 |
 June 22 - 28, 2008 |
|
Wednesday June 25, 2008 |
|
Disney.com Remake
In Works, Again Sleeping Beauty Castle walk-through to reopen at Disneyland Do you hear what WALL·E hears? Chatting with Pixar's Sound Guru Union members dress like 'toons for Disney protest Walt Disney Responds To Senator On TV Network-Bundling Disney virtual world gets a mobile game spin-off Disney Goes Country "Enchanted" and "Lost" honored at fantasy awards Miley Cyrus Says She's 'Too Much' for Boys to Handle WALL•E Trips on Disney’s Carbon Footprint VP of Digital Media for Disney-ABC Television Group to Keynote Online Video Conference This Fall |
|
|
|
Disney.com Remake In Works, Again AP - Disney.com, the marquee homepage for Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS) Company, is being remade again, a year after its relaunch: The changes will be rolled out over the next few months and will include more free video on the site (including full-length movies like Finding Nemo), more games and mobile content tools and services. Instead of focusing on Disney products like movies, TV and live events, it will focus on entertainment services like "Games," "Videos" and "Characters" and will emphasize how to find immediate entertainment, the company says. This retooling comes about a year after Disney made a big deal about its Disney.com relaunch, starting with Bob Iger's keynote at CES in 2007. Staci adds: The 2007 relaunch was a massive overhaul, in effect, creating a completely new online space. We haven't seen the proposed changes yet but Disney's position is that this shouldn't be seen as a complete overhaul or as any kind of rescue effort but as an evolution based on what the company has learned since the relaunch early last year. (In fact, the NYT's own description of the changes shifted a bit between the time Rafat posted and now—dropping the word "major" and the suggestion that Disney.com is losing ground to competitors while emphasizing a remake.) The site actually has been evolving all along, in part because some elements weren't introduced at launch, but also as social networking and gaming increased—and, as is often the case with redesigns, because it didn't always work as planned. But this does represent a significant and needed shift in the pitch of the site and the way it can be used, especially the navigation and the way Disney Online appeals to different age groups. And, as Rafat mentioned above, entertainment is being pumped up. Until this month, the longest-form videos on Disney.com were full episodes from the Disney Channel. Disney spokesman John Spelich says the company is pleased with the site's post-relaunch performance "and we're taking the learnings from that launch to place an even greater focus on easy access to entertainment for kids and families." Push entertainment instead of one-stop shopping info about a company, and the target audiences might come back more often and stay longer. Even before the biggest changes, Disney Online already is reaping some rewards from the increased video content. We have access to some of the first internal stats (Hitbox) from Disney.com's participation in this week's premiere of the very buzzy High School Musical wannabe Camp Rock. Monday, July 23, the Camp Rock supersite drew more than 700,000 unique visitors. During the first 24 hours of Camp Rock, the Disney Network's traffic jumped 33 percent. The Camp Rock player page on teen-aimed Disney.com XD drew 522,420 unique visitors. Of course, the trick is keeping kids engaged between special events. I also asked for some sense of how Disney.com has done since the 2007 relaunch. Some examples provided by WDIG: -- From March 2007, the first full
month for the new Disney.com, to March 2008, time spent on the
site increased 69 percent, the monthly visitor average rose 35
percent, and total visits were up 83 percent. (According to *comScore*
Media Metrix via NYT, monthly unique visitors to Disney.com are
up by about 40 percent, with the site ranking first among
children and family sites in May with 28.4 million unique
visitors.) Disney.com averages more than 150 million video starts every month. (Autoplay could skew that number.) Disney.com averages more than 60 million game starts every month. While the stats show progress, they also illustrate why more change is needed and why Disney is treating Disney.com less like a trailer channel when it comes to video and more like another major media platform. WDIG president Steve Wadsworth told the NYT the big remake turned out to be too modest: "Our initial instincts were right. We just need to take it much further." With increased competition from all sides, the right instincts won't be enough. Delivery is what matters. |
|
|
|
Sleeping Beauty Castle walk-through to reopen at Disneyland LATimes - Construction crews have begun restoration work on Disneyland's long-shuttered Sleeping Beauty Castle walk-through attraction, which closed "for refurbishment" on Oct. 7, 2001 amid post-9/11 terrorism fears. Mouse Planet columnist David Koenig, author of the definitive "Mouse Tales: A Behind-the-Ears Look at Disneyland," reported that portions of the site's interior were demolished to make way for the installation of the nightly castle fireworks displays. Opened in April 1957, the original A-ticket tour included 10 miniature dioramas with animated figurines that illustrated the Sleeping Beauty story, according to Yesterland. A series of illuminated manuscripts explained how and why Princess Aurora grew up as Briar Rose. At the time, Disneyland gave no reason — safety, costs, popularity or accessibility — for the closure of the second-story attraction. No official date has been set for the reopening. Mice Age's Dateline Disneyland columnist Andy Castro reported that the 50th anniversary "Sleeping Beauty" DVD, due out in October 2008, will include a computer-animated re-creation of the Anaheim theme park's castle walk-through. |
|
|
|
Do you hear what WALL·E hears? Chatting with Pixar's Sound Guru The Disney Insider - If a robot falls on a deserted planet, does it still make noise? According to sound designer extraordinaire Ben Burtt, the talent behind the stars of Disney·Pixar's "WALL·E," it most certainly does. And you'd be surprised at how many years of research and development it takes to make every squeak, creak, click, and clank seem so real. "The assignment was inventing original voices and all the sounds associated with the main characters ... mechanisms, movements, force fields. Since WALL·E doesn't use conventional dialogue, I had to convey the story through the types of sound each character made. By providing the illusion that they had feelings, the audience would care about them," Ben explains. With a visual start from preliminary paintings and sketches, he began creating possibilities for WALL·E, EVE, M-O, Autopilot, and other characters. "I'd audition sounds for Andrew [Stanton], who'd then give his critique -- just like any other artist working for a director. It took about a year to finalize the basic sounds and three to produce the film. Usually sound is introduced late in production, which works for undemanding films. But when a customized world is required, it's best to be involved in the development early so the sounds and visuals become embedded as the storyline evolves. Pixar's collaborative process inspired me to invent sounds based on character art and allowed the animators to listen and create tests inspired by the sounds." "Different techniques were used to produce thousands of sound effects -- everything from characters touching a wall to spaceships hovering. Many originated by wandering around with a recorder and collecting sounds in the real world, like bank vaults closing, doors clicking, and miniature jet planes flying. When real sounds are imposed into a fantasy world, it helps form the illusion that things are real. And people associate real sounds with something real." Inspiration was everywhere. For example, WALL·E's a low-tech robot, with lots of squeaky, cute-sounding motors and noises each time he raises his hand or tilts his head. Though carefully selected, many of those sounds were ordinary mixing bowls or electric shavers. But when Ben searched for a particular whirring sound for WALL·E's various driving speeds, he didn't go far. While watching an old war movie, he heard exactly what he wanted thanks to a scene featuring a hand-cranked generator. After some research, he purchased the generator online, brought it into the studio, and was able to tailor the sound's speed with WALL·E's onscreen movements. EVE, on the other hand, is a high-tech robot accompanied by various musical sounds as if she's floating or being held together by a mysterious magnetic force. So those sounds were enchanting as well as threatening to express her charming and aggressive moods. Ben adds, "The tones associated with EVE are a little bit like music in the sense that you're trying to color the situation emotionally with the sound you're putting in." "The characters' voices were the hardest because people are highly critical of voices and hear them differently than sound effects. We're experts at interpreting voices and the emotions behind them. I built special circuitry for my computer that allowed me to record my voice, digitally break it down into component parts, and reassemble it ... processing the sound as if it were a musical instrument. The trick with robot voices is to retain the human element so people can identify and care while also giving it a machine-like quality -- you don't want the audience to think it's just an actor in front of a microphone. That was my biggest challenge." No stranger to robots, Ben was the genius behind the sounds and voices in the "Star Wars," "Indiana Jones," and "E.T." films. He modestly admits, "I'm happy I had the opportunity, though at the time I had no idea of the impact it would have on my career." This 30-year movie veteran grew up loving fantasy, mystery, adventure, and make-believe as an escape to another time and place. "Movies allow my daydreams to become reality." But sound design wasn't Ben's first and only aspiration. He studied physics and wanted to be an astronaut. After graduating from USC Film School, Ben thought he'd make films for a year or two and then go back to being a scientist. "I never went back." Ben concludes, "Satisfaction for a sound designer is creating a whole world of sound. If you get to do the voices as well, then that's just about as big a job as it comes. 'WALL·E' was my first feature animation ... working with newly invented characters was very exciting. It was certainly challenging to create something we hadn't heard before. That's what appeals to me the most -- solving the unknowns." When "WALL·E" opens on June 27, you can hear for yourself how this audio expert reached for the stars and orchestrated an entire galaxy! |
|
|
|
Union members dress like 'toons for Disney protest
The Orange County Register - Members of the union representing 2,300 workers at three Disneyland hotels dressed as cartoon characters and protested at the park Tuesday morning. The pickets are part of an ongoing effort by the union to influence contract talks that are underway between the union, Unite Here Local 681, and Disney management. "Talks have progressively gotten worse," said Unite Here 681 President Ada Briceño. "We have been making sure Disney knows we're serious." Briceño complained that Disney's proposals have included a two-tiered wage system under which new union workers would not make the same wages as veteran union workers in the same positions. Disney officials said they were frustrated that Unite Here 681 leadership was negotiating the contract in the media. Disney spokeswoman Lisa Haines said Disneyland management has good relations with the other 23 unions organizing workers at the Anaheim park. Haines said two contracts negotiated with other park workers' unions in recent months took only two weeks of bargaining. "Out of respect for our cast members, we want to have a constructive dialog with union leadership at the negotiating table," Haines said. "And we're not going to negotiate in public forums. We're confident we can reach an agreement with this union as long as union leadership is reasonable." Briceño said contracts proposed by Disney included provisions that would raise employee contributions to health insurance to $100 or more a month, and that some part-time workers would be ineligible for benefits. She said a strike vote was not out of the question. "We're hoping not to go there, but we need to do whatever it takes," she said. The talks have been rocky from the start. Unite Here workers have been working without a contract since the end of January and at first refused to even meet with Disney, though the company set up negotiating venues at resort-area hotels. Both sides started negotiations with a federal mediator this spring. The union wants a deal for workers at the Disneyland Hotel, Grand Californian and Paradise Pier similar to deals it negotiated for its Sheraton and Hilton hotel workers. The deals included wage increases of several dollars for many positions. Haines also said that Disney has to mete out raises and benefits among union workers in a way that's fair to the other workers at the park. |
|
|
|
Walt Disney Responds To Senator On TV Network-Bundling CNNMoney - Walt Disney Corp. (DIS), which owns the popular ESPN and Disney Channel, on Tuesday delivered a letter to a senior Senate Democrat saying the company doesn't force cable operators to buy its networks in bundles. On Monday, Sen. Kohl chairs the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee. In his letter, he said bundling may force cable operators to take on more content than they want, leaving fewer channels available for independent programming. Responding to Kohl, "I am writing to assure you that, contrary to what you may have been told, Disney does not require carriage of any of its other channels as a condition to carriage of our two most popular cable channels: ESPN and Disney Channel." About 50 cable operators currently carry ESPN on a standalone basis, the letter said. In an interview, Pyne also responded to
a statement from American Cable Association President The ACA, which represents small and midsize cable operators, has made similar claims to the FCC. Referring to Polka, Pyne said, "What he said in his statement, in his letter, is unequivocally not true." Polka said the ACA doesn't dispute that cable operators can buy a single Walt Disney-owned network on its own. But, he said, "The standalone option Disney references requires independent operators to pay an exorbitant fee per subscriber." Small cable operators have told the FCC that some TV content programmers charge more than four times the price of a bundled package for a single network. "The programmers make it cost-prohibitive for the operators to make that choice, and, as a result, cable operators are forced to take the bundle," Polka said. Pyne declined to comment on Walt Disney's individual contracts with cable companies. "We certainly do offer package pricing, but we still have distributors who take us on a standalone basis," he said. Although Kohl's letter dealt specifically with wholesale pricing from TV content providers, it touched on long-running debate within the telecommunications community about whether cable should offer network programming on an individual basis. FCC Chairman Facing similar pressure in the
wholesale arena, Walt Disney and ESPN appear to be siding with
cable companies in the dispute. "With a la carte pricing, people
will get less and pay more," said Durso said breaking up a bundle reduces the distribution of any single network. "It will enormously increase the cost factors in terms of distribution, dramatically decrease the amount of ad revenue attributable to the distribution of channels like ESPN," he said. The ACA and other small cable groups argue that content-bundling diminishes customer choice and Internet deployment by clogging up channels with unwanted content. Walt Disney disputes that notion. "We feel very strongly that the value we bring to the cable and satellite industry is very substantial," Durso said. |
|
|
|
Disney virtual world gets a mobile game spin-off Pocket Gamer - One of the trends we're keen on following in the coming months is cross-platform gaming, and specifically the plans of PC-based massively multiplayer online games and web-based virtual worlds to launch mobile elements. Yesterday's report on Blizzard Entertainment's mobile recruitment shows the activity in this area, but an article in the New York Times about Disney has also made us prick up our ears. Apparently, the company plans to launch a mobile spin-off for its Pixie Hollow virtual world in the coming months. The world is aimed at young girls, and revolves around fairy avatars. Now, it seems they'll be able to create butterfly pets for their avatars using a mobile game/application which will connect to the virtual world. "I'm going to want to use my phone to feed and love my butterfly all the time," Disney's EVP for mobile content tells the newspaper. "That kind of emotional vesting is what we're after." Now, the average Pocket Gamer reader probably isn't going to fall into Pixie Hollow's target demographic. But the fact that Disney is rolling out this kind of cross-platform gameplay will only encourage others to follow. |
|
|
|
Disney Goes Country Country Weekly - Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts and other stars are lending their voices to a new CD collection, Country Sings Disney, set for release July 8. Country Sings Disney will appeal to a diverse audience with selections from the Disney Classics Dumbo along with The Little Mermaid and CARS, the top animated film of 2006. The 15-song selection includes “Life Is a Highway” byRascal Flatts, “Ready, Set, Don’t Go” from Billy Ray Cyrus and daughter Miley Cyrus and “Part of Your World” by Faith Hill. |
|
|
|
"Enchanted" and "Lost" honored at fantasy awards Reuters - The Disney fairy tale "Enchanted" picked up three awards Tuesday at the 34th annual Saturn Awards, which honor science fiction, fantasy and horror movies and TV shows. Its haul included best fantasy film, actress (Amy Adams), and music (Alan Menken). "Cloverfield" was named best science fiction film, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" best horror film, and "300" best action/adventure/thriller film. On the TV side, ABC's "Lost" won four trophies: best network television series, actor (Matthew Fox), supporting actor (Michael Emerson), and supporting actress, (Elizabeth Mitchell). Mitchell tied with Summer Glau of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles." The ceremony, hosted by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror, was held at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Universal City. |
|
|
|
Miley Cyrus Says She's 'Too Much' for Boys to Handle FOXNews - Sorry, boys. Miley Cyrus says she's "too much to handle right now." "I can't be quiet and cute for boys," Cyrus says in the July issue of Top of the Pops magazine, according to various reports. "I have to be a bit crazy." The 15-year-old Disney star adds: "I'm too much to handle right now." Cyrus also nixes the idea of having crushes on fellow Hollywood stars because "they're all getting old." Except one: "Orlando Bloom is gorgeous," Cyrus admitted. "But he's a bit of a player." The singer-actress says she used to have a crush on teen heartthrob Jesse McCartney. "In fact, the first song I ever wrote was about Jesse. He was on my show and I told him and he was like, ‘That’s so cute!'" she tells the magazine. In late May, scandal erupted when Vanity Fair published photos of Miley Cyrus, taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, where the teen was topless and covered with a cloth. Miley's father, singer Billy Ray Cyrus, said he "didn't know they were going to strip her down and wrap her in a blanket." Miley Cyrus is one of the biggest — and most G-rated — acts in the country and is often considered a role model for young girls. Her "Best of Both Worlds" tour sold out arenas, and her successful 3-D concert film collected $31.3 million in its opening weekend in February. |
|
|
|
WALL•E Trips
on Disney’s Carbon Footprint obe-mediaone - Early on the evening of June 21, as air conditioned, stretch limousines and mammoth chauffer-driven SUVs made their way up narrow winding Hollywood Hills streets to the Greek Amphitheatre in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park, the mercury was still hovering above the century mark. The fleet of high-priced, low-mileage, exhaust-spewing livery was about to deliver guests of the Walt Disney Company to the world premiere of Pixar Animation Studio’s latest full-length, CG-animated film, WALL-E. WALL•E is the story of a small trash compacting robot dutifully cleaning up the mess left by mankind on an Earth whose rivers and oceans have all run dry and whose atmosphere is so befouled that life as we know it does not exist anywhere on the planet. It was the sixth straight day of serious record-breaking heat across Southern California, where temperatures have been anywhere from 10 to 15 degrees above normal average temps for this time of year and random power outages plagued the populace. The irony of the CO2-expelling, resource-depleting equipment being used to promote the film was lost on no one standing beneath the thousands of kilowatts of stage lighting used to illuminate the “brown” carpet. Perhaps this may explain why it was so difficult for many members of the media to get even a few words from those responsible for the production of WALL•E and the operation of Disney/Pixar Animation Studios. Alone among the Disney/Pixar execs willing to talk eco issues with the press was Ed Catmull, president of the joint animation studios. When asked if he himself recycled, Catmull proudly said yes during an online video interview. When asked when the last time he recycled was, Catmull told his interviewer that he’d done so that very day, as he does nearly every day. Catmull went on to say he was very concerned about the environment. He volunteered that his personal vehicle is a Toyota Prius Hybrid, and that he’s eagerly looking forward to the day he can buy a car that gets better than 50 miles per gallon while driving around town. That’s His Story, and He’s Stickin’ to ItThis wasn’t the first time that the idea that WALL•E is intended to be a cautionary tale about the future of our planet has come up. Earlier in the week, WALL•E director and cowriter Andrew Stanton spent a great deal of time sparring with reporters about the deeper meaning of WALL•E’s story. Questioner after questioner pressed the director as to the true intent behind his depiction of an Earth ravaged by man’s wastefulness, and a humanity so lazy that it has devolved into a society of big, bloated, baby-like beings that never leave their hover chairs or communicate in any way other than video screen—even when the person they’re talking to is right beside them. For his part, Stanton gamely brushed aside every question about the film’s message, as he’s done since the beginning of the WALL•E media campaign, while continually repeating the mantra that his film is “basically a love story between two robots.” WALL•E is a love story, and a charming one at that—we’ll have a full review of the film on Friday. However, Stanton’s repeated denials that he and the gang at Pixar never intended the film to convey a deeper meaning failed to mollify the majority of media at this week’s events. And there may be a reason for that. Mixed MessagesStanton is probably wise to distance himself from the idea that he and the folks up in Emeryville in any way wanted to send a message about the environment. When it comes to the real-world environment, the story coming out of the Walt Disney Company can be confusing at best…and downright silly at worst. Talk to people familiar with Disney’s environmental polices and you’ll learn about a myriad of highly effective programs the Mouse has put in place to save energy and conserve resources at its parks, resorts, and offices around the world. At Walt Disney World in Florida, the company’s “Stride for Five” energy conservation program saved so much electricity that when Disney’s Animal Kingdom came on line, it didn’t even raise the resort’s overall load. At the same time, you’ll learn of the frustration involved in getting people within the company to understand that no matter how much you deny it, people are going to notice the irony of promoting a movie about a devastated and wasted Earth by throwing a lavish resources consuming party. Since 1990, Disney has had an Environmental Policy Division, out of which grew the Disney Environmentality brand. Despite making remarkable and significant strides in better managing the company’s environmental impact, Environmentality still found it difficult to be able to fully and accurately assess the impact of Disney’s diverse and often far-flung operations. In 2006, CEO Bob Iger appointed the Environmental Council of senior executives to better analyze Disney's impact on the environment. The council, in turn, has undertaken a “thorough and detailed audit” of every aspect of the company’s resource management and environmental impact. That report should be ready later this year. And not a minute too soon as a visit to the Disney Environmentality website will attest. Why is a Raven Like a Writing Desk?Like something out of Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass,Disney’s Enviroport 2007, the most recent annual environmental report of the Walt Disney Company, can leave the average reader wondering how committees and forward-looking reports save energy. It also makes you wonder why the report talks so much about teaching guests and customers how to conserve resources and not so much about what the company is doing to reduce its environmental impact, besides having its cast members turn off lights and stop using plastic water bottles. A holdover of many of the
policies from the Disney Company of the ‘90s, the report makes
generous use of corporate speak—I think the writer was being
paid by the word—and inadvertently gives the appearance the
company is a victim of its own inertia:
Disney's enhanced policies will aim to optimize the Company's operational impact on the environment through the measurement and reduction of waste, fossil-fuel use, and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as improved eco-system protection. The Environmental Council sees 2008 as a year in which systems are put into place, measurements are greatly refined, and new initiatives are kick-started to both establish and begin to meet reduction goals.—Disney Enviroport 2007 That statement reads as if the company would like to use less fuel and lower greenhouse gas emissions but, despite having an organized effort in place to do so since 1990, hasn’t, as of yet, been able to clean up its act, so to speak. What the report doesn’t talk about is the strides Disney has made in converting all of its executive vehicles to cleaner burning, high-mileage hybrids and its increased use of alternative fuels, such as biodiesel. Sun ScreenAnd then there’s solar energy. With hundreds of square acres of flat roofs sitting beneath
the sun drenched skies of Florida and Southern California, the
Walt Disney Company only has two sets, or arrays, of solar
panels atop a single sound stage and a walk-way at The Walt
Disney Studios in Burbank. Why not more? That somewhat wordy response—probably written by the same guy who wrote about fuel consumption—overlooks one very important fact. Solar energy is one of the most extensively researched and documented forms of energy there is. There are voluminous, academically-credited research materials readily available on virtually every aspect of its use. Not to mention the fact that several well-established companies are currently in the business of installing and operating solar arrays for companies just like Disney. How do I know all this? I got the preceding information from a transcript of a PBS Nova documentary on solar energy Saved by the Sun, which I found via a Google search. Additionally, I learned that the people and government of Germany are far more convinced of the viability of the immediate implementation of solar energy than the cautious folks at Disney, and Germany, which is on track to get 20 percent of its electricity from the sun, doesn’t have nearly the access to sunny skies that Mickey has. I can’t imagine why it’s going to take Disney Environmentality two years to figure out if using solar energy is a good thing or not, and neither could any of the folks familiar with the Mouse’s environmental polices I spoke with. Change is difficult, and as the old saying goes: its progress, not perfection. It does seem funny, however, that a communications company would have such a hard time telling its own energy conservation story. |
|
|
|
VP of Digital Media for Disney-ABC Television Group to Keynote
Online Video Conference This Fall
PR Web - Albert Cheng, executive vice president, digital media, for the Disney-ABC Television Group will be delivering Streaming Media West's keynote on September 25 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California. As executive vice president, digital media, for the Disney-ABC Television Group, Albert Cheng is charged with general management and strategic oversight of digital media, as well as development of ancillary revenue streams for Disney-ABC Television Group's diverse portfolio of broadcast and cable networks, including ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Daytime, ABC Family, Disney Channel, and SOAPnet. To that end, he leads a digital media team that oversees product development, marketing, and operations for the group's digital media content platforms, including video-on-demand, broadband, web-based and mobile platforms, as well as interactive television technologies. Streaming Media West, which takes place from September 23-25, is the largest conference and exhibition covering the streaming media and online video business. The Streaming Media West 2008 Conference is the premier learning, networking, and problem-solving event for anyone who is integrating online video into their enterprise, marketing, or broadcasting objectives. Content owners, viral video creators, online marketers, enterprise corporations, broadcast professionals, ad agencies, educators and others all come to Streaming Media West to see and hear the latest online video technology but, more importantly, to discuss the business models that are coming of age. |
|
|
|
Tuesday June 24, 2008 |
|
Disney working on
"Camp Rock" sequel Disney Pixar's WALL-E Ship for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii Prince Caspian opens Thursday at Disney's Hollywood Studios $1-million reward offered for proof of Mickey Mouse drawing It’s NOT an original Mickey Mouse Taylor Morrison giving away home inspired by Disneyland Innoventions Dream Home United Airlines Takes Lesson From Disney Animation for the green generation: Pixar's WALL-E Josh Duhamel Guest Stars as Himself in New Episode of Disney Channel's "The Replacements" Universal signs new Disney deal Pixar's Movies Help Disney's Theme Parks Connect With New Generation Online reminder for Disney passholders Disney Makes Another Body Switch Wish Parents Confused about Nutrition and Exercise Best Practices |
|
|
|
Disney working on
"Camp Rock" sequel Reuters - After "Camp Rock's" big debut during the weekend, Disney Channel is wasting no time working on a sequel to the Jonas Brothers movie musical. The network hopes to go into production on a sequel in late spring or summer 2009, pending a script that's in development as well as the cast members' busy schedules. All of the principal cast -- including Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas as well as Demi Lovato -- are expected to return. The Jonases and Lovato, who are touring together this summer, also are working on their respective Disney Channel series, "J.O.N.A.S." and "Welcome to Mollywood." "Camp" debuted to 8.9 million total viewers Friday night, the cable network's second-most-watched original movie ever behind "High School Musical 2" (17.2 million) last year. A second airing Saturday night on ABC pulled in 3.6 million viewers, while a third airing Sunday on ABC Family averaged 3.7 million viewers, according to Nielsen. Meanwhile, the movie's premiere in Canada became Family Channel's second-most-watched movie ever, behind "HSM 2," (848,000 total viewers vs. 1 million). |
|
|
|
Disney Pixar's WALL-E Ship for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii TheManRoom - WALL-E may not be hitting theaters until this Friday, but you can explore the curious robot's world a few days early. THQ has announced WALL-E the videogame, based on the Disney Pixar film, is now shipping to stores for Wii, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3 ($39.99), PlayStation 2 ($29.99), and PSP, Nintendo DS and the PC ($19.99). WALL-E the videogame lets players take control of WALL-E and EVE as they play through scenes lifted straight from the film as well as all-new scenes and storylines put together by the team at THQ. Recognizable voices will be heard in WALL-E including WALL•E including Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Academy Award-winning sound designer Ben Burtt of Star Wars fame. |
|
|
|
Prince Caspian opens Thursday at Disney's Hollywood Studios Orlando Sentinel - Walt Disney World announced that the new "Prince Caspian" version of the Journey Into Narnia attraction will generally be open to the public after a ceremony Thursday morning, and be officially open Friday at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The attraction was closed last fall so that Disney could update it to reflect Walt Disney Picture's second Chronicles of Narnia movie, Prince Caspian, which is currently in worldwide theatrical release. The theme park show first opened in 2005, originally based on Disney's first Chronicles of Narnia movie, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The attraction is located between the Walt Disney: One Man's Dream exhibit and the new Toy Story Midway Mania ride. Theme park admission is required. The new Prince Caspian version is structured similarly to the original attraction, featuring a message from movie director Andrew Adamson, a set built to look like a movie scene (within the stone temple around the stone table), a brief live performance involving an actor re-creating a few lines from the movie, and a few props and costumes from the movie. Most people familiar with the old show are hopeful that Disney improved it as well as updated it. Reports have suggested for months that Walt Disney Imagineering would employ some state-of-the-art visual effects. But there's been no official word on that. There also will be meet-and-greet opportunities with the costumed character of Prince Caspian (shown above in a George Skeen/Orlando Sentinel photo) outside the attraction. The movie, Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is the second by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media Films based on the series of books by C.S. Lewis. The movie was released May 16. |
|
|
|
$1-million reward offered for proof of Mickey Mouse drawing
Tampa Bays 10 News - In a secure art vault, Steve Stein says he's preserving an important piece of American history. "This drawing says 'Walt Disney' to anyone who knows what they're looking at," said Stein. Stein says he bought what he believes is Walt Disney's prototype drawing of Mickey Mouse at a thrift store in New York City in 1984. "I paid the man the $3 that he wanted for it and I walked away with a treasure," said Stein. Experts in paper, ink and handwriting have convinced Stein he has a Walt Disney drawing from the late 1920's. "This handwriting has been determined by Charles Hamilton who was the foremost handwriting expert at the time to be the handwriting of Walt Disney," said Stein. But Stein says the Walt Disney Company still refuses to authenticate this drawing, so he continues to look for additional proof. He's trying to find a film clip shown on the MGM theme park opening or the Minnie Mouse special in 1989. "The film clip shows Walt Disney doing this piece of art. I will offer $1-million reward for that film clip if we sell it for $10-million or more," said Stein. A written response from a Disney attorney says Stein's contention that the drawing appeared on an easel next to Walt Disney in a Disney television show has previously been investigated and rejected. But Stein's not giving up and says he'll sue the Walt Disney Company, if necessary. "If they can bring evidence to court that proved it's not, fine let them do that. They can't, because it is," said Stein. Stein says he'll continue to preserve his drawing of America's most famous mouse, until he has proof beyond any doubt. Disney still refuses to examine the drawing in Stein's possession. In a written response to Stein's attorney, Disney Executive Counsel Marea Suozzi concludes the drawing was more likely commissioned by a licensee for a merchandise item at a later date. |
|
|
|
It’s NOT an original
Mickey Mouse Disney Blog - I was just about to log off for the night when this story came across my radar. A Fox News station in Tampa Bay is back on the old story that the Walt Disney Company is refusing to authenticate what a gentleman claims is the original drawing of Mickey Mouse. Well, duh. It’s obvious to anyone with the slightest knowledge of Mickey’s early films that this isn’t an original Mickey.
I thought we
put this one to bed last year, but now I’m so riled up to
see it hit the airwaves again that I had to make another
attempt at setting the record straight.
Someone get the local FOX news affiliates on the horn and ask them to do the slightest bit of research on this story about this confused gentlemen Steve Stein who thinks he has an original Mickey Mouse drawing from the 1920s. A simple search for “SteamBoat Willie” (Mickey’s first released animated short film) or “Plane Crazy” (the first film to feature Mickey, but not the first released) will reveal that: Mickey didn’t develop gloves on his hands until later in his life, he didn’t get the famous pie-eyes until the 30s, and the phones in the 20s didn’t use those curly phone cords either. Best of all, Walt wouldn’t have been drawing Mickey Mouse at that point anyway, it was Ub Iwerks who did almost all the drawings of Mickey Mouse for the Disney Brother Studios. Thing is we already debunked this story in February of 2007 when the same Fox Tampa Television station ran this story. If the current reporter had just Googled “Steve Stein Mickey” my February story is the 4th result. Lazy reporting, exactly what I expect from Fox. |
|
|
|
Taylor Morrison giving away home inspired by Disneyland
Innoventions Dream Home bizjournals - Taylor Morrison Inc. is giving away a home inspired by the recently unveiled Innoventions Dream Home at Disneyland's Tomorrowland. The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based home builder has launched an online contest that runs through Aug. 20 with the winner able to choose a home in one of Taylor Morrison's communities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Texas. The home will include a custom technology package and furnishings. A vacation for four to the Disneyland Resort in California also is part of the package. Participants can visit the entry Web site, www.tmdreamhomegiveaway.com, once a day to register. They also may visit any Taylor Morrison community and receive a special code that offers the maximum number of chances available to enter the contest. The Innoventions Dream Home debuted June 16 and features what Walt Disney Co. calls a "high-tech, high-touch" experience within a 5,000-square-foot home. Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Life|ware and Taylor Morrison were also involved in the Dream Home project. The home showcases the latest in mobile devices, computers, digital music, entertainment and gaming technology in a connected environment that adjusts to the preferences of its occupants. |
|
|
|
United
Airlines Takes Lesson From Disney WESH - With soaring fuel prices, drivers on the road are the only ones affected during these tough economic times. Recently airline passengers have been paying to check in extra bags and asked to fork out more money to stretch their legs. Airline customers have been complaining about service and United Airlines has turned to the folks at Disney, hoping a little customer service magic might rub off. So what could United Airlines
and Disney World have in common? "The reality is, we both have
millions of visitors each year, waiting in line for a ride,"
said Bruce Jones, Disney Institute program director. |
|
|
|
Animation for the green generation: Pixar's WALL-E
Canwest News Service - Disney animators don't normally hang out in junkyards or recycling centers, but if you're making a movie like WALL-E, your research can take you down some unexpected byways. The artists behind the animated adventure needed to know how society deals with trash. That's because of the film's premise: what if the human race had to leave planet Earth and somebody forgot to turn off the last robot? The robot in question is the diminutive but dutiful WALL-E (a.k.a. Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) who has spent several centuries doing what he was built to do - collecting and compacting rubbish from a planet so overwhelmed by trash that the humans responsible for it finally had to flee. Animators wanted to be authentic in those scenes where Wall-E rumbles through garbage dumps, loading refuse onto his shovel and then reducing it to neat compressed blocks. "So we actually went to real recycling centers to see how they condensed trash and put it all together," director Andrew Stanton explains. "One of the fascinating things to us was that there already was a manner in which things were cubed and stacked that exactly matched what we wanted to do in the film for aesthetic reasons. So that worked in our favor." It's taken more than a decade for the idea behind WALL-E to hatch, and when the film finally received the green light, Stanton and his colleagues at Disney's Pixar Animation Studios had no idea that it would emerge as an environmental story with a built-in appeal for the green movement. "When you plan something early on, you don't have a crystal ball telling you what's going to be the current of the time five, six, seven years out," Stanton said during a visit to Toronto. "I was just going for what naturally made sense with the storyline I was doing. I wanted things that were 'gettable' visually - things that would make sense to an audience without explanation, even to a kid. The fact that trash is everywhere is an easy thing to visualize - as it is to show that it needs correction." But at the very beginning, back in 1994, when Stanton and his screenwriting buddies got together for an idea session, he wasn't sure whether they had anything more than an interesting concept. "We had the character and the initial situation - that this working robot's been left on earth - and that's where it stopped. I didn't know where that was going, I didn't know what it was about. I just knew this was the loneliest character situation I could ever encounter." Those were the early days of Pixar animation. Disney had yet to release the company's first computerized creation, Toy Story, a film which was to revolutionize animation technology, but its youthful gung-ho artists were already overflowing with further ideas. They had met to discuss future Pixar projects like A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc. But there was also this mere germ of an idea about the last functioning robot on earth. "In that same early time that we came up with that situation, we also said, 'Wouldn't it be cool if it was sort of like R2-D2 (from the Star Wars films), that it spoke with the integrity of the way it was built? "And immediately we thought, 'Nobody will ever let us do a film like that.' "We were just young guys who at the time were still figuring out how to do Toy Story. So we sort of put it on the mental shelf and went off to do all those other films everybody else knows - which pretty much took all our time for 10 years." It wasn't until Stanton was immersed in his first directing assignment, Finding Nemo, that he started thinking about the robot idea again. "Now that I had a couple of films under my belt and was a better writer, I was more fascinated with the challenge of what a movie like that would be like. So I really got serious about it in 2003, and I started to flesh out what you guys now know as WALL-E." The movie introduces audiences to the solitary existence of WALL-E whose only stimulus outside of rubbish disposal comes from the pet cockroach who is his sole companion, a collection of discarded knick-knacks he's set aside and an ancient video player with fascinates WALL-E with its flickering images of scenes from an ancient movie version of Hello Dolly. But then his life changes when a sleek and attractive research robot named EVE (Extra-terrestrial Vegetation Evaluator) is dispatched back to earth by the exiled human race and discovers that WALL-E has inadvertently discovered the possible key to a blighted planet's return to health. WALL-E finds himself smitten with EVE and he follows her when she races back through the galaxy to a luxury space ship and the humans who await her findings. The boyish, bearded and bespectacled Stanton says that, among other things, WALL-E is also a love story, although he concedes with a grin that he doesn't really think that robots are capable of emotion. "I think it's unique to this movie frankly. It's very much of an animator's sensibility to want to give life to inanimate objects, which is pretty much the definition of an animator." Animators also revel in challenges - and giving life and personality to a robot was a major task. "It was so invigorating to play in such a subtle pool and to have everything so minute that when you did something as simple as a tilt of a head or a movement of the iris, it meant a lot and was the equivalent of doing huge broad action." Much of WALL-E unfolds like a silent move with music and sound effects. WALL-E communicates through squeaks, rattles and various other "robot" noises - his "voice" is the creation of Oscar-winning sound designer Ben Burtt, the artist who was also behind the voice of R2-D2. "I wanted you to be as charmed as you could be with WALL-E, so that the more you believed there was this three-dimensional box sitting there, rusting in the dust, the more charming it would be when it came to life," Stanton says. He also emphasizes that WALL-E is something unusual in the field of feature animation - a science fiction movie - "so we also loved the challenge of a different genre to play in." |
|
|
|
Josh Duhamel Guest Stars as Himself in New Episode of Disney
Channel's "The Replacements" All American Patriots - Josh Duhamel guest stars as himself in a new episode of hit animated series "The Replacements" premiering MONDAY, JULY 7 (5:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel. In the episode "Hollywoodn't," Todd gets a starring role in Celebrity Star’s next movie and heads to Hollywood with his family. A suspicious Riley discovers Celebrity is just using Todd to make Shelton jealous and it's up to her to help her brother realize this. Meanwhile, Dick makes new friends with the stuntmen and Agent K repeatedly interrupts the filming of Josh Duhamel's new action movie, thinking he is in need of her aid. |
|
|
|
Universal signs new
Disney deal musicweek - Under the new deal, UMG will market and distribute the Hollywood Records and Walt Disney Records roster of artists, as well as their catalogues. The pact takes immediate effect and covers both digital and physical rights. The move follows a deal between Universal and Disney to license the Jonas Brothers’ eponymous album for distribution in Europe, and is likely to put pressure on EMI, which has a broader contract to distribute Disney’s releases to foreign markets. Universal Music Group International president of Asia-Pacific region Max Hole says, “Disney artists and music create excitement wherever they go, and Asia is no exception. We’re pleased to partner with the Disney Music Group in yet another part of the world, and our team throughout the region is looking forward to spreading the excitement even further.” Universal Music Group has an existing international licensing deal with Disney for South America and Canada, as well as a distribution arrangement in the United States. |
|
|
|
Pixar's Movies Help Disney's Theme Parks Connect With New
Generation Orange County Register - When Pixar's Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter took the stage to tout Disney's new Toy Story Mania ride recently, there was a subtle difference _ he wasn't wearing his trademark Hawaiian T-shirt. Instead, Lasseter wore a light green Buzz Lightyear shirt with a retro, futuristic theme of spaceships and planets. The shirt represented the blend of corporate cultures that jelled after the Walt Disney Company bought Pixar in 2006 for $7.4 billion. Over the past two years, Pixar has not only worked with Disney on a new line-up of animated films and merchandise, but has helped update the company's theme parks. And that's where Toy Story Mania comes in: It's a ride at Disney's California Adventure based on the popular Pixar film "Toy Story." While testing the Toy Story Mania ride this week, Lasseter reminisced about visiting Disneyland when he lived nearby in Whittier, Calif. He talked about overcoming his shyness while operating Disneyland's Jungle Cruise attraction. While Lasseter says he admired what Walt Disney did with Disneyland, now he's in a position to carry on Walt's dream in the theme parks around the world. Not only can Pixar characters in the theme parks help people connect with Pixar's movies, the additions are Disney's chance to invigorate and update the parks for the next generation. Visitors in the 1960s could go to Disneyland and get a real-life glimpse of the animated characters they grew up with, such as Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Dumbo. But today's kids have grown up with Pixar's characters such as Flik and Atta from "A Bug's Life," Buzz and Woody from "Toy Story" and Mike and Sulley from "Monsters, Inc." So far, Pixar's characters, stories and staff have been used to add "Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters,""Monster's Inc., Mike & Sulley to the Rescue" and "A Bug's Land" _ an area of six attractions created for children and based on Pixar's "A Bug's Life." Toy Story Mania is an important next step for Disney-Pixar. "This is the start of the rejuvenation of Disney's California Adventure," Lasseter said. "The high quality of this attraction is indicative of what's coming to the park." Disney and Pixar officials talked about what they see as the values of Toy Story Mania: a ride that is entertaining for both first-time-players and experienced riders, an attraction that can be easily changed for seasons and celebrations, and, above all, an attraction that goes beyond a standard theme park ride by telling a story and making people want to ride again and again. Those are also features Disney sees as the future for California Adventure. Since California Adventure opened in February 2001, the park has proven less successful than its counterpart next door. Disneyland ranks second in the world in theme-park attendance with 14.9 million visitors last year, compared with about 5.7 million to Disney's California Adventure, according to an Economics Research Associates report. Although Disney officials have downplayed the park's lackluster attendance, Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger has announced $1.2 billion in improvements to be made to the park through 2012. The planned development will expand the park by about one-fifth and will add a new land based on Pixar's "Cars" movie, a "Little Mermaid"-themed ride, a new 1920s entry plaza and a "World of Color" show of water effects, lighting and music in the lagoon with a 9,000-person viewing area. Roger Gould, creative director for theme parks at Emeryville, Calif.-based Pixar Animation Studios, said working with Disney allows both sides to do things that have not been done previously: "The theme park projects allow all of us at Pixar to be silly again." |
|
|
|
Online reminder
for Disney passholders Theme Park Rangers - I got a curious letter in the mail from the Disney annual passholder program last week... "We're all so delighted that you've renewed your pass!" it begins. Of course, I renewed my pass in March, so I guess it's delayed delight! It later switches into the first-person: "I can't thank you enough for renewing the magic of being a passholder" but is signed in the plural, "Your pals at Disney World Resort." Maybe it's one person with multiple personalities. I've always thought Tigger was a little manic ... up, then down, up, then down. Anyway, the useful info in the letter was to remind passholders to register at disneyworld.com/passholder. By doing that, passholders can receive email alerts about new discounts and events before they receive their next Mickey Monitor newsletter. And, the letter points out, some special offers are only announced online. Thanks for the reminder, pal(s). |
|
|
|
Disney Makes
Another Body Switch Wish |
|
|
|
Parents Confused about Nutrition and Exercise Best Practices In addition to the survey findings, the new Disney Family.com “healthy families” section (www.family.com/healthyfamilies) features tips and ideas aimed at providing ways parents can make lifestyle changes for themselves and their families. As part of the initiative Disney Family.com will look to collaborate with Kaiser Permanente, leveraging the health care organization’s health content and experts to communicate the importance of nutrition and exercise to parents, and offer real strategies for families to improve and maintain their health. “Good health is a family affair. We are excited to work with Disney Family.com to help families be proactive about proper nutrition and exercise,” said Debbie Cantu, vice president of brand marketing, Kaiser Permanente. “We know that health goes far beyond the walls of a doctor’s office, and this initiative will help us to reach more people looking for ways to keep their families healthy and provide expert resources that parents can trust.” The Disney Family.com “healthy families” section includes: Tips on simplifying best nutrition practices for parents Ideas on making healthy eating and exercising manageable for parents Articles and video from Disney Family.com health and nutrition experts Healthy recipes the whole family can enjoy Healthy Families game widget, “Bag it Right,” which allows users to test their healthy food knowledge. Disney Family.com is also offering an “Eat Smart” sweepstakes that will award a family with a one-year supply of healthy meals that will be delivered to their home three times each week. Guests can enter the sweepstakes at www.family.com, for a chance to win, until August 2, 2008. Survey Methodology The results of the survey, underwritten by Disney Family.com and conducted by Usability Sciences, are based on responses of 7,099 Disney Family.com visitors worldwide. Every other visitor to the Disney Family.com Web site was invited to participate in the survey. The survey was conducted over a period commencing May 9, 2008 and continuing through May 27, 2008. The margin of error is + or - 5%. About Disney Family.com Disney Family.com is designed to present information on a variety of topics important to today’s families – ranging from education, food and parenting, to advice on traveling with children, entertainment and shopping – in a manner that is compelling, comprehensive, entertaining and, most importantly, objective. Disney Family.com is dedicated to providing parents with answers to pressing questions through practical, objective and reliable information. About Disney Online Disney Online (www.disney.com), a division of the Walt Disney Internet Group, produces the number one kids' entertainment and family community destination on the World Wide Web. Launched in 1996, Disney.com is the online gateway to all of the company's Disney-branded entertainment initiatives, providing comprehensive access to, and information about Disney movies, travel, television, games, mobile, music, shopping and live events. Disney.com also features Disney.com XD, a highly interactive broadband experience, that lets Disney.com guests create their own customized online channel with games, videos, music, and chat - all of which can be enjoyed simultaneously in an immersive environment. In addition, Disney Online develops and publishes a range of online products and services including Pirates of the Caribbean Online, Disney's Toontown Online, Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online, Disney Game Downloads, Disney Game Kingdom Online, Disney Connection and Hot Shot Business. The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) is a unit of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS). About Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente is America’s leading integrated health plan. Founded in 1945, it is a not-for-profit; group practice prepayment program headquartered in Oakland, Calif. Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs of nearly 8.7 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Today it encompasses the not-for-profit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries, and the for-profit Permanente Medical Groups. Nationwide, Kaiser Permanente includes approximately 160,000 technical, administrative and clerical employees and caregivers, and more than 13,000 physicians representing all specialties. The organization’s health care Labor Management Partnership is the largest health care partnership in the United States. It governs how more than 130,000 workers, managers, physicians and dentists work together to make Kaiser Permanente the best place to receive care, and the best place to work. For more Kaiser Permanente news, visit the KP News Center at: www.kp.org/newscenter. |
|
|
|
Monday June 23, 2008 |
|
Comcast Owned Fandango Buys Movies.com From Disney Man arrested for Japan Disneyland threat When you wish upon a cruise Darth Thriller Disney in content deal with Veoh 2008 Candlelight Dinner Packages begin booking Today Disneyland Punches Up Indy Show Disney wants higher valuation, Wall St hesitates Disney and Pixar excited about Wall-E 45 Years of Tiki's Disney's Tinker Bell, 24 others getting Hollywood Walk of Fame stars Disney’s ‘Camp Rock’ Tops All in Ratings Deadliest Catch Star goes to Epcot Top Tips of Disneyland Paris Disney Play Happy Little Families Disney Rides on Wireless Ethernet Joe Ranft Tribute in Toy Story Midway Mania $100 Disney Gift Card Offer Returns for Remainder of 2008! ABC Moves to Expand Its Reach on Video Web Sites Talent hub for theme parks lies in Orlando-area |
|
|
|
Comcast Owned Fandango Buys Movies.com From Disney Washington Post - So Comcast ( NSDQ: CMCSA) couldn't buy Disney ( NYSE: DIS) a few years ago, but it has now succeeded in buying a part of it, sort of: Fandango, the online movie tickets service that Comcast bought a year ago, has bought out movies info site Movies.com from Disney, for an undisclosed sum.
Movies.com, under its previous
name MrShowbiz.com, was one of first online movie news and
info sites. Then, after it morphed into Movies.com, Disney
partnered with Fox to turn it into an online
movies-on-demand site, but it didn't go past planning
stages. Movies.com earns revenue through online advertising,
while Fandango's revenue comes about half from advertising
and half from charging a fee of about $1 per ticket that it
sells, reports THR. Fandango's ad team will sell both sites.
Disney said a dozen of its Disney Internet Group employees will be reassigned because of the Movies.com sale and no layoffs are expected. The disposal by Disney is in keeping with its renewed focus on Disney, ABC and ESPN brands, the company said. |
|
|
|
Man
arrested for Japan Disneyland threat
AP - Japanese police arrested a 19-year-old man Monday for allegedly threatening on the Internet to go on a stabbing spree at Tokyo Disneyland. The message, posted on a Web site by someone using a cell phone on June 15, came a week after a man posted similar warnings before killing seven people in a downtown Tokyo knifing rampage. Authorities were also searching for a woman suspected of wounding three people in a knifing incident Sunday. Since the deadly stabbing attack in early June, police have arrested several people for allegedly using the Internet to make chillingly specific threats of violence."I will go to Disneyland to stab visitors to death," the 19-year-old wrote, according to a police official in Chiba, the suburban area where the amusement park is located. The suspect's name was not released because he is below the age of 20 -- a minor under Japanese law. Investigators have found no evidence that he was preparing to carry out a real assault, the official said on condition of anonymity, citing department policy. The arrest on Monday coincided with a search for a woman suspected of stabbing three people in the arm at a crowded train station in the western city of Osaka. On Sunday police released security camera footage showing a middle-aged woman in a black dress making what local news reports interpreted as stabbing motions with her left hand. No knife was visible in the video and a large sun hat obscured the woman's face. She was suspected of stabbing three women from behind. The victims suffered light injuries, according to a police spokesman who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media. Japan has been on alert for copycat crimes in the wake of the June 8 mass stabbing that killed seven people and wounded 10 others. The suspect in that attack, 25-year-old factory worker Tomohiro Kato, apparently posted hundreds of threatening messages to the Internet before the incident, with the last one sent just 20 minutes before the violence started. |
|
|
|
When you wish
upon a cruise
Orlando Sentinel - It has been 10 years since Disney started its cruises with the Disney Magic ship, followed in 1999 by Disney Wonder. Two more Disney ships will launch in 2011 and 2012. And while you won't find casinos on any Disney ships, you will find plenty of other facilities and diversions on board for every age group -- including grown-ups. That, along with the appeal of the Disney brand, has ensured the cruise line's success. "I don't think it's fair to say that Disney invented family cruising, because a lot of cruise lines made efforts to attract families to their ships starting in the '90s, but I do think it's fair to say that Disney reinvigorated the idea of family cruising," says Douglas Stallings, who edits Fodor's cruise guides. "Disney proved there is a large market for family cruises. They inspired other large cruise lines." My children, my wife Mary Lou and I cruised last year on the Wonder. It was memorable and fun for all of us. I couldn't tear Isabelle, 9, away from her science experiments in the Oceaneer Lab. Her masterpiece was a green glob that resembled something from the Disney movie Flubber. Vinny, 16, spent all of his time in the Aloft nightclub, which is just for teenagers. After the club closed at 1 a.m., the fun didn't stop. Vinny and other teenagers hung around shooting hoops under the lights. For adults, Disney ships offer nightclubs, classes, fitness centers, an adult-only restaurant called Palo, and wine, beer and martini tastings. While the kids played, my wife and I relaxed on our stateroom terrace with some wine and cheese. We also attended a Disney Vacation Club cocktail party (we are DVC time-share members), and Mary Lou browsed the shops for souvenirs. Toddlers -- even babies -- get attention. For families with young children, Disney's nurseries, Flounder's Reef, take infants as young as 12 weeks old and toddlers as old as 3. Some cruise lines keep parents on call to change diapers, but the Flounder's Reef staff takes care of that for you. Disney's Magic and Wonder also have pools with separation filtration systems that allow diapered toddlers to swim. And each stateroom has a bathroom with a bathtub -- also relatively uncommon on nonluxury cruise ships. No wonder a survey conducted by BudgetTravelOnline.com rated Disney Cruise Line No. 1 for infants and toddlers, and children 3-7. (It was ranked No. 3 among cruises for kids 8-11, and No. 5 for 12- to 17-year-olds.) Private island The Wonder stops at Disney's private island, called Castaway Cay, on its Bahamian cruises. Here, too, there is something for everyone -- including a teen-only beach, an adults-only beach and a family beach. Vinny and his friends signed up for a couple of teen-only excursions with Disney counselors and headed out for snorkeling, kayaking, banana boat rides, a barbecue lunch and bicycling around the island, while the rest of us snorkeled, lunched and swam with stingrays elsewhere on the island. Castaway Cay also has Scuttle's Cove, where kids, supervised by counselors, dig for whalebones, make beach musical instruments and play water relay games. We returned to the ship for a pirate-themed dinner and deck party, which culminated with a spectacular fireworks show, launched from the stern of the ship. We then saw Pirates of the Caribbean on a giant movie screen that was attached to one of the ship's smokestacks on the top deck. The screen displayed a pirate flag for the remainder of the evening. The ships also offer full-fledged musicals in onboard theaters. This year, a new musical based on the movie Toy Story premiered on the Wonder. Disney Cruise spokesman Jason Lasecki says the company plans to keep the show exclusively for its cruise passengers. |
|
|
|
Darth Thriller
 Disney
News - "Star Wars" villain Darth Vader and a quartet of
stormtroopers reenact the famous dance scene from Michael
Jackson's "Thriller" music video during "Star Wars Weekends"
2008. The unlikely and entertaining pairing of the iconic
music video and iconic movie villain is part of the fun for
guests during the "Hyperspace Hoopla," a character-filled
dance party that highlights the end of "Star Wars Weekends"
day at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park in Lake Buena
Vista, Fla. This year's month-long, weekend festival comes
to a close June 27, 28 and 29. Event activities are included
in regular theme park admission. |
|
|
|
Disney in content
deal with Veoh
Hollywood Reporter - Disney said Monday that it would syndicate ABC and ESPN content through Veoh Networks, which becomes only the second major outside video site to reach a formal free-streaming distribution deal with the conglomerate. Under terms of the deal, full episodes of "Lost," "Ugly Betty," "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live" will be available on Veoh through ABC's video player. A twice-daily shortened "SportsCenter" and clips from "Mike and Mike in the Morning," "Pardon the Interruption" and "Around the Horn" will be among the ESPN content found on the site. Veoh joins AOL Video as only the video site to legally distribute free Disney content online, outside of the company's own sites, ABC's affiliate sites and Cox.net. The Time Warner-owned AOL announced its deal to distribute full episodes of primetime ABC shows last September with the ESPN partnership coming in April. Disney has a partnership with Facebook, as well, that allows users of the social network to launch the player and view episodes from that site. Veoh, which is led by founder and chief innovation officer Dmitry Shapiro and CEO Steve Mitgang, counts former Viacom exces Tom Freston and Jonathan Dolgen and former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, who also sits on the company's board, as some of its investors. Veoh also is part of the CBS Audience Network and it has deals with MTV Networks, PBS and Lionsgate. |
|
|
|
2008 Candlelight Dinner Packages begin booking Today Ring in the holiday season with a Candlelight Dinner Package, which includes dinner at a select Epcot restaurant and reserved general seating at the America Gardens Theatre during the Candlelight Processional. To make dinner reservations, call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463). You must eat PRIOR to your Candlelight show time! Packages not available on Sunday, December 7, at 5 p.m. (Community Relations Showing) Must guarantee the package with a credit card when booking. Payment is made when you dine at which time you will be given your tickets for the general reserved seating. Package includes a non-alcoholic beverage. Package does NOT include tax, gratuity or lobster entrees. For Disney Dining Plan Guests: Magic Your Way Package Plus
Dining: Candlelight Dining Packages will be 1 Entitlement. For Non-Dining Plan Guests as well as Guests on the Deluxe Dining, Premium, and Platinum Plans: Meal includes an appetizer, a entree, a dessert, and a non-alcoholic beverage OR a full buffet and non-alcoholic, non-specialty beverage for each person on the package. Gratuities are not included. Candlelight Dining Packages will be 1 Entitlement for Guests on a Disney Dining Plan. Tier 1 The Garden Grill Restaurant
- Land Pavilion Tier 2 San Angel Inn - Mexico
Pavilion |