amy Adams of "Junebug") and prince (James Marsden). The story centers on a princess-in-waiting who is banished from a classical animation world by a vainglorious queen and dumped into a modern-day, live-action Manhattan. Sarandon's role calls for her to demonstrate versatility in various media forms. Her transformations for traditional toon sequences are being created by Disney animator James Baxter, best known for his supervision of the character Belle in 1991's "Beauty and the Beast." Sarandon's likeness also is being re-envisioned by Oscar-winning makeup effects artist Rick Baker. The actress recently attended prosthetic modeling sessions at Baker's Cinovation Studios. "Enchanted" begins production in April, with Sarandon expected to begin working in May. Kevin Lima directs. Sarandon next appears in New Line Cinema's "Mr. Woodcock" and as heiress Doris Duke in Bob Balaban's upcoming "Doris and Bernard" opposite Ralph Fiennes. She most recently starred in John Turturro's "Romance & Cigarettes." |
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ABC
Moves Walters Oscar Special
Barbara Walters interviewing celebrities on Oscar night is almost as much of an Academy Awards tradition as weeping starlets and shout-outs to agents. Walters will do the special again this year, but it won't air the same night as the Oscar ceremony. Instead, ABC says Walters' special will air Wednesday, March 1, four days before the 78th annual Academy Awards. The move comes in part because the network will begin the Oscar telecast at 8 p.m. ET, rather than 8:30 as in past years. That means red-carpet coverage will begin in the 7 p.m. hour, the time when Walters' show usually airs to the eastern half of the country (it followed the awards out West). And, in a win-win for ABC, March 1 is also the final night of February sweeps, giving the network one final stab at bigger ratings in the period. "We've been wanting to expand the celebration of the Oscars for some time, and moving Barbara's special to Wednesday as part of our strategy for the February sweep makes it the true national kickoff event for the awards broadcast," says Stephen McPherson, president of ABC Entertainment. "Her specials are always star studded and glamorous -- now they'll signal that even more is on the way." Walters is okay with the change too, saying she's "very pleased" the show will air in the same timeslot across the country. "And being seen earlier in the week gives us much more flexibility than in the past in terms of guests." A lineup of guests will be announced in the coming weeks. |
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Disney
Plans Multiplatform Premiere for New Series
Disney's new animated comedy series The Emperor's New School will premiere on four platforms—Disney Channel, Disney Channel on Demand, Toon Disney and the ABC Television Network's ABC Kids. Based on the 2000 theatrical movie The Emperor's New Groove, the series is the first to premiere across the four kids' TV platforms. A production of Walt Disney Television Animation, it features a voice cast that includes Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton and Wendie Malick. "The series has funny and familiar characters, a new twist on the relatable school world, and a great combination of witty and physical humor that kids love," said Gary Marsh, the president of entertainment at Disney Channel Worldwide. "Based on the past ratings success of the movie on both Disney Channel and Toon Disney, we are confident the series will be a strong performer across all four of these kids TV platforms." The Emperor's New School premieres on Disney Channel on Demand, a subscription video-on-demand service currently available to Cablevision’s iO: Interactive Optimum digital cable customers, on January 20. The series will premiere on Disney Channel on January 27. On ABC Kids, the series will launch on January 28 and on Toon Disney, it will premiere on January 20. |
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Cayard
joins Volvo list of casualties in Disney flop
The spectre of a Volvo Ocean Race yacht suffering a catastrophic keel failure on the edge of the Southern Ocean came alarmingly close yesterday when the crew on Pirates of the Caribbean reported cracks in the keel support structure hundreds of miles from land. This latest setback to a race that has been beset by repeated structural failures in the new breed of superlight carbon- fibre Volvo Open 70s came as Pirates of the Caribbean was a long way from safety, midway through the 6,100-mile second leg from Cape Town to Melbourne on the edge of the Roaring Forties.
An anxious Paul Cayard, the Californian skipper of Pirates of the Caribbean, said that the crew immediately reduced sail and began urgent consultations via e-mail and satellite phone with Bruce Farr, the yacht’s designer in the United States, to try to assess the seriousness of the damage. “Several hours were spent discussing this issue with the designers of the boat,” Cayard reported in an e-mail. “A certain level of comfort was achieved and we proceeded with reduced sail, east at 12 knots through the night.” However, it was clear that Cayard is still uncertain about what has gone wrong and what might happen next. “This morning we have reviewed the drawings of how this area was designed,” he added. “It is not clear to us if this is structural damage or superficial. “The fact that water is coming into the boat is not reassuring. We have made a new video and photos in the daylight and sent them off to the designers.” Cayard said that until the Disney-sponsored boat is hauled out on to dry land, they will not know for certain the seriousness of the problem, adding: “We simply can’t properly inspect the (affected) area out here.” Cayard explained how the amount of water flowing into the yacht varies with the amount of cant in the keel and said that he hoped to make as much progress towards Australia as he can, sailing the boat at about 80 per cent of its full performance, with the keel never more than 20 degrees from the centreline. He was keeping his fingers crossed for favourable weather and summed up his skipper’s dilemma with a sentence that executives at Volvo and Disney probably wished they would never have to read. “There is danger in being out here for a long time,” he wrote. This setback for Cayard is a disaster for his team, who did not complete leg one because of keel failure, had a poor inshore race in Cape Town and now have only the slimmest of chances even of getting on the podium in a seven-strong fleet. The immediate impact is that Pirates of the Caribbean has slipped from a hard-fought third place on this leg to fourth, behind Bouwe Bekking’s Movistar, and may yet not complete this leg. For Disney, which is using the boat to promote a new feature film, its bold marketing experiment is hardly panning out as the company might have hoped. Executives were said to be disappointed with how the race was developing for its team by Cape Town, so this latest development will be unwelcome news. As far as the race is concerned, it is becoming all too obvious that the four Farr-designed boats — Movistar, Pirates of the Caribbean, Ericsson and Brasil 1 — are not in the same race-ready condition as the two ABN Amro yachts, which look to be running away with this championship. With the exception of Movistar, the other three Farr boats had a very short preparation time before the start, compared with a year on the water for ABN Amro, and they are paying a high price for that. |
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UK:
Fiddes Payne signs Disney tie-up
Fiddes Payne, the herb, spice and home bake producer, has announced that it has signed a new homebake character licensing agreement with Disney for Winnie the Pooh and the Disney Princess rights. The range will be launched into the UK market in April 2006. The Winnie the Pooh product portfolio will consist initially of two Cup Cake Kits; the Winnie the Pooh medley pack, and the Tigger Cup Cake Kit. Also available in the range are six edible, hand crafted, Royal Icing Character figurines for cake decoration. The Disney Princess range consists of two Cup Cake Kits. Also available in the range are six edible, hand crafted, Royal Icing Princess Character figurines for cake decoration. “We are absolutely delighted to be working with such an established and recognised brand such as Disney,“ said Chris White, managing director of Fiddes Payne. “We continue to strive to produce innovative and eye-catching products and this licensing agreement enables us to use some of Disney’s favourite and most loved characters into our home baking range, ideal for celebrations and occasional treats.” |
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Disney
takes wraps off new line-up
Disney Channel Worldwide has unveiled
new schedule information, original movies and new series
for US critics, including an animated series based on the
Disney film The Emperor's New Groove. |
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Disney
lifeguarding experience a fun-filled break from college
Sitting, waiting and watching. "Every day was memorably cool,
"Friesz said. |
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Thursday January 12, 2006 |
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Drawn-out talks over a new distribution
agreement between Walt Disney Co. (DIS.N) and Pixar
Animation Studios Inc. (PIXR.O ) have analysts pondering
whether a deal will be done at all or if Disney could buy
part or all of Pixar.
The companies have been partners since Pixar began making feature films with "Toy Story" but growing success has left Pixar wanting more control over its characters and a bigger slice of profits than the current deal provides. The talks have passed the year-end deadline set by Pixar Chief Executive Steve Jobs, who said in November that his animation studio would "know if we are going to continue our relationship with (Disney) by the end of this year." Pixar and Disney spokesmen declined to comment. Pixar held some talks with other studios before the arrival of current Disney CEO Bob Iger, who has courted Jobs and struck a content deal between Disney's ABC television and Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL.O ) , which Jobs also heads, but rivals have said that no new talks have opened up. Most speculation about a new Disney-Pixar deal has focused on distribution. Pixar has said it wants a deal similar to "Star Wars" creator George Lucas, who retains rights to his films and characters and pays Fox a flat fee for distribution. Currently Pixar and Disney split costs and Disney effectively has sequel rights to Pixar films. A deal with Disney would open up the possibility of Pixar changing the business deal for "Cars," the last film in the current partnership deal, or even earlier Disney-Pixar films, such as "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life," "Monsters, Inc.," "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles." However, Iger and his predecessor Michael Eisner have said that they will not strike an economically disadvantageous deal for the sake of renewing the Pixar partnership. In November, Jobs said a possible delay in finalizing a new distribution agreement for its next film after "Cars," set for release in June, was "worth the few extra months of effort if there is a chance of continuing our relationship with Disney." A source familiar with the situation said Pixar could bide its time on finalizing an agreement if the talks were going well, because the two companies already have a distribution system in place. Recently some analysts have discussed the possibility of an outright sale, although many think it would be unlikely that Jobs would sell Pixar, whose market value has risen to about $6.8 billion, for fear that Disney's strait-laced corporate culture would stifle the smaller studio's creativity. "Yielding too much creative control to Disney -- which has a more mixed track record -- could hurt the (Pixar) franchises," Marla Backer of Research Associates wrote in a Jan. 6 note. Nor would such a rich deal sit well with Disney investors, wrote Deutsche Bank Securities analyst Doug Mitchelson in a Dec. 15 note to clients. "A Pixar acquisition makes no sense for Disney due to massive 10 cents per share dilution. ... Disney can make 65 sequels ... for the $6.5 billion purchase price of Pixar," Mitchelson wrote. Pali Research analyst Rich Greenfield also said Disney was unlikely to spend $7 billion to $8 billion to buy Pixar when it already has rights to the library -- unless it is worried about the quality of its upcoming animated films. "They leverage that animated content throughout all of their other businesses," Greenfield said. For that reason, Disney would also be unlikely to give up rights to characters in previous films, said Sanders Morris Harris analyst David Miller. In a Dec. 12 note, he said the companies "have agreed on a construct for a new deal that would involve five more original pictures and three sequels." Miller said on Wednesday he had not heard anything recently to contradict his report, but he added that the protracted talks may not be a positive sign. "The longer we go into January and February with no announcement, that likely means there is no deal with Disney," Miller said. There has also been some talk of Disney buying a stake in Pixar, which could give Iger and Jobs more control over each others' company. But analyst Dennis McAlpine said it was unlikely, since Disney would not actually gain control of Pixar and already had control of Pixar characters. "I don't know what it buys them," he said. Pixar, with $1 billion in cash, does not need the money, he added. |
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Annual
Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Donald and Daisy topiaries cruise through a floral tunnel of love while topiaries of Cinderella and Prince Charming "waltz" amid blossoms and greenery. Disney "sweetheart" topiaries based on decades of happily-ever-after classic stories add romance and whimsy to the 13th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival April 21-June 11 at Walt Disney World Resort. Known by gardening aficionados for its celebrity guest speakers, hands-on seminars and planting demonstrations, the seven-week festival will take place in the park's Future World and World Showcase. Thirty million blooms, intricately designed floral beds, artfully crafted bonsai trees, lush rose gardens and more Disney character topiaries will grace the park's 300 acres. Nightly Flower Power concerts will rock the landscape with live entertainment from top acts of the 1960s and '70s. Minnie's Magnificent Butterfly Garden, which debuted at the 12th annual festival, will return with hundreds of butterflies in a screened, walk-through enclosure and will include a live exhibit showing how caterpillars form a chrysalis and emerge as butterflies. Themed festival events pump up the fun with the child-friendly I Dig Bugs weekend, Art in the Garden weekend and the time-honored Mother's Day weekend, among others. Other festival features include: The Festival Center, where guests can find program guides and festival merchandise, as well as guest speakers and demonstrations. The popular Great American Gardeners series, opening with Paul James of HGTV's "Gardening by the Yard," April 21-23. A "see and sniff" Fragrance Garden at the France pavilion showcasing flowers in several perfumes. Disney Gardening at Home presentations where Disney horticulturists share tips and secrets for at-home gardening. Kids' activities, including the fun-filled Tinker Bell's Fairy Garden and Disney character meet and greets. Themed Weekends April 21, 22 & 23 -- Premiere - Be among the first to see the 13th annual Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival! April 28, 29, & 30 -- Party in the Garden May 5, 6, & 7 -- Art in the Garden - Get a unique look at nature through the eyes of "Plein Air" artists (May 6 & 7) and see one-of-a-kind works of art by Art in the Garden artists. Be sure not to miss the "Kid's Paint Out." (Future World West) May 12, 13, & 14 -- Mother's Day May 18 - 21 -- Teddy Bear and Doll May 19, 20, & 21 -- Characters in Bloom - Bring the whole Family to experience a weekend full of character. More Disney Characters than ever will be springing up all over the park! May 28, 29, & 30 -- Memorial Day (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) - Don't miss the chance to take part in an old-fashioned "field day" complete with fun games. Celebrate nature and the great outdoors and discover the joys of gardening! June 2, 3, & 4 -- I Dig Bugs - Bugs are cool! Get a close-up look at unusual critters, beneficial bees and join in a "good bug" release. Learn about garden friends who help keep our plants healthy. June 9, 10, & 11 -- Festival Farewell
- Mark your calendars! Don't miss the last chance to enjoy
the Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival! The Nelsons April 21-24 |
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Disney, Starz, and The Game Show Network will
all make an appearance at the United States Telecom
Association's annual convention, TelecomNEXT (formerly
SUPERCOMM), March 19-23 in Las Vegas.
Disney and Game Show will exhibit at the conference, while Starz will demo its new Vongo IPTV service there. In addition, Disney chief Bob Iger is scheduled to speak. Disney's ABC and Starz both have content deals with Verizon's FiOS telco video service. In addition, ABC was the first network to make a high-profile series--Desperate Housewives--available via to Apple's iTunes online video site. |
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Interview
with Mark Mesko
Walt Disney World Resort: Plugged In, have a great interview with Mark Mesko - Technical Director, Show Ride Engineering, about the ride system of Expedition Everest. It's available now at www.disneyworld.com/podcast or via iTunes. |
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Teen
shares big smile with Disneyland crowd
One of the first signs that Jared McDaniel learned was "mouse." The 18-year-old has a rare genetic disorder called cri-du-chat syndrome, or cat's cry syndrome. He isn't able to speak, but has learned some American Sign Language to talk with his family. He also communicates with his "$100 smile," his mom, Susan McDaniel said. Each year, for the past 16 years, the family has gone to Disneyland before or after Christmas. And Jared's smiles are always plentiful in the "happiest place on earth." "We count them up and see if we can pay for the trip," Susan said. On the morning of Jan. 1, the family was picked at random from a crowd to be the grand marshals of the Parade of Dreams, a daily event celebrating the park's 50th birthday. Later in the day, the Disneyland mayor led them to an antique fire engine with the McDaniel family's name on it. Jared, his mom, his sister, Erica, and his father, Greg, climbed on board. As they escorted the parade down main street, Susan said the mayor wished the crowds a happy new year through a cordless microphone, then said: "Welcome the grand marshals of the day, the McDaniel family!" Jared rocked his head back and forth to the music and let loose thousands of dollars worth of smiles, his mom said. |
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Celebrities
Reveal their Fears in Friday the 13th 'What Scares You?'
Survey
Fears, phobias and superstitions are the
topic of the day every Friday the 13th and this Friday the
13th is no exception. As part of the upcoming opening of its
newest attraction, "Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to
the Rescue," Disneyland Resort in southern California
announced today results from its national "What Scares
You?" survey conducted by Harris Interactive. When
Disneyland asked some of today's hottest celebrities
"What Scares You?" they were surprised to learn
that "Harry Potter" himself, Daniel Radcliffe,
fears clowns while Jennifer Love Hewitt and Serena Williams
are still afraid of monsters under their bed! The national
survey revealed that 56 percent of American adults* admit
they fear, or have Celebrity Scares: A Monster's Haven Who's More Scared? Grownups or Youngsters
... Highlights from the National "What
Scares You?" Survey |
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Nominations for the 30th annual Carbonell Awards, celebrating excellence in South Florida theatre, were announced Jan. 12. The Actors' Playhouse led in number of nominations for its productions of the Disney Broadway musicals Aida (12 nominations) and Beauty and the Beast (with 11). The awards ceremony will be held April 10 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. Other multiple-nomination earners are Frozen at the GableStage (seven, the most for any non-musical play); six for the revue Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill, a Musical Voyage, at Palm Beach Dramaworks' and five each for and That Championship Season at Dramaworks, Enchanted April at The Caldwell Theatre Company and Songs for a New World at Actors' Playhouse. The Carbonell board of directors moved the awards ceremony from November to April to coincide with the region's cultural season, expanding eligibility for the 30th annual awards to 16 months spanning September 2004 through December 2005. To accommodate the extra-long period, categories have six nominations apiece instead of the usual five for this season only. Awards for stock/roadshow theatre productions will also be presented at the April ceremonies. For more information, visit www.carbonellawards.org. |
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Promotion
pays off for Iger
Walt Disney Chief Executive Officer
Robert Iger not only got a big promotion last year, he got
a pretty nice raise. |
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Wednesday January 11, 2006 |
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Walt Disney Co., the world's largest
theme-park operator, set a holiday-season attendance record
at its Walt Disney World resort in Florida.
"Parks had a great holiday season," Chief Financial Officer Thomas Staggs, 45, said Tuesday at a Citigroup media conference in Phoenix. In attendance, "we actually set a record at Walt Disney World." A marketing campaign to promote the 50th anniversary of Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., boosted attendance throughout Disney's parks and resorts unit, Staggs said. Walt Disney World overcame disruptions and closures caused by hurricanes. "We really had a nice end to the quarter," Staggs said. "We had a little bit of a slow start due to the hurricanes." Staggs didn't disclose attendance figures or first-quarter sales at the parks and resorts division, which had revenue of $9.02 billion in the fiscal year ended Oct. 1. Central Florida's big three theme parks -- Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando -- all reported brisk business over the winter holidays. Crowds were so heavy at Disney World the week after Christmas that the Magic Kingdom parking lot was closed briefly one day as it reached capacity in the early afternoon. The parks generally consider the holiday season to start two weeks before Christmas and to stretch through New Year's Day. Overall, 2005 was a strong year for attendance at Disney World's four theme parks, with the Magic Kingdom coming in again as the most-visited park in North America and the world. More than 16 million people visited the park, a 6.5 percent increase, according to figures from Amusement Business, a trade publication. |
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The more time that passes without a new
distribution deal between The Walt Disney Co. and Pixar
Animation Studios, the greater the speculation, including a
theory that Disney is angling to buy Pixar and install its
CEO Steve Jobs as Disney's chairman.
Analysts believe a new distribution deal is likely -- and soon. But they dismiss the notion that Disney would buy Pixar. An outright purchase would be too expensive, analysts say, and would not be wise for either company in the long term. ``I think it's absurd,'' said David Miller, an analyst with Sanders Morris Harris. ``It would have to be an enormously compelling offer to even have Mr. Jobs stop and consider it for maybe more than five seconds.'' Still, guessing the terms of a deal has become a bit of a sport on Wall Street, with speculation pushing Pixar shares higher in recent days. Most analysts who cover both companies believe Pixar will soon announce a new deal that has Disney distributing its highly popular -- and profitable -- animated films. It's current agreement with Disney expires later this year when Pixar delivers its latest film, ``Cars.'' During an earnings conference call last November, he said of Disney: ``We will know if we are going to continue our relationship with them by the end of this year.'' That target date has come and gone with no elaboration from either side on the status of the talks, thus fueling the current rumors. Renewed speculation about a deal helped drive up shares of Pixar nearly 8 percent to $58.16 last Wednesday. Another possible trigger for the sudden jump was the expansion of an earlier deal between Disney and Jobs' other company, Apple Computer Inc., to provide more entertainment for download on Apple's iPod. Shares dropped back to $56 the next day and have been trading around that price since. Shares fell 37 cents to $56.04 at the end of regular trading Tuesday on the Nasdaq stock exchange. ``Something has to happen soon,'' Marla Backer, an analyst at Research Associates Llc, wrote in a recent report. The current Disney-Pixar deal expires with the June 9 release of ``Cars.'' Marketing plans for Pixar's 2007 release, tentatively titled ``Ratatouille,'' must be made soon. ``We continue to believe that a deal gets done with Disney that offers Pixar better economics and greater control of its characters,'' Backer wrote. The most likely reason for the delay is that a new deal with Disney is complex, despite the mutual respect that has developed between Jobs and Disney CEO Robert Iger. Animosity between Jobs and former Disney CEO Michael Eisner led to the two sides breaking off talks in 2004. ``There are a lot of moving parts here,'' Miller said. ``It's not as simple as slapping together an extension of the current agreement.'' Under the existing deal, Disney co-finances each of Pixar's productions, and the two companies split the profits evenly after Disney takes a distribution fee. The two companies also share ownership of the films, and Disney has the right to make sequels on its own if Pixar refuses to participate. That has led to some conflict, especially over Disney's announced plans to produce ``Toy Story 3.'' Pixar has said it wants to own 100 percent of its own films after ``Cars'' and wants to pay a straight distribution fee, without splitting any profits -- an arrangement similar to the one George Lucas had with Twentieth Century Fox for his ``Star Wars'' films. Pixar has more than $1 billion in cash, enough to finance its own films. Analysts believe Pixar also wants to regain control of its film library from Disney and might also be pushing to keep more of the profits from ``Cars'' than the current deal allows. Perhaps the most intriguing bit of speculation is that Disney will buy Pixar and make Jobs its chairman. Not likely, several analysts say. ``We reaffirm our view that a Pixar acquisition by Disney makes no sense,'' Doug Mitchelson, an analyst with Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. wrote last month. Disney would have to pay a hefty premium for Pixar, anywhere from $70 per share, or $8.4 billion, to $100 per share, or $12 billion, analysts believe. Such a large deal would depress Disney's stock, saddling it with enormous debt and lowering its earnings, some analysts have said. Jobs owns 50 percent of Pixar stock and would stand to make a fortune if he sells. But Miller believes something more than money drives Jobs. ``He looks at Pixar like you and I look at our children,'' Miller said. ``Our children aren't for sale.'' |
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New
Rooms at Downtown Disney's World of Disney Store are Sure To
Appeal To Boys and Girls Alike
Next spring the World of Disney at Downtown Disney Marketplace will mark its 10th anniversary with the addition of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Princess Room, and an interactive Adventure Room. The boutique salon will transform little girls into Disney princesses with hairstyling, make-up, and manicures. In the Princess Room, children can try on merchandise and play dress-up, while in the Adventure Room, they can build their own pirate hat or skull, play video games, and see pirate, cowboy, superhero and space explorer gear and apparel. |
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With their big smile, large black ears and
colorful Chinese-style outfits, Mickey Mouse and Minnie
Mouse will celebrate Chinese New Year in Hong Kong, their
first in China.
Mickey, Minnie and their friends must be in a happy holiday mood these days because tickets to the world famous park were sold out on four separate days, a good sign after being left out in the cold for a long time. They can finally kiss good-bye to a bumpy year of settling down. Hong kong Disneyland announced its first ticket sell-out on December 13, the opening day of the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Hong Kong. The good luck brought by the WTO conference then went on for three more days. It also published the number of visitors for the first time, saying that since the park's opening to the beginning of December 2005, an average of 14,000 people visited Hong Kong Disneyland, almost reaching the expected level of 15,000 daily guests. Statistics show that among the more than 1 million visitors it received, 26 percent came from the Chinese mainland, 25 percent from overseas and the rest were Hong Kong citizens. To attract more guests, Hong Kong Disneyland took a series of measures such as improvement in service, ticket promotion and a high profile publicity campaign. It also grasped the chance of the holiday season, arranging new decorations, music and food to add to the festive mood. The trend of ticket sales may be considered small progress for an international group like Walt Disney, yet entering the Chinese market is something big for the entertainment giant, which is keen to get a share of the profitable market with a growing middle class. High holiday spirit has been whirling around Hong Kong Disneyland since Christmas with important holidays coming one after another. The park is now busy preparing a big celebration for the Lunar New Year in late January. The costuming department of the park is tailoring traditional Chinese outfits for Minnie and especially for the famous dog, Pluto, who will celebrate his special year, the Year of the Dog. Seamstress ngai Kong Sang said: "We are all looking forward to our first Chinese New Year celebration at Hong Kong Disneyland. Minnie will look resplendent in her Chinese silk dress and guests will love taking pictures with Minnie, Pluto and all the other friends." |
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Disney
payed Eisner $10 million in 2005
Walt Disney Co. (DIS.N) paid its outgoing chief executive, Michael Eisner, $10.1 million in total salary and bonus in fiscal 2005, according a securities filing on Wednesday. Eisner retired on Oct. 1 after serving 21 years as CEO. His successor, Robert Iger, who formerly served as the company's president and chief operating officer, earned $9.7 million in total salary and bonus in fiscal 2005, the filing said. |
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Disney Insider - "It's so beautiful when
you see under the title 'based on a true story,'" says
Nevil Shed. And he should know: Nevil isn't an actor, a
producer, or a director -- he's one of the real-life players
who made basketball history in 1966 as part of the West
Texas Miners, the first all-black team to go to the NCAA
championships. Under coach Don Haskins, the Miners
confronted naysayers to make athletic history.
Now, almost 40 years later, their story has come to the big screen, as the new Disney film "Glory Road." Josh Lucas stars as Coach Haskins opposite Jon Voight as Adolph Rupp, the coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. A talented group of young actors portray the Miners, including Derek Luke, Schin A.S. Kerr, Damaine Radcliff, and more. The movie follows the team throughout that groundbreaking year of struggle and inspiration. The "Insider" talked to two of the men who were part of that historic team, now looking forward to "Glory Road"'s January 13 debut. Forwards Nevil Shed and Harry Flournoy told us about seeing the film, their relationships with Don Haskins, and the real-life experience of playing that now-famous game. Two years ago, when Nevil first heard that Disney was going to film the story that became "Glory Road," he didn't believe it. But in 2004 he not only knew there was going to be a film -- he'd gotten to meet the cast and crew.
"A year ago I was in New Orleans on
vacation, and I stopped at the high school where they were
doing some of the scenes. I just walked in, and I said,
'I’m Nevil Shed and I'd like to watch some of the
filming.' And one of the producers called me out in the
middle of the gymnasium floor where they were filming one of
the basketball games, and he said 'Ladies and gentleman, I'd
like you to meet Nevil Shed, one of the real players from
the team.' They gave me a standing ovation, and I got
nervous!" Nevil laughs.
"And then Al Shearer, the guy who played me, said 'Hey, it's me! I'm here!' It was just like we knew each other. We walked over to each other and we hugged, and then all the actors started asking questions. 'How was this guy here? What did this guy do? How am I playing this guy?' I had to sit down and take a deep breath. They just cared so much about making sure that their parts were as accurate as possible." Almost as fun as meeting his own screen double was meeting Josh Lucas, in character as Coach Haskins -- affectionately known to his players as "the Bear." "When you play Coach Haskins, you got to be almost insane! I told him a couple of things [about the real coach], like he never cursed at us but he had these sayings that really ticked us off. He'd say 'Nevil Shed, you wild man! You're like a baby goose -- you wake up in a new world every day.' In the movie, he did call my character something like that, and I had to laugh -- I knew he got that from me! "He had that Don Haskins stare -- I think if I was still a player, I would have been scared he would make me run windsplints." Harry Flournoy didn't visit the set, but he did meet Mehcad Brooks, the actor who portrayed him, and was impressed by his portrayal in the film. "He pretty much got the essence of who I was. I met him at the screening, and then again about a week later," he says. Did they hit it off? According to Harry, that's a foregone conclusion. "When I meet somebody, they always like me!" he laughs. Both men found that the film version brought back memories -- sometimes bittersweet ones. "That season was one of the hardest periods I've gone through in my life. It should have been a time that was a lot of fun and really upbeat, but it wasn't because we had to go through a whole lot of adversity," Harry muses. However, he also recalls it as a time of growth and character building: "It changed my life in a lot of ways. It changed it from the moment I came onto the campus. It made me a fuller person, it made me a better person, it made me a more intense person. I'm focused on my goal, and I don't want to stop until I reach it. I find ways to overcome all obstacles, which is what we had to do that year. It's helped me all my life." Nevil concurs. "People ask us how it was with that team? Did the blacks have any problems with the whites, or did you all get along? Well, let me tell you something -- that team had something that teams are trying to have today. It was a 'we' team, not a 'me' team. We were 12 athletes that slept together, ate together, played together. They never showed any animosity or negativism toward each other. And the reason for that was that we were playing under a great coach." On January 13, we'll get a chance to see the West Texas Miners on the big screen -- going for the glory. Both Harry and Nevil say they wouldn't miss the premiere of their story -- "If they were having it in Bangladesh, I'd find a way to get there!" chuckles Nevil." |
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Subscribers to Disney Channel’s
subscription-video-on-demand service will get the first look
at new original series The Emperor's New School one
week before it airs on the linear channel.
The first episode of the animated skein -- a takeoff of Disney movie The Emperor's New Groove -- will bow on SVOD service Disney on Demand, distributed by Cablevision Systems Corp., Jan. 20, Disney Channel Worldwide president of entertainment Gary Marsh said during the network's Television Critics Association Tour presentation here. The episode will then premiere on Disney Channel Jan. 27. The weekly series will also premiere on Toon Disney Jan. 23 and on broadcast network ABC as part of its Saturday-morning kids’ block Jan. 28. All three linear networks will continue to air the show's remaining episodes. Disney Channel also announced two new original movies: Cow Bells, starring Alyson Michalka (Phil of the Future), will premiere March 24, while Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior, starring Brenda Song (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody), will air later this summer. Finally, the network will bow a new live-action series March 24, Hanna Montana, starring country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and his daughter, Miley Cyrus. |
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CanJet, Canada's low-fare airline, announced
today that it has entered into an on-line ticket agreement
with Walt Disney Parks & Resorts in Florida. Doug Newson,
CanJet's Director of Marketing & Sales, stated, "CanJet
has been steadily increasing its presence in the Florida
marketplace since February 2003 and we have become a popular
choice for families in eastern and central Canada over the
past three years. Walt Disney World in Orlando continues to
attract Canadian families in record numbers so this new pact
between CanJet and the Disney organization will benefit our
mutual customers by offering them one-stop flight and
entertainment shopping via www.canjet.com"
Under this agreement with Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, CanJet customers can now purchase Disney tickets on-line at www.canjet.com allowing them to enjoy Disney Theme Parks and other entertainment offerings that are tailored to the length of their vacation and the interests of their group. They can enjoy the fun for less per day if they stay longer. For example, a seven-day theme park ticket averages approximately US$30 per day or less than half the price of a single-day ticket (US$63.00 per adult, before tax). "We're delighted to be working with CanJet by providing Disney's Magic Your Way Tickets on their Website for Canadian guests," says Marlie Morrison, Travel Industry Marketing & Sales Director, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Canada. "Now's a great time to visit the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida with all that's new for the Happiest Celebration On Earth, where new attractions have been imported from Disney parks around the world." Ms. Morrison pointed out that, under this new program, a family of four can enjoy a six-night/seven-day Walt Disney World vacation including a stay at an on-property Disney Resort hotel with theme park tickets for as little as $1,500 USD -- less than $1,775 in Canadian funds. She said, "Payments must be made in USD and the reference to Canadian funds is based on the foreign exchange rate published by the Bank of Canada at closing on January 4, 2006. CanJet Airlines is a division of IMP Group Limited, Halifax, Nova Scotia, which has been selected as one of Canada's Top 50 Best Managed Companies for the second consecutive year and is one of Canada's largest aviation and aerospace companies. The airline division provides low-fare, scheduled service to fifteen (15) markets in Canada and the United States with Boeing 737 aircraft. Customers can book on-line at www.canjet.com; through CanJet's Reservations Sales Centre at 1-800-809-7777; or through their preferred travel agency. |
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Magic
it again!
Disneyland Resort Paris has started their
"Magic Unlimited Season" where guests cannot only
ride their favorite ride once, but can stay seated to ride
it again. This offer can be used on selected rides in
Disneyland. The Magic Unlimited season started at 9 January
and will go on until 3 February, although at this time, it
is also advertised under March in the online Disneyland
Resort Paris website calendar. |
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Walt Disney Pictures has released the trailer
for the animated comedy The Wild at Disney Motion Showcase,
where you can watch the clip in Flash format.
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The film follows a teenage lion from the New
York Zoo who gets accidentally shipped to Africa and freed.
His friends at the zoo including an older lion, a giraffe, an
anaconda, and a squirrel must unite to bring him back.
Featuring the voices of Kiefer Sutherland and Eddie Izzard, The Wild comes to theaters on April 14. |
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Closing
& Refurbishment Schedule at WDW
Magic Kingdom Epcot MGM Studios La Nouba will be dark on the following
dates: |
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One
Suspect Dead, One Held in Fla. Heist near Disney World
A bank robber who was fatally shot, ending a 10-hour police standoff, had threatened to kill himself and his last hostage in his final moments, the Osceola County sheriff said Wednesday. A sniper killed the male suspect and a female suspect was taken into custody, said Osceola County Sheriff Bob Hansell. Four hostages were not injured. The suspects had escaped the Mercantile Bank, a mile west of Walt Disney World, with one hostage after authorities blasted through the rear door using an explosive device. But police soon cornered them in their getaway car, authorities said. The male suspect then "used the hostage again as a shield to get into another vehicle," Hansell said. "He tried to leave again and at that point he was taken down by one of our snipers." Investigators identified the woman as Amanda Lynn Moeller, 26. Her initial court appearance Wednesday was postponed after questions arose about her identity. She was being held without bond. The suspects had been holed up in the bank since Tuesday morning. The first hostage was released when the robbers panicked when deputies arrived so quickly after the robbery, said sheriff's spokeswoman Twis Lizasuain. The second was freed in exchange for cigarettes and the third after deputies agreed to back their vehicles a few feet farther away from the bank, Lizasuain said. The suspects used the last hostage as a shield to escape in a bank employee's car, but deputies flattened their tires. "That's when he threatened, 'Everybody's going to go with me,'" Hansell said. "We knew right then that he was not going to go mobile again because that just increases the risk to the hostage." The male suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. Deputies arrested the female suspect and recovered the money. The same bank had been robbed Nov. 16, and investigators were still looking for two suspects, Lizasuain said. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that the two robberies are connected. |
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Tuesday January 10, 2006 |
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Just 12 days after Bob Iger became CEO of
Walt Disney Co., he made a splash by agreeing to let Apple
sell ABC's television shows over the Internet.
So before flying to Los Angeles to see Iger, I paid $1.99 to load the latest episode of Desperate Housewives onto my video iPod. With a broadband connection, it took 21 minutes to download the 43-minute program (no commercials!) from Apple's iTunes store onto my laptop, and another four minutes to transfer it to the iPod. On the plane the picture looked fabulous, even on the 2 1/2-inch screen. But engine noise drowned out a lot of the dialogue, and I gave up midway through the program. "This is such a big deal?" I asked Iger a few hours later. Yes, it is, he assured me, because TV on an iPod is just the start. New channels of distribution, including broadband Internet, wireless phone networks and video-on-demand are all growing rapidly. New electronic devices, including the TV-enabled cellphone, videogame players, digital video recorders and the iPod, are proliferating even faster. "The changes I'm talking about will affect the entire media landscape,whether you are in television, radio, music, movies -- the whole thing," said Iger, 54, who has moved, along with his Hewlett-Packard xw8200 computer and 30-inch Apple Cinema monitor, into the corner office he inherited from Michael Eisner when he took over as CEO Sept. 30. "It's not down the road. It's here. It's real. It's long-lasting." Iger intends to be an early adopter as he guides the $31-billion-a-year Disney into the digital world. "Bob has Disney in the lead right now," says Lowell Singer, an analyst with S.G. Cowen & Co. "He's doing the most out-of-the-box thinking in the media sector." Disney's rivals have quickly followed -- NBC has put Law & Order and Late Night With Conan O'Brien on iTunes, CBS has licensed Survivor to Comcast for video-on-demand, and Sprint Nextel has formed a joint venture with four big cable operators that will deliver streaming cable channels to your cellphone. Hollywood is once again abuzz about broadband entertainment, multiplatform plays, the "third screen" (meaning the cellphone) and that old standby, convergence. "Technology is in the process of completely rearranging the way people consume video," says Nicholas Donatiello, CEO of Odyssey, a market research company in San Francisco. "The most important thing for big media companies to understand is that they need to be on this train or under it." All this has created a climate of uncertainty -- something that Wall Street hates. Disney generated $2.5 billion in net income in fiscal 2005, which ended Oct. 1, and it projects double-digit earnings growth in fiscal 2006. Even so, its shares have fallen 13 percent in the past year, slightly more than those of Viacom and Time Warner (the parent of FORTUNE and CNNMoney.com); all the media giants lagged behind the S&P 500. Does Iger's embrace of digital distribution amount to a new business model? Not yet, but he can't afford to sit still. His challenge will be to manage the inevitable decline of older but still lucrative distribution channels while placing the right bets on new ones -- and hoping they one day become as profitable as the old ones were. It is far too soon to tell, of course, what the revenue streams from digital distribution will look like. Right now they are incremental: In the first two months they were available, episodes of Disney shows were downloaded about 800,000 times at $1.99 each. Disney isn't saying how much of that $1.6 million total it keeps, but by way of comparison, a single recent episode of Desperate Housewives generated $9.9 million in ad revenue, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus. Iger has to decide whether Disney wants to invest in its ten TV stations and 64 radio stations or get out of those businesses. They are cash cows today, but they will decline in value as consumers take charge. Iger says Disney's TV stations will be fine, but others who own TV stations that distribute ABC are watching nervously as more of its programming becomes available over the Internet or via cable's video-on-demand platform. "I can't blame Disney for trying new things, but we don't want to lose our prime-time audience," says Deb McDermott, president of Young Broadcasting, which owns five ABC affiliates. Then there's the DVD, which has been a boon to Disney. A seven-disk boxed set of the first season of Lost has sold about 1.2 million units, with a list price of $59.99. If people can easily download and store TV shows and movies, will they buy as many DVDs? Wal-Mart, which sells more DVDs than anyone, has let Iger know that it is unhappy. Truth be told, Iger does not worry much about protecting traditional distribution channels. That train has left the station. If you doubt it, Google this: "desperate housewives torrent." What you will find are file-sharing Web sites where movies, TV shows and videogames are available -- illegally, to be sure, but a few clicks away. Download a TV show or movie using so-called bit torrent software, connect a late-model laptop to a new digital TV with an S-video cable, and you will see why Iger has no time to waste. The good news is this: By making TV shows and movies available conveniently and at a fair price in digital form, the entertainment giants should be able to curb piracy and wring more value out of their content. Eric Garland, CEO of Big Champagne, a research firm that tracks file sharing, says, "There is really no reason for online piracy to savage Hollywood the way it has the music industry." There's so little cost to putting video libraries onto the Net that all the companies will do it. Time Warner and its AOL unit, for instance, this year plan to launch an ad-supported online service offering shows from the Warner Bros. library. And not a moment too soon for fans of F-Troop. Ultimately, Iger is betting that new digital platforms and devices will enhance the value of content, especially branded, high-quality movies and TV shows. "This transition is creating an even more voracious appetite for content," he said. His own media consumption habits prove it. Iger has stored his music on Internet servers since the mid-1990s, his car is equipped with 120 channels of Sirius Satellite Radio (Spa 73, a soothing jazz and blues channel, is a favorite), and he travels with two iPods, the 40-gigabyte videoplayer as well as the Nano, which goes into his pocket during workouts at the gym. "And I listen to more music than ever," Iger says. Iger joined ABC in 1974. That predated cable, VCRs, DVDs, videogames and the Internet, so he has seen the networks withstand technology shocks. As ABC's top prime-time programmer, he put Twin Peaks and America's Funniest Home Videos on the air and managed Roseanne, so he knows what it takes to make hits. No matter what lies ahead, he says, network TV won't wither away. "People are still going to look to aggregators, editors and intermediaries," he says. And as a manager, Iger has two attributes that bode well for Disney: He is willing to share power, and he plays well with others. One of Iger's first moves, after being chosen to succeed Eisner as CEO, was to shrink Disney's centralized strategic planning unit, giving the business units more authority. The company's metabolism picked up a bit. Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney's Media Networks, which includes ABC and the Disney Channel, negotiated the iPod deal in three days. "There was no bureaucracy," Iger said. "Zero." It did not escape notice that Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO and no fan of Eisner's, has gone out of his way to praise Iger. This bodes well for future relations between Jobs' other company, Pixar Animation Studios, and Disney, which distributes its movies. They are renegotiating that arrangement now, and some Wall Street analysts have speculated that Disney may acquire Pixar. Such an acquisition would fit nicely with Iger's strategy. He plans to invest heavily in programming, especially animation. "Animation is and will remain the heart and soul of Disney," he says. Because Disney's businesses -- movies, television, theme parks and consumer products -- are closely integrated, an animation hit can generate revenue for all the divisions and all around the world. Disney is also investing more in television production. That is because a hit TV show, too, can generate revenue from multiple sources: the sale of advertising when it airs on the broadcast network, DVD sales, Internet distribution, syndication and global licensing. Desperate Housewives is or has been the top-rated show in Australia, Britain, New Zealand, Italy, Singapore, South Africa and Germany, and it was sold in China last month. ABC, as a result, becomes less of a standalone business and more like a platform for creating intellectual property. Think, for example, of slicing and dicing TV shows for delivery to cellphones. Says Anne Sweeney: "You could have a very compelling two-minute episode of Lost." Disney's ESPN unit is also making big investments. In 2005 it spent $8.8 billion for the rights to Monday Night Football, $2.4 billion for baseball, and $2.1 billion for NASCAR, all for eight years. In each deal ESPN acquired Internet and mobile-phone distribution rights. All over Disney, people are experimenting with new technology. A Disney-branded cellphone network for families will be introduced later this year. ABC News Now, a 24-hour Internet news channel, is being distributed by AOL, Comcast and SBC Yahoo. Toontown Online, a multiplayer game, has attracted tens of thousands of users, who pay $9.95 a month to play inside its fantasy world. None of that will matter if Disney can't keep making content that people really want to consume. One consequence of the digital world is that viewers will reject second-tier content -- you know, like that TV show hammocked between two hits that people watched because nothing else was on. Now there will always be something else on. "That might be a good thing," muses Iger. "We'd weed out some of the chaff." Ask him what he worries about, and he does not talk about broadband take-up rates or piracy or cannibalization. He worries about creating hits. Tech, shmeck. Some things never change. |
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Hostage
Held At Bank Near Disney World
One hostage is free, but at least two were still be inside a bank near Walt Disney World in Florida on Tuesday afternoon. A spokeswoman with the Osceola County Sheriff's Office said deputies don't think anyone in the bank has been hurt. She said the two suspects have said they don't want to harm anyone. The robbers earlier released a male bank employee unharmed after negotiating with sheriff's deputies during the bank standoff, which began about 9:30 a.m. The spokeswoman said at least one of the two robbers is armed, though she didn't say with what kind of weapon. A SWAT team has surrounded the Mercantile Bank, which is about one mile west of DisneyWorld. Osceola County Sheriff's spokeswoman Twis Lisasuane said the released hostage is in good condition. Traffic was snarled along the tourist corridor after deputies cordoned off the area. |
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Disney
Veteran Gets Top Spot at Hong Kong Park
Walt Disney Co. veteran Bill Ernest has
been elevated to the top job at Hong Kong Disneyland,
replacing Managing Director Don C. Robinson, who left to
become president of Baha Mar Resorts Ltd. in Nassau,
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Family
sues Disneyland after roller coaster accident
A Colorado family involved in a 2004 roller coaster accident has sued Disneyland, alleging the theme park failed to follow proper safety procedures on its Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride. The lawsuit says the Cope family of Telluride, Colo., was on the ride returning to the loading area when their train collided with another one being loaded with new passengers. Gerald Cope suffered serious back injuries that have required surgery, according to the lawsuit. The other family members — Cope's wife and two children — suffered soft tissue injuries and emotional distress in the July 8, 2004 incident, according to the claim. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Orange County Superior Court, seeks unspecified compensatory and emotional damages; medical and legal fees and compensation for Gerald Cope's loss of income. In a statement, Disneyland spokesman Rob Doughty said the company has "repeatedly asked Mr. Cope for background information so we can evaluate his claim — and we have yet to receive it." Disneyland closed the ride for about three weeks following the accident. A report from the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health found a Disneyland worker had failed to follow the procedure for removing a set of cars from service. It also said the ride's control system was flawed. Disneyland, owned by The Walt Disney Co., settled several lawsuits from a separate September 2003 incident on the same ride that killed one person and injured nine others. State investigators concluded the mishap was caused by improper maintenance by outside machinists who did not understand or follow the park's maintenance procedures. |
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Disney
online sales show 30 percent holiday growth
The Walt Disney Co on Monday said online and retail sales during the 2005 holiday season rose by double digits year over year. The entertainment conglomerate said strong sales of its Mix Stick MP3 player and Tumble Time Tigger, among other items, boosted online sales by 30 percent. Giant retailers Target Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. saw double-digit incremental growth in sales of Disney products during the same period, Disney said in a statement. More complete information about holiday retail sales was not immediately available. The company's top-selling toy for the 2005 holiday season -- with sales of nearly 1 million units worldwide -- was Tumble Time Tigger, a singing, cartwheeling version of Winnie the Pooh's striped pal aimed at toddlers. Sales of Mix Sticks, portable music players for kids exceeded Disney and retailer projections, selling out in stores and online before the season ended. Other strong holiday performers were Disney's Princess products, "The Chronicles of Narnia" Board Game based on the hit film, Disney Cuties apparel line for tweens and light-up Jiggly Pens. |
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Disney
Promotes Teen Stars in TV Movies
Disney Channel is putting the co-stars of two of its current series into original movies for the network. Alyson Michalka, from the network’s Phil of the Future, will co-star with her sister AJ in the previously announced Cow Belles, which will debut March 24 at 8 p.m. ET. Brenda Song, of Disney's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, will star in Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior, which begins production in February. The network announced its movie plans at their panel today during the Television Critics Association (TCA) press tour. Belles features the Michalka sisters, who are known as Aly & AJ under their Hollywood Records recording deal, in an adventure comedy about running their father’s dairy company. Wendy tells the story of a Chinese-American teen who aspires to be homecoming queen. Disney has a history of promoting its popular tween stars across multiple divisions of the company. Hilary Duff, who rose to fame starring on the network’s Lizzie McGuire, also starred in the Disney Channel movie Cadet Kelly, and Raven-Symoné, who stars in the network’s That’s So Raven, led the cast on the network's movie The Cheetah Girls. At today’s TCA session, Disney also announced plans to premiere its newest comedy series, The Emperor’s New School, on four of its platforms, a first for the company. Disney Channel, Disney Channel on Demand, Toon Disney and ABC Kids, the Saturday-morning block on ABC, will debut the animated action/comedy between Jan. 20 and Jan. 30. The series is based on the Disney feature film The Emperor’s New Groove. |
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I did a six-month internship as a Walt Disney
World "cast member" after graduating from college
in May 2004. The values I brought home have been extremely
useful since I joined the professional world in April.
Walt Disney World is well-known for superior guest service. Cast members (employees) are trained to make eye contact and smile, display appropriate body language, seek out guest contact, provide "immediate service recovery" and preserve the magical experience. Making eye contact, smiling and using appropriate body language are central to service. At Disney, we were scolded if we slouched and reprimanded if we did not speak to or smile directly at each guest. These rules helped me become more professional. Now, I stand straight and poised, nod in genuine interest, smile a lot and make every effort to look my colleagues and superiors in the eye. When I smile and carry myself with composure, I gain respect and attention from others, and they see me as prepared and professional. Effective body language is only the beginning of service. It is important to seek out contact. At Disney, asking to take a family photo, giving helpful directions and entertaining children were ways to seek contact. These were paying customers, but I have come to find that my co-workers now are like my guests at Disney. Not only am I expected to complete my work in a timely manner, it also is important for me to get to know my co-workers. When I have time, I ask them if they need help or how their weekend was. Being friendly and supportive toward them has proven beneficial because there have been occasions when they lined up to help me out when I needed it. My experience seeking out guest contact also has given me confidence to interact with co-workers and even the highest level directors. Cast members go to great extremes to provide what Disney calls "immediate service recovery" when something goes wrong. If a guest spills his ice cream, he gets a new one. If a guest stands in line a long time only to find her child doesn't meet a ride's height requirement, she gets a pass to ride another ride. In the business world, service recovery is equally important. When I make a mistake, I must hold myself accountable for it and resolve it. I also have to think quickly on my feet. The skills I gained at Disney have helped me in my current job because I am often able to come up with an immediate solution to problems that arise. Preserving the magical experience at Disney means ensuring that guests never know why wires run down the castle or any other tricks of the trade. Making up imaginative stories about the wire being Cinderella's clothes line or the way Prince Charming gets ESPN on TV showed guests that I was committed to their magical fantasy. Each day in the corporate world, I am given confidential information that I must keep in order for our law firm to run smoothly. It is imperative that I uphold this obligation -- others put faith in me that I won't let the company fail. My experience at Disney World taught me so many things that I use in my working life today. I welcome co-workers and appear professional by making eye contact, smiling and displaying appropriate body language. Seeking contact demonstrates my willingness to lend a helping hand. Immediate service recovery holds me accountable for problems and mistakes. Preserving the magic shows my commitment to confidentiality. The values I learned in me during my six months at Disney World will be instilled in me for the rest of my life. |
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'Narnia'
sequel pressing ahead at Disney/ Walden
A day for sequels (hey, what day isn't) and it looks like Disney and Walden Media are already looking to push THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN into production. The phenomenal success of the first movie cemented plans for the sequel, and indeed beyond. Walden CEO Cary Granat told Variety, "We're planning on starting production by the fourth quarter of next year." Which year? We're guessing he's referring to 2006, as the interview possibly took place before Christmas. |
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Ex-Disney
Chief Will Host of CNBC Show
Michael Eisner, former chief of the Walt Disney Co., will become host of his own CNBC interview program that will be seen once every two months, the network said Tuesday. "Conversations with Michael Eisner" will be an hour-long, prime-time show where Eisner speaks with business, entertainment or political leaders. His focus will be on creativity and innovation, he said. He'll work from a studio at NBC Universal headquarters in Rockefeller Center, where he once worked as a page. Eisner was an ABC executive before moving up the corporate ladder, and he was familiar to TV viewers as the on-air host of "The Wonderful World of Disney." CNBC did not say Tuesday when the first show will air. In October, Eisner cut all business ties to Disney, the company he ran for 21 years. Robert Iger succeeded him as Disney chief. Eisner warmed up for his role last October when he filled in as guest interviewer for Charlie Rose one night on PBS. Media executive Barry Diller and actor John Travolta were his subjects. "I am very excited that in my circle of life, I am returning to the same NBC studio where I was a page for the `Tonight Show' with Johnny Carson in the 1960s," he said. CBC is a unit of General Electric Co. |
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'Live
with Regis and Kelly' Announces 'Live's Out of Control
February Fantasy'
Television's top-rated morning talk show, "Live with Regis and Kelly," will kick off 2006 with a groundbreaking new Travel Trivia contest: "Live's Out of Control February Fantasy." Teaming up with innovative travel community IgoUgo.com , "Live" is offering the chance to win a custom-created dream vacation to anywhere in the world! Beginning January 30th and continuing throughout the month, there will be a guaranteed "Live's Out of Control February Fantasy" winner every day the game is played. Each winner gets the chance to work with IgoUgo.com to choose their own fantasy trip or design their own one-of-a-kind package, including luxury accommodations for seven days/six nights and cash to cover meals or other incidental expenses. And as an additional bonus, "Live" will cover the taxes! Plus, each winner has the chance to spin the wheel to bring up to eleven family members or friends to share in their exciting journey. During the week of January 16-20, Regis and Kelly will present a new contest clue each day. After the final clue has aired on Friday, January 20, viewers can choose their dream vacation from 100 amazing journeys on IgoUgo.com . They can then enter online at www.liveregisandkelly.com , where full contest rules and details are available. Participants also can enter by writing down all five clues on a postcard, plus their fantasy travel destination, and sending it to: LIVE'S OUT OF CONTROL FEBRUARY FANTASY Each day, a card with the correct clues will be selected, and Regis and Kelly will call the viewer with a trivia question from a recent "Live with Regis and Kelly." The correct answer will send the lucky winner on the vacation of a lifetime: anywhere in the world they want to go, with the help of IgoUgo.com . IgoUgo is one of the most popular online travel communities in the world. Its 350,000 members -- all passionate travelers -- share firsthand travel experiences, advice, and photos, with candid tips and inspiring stories covering more than 4,100 destinations. Site users can search by keyword to find reviews by like-minded travelers, as well as destination guides and helpful links. Members can easily contact one another to ask questions, exchange information, and build friendships without geographic bounds. And in return for writing reviews, IgoUgo members accrue valuable points redeemable for gift certificates, frequent-flier miles, and other rewards. IgoUgo has garnered top industry honors, including a Webby Award for "Best Travel Website," a "Top Travel Site" ranking from USA Today, and "Best Travel Site in the U.S." and "Best Travel Community" commendations from Yahoo Internet Life. "Live with Regis and Kelly" is executive produced by Michael Gelman, and has been distributed in national syndication by Buena Vista Television since 1988. Produced by WABC-TV in New York, "Live with Regis and Kelly" airs in more than 200 markets across the country. |
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Dead
Poets Society Special Edition DVD
The acclaimed motion picture DEAD POETS SOCIETY, one of the greatest film stories to celebrate the human spirit, "seizes the day" with a SPECIAL EDITION DVD available January 10, 2006. This uplifting, Academy Award winning cinema triumph (Best Original Screenplay, 1989) stars Oscar-winner Robin Williams (Best Supporting Actor, "Good Will Hunting" 1988) as English teacher and part philosopher John Keating. The talented cast includes Ethan Hawke ("Before Sunset," "Training Day,") in one of his earliest roles, Robert Sean Leonard (TV's "House"), Josh Charles ("Four Brothers"), Kurtwood Smith ("Girl, Interrupted," TV's "That '70s Show"), and Lara Flynn Boyle (TV's "The Practice"). Available for $19.99 (SRP) from Touchstone Home Entertainment. |
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The DEAD POETS SOCIETY SPECIAL EDITION DVD
gives viewers unique insight into the production of the film
with new bonus features. Included are raw takes and audio
commentary from director Peter Weir, cinematographer John
Seale, and writer Thom Schulman. Also included is a
retrospective entitled "Dead Poets: A Look Back,"
and the featurette "Master of Sound: Alan Splet."
Viewers will have the chance to become students themselves
with the "Cinematography Master Class."
DEAD POETS SOCIETY tells the story of passionate English teacher John Keating, brilliantly portrayed by Robin Williams, who inspires his students to challenge the status quo imposed upon them by their prestigious private school. With much vigor and enthusiasm, Keating exclaims to his class, "Carpe Diem, lads! Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary!" Taking this charge to heart, some of Keating's students reform the "Dead Poets Society" to celebrate the human spirit and to truly make each day extraordinary. When Keating is forced out of his job by the school's administration, the students come to Keating's defense, applying the passions for life and truth that Keating taught them inside as well as outside of the classroom. Written by Tom Schulman. Directed by Peter Weir ("Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World," "The Truman Show"). |
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Good
Morning Vietnam Special Edition DVD
GOOD MORNING VIETNAM, the smash hit film starring Robin Williams in his first Oscar nominated role (Best Actor 1987), will be available on Special Edition DVD on January 10, 2006. Set against the climate of the Vietnam War, Academy Award winner Robin Williams (Best Supporting Actor "Good Will Hunting" 1998) stars as Adrian Cronauer, the irreverent and humorous radio deejay brought to Saigon in 1965 by the Army to raise morale through a morning radio show. Directed by Barry Levinson ("Wag The Dog"), the film's superb cast also includes Forest Whitaker ("Phone Booth", "Panic Room"), Robert Wuhl (TV's "Arli$$"), and J.T. Walsh ("Pleasantville"). Available for $19.99 (SRP) from Touchstone Home Entertainment. |
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Exciting new bonus features take fans of the
film and those new to this acclaimed movie behind the scenes
with a detailed production diary with insight on "How
The Movie Came To Be;" "Actor Improv;"
"Music Of The Movie;" "Origin Of The Good
Morning Vietnam Sign-On;" "Shooting in
Thailand;" and "Overview Of The Film A Year
Later." Other features are: hysterical raw monologues,
as well as the original theatrical trailer and the original
theatrical teaser trailer.
Based on a true story, Robin Williams stars as Adrian Cronauer, transferred to Saigon by the U.S. Military from Crete. Cronauer becomes the host of an early morning radio show to which he adds his own hysterical brand of humor, and he isn't afraid to poke fun at anyone, even the President. Though his show is wildly popular with his fellow soldiers, Cronauer's superior officers are not amused by the jokes and especially the playing of banned rock and roll music over the airwaves. Riddled with sidesplitting comic bombshells and studded with hot '60s hits, the film depicts Cronauer's raucous Saigon adventures amidst a world gone mad. |
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Disney's
lion still king of int'l jungle
The lion roared significantly louder this weekend as Buena Vista International's "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe" solidified its No. 1 position internationally with an estimated three-day gross of $30.6 million, generating an international cume-to-date of a mighty $277 million at 7,550 screens. Combined with its domestic take, "Narnia's" total theatrical box-office stands at $525 million, making the adaptation of C.S. Lewis' fantasy classic the eighth-most-popular live-action film ever released by Buena Vista, which handles Disney product. "Narnia" already is BVI's fourth-biggest live-action title after "The Sixth Sense" ($531 million) and "Armageddon" ($555 million) and is expected to outgross those two titles during the coming weekend. In the U.K., "Narnia" drew an estimated $3.3 million at 530 screens for a cume of $66.5 million. In France, it claimed the top spot with an estimated $5.9 million in its third weekend at 857 screens for a cume of $28.1 million, while in South Korea it finished second with $2.3 million in its second weekend at 291 screens for a cume of $9.4 million. "Narnia" also held well in Italy, where it was No. 2, and Spain, where because of a three-day holiday the film jumped 72% to finish No. 1 at 381 screens with $2.5 million in its fifth weekend. |
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Monday January 9, 2006 |
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A runner who died after last weekend's Walt
Disney World Half-Marathon suffered from a congenital heart
problem and heart disease, the Orange Osceola Medical
Examiner's Office said today.
Those two contributing factors mixed with over exertion likely produced a fatal heart beat and cardiac arrest," said Sheri Blanton, manager of the office. Willie Kane, 43, of Tucson, Ariz., collapsed moments after crossing the finish line. He ran the 13.1 mile course in 2:27:36. Kane, a golf pro at the municipal Randolph Golf Complex in Tucson, started running four years ago. He is the first runner known to have died while participating in Disney's half-marathon. A 56-year-old Canadian runner died during the full-marathon in 2000. |
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Brazilian Adriano Bastos led start to finish
Sunday en route to his third victory in the 13th annual Walt
Disney World Marathon. Bastos, 27, of Sao Paulo posted a
time of 2:19:44 to lead the field of more than 10,000
participants in the full marathon.
Bastos's time was the 22nd-fastest Disney time ever, and his victory margin was more than 11 minutes over Tim Keller, 24, of Park Rapids, Minn., who finished second with 2:31:36. |
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This is the sixth time a Brazilian has dominated the race and Bastos is the first three-time winner. Of the 25 best times in the history of the race, the only three posted since 1995 belong to Bastos -- in 2003 (2:18:33, 15th best), in 2005 (2:19:16, 18th best) and 2006. Paige Higgins, 23, of Littleton, Colo. was the women's full marathon champion with a time of 2:51:38. This Walt Disney World Marathon is the first marathon ever run by Higgins, a graduate of Kansas University. The women's second place finisher was Amy Shertzer, 28, of Monument, Colo., with a time of 2:59:14. Shertzer, a graduate of the Air Force Academy and a native of Winter Park, Fla., was the 2005 women's marathon winner. |
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Michael Mollod, 41, of Sarasota, Fla., earned a notable Master's Division (age 40+) win in the full marathon with a time of 2:42:54 and a tenth place overall ranking. Lynn Leonard, 40, of Ocala, Fla. was the top women's marathon Masters finisher at 3:04:23. In the full marathon wheelchair division, Renzo Martinez, 41, of Boca Raton, Fla. and Kristen Messer of Austin, Texas, finished first among men and women, respectively. First-time marathoners, veteran runners and celebrities enjoyed the 13th annual trek through the four Walt Disney World theme parks. "This is the greatest marathon I've ever seen," said Kyle Petty, NASCAR driver and son of the legendary stock car driver Richard Petty. Kyle Petty was running the marathon to benefit his family's Victory Junction Gang charity. The Walt Disney World Half Marathon was held separately from the Walt Disney World Marathon for the first time this year. On Jan. 7, Michigan runners Josh Eberly and Melissa White weathered cool conditions and a record field to win the men's and women's divisions of the half marathon. Eberly, 25, of Rochester, Mich., ran the 13.1-mile course in a time of 1:08:12 to lead a throng of more than 12,000 participants, the largest field in the history of the Walt Disney World Half Marathon. White, 24, cruised to the finish line in 1:18:34. Eberly and White are members of the same Hanson's Brooks Distance Project running club in Rochester, which dominated the Walt Disney World Half Marathon. Hanson's Brooks runners Josh Moen and Jeff Gaudette finished second and third, respectively, among the men's division, and their running club teammate Dorothy McMahan finished second in the women's division. Bob Winn of Ogunquit, Maine took the men's title in the half marathon Masters division, while Mandi Kowal of Iowa City, Iowa was the top women's half marathon Masters finisher at 1:31:43. In the half marathon wheelchair division, Steven Kruger of Atlanta, Ga., and Kristen Messer of Austin, Texas, finished first among men and women, respectively. A record 31,000 runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes registered for the 2006 Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon. Both events are among the 10 largest fields at their distance in the U.S. For the first time in the event's history, the marathon weekend included a Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge for participants who competed in both races and the overall 39.3 miles across Walt Disney World Resort during the two days. The runners who accomplished this impressive physical challenge received a special Goofy Medal in addition to the Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse medals, which are awarded to half marathon and marathon finishers, respectively. The 2007 event will again consist of a split-day format with the Walt Disney World Half Marathon scheduled for Jan. 6, 2007 and the Walt Disney World Marathon on Jan. 7, 2007. Registration for both races opens on January 9, 2006. For more information, to register for the 2007 Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon and to view complete searchable race results visit http://www.disneyworldmarathon.com. |
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HK
Disneyland says good-bye to bumpy year
With their big smile, large black ears and colorful Chinese-style outfits, Mickey and Minnie are going to celebrate Chinese New Year in Hong Kong, their first in China. Mickey, Minnie and their friends must be in a happy holiday mood these days because the tickets of the world famous park sold out for four separate days, a good sign after being left out in the cold for a pretty long time. They could finally say good-bye to a bumpy year of settle down. Hong Kong Disneyland first announced its tickets sold out on Dec. 13, the opening day for the Six Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) holding in Hong Kong. The good luck brought by the WTO conference then went on for an other three days and made the park proudly announce that its tickets were sold out due to "high Guest demand". It also published the number of its visitors for the first time, saying that since the park's opening until the beginning of Dec., 2005 an average of 14,000 passengers visited Hong Kong Disneyland, almost reaching the expected level of daily guests of 15,000. According to its statistics, among over 1 million visitors it received, 26 percent came from the Chinese mainland, 25 percent from overseas and another 49 percent were Hong Kong citizens. To attract more passengers, Hong Kong Disneyland took a series of measures such as improvement of service, ticket promotion and a high profile publicity. It also grasped the chance of holiday season, arranging new decorations, music and food to add festive mood. The encouraging trend of ticket sales might be considered a small progress for an international group like Walt Disney, yet entering the Chinese market might be considered something big for the entertainment giant, who always wants to get a share of the profitable market with a growing middle class. High holiday spirit now whirled in Hong Kong Disneyland since Christmas with important holidays coming one after another. The theme park now is busy in preparing a big celebration for the Lunar New Year in late January, an effort to please its visitors. The costuming department of the park is tailoring traditional Chinese outfits for Minnie and especially for the famous dog, Pluto, who is going to celebrate his special year, the Year of the Dog. Seamstress Ngai Kong Sang said: "We are all looking forward to our first Chinese New Year celebration at Hong Kong Disneyland. Minnie will look resplendent in her Chinese silk dress and guests will love taking pictures with Minnie, Pluto and all the other Disney friends." Minnie and Pluto would wear their new outfits to greet guests throughout the Chinese New Year celebration from January 29 to early February. |
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ABC
Family Picks Up 'Three Moons' Drama
Cable's ABC Family has picked up the original scripted drama, "Three Moons Over Milford," it was reported Sunday. The network ordered eight scripts for the program, described as a quirky drama about small town residents who live their lives to the extreme, The Hollywood Reporter said. |
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Anshutz
Sees Hedonism Beat 'Narnia'
Producers at
The Walt Disney Company would be forgiven for wishing that
C.S. Lewis had made the Pevensie kids a little more brutal
in their approach to the fantasy kingdom of Narnia. Perhaps
they could have hacked on the wardrobe door with an axe,
Jack Nicholson-style in The Shining, or in lieu of
increasingly popular Brokeback Mountain, ambled back
out of the magical closet. |
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Disney's
"Chicken Little" sparks 3-D "Robinsons"
Walt Disney Pictures says it plans to release an upcoming computer-animated movie, "Meet the Robinsons," in a three-dimensional version following the success of current 3-D hit "Chicken Little." The 3-D "Chicken Little" is being closely watched in Hollywood as an early test of alternative types of movies made for new digital cinema systems. The industry is in a very early, tentative stage of a transition to digital projection from old celluloid filmstrip. The 3-D computer-animated "Chicken Little" raked in an average $26,000 per theater in its opening weekend this month in 79 venues equipped with new digital projectors. Ticket sales in over 3,600 theaters showing a traditional film averaged $10,961, Disney said Thursday in a statement. "The box office performance level of the 3-D theaters proves that the public is not only embracing the story but the newest in innovative technology as well," said Disney movie distribution chief Chuck Viane. Digital projection is a new form of movie screening and distribution that promises Hollywood's studios lower costs, audiences a crisper picture and theater owners new ways to lure moviegoers to box offices. But the systems' costs range from $80,000 to $100,000 per system, so theater owners have been reluctant to install them. Disney expects to be able to release the 3-D "Robinsons" in 750 to 1000 screens as a digital cinema transition expands. "Robinsons" is based on a book by William Joyce in which a young boy travels into the future and meets an eccentric family, the Robinsons, who will change his life. For the 3-D "Chicken Little," Disney partnered with equipment provider Dolby Digital and effects company Industrial Light & Magic to outfit theaters. The 3-D film was made using technology provided by California-based Real D. Disney is a unit of The Walt Disney Co. and Dolby is part of Dolby Laboratories. Industrial Light & Magic and Real D are privately held. |
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Disney
starts new China film project
The Walt Disney Co. has started production on its first-ever film project in China, a move adding to the company's efforts to break into the booming Chinese entertainment market. The Chinese-language film, "The
Secret of the Magic Gourd," began shooting
recently in the eastern city of Hangzhou and is due to be
released next year, Disney said. Disney's partners in the new production are state-owned China Film Group Corp. and Hong Kong's Centro Digital Pictures Ltd., a special-effects house best known for its work on director Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill." Southern California-headquartered Disney
has opened Disney-brand stores in several mainland Chinese
cities and is reportedly in talks on setting up a Shanghai
theme park and a television channel, but its film offerings
to mainland audiences have been mostly imported US
productions. Foreign film and television distributors are eager to expand in China, but face stiff regulatory obstacles. China's state-owned film distributor frequently releases foreign titles at awkward times and limits the length of time they are shown in order to minimize competition with China's own film industry. Chinese studios have tried without success to create franchise characters that can match the success of Mickey Mouse and other Disney icons with Chinese children. Chinese regulators also are especially sensitive to entertainment aimed at children, insisting that most cartoons on state television be domestically made. An official of China's main TV regulator
said in June that Beijing might further reduce the amount of
foreign cartoons that broadcasters can show once Chinese
producers can meet demand. Centro Digital Pictures Ltd. also worked on Chinese director Chen Kaige's newly released "The Promise." |
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Walt
Disney World Resorts Announces Disney Vacation Club Dining
Plan
The Disney Dining Plan includes over 100
selected Counter Service and Table Service restaurants,
including Disney World's legendary Disney Character Dining
and select Downtown Disney locations (payment of a surcharge
is required for certain entrées at Planet Hollywood and
Wolfgang Puck Cafe).
Redeeming Your Meals
Children ages 3 to 9 must order from the
Children's Menu where available. Children under the age of 3
may share from the adult's plate if desired. Disney Dining Plan may not be sold separately, transferred, refunded or redeemed for cash in whole or in part. Theme Park admission is required for some dining locations. Advance Reservations may be required at some restaurants included in the Disney Dining Plan. Operating hours, menus, entertainment, Characters, Disney Dining Plan locations, components and terms are subject to change without notice. Disney Dining Plan is based on the length of your reservation at your Disney Resort Hotel. The owners of the Walt Disney World Resort shall not be responsible for the non-utilization of package components due to refurbishing, capacity, inclement weather, or any circumstance beyond their control. |
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Narnia
suffers Hostel takeover
The weekend box office was sheer torture as Hostel, a tale of buddies who stumble into a den of violent depravity, debuted at No. 1 with $20.1 million. Lionsgate's Hostel bumped off the previous weekend's No. 1 film, Disney's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which came in second with $15.4 million, for a domestic total of $247.6 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. Universal's King Kong was third with $12.5 million, raising its domestic total to $192.5 million. The weekend's only other new wide release, 20th Century Fox's Grandma's Boy, flopped with just $2.9 million. |
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Sunday January 8, 2006 |
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A
runner who participated in the Walt Disney World
Half-Marathon collapsed Saturday after he crossed the finish
line, and later died at a hospital, authorities said.
William Kane collapsed Saturday morning, and was taken to Celebration Hospital in Orlando, where he was pronounced dead, said Gary Conduff, a hospital spokesman. Conduff said he was unable to confirm Kane's age and hometown. Walt Disney World spokeswoman Kim Purty confirmed that a man collapsed after crossing the finish line and that he was then taken by ambulance to a local hospital. |
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Take a high-speed train or go Platinum at Disney The nation's theme
parks keep coming up with new attractions. At Walt Disney
World in Lake Buena Vista, the big new ride will be
Expedition Everest, officially opening April 7 in the Animal
Kingdom park. It's a high-speed train featuring coaster-like
action and an encounter with the legendary yeti. |
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The "hate letters," as former Texas Western basketball coach Don Haskins calls them, began arriving just days after his team's 72-65 victory over Kentucky in the 1966 NCAA championship game. "They came in bunches and bunches and bunches," Haskins said last week during a national conference call promoting "Glory Road," a soon-to-be-released Disney movie based on that championship season. "Most all of them came from the South." Most all of them, Haskins said, started with the "N" word and by calling him a "N" lover. "I think the letters that confused me the most, I remember some black leaders said I was an exploiter," Haskins said. What touched off so much hate? Haskins, a white coach, had started five black players against an all-white Kentucky team and legendary coach Adolph Rupp. That marked the first time in NCAA basketball history that a team fielded an all-black starting lineup in the title game. Looking back nearly 40 years later, Haskins said he started five blacks because they were his "five best" players and gave his team its best chance to beat Kentucky. That's the same answer he has given countless times the past four decades. Haskins said he wasn't trying to make history and wasn't trying to help break down the remaining racial barriers that existed in college athletics. But that's exactly what Haskins and his 28-1 team from El Paso, Texas, did with their historic win. "It opened up a lot of doors," said Harry Flournoy, a member of that Miners team. "I'm proud to be a part of that." Haskins said he didn't initially comprehend the true significance of his team's victory over Kentucky. "I was only 35," he said. "I don't think it really hit me until two, three or four years later." Haskins said it finally hit him one evening when he saw a newspaper story about the All-Southwest Conference basketball team. "I see five black guys on the first-team All-SWC team," Haskins said. We're not naive enough to think that Texas Western's (the school is now called University of Texas at El Paso) title convinced every coach and college that it was morally wrong to exclude blacks from their teams. More likely, Haskins' success convinced many coaches and colleges that recruiting black players would help them win. And hasn't winning always been the bottom line in college sports? For those who didn't play, coach or follow college basketball in the 1960s, it's hard now to imagine a time when teams such as Kentucky and Duke fielded all-white basketball teams. It's hard to imagine black players enduring racial taunts from opposing fans on the road, as Texas Western's players often had to endure. "I remember a lot of name calling," Haskins said. "If I didn't turn around, they didn't get to turn around. Whatever was said was said to deaf ears." And it's hard to imagine the furor surrounding Haskins' decision to start five blacks in the title game. Last season, nobody thought twice when North Carolina and Illinois both started five blacks in the championship game, which was won the Tar Heels. It's unlikely that many of today's college basketball players or fans know much if anything about Haskins and his ground-breaking 1965-66 team. That should start changing Jan. 13, when "Glory Road" begins playing at theaters throughout the nation. "One of the reasons it's so important to me is it has allowed me to reach out to youngsters, explain to them where we came from, what we did, why the game was so important," said David Lattin, a 6-foot-6 center who averaged 14 points and 8.6 rebounds per game that season for Texas Western. "We could compete with anybody. They can win as well and do anything they want to do if they want to do it bad enough." Haskins retired from coaching in 1999 after compiling a 719-353 record. He still lives in El Paso and attends UTEP games, despite battling diabetes. Haskins said he'd been approached several times in the past by other studios hoping to make a movie based on the Miners' championship season. But none of those scripts seemed right, he said, so he turned them down. Then Disney called. "The day Disney called was the day I really got interested," Haskins said. "I would not have done it without the consent of all the players. "I was hoping it would be done right, and I think it was." We'll leave the movie reviews to the Roger Eberts and Gene Shalits of the world. Just the fact that Jerry Bruckheimer produced "Glory Road" should be worth at least one thumbs-up. He produced "Remember the Titans," a memorable movie involving sports and race in America. The story of Texas Western's championship season is definitely one we all should remember. |
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Disney
on Ice: 3 Jungle Adventures coming to Wachovia
Scranton, PA - When Stephane Morel takes to the ice at Wachovia Arena in the role of Tarzan in Disney on Ice’s latest project, “3 Jungle Adventures,” it will be the product of countless hours of practice, some of them probably at a local gym. “As skaters in the Disney show, we
prepare daily really for the performances. In each city, we
usually end up finding a gym to work out and go through
various routines before the performance to stretch, limber
up and get physically prepared for our skates,” Mr. Morel
said by telephone from a Midwest tour stop. |
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PV
grad among students making Disney presentation
Chillicothe resident Mark Workman was among Ashland University students who recently made a presentation to executives of the Walt Disney Corp. Members of Sharon Valente's intermediate financial management course (Business 329) spoke via video conference equipment to Disney officials Jim Hunt, chief financial officer and executive vice president of World Wide Parks, and Andy Wu, vice president for business planning. While using modern presentation and video conference equipment, the AU students went back in time to the early 1990s to examine the case for locating a Disney theme park in Europe. While one team of students advocated placing the new Euro Disney in Paris, another cited Spain as the most likely site for a successful theme park. The students cited financial, cultural and weather considerations for the two countries. At the conclusion of the presentation, the AU students said Spain may be a more successful site than Paris for a theme park, due to a variety of issues, including less competition from other attractions, more favorable climate and better labor situation. A 2002 Paint Valley High School graduate, Workman prepared the capital budgeting report for the group seeking to locate the Disney park in France. A senior majoring in finance, he is the son of Mark and Beth Workman, of Chillicothe. Following the hour-long session, the Disney executives complimented the AU students for their research and presentation skills, and noted the current Paris theme park location is Europe's most visited tourist destination. |
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Would
you like an MBA with Disney visit?
It's not very inventive, but the person
who said there are no original ideas was right. |
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Classic
win puts VanDam on top
When you become a bigger star than Mickey
Mouse in the Magic Kingdom — for a day at least — you
know you've hit the big time. But that stuff about a Classic victory
turning the winner into an instant millionaire? Well, that
hasn't quite materialized. |
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Cookies
take the cake on Disney cruise
Kathy Sagan wrote to tell about her recent experience aboard the Disney Magic which sails from Port Canaveral. "I recently took a Disney cruise on the Magic with my twin 7-year-olds," she reported. "We had a terrific time. They loved the kids' club, the shows, the characters, the computer lab, the Pirates' night - everything," she wrote before ending with her reason for writing. "But probably most of all," she noted, "they loved the chocolate chip cookies that they serve every day. "I'd love to be able to make them at home, as a reminder of the cruise and also as a treat for all our friends. Do you know how I can get the recipe?" As it turns out the Food Sleuth did, given time, know just how to reel that recipe in from the sea - along with an explanation of its origins. "I got it while working in Sydney," explained Herbert Lindner, an Australian who works as the ship's pastry chef. And, I do mean work. During a typical cruise, the ship's pastry chefs (18 in all) use 620 pounds of chocolate and serve 720 cakes in 85 flavors. They serve 4,100 Krispy Kreme donuts (the only sweet they do not bake themselves) to a hungry crowd that typically downs 9,000 pounds of steak, 6,000 pounds of chicken, 1,500 pounds of hamburger meat, 1,100 pounds of hot dogs and 12,000 eggs. Guests eat the most cookies - oatmeal, sugar and chocolate chip - on the day that the ship docks at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay in the Bahamas. It's there that guests have an entire day for sun, surf, feeding stingrays, parasailing - and food, including hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken. The chocolate chip cookies are "definitely the most popular cookie," Lindner said. Cookie-baking starts daily at 2 a.m., with enough oven space to allow as many as 300 cookies to bake at one time, noted Lindner. For details on the Disney Magic or the Disney Wonder, go to www.disneycruise.com. |
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