A purchase of Pixar, maker of ``Finding Nemo'' and ``Toy Story,'' would cost about $7 billion and be Burbank, California- based Disney's largest purchase since buying Capital Cities/ABC Inc. for $19 billion in 1996. The two companies are in talks for a transaction, a person briefed on the talks said yesterday.

Buying Pixar would be Iger's boldest move since taking the helm from Michael Eisner on Oct. 1 and reflects his willingness to transform Disney's movie production. Pixar CEO Steve Jobs may join Disney's board, allowing Iger to tap the mind of an executive who through Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod devices has pioneered new ways to watch movies and television.

``It would definitely be a coup for Mr. Iger,'' said Andrew Seibert, a fund manager who helps oversee $1.2 billion at Pittsburgh-based S&T Wealth Management.

The companies are still in talks and may not reach a deal, the person said. Disney may buy all or part of Pixar or the two may settle on extending their distribution agreement, the person said. Disney spokeswoman Zenia Mucha and Pixar spokesman Nils Erdmann declined to comment.

Shares of Disney, the No. 2 U.S. media company, rose to a two-year high yesterday on reports of the talks, gaining $1.04 to $26.24. Emeryville, California-based Pixar, up 8.6 percent this year, rose $1.61 to a record $58.87.

Pixar would bring a company that had $273.5 million in sales in 2004 and a library that includes ``Toy Story,'' the first full computer-animated film, ``Finding Nemo'' and ``The Incredibles.'' Disney, which distributes Pixar films, has been slow to enter the fully computer-animated market on its own, releasing its first film ``Chicken Little'' last year, 10 years after ``Toy Story.''

`What If?'

``Bob Iger is a dynamic executive willing to do a big deal,'' said Aryeh Bourkoff, an analyst at UBS AG in New York, who rates Disney shares ``neutral'' and doesn't own them.

Iger, 54, was less than a week into the job as CEO when Credit Suisse analyst William Drewry on Oct. 6 wrote a report advocating a purchase of Pixar, titled ``What if Disney Buys Pixar?''

The deal would solve the ``top priority'' on Iger's list: the animation unit. Pixar may become Disney's de facto animation unit and its culture, which includes employee's penchant for zipping around on Razor scooters, would be maintained.

`Technology Visionary'

Jobs may join Disney's board as part of any deal, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday. Having Jobs, 50, as a director would give the company a ``strong technology visionary'' that could help solve Iger's second priority: putting movies and ABC television shows such as ``Desperate Housewives'' on as many media as possible.

Owning 100 percent of Pixar would make it easier to agree on sequels to Pixar films, Drewry said. Pixar may generate an additional $1 billion to $2 billion of profit over five to six years in producing sequels to its movies.

At a price of $60 a share, Pixar wouldn't help Disney's earnings for the first two years and start adding to profit in 2008, Drewry said. If half is paid in stock, Disney's earnings would be cut by 4 percent in the first two years and break even the third, Drewry said. He didn't return calls seeking comment.

Six days after Drewry's October report, Iger shared the stage with Jobs in San Jose, California, as the two men launched Apple's new video iPod and announced an agreement for Disney's ABC shows to air on the devices. Jobs and Iger joked on stage and poked fun at a relationship that had been fractured under Eisner.

``We've actually enjoyed a great relationship with Steve through Pixar,'' Iger said. ``And it's great to be able to announce an extension of the relationship with Apple. Not with Pixar, but with Apple.'' His comments drew laughter from the crowd packed into the California Theatre. ``Maybe another time, we'll see,'' Iger said.

`Good Rapport'

Those remarks, made shortly before Wynton Marsalis played ``Flight of the Bumblebee,'' sparked talk the companies may forge more than a distribution agreement. An existing pact is set to expire in June with the release of ``Cars'' and talks between Jobs and Eisner to extend it had broken down. Jobs called Disney's film sequels ``pretty embarrassing,'' and Eisner said computer animation of human figures was ``pathetic.''

Iger and Jobs had since patched relations and the body language on stage indicated the two were talking.

``Visibly they seemed to have a good rapport on the stage,'' said Peter Jankovskis, director of research at Lisle, Illinois- based Oakbrook Investments LLC, which has $1 billion under management, including more than 700,000 Disney shares. ``They also alluded to the fact additional announcements would be coming and perhaps the sale of Pixar is that sort of an announcement.''

Pixar

Jobs's 50.5 percent stake in Pixar is worth $3.53 billion. Should Disney pay all stock for the transaction, Jobs would become the company's biggest shareholder, surpassing Roy Disney, nephew of founder Walt.

Selling to Disney would improve Jobs's ability to sell his stake in Pixar, which he formed in 1986 when he bought the computer-graphics division of Lucasfilm Ltd. for $10 million. He co-founded the company with former Lucasfilm Vice President Ed Catmull, now Pixar's president.

``Jobs is a maverick guy who's not afraid to speak his mind,'' said Joe Bonner, an analyst at Argus Research in New York who rates Disney shares ``hold.'' ``He's outspoken. He would not be a quiet little boy on Disney board.''

Walt Disney Co. could select the buyer for its ABC Radio network within a week and that buyer could be Entercom Communications Corp., Reuters was reporting Friday.

The news agency said other possible bidders for ABC Radio include equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Citadel Broadcasting Corp. (NYSE:CDL).

An Entercom spokesman did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Reuters, attributing the figure to sources, said the deal could be valued at between $2.6 billion and $2.9 billion.

During a November conference call with stock analysts, Entercom CEO David Field outlined a scenario that would have Entercom (NYSE: ETM) of Bala Cynwyd, Pa., combining with ABC Radio.

One possible structure would involve a merger in which Disney (NYSE: DIS) stockholders would receive a majority of the outstanding shares and voting structure of Entercom, Field said.

Entercom owns radio stations in 20 U.S. markets.

Steve Jobs took Apple Computer and changed it from a technology company into a digital media giant, built on the success of its iTunes software.

He also took a fledgling digital movie company called Pixar and watched as it produced blockbusters like ``Toy Story'' and ``Finding Nemo.''

Could the Apple and Pixar CEO next lead Hollywood -- specifically, Disney -- into a new digital era?

Disney is in talks to buy Pixar for $6.7 billion in stock, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. Such a deal would make Jobs Disney's largest shareholder, and could claim him a spot on its board of directors -- or even company leadership.

Whether a merger of Pixar and Disney actually occurs is uncertain.

But just the idea of the two powerhouse movie companies coming together has led observers to speculate about the changing entertainment landscape.

Jobs, Silicon Valley's visionary techie, could do for Old Media Tinseltown what he has done for rock 'n' roll: digitalize it. In fact, Nielsen/NetRatings said Thursday that iTunes now reaches 14 percent of the active Internet universe, soaring 241 percent in one year.

``For a number of years, people have talked about the convergence of media and technology and it's never quite really intersected to the degree that people thought it would,'' said analyst Anthony Valencia of Los Angeles-based TCW Group, Pixar's second-largest shareholder. ``He's a visionary. He is somebody who is uniquely able to meld the two camps.''

But Valencia isn't sure such a marriage will ever come about.

``I would be surprised if Pixar was sold to Disney given the autonomy Pixar has enjoyed, and how that autonomy has contributed to it success,'' he said. ``Being a part of a large media conglomerate would serve to potentially reduce that special sauce that Pixar people have been able to cultivate over the years.''

Likewise, longtime Apple observers can't see Jobs becoming a media mogul.

``Steve's first love is technology,'' said Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies. ``He has always believed that technology has the ability to change the world.''

Nonetheless, Phil Leigh, a senior analyst at Inside Digital Media, believes Jobs would shake up Hollywood and even create a pipeline between iTunes and the movie studios, enabling Apple to offer the world movies over the Internet.

``Their world is an analog world; it isn't digital,'' Leigh said of Hollywood. ``Electronic media of the future is clearly going to be digital. So you need to have digital in your DNA.''

It could be a mixed blessing for Apple, though, Bajarin said. Jobs, as part-owner of Disney, could make the company's vast inventory of movies available to Apple and iTunes.

But ``the pitfall is if he becomes a Disney insider, he gives up Apple's position of neutrality,'' Bajarin said. ``Apple has to remain neutral. He has to be able to attract content for iTunes from any and everybody. It might be tougher to cut deals with other studios, who might see him in a competitor's role.''

Talk of a Pixar-Disney merger follows Apple's record-breaking holiday quarter, during which the Cupertino company sold 14 million iPods and rang up about $5.75 billion in sales. It was the best quarter in the company's history.

For the Mac faithful, the idea of Jobs storming Hollywood, as well as his success in making Apple one of the world's most innovative companies, is further validation that they were right all along, said Kirk McElhearn, who has published several books on Macintosh computers and is author of the blog Kirkville.

``All the Windows fans who ragged on Mac users years ago -- they can't do that anymore,'' he said. ``You don't feel guilty anymore for having a Mac. Everyone's got iPods. Everyone knows iPod is an Apple product.''

Shares of Pixar shot up nearly 3 percent, or $1.61, to close at $58.87 on the Nasdaq stock exchange. In after-hours trading, it jumped another 63 cents to $59.50. Shares of Disney closed at $26.24, up 4 percent or $1.02. In after-hours trading, Disney shares increased 19 cents to 26.43.

Lockheed Martin today announced its sponsorship of "Roving Mars," a Walt Disney Pictures film that will begin showing exclusively in IMAX theaters around the country Jan. 27, 2006. The World Premiere of "Roving Mars" will take place Jan. 26, 2006, at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

"Roving Mars" follows the journey of Steve Squyres, lead science investigator for the Mars Exploration Rovers and the NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory team responsible for building and launching the rovers and directing their investigation of the martian surface. It takes viewers on an historic voyage of exploration of the "Red Planet," with a compelling look at challenges and triumphs along the way.

"Lockheed Martin is enormously pleased to sponsor 'Roving Mars' because we believe that exploration speaks to the fundamental human desire to understand the nature of our Universe and inspires our finest efforts," said G. Thomas Marsh, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. "Walt Disney himself was a true visionary who presented the wonders of space exploration to the American public years before the first satellite was even launched. We are proud to be working with the company he created to bring this film to the next generation of explorers."

"Roving Mars" continues the corporation's dedication to the goal of educating and inspiring people of all ages about the fantastic wonders and relevance of the last great frontier -- outer space. Beginning in 1985 with "The Dream is Alive" and followed by "The Blue Planet," "Destiny in Space," "Mission to Mir," "Space Station 3D" and "Magnificent Desolation -- Walking on the Moon 3D," Lockheed Martin and its film partners have employed large format films to enlighten, educate and inspire more than 100 million viewers.

Lockheed Martin, in partnership with NASA, has been engaged in the exploration of Mars for more than 40 years. Among the many missions in which Lockheed Martin has played a significant role are these milestones in Mars exploration: Launched the first Mars flyby of Mariner 4 in 1964. Built the Viking landers in 1976. Provided aeroshells and heatshields that protected the Mars rovers. Designed, built and operates the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter that will arrive at Mars this March.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin Corporation employs about 135,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2004 sales of $35.5 billion.

"Commander in Chief" is losing its grip on power. The new ABC drama series, which earned star Geena Davis a Golden Globe Award this week for her role as the first female U.S. president, seems to be sinking into the same midterm malaise affecting the approval ratings of President Bush; "Commander's" ratings have been declining steadily since bowing to big numbers in September. The series' downturn has industry insiders wondering whether its primary cause is the regime change that occurred behind the scenes after only six episodes were completed. Rod Lurie, creator and executive producer of the series, was replaced as show runner by veteran TV producer Steven Bochco, reportedly to quell ABC's concerns over production delays. Now the network and "Commander" producer Touchstone Television, ABC's fellow Walt Disney Co. subsidiary, are grappling with a dilemma that happens to be playing itself out in one of the series' own story lines: What will it take to get "Commander" re-elected for another term?

The US government paid for a trip to Disney World for an Indiana truck driver suspected of trying to sell information to Saddam Hussein's Iraqi government so the FBI could secretly search his home.

Testimony presented during Shaaban Hafiz Ahmad Ali Shaaban's trial on Thursday recounted how FBI agents searched his home after a federal magistrate authorized an undisclosed search under the Patriot Act.

Federal prosecutors allege Shaaban, 53, traveled to Baghdad in late 2002 and agreed to sell the names of US operatives to Hussein's government for US$3 million. No evidence has been presented that Shaaban actually had such information.

According to Thursday's testimony, the government and Shaaban's boss arranged for Shaaban to travel to Orlando, Florida, with his wife and son in Oct. 2004. While they were away, FBI agents searched Shaaban's home outside Indianapolis, where they took photographs, photocopied documents and copied his computer hard drive.

Agents allegedly found computer files praising Hussein and an unsigned contract proposing to recruit "human shields" to protect Iraq from the US invasion, along with evidence of multiple identities.

Charles Mong, president of CLM Freight Lines, said the FBI asked him to tell Shaaban the Florida vacation was a gift from him.

Shaaban was not told about the October search until after his arrest last March, when the FBI conducted a more public search of the home.

Shaaban, who is conducting his own defense with assistance from two attorneys, asked US District Judge John D. Tinder for a half-day recess to prepare for his own testimony on Friday.

The protracted sale of ABC Radio has drawn several other bidders, including radio rivals Emmis Communications Corp. <EMMS.O>, Cumulus Media Inc. <CMLS.O> and Citadel Broadcasting Corp. <CDL.N>. But Emmis pulled out of the process last year, and Disney eliminated Cumulus after saying its $2.6 billion offer was too low.

Citadel remains in the running, but sources on Thursday said ABC Radio seems more likely to go to either KKR or Entercom. ABC Radio's total value could come in somewhere between $2.6 billion and $2.9 billion, sources said, and one of them believed KKR's bid was currently higher than Entercom's.

Disney pondered whether to divest ABC Radio for years before starting up a halting process last year, and the media giant has moved slowly and somewhat reluctantly in its search for a buyer.

Though the process has reached its late stages, it's still possible Disney will choose not to sell ABC Radio at all. And any deal, if it is reached, will be complex because of the structure by which Disney wants to divest ABC. To avoid huge taxes on ABC Radio's sale, Disney wants to split off the business and merge it into a new company that would be half-owned by Disney shareholders.

While Entercom already has a corporate management structure in place, one source said buyout firm KKR may lean on Clark Brown, who was recently president of Jefferson-Pilot Communications' radio division, to help run the company if it emerges the winner.

Disney has held many of the details on its plans for structuring a tax-efficient deal close to its chest, a tactic sources say is still causing some confusion for bidders.

While most sources agreed Disney is likely to go through with the sale because it has already come so far in the process, some said the rationale for a sale isn't hugely compelling.

ABC Radio is a strong cash generator for Disney, prices on radio assets are down from several years ago, and the cash brought in by any deal won't make a huge impact on the financial state of a company as big as Disney. A sale, if it happens, is likely to price ABC Radio at 12 or 13 times its cash flow, sources said.

The sale would, however, free up some cash for Disney to buy Pixar Animation Studios Inc.<PIXR.O>, sources said. Shares of Pixar have rallied sharply in recent sessions on speculation that such a deal might happen.

A source familiar with the talks said it was not clear whether the board meeting would be held on Sunday or Monday or whether board members were prepared to vote on a proposed merger of animation hit factory Pixar with Disney.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Disney proposed to buy Pixar in a stock transaction worth more than $6.7 billion, making Pixar CEO Jobs its largest individual shareholder and possibly giving the man who also co-founded

Apple computers a seat on Disney's board.

Disney, for decades the pre-eminent maker of such hand-drawn animated films as "Cinderella" and "Lion King," has struggled in recent years to maintain its position in an industry that has embraced computer-generated (CG) films.

The two companies were in the midst of renegotiating their distribution agreement, which expires in June with the release of Pixar's "Cars," when rumors of the purchase surfaced.

Disney could not be reached for comment and a Pixar spokesman declined comment.

Media industry watchers have speculated that the merger talk was driven by Disney's lack of confidence in its upcoming slate of animated films.

Disney's first CG release, "Chicken Little," released November 4, has performed respectably with worldwide box office sales of $279 million, but less than Pixar's lowest-grossing film, "A Bug's Life," which reaped $363 million worldwide.

"Disney is perhaps revealing a slight lack of confidence to want to mimic Pixar's success internally," said Anant Sundaram, a professor at Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business. "If that assessment is true, then it is a somewhat unfortunate admission from a once-great company that fundamentally created, and defined this space."

Analyst Rich Greenfield of Pali Research said in a note on Thursday that the potential deal could signal that Disney "was increasingly concerned with its upcoming (internally generated) animated films."

Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger pledged in the company's fourth-quarter conference call in November that "animation is, and will remain, at the heart and soul of Disney."

Although Disney has not produced a blockbuster animated film on its own in years, the six films Pixar and Disney made since the 1995 release of "Toy Story," have grossed more than $3.2 billion.

Pixar was on the verge of finding a new distributor for its films when Iger, who took over in October for longtime Disney CEO Michael Eisner, made a priority of smoothing over relations with Jobs, who had publicly clashed with Eisner.

"The Wild video game is an exciting adventure with wild animal characters and unique settings based on the upcoming CGI animated film," said Sean Ratcliffe, European marketing director for Buena Vista Games. "Kids will love the zany challenges and obstacles that they will encounter in the handheld video game as they help Samson and Benny make their way from the city to the jungle."

The Wild is a single-player, side-scrolling adventure game that allows players to take on the role of Samson and Benny through 18 levels of play. Both characters have their own unique levels, each tailored to their on-screen personalities. Kids 6-11 years old will have to guide the characters through stormy seas, erupting volcanoes, vicious dogs and angry wildebeests as they traverse land and sea to help Samson rescue Ryan. The Wild video game is set to release April 4, 2006, in conjunction with the feature film's April 14 cinema opening.

A possible merger of the Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) and Pixar Animation Studios Inc. (Nasdaq:PIXR), if successful, could give Pixar chief

Steve Jobs the power to break down barriers that have long existed between online content, computer hardware and digital distribution.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Disney was in talks to buy Pixar for $6.7 billion in stock, making Jobs -- who is chief of both Apple Computer Inc. (Nasdaq:AAPL) and Pixar -- Disney's largest individual shareholder and possibly winning him a place on its board of directors.

Jobs could conceivably exert his new-found influence at one of America's biggest content companies, which is home to ESPN, ABC-TV and Walt Disney Studios, to feed Apple's digital music and video download service iTunes.

Media companies have been wary about Internet-based delivery of content because of problems with piracy, while personal computer makers have been eager to obtain more content to spur their own sales.

Analysts were divided over whether a close association with Apple and its cutting-edge digital delivery system would juice up the value of Disney's extensive film and television library.

Prudential Equity Group analyst Katherine Styponias said the convergence of content and technology posed by the Jobs' addition to the Disney board was crucial to Disney's growth.

"We believe it is critical that media companies gain a greater understanding of technology and the impact it may have on their businesses," Styponias wrote in a note on Thursday.

"In our view, no company understands both technology and the consumer better than Apple."

Analyst Jeff Logsdon of Harris Nesbitt said: "There's lots of reasons (a merger) makes lots of sense."

But he added that the market for online downloads has not developed enough to show how a Disney-Apple content partnership would play out.

"If the speculation is accurate that Steve Jobs would go on the (Disney) board, that certainly brings one of our generation's more innovative applied technologists into their umbrella," Logsdon said.

"I think there are emerging (distribution technologies) that can conceivably generate significant consumer interest and spending.."

In October, Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger cut a deal with Apple to offer a number of ABC-TV shows, including "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" for download on iTunes.

The deal has aroused particular interest among television networks and, in December, General Electric Co.'s (NYSE:GE) NBC Universal also struck a non-exclusive deal to offer content on iTunes.

Jobs said at the Macworld conference in San Francisco last week that the iTunes Music Store has sold 8 million videos since the program launched in October.

And on Thursday, Nielsen//NetRatings said traffic to Apple's iTunes Web site and use of its iTunes application has risen 241 percent over the past year to 20.7 million users, or nearly 14 percent, of the active Internet users.

Jupiter Research analyst David Card liked the idea of a Disney-Pixar tie-up, but said Disney does not need to buy Pixar to continue to expand its online relationship with Apple.

"It's not as if Iger and Jobs don't return each other's calls now," Card said. "Jobs would bring a great addition to the Disney board that is not very tech savvy ... but the Disney guys are thinking about this (digital distribution) already."

Pixar shares closed up 2.8 percent, at $58.87 in Thursday trading on Nasdaq. Disney shares closed up 4 percent at $26.24 on Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange.

Travel writer Aronda Parks releases her 2006 edition of Making Walt Disney World Vacation Memories on January 18, 2006. Aronda has been writing Making Memories since 2003, with an update annually; this edition marks the fourth year she has been producing a comprehensive vacation planning guide for travelers to the Walt Disney World Resort in Central Florida.

This year, the guide has been totally redesigned and updated. Aronda has expanded the text from 400 to 500 pages filled with information that Disney travelers can really use. "Because I have been a die-hard Disney fan since the Fifties," says Aronda, "you can count on this guide being Disney-positive. It's also fun and helpful to read, whether you're planning your first trip or you're a seasoned visitor. However, don't think that my guide glosses over what I perceive to be Mickey Mouse's imperfections. It's because I have so much faith in him that I expect exceptional quality all over Walt Disney World's immense property. Thankfully, though, my Memories Team and I have found only a few shortcomings!"

More than thirty "Memories Team" members from all over the United States, Canada and Great Britain provide tips, anecdotes and experiences about their own Disney vacations—which means the travel guide is as balanced as any you'll find! "All of us are diehard DisneyHeads," says Aronda proudly. "And all of us are very opinionated. So even the Disney Virgin, who probably feels a bit intimidated by the complexity of the Resort—and even more intimidated about all the planning that's involved—will enjoy hearing how we've all learned from our many trips to see the Mouse. And they should be able to benefit from our mistakes."

But the seasoned guest will also find the guide beneficial. "I'm here to tell you that whatever Aronda thinks is well worth reading," writes Mike Scopa, a popular columnist (and Disney fanatic himself) on MousePlanet.com, in a review of last year's guide. "Among all the well–written WDW guidebooks, this one seems to have adopted the responsibility of providing you with as much information and guidance to ensure that your vacation does not turn into a nightmare. Parks has definitely taken a leap with this book and has tried to give it a different twist than the better–known WDW guidebooks. She has brought to the table some important aspects of a WDW vacation and has truly captured all the essential elements that make for creating those special WDW memories. Whether you are visiting WDW for the first time or the one hundred and first time, there is something in this book for you. I know…because there was something in it for me."

Along with the travel guide, each reader also receives a "Bonus CD," which includes a Vacation Planning Memories Book in .pdf format. This publication includes photographs of many Walt Disney World venues, vacation planning worksheets, and games for both children and adults. The Special Tribute Honoring the Happiest Celebration on Earth includes scores of photographs taken in 2005, and a quiz entitled "Were You Paying Attention?", which provides quotes from various Disney attractions, then asks you to identify which attractions they came from. Finally, the Bonus CD includes printable maps—the four major parks, along with Downtown Disney. A map of the entire Walt Disney World Resort property is also included.

"But the book itself is the diamond among the freebies included in the package," says Dann Hazel, editor for The Original Press, which publishes Making Walt Disney World Vacation Memories. "In addition to the 500 pages of tips on accommodations, attractions, restaurants and more, you'll find more than 280 photographs to heighten your planning excitement. Disney's complex Magic Your Way ticketing program is explained thoroughly, along with the reservations policies for Disney Dining. Personally, my favorite chapter is Avoiding VABS—which means Vacation Burnout Syndrome—because, as anyone who's visited Walt Disney World surely knows, Mickey Mouse puts you through your paces, and can really wear you out if you're not careful."

In Making Memories' seventeen chapters, readers will, of course, read about the offerings of Walt Disney World's theme parks, water parks, and other entertainment and recreational venues. But they will also encounter chapters with tons of information about advance planning, traveling with children, enjoying a romantic Disney getaway, convincing the skeptic to stop complaining and take a Disney vacation, shopping, dining and nightlife. The final chapter, "Happiest Disney Memories on Earth," pays tribute to Disney's Happiest Celebration on Earth. In this chapter, Memories Team members tell readers exactly what Walt Disney World has meant to them over the years—and some of the stories are quite touching.

"I love Disney," says Aronda. "And I'm not ashamed of it. I don't hold anything back in Making Memories. I include information that I know will be beneficial to each and every traveler. There's only one big assumption that I make throughout the book—and that is that you'll become a Disney-Lover, just like my Memories Team and me."

Making Walt Disney World Vacation Memories 2006 is available at bookstores, amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and through Aronda's website, arondaparks.com. The book retails for $21.95.

Ever since Bob Iger had a midnight meeting with Pixar his first weekend as CEO thoughts of Disney acquiring Pixar (and cementing their CGI animation destiny) have gone from done to dead.

But what would that do to the entertainment landscape? If Disney invested in Pixar, or downright bought it, Steve Jobs (yes, same guy who runs Apple) would be the major shareholder of … Disney?

Jobs, always the visionary, could bring a lot of ideas to the table, especially in the techno-changing world of distribution. But Hollywood outsiders have never done well in Hollywood. (Case in point: the rash of Japanese studio acquisitions in the '80s that led to … nada.)

Also, Jobs is not a “content” man. Walt Disney was a content man. Jeffrey Katzenberg was a content man. Steve isn’t. Granted, he’s never tried to apply a “content vision” to Pixar … but could Disney be too tempting to resist? It’s a pretty amazing toy store to play around in.

Bad vision led to a Disney flat-line in the ‘70s. Could Jobs lead the way to Disney destruction in the new millennium?

And with Disney out of the running, where will all those great licensing characters come from?

First must come the acquisition. We’ll stay tuned on this one.

The chief financial officer of Euro Disney is staying in the amusement park business, heading over to Six Flags Inc. to become the company's new CFO.

Jeffrey Speed will start in his new capacity at Six Flags on Feb. 1, replacing James Dannhauser, who will remain with the company until April 1. Speed will report directly to new Six Flags CEO Mark Shapiro.

Prior to Euro Disney, Speed served as vice president of corporate finance and assistant treasurer for Burbank's The Walt Disney Corp. (NYSE: DIS), where, in addition to overall banking duties, he structured the financial aspects of both Euro Disney and Hong Kong Disneyland.

Oklahoma City's Six Flags (NYSE: PKS) has shaken up management since the company was taken over by Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. Among the company's 30 theme parks are Six Flags Magic Mountain and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, both located in Valencia.

LINK

ESPN is working out a deal with Tollin/Robbins Productions for an exclusive weekly documentary-style, all-access series that will follow San Francisco Giant slugger Barry Bonds beginning in spring training in March and into the Major League Baseball season as he pursues the career home run records of Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron. Under the deal, Bonds will allow cameras to follow him throughout his day, both on and off the field. The show will offer a behind-the-scenes look at Bonds' during his chasing of the records. Sources familiar with the discussions, say the show could air in first-run each Tuesday night at 7 p.m., East Coast time, with several re-airings throughout the week. Tollin/Robbins, which has a relationship with Bonds, reportedly approached ESPN about doing the series. Discussions have reportedly been taking place since mid-December.

But the product with that name did not hit the market until 1997 -- almost two years after the two plaintiffs claimed they had given Disney a treatment, or basic story line, for a children's animated theatrical feature that contained several references to the now-ubiquitous hand-held personal organizer.

That was too much for Southern District of New York Judge William H. Pauley, who called the purported 1995 treatment "irrefutable evidence" that the two plaintiffs fabricated evidence.

Pauley took the rare step of punishing the plaintiffs by dismissing their case. The judge was particularly upset that the plaintiffs stuck to their story after being caught red-handed.

"Their egregious conduct was prolonged and calculated to advance their claims," he said in Shangold v. The Walt Disney Co., 03 Civ. 9522. "Even now, in the face of indisputable evidence, Plaintiffs do not relent."

The pair wrote their first treatment of the series "Starmond the Wizard," or "Starmond," in 1989.

Referred to in the litigation as T1, it was rejected by Disney in 1994 as "an unexciting, confusing and mostly listless fairy tale ... that does little to merit further consideration."

The pair claimed they revised the T1 in 1995 to add a baseball story line in five pages of handwritten notes.

This alleged revision, called T1a, made several references to the term "Palm Pilot."

"However, handheld devices with that name did not exist at the time Plaintiffs claim they created T1a," Pauley said.

In fact, it was not until November 1995, about five months after the T1a was supposedly submitted to Disney, that Palm Computing Inc. learned through a trademark search that it could not call its promising handheld idea "Taxi" and elected instead to call it the "Pilot."

"Indeed, the Pilot was not unveiled to the public until January 1996 and did not become available for shipment to customers until April 9, 1996," the judge said. "Further, Palm only coined the term "PalmPilot"in March 1997 with its second generation of the device and the wireless capability Plaintiffs reference in T1a was not available until May 1999."

And Shangold did not mention T1a, baseball or a "PalmPilot" in a cover letter she wrote to Disney on June 16, 1995.

The plaintiffs revised T1 in 1997 and submitted it as T2, without any references to baseball and, in 2001, created a third treatment T3 that was rejected by Disney as "a submission of remarkable incomprehensibility."

This did not stop the plaintiffs from ultimately suing Disney and its subsidiary, Miramax Books in 2003 for stealing their idea by publishing "Summerland," a novel by author Michael Chabon that used a baseball theme.

"There is no evidence, apart from Plaintiffs' deposition testimony and their revised timeline, that they sent T1a to Disney in 1995," the judge said. "To the contrary, there is voluminous, independent and irrefutable evidence that Plaintiffs did not create T1a at that time."

And even after they were confronted with this evidence, the judge said, "Shangold and Niederman persist[ed] with only self-serving ipse dixits that they created T1a in 1995. Indeed, Plaintiffs go so far as to assert that PalmPilot wireless capability was commonplace in the spring of 1995."

The judge, therefore, had little trouble concluding that there was "clear and convincing" evidence that the plaintiffs had committed a fraud on the court and "manipulated the judicial process."

And for good measure, after citing the "substantial burdens" imposed on the defendants, "for more than two years," the judge ordered that the plaintiffs pay the other side's attorney fees in an amount to be determined later.

Arshad Majid of Happauge represented the plaintiffs. He did not return a call for comment.

Sanford Litvack, Joanna Swomley and Katherine Bolger of Hogan & Hartson represented Disney. Litvack said he would let the judge's decision speak for itself.

Hong Kong Disneyland launches Special Travel Trade Rates

"The early success of Hong Kong Disneyland could not have been achieved without the unwavering support of our travel industry partners. To express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to travel agents throughout Asia, we invite them to experience the magic of our park and two hotels with their friends and family," said Mabel Chau, Director of Sales, Hong Kong Disneyland.

Hong Kong Disneyland is inviting every bona fide travel agent to visit the park and resort for half the rack rate price on regular days at either the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel or Disney's Hollywood Hotel.

In addition, every agent is invited to bring along one guest who will enjoy the same rates at the hotels and half price tickets to visit Hong Kong Disneyland. The special offer is available from February 6 to April 6, 2006.

Disney was right in the "mix" of the booming consumer electronics trend with its new Disney Mix Stick MP3 player. Since its October launch, the Disney Mix Stick has garnered accolades from the consumer electronics industry and national media. The Washington Post called it "the quintessential sell-out product" this holiday season, while the Wall Street Journal referred to it as "music to the ears of kids who want their own iPod." The Disney Mix Stick exceeded sales projections internally and with retailers — it was a top-selling Disney item at Target during Black Friday and sold out just before the end of the season; it sold out several times at DisneyShopping.com and is currently on back order, it has also proved just as successful at Limited Too and Wal-Mart.com.

Millions of Disney toys were also unwrapped. The National Retail Federation estimated 45% of shoppers would purchase toys this holiday season and named Disney Princess as the #4 most popular toy with girls. Thanks to an array of new Cinderella product in support of the October release of Cinderella on DVD, and innovative retail programs such as the Cinderella Feature Shop and gift with purchase promotion at Toys 'R' Us, Disney Princess toys experienced triple digit growth over 2004. Among the most popular were Cinderella Dress-Up items and Cinderella Twinkle Lights Doll. While the industry points to a rise in demand for electronic toys, traditional Disney toys and those with electronic and interactive components were equally in demand. In the interactive group, Cinderella's Talking Vanity was a top seller as was Disney Scene-It, while top-selling traditional toys included The Chronicles of Narnia Board Game, which quickly sold out in the U.S., and Disney Princess bicycles and fashion dolls. But, overall the #1 best-selling Disney toy was Tumble Time Tigger. Selected as a Toy Wishes All Star winner and Child magazine's Best Toys of 2005, the singing, cartwheeling Tigger captured the hearts of toddlers and outperformed at mass retail selling close to 1 Million units worldwide.

The booming tween market also resonated with several Disney properties and products this holiday season. The recently launched Disney Cuties line available at Target was immensely popular with tweens. The new art style depicting classic Disney characters in a fresh, modern style graced an assortment of tween products — best-selling items this holiday season included Disney Cuties apparel, sleepwear and cosmetics. The queen of tween, Raven-Symoné and products inspired by the Disney Channel series "That's So Raven" continued to be hot. Top selling items included That's So Raven apparel available exclusively at May Department Stores and a new cosmetics and fragrance line also available at May Department Stores and at Wal-Mart.

Rounding out the top selling Disney items this holiday season were: Disney Jiggly Pens — the adorable pens featuring Disney characters that light up as you write have sold close to 10 Million units worldwide since launch; and Disney Fairies — the first line of products inspired by Disney's newest franchise and introduced in the New York Times Best-selling book, Fairy Dust and The Quest for The Egg, experienced success during its exclusive debut at Nordstrom's department stores this fall.

CMU is one of the first universities in the nation to begin sending international students to work at Walt Disney World for college credit.

The new international tuition exchange program, organized by the Center for Leisure Services and the Walt Disney World College Program, has been in the works for a year.

“It’s sort of like sponsoring,” said Dean Wallin, director of the Center for Leisure in the department of Recreation Parks and Leisure Services and Disney College Program advisory board member.

CMU will be bringing 22 students to the program from two different universities in the United Kingdom and eight from China.

“All of the students have already been interviewed by Disney and accepted into their program,” Wallin said. “Disney was surprised by our ability to connect with overseas universities and find willing students so quickly.”

Wallin said Disney took an interest in bringing in international students when it decided to double the number of interns it hired.

Disney used to hire 4,000 interns; now it’ll accept 8,000 interns who can enroll in classes while working there.

“Disney has bent over backwards to make this an academic experience,” Wallin said. “Disney offers seven classes relating to their experience as interns, which students can take if they wish.”

Wallin also said interested persons can participate in the program for college credit, regardless of their field of study.

Students who have already been interns for Disney said they learned a lot from the experience.

“I know my professional skills were improved while I was working at Pleasure Island,” said Chris Maxwell, a Southfield sophomore. “I learned to meet a lot of demands quickly and efficiently.”

Maxwell said the internship helped improve his language skills. Most of the patrons, he said, spoke either Spanish or broken English.

“I learned Spanish in class, but I didn’t necessarily know how to use it practically,” he said. “But on the island I had to put what I knew to use, and that helped me to better learn the language.”

Louisiana junior Michael Musso said he got to dress up as famous characters, including Buzz Lightyear, Pluto and Eeyore.

“It was great to be part of the entertainment,” Musso said. “Playing the characters was a very gratifying experience.”

Musso said one of the most memorable moments was being able to give terminally ill children the opportunity to meet their favorite Disney characters during an event called “Give Children the World.”

Wallin said Disney interns traditionally put on the “front line,” working in food establishments, janitorial services and merchandise. Some, he said, work as vacation planners or wear costumes as character performers.

Star Wars fans of all ages will converge on the park to celebrate with Star Wars celebrities, costumed characters, activities, exclusive merchandise and the famous Star Tours thrill ride.

The toon team's first ever trip to India, drew a sea of smiling faces to the event. And they also gave a snap poll on favorites: "Minnie Mouse is my favorite," said a kid.

Disney's toon half-an-hour performance, titled 'Disney Magic,' was a star studded extravaganza packed with songs and dance sequences.

Apart from shaking a leg at some of the Bollywood numbers, the Disney stars also mingled with the kids. One of the many toon-struck kids said, "I am very excited to see the Disney characters."

The stalls at the venue were colorfully decorated with balloons, festooned everywhere and Mickey mouse caps being distributed. The stalls also had competitions for children, who enjoyed thoroughly.

The stars visited Delhi as part of their six nation tour in the Asia Pacific region. The concerts have been organized in association with Make-A-Wish Foundation of America to offer help to terminally ill children.

The characters began their India tour with Mumbai's Tata Memorial and later did some kite flying with kids in Ahmedabad. Delhi was their third destination in India.

After enthralling the kids in Delhi, Disney's is to set off to Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Hollywood is buzzing about a big deal. Maybe, but the odds of Apple's boss actually becoming Mouse House chairman are more likely fantasy.

In a town that often makes a bundle from fantasy, perhaps no bit of yarn-weaving is as hot these days as the buzz among Hollywood moguls that Apple (AAPL ) CEO Steve Jobs will soon be chairman of Walt Disney Co. (DIS ).

Sure, it could happen. Talks between Disney and Jobs's other company, Pixar Animation Studios (PIXR ), have been dragging on for months, and at least one iteration of the deal has Disney buying some or all of Pixar and making Jobs Disney's largest shareholder. From there, he could get a board seat and potentially be put at the head of the table.

Don't bet on it. Buying Pixar would cost Disney a bundle, maybe $8 billion or $9 billion and could send Disney's stock into a tailspin. When the rumor first surfaced on Jan. 4, the share price promptly dropped 1.5% in the 45 minutes before the market closed that day. A deal of that size would be a huge drag on Disney's earnings, figures Merrill Lynch analyst Jessica Reif Cohen, who projects the deal would dilute 2006 profits by 10% if it were struck at $60 a share, or by 13% at $70 a share. (Pixar traded at $56.28 in morning trading on Jan. 13.)

WELL-TIMED HITS.  "It's a near absurdity that Disney will buy Pixar out," says David Harris, an analyst with Sanders Morris Harris, who believes it will opt instead for a deal that would extend the two companies' 14-year deal for Disney to distribute Pixar's films -- although with the economics shifted heavily in favor of Pixar.

Keeping Pixar in the Disney fold is likely crucial to Disney. The six films that Jobs & Co. have produced and Disney has distributed, including Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., and The Incredibles, have all been blockbusters, and came at a time when Disney's own fabled animation studio was struggling to find a hit. Disney had a good-size success, but far from a blockbuster, in Chicken Little. However, no one is certain if that means its animation studio is back.

Moreover, Disney is brilliant at marketing the films and leveraging them throughout the Magic Kingdom, from made-for-DVD movies and TV shows to rides at its theme parks. And Disney's new CEO Bob Iger gets on well with Jobs -- an entirely different situation than the gasoline-and-flame relationship between Jobs and Iger's predecessor, Michael Eisner (see BW Online, 9/30/05.

LOST ACTION.  The deal that Miller and others envision would go something like this: Pixar, which now splits the costs with Disney and gets roughly 40% of the revenues, would pay for the movies from the $1 billion or so on its balance sheet, give Disney a smallish fee or maybe 8% of the revenues to distribute it, and keep the rights to make sequels.

Iger is in something of a tight spot. His stock, which has started to rise during his three months on the job, is still underperforming and could use the pop he would get from an extension of the Pixar deal, which expires this summer when it delivers its last film, Cars. Still, he doesn't want to give away the store to Jobs, and an agreement with Pixar would have two downsides for Disney: It would have to give up a huge piece of the action, and it would be ceding a prime slot in its summer lineup where it could be making far more money on one its own films.

"This deal has to make sense for both companies," Iger told BusinessWeek a few weeks back. "We will not make a deal that we can't live with." Both Disney and Pixar declined to comment.

"ENTIRELY INTERTWINED."  And give Iger credit. He has been nurturing a relationship with Jobs by making Disney the first Hollywood studio to offer TV shows and other content for Apple's video iPod to sell to the public. And who knows, Iger may want to bring Jobs into the Mouse House. TCW analyst Miller can see a deal in which Disney buys a piece of Pixar to ensure continued distribution of its films and makes Jobs a large Disney shareholder and gives him a board seat.

No one would argue that Jobs wouldn't bring a certain star quality -- not to mention some first-class brains -- to the Disney board. "He knows the media side of the business and is a technology visionary," says Anthony Valencia, an analyst with TCW, which owns roughly 9.9 million Pixar shares, or 17.1% of the company. "And at a time when after hearing about convergence of technology and the media for so long, the two are completely and entirely intertwined."

In fact, Jobs has it all -- the marketing panache that a media company requires and the ability to understand the technology crosscurrents that media outfits need to traverse in the coming years to bring their content to increasingly hard-to-reach consumers. The same brilliance that brought America the iPod could help Disney figure out how to make its movies and TV shows on-demand and everywhere at just a time when some foresight is crucial.

MERCURIAL GUY.  Of course, some good ideas are just too good to happen. And more often than not, personal ambitions and preferences enter into the talks, especially when Jobs owns 50.6% of Pixar and can do pretty much what he wants. He doesn't want to sell the company he has nurtured from the struggling outfit he bought from George Lucas in 1986. "It's his baby," says Valencia. And Jobs hardly needs the dough. Others say the culture at Pixar, where folks work miles from Hollywood, could be harmed by melding its more freewheeling style with the more corporate life at Disney.

On top of all that, it would be difficult to see Jobs sitting through hours of meetings over which new theme park ride to put in Disneyland or how to improve sales of Mickey Mouse dolls in Germany. And while Disney has an opening for chairman of the board -- it recently extended outgoing Chairman George Mitchell's tenure through yearend despite his retirement announcement -- Jobs is a mercurial guy who doesn't always play well with others. After months of controversy during the last gasp of the Eisner era, the Disney board is working harmoniously and may not want to add another firebrand member.

Still, Hollywood is a place that lives for the surprise ending. And as the Disney board prepares for a Jan. 23 meeting at which it's expected to make a go, no-go decision on the kind of deal it wants to strike with Pixar, anything could happen.

ELEVATION?  Jobs had said he wanted an agreement in place by the end of December, and he has been talking with other studios in case he and Disney can't agree. But the two sides continue to talk. That could mean progress and a new agreement between the two. It could also mean a sale and perhaps even the elevation of Jobs to a Disney board seat.

Stranger things have happened, although not that many. Who knows -- maybe Jobs secretly wants to be the Lion King.

The Kennel Club Charitable Trust and Disney are searching for dogs that look and act like the characters from the much loved classic film ‘Lady and The Tramp’, which is released for the first time ever on Disney DVD on 13th February 2006.

If your dog is the double of Tramp, Lady, Peggy, Jock or Trusty, then this is the perfect opportunity for your dog to shine. Do you have your very own Tramp who loves meatballs, or a Lhasa Apso, who can sing? If so, visit www.mad4dogs.org.uk/lady for the specifications of each character category and details about how to enter this fantastic competition, which could win you a place in a Grand Final to be held at Crufts 2006 and a year’s supply of Iams dog food.

All entrants to the competition will be displayed on www.mad4dogs.org.uk/lady and from 8th February visitors to the website will be invited to vote for their favourite look-a-like. For each character category there will be two lucky finalists, who will attend the Grand Final at Crufts on Sunday 12th March, the largest dog show in the world. People of all ages and levels of dog experience can enter their dogs.

Tanya O’Connor, Brand Manager at Disney, said: “Lady and the Tramp is a timeless, and much loved tale. We are pleased to be working with the Kennel Club Charitable Trust and bringing the Lady and the Tramp story and its captivating characters to life through the look-a-like competition. It is a great way to celebrate the DVD release of Lady and the Tramp, so people have a chance to watch the film and see if their dogs are like the much loved characters in the film.”

The closing date for entries is 3rd February 2006. 

The first issue of Editorial Televisa's ESPN Deportes La Revista hits newsstands this week, with a cover featuring NBA's Emanuel Ginobili, a.k.a. Manu, an Argentine forward for the San Antonio Spurs.

A popular player and spokesman for Gatorade in Argentina, Ginobili is well known in the San Antonio area, where he is a spokesman for Time Warner Cable.

Though he is just starting to land on the radar of U.S. companies nationwide, Manu will be featured at the top of a list of the magazine's cover story: "Latino Power: 101 Most Influential Latinos in Sports," according to the company. The cover story will rank the top 101 Latino athletes, coaches, owners and executives.

This past season, Ginobili led the San Antonio Spurs to their second NBA championship in three years. He also led the Argentine National Team to a gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics, after defeating the heavily favored USA Dream Team in the semifinals. "Ginobili is widely regarded as a hero in his native Argentina, as well as throughout Latin America and to Latinos in the U.S.," said Juan Antonio Sempere, editor of ESPN Deportes La Revista, in a statement.

The monthly Spanish-language magazine version of ESPN The Magazine will be distributed in top U.S. Hispanic markets, including Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, with an initial circulation of 55,000, according to Dinorah DeCardenas, the brand manager for ESPN Deportes La Revista. She also works for Editorial Televisa.

ESPN Deportes distributed a test issue in May to coincide with the television upfronts in New York City, which featured the Mets' Pedro Martinez. ESPN and Editorial Televisa also have coordinated print advertisements running in Televisa's other Spanish-language publications to cross-promote the magazine. Spots have run on ESPN Deportes television shows and an online banner ad on the ESPNdeportes.com encourages Web surfers to sign up for subscriptions. ESPN has also run local radio spots to "target the newsstand sales and national spots targeting subscription sales," DeCardenas says. Television spots will begin running on Univision Aug. 1.

Editorial Televisa has applied for an ABC audit, which will begin as soon as the publication is eligible, DeCardenas says. Additional markets include cities in Massachusetts, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and Puerto Rico, according to Editorial Televisa.

Advertisers for the first issue include BMW, Dodge, Gatorade, Elini Watches, Wal-Mart, Visa and Dewar's 12.

The magazine is part of a branded, Spanish-language effort by Televisa and Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN Enterprises to target Spanish-speaking sports fans in the U.S. Other ESPN Deportes-branded initiatives include ESPN Deportes Television, ESPN Deportes Radio, ESPN Deportes.com, and ESPN Deportes Wireless, a streaming content program available to subscribers on mobile devices. The magazine's target demographic is Hispanic males ages 18 to 34. Though the initial circulation of 55,000 will be audited, Editorial Televisa plans to print 100,000 total to allow for some newsstand returns, DeCardenas says. The additional number of magazines will not be part of the ABC audit.

Some copies of the magazine, whose first issue will be 100 pages, will also be given away as part of promotions run by ESPN Enterprises parent company, The Walt Disney Corp., which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, says DeCardenas.

Disneyland Paris - As from summer 2007 guest of the Walt Disney Studios will be invited to the new Parade coming all the way from Orlando, Florida. The “Disney’s Stars and Motor Cars Parade”, showing currently at the Disney-MGM Studios in Walt Disney World, will replace the Walt Disney Studios Parade. The Parade takes about 25 minutes and consists of cars decorated in form of the famous Disney and other well known movie characters who are riding or being transported by them. The Studios at Paris might not see all the cars but might involve some or most of the following once; The Monsters, Inc. car features Sulley and Mike Wazowski. The Toy Story car featuring Buzz Lightyear and Woody, along with Bo Peep, Jessie, Mr. Potato Head and the Green Army Men. The Mary Poppins car with Mary Poppins, Bert and Dancing Penguins strolling down the street. The Muppets car with Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. The Star Wars Unit features Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. The Mulan car with Mulan and friends. The Aladdin vehicle that will carry Aladdin and Jasmine. The Hercules car carries Hercules, while Phil, Pain and Panic stroll alongside. The Evil Villains follow with Hades to Cruella De Vil to Jafar, the Wicked Queen and Frollo atop a black stretch limo. Lilo and Stitch. The Mermaid float with Ariel and Sebastian. The Playhouse Disney friend’s big blue house car with Bear, Stanley, Treelo, and P and J Otter. Snow White & Dopey travel in a tribute to Walt Disney's first Oscar. The Grand Marshal "feel like a star” unit and as the final car the 1929 Cadillac with our friends Mickey and Minnie. It remains to be seen what cars will make it to Paris and if the newest car of the Power Rangers featuring Time Force, Ninja Storm, Wild Force, Dino Thunder and Space Patrol Delta Power Rangers would become part of the new parade too.

But there is more Parade news. Another new parade will be presented to the Disneyland Park guests for the very first time in the world in 2007. The new parade called “Once Upon a Dream” final concept was approved by Jay Rasulo. The parade will contain 8 floats and are rumored to look a lot like the well know Snow globes used in the Disney World Magic Kingdom park. The floats will share two concepts existing out of two or more classic and famous Disney features. The final float would show be made out of three parts and would need to be driven by two drivers. This float would then carry the most famous princesses and there beloved princes.

Constructions on the new floats has already started and they are completely new with state of the art technology meaning the current Disneyland Resort Paris drivers will be given extra training before taking place in their drivers seat. Premiere date? If sources are correct! As soon as February 2007.

Parents now have access to a whole new world of fun learning for their preschoolers. Disney Online, part of the Walt Disney Internet Group, in partnership with Disney Channel, has launched an exciting new broadband subscription product called Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online(TM), now available for an annual subscription fee of $49.95. Parents can log-on to www.preschooltime.com to subscribe to the product or to access a free trial.

Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online offers parents a safe, ad-free environment where their children can enjoy a slate of regularly updated, fun and engaging activities that encourage learning through play. Hosted by "Bear" from Disney Channel's Bear in the Big Blue House, Preschool Time Online was developed in conjunction with educational experts to provide endless learning and unlimited fun while helping preschoolers develop important kindergarten readiness skills.

Key features include:

• Popular characters from Playhouse Disney series including JoJo's Circus, Higglytown Heroes, Stanley, plus Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse and Pals, among others.
• A sequence of well-rounded interactive activities including puzzles and games that level in difficulty based on a child's performance.
• A focus on development of kindergarten readiness skills including letter and number recognition and color and shape identification. For example, a child can learn about numbers with JoJo by popping balloons that are labeled with the number three.
• Themes such as "bravery" or "sharing" that are incorporated throughout each sequenced set of activities.
• New updates every two weeks that provide a constant source of new, fun learning activities.
• Parents' Corner area where adults can manage multiple children's profiles and track their child's activity.

"Preschoolers learn through play, and through my research I've seen that the unique properties of the Internet can be employed creatively to help feed the insatiable curiosity of young children," said Debra Lieberman, a key educational expert who helped spearhead the service's educational philosophy and academic structure. "Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online was designed specifically to do this. It responds to kids' natural desire to learn through play with activities that center around exploring, imagination, developing skills and constructing knowledge. It is a great complement to preschool learning for building such skills as letter and number recognition."

"Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online allows children to learn through a fun setting where they get to interact with their favorite characters, in a dynamic environment that regularly offers new activities," said Ken Goldstein, executive vice president and managing director of Disney Online. "The increase in broadband use in the home has allowed us to offer an experience that combines rich graphics, video content and character voices to capture kids' imaginations and deliver personalized learning that grows with each individual child."

"Whole Child Learning" Philosophy

Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online employs the principles of the "whole child curriculum" a learning philosophy which is also the cornerstone for the Playhouse Disney brand and programming. Under the consultancy of Dr. Renee Cherow-O'Leary, Playhouse Disney's philosophy of education, based on Howard Gardner's work on Multiple Intelligences, suggests that intelligence and learning is a much broader concept than just mastering ABCs and 123s. Within this framework, children can develop multiple skill areas through sequenced learning and free play activities. Learning areas covered in Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online include social skills, thinking skills, early academics, ethical development, daily living skills, computer skills, imagination, and self expression.

Raven Symone is set to star in the Lifetime movie For One Night. The film is based on a true story about a teen who stirs things up in her town by proposing that for one night people put aside their differences and they have an interracial prom. The film is inspired by a real life teen who initiated a non-segregated prom at her school back in 2002.

For One Night premieres on the Lifetime Television network on Monday, February 6th, 2006 9PM/8C. Also appearing in the film are Aisha Tyler and Jason Lewis.

Raven got her television start on The Cosby Show starring as young Victoria, but it was her role on the hit ABC/Disney series That's So Raven that made her an international star. In addition to her success from That's So Raven, she also was a huge hit in the movie The Cheetah Girls. She has also released several music albums.

In support of the movie For One Night the blog/website Promtales.com was launched. It's an open forum where people can share their prom experiences.

Don't forget to tune into Lifetime on February 6th for the premiere of For One Night. Visit www.lifetimetv.com for additional details.

Wuhrer began playing the part of Reese Marshall on General Hospital in January 2005 and got great viewer ratings. Still, she was fired because of the pregnancy... She also claims she is not the only actress treated this way by the General Hospital producers.

Accusing the network of sex discrimination, pregnancy-based discrimination, wrongful termination the actress is seeking at least 3 million dollars in damages, as she pretends she had suffered not only from emotional distress, but also money loss.

ABC hasn't yet made comments on the lawsuit, but we're waiting for harsh replies.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe has remained top of the worldwide box office for the fourth week running.

The Narnia film took an estimated $20m (£11.26m) at the weekend in cinemas outside the US and Canada, taking its cumulative takings to $319m (£179.7m).

It is expected to take over from Toy Story as the most successful big screen release in Disney's history.

In the US, basketball movie Glory Road was the weekend's top film, beating new releases Last Holiday and Hoodwinked.

Long weekend

Despite remaining the biggest film around the world, the Narnia film fell to number four in the US and Canada box office chart.

Last week's number one, torture thriller Hostel, fell to fifth place after taking an estimated $9.6m (£5.4m).

With Monday a public holiday in the US to mark the life of Martin Luther King, some studios are waiting until Tuesday for the long weekend's cinema takings.

But box office returns are not expected to match last year's Luther King holiday weekend, which was topped by Coach Carter, taking a four-day total of $29.2m (£16.45m).

Despite falling to seven in the chart, Peter Jackson's King Kong has passed the $200m mark after 33 days of release in North America.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, meanwhile, took only 22 days to reach that benchmark.

Narnia has become the first international film release to make $100m in 2006 alone, and remained top of the Australian box office for the fourth week running.

Other releases to have performed well around the world include Chicken Little and Memoirs of A Geisha, while King Kong's worldwide total is expected to surpass the $300m mark this week.

With any luck, the National Football League has gotten this year’s Super Bowl halftime show controversy out of the way early.

Faced with an embarrassing story that the dancers it was seeking as extras for the Rolling Stones performance couldn’t be older than 45, the NFL reversed field and opened it up to everyone. Mick Jagger, 62, may now be able to see wrinkles as he looks out over his audience.

It may seem incidental to the main event, but the halftime show has caused plenty of headaches for the NFL, from Janet Jackson’s infamous breast-baring to some grumbling from host city Detroit that its musical legacy is being snubbed this year. The booking of rock royalty like the Stones — who turned down the gig several times before agreeing this year — is an indication of its importance.

The Feb. 5 show on ABC is being overseen by NFL executive Charles Coplin. He’s a former ABC Sports producer who joined the league’s front office in 2001 and took over the entertainment staff immediately after the 2004 unexpected exposure of Jackson’s nipple jewelry.

That incident, after the NFL had largely handed over production of the show to MTV, persuaded the league to take a tighter grip on the plans, Coplin said.

“The guiding philosophy is to be unique, entertaining and appropriate, to cast entertainment that serves as wide a group as possible — from grandparents to grandkids,” he said.

For several years, halftime entertainment was an afterthought: the Florida A&M University marching band has not one, but two, Super Bowl performances on its resume. The shows gradually expanded, although acts like Up with People defined white bread.

Key years in making it more of an event were Michael Jackson performing with 3,500 children (1993) and U2’s Bono opening his jacket to reveal an American flag stitched in, a few months after the terrorist attacks.

“There was a point in the early 1990s where (the NFL) thought, ‘how can we make something this great even better,”’ Coplin said. “There was a decision internally to look at all aspects of the Super Bowl presentation.”

And yet we watch ...
It was another opportunity to make money, too. Sprint paid the NFL a record $12 million to be sponsor of this year’s halftime show, and is running a contest to fly the winners to Detroit to see the Stones up close.

Each year’s TV audience generally approaches 90 million people. Usually only the Academy Awards comes anywhere close in pulling that many people together.

Along with the Oscars — where the world’s best actors read forced patter from cue cards — the Super Bowl halftime show is such a cheesy anachronism that it’s a wonder it made it intact into the 21st century, said Robert Thompson, a professor of popular culture at Syracuse University.

“It reminds me of a broadcast of Miss America or Bob Barker on ‘The Price is Right,’ one of those things where nothing seems to change,” he said. “It’s a land that time forgot.”

Yet the way Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction became such a huge story shows the power of the platform, he said.

Is a football league the right entity to put on such an important entertainment show? Coplin said that’s a subjective question. The NFL turns to others — this year veteran awards show and special events producer Don Mischer — to help run things.

“We’re not so myopic to think that we can’t seek outside help,” he said. “And that’s what we do.”

The times the NFL were most burned actually came when it placed too much faith in outside help: MTV, in Jackson’s year, and a company that was hired this year to organize the on-field dancers for the Stones.

Effective Sunday, January 15, 2006, ticket prices for Walt Disney World Water Parks and DisneyQuest increased. The new ticket prices (not including sales tax) are as follows:

1-Day EITHER Blizzard Beach OR Typhoon Lagoon: Age 10 and up $35; Age 3-9 $29

1- Day Blizzard Beach/Winter Summerland Combo: Age 10 and up $42.50; Age 3-9 $34.50

1-Day DisneyQuest: Age 10 and up $35; Age 3-9 $29

Prices for tickets to Pleasure Island, and for Annual Passes to the Water Parks and DisneyQuest remain the same.

Accompanying Minnie was Disney’s most famous dog, Pluto, who will celebrate his special year – the Year of the Dog - by donning a traditional Chinese red silk hat.

Tailoring the outfits for the excited Disney friends are the talented cast members from Hong Kong Disneyland’s costuming department. 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. The park’s first Chinese New Year will be one to remember for every family!”

Minnie Mouse and Pluto will wear their new Chinese-style outfits to greet guests throughout the Chinese New Year celebration at Hong Kong Disneyland which runs from January 29-February 12, 2006.

Disney friends Minnie Mouse and Pluto get measured for new tailored Chinese outfits for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations at Hong Kong Disneyland. Cast members (from left) Ngai Kong Sang, Wong Lai Ching and Joanne Lui Kwan Fong, finalize measurements.

One large mouth catches another

If you are looking for a large-mouth expert, I'm your man.

Did I say that correctly?

As you can see in the photograph, I recently went largemouth bass fishing for the first time and came back a proven member of the superior species. And the fish you see is one of the five I caught during a BASS Fishing Excursion on Walt Disney World's Bay Lake (the one in front of the Magic Kingdom).

Of course we threw them back because, well, fish are stupid.

Doesn't matter how many times you catch them, they never figure out that there's no such thing as a "free lunch," so you just catch them again.

My guide, John, claims to have caught the same bass on the Disney lakes 18 times. He knows it's the same one because it has a humped back and a scar on the side of its face. (By now it should know what John looks like, too.)

John knows everything about bass fishing. He said he would teach me all the tricks, including how to "work your worm."

John also gave me this great fishing photo tip -- hold the fish at arm's length toward the camera. That makes the fish look bigger (and hopefully you look smaller).

Mike Bianchi was with us and only caught three fish (ha ha) but he did catch our only "lunker" that weighed more than 2 pounds. Tim Povtak was on another boat and claims he caught five lunkers totaling 15 pounds.

Tim Povtak is lying.

PETA WARNING: Do not read the next paragraph if you consider fishing to be a brutish and uncivilized act. Really, don't read it.

There's a primitive thrill when a fish strikes your line. I never worry about the chickens or cows I eat -- and I don't worry about what the fish is thinking when he's on my hook. I just know he needs to be in my boat. And if they don't like the experience, don't bite the next worm that comes swimming by. After all, what is that fish thinking that John has caught 18 times?

"Dang, I must be the unluckiest bass in the lake! Why do I always get the worm that's got a hook in it?"

If you want more information about a trip, call 407-WDW-BASS. And if they'll let you pick your guide, ask for John.

CITGO Bassmaster Classic: You want to see the pros who will be fishing Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee on Feb. 24-26 in "the Super Bowl" of bass fishing, with the winner taking home $500,000. Each day ends with a weigh-in at the Orange County Convention Center. The fishermen enter sitting in their boats that are pulled by trucks while fireworks explode and fishing fans scream. Last year's final weigh-in in Pittsburgh drew 13,000 devotees. Weird.

ODDS AND ENDS

A staph meeting tonight . . .

In and out of sports, focusing on the increase in serious staph infections may become one of our biggest concerns of 2006. Our Erin Sullivan wrote about the problem in Sunday's edition and Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel looks at it during tonight's 10 o'clock show on HBO.

Real Sports focuses on the battle with staph fought by the Miami Dolphins' Junior Seau and a staph outbreak among the St. Louis Rams. But we all are potentially endangered by it.

Football and other stuff . . .

The wife of Colts CB Nick Harper said she accidentally stabbed her husband in the knee with a filet knife during an argument. Reports indicate Nick was on the bed and his wife was standing over him and waving the knife in a "slicing-type motion." Sounds like she may have been aiming a little higher than his knee.

If Pittsburgh had lost, imagine what that would have done to Jerome Bettis? That fumble would have been the final play of his life and haunted him forever.

Congratulations to the UCF cheerleaders for finishing fourth in the nation behind, in order, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. And the UCF dance team finished eighth.

Got to love Pittsburgh LB Joey Porter. Here's his thought on the referee ruling that Troy Polamalu did not intercept that Peyton Manning pass: "I know they wanted Indy to win this game; the whole world loves Peyton Manning. But come on, man, don't take the game away from us like that."

One more from Joey: "The way the refs were going, I wouldn't have trusted them in overtime." Oh, he is so fined.

VOLUME ONE: WALT DISNEY'S FUNNY FACTORY WITH MICKEY

Mickey And The Seal
Mickey takes a bubble bath, not knowing that a fun-loving seal has taken up residence in the bathtub. After a comical episode in the tub, Mickey gets the seal back to the zoo, but when he returns home, he finds his bathtub is full of seals.

Mr. Mouse Takes A Trip
Mickey takes a vacation by train, but Pete, the conductor, won't let Pluto ride the train. Mickey has to do some fancy disguise work to take Pluto with him.

Moose Hunters
Mickey, Donald and Goofy go hunting for moose. Donald and Goofy get the bright idea of dressing up as a female moose to nab their prey. The plan hilariously backfires and soon all three big-game hunters are running for their lives.

Mickey's Parrot
Mickey and Pluto overhear a radio broadcast about an escaped, dangerous criminal. When the two hear a voice that they think belongs to the criminal, they get more and more nervous. The voice turns out to be Mickey's pet parrot, to the relief of everyone.

The Pointer
Mickey tries to train Pluto to be a hunting dog when they go looking for quail. Instead, they run into a very large bear, and soon they're on the run themselves. Instead of quail, Mickey and Pluto settle for a can of beans.

Magician Mickey
Donald tries to heckle Mickey during a magic act, but his antics backfire. Not giving up, Donald finds a way to stir the audience up before the final curtain.

Tugboat Mickey
Captain Mickey issues orders to shipmates Donald and Goofy to respond to an SOS. Donald and Goofy find a way to comically bungle the rescue operation, of course. Eventually they sink their own ship - just in time to find out that the "SOS" was really a radio show.

R'Coon Dawg
Mickey, sporting a Davy Crockett-style raccoon hat, goes hunting with Pluto. When they corner a potential hunting target, the wily animal convinces Mickey that his raccoon hat is really its baby. Mickey and Pluto apologize and leave quietly, as the 'baby' waves goodbye.

VOLUME TWO: WALT DISNEY'S FUNNY FACTORY WITH DONALD

Canvas Back Duck
At a carnival, Donald takes tests of strength in order to impress his nephews. When a scrawny kid challenges Donald to beat his dad, Donald immediately agrees. Then he sees the dad, a hulking Peewee Pete. Donald reluctantly steps into the ring, but finds a funny way to win the match.

Donald's Cousin Gus
Donald's goose cousin, Gus, comes to visit and practically eats Donald out of house and home. A frustrated Donald tries everything he can think of to get rid of his over-eating relative.

Daddy Duck
Donald gets stuck taking care of a kangaroo. When he teaches the kangaroo not to be afraid of a bear rug, Donald proceeds to get swallowed by the bear and must be rescued by the kangaroo.

Window Cleaners
Donald and Pluto comically mishandle washing the windows of a very tall building. When Donald goads a high-flying bee, the job goes from bad to hysterically awful.

Self Control
Donald tries to get his legendary temper under control through the advice of a radio therapist named Uncle Smiley. Donald tries to take a soothing rest to relax, but a woodpecker, an uncooperative hammock and more obstacles make sure that Donald stays as quick-tempered as ever.

Contrary Condor
Donald, climbing in the Andes, finds a condor nest and pockets an egg. The mother condor returns and thinks Donald is one of her own. She tries to teach him how to fly, with uproariously disastrous results. To straighten things out, Donald returns the egg.

Donald's Golf Game
Donald shows off his golf game to his nephews, but his nephews are more interested in making Donald look bad. Trick clubs and a grasshopper inside a golf ball are only some of the funny ways that the nephews sabotage Donald's game.

The great cast of VENOM includes Agnes Bruckner ("Murder By Numbers"), Jonathan Jackson ("Insomnia," "Tuck Everlasting"), Meagan Good ("Roll Bounce," "You Got Served"), Bijou Phillips ("Almost Famous"), Laura Ramsey ("Lords of Dogtown"), and Method Man ("Garden State," "My Baby's Daddy").

Story by Brent Goldberg & David T. Wagner & Nick Cannon. Script by David Wagner & Brent Goldberg. Directed by Marcos Siega.

1. Book a hotel close to the park. We originally had reservations at a hotel 20 minutes from the Disneyland but at the last minute got a room a mile from the park. It was a lifesaver. Besides the drive time, you have to add at least another 20 minutes to catch a tram, go through security and finally hit the main entrance. Being close by made us feel better about late starts to the day since we weren't wasting time on the road. And we could leave the park for Nolan's afternoon nap. If we had stayed at a hotel further away we would have been more likely to stay and kiss the nap good bye. Which would have led to a cranky preschooler. Suck city.

2. Buy Disneyland tickets online. The ticket lines were enormous.Buy them online, save a couple of bucks and have them in your hands before you even get to Disneyland. Another perk: guaranteed admittance. When the park is filled to capacity, they stop selling tickets. If you already have yours and they've got 75,000 people in the house, you still get in.

3. Plan your day. So many rides, so many lines, so little time. It pays to have a plan, especially when you have the 5-and-under crowd tagging along. Decide which rides are absolute musts during your visit and hit those early on. Have a good idea of how long your little ones can wait in line. Nolan surprised us and was incredibly patient - he waited an hour to get on Peter Pan's Flight, and he wanted to get right back in line when it was over. But other kids were gnarly. Know where your kid sits on the spectrum and plan around it. If they can't live without naps then for let 'em sleep - especially if you want to see the park at night (see tip 4). And if you're really into schedules, check out RideMax - software you can download to plan your day for you. RideMax knows all the "park secrets" that will save you tons of time. We didn't find out about it until after our trip, but you can bet we'll use it next time.

4. Use FASTPASS. Most of the big rides like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Indiana Jones Adventures, offer the FASTPASS service. Here's how it works: you visit the FASTPASS kiosk at the ride and get a ticket that has a one-hour window for you to come back to enjoy the ride. No wait. You bypass all the other fools who decided to wait in line the old-fashioned way. Take note: get on these rides early in the day. Some rides, like the Indiana Jones Adventure, issue all their FASTPASS tickets quickly due to demand.

5. Go at night. Your little ones will love see all the lights on the rides. If you can catch the parades, even better. Go to the park one night and catch the Electrical Parade and fireworks show. The next night, get on all the rides that are empty because everyone else is watching the parade and fireworks. We walked onto rides like Pirates of the Caribbean - which typically has two hour lines - with no wait.

6. Bring a stroller. If your kids don't regularly use a stroller, bring one anyway - or rent one from the park. We made the mistake of not bringing a stroller for Nolan on day one. My husband and I switched off carrying him when he was tired and wow, did our backs ache by the time evening came around. The second day we rented a stroller from the park for US$7. Nolan loved it, we saved our backs and also had a extra space to toss our bags. Next time we'll rent a stroller every single day we're at the park for Nolan.

For those of you who are totting around babies while at Disneyland, there's a fantastic baby center. I stopped in a few times to change Quin's diapers and it was a lifesaver when I ran out of baby food. They sell bottles, pacifiers, diapers - the essentials you may need on the road, and also have high-chairs and nursing rooms.

Below are the latest photo's of Expedition Everest that were taken on a preview ride.

At Disney World and Disneyland, Cinderella's castle welcomes you in. On the ice during Disney on Ice's Walt Disney's 100 Years of Magic, Cinderella's castle is the gateway to a world of Disney magic.

At 38 feet at its highest point and weighing more than 20,000 pounds, Cinderella's castle sits on the ice and through glittering archways come skaters decked out as beloved Disney characters like Mulan, Mickey and Minnie, Woody and Buzz Lightyear and "Aladdin's" Genie.

Disney on Ice's Walt Disney's 100 Years of Magic makes a stop at Portland's Cumberland County Civic Center Wednesday through Jan. 22.

Unlike other Disney on Ice shows, this show is unique because it's more a revue of scenes from popular Disney stories rather than an ice show on just one Disney story.

Designing for a Disney ice show with just one theme is a monumental task, but designing a Disney ice show in which every number is a different scene is a real challenge.

David Potts, the stage and screen designer for Walt Disney's 100 Years of Magic, was up to the task. Currently the art director for HBO's series "Deadwood," Potts is a veteran of Broadway theater. Walt Disney's 100 Years of Magic was his first ice show. "It was a really fun show for me to do," he says, "because it really is all of Disney."

This ice show, he says, is about "Disney and the dreams that come true and the magic of all that." With that in mind, Potts and the rest of the show's creative team sketched out designs for the sets that would capture the wonder all children (and adults) feel about Disney.

What did Potts and the team come up with? Here's a sampling: Monstro, the whale from "Pinocchio," is dressed in shimmering fabric that makes the creature look wet. At 36-feet long and 12-feet wide, the whale has 14 custom-made arches that allows it to slide across the ice. Twenty animated toys come to life in Geppetto's workshop.

Motorized floats representing Asia, Europe, Russia and Central America are decorated with more than 33 detailed, moving dolls in the "Small World" scene. Hydraulics and electronics control the floats.

Those sets and props look solid, Potts points out, but they're made from aluminum so the ice won't rust them, and foam rubber so their weight won't make it impossible (or dangerous) for the skaters to handle on the ice.

Potts' and the creative teams' attention to detail supports the skaters rather than overpowers them, and lends to the overall magical experience for audience members. "(Disney) means a lot to kids today (because) it meant a lot to us (adults) when we were kids."