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| MickeyXtreme's News Archive July 23-29 2006 | ||
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Saturday July 29, 2006 |
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Gary Wilson
resigns from Disney board Wilson, 65, is the chairman of Northwest Airlines Corp. and a former Disney chief financial officer. He has been on the board since 1985. Disney board members are required to submit their resignations after the end of 12 years of continuous service and then again every three years, according to corporate governance guidelines posted on the company's Web site. Wilson is also a director of CB Richard Ellis Inc. and Yahoo! Inc. The company did not say whether it would replace Wilson. It recently named John Pepper to succeed board chairman George Mitchell. |
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Change in
Directors or Principal Officers Form 8-K for WALT DISNEY CO/ Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers On July 27, 2006, The Board of Directors of the Walt Disney Company accepted Director Gary Wilson's resignation from the Board, effective July 31, 2006, his 21st anniversary of initial Board service, pursuant to the length of service policy in the Company's Corporate Governance Guidelines. |
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Cinderella
Castle HCOE Decoration Removal Some dates have started to float around the net that pertain to work that has been expected to transition Cinderella Castle from the Happiest Celebration on Earth into the Year of a Million Dreams promotion. For this work cranes and other equipment will reportedly be brought into the park, but little work is reportedly planned to be conducted during normal operational hours. The vast majority of the work is reportedly scheduled to be conducted during off-hours, when the park is closed to the public, so very little impact is expected for guests visiting during this time period. Besides the visual changes to the castle, the only difference guests may notice is a walled of section of Fantasyland to be used for crane storage and other construction related holding. Keep in mind these are not official dates from Disney and therefore should be treated as rumors at this point. |
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School's out for summer -- but not at Walt Disney Co., which
is bringing its blockbuster cable TV movie franchise "High
School Musical" to South America.
"High School Musical" will premiere on TV July 30 in Brazil, and August 6 in the rest of Latin America. The movie (dubbed in Portuguese and Spanish, respectively, but with the songs in their original English renditions) will be followed by a singalong version, a making-of version and a dance-along version, as happened in the States. The movie will be promoted by a daily Disney show called "Zapping Zone," which is produced in separate versions for Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. After that initial TV run, the fun begins. "We believe the potential is far wider than television," says Diego Lerner, president of Walt Disney Co. Latin America. "Yes, it will (start) in television. However, we see it as a point of presentation for a major franchise," Lerner says. This would include individual, theatrical productions of "High School Musical" for Brazil, Mexico and Argentina, featuring local talent. In addition, Disney is planning local TV versions of "High School Musical," also in Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. The cast selection in each country will become a TV program, a la "American Idol." Meanwhile, the "High School Musical" soundtrack -- still in the top 10 of The Billboard 200 after 28 weeks -- will be released on different dates across the region between late July and early August. The track listing remains the same as the U.S. edition, save for "Eres Tu," a Spanish-language version of "What We've Been Waiting For," performed by Mexican pop group Belanova. Despite Disney's enthusiasm for "High School Musical" in Latin America, there are no plans to target the Latin audience within the United States. "We are producing this for the cultural environment of Latin America," Lerner says. With the original version, there was no outreach by Disney toward U.S. Hispanics, notwithstanding the character of Gabriella Montez (played not by a Latina, but by half-Filipino, half-Irish actress Vanessa Anne Hudgens). But plenty of Hispanic kids embraced it anyway. Chalk it up to the magic of Disney. |
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Movie closes
Providence streets Parts of downtown Providence is closed today as Disney continues to film its movie "Underdog." Sections of Mathewson, Union, Eddy and Washington streets will be closed to traffic from noon to sunset. Filming of the live-action remake of the 1960s cartoon started in April, which has prompted several street closures over the past few months. City and state officials have welcomed "Underdog" with open arms. They say the multimillion-dollar movie provides hundreds of jobs and is the most expensive production ever to film in New England. |
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Disney Chairman
Buys Untitled Comedy
One week into his new job and someone’s
feeling the need to show his worth. New Disney chairman Oren
Aviv has flexed his spending power and made a deal to buy a
new buddy comedy pitch touted by The Family Man writers David
Diamond and David Weissman. |
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Friday July 28, 2006 |
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Four major American companies, including Walt Disney and
McDonald's, ordered an investigation Friday into allegations
that a riot at a big toy supplier in China was sparked by
poor wages and living conditions for 11,000 factory workers,
executives at the companies confirmed.
Labor rights activists claim that pent-up frustrations over
working conditions at the factory, which supplies plastic
toys to several iconic American brands including Disney,
McDonald's, Mattel, Hasbro and Warner, erupted in a protest
last weekend in which many people were injured and arrested
by local police officers.
At the height of the conflict last Saturday and Sunday, more
than 1,000 workers at the factory clashed with security
guards and police officers, according to China Labor Watch,
a New York-based worker rights group. It said that the
police had sent riot vehicles to control the situation and
that dozens of workers had been arrested.
David Lewis, managing director of Mattel Asia Pacific
Sourcing, which produces the Barbie Doll and Hot Wheels toy
lines, said that investigators working for the U.S.
companies arrived at the factory in Dongguan City, Guangdong
Province, on Friday to interview company executives and
workers and uncover the cause of the riot.
"Mattel obviously takes these issues very seriously and is
working with our partners here - McDonald's, Hasbro and
Disney," said Lewis, who is based in Hong Kong. "We have
people right now at the site investigating what is going on.
We will work to resolve this in a timely manner. Our
priority is that the workers are safe and have good working
conditions."
McDonald's and Disney representatives in Hong Kong on Friday
pointed to the existence of long-established codes of
conduct governing working conditions that suppliers are
required to follow. All the companies said that labor audits
had been carried out periodically to ensure that suppliers
were meeting minimum labor standards, including compliance
with local laws, fair terms of employment and safe and clean
working environments.
Merton, the company that owns the factory where the alleged
riot occurred, declined to comment on the allegations that
working conditions and wages were inadequate. Contacted by
telephone in Hong Kong, an employee of the company, who
declined to give his name, said that the issue was "under
investigation."
But an executive of Creata Promotions, a company that gets
toys from Merton for the American retailers, said that the
disturbance at the Guangdong factory was the result of "one
disgruntled employee who was terminated."
"Apparently, that termination led to some of the employee's
friends causing acts of vandalism at the plant, which
required local police to respond," said Michael Lillioja,
executive director of Creata.
He said that some arrests had been made. The police in
Dongguan confirmed Friday that there had been an incident at
the factory but said that they were unable to give further
details.
Lillioja denied the allegations of China Labor Watch that
there was a record of poor working conditions and salaries
at the factory. He described the factory as "one of the best
toy factories in the region."
In a statement on its Web site, China Labor Watch said that
it had conducted an investigation of the Merton plant that
found that workers were typically required to work for 11
hours a day, six days a week, with total overtime of up to
70 hours a month. It said that Chinese law required that
workers not be made to work more than 40 hours a week and do
no more than 36 hours of overtime a month.
It also said that the Merton work force was paid 574 yuan,
or $72, a month, "the exact minimum wage standard in
Dongguan."
"Chinese workers live at the bottom of the society," Li
Qiang, executive director of China Labor Watch, said in the
statement. "They have no means to voice their needs or to
protect their lawful rights. Workers will only stand up and
fight when their situation is so miserable that they do not
have any other options."
Other labor rights activists said that there is increasing
evidence that workers are beginning to resent the long
hours, low pay and poor working environments in some of
Guangdong's factories, the engine of China's booming export
industries. This is making it difficult for some factories
to recruit workers, leading to labor shortages in some
areas.
"There are more signs of militancy," said Robin Munro,
research director of the Hong Kong-based labor rights
watchdog China Labor Bulletin, which is not affiliated with
China Labor Watch.
"Many migrant workers are voting with their feet. They are
heading to other provinces where conditions are better and
they can sometimes make more money."
Millions of production workers from all over China have
found jobs in the factories of Guangdong Province, which
borders Hong Kong, in the hope of escaping the grinding
poverty of the country's remote inland regions. This huge
pool of low-cost labor has allowed manufacturers to slash
production costs.
Labor activists have run longstanding campaigns over what
they have alleged are sweatshop conditions in many of these
factories, including suppliers to famous Western retail
brands.
The emergence of militant labor in China's industrial
heartland is looming as a fresh challenge for the Chinese
authorities. The ruling Communist Party is already under
pressure from widespread popular unrest, mainly over
corruption, land seizures and industrial pollution.
Official figures showed that there were 87,000 public order
disturbances in 2005 alone.
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The new Disney movie Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's
Chest is breaking records with over 300 million dollars
already in North American ticket sales, an estimated 500
million with overseas sales, and projected to bring in
overall 6 billion dollars before nearly everyone near a
cinema in nearly every country has seen an experienced the
exploits of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew
of fantastical pirates. The movie is not just a movie. It's
a worldwide cultural phenomenon.
Swashbuckling buccaneers with eye patches, peg legs, and cutlass at the ready to plunder and pillage has long been a Hollywood staple Long John Silver to name but one. But the combination of new digital special effects, a serialized story, and a cast so ugly and pretty with plenty of sight gags has captured tens of millions of movie goers who find the debauchery and romance of Pirates thrilling and entertaining. Hollywood, in only the way it can, has made being a Pirate more than a 7- year old boy's fantasy adventure. Even world weary adults are sucked into the magic of a fantasy world of high seas bandits from the 17th century. But, were Pirates really so enchanting and charming? If you look at the history of Pirates, it's not such a pretty picture. Pirates have been around since before the Roman Empire. But the particular purloined panache of the Pirates of the 1600s and 1700s, a time of ocean going empire expansion by the British, French, Spanish, and Portugese was their heyday as Romantic figures made especially appealing by the famous 19th century novel, Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest is set in that period somewhere in the West Indies where the Dutch , British and Spanish were establishing colonies. If you look at the historical record, there were many notorious real Pirates, Blackbeard, and Captain Kidd, Anne Bonny, yes there was a famous female Pirate, and they nearly all met their fate at the end of a hangman's rope or were pardoned by the English or Spanish Kings for accepting a commission and plundering the enemy. The stories are fascinating. Rogue sailors...outlaws, scallywags, thieves, rapists, murderers. But were they really the way they are portrayed, mischievous blokes who would commit the most horrendous acts of violence and mayhem to get their hands on Pieces of Eight but whose hearts were really soft and good? In fact, Pirates were the dregs of society, outcasts and opportunists who cast aside all codes of 17th century decency to steal, rape, and murder for their own self enrichment. They were to use a period term, brigands - criminals whose attacks on empire fleet shipping threatened the nations of Europe and the birth of so called civilization in the Americas. They were brutal and killed men women and children indiscriminately in the lawless Caribbean of the 1600s. They raided growing cities in the New World and laid waste to them. Colonial authorities hired "pirate killers" to expedition and rid the seas of them, to bring law and order, but in many cases the Pirates triumphed wreaking death and destruction and making their own law...the so called Pirates Code. Because they were anti-heroes, some of the most violent and colorful Pirates became the stuff of legend - but they were responsible for thousands of murders, transmitted disease to the native populations, and delayed the orderly settlement of the Americas by European settlers. Far from Romantic, Pirates in general, were unwashed, lice infested drunkard sailors with a lust for gold, wenches, and murder. King Charles II of England rewarded those who plundered Spanish ships and pardoned many and in a few cases, Pirates, having become rich on the bounty of their crimes, became honorable citizens, even one who became the mayor of a colony. But in general, they were not what the Disney Company has shown us in the new movie... On the gallows, as he was about to be hanged for his crimes, Captain Kidd, originally hired to get rid of Pirates and then who became one himself, said as he was about to be executed.... "My name is Captain Kidd. When I sail'd, when I sail'd. And so wickedly I did, God's laws I did forbid. When I sail'd, I roam'd from sound to sound. And, many a ship I found. And then I sunk or burn'd. When I sail'd. I murder'd William Moore, and laid him in his gore...not many leagues from shore. When I sail'd. Farewell to young and old. All jolly seamen bold. You're welcome to my gold, for I must die. I must die. Farewell to Lennon Town, the pretty girls all round, no pardon can be found, and I must die. Then to eternity, in hideous misery, I must lie, I must lie" Today, there are still Pirates and modern maritime piracy is a big threat. The International Maritime Bureau reports an upsurge of Pirate attacks on modern commercial shipping over the past five years. Off the coast of Somalia, the coasts of SouthEast Asia, the Indian Ocean, South America, and yes even still in the Caribbean where Pirates hijack yachts and other seagoing vessels. Today's Pirates don't carry a flint lock pistol and a cutlass sword. They are often hi tech, carry automatic weapons, and even sophisticated military equipment for deadly assaults. Some have even held hostages for ransom. And still, banditry and murder are their stock and trade. The United States government has become increasingly concerned about armed gangs of pirates operating in many parts of the modern world - and so has the government of Singapore which dispatches regular boat patrols to protect shipping and international sea going commerce. Today's Pirates are nothing like the myth of the Romantic Pirates of old. They are ruthless organized crime enterprises threatening world commerce. Modern pirates have attempted seizing huge oil tankers, expensive yachts, and may be assisting terrorists transport illegal arms. They are the scourge of the seas, still today. And even with all the security such as devices on ships to prevent unauthorized boarding, military patrols, and intelligence about modern pirate operations, today's Pirates still manage to getaway with more than murder. Why then are Pirates so appealing? It is the mythical Hollywood Pirate that makes us desire that famous line from the opera Pirates of Penzance - "A Pirate's life for me!" It's all in the imagination. What great fun to don a 3 cornered hat, a sharp scabbard in your belt, and shout "Shiver me timbers, matey". But lest no one be fooled, real Pirates were and are bad blokes with absolutely no regard for human life, the property of others, and human decency. From their "adventures" blood ran, riches were routed, and innocents died. |
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Weeks after CBC-TV came under harsh criticism for bumping
The National for American music reality show The One, the
program has been cancelled.
U.S. broadcaster ABC announced the decision in a note posted Friday on its website: "There are no plans for additional episodes. Thanks to all who participated in and supported The One." CBC created a ruckus earlier this summer when it announced plans to move The National from its 10 p.m. ET slot on some Tuesdays and Wednesdays in order to air The One. In explaining the decision, CBC said it was planning to air its own version of the show, which follows a format similar to Canadian Idol and Rock Star: Supernova. Arthur Lewis, executive director of the advocacy group Our Public Airwaves, said the cancellation of The One just "emphasizes what an incredibly stupid decision it was for CBC to import an American reality show in the first place." He said the decision gets CBC "off the hook" for its original decision to air the show. "I'm willing to bet CBC was praying for ABC to cancel it," he said. Kirstine Layfield, CBC-TV's executive director of network programming, called ABC's decision "disappointing." "But it's understandable. ABC is in a very tough marketplace. It's having a very tough summer ... They don't have the luxury of waiting around for a show to grow over time." She said the public broadcaster may still go ahead with a Canadian edition of The One in the fall. "It's too early to tell," she said Friday. "We're not under any pressure to make immediate decisions." She added that a decision would be made in a few weeks. The American version of The One, hosted by CBC-TV personality George Stroumboulopoulos, floundered from the get-go. Its debut last week grabbed the attention of a mere 236,000 Canadians. And on Tuesday this week, according to Nielsen Media Research, just 150,000 Canadians tuned in to the singing contest, despite the marketing fanfare and high hopes at CBC-TV. By contrast, BBM says Rock Star: Supernova pulled in 1.2 million Canadian viewers Tuesday night in the same 9-10 p.m. ET slot on Global. CTV's Canadian Idol finished the night with 1.65 million viewers in the 8-8:30 p.m. ET slot, said Nielsen. The numbers south of the border were also abysmal. An article in the trade magazine Media Life reported that The One was the lowest-rated new summer reality series this season. Layfield said the Canadian version of The One is still "in early development," adding that the CBC has learned from the U.S. show. "We'll use that when we take a look at what we're going to be doing with the Canadian version." |
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Disney Takes on
Buddy Comedy Pitch
Walt Disney
Pictures has made a deal for a buddy comedy pitch by Family
Man screenwriters David Diamond and David Weissman. |
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PSP's Pirates:
Scarcely Seaworthy
Though it got mixed reviews from critics, Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest had the highest grossing opening weekend of all time. It was also quickest to the $300 million mark, reaching that milestone in 16 days, one day fewer than it took last year's Star Wars prequel. Disney (NYSE:DIS) is cashing in on the film in other ways too, notably with the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest game for Sony's (NYSE:SNE) PlayStation Portable. Typically, games adapted from the silver screen are of poor quality, appealing only to diehard fans of the films, if anyone. An exception was last year's Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie (see BusinessWeek.com, 11/22/05, "Which Games Make the Cut?"), but Dead Man's Chest on the PSP follows the rule. For the most part, Dead Man's Chest is a fairly unoriginal hack 'n' slash game, where the hero fights a slew of enemies. As with many movie tie-in games, players follow along through the story of the film, learning some additional plot information in some cases. Yawning Battle. Here, you play as everyone's favorite anti-hero, Captain Jack Sparrow, traveling among a half-dozen locations from the movie, such as the debauched Tortuga and the mystic Tia Dalma's swamp, before you finish the game. On the way you'll slay prison guards, pirates, cannibals, and other villains in a quest to save your soul from notorious undead pirate Davy Jones, captain of the ghostly Flying Dutchman. The handful of hours I spent beating the title's single-player quest actually seemed like an eternity, thanks to the game's repetitive battle system. Whoever your enemy (a regular pirate, an undead pirate, or a member of Davy Jones' crew), you have only three basic fight tactics: speed attack, strength move, and stun maneuver. And your fight combination is the same every time you battle a particular villain. On top of everything else, the game's frame-rate can be very inconsistent during battles, making consecutive images look more like a slide show than a smooth animation. It didn't happen every time, but it was noticeable and distracting when it did. Meaningless Death. Between fights, you have to solve equally monotonous puzzles. Mainly requiring actions like lugging a conveniently placed barrel of gunpowder to a door and lighting it with a nearby torch, the puzzles might have served to break up the repetitive fighting if they weren't so tedious themselves. Another complaint: The game has sloppy controls that are problematic in several areas requiring precise movements. You are expected to walk across bottomless pits on thin boards, but Jack just doesn't control well enough to do it. It's also incredibly easy to fall off platforms when fighting enemies. Jack moves around a lot just going through his attack motions. There's really no punishment for dying, but doing so repeatedly is annoying nonetheless. Despite all the bad marks, there are a few things to recommend Dead Man's Chest. For one, the game is definitely playable. That can't be said for all games associated with movies. It also draws on the movie's stirring Hans Zimmer score. The developers didn't get the real actors to lend their voices to the characters in the game, but the voice actors actually do a pretty good job. Multi-Player Option. Unlike some games where characters endlessly repeat phrases during gameplay, Jack didn't overuse his sayings, which were often genuinely witty and true to his character. These features, combined with suitably realistic character models and appropriately designed environments, give Dead Man's Chest a look and feel that does really mirror the movie. Dead Man's Chest includes a separate, well-executed multi-player option. With just one game disk, you can engage in ship battles against computer-controlled enemies or up to three of your PSP-toting friends. The makers add depth with multiple play modes (deathmatch, capture the flag, etc.), the ability to upgrade your ship, and the choice of several ships. You can even captain the Black Pearl if you unlock it in single-player mode, or take control of Davy Jones' Flying Dutchman. The multi-player is a nice addition, but it definitely would have been better to see some ship missions incorporated in the single-player quest. Better Luck Next Year. As fun as multiplayer mode may be, it's not enough to keep this short and boring game afloat. Only movie fans looking to augment their Pirates experience should try Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest on PSP. And even in their case, renting the game would be a better option. Buena Vista Games is already planning a movie-based sequel for next summer's Pirates movie. Perhaps that will be worth mutinying for. But when it comes to Dead Man's Chest, it's definitely not a pirate's life for me. |
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Disney/Pixar's
Ratatouille Voice Cast
Patton Oswalt,
Brian Dennehy, Brad Garrett, Janeane Garofalo, Ian Holm and
John Ratzenberger will voice Disney/Pixar's
animated-adventure Ratatouille, opening June 29, 2007. |
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Walt Disney Feature Animation is getting back into the
business of traditional animation with "Frog Princess," a
new twist on a classic fairy tale.
Disney Animation's new leaders Ed Catmull and John Lasseter may have earned their reputation as computer-animation maestros at Pixar Animation Studios, but now that they are overseeing Disney's animation efforts, they also are interested in exploring Disney's 2-D tradition. The studio is putting John Musker and Ron Clements in charge of developing "Frog," which promises, according to sources, to put a female spin on the tale of the Frog Prince. Musker and Clements demonstrated their ability to spin a popular tale around a female protagonist with 1989's "The Little Mermaid." They also worked together on such traditionally animated Disney musicals as "Aladdin" and "Hercules." However, their last film for the studio was "Treasure Planet," an animated adventure tale that proved a boxoffice disappointment when it grossed $38 million domestically in 2002. Shortly thereafter, they left the studio. One of Lasseter's first initiatives following Disney's acquisition of Pixar this year was to woo Musker and Clements back into the fold, and they were engaged by WDFA executive Don Hahn to develop original new projects (HR 3/1). The directing team had been working on the lot in Burbank, discussing story ideas with Lasseter and Catmull on a daily basis while they also oversee the digital remastering of "Little Mermaid," which Disney is preparing to release on DVD. |
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At ABC, viewers seem to have left on a summer vacation.
The network finished a distant fourth last week in the broadcast ratings among all U.S. television viewers and those aged 18 to 49, Nielsen Media Research said. Late July ratings are about as meaningless as they come for broadcast networks. But none want viewers out of the habit of tuning in, especially as they increase the volume of promotions for upcoming fall shows. ABC laid an egg with Making a Music Star, which drew fewer than 3.1 million viewers for its premiere last week. Even fewer people - 2.6 million - bothered watching its results show the next night. The network was undoubtedly hurt by Fox's So You Think You Can Dance, NBC's America's Got Talent and CBS's Rock Star: Supernova making it to the air faster. ABC's two most-watched prime-time programs last week were the news shows Primetime and 20/20. Its most popular entertainment show was a rerun of America's Funniest Home Videos. The network also suffers from viewers' decreasing interest in seeing reruns of serialized dramas. Desperate Housewives, for example, attracted only 4.3 million viewers, or less than one-fifth of what it usually draws for a first-run episode. For the week, CBS averaged 7.1 million viewers (4.8 rating, 9 share). NBC had 6.3 million (4.1, 7), Fox 5.8 million (3.7, 7), ABC 4.7 million (3.2, 6). Among the Spanish-language networks, Univision had three million viewers in prime time (1.7, 3), Telemundo averaged 900,000 (0.5, 1) and TeleFutura had 610,000 (0.3, 1). NBC's Nightly News won the evening news ratings race, averaging eight million viewers (5.5, 12). ABC's World News had 7.6 million viewers (5.3, 11) and the CBS Evening News had 6.9 million (4.7, 10). A ratings point represents 1,102,000 households, or one per cent of the estimated 110.2 million TV homes in the United States. The share is the percentage of in-use televisions tuned to a given show. For the week of July 17-23, the top 10 shows, their networks and viewerships: CSI: Miami, CBS, 11.18 million; America's Got Talent, NBC, 9.92 million; Miss Universe Pageant, NBC, 9.65 million; CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 9.64 million; So You Think You Can Dance (Wednesday), Fox, 9.44 million; Two and a Half Men, CBS, 9.33 million; Without a Trace, CBS, 9.28 million; House, Fox, 9.2 million; CSI: NY, CBS, 9 million; 60 Minutes, CBS, 8.7 million. |
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iTunes Music
Store, meet Radio Disney
Radio Disney on Tuesday announced songs from its playlist
will now be featured on Apple iTunes Music Store. Radio
Disney features music for kids, "tweens" and families, and
is produced by ABC Radio Networks.
Radio Disney content featured on the iTunes Music Store just limited to random songs, according to the company. Also featured are DJ picks, special remixes and exclusive content listeners wont find anywhere else. |
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Thursday July 27, 2006 |
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Theme
park revenue will help drive third-quarter growth for the
Walt Disney Company, according to a Wednesday report by
Credit Suisse.
"We believe the parks will benefit from strength at Disneyland Paris, eight extra vacation days in the quarter due to the Easter shift, as well as room reservations pacing up high single digit," said William Drewry, an analyst for the research firm. When Disney (nyse: DIS) reports its third-quarter earnings on Aug. 9, Drewry said that he expects theme park revenue to increase 9.9% to $2.7 million and earnings before taxes, interest and amortization to rise 16.6% to $509 million. Long term, the analyst said that the company's decision to purchase Hungama, an Indian children's cable and satellite television network, for $30.5 million, will further brand name recognition. As part of the deal, Disney will spend another $14 million for 14.9% of UTV Software Communications, an India-based media firm - something, which Drewry said will bolster the company's international portfolio as well. Credit Suisse maintained an "outperform" rating on Disney's stock and a price target of $41. |
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The Pirates of the Caribbean
Multiplayer game has reportedly gone live on Verizon
Wireless. The multiplayer online real-time game was produced
by Floodgate, and will have people playing on maps that hold
up to 16 players. The servers can hold “tens of thousands”
of players and the intention is to make it cross-carrier,
although that may have to wait on deals with other carriers.
The game has three different ships for players to use and
three different modes of play. All-in-all it sounds like a
pretty good game which is based on the whole concept rather
than a particular movie, although the proof will be in the
playing.
It will cost $3.49 per month to play, and the game fully supports streaming content and a mobile social community, so it could develop into a recurring revenue generator. |
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The final performance of Cinderellabration will take place on September 16th 2006, with the replacement show slated to open September 30th 2006. No news yet on what the replacement show will be. |
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Disney gives traditional animation another shot Walt Disney Studios has reunited with the directors of its box office disaster "Treasure Planet" as part of a plan to get back into the decidedly unfashionable business of traditional animation. The new project, "Frog Princess," will put a female spin on the classic fairy tale, according to sources. It will be overseen by John Musker and Ron Clements, who left the studio shortly after "Treasure Planet" bombed at the end of 2002, grossing just $38 million domestically. In their heyday at Disney, they demonstrated their ability to spin a popular tale around a female protagonist with 1989's "The Little Mermaid." They also worked on such traditionally animated Disney musicals as "Aladdin" and "Hercules." But traditional animation no longer draws the crowd, thanks in part the innovative computer-animation purveyed by Pixar Animation Studios, which Disney now owns. Pixar principals Ed Catmull and John Lasseter, who now run Disney's feature animation operations, are interested in exploring Disney's pioneering 2-D tradition. One of Lasseter's first initiatives following Disney's acquisition of Pixar this year was to woo Musker and Clements back into the fold. |
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Bucs set for Disney
practice The Tampa Bay Buccaneers begin their fifth preseason training camp at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex Friday and will continue through Aug. 16. The tentative schedule includes 15 practice dates at, with 12 two-a-days. Sessions will begin at 8:30 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. those days. Practice sessions generally last approximately two hours, although afternoon practices involving special teams last only about an hour. The schedule is subject to change due to weather. Fans may call 407-939-GAME for updates. Here is the tentative schedule: Aug. 1-4, 6-9, 13-16 — practices beginning at 8:30 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.; Aug. 5 — 8:30 a.m. practice; Aug. 10 — 10:15 a.m. walk-through prior to departure to Tampa for pre-season game with N.Y. Jets; Aug. 17 — final practice at 8:30 a.m. before training camp breaks. While normally there is an admission fee for Wide World of Sports, Disney and the Bucs offer free admission to their workouts. The team’s pressing issue is getting its first-round draft pick, offensive lineman Davin Joseph from Oklahoma University, under contract. General Manager Bruce Allen met with Joseph’s agent this week to get him signed and in camp on the same timetable that saw running back Cadillac Williams got his contract signed a year ago. Following their first preseason camp at Disney in 2002, the Buccaneers won their first Super Bowl. The Bucs were 11-5 in 2005 and won the NFC South Division before losing to the Washington Redskins. |
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Disney
ranch recognized for promoting Paints In recognition of 35 years of showcasing the American Paint Horse, the Tri-Circle-D Ranch at Walt Disney World's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, near Orlando, Florida, recently received the American Paint Horse Association's (APHA's) Legendary Achievement Award. As part of the award honor, APHA President Carl Parker and World Show Manager Butch Carse presented a special plaque to Tri-Circle-D Zoological Manager Robin Walker and Curator Mark Beatty during a ceremony at the Fort Wilderness Resort. The APHA award also recognized several hundred Tri-Circle-D employees, known as "cast members", for their continuing work in introducing American Paint Horses to park visitors through daily trail rides. "Disney has been recognized with Academy Awards," Carse said to hundreds of people gathered for the ceremony. "This award we are presenting to you is our version of an Academy Award, to recognize the cast of the Tri-Circle-D Ranch." Besides Paint Horses, other breeds that can be found at the ranch include Appaloosas, Arabians, Belgians, Clydesdales, Percherons, Quarter Horses, and Shetland and Welsh ponies. The ages of the horses typically range from 4 to 10 years. |
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Walker described the horses selected for use on the trail
rides as normally being at least 15 hands tall, quiet, sound
and beautiful.
"We love Paint Horses for a variety of reasons," Tri-Circle-D's zoological manager added. "They make our job easy because they fit so well into what we do here. They are sensible, willing, friendly, and of course, gorgeous. The guests always comment on them, and they always remember them if they have ridden them on a past trail ride." Tri-Circle-D, home to about 75 horses, offers five rides a day with a maximum of 12 people on each ride. During the ranch's busier times, additional rides are scheduled. Two trail guides accompany each group, and the rides last about 45 minutes. The riders enjoy the scenery on the wide trails that traverse the beautiful wooded acreage of Fort Wilderness, which teems with wildlife such as deer, armadillos and raccoons. |
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Surf School
Glassy waves break in 6-foot sets, forming a surfer's
paradise. The sun barely peaks its head over the morning
horizon, setting an almost idyllic scene. |
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Disney executive Lee Cockerell has a legacy of leadership
Fresh out of the Army and a long way from his Oklahoma
upbringing, the future Walt Disney World executive was in
Washington, D.C., seeking a waiter job and getting his first
look at a real hotel. |
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Over the next 40 years, though he never finished college,
Cockerell parlayed those early lessons and rose through
management and executive ranks first at Hilton, then Marriott
and then Disney. This week he retires as executive vice
president of operations for Walt Disney World -- a
billion-dollar enterprise with 58,000 employees. Cockerell's last day is Friday, ending a 13-year run at Walt Disney World and 16 years with the company. Senior Vice President Erin Wallace, a former vice president of Magic Kingdom, will succeed him. Disney World President Al Weiss, who himself is moving on once the company decides how to replace him (he's been promoted to worldwide president of Walt Disney Resorts), called Cockerell dynamic and extremely organized and their relationship "fantastic." "He ran a huge part of our operation here," Weiss said. "Anything that we needed to get done on the operating side of our business, Lee and I would talk about it and he would make sure it happened." Cockerell, 61, is known for his obsessions with training employees and time management, frequent visits to the parks and hotels to mix with staff and visitors, and an open-door policy for his office. He insists that only front-line employees -- ticket takers, store clerks, custodians, ride operators -- can transform a vacation into what Disney likes to call "magic," and only inspirational supervisors can make them into magicians. "You can ride the rides. You can go to the shows, eat in the restaurants. The difference is before the show: the person who seats you, the one who serves your food," Cockerell said. "I think the world is starved for being treated special. We do that well." Still, in a work force where the vast majority make less than $8 an hour and many feel stretched thin by high expectations, odd shifts and mandatory overtime, his messages of magic, education, advancement and open doors can seem like window dressing. "I think he's just another [executive] who's made his money and is moving on," said Donna-Lynne Dalton, business agent for Teamsters Local 385, which represents Disney character actors and a few others. Married to Priscilla for 38 years (their son Daniel, 37, started at Disney before Lee did and is now general manager of merchandise at Magic Kingdom), Cockerell is not going away entirely. He plans to continue teaching at the Disney Institute and local colleges, and is writing a book about Disney management strategies. And as he has for many years, he expects to be found most mornings starting his day before sunrise chatting at a Dr. Phillips-area coffee house, and, during many days, in the parks, trading Disney collector pins and information. Cockerell is known to most employees through his editing and writing of the employee newsletter "The Main Street Diary." Weiss also credited him with creating the company's leadership development strategies, time- and life-management courses attended by thousands, and diversity initiatives. During his time, Disney World opened Disney's Animal Kingdom, several new resort hotels, and an expansion of Downtown Disney. The resort went through boom years, but also the tourism crisis that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Cockerell said that was a test of trust between employees and management, and with customers. Weiss declared no one would be laid off, even though business plummeted. Weiss, Cockerell and the rest of the top executives came up with a plan to freeze wages and hiring, cut hours and close a handful of attractions. "When you talk about building trust, I think we got a huge value out of that decision," Cockerell said. "Trust is the most important thing in business today. As you build trust, your people will be committed." Martin K. Starr, professor emeritus at both Columbia University in New York and the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College, said Cockerell's ideas about managing people would work anywhere. "I could easily put Lee in a field where they're making automobiles and they would be better than they are now," Starr said. In 2001 Starr got Cockerell to speak at an international conference of the Production and Operations Management Society held in Orlando. "Everyone went away from that meeting saying, 'Wow,' " Starr said. "He makes everyone feel they can do more than they are doing. He wants them to self-educate and learn. He promotes learning in everybody he meets and says, 'You know, you can have another kind of job and there is advancement in the organization as you learn to do more and more kinds of things.' " It worked for Cockerell. He doesn't know why the dining room manager at the Washington Hilton hired him 40 years ago, when all the other waiters were seasoned professionals. Cockerell said Kurt transformed him from someone who thought Sterno was an appetizer into an inspired, ambitious young man. "He took me under his wing and taught me everything. He was tough and insisted that everything be done perfectly. He never made me feel dumb and was always professional and respectful. He was constantly observing me and telling me quietly how to do it right without embarrassing me in front of others," Cockerell said. "He built my self-esteem and self-confidence." |
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THQ Inc. (THQI.O) posted a loss on Thursday that wasn't as
bad as the market expected and its share rose 2 percent.
THQ, known for its Nickelodeon and professional wrestling games, posted a fiscal first-quarter net loss of $12.1 million, or 19 cents per share, compared with its loss of $4.0 million, or 6 cents per share, in the year-earlier period ended June 30. Excluding items, THQ's loss in the most recent quarter was 16 cents per share. The results topped the company's own forecast calling for a loss of 21 cents per share excluding items. Analysts' average call was for a loss of 20 cents, according to Reuters Estimates. The company said the reason that didn't lose as much as analysts' forecast was because of the strong sales of its hit video game "Cars" based on the Disney-Pixar (DIS.N) animated film and its racing game MotoGP 2006. Net sales were $138.8 million, exceeding THQ's revenue forecast of $125 million and analysts' consensus target of $129.2 million, as compiled by Reuters Estimates. The company forecast second-quarter revenue of around $195 and earnings, excluding items, of 1 cent per share. Analysts'average forecasts for the quarter ending September 30 call for revenue of $179.9 million and earnings excluding items of 4 cents per share, according to Reuters Estimates. THQ reiterated its forecasts for fiscal 2007, which call for net sales of $900 million to $950 million and earnings of 90 cents to $1.00 per share, excluding items. "I think they're being appropriately conservative on the bottom line," said Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter. Video game sales are down from last year as enthusiasts wait and save for new video game consoles. Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O) debuted its Xbox 360 in November while Nintendo Co. Ltd (7974.OS) and market leader Sony Corp. (6758.T) are due to release their new machines in time for the holidays. Shares of THQ closed at $22.12, down almost 2 percent, on the Nasdaq and climbed to $22.60 in extended trade. |
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Girl's Disney dream
come true Dreams can really come true. The Make-A-Wish Foundation paid all the expenses for her;
her parents, Jose Antonio and Gabriela Romero; and her
brother, Jose Antonio Jr., to take a four-day Disney cruise
from Miami to Castaway Cay, Disney's private island in the
Bahamas, in May. |
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Officials from the NOAA National Weather Service have
declared Disneyland Resort in California as a StormReady
community. Along with the Walt Disney World Resort in
Florida, the Disneyland Resort joins more than 1,070
StormReady communities throughout the United States and is
one of 18 such communities in California.
"More than 10,000 severe thunderstorms, 2,500 floods and 1,000 tornadoes affect the United States annually, with high winds, heavy rain, flooding and thunderstorms likely to affect the southern California region," said retired Air Force Brig. Gen. David L. Johnson, director of the NOAA National Weather Service. "The National Weather Service developed the StormReady program to help protect every American from such hazardous weather." The nationwide community preparedness program uses a grassroots approach to help communities develop plans to handle local severe weather and flooding threats. The voluntary program provides communities with clear-cut advice from their local NOAA National Weather Service forecast office and state and local emergency managers. The StormReady program began in 1999 with seven communities in the Tulsa, Okla., area. "StormReady encourages communities to take a proactive approach to improve local hazardous weather operations and public awareness," said Vickie Nadolski, director of the NOAA National Weather Service western region. "In partnership with a local National Weather Service forecast office, StormReady helps communities improve communications and safety resources needed to save lives—before, during and after a weather event." Located on 500 acres in Anaheim, Calif., the Disneyland Resort opened in 1955 and has become a multifaceted, world-class family resort with three hotels, two theme parks and the shopping and dining complex known as Downtown Disney. The resort has its own emergency operations center with 24-hour warning capabilities. "When protecting our guests and cast members, it's all about preparedness and partnerships with government agencies that make a difference," said Greg Emmer, senior vice president of operations for the Disneyland Resort. "We are very proud to accept this StormReady recognition and appreciate the acknowledgement of our emergency management efforts." To be recognized as StormReady, a community must:
In a ceremony at Disneyland on July 24, resort officials were presented with a formal recognition letter and StormReady signs. The StormReady recognition will remain in effect for three years before the resort conducts a renewal process. In 2007, NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, celebrates 200 years of science and service to the nation. From the establishment of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson to the formation of the Weather Bureau and the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries in the 1870s, much of America's scientific heritage is rooted in NOAA. NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners and more than 60 countries to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes. |
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Disney Vault 28 Coming to Downtown Disney California
Replete with hip, funky, sexy, comfy clothes this contemporary style boutique - paired with an upscale "Disney" creative edge - a place where unexpected finds in apparel, jewellery and accessories is synony'mouse' with today's latest styles. Disney Vault 28 has an urban eccentric feel that captures the fashion, art, and music that reflects a southern California lifestyle. We hope that it will offer an ever-changing mix of clothes and accessories for both men and women as well as a select range of gifts and home accessory items, not to mention our own Disney apparel which has been given an unexpected twist." Disney Vault 28 will have a menu of items on their list this Fall, so be sure to frequent this A-List only hot spot for the latest styles, travelling trunk shows and special events. Coming this Fall to the Downtown Disney District. |
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Wednesday July 26, 2006 |
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How do you successfully plunder
the U.S. box office? Take some savvy marketing, a quick
turnaround of action-packed sequels and a curiously alluring
actor like Johnny Depp. It all adds up to Walt Disney (nyse:
DIS) Pictures’ Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s
Chest the swashbuckling epic that reached the $300
million mark at the U.S. box office in 16 days, faster than
any other film.
The record had previously been held by
Star Wars Episode III, which took 17 days. In the U.K.,
the new Pirates film is already the No. 1 title of
2006, and worldwide it has raked in more than $500 million.
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'Pirates'
sizzles for toymaker Zizzle
How did a fledgling toy company called Zizzle, created less than two years ago, beat out the industry's big guns to win the master toy license for the record-breaking "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequel? It's Simple CEO Roger Shiffman wore a pirate hat. Zizzle's chief marketing officer Marc Rosenberg donned some pirate-like headgear. And Patty Jackson, vice president for product development, got into character as a pirate wench. This is how Zizzle's senior management appeared before Disney executives last February in a New York city hotel room where they made their "passionate" pitch, said Rosenberg. "We had scheduled a two-hour meeting and it went to four. We were very prepared," Rosenberg said. "We threw coins all over the room, draped gold and silver fabric over the chandeliers. We had prototypes of 'Pirates' products ready to show them. We really laid out a detailed plan about how we would make it a franchise business." Jessi Dunne, executive vice president of Disney Toys, who was at the meeting, said Zizzle's team "got it immediately." Although she didn't name these companies specifically, Dunne alluded to industry leaders Mattel and Hasbro as other potential key partners that were also considered for the "Pirates" license. "We picked a partner that we felt shared our vision to develop the 'Pirates' property into a long-term franchise," Dunne said."Roger gave us the confidence he could do that." It probably didn't hurt either that Dunne and Roger had previously worked together at Hasbro. "As much as Zizzle is a new company, they have assembled a group of toy industry veterans like Roger who are very product savvy and have the right contacts," Dunne said. Shiffman, a well-known industry veteran of over 30 years, is credited with launching some of the biggest toy hits over the past decade, including Furby, Giga Pets and Poo-Chi the robotic pet dog. With the "Pirates" master license, Zizzle has the exclusive right to make "Pirates"-termed action figures, role-play products and electronics for the current sequel and for the third "Pirates" movie which is slated for release next summer. Rosenberg declined to divulge exactly how much the company paid Disney to acquire the master toy license other than to say it was a "multi-million" dollar contract. Catapulted into the big leagues The privately-held Zizzle, based in Bannockburn, Ill., doesn't disclose its sales numbers. Even so, some industry watchers said it's not hard to figure out that the sequel's record-breaking $132 million weekend opening, and subsequent run past the $300 million mark, is likely to translate into some big bucks for the young toymaker. "I think Zizzle will do about $50 million from this license," said Jim Silver, a toy industry expert and editor-in-chief of Toy Wishes magazine. Rosenberg confirmed that Silver isn't too far off the mark. That's not bad for a year-and-a-half old with just 30 employees in its U.S. headquarters. Moreover, the toy industry hasn't exactly been all that fun lately as toymakers, including the No. 1 and No. 2 players Mattel and Hasbro struggle to grow sales in the face of stiff challenge from popular electronics gadgets such as Apple iPod and Sony PSP. But Zizzle scored a home-run with its very first product, a wacky-looking electronic, music-playing creature called "Iz" which was named as one of "Toy Wishes" Hot Dozen toys for 2005. Iz hit the the market at warp speed of only six months after Zizzle's launch, compared to the typical average development time of eight to 12 months for new toy products. "There are inherent advantages to being small and private. We can cut through the timelines which is critical in our business," said Zizzle's Rosenberg. Licensed products are risky business 'Iz' success and now the "Pirates" license has officially put Zizzle on the radar, said Silver. Should Mattel, Hasbro and other more established toy companies be worried about this young upstart? "I think companies should always take note of all the competition out there," said Silver. "The fact that Zizzle secured widespread distribution in all the mass retail chains in it's second year of existence means this company has already arrived."' Greg Staley, CEO of toy retailer KB Toys, agreed. "Zizzle is becoming a formidable competitor. The 'Pirates' action toys are the No. 1-selling action figure line at KB Toys right now. That's a testimony to that product line," Staley said. He added that the company also plans to make "Pirates" products the center theme for the November-December holiday shopping period, a critical time for toy retailers that accounts for over 70 percent of toy shipments to retailers and over 50 percent of all toy retail sales. "Pirates" is hot right now and no surprise that the movie-related merchandise is flying off retailer's shelves. But as Silver points out, the licensed toys business is risky because its unpredictable. The danger with movie-licensed goods is that their hot sales period is the four weeks before and after the movie comes out, Silver explained. If it's a summer release, like "Pirates", that means the buying momentum could start to wane even before people ramp up for their holiday gift shopping. For Zizzle, that could spell big trouble given that the "Pirates" products represent a bulk of its 2006 product offerings. Rosenberg said Zizzle's gameplan to offset that risk is to keep fresh product coming in for the holidays. "Luckily for us, the movie has a rich character base. So it's easy to do refreshes," he said, adding that the DVD release should help reignite interest in the line in the fourth-quarter. "Beyond that we're already working on new "Pirates" products for 2007 which I can't talk about yet, he said. |
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Euro Disney revenue up 13% as new ride attracts visitors
French theme-park operator Euro Disney (EDLP.PA) reported a 13 percent rise in third-quarter revenues on Wednesday and said it was making encouraging progress with new rides aimed at getting more visitors. The company behind Disneyland Paris, which hauled itself from the brink of bankruptcy in 2005, said revenue for the quarter ending June 30 rose to 286.6 million euros ($362 million) from 254 million a year earlier. Earlier this year, Euro Disney unveiled a new ride called the Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, and the company said it was making good progress with such attractions. "I am pleased with year-to-date revenues and especially with third quarter's, as well as with the success of the opening of Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, the first step of our multi-year investment program," Chairman and Chief Executive Karl L. Holz said in a statement. "These results reflect the group's strategy of increasing growth through innovative marketing and sales efforts as well as a multi-year investment program. This performance is encouraging as we enter into the important summer months," he added. |
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2-D
Animation Officially Back at Disney
In an animation panel, Eric Gold
berg, who will be heading up a shorts program at the Mouse
House, said that a new 2D film, titled, THE FROG PRINCESS,
is in development at the studio. Moreover, LITTLE MERMAID
directors Ron Clements and John Musker will be helming the
film. |
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Disney Studios cuts 650 staffers
Walt Disney Studios laid off 650 employees Tuesday, a week after it announced a sweeping overhaul of its operations. The cuts represent 20 percent of the studio's work force, including 325 U.S. and 325 international employees. Employees in Walt Disney Feature Animation, Pixar Animation Studios, Miramax Films, Buena Vista Music Group and Buena Vista Theatrical Prods. were not affected by the layoffs. Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook said last week that the studio would cut its film output to 12-13 pictures per year, with an emphasis on Disney-branded family movies. |
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HK Disneyland makes visit to Tomorrowland more fun
Barely a year old, Hong Kong Disneyland introduced three new attractions at Tomorrowland this month as part of its expansion plans and to attract more visitors. Tomorrowland is one of the three themed attractions at Hong Kong Disneyland and pays homage to what the future would be. Sales and travel trade marketing vice-president Josh D’Amaro said Hong Kong Disneyland was on target to achieve 5.6 million visitors in its first year of operation. The theme park opened to the public on Sept 12 last year. “Our targeted attendance is 5.6 million. We started a little slower than anticipated but we are going through our peak season now. “We have a lot of good commercial products in place as well as new attractions coming into Tomorrowland,” D’Amaro told StarBiz. He said the new attractions were Autotopia, Stitch Encounter and UFO Zone, but would only say that the amount invested is “substantial”. The expansion was necessary to adjust to guests’ needs and the theme park would continue to change and expand over time, D'Amaro said. “We have not been opened for a year yet, so it is difficult to compare the performance of Hong Kong Disneyland with our theme parks in other countries. However, the feedback from visitors has been good. “Our primary markets are Hong Kong and China, Taiwan and South-East Asia. Roughly, each of these areas contribute one-third of the total visitors to Hong Kong Disneyland,” he added. D’Amaro was in Kuala Lumpur last month to meet travel agents and promote Hong Kong Disneyland. The leisure segment contributes the lion’s share of the theme park's revenue but the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) market is also important. “We have the facilities for the MICE market and our selling point is that we provide a highly differentiated, all-inclusive experience,” he added. D’Amaro said something was in store to celebrate Hong Kong Disneyland's first anniversary in September, but declined to disclose the details. |
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Walt Disney Classics Collection Announces Pirates Series Coming to Disneyland and Walt Disney World in October is the first in a new series of Pirates of the Caribbean sculptures. Inspired by the work of Disney legend Marc Davis, the first piece in the new series in the Walt Disney Classics Collection was sculpted by artist Jacqueline Perreault Gonzalez. |
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About Marc Davis
Known as one of Disney's Nine Old Men, he began his career at the Studio in December 1935, working on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He developed such memorable characters as young Bambi and Thumper, and gained a reputation for animating such distinctive female characters as Cinderella, Tinker Bell and Cruella De Vil, among others. In addition, he played an active role in the planning of Disneyland park and all four of Disney's New York World's Fair attractions, including Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, it's a small world, and later consulted on attractions for EPCOT Center and Toyko Disneyland after his retirement in 1978. In 1989, Marc was honored with the Disney Legends award. |
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Disney, USA Tops
in Cable Ratings
For the first time
this summer, non-ad-supported Disney Channel ended up on the
top of the cable ratings heap, thanks to its latest
‘tween-skewing original musical, Read It and Weep. |
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As part of an effort to seek out new content opportunities
outside of the U.S., Disney Channel Worldwide has named
Michiyo Hayashi to the newly created role of senior
manager of development for its Jetix action/adventure
brand, and Irene Hamberger as senior manager of content
acquisition at Disney Channel Japan and Toon Disney Japan.
Both executives will be based in Tokyo. The appointments are part of an organizational initiative to establish creative teams around the world. "Japan's history of animation makes it an obvious base from which to seek out new opportunities," said Gary Marsh, the president of entertainment at Disney Channel Worldwide. "We look forward to working with many of the world's best animation studios based there to develop new and compelling content for our Jetix programming." Paul Candland, MD of Walt Disney Television International, Japan, added, "These newly created roles will be key in our development of programming to strengthen the Jetix brand in Japan and our continued acquisition of the highest Disney Channel-quality content for kids and families." Hayashi was most recently senior manager of content acquisition/franchise management based in Japan. In her new role, she will oversee development of locally produced content for the kids' action/adventure/comedy programming seen on Jetix platforms and programming blocks worldwide, working closely with Japanese animation studios, production companies and terrestrial broadcasters. Hamberger will join the company to take over Hayashi's content acquisitions duties. She has over 12 years of acquisitions experience in the Japan market. |
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From Walt Disney's award-winning motion picture Mary Poppins,
Marie Osmond presents a limited edition, musical doll
created exclusively for Disney, Mary Poppins. The 18-inch,
standing doll plays "a spoonful of sugar" written by Richard
M. and Robert B. Sherman and is a limited edition of 750.
Mary Poppins features authentic film costume detailing,
including Mary Poppins' unusual parrot head umbrella. This
limited edition, musical Mary Poppins is available
exclusively on the internet beginning October 6, 2006, but
can be reserved in advance. Guests can find Mary Poppins by
visiting www.Disneyshopping.com or by calling 800-328-0368.
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Walt Disney's Mary Poppins made its debut in 1964 as
Disney's most successful motion picture of that time. The
film earned $44 million in its original release, received
13 nominations from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences, and won five Oscars. When Julie Andrews accepted
her Oscar for Best Actress, she said, "I know where to
start. Mr. Disney gets the biggest thanks."
The special-effects work on "Mary Poppins" was the most challenging the studio had ever known. Everything from the two-strip sodium process and piano wire to bungee cords was used to create the magical sequences. The work of the special-effects crew, as well as all the production staff, was the culmination of years of Disney innovation. The entire film was shot on soundstages at the Disney Studio in Burbank. For more information visit www.charismabrands.com. |
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Josh Henderson has joined the cast of "Desperate
Housewives," playing the sexy, bad-boy nephew of Edie
Britt (Nicollette Sheridan).
His first episode is expected to air October 1 on ABC. Henderson played lead character Pfc. Bo Rider on "Over There," Steven Bochco's gritty Iraq war drama for FX. On the big screen, he will next be seen in Disney Pictures' "Step Up!" Paramount Pictures' "Broken Bridges" and the indie thriller "Fingerprints." |
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Photo from
Castaway Cay Below is a photo from the recently brought in Flying Dutchman ship from the Pirates of the Caribbean Movie. |
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Tuesday July 25, 2006 |
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Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has named Ed
Grier president of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.
Grier, who has worked for Disney for 25 years, was previously executive managing director of Walt Disney Attractions Japan, the company said Tuesday. He will report to Al Weiss, president of operations for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. He replaces Matt Ouimet who is leaving Burbank's Disney (NYSE: DIS) for Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Disney says a replacement for Grier's position will be named later. Grier is a CPA and worked for Ernst and Young prior to joining The Walt Disney Co. in 1981. He has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Duquesne University in Pennsylvania. Below is Matt Ouimet's Farewell Letter. Dear Team: For the past seventeen years, my family and I have been part of something very special — we have been part of the larger Disney family. This week, that chapter of our lives ends as I've accepted the position of President, Hotel Group with Starwood Hotels and Resorts. It has been a privilege to work with the extraordinary people who collectively make up our Cast. It has been an honor to watch your hard work come to life as ships were launched, resorts were opened and theme parks sprung up around the globe. Representing you in the local community has been humbling and very rewarding. At every event I attended, someone — usually multiple people — told me their story of how one of our Cast Members made a difference in their lives. It has been an honor to be a small part of the legacy that is Disneyland during the celebration of its 50th anniversary. From my office window, I can clearly see the Matterhorn, Space Mountain and the Tower of Terror — and I am certain my new office will have a much less compelling view. In a three minute walk I can enter Toontown and wander the Park. Most of the time I'm just enjoying watching our Guests and our Cast...and that is what I will miss most of all. On a recent trip to Walt Disney Imagineering, I had the opportunity to look at the future of the Disneyland Resort through the lens of an Imagineer, and I left that session with a big smile on my face — but knowing that I'd have to watch this magic play out from a distance. Please accept my sincere appreciation for everything you've done for our Guests, your fellow Cast Members and my family and me. Matt Ouimet |
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Harold Reynolds is out at ESPN, reportedly
fired from his job as a baseball analyst.
Reynolds, a member of the "Baseball Tonight" team for 11 years, made his last appearance on the show Sunday night, ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said Tuesday. ESPN is owned by The Walt Disney Co. The network refused to comment on a New York Post report that said Reynolds was dismissed, or to provide any details regarding his departure. "All I can say is he is no longer working here," Krulewitz said. Reynolds, who played 12 major league seasons, joined ESPN in 1996. In addition to his work on Baseball Tonight, the former Gold Glove-winning second baseman also covered the College World Series and the Little League World Series for the network. ESPN already was dealing with the loss of another baseball analyst, Peter Gammons, who has been off the air since he was stricken with a brain aneurysm on June 27. |
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Pin-trading events to end at Disney World resort hotels
Disney pin-trading nights are coming to an end at Walt
Disney World hotels, and some collectors wonder if it's
because of declining interest. |
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Executives from ABC have decided to air "Pirates of the
Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" on the same night
as the Emmy Awards.
They reportedly chose the broadcast date for "Pirates" because their hit shows "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives" didn't make the cut for Emmy nominations this year, the New York Post reported Tuesday. The network will air "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" on Aug. 27, the same night that NBC airs the Emmys. Big movies like "Pirates" are usually saved until ratings sweeps periods. |
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Epcot International Food and Wine Festival Events Released
Sample the flavors at more than 20 International
marketplaces representing over 20 countries and regions.
Enjoy wine and cooking demonstrations or treat yourself to
one of the exclusive dining experiences available. The laser and musical fireworks finale, "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth," will cap off each festival evening. Activities for Children: The Buzz about Honey From 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekends, beekeepers are on hand with observation hives filled with thousands of honeybees at work. The exhibit is located on the Rosewalk, just outside the Festival Center. Epcot Junior Chef Program "Making Toll House Cookies." Kids ages 4 to 10 can get in on the action and make their own cookies at The Land pavilion in Future World daily from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Nuts About Peanuts Meet a peanut farmer, attend "Peanut University" and take a quiz about this nutritious treat. Open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., hosted by the Peanut Advisory board. The exhibit is located on the Rosewalk, just outside the Festival Center. Living with the Land Bountiful Harvest! Pumpkins don't just come from the grocery store -- kids can see how the giants grow in the pumpkin patch at The Land pavilion. Pumpkins up to 200 pounds plus a bounty of melons and tomato "trees" laden with fruit. Behind the Seeds Greenhouse Tour The whole family can take a tour of The Land greenhouses and fish farm where there's gigantic fruit, good bugs, fish, gators and more. Do the herb-and-spice challenge, taste a greenhouse veggie and sprout a seed in your pocket. Call 407/WDW-TOUR for reservations. Kidcot Children are encouraged to tour the promenade and visit all 11 locations where they will find a special chef's mask that they may personalize. Food & Wine Marketplaces: Appetizer-sized portions from $1-$4.50. Argentina Australia Campania, Italy Canada Champagne Chile China France Great Beers Greece Hops & Barley India Ireland Japan Mexico Morocco New Zealand Oktoberfest Poland Scandinavia South Africa Spain Thailand Turkey USA Wild & Wonderful Florida Shrimp The Odyssey Cooking School: The Odyssey Chefs’ Showplace presented by Saveur Magazine The Odyssey Cooking School School offers our Guests the opportunity to participate in an interactive cooking learning experience. A Walt Disney World Chef will assist each class with a visiting chef. Teams will come together to create a themed meal, which will be sampled at the conclusion of the class and paired with appropriate wines. Thursdays throughout the Festival 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Prices to be determined Park admission required. 10/4 - Indian Classics and New Delhi Dreams 10/11 - American Classics and Wine Country Flavors 10/18 - French Classics and Secrets from Rue Tatin 10/25 - Italian Classics 11/1 - Italian Classics 11/8 - Spanish Classics and Authentic Basque Accents Sweet Sundays: The Odyssey Chefs’ Showplace Pastry Chefs take center stage every Sunday in a celebration of everyone’s favorite – desserts! The morning session begins with a light breakfast and sparkling refreshment while you watch top pastry chefs in the country demonstrate three mouth-watering delights and share tips of the trade along the way. A sampling of the delectable trio will end your afternoon with a “sweet” sensation. Sundays, throughout the festival 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. & 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Prices to be determined. Park admission required October 1 Francois Payard, Payard Patisserie & Bistro, New York City October 8 TBA October 15 Keegan Gerhard, Food Network, The Food Network Challenge October 22 Warren Brown and Mary Meyers, Food Network, Sugar Rush October 29 Matt Lewis, Baked, Brooklyn, New York November 5 Maura Kilpatrick, Oleana, Boston November 12 Emily Luchetti, Farallon, San Francisco A Party for the Senses: World ShowPlace A Grand Tasting celebrating the sensory arts! An amazing event showcasing the talents of 25 eminent chefs and over 70 wines and beers. Wander from station to station to discover TASTES and TEXTURES, imaginative décor, and the SIGHT of the awe-inspiring acts direct from Cirque du Soleil, La Nouba. In addition, your evening includes VIP seating at the 5:45 p.m. performance of the “Eat to the Beat” concert series. Dates & Prices to be announced. Park admission required. Epcot Wine Schools: The Epcot Wine Schools consist of a day long wine education program hosted by a prestigious wine authority, continental breakfast, a wine pairing luncheon, and a certificate of completion for all attendees at the end of the day. Park admission not required. Saturdays and Sundays - 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. September 30 - Tour de France with Sherri Sauter, M.W. October 8 - South America with Sebastian Lopez October 14 - Burgundy with Don Kinnan October 15 - Burgundy with Don Kinnan October 22 - Mastering Wine 101with Karen MacNeil October 28 - Italy with Sharron McCarthy October 29 - Italy with Sharron McCarthy November 4 - South African with Robin Kelley O'Connor November 12 - Spain with Doug Frost, M.W. Exquisite Evenings at Epcot: Celebrity and Walt Disney World Signature Restaurant Chefs® team up to prepare a five–course meal. 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Cost: to be determined Park admission not required. 9/29 - Brilliant Bubbles 10/5 - Chile - Under the South American Ceiba Tree 10/6 - South Africa - Great Cape Classics 10/12 - Napa Valley - Beyond Borders: Wine, Food and Friends 10/13 - Italy - The Shared Italian Table 10/19 - American - Pride of the Pacific Northwest 10/20 - Napa Valley - California Gold 10/26 - Italy - Tuscan Tales 10/27 - France - A Bordeaux Affair 11/3 - Australia - Dining Down Under 11/9 - Global- A Passion for Pinot 11/10 - Spain - Iberian Roots Signature Dining Series: This series of dinners showcase the cuisine of our Resort Signature Restaurants. For all dinners, the hosting restaurant will invite a guest chef to join the resident chef to prepare a five-course meal. The wines of 2 or 3 wineries will be presented by winery principals Each dinner has a unique theme depending upon the date and location as indicated below. All dinners are 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. Prices to be determined. Park admission is NOT required for any of these events. October 8 - Beyond the Baobab Tree Jiko – The Cooking Place, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge October 20 - French Rarities Victoria & Albert's – The Grand Floridian Resort and Spa November 5 - Soarin' over California California Grill, Disney’s Contemporary Resort Food & Wine Pairings: This is a great opportunity to discover three wines with three tasting portions from Epcot signature restaurants. Park admission required. Prices to be announced. Sake, Sushi, and Sashimi 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, 11/6 Location - Mitsukoshi Restaurant, Japan Pavilion Time: 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Mediterranean Family Style 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 10/31, 11/7 Location - Restaurant Marrakesh, Morocco Pavilion Time: 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Coral Reef, Living Seas Pavilion Featured wineries and menu selection will change daily 9/29, 10/4, 10/5, 10/6, 10/11, 10/12, 10/13, 10/18, 10/19, 10/20, 10/25, 10/26, 10/27,11/1, 11/2, 11/3, 11/8, 11/9, 11/10 Location - Coral Reef, Living Seas Pavilion Time: 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Le Cellier, Steakhouse, Canada Pavilion Featured wineries and menu selection will change daily 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10 Location - Le Cellier Steakhouse, Canada Pavilion Time: 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Bistro de Paris, French Pavilion Regional French Specialties 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11 Location - Bistro de Paris, France Pavilion Time: 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. A selection of imported French cheeses and the finest charcuteries, pates, rillettes, hams, and sausages will be paired with the wine selection L’Originale Alfredo di Roma, Italy Pavilion Regional Italian Specialties 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 11/5, 11/12 Location - L’Originale Alfredo’s di Roma, Italy Pavilion Time: 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Vertical Wine Tastings: The Vertical Wine Tasting provides a rare opportunity for wine connoisseurs to taste 10 vintages from exceptional growers. A leading authority in the wine world will moderate each tasting of new or old world treasures. Saturdays throughout the Festival 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Prices to be determined. September 30 - Silverado Limited Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley October 7 - Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile October 14 - Antinori's Guado al Tasso, Italy & Ste. Michelle's Col Solare, Washington State (six vintages of each wine) October 21 - Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley October 28 - Chateau Lynch-Bages, Bordeaux November 4 - Chateau Leoville-Poyferre, Bordeaux November 11 - Miguel Torres Mas La Plana, Spain Guests can call 407/WDW-DINE for information or reservations for special events and programs during the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. Booking begins July 31st at 7AM (EST). |
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Walt Disney Co. has agreed to buy Hungama, an Indian children's TV channel that broadcasts in Hindi, for about $30.5 million as it ramps up investment in the fast-growing market. As part of the deal, Disney will take a 14.9 percent stake in UTV Software Communications Ltd., the diversified Indian media group that owns film and television assets, including Hungama via its United Home Entertainment unit. "Television is and will continue to be the major growth engine in building franchise affinity in India," said Rich Ross, president of the Disney Channel Worldwide. Disney, based in Burbank, Calif., already operates a Disney Channel and Toon Disney/Jetix in India, which reach 30 million homes on cable and satellite. Disney program blocks reach a wider audience on a terrestrial network. Hungama programming targets children ages 4 to 14 and includes such characters as Fireman Sam, the impish penguin Pororo and talking airplane Jay Jay. UTV said Disney would be issued 3.4 million shares of UTV Software Communications at 192.5 rupees each. UTV's shares were down 1.8 percent at 171.20 rupees in afternoon trading, off a high of 193 rupees, in a firm Mumbai market. Disney shares closed at $29.37 on Monday. |
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Madden catches
pay-per-view event
Electronic Arts can always expect to rake it in whenever the publisher releases the latest edition of its Madden NFL franchise. Now the company, along with ESPN, is looking to tap in to the hardcore Madden fan for some more revenue.
The two entertainment giants today announced Inside Madden
NFL 07, a pay-per-view program that will debut August 4 on
The production will also feature the perspective of five
gamers with Madden chops who traveled down to Tiburon to
get a sneak preview of the action. Dwayne Harrison, Jarvis
Thomas, and Justin Chow, all Madden Challenge vets, will
join MaddenNation.com co-owner Will Kinsler and Madden
Nation participant Rod Winn in discussing the game and
chatting with developers. A few current and former NFL
players will also discuss the game in the show.
EA has confirmed that the pay-per-view special will
feature entirely new content, and will be different from
the bonus features included on the Madden NFL 07
Madden NFL 07 will be released August 22 on the Xbox 360,
Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, DS, Game Boy Advance, PSP,
and PC. Versions for the Wii and PlayStation 3 are also in
the works.
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Kroger, Disney form food, health, beauty product pact
Kroger Co. and Disney Consumer Products, a unit of Walt
Disney Co. (DIS), are releasing a line of food, health
and beauty items featuring Disney and Disney-Pixar
characers.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The companies will first launch a food line, then launch
baby and toddler products, personal care and floral
items in 2007.
The companies expect about 100 food items to launch in
2006, including fruits, breakfast foods, cheese and
yogurts.
Under terms of the deal, the products will be available
at more than 2,400 Kroger stores.
Branding and packaging are designed to emphasize nutritional information to parents, the companies said. |
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The massacre at the Mouse House was plotted at the "happiest place in earth", Disney's venerable theme park in Orlando, Florida.
This is where Dick Cook, the normally cheery chairman of
Walt Disney Studios, warned colleagues at the company's
executive retreat that the axe was about to fall on 650
jobs, possibly the biggest purge in Hollywood history.
Some already know their fate: last week Nina Jacobson, Cook's deputy at Buena Vista, one of Disney's half dozen film divisions, was told by mobile phone she had been sacked as she stood by the hospital bed where her girlfriend was giving birth to their third child. His decision to "ramp up the family values" not only reflects Republican America but also two increasingly powerful outsiders: Steve Jobs, whose Pixar hits killed off traditional Disney animation before he sold his studio to Disney, and Philip Anschutz, a fundamentalist billionaire who brought the Narnia franchise to the studio. Driven by Wall Street There is another hidden hand in Hollywood: Now every studio is part of a larger global conglomerate whose fortunes are driven by Wall Street. (Not that it was that impressed by last week's announcement of job cuts; Disney's shares barely moved.) This trend gathered momentum last year when Steven Spielberg, the spiritual heir to Chaplin, sold his Dream Works studio to Viacom's Paramount for $1.6 billion. Jobs are also continuing to be purged at Paramount. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, one of Hollywood's oldest studios, which at its height used to release one film a week, was also snapped up last year, by Sir Howard Stringer at Sony. Since then 1,350 jobs have gone at MGM. In addition 400 jobs have been axed at Warner Bros in the continuing fall-out from the AOL merger. Others say it has always been thus. Disney says it is now in effect dumping Touchstone, terminating future projects such the aptly-named Deja Vu and Dead in The Water, to focus on a dozen annual "good" family films, inspired perhaps by the success of its Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The trouble is, say critics, nobody knows what a good film is. This, and the fact that nobody truly understands Hollywood's voodoo economics and book-keeping practices, may help explain Wall Street's cool reception to Cook's cost-cutting. Anyway, nod the old Hollywood hands, it's all cyclical and in five years Disney will be paying over the odds to get back into the grown-ups' club. Jacobson might even be running the company. That is show business. |
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Disney
Mobile's Pantech Curitel PN-320
Korean manufacturer Pantech and Curitel Communications has a new phone which will be launched under the Disney brand. Referred to as the Pantech & Curitel PN-320, documents filed at the FCC show that it is a dual-band CDMA cell phone. The PN-320 also features Bluetooth. This clamshell phone comes in a sleek package. No information on availability or pricing. Coming from Disney, it's a phone for the kids, so adults go get a motorola. Keep watching this space for updates. The PN-320 is a slim phone trying its best to imitate the RAZR, measuring 3.55" x 1.8" x 0.9". It has a basic VGA camera with flash, and the display is rather nice at 262k colors. |
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Disney Announces 2-D Animation at Comic Con 2006
Comic Con got it capacity crowd of 125,000 fans excited with fresh looks at upcoming blockbusters as well as some traditional fare.
Disney's "The Frog Princess" which returns to 2-D
style animation is in development with directors Ron
Clements and John Musker ("The Little Mermaid") signed
on.
Disney also offered a look at the extended DVD edition of "The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe". The sequel, "Prince Caspian" was alluded to by producer Mark Johnson who promised it would be up to par with the original. John Knoll of ILM showed a blooper reel of effects for "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest" which got lots of laughs from the crowd. He also showed the teaser trailer for "Pirates Of The Caribbean : At Worlds End" including new footage showcasing Ken Watanabe as a pirate from Singapore. Other films showcased included "Ghost Rider" starring Nicolas Cage and "Spider-Man 3" with Tobe McGuire returning as the web slinging hero. The entire cast was brought on stage including McGuire, Kirsten Dunst, Bryce Dallas Howard and bad guy newcomers Topher Grace (Venom) and Thomas Haden Church (The Sandman). |
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Johnny Depp and his pirate friends are keeping all the
box-office treasure for themselves.
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" remained the top movie for the third straight weekend, hauling in $35 million for a total of $321.7 million after just 17 days, according to studio estimates Sunday. The sequel passed the $305 million domestic total that its predecessor, 2003's "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," rang up during its entire six-month run. "Dead Man's Chest" easily beat new releases that included "Monster House," a spooky animated tale that debuted at No. 2 with $23 million. M. Night Shyamalan's "Lady in the Water" finished third while Kevin Smith's "Clerks II," his follow-up to the 1994 classic about two slackers on the job, was sixth. Uma Thurman and Luke Wilson's "My Super Ex-Girlfriend," a comedy about a superhero taking revenge against the boyfriend who jilted her, debuted at No. 7 with $8.7 million. Within a week, "Dead Man's Chest" is expected to top the $339.7 million domestic take of the animated "Finding Nemo" to become Disney's top-grossing movie of all time. |
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Corporate sponsors jumped on board of Walt Disney's
Pirates of the Caribbean, the sequel, after seeing the
popularity of the storybook notion of buccaneer among
viewers.
ARRRR! There be pirates about! Walt Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest hit theaters earlier this month during a hail of marketing tie-ins pelting consumers like grapeshot. Volvo, Kodak, Kellogg's, Visa, MySpace and Verizon are among companies latching on to the sequel to the surprise 2003 blockbuster, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which debuted July 7. When Disney's first Pirates movie was announced, plenty scoffed: A movie based on an amusement park ride? The laughter abruptly stopped after it grossed $47 million in its opening weekend, ending up with $653 million in worldwide revenue. Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow was a strange and likable character, a sort of fey Keith Richards in pirate garb, good enough to receive an Oscar nod. This time, the corporate sponsors couldn't board fast enough. LATCHING ON Others have latched on to the Pirates launch, though they are not official sponsors or partners. The History Channel's True Caribbean Pirates aired July 9 -- two days after the movie opened; Legoland, a California amusement park, opened its Pirate Shores ride. Oren Aviv, vice president of marketing for Disney Studios, said he doesn't mind the hangers-on. ''It only confirms, at least in my mind, that we have something really amazing here,'' he said. ``We had a number of sponsors last time, but not as much stuff going on as this time.'' Part of the appeal speaks to the popularity of the film franchise, but another part speaks to the enduring appeal of the storybook notion of a buccaneer. From the Pirates of Penzance to Long John Silver's, pirates have been a reliable draw for decades. Sparrow is the kind of a pirate that makes kids don eye patches at Halloween and grown men walk around the office growling, ''Arrrr!'' Sparrow is a thief, but he is a clever scoundrel, a rapscallion, more likely to do harm to his standing in the pirate community than to an enemy. He is a thumbed nose in the face of British colonial authority -- he sticks it to ye olde man. And advertisers know many of their customers imagine those traits in themselves. People (especially guys) can't seem to get enough of pirates. Witness the 20,000 views of a throwaway Saturday Night Live skit on YouTube that featured a pirate convention whose keynote speaker was actor Peter Sarsgaard, just because the pirates liked saying his name, ''Sarrrs-gaarrrrd!'' There are an annual Talk Like a Pirate Day (Sept. 19); a website that generates a pirate name for you; and a website, Pirate Mod.com, that sells ``alternative fashion with a piratical attitude.'' ADVERTISING SYMBOL It's hard to imagine a popular advertising symbol that has such a disconnect from its real-world roots as the pirate. It's as if Attila the Hun had undergone a Madison Avenue makeover, or if a soda company unveiled a New Pol Pot, the huggable huckster. Most old-time pirates were a foul, murderous lot, with pillaging practices and personal hygiene habits that would have shamed the Visigoths. On the other hand, their outside-the-box thinking was often valued by the establishment, which had a more acceptable name for them -- privateers. ''When historians try to put pirates into context, it only raises more questions about who was a real pirate,'' Frank Lambert, a history professor and pirate expert at Purdue University, wrote in an e-mail, citing British naval hero and one-time pirate Sir Francis Drake. ''You might say a pirate is in the eye of the beholder.'' Or, perhaps, the aye of the beholder. There's a lot less to like about modern pirates, who aren't lovable old salts with chatty parrots on their shoulders. They are seaborne thugs, firing rocket-propelled grenades at cruise ships off the coast of Somalia or holding Filipino seamen hostage. In the conflicted pirate image, consumers and advertisers effectively have divorced reality from fantasy, said Peter Arnell, an expert on branding. ''They are filled with a balance between charm and danger,'' he said by phone from Los Angeles. ``They fly against the rules, they live on the open sea and do what they want.'' Another branding expert, Steve Addis, agrees. ''They have been romanticized beyond just thieves,'' he said. 'They project a maverick personality, a free-spirited independent personality. It's an easy way [for a brand] to say, `I'm not a conformist.' It's shorthand.'' THE CONNECTION But what, exactly, about safety-first, airbag-stuffed Volvos screams ''maverick''? The Volvo connection with the new Pirates movie actually grew out of the company's annual around-the-world yacht race that recently concluded. Volvo was seeking an American sponsor for one of the boats, to increase the race's U.S. profile. Last year the company approached Disney, which saw a promotional opportunity for the Pirates sequel. The company festooned the sails of a 70-foot monohull racing yacht with images and words from the movie, and a circumnavigating promotional vehicle was christened. (Though most of the race's 32,700 open-ocean miles were spent promoting the movie to curious marine life.) Volvo's auto division wondered how it could get a piece o' the Pirates plunder. ''We couldn't have product placement in this film,'' said Roger Ormisher, vice president of public affairs for Volvo North America. ''It's kind of tough to get an XC90 [SUV] into the movie,'' which is set in the 1720s. So the automaker concocted a consumer treasure hunt that involves obtaining a treasure map at a Volvo dealer and answering e-mail puzzles that lead to the whereabouts of a buried $82,000 Volvo XC90. Two weeks into the promotion, more than 34,000 people have picked up maps at Volvo dealers, Ormisher said. ''And they probably wouldn't have walked into our retailers'' without the contest, he said. As for the unlikely marriage of Volvo and pirates, Ormisher pointed out that hordes of Vikings -- perhaps the first pirates -- marauded their way out of Sweden, home of Volvo. |
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'Ralph's World' for Pre-Schoolers Premiering on
Playhouse Disney
Walt Disney Records' Disney Sound label has entered into an exclusive recording agreement with Ralph Covert for his music for children known as "Ralph's World." The unique partnership between Disney Sound and Ralph Covert also encompasses Ralph's music publishing, concert tours and merchandise. The forthcoming CD/DVD package, "Welcome To Ralph's World," will contain 15 tracks plus five new music videos featuring live action intertwined with original animation. The two-disc set is scheduled for release on October 3, 2006. Acclaimed rock'n'roller Covert entered the realm of family entertainment with his 2001 recording, "Ralph's World." An immediate critical and audience hit, Covert recorded five additional albums over four years ("At the Bottom of the Sea" -- 2002, "Happy Lemons" -- 2002, "Peggy's Pie Parlor" -- 2003, "The Amazing Adventures of Kid Astro" -- 2004, and the Grammy-nominated "Green Gorilla, Monster & Me" -- 2005). His various releases drew raves from Time Magazine, Esquire, Entertainment Weekly, LA Times, Parenting, Family Fun and many others. Disney Sound has acquired the entire Ralph's World catalog of recordings and "Welcome To Ralph's World" will be a compilation of Ralph's favorite songs from all six albums, plus the newly-recorded track honoring the world's most-loved bear, "With A Friend (The Pooh Song)." "Green Gorilla" is now available on CD nationwide from Disney Sound with additional catalog titles currently available for download via iTunes and other digital music stores. The original music videos -- featuring Covert's brand of whimsical, pop-infused melodies with live action, animation and an all-kid audience -- will premiere in late-July during the learning-based programming block, Playhouse Disney, on Disney Channel. The first three videos scheduled to air are "Animal Friends," "Happy Lemons" and "Dance Around." The music videos will air at varying intervals during Playhouse Disney (weekdays, 6:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., and weekends, 6:00-10:30 a.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel. David Agnew, executive vice president & general manager, Buena Vista Music Group, says, "Ralph is a musical genius. His infectious melodies and clever lyrics make his music original and playful, appealing to both kids and their parents, which is what Disney Sound is all about." |
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Baby's Favorite Places: First Words - Around Town on
DVD Moms who enjoyed introducing their little ones to words around the house with the Baby Wordsworth title will now love helping them explore beyond the front yard with Baby's Favorite Places, available nationwide on July 25, 2006. The Baby Einstein Company and Academy Award winning actress, Marlee Matlin, have come together again, to release the second title in a collection created to expose little ones to the idea that communication can take on many forms, including verbal, written and sign. Recommended for children one year and up, Baby's Favorite Places provides parents with a fun and engaging way to interact with their little ones and discover the world together from a baby's point of view. As babies turn one year old they quickly become curious about the sights and places beyond their front door. From a trip to the mailbox to an afternoon at the park or a drive to the local ice cream shop, everything in the world around them is an exciting adventure just waiting to happen. Baby's Favorite Places allows parents and children to discover the vocabulary of places around the town and express these new words through both verbal and non-verbal communication. The adventure starts close to home as little ones explore their street from the garden to the sidewalk. Their travel continues with a trip to the park where they are introduced to things such as a pond and the playground. Their journey ends at Main Street where they encounter places such as a café, a school and a library. |
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Baby's Favorite Places introduces babies and
toddlers to 20 new words in multiple forms, exposing
them to what the word looks like visually, how it
sounds and how to sign it. First, the written word is
shown alongside an image of the featured place or
object. Next, Marlee Matlin signs the word, which is
then said aloud for children to hear. Once the words
have been introduced, a collection of realworld
images, art and playful children review each new part
of the neighborhood, providing parents with another
interactive opportunity to engage in the developmental
process with their little one. After each section,
little ones are encouraged to join in the fun as
children practice signing the new words onscreen.
Baby's Favorite Places also incorporates engaging
puppet shows, real world images and classical music
from Mozart and Joplin. All are core elements of the
award-winning Baby Einstein DVD collection.
"Working with The Baby Einstein Company to create DVD titles that incorporate sign language has been a rewarding adventure," said Marlee Matlin. "As a mother of four, I understand babies' endless curiosity about exploring the world around them and parents eagerness to be a part of the discovery process. It is thrilling for a parent to communicate with their child and by introducing non-verbal communication skills parents and little ones are able to interact on a whole new level before a child's verbal skills are fully developed. There was a great response from parents and babies to the first title I worked on with Baby Einstein, called Baby Wordsworth, and it is exciting to have the opportunity to provide parents with a new title that continues the exploration of language in different forms." Baby's Favorite Places is the 21st DVD title from The Baby Einstein Company, the award winning creator of the infant developmental media category and best-selling brand of videos for infants and toddlers, from birth. The DVD includes three bonus segments hosted by Marlee Matlin and, as with every Baby Einstein DVD, features multi-language viewing options in English, French and Spanish. Bonus materials include "Discovery Cards" that introduce people around the neighborhood, an animated matching game called "What Belongs", and a sing-along of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star that incorporates sign language and is lead by Marlee Matlin. Available at major retailers and online, the suggested retail price is $19.99 for DVD. |
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Asphalt Wars on DVD Available to own on DVD for the first time! In the tradition of "The Fast and the Furious" and "Blood In, Blood Out" comes Asphalt Wars. Reno, a young mechanic, dreams of joining the professional racing circuit. He spends his days at this uncle's garage and his nights conquering the world of illegal street racing. |
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When he is given the chance to be the getaway
driver in a lucrative but dangerous gang heist, he
accepts and expects to earn the money he needs to make
his dreams come true. But when Reno enters the dark
world of the gang, he finds that the choice that he
expects to bring him success only brings violence and
trouble. This high-octane thriller stars Calvi Pabon
(TV's "Port Charles") and Mario Alvarado. Written and
directed by Henry Crum.
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Scorpius Gigantus
on DVD For the first time on DVD comes Scorpius Gigantus, a fantastic thriller in the tradition of "Starship Troopers," from the producer of "Piranha" and 'Dinocroc." In a top-secret high-tech laboratory, scientists work to create super vaccines based on the genetics of scorpions, those notoriously resilient creatures that have been on earth for far longer than man. |
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When the project is usurped by the military in
order to create advanced bio-weaponry, something goes
horribly wrong. Now the mutated, indestructible
insects are on the loose, a threat to man's very
position at the top of the food chain. The only thing
in their way – a military Delta Force team, determined
to stop the creatures before evolution takes a nasty
turn for the worse.
The spirited cast of Scorpius Gigantus features Jeff Fahey ("Psycho 3," "The Lawnmower Man") and Jo Bourne-Taylor (TV's "Mile High"). Screenplay by Raly Radouloff, Terence H. Winkless. Directed by Tommy Withrow. |
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"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" was the
top movie for the third weekend in a row, bringing
in an estimated $35.0 million in ticket sales for
Walt Disney Co.
``Pirates,'' starring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, has grossed $321.7 million since it opened July 7, film-tracker Exhibitor Relations Co. said today in a statement. The movie's $135.6 million debut set opening-day, two-day and weekend records. The Disney film has helped boost ticket sales and attendance this year well ahead of last year, when sales fell 5.2 percent, the biggest drop in two decades. Sales this year are up 7 percent to $5.24 billion over the same period last year. Attendance has increased 3.8 percent, according to Exhibitor Relations. ``Pirates'' passed $300 million on its 16th day in theaters, passing the previous 17-day record of the 2005 film ``Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith,'' according to Exhibitor Relations. ``Pirates'' returns the cast of the original, including co- stars Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. In the sequel, characters played by Bloom and Knightley must interrupt their wedding plans to help save Sparrow from an eternity in servitude to supernatural sea captain Davy Jones. Sony Corp.'s animated ``Monster House'' debuted as the No. 2 film over the weekend, taking in $23.0 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters. The film, from Sony's Image Works unit, tells the story of children who try to save the neighborhood from a malevolent house that comes to life. Steve Buscemi, Jon Heder and Maggie Gyllenhaal provide voices. `Lady in the Water' ``Lady in the Water,'' the fantasy from director M. Night Shyamalan, debuted at No. 3 over the weekend, taking in $18.2 million. The film, which is being distributed by Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros. studio, opened to mostly negative reviews. Of 96 critiques compiled on the movie-review Web site Rotten Tomatoes.com, 72 fell in the ``rotten'' category, meaning the authors didn't recommend the film. Among other new films opening over the weekend, ``Clerks II,'' the Weinstein Co.'s sequel to the 1994 film, was in sixth place with $9.6 million. ``My Super Ex-Girlfriend,'' from News Corp.'s Twentieth Century Fox, landed in seventh place with $8.7 million in sales. ``Clerks II'' returns stars Jeff Anderson and Brian O'Halloran in a sequel to the film about a pair of 20-something slackers. Now in their 30s, they must to adjust to new minimum- wage jobs at a fast-food restaurant and the prospect that one of them will get married. ``Clerks II'' had a production budget of about $5 million, according to Box Office Mojo.com. The original film, made for about $27,000, took in $3.15 million in sales. In ``My Super Ex-Girlfriend,'' Uma Thurman plays a superhero who unleashes her powers on a former boyfriend after he takes up with another woman. Luke Wilson co-stars as the hapless target of her wrath. ``You, Me and Dupree,'' a comedy from General Electric Co.'s Universal Pictures, fell from third to fourth place with sales of $12.8 million. The film follows a pair of newlyweds played by Matt Dillon and Kate Hudson. Owen Wilson plays an old friend who recently lost his job and suddenly invades their life. ``Little Man,'' a comedy from Sony and Joe Roth's Revolution Studios, dropped from second place to fifth, with $11.0 million. The film has taken in $40.6 since it opened last week. Marlon Wayans stars as a baby-faced criminal who goes undercover as an infant to infiltrate a home and recover a diamond. ``Superman Returns,'' from Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros., fell to eighth from fourth with $7.5 million in its fourth weekend. The film has taken in $178.4 million since its June 28 opening. |
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The Mice That Roared
They weren't exactly holly-wood's idea of a power couple: Disney CEO Robert Iger, once derided as a "suit," and stu-dio chief Richard Cook, who got his start as a monorail operator at Disneyland. But last week Iger and Cook dropped a bomb bigger than any of the explosions you'll see in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." Just weeks after the record-smashing release of the sequel—soon to be the highest-grossing film in Disney history—Cook fired studio president Nina Jacobson and announced Disney was slashing 20 percent of its studio staff and cutting the number of films it makes each year by a third. As usual, Hollywood thought it was all about them. "People are concerned that if Disney is cutting back on live-action movies, then what are other companies going to do," says Jim Wiatt, chief executive of the William Morris Agency. The unflappable Iger's response: "We're focused on our own issues and strategies. If it has an effect on the industry, so be it. But it really is about us." Not bad for two guys who were considered perpetual bridesmaids. Iger and Cook both spent years toiling in the shadow of larger-than-life CEO Michael Eisner, who ran Disney like his personal kingdom. When Eisner's reign came to a Shakespearean end after a shareholder revolt led by Walt Disney's nephew, Iger found himself having to audition for his boss's job. Cook, who came up through the marketing ranks, had to endure similar Tinseltown tongue-clucking from those who assumed the affable bear of a guy didn't have teeth. No one's saying Iger and Cook aren't "sexy" anymore. In short order, Iger made up with shareholders and Pixar honcho Steve Jobs, who'd had an epic battle with Eisner, even persuading Jobs to sell the animation company to Disney. Cook, meanwhile, had been turning theme-park rides into movies and getting Disney back to its family roots. "Dick and Bob go by their own beat," says Oren Aviv, who was promoted to president of production last week. "They're not interested in fanfare or press or what other people think." (Mostly not interested: Iger did tell NEWSWEEK once, "I hate being called a suit.") What people think now is that Disney is setting the pace for the industry. The film business has been on shaky ground: U.S. box office is flat, DVD sales have stalled and the cost of making movies is soaring. Family films seem like the only sure bets these days, and Disney is in a prime position to meet the demand. "Disney is the only real brand name in the movie business around the world," says Cook. In fact, Iger is taking the name "Disney World" quite literally. He spoke to NEWSWEEK Friday after flying home from a five-day trip to Asia, where he attended the stage premiere of "The Lion King" in Shanghai. His immediate goal is to build the Disney brand in China and India. Iger has also aggressively embraced technol-ogical advances, podcasting and Webcast-ing episodes of "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives," hits on Disney's ABC network. "I don't see technology as a threat," he says. "Technology allows us to be in step with the consumer." All of which sounds pretty good to Wall Street. Last week's cuts will save the company between $90 million and $100 million a year, according to Cook, and while that wasn't enough to boost its stock price, it sure doesn't hurt investor relations. "Iger has stated his goals and stuck to [them]; investors like that predictability," says analyst Jason Helfstein of CIBC World Markets. "He's widely regarded in a positive light." Ironic, since he wasn't supposed to have the job in the first place. |
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Layoffs prove that Disney can be a truly cut-throat
business
The massacre at the Mouse House was plotted at the "happiest place in earth", Disney's venerable theme park in Orlando, Florida. This is where Dick Cook, the normally cheery chairman of Walt Disney Studios, warned colleagues at the company's executive retreat that the axe was about to fall on 650 jobs, possibly the biggest purge in Hollywood history. After a series of cinematic disasters, including the story of an even bloodier massacre at The Alamo, it was time for Disney to get out of "adult" entertainment and back to its family-orientated roots, he proclaimed. This week 20% of the worldwide workforce will learn they are on the "black list" Cook has been pondering since he became chairman in 2002. Some already know their fate: last week Nina Jacobson, Cook's deputy at Buena Vista, one of Disney's half dozen film divisions, was told by mobile phone she had been sacked as she stood by the hospital bed where her girlfriend was giving birth to their third child. The 40-year-old Disney producer was already having a bad week. She had been savaged in a tell-all book authorised by M Night Shyamalan, a director who has made a fortune scaring people. Shyamalan, responsible for The Sixth Sense, complained Jacobson had been unkind about his latest film, Lady In the Water, forcing him to take it to Warner Bros. If critics are to be trusted and the film flops on opening this weekend, Cook may owe the departed executive a $140m (£76m) debt of gratitude. Cook started at Disney in 1970 driving coal-powered locomotives at its Californian theme park and moved on to producing mildly risqué entertainments such as Pretty Woman and Good Morning Vietnam. But he now feels that its adult arm, Touchstone, has run out of steam. His decision to "ramp up the family values" not only reflects Republican America but also two increasingly powerful outsiders: Steve Jobs, whose Pixar hits killed off traditional Disney animation before he sold his studio to Disney, and Philip Anschutz, a fundamentalist billionaire (and John Prescott's cowboy pal) who brought the Narnia franchise to the studio. There is another hidden hand in Hollywood: Once upon a time, perhaps in 1919 when Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford founded their own studio and called it United Artists, the town was run by creative people who were as much in love with movies as the fans. Now every studio is part of a larger global conglomerate whose fortunes are driven by Wall Street. (Not that it was that impressed by last week's announcement of job cuts; Disney's shares barely moved.) This trend gathered momentum last year when Steven Spielberg, the spiritual heir to Chaplin, sold his Dream Works studio to Viacom's Paramount for $1.6 billion, admitting he could not make a financial case for standing alone. Jobs are still disappearing at Paramount. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, one of Hollywood's oldest studios, which at its height used to release one film a week, was also snapped up last year, by Sir Howard Stringer at Sony. Since then 1,350 jobs have gone at MGM. In addition 400 jobs have been axed at Warner Bros in the continuing fall-out from the AOL merger. There are those who rub their hands at the plight of Hollywood. Amir Malin, who has run several independent film companies, said "a business that should be highly profitable has become a byword for waste and extravagance". Others say it has always been thus. Disney says it is now in effect dumping Touchstone, terminating future projects such the aptly-named Déjà Vu and Dead in The Water, to focus on an annual dozen "good" family films, inspired perhaps by the success of its Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The trouble is, say critics, nobody knows what a good film is — only that one can pay for all the flops, and reducing the numbers merely cuts the odds of hitting the jackpot. This, and the fact that nobody truly understands Hollywood's voodoo economics and book-keeping practices, may help explain Wall Street's cool reception to Cook's cost-cutting. Anyway, nod the old Hollywood hands, it's all cyclical and, in five years Disney will be paying over the odds to get back into the grown-ups' club. Jacobson might even be running the company. That is show business. |
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The stars of
Disney-MGM Studios
This park takes you behind the scenes and makes you feel like you're on the set. Many, but not all, of the most popular attractions offer Fastpass, a way to cut your wait in line. Just slide your park-admission ticket into a Fastpass machine at the attraction. Then the machine issues a ticket to that attraction for a one-hour time window. The big ones FP--Rides and attractions with Fastpass 1. (FP) "Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular": "Raiders of the Lost Ark" gives up its secrets. See how they staged and shot the gory airplane brawl and other memorable scenes in this very live stage show. Plenty of flames and explosions. 2. "Sounds Dangerous--Starring Drew Carey": Is the comedian easier to take in the dark? 3. (FP) Star Tours: Star Wars fans take a virtual shot at the Death Star. 4. "Muppet-Vision 3-D": Is it really raining bubbles, or is that just a 3-D trick? 5. "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" Movie Set Adventure: Sit bareback on an ant or slide down a roll of film in this movie set that's waaaay larger than life. 6. (FP) "Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show": Car chases. Motorcycle chases. Personal watercraft chases. All live, with even more fireballs and explosions. 7. The Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour: After you survive the explosions and bullets of Harbor Attack, you've yet to face the disasters that await in Catastrophe Canyon. 8. The Great Movie Ride: Come face to face with the Wicked Witch of the West as Audio-Animatronic stars re-reate iconic movie moments. 9. Who Wants To Be a Millionaire--Play It!: Answer enough Disney trivia and you could win a vacation. 10. "Walt Disney: One Man's Dream": Exhibits show where he came from--the desk from his old schoolhouse is here--how he developed his animation process and what he envisioned for the future. 11. (FP) "Voyage of the Little Mermaid": Deep in her "underwater" theater, a real, live Ariel swishes her tail as she sings, with her under-the-sea friends as back-up. Can the evil Ursula be far behind? If you should have a choice, sit in the very center to get the full benefit of the underwater special effects. 12. (FP) Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith: Rocket through neon-lit corkscrew loops to an Aerosmith soundtrack recorded just for this ride. 13. (FP) The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: A sinister elevator drops you again and again from the top of this creepy old hotel. 14. "Fantasmic!": Get here early, or sign up for the Fantasmic! Dining Experience, to get a seat to see Mickey conduct dancing waterfalls and best a fire-breathing dragon. The Fantasmic! Dining Experience (see "Dine happy") is a meal package that comes with a voucher for preferred entrance to, and therefore guaranteed seating for, "Fantasmic!" 15. "Beauty and the Beast--Live on Stage": All the songs, all the stars--even Gaston and Lumiere--and the most brilliant costumes. Arrive early for the pre-show act. Dine happy The most-interesting places to eat: 1. 50's Prime Time Cafe: Mom let's you watch TV at the table--Oh yes, young lady, you will eat your green beans. Why can't you be more like your brother?--as long as you clean your plate. Lunch and dinner a la carte. Reservations essential ($15-$29) 2. Hollywood & Vine: Breakfast or lunch buffet ($15-$29) with Jo Jo and Goliath. Dinner buffet offers the Fantasmic! Dining Experience* option ($15-$29). 3. Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano: Lunch and dinner a la carte. Fantasmic! Dining Experience* available for dinner. Reservations recommended ($15-$29). 4. Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant: The drive-in theater lives again. Meals are served in-car as you watch B horror flicks on the big screen. Lunch and dinner a la carte; reservations recommended ($15-$29). 5. The Hollywood Brown Derby: Genuinely warm atmosphere surpassed only by the high service level and quality meals in this tribute to Hollywood's golden era. Lunch and dinner a la carte. Fantasmic! Dining Experience* available. Reservations essential ($30-$50). WDW dining reservations: 407-939-3463 *See "Fantasmic!" under "The big ones" for details. WATCH IT FROM HERE Route of parade on map "Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade": Try to perch on the ledge nearest the "Sounds Dangerous" entrance. CONVENIENCE FACTOR Locations noted on map - Meeting places: If you get lost from your party or need to meet others who will arrive separately, set a very specific place to meet. Don't agree to meet at the entrance; the entrance covers too much territory and you may never find each other. Instead, meet in front of the mouse-ears flower beds outside the entrance, at the base of the Mickey Pole just inside the entrance, or beneath the giant Sorcerer's Hat in the center of the park. - Information Board: It's easy to overlook this when you are bent on exploring the park, but here you'll find up-to-the-minute listings for performance times for shows, wait times for rides and notices about which rides are closed. - Package service: Shop all you want without wagging your bags through the park. Merchants deliver your purchases here. Pick up your packages as you exit or, if you are staying in a Disney resort, have them delivered to your hotel. - Lockers: $7 for all day; $2 back when you return the key. TIMING IS EVERYTHING Some shows, character greetings and live performances run continuously, others only at specific times. This information can change daily, so be sure to pick up a Times Guide along with a park map as you enter each park. Check the Information Board for updates throughout the day. EASY ACCESS - Wheels: Bring your own--stroller, wheelchair, walker or electric scooter--to get around the park. Or rent one on the spot: $10/day for wheelchairs, $35/day for electric scooters. Discounts are available for multiple-day rentals, and you can pick up your wheels at any park in the resort. Strollers rent at $10/day, single seater; $18/day double seater. - Rides and attractions: Many were designed from the get-go to be particularly accessible, either directly by the guest's own wheelchair, or by transfer to a park wheelchair. In some cases, the guest must transfer from the park's wheelchair to the ride itself. Those who need assistance making the transfer must have help from someone in their party; WDW cast members aren't allowed to physically transfer guests. - Service animals: Welcome in most areas of the park but cannot go on certain rides. |
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Disney Stars to Perform Free Concert at J&R Music and
Computer World in NYC
On July 25 a host of stars from Disney's three current Broadway musicals - Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and Tarzan - will perform a free concert at the J&R Music and Computer World at City Hall Park. The 5-6 PM concert will feature songs from all three musicals. Beauty and the Beast's Jeanne Lehman, who plays Mrs. Potts, will perform that musical's title tune. The Lion King's Josh Tower (Simba) and Tshidi Manye (Rafiki) will offer "Endless Night" and "He Lives in You." And, Tarzan's Josh Strickland (Tarzan), Jenn Gambatese (Jane), Merle Dandridge (Kala), Chester Gregory II (Terk) and the show's ensemble will be on hand to sing "You'll Be in My Heart," "For the First Time," "Who Better Than Me" and "Trashin' the Camp." J&R Music and Computer World is located at Park Row at City Hall Park. For more information call (212) 238-9000 or visit www.jandr.com. For information about Disney's Broadway shows, visit www.disneyonbroadway.com. |
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