Bird, the cartoon writer-director with delightfully off-kilter sensibilities, and Pixar, the cutting-edge computer-animation company that places so very much emphasis on character, have their second hit together in "Ratatouille," a follow-up to the universally popular "The Incredibles." Who would think a rat in a restaurant's kitchen would induce anything other than comic slapstick involving knives and cleavers flying in all directions? Yet Bird builds a comic world in which a rat can become a chef and food can take on an almost unbearable sensuality.

Yes, there's something in the kitchen for everyone in "Ratatouille," so the Mouse House should clear a wing in its hall of fame for Cousin Rat. "Ratatouille" might not reach the international box-office heights of "The Incredibles" -- then again, maybe it will -- but the film does rep another huge leap in CGI technique and imagination by the Pixar folks.

Heroes with impossible dreams are the stuff movies are made of. But "Ratatouille" gives us two seemingly hapless protagonists battling impossible odds. The first is Remy (voiced by comic Patton Oswalt), an uncommon French rat who refuses to nibble on garbage. Mais non, he prefers haute cuisine delicacies out of human kitchens. Indeed, his hero is Paris' culinary superstar Auguste Gusteau, whose motto -- and best-selling book -- is "Anybody Can Cook." But did Gusteau have Remy in mind?

The second hard case is Linguini (Lou Romano), a garbage boy at Gusteau's eponymous restaurant. In a way, his is the more desperate case because he loves the world of food but can't cook worth a lick. When Remy, momentarily stranded in Gusteau's, sees the mess Linguini has made of a soup when no one was watching, he quickly hurls ingredients in from all over the kitchen, turning the soup into the best thing that kitchen has produced in ages.

It seems old Gusteau has passed on to that kitchen in the sky. His sous chef, Skinner (Ian Holm), drawn to look like an evil and miniaturized Cantinflas, is content to coast on the restaurant's name while crassly expanding into frozen food. When Linguini receives credit for Remy's artistry, Skinner is forced to hire him as a cook. But Skinner challenges him to repeat his "accidental" soup recipe. When Linguini comes to the startling realization that a rat actually created the soup, he knows his goose, you should excuse the expression, is cooked.

But wait! Linguini and Remy develop a means to communicate. Through trial and much error (meaning much slapstick), Remy learns that by perching on the top of Linguini's head under his chef's hat and pulling tuffs of thick hair to manipulate limbs, he can pilot Linguini through his food-prep station. Soon, Linguini/Remy have the old magic back in Gusteau's kitchen, light a romantic fire underneath its sole female cook, Colette (Janeane Garofalo), has Skinner doing a slow burn and attracted the unwanted attention of the town's haughtiest critic, Anton Ego (Peter O'Toole at his most imperial and majestic self).

Cartoon food certainly has come a long way from the spaghetti-by-candlelight scene in Walt Disney's "Lady and the Tramp." In Bird's kitchen, sauces steam and bubble over brilliant flames, red wine shimmers in crystal glasses, vegetables slice, grate and chop in a frenzy of tiny flying objects, and the camera and cooks are in constant motion in a choreographed ballet with swift, tuxedoed waiters. Everything is so realistic in its textures, colors and smells -- yes, you'll swear you can smell the food -- that the next time you switch on the Food Channel will bring disappointment: It doesn't look like Gusteau's!

The movement of all the characters from the rats, right down to their hairs and tail, to the humans flying this way and that has an authentic precision that adds to the comic action immeasurably. But trumping even the photorealism of this Parisian fantasia is the utter charm of it all.

In recent months, a spree of violent incidents has shaken Orlando, Fla. Two weeks ago, two Connecticut tourists said they were kidnapped from a Downtown Disney parking lot, robbed and beaten. (The couple declined to press charges.) Several days before that, three bandits shot two sheriff's deputies outside a police convention at the Caribe Royal Resort. In May, a German tourist was raped and robbed in her room in the Howard Johnson on International Drive, the main tourist drag that is seemingly so safe that families often let kids roam unsupervised.

These alleged crimes could have unsettling repercussions for the tourism-dependent economy of Orlando, where nearly 20% of all jobs are related to the 50 million visitors a year who come to the area. Murders soared 123% last year to a high of 49 from 2005. While the number of murders is much lower than in most big cities, the per-capita number is high because Orlando has 221,000 residents.

A spokeswoman for Walt Disney Co. declined to comment, as did the general managers of the Caribe Royale Resort and the Howard Johnson.

Orlando was recently named one of the top-25 most-dangerous cities in the country by Morgan Quitno Press, a Lawrence, Kan., research and publishing firm that has been compiling the list from Federal Bureau of Investigation crime data for 13 years. The list ranks cities by measuring their crime rates in six categories, including murder, rape and robbery, against the national average. St. Louis was No. 1 and Orlando was No. 25.

Orange County has the highest per-capita crime rate of any county in the state, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

"This needs to be kept in perspective," said Danielle Courtenay, spokeswoman for the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau. "We have 49 million visitors who come here, and the vast majority who come here have wonderful experiences."

Much of the crime that put Orlando on the Morgan Quitno list is concentrated in a few poor neighborhoods in city limits, but the perception that crime is spreading could depress tourism in the region. Many tourists don't know that most of the tourist destinations such as Disney World are located outside the city.

"The perception is that Orlando is one area and everyone is kind of mushed together," said Harris Rosen, president and chief operating officer of Rosen Hotels & Resorts, the largest independent hotel owner in Orlando. "The number of criminal events against tourists is minuscule. However, the crime in Orlando is going up."

In a recent Chamber of Commerce study, the top worry among Orlando citizens was violent crime. "Five or 10 years ago, you wouldn't see it in the top 10," said Jim Kitchens, president of Kitchens Group, an Orlando public-opinion research firm that has done surveys and focus groups on the subject.

Now, the Justice Department is sending Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and FBI special task forces into Orlando after requests from the local FBI office and the acting U.S. attorney. "I don't think there's any doubt that one of the concerns is that a high crime, especially violent-crime, rate will have a negative impact on tourism and adversely impact the economy," said acting U.S. Attorney Jim Klindt of the Middle District of Florida. In addition, the local police department is launching a program that will put more desk officers out on patrol.

All this comes at a time when construction of hotels, time shares and condo hotels is soaring in the area. Demand is driven in large part by the trend toward so-called vacation ownership, where consumers either own their hotel rooms or own the right to use them for a specified time. Orlando is also dependent on business travelers. It is the second-biggest convention market, behind Las Vegas, by number of visitors.

So far, there is little evidence that tourism has suffered because of the crime, and no tourist has been killed. Ms. Courtenay of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said visits were up this spring and hoteliers expect a strong summer.

Expectations could change with a single high-profile crime or a series of crimes against tourists, says Abe Pizam, dean of the Rosen School of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

Tourism got hit severely when Orlando and Miami experienced a rash of crimes against visitors in the early 1990s. Visits from foreign tourists tumbled 25% from 1992 to 1994 and have never fully recovered, according to data from the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

What is driving the sudden surge in murders and violent crimes isn't yet known. Jay Corzine, who runs UCF's sociology department and studies crime in the area, says two of last year's murders were gang-related, but the Parramore neighborhood and others seeing the spike have long had drug problems. "There's been a change in what we would call street culture," he says. "Where it exists in the Orlando area, it has become more violent and, in some cases, more lethal."

It has also gotten younger. About two-thirds of murder suspects are under 25, Mr. Corzine says, and many have lengthy criminal records and have been in and out of jail.

Disney Store designers worked with the Pixar creators to bring the magic of the film home to the entire family...a full set of plush friends, interactive toys and colorful tees await gourmands inspired by Remy and his pursuit to become Paris' greatest chef. A "Smell and Speak" interactive Remy (SRP $34.50) is a fun way to teach little tykes the names and uses of foods. A chubby plush Emille puppet devours toy morsels (SRP $24.50), the complete set of hand-painted character action figures that actually talk (SRP $12.50/each) and plush youth costumes add to hours of imaginative role play (SRP $29.50 each).

Delight the gourmet in kids and parents alike with coordinating chef sets, which include aprons, hats and oven mitts (SRP $14.50 -- $19.50). Start grooming those soon-to-be master chefs at home with a kids' cooking set (SRP $16.50), which includes a full set of kitchen essentials: 10 cup non-slip bowl, measuring cup and spoons, whisk, cake pan and more! Kids can then enjoy their master creations en plein air with the portable Picnic Set: a delightful pair of plates, cups and utensils cleverly packaged in a fold-up picnic table (SRP $19.50.)

Enjoy good taste entertaining with hors d'oeuvres plates, mugs, cloth napkins and coasters (SRP $12.50 -- $24.50), all hand decorated in French blue on white ceramic and reminiscent of a Left Bank bistro. Clever character cheese spreaders, Remy topped corkscrew and bottle stoppers (SRP $9.50 -- $19.50) add a charming sense of fun to summer cocktail parties.

Disney said the four were banned for life from Disney World property late Friday after they refused to leave when Disney security asked them to.

The players' parents said they were thrown off because they're black.

Concerns of gang-like activity at Downtown Disney prompted the new policy.

WDW News - The following changes are all schedule to be taking place, please note though, these are not yet officially confirmed, and should be treated as speculation at this time.

• The Jedi Training Academy will become a permanent addition with a brand new stage. The wall will go up July 9th.
• Mickey Avenue will officially close on July 9th 2007 and will reopen with the ride as Pixar Place.
• The Sorcerer Mickey hat will get a lighting refurbishment and the wall is expected to go up in July 2007.
• Playhouse Disney in Concert will be held in a large air-conditioned tent in the parking lot behind Rock 'n' Roller Coaster this year.
• A new Playhouse Disney show will be opening in February featuring the Little Einstein's, Jojo's Circus, and Mickey's Clubhouse.
• Little Einstein's and Jojo's Circus characters will have a new meet and greet area in the Animation Courtyard probably opening sometime in the fall.
• Sorcerer Mickey will have a new meet and greet inside the Animation Tour building also opening in the fall.
• Rock 'n' Roller Coaster will be going down for a major refurbishment from Labor Day to the beginning of October 2007.
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid will be going under refurbishment sometime in the next few months.
• Rosie's and Eddie's on Sunset Blvd will go under refurbishments in the next month or two for kitchen upgrades.
• Muppet Vision 3D is speculated to be switching over to a digital projection system.
• Block Party Bash will be making its debut in March 2008 and the Stars and Motor Cars parade will be retired.
• Toy Story Mania will be opening tentatively in late April 2008.
• A brand new show will be opening on a permanent basis in the ABC Theatre in May 2008.

"THQ is thrilled to be breaking through the sequel clutter this summer with Ratatouille, the summer's most original animated property," said Bob Aniello, senior vice president, worldwide marketing, THQ. "Once again, the team at Pixar has delivered a compelling storyline with fresh characters and adventures that provide tremendous video game content."

"Launching the Ratatouille video games across multiple video game platforms simultaneously reflects the enormous appeal the franchise has with a broad audience," said Graham Hopper, executive vice president and general manager, Disney Interactive Studios. "Disney and Pixar's commitment to quality and creativity in entertainment is reflected perfectly in this wonderful animated film."

About the Ratatouille Video Game

Inspired by the unique characters and storyline from the Ratatouille film, fans will experience the sights and sounds of Paris across a multitude of gaming systems. In the game, players will assume the role of Remy, a young rat whose love for great food puts him at odds with the needs of his family. Players will experience highlights from the film, as well as the memorable characters and key locations, as they explore five action-packed worlds, more than 20 challenging missions and mini-games and go head-to-head in multiplayer. Ratatouille will allow players to evade detection from dangerous and often hungry enemies, brave the perils of the dinner-rush, and create culinary masterpieces in this senses-shattering journey to fulfill Remy's life-long dream of becoming a great chef.

In addition, the Ratatouille video game includes an exclusive sneak peak of Disney/Pixar's next film, WALL-E, the story of a little robot's comic adventure as he chases his dream across the galaxy. With the film not scheduled to hit theaters until Summer 2008, this un-lockable preview will serve as the public's first glimpse into the world of WALL-E.

Birthday Express, the leading web and catalog party supplies retailer, makes it easy for parents to transform their child's birthday party into a Hollywood-style celebration with their favorite musical stars. Offering more than 150 birthday party themes, Birthday Express provides the complete solution for busy parents by assembling everything needed to throw a birthday party -- colorful themed paper products, party favors, piñatas, craft activities, and even party-planning ideas.

High School Musical and Hannah Montana top the charts among the many licensed characters found at Birthday Express, which sells direct through its catalogs and website at http://www.celebrateexpress.com/. Here's a sampling of the hard-to-find party goods sure to make your music-lover's party a hit:

-- High School Musical -- Paper party goods and fun decorations capture all the thrills of auditions and cheering for the Wildcats from this Emmy award-winning television musical. A customer favorite is a coordinating banner with free personalization ($14.99). This heavy- duty vinyl banner with grommets works for parties both indoor and outdoor. Customized message and child's name are added free of charge. -- Hannah Montana -- A favorite with the tween set, Hannah Montana party supplies capture the energy of the popular teen who lives a secret life as a world-famous pop star. Hannah rocks with themed birthday party goods and a full assortment of crafts to keep the party hopping. Customer favorites include a personalized banner, piñata and Hannah Montana CD ($18.99) -- Excellent background music for the party from and inspired by the hit TV series.

Party planning tips are available for these themes and more at http://www.celebrateexpress.com/.

About Birthday Express

Stepping off at the rear of the group was Roy Disney - yes, that Roy Disney - and behind him trailed a small crew carrying cameras, boom microphones and various duffle bags.

Even set nearly 300 miles from the nearest ocean, Carson Valley found its way into a feature-length documentary film that producers are hoping will do for the sport of sailing what March of the Penguins did for its species.

The cast and crew of The Morning Light project, a film that will chronicle the venture of the youngest crew to ever compete in the Transpacific Yacht Race, was in town last weekend to tour the 3DL facility, which produced the sails for their Transpac 52.

North Sails 3DL, long-known internationally for producing the sails for many of the world's top sail racing teams, has become a nearly mythic place for aspiring sailors across the globe.

"I've always heard about this loft," said Piet Van Os, the watch captain and co-navigator for the Morning Light, who is the team's oldest member at 23. "It's really cool to be here.

"Once they told us we'd be coming up to Northern Nevada, I knew they would be bringing us here. It's really great seeing how the sails get made. You don't realize how much work goes into it when you're busy using the sails."

Crew members got to ask questions of the various workers at North Sails and a couple even got a ride in the patented gantry bags that hover over the sail during the production process.

"These guys are in the process of becoming full-blown celebrities," said North Sails spokesman J. Brandon. "We're glad to have them here and we're very interested to see how this movie turns out."

The Morning Light project got its berth when Tom Pollack, the TP 52 class executive director, approached Disney about getting a young crew together to sail the Transpac race, which runs from Los Angeles to Honolulu while covering a distance of 2,225 nautical miles.

Disney, a longtime sailor and 16-time competitor in the Transpac, jumped at the idea.

"Tom gave me the idea and I expanded on it a bit," Disney said. "I wrote up a two-page synopsis of the idea, sent it over to the people at Disney and it started from there. It's just grown and grown and grown ever since and it's a really big project now."

The crew is set to compete next month in the big-boat class of the race starting July 15. It is set for a theatrical release by the Walt Disney Company in 2008.

The filming process, however, started last summer with an open casting call for experienced sailors between the ages of 18 and 23.

"I was actually offshore on a ship when I head about the casting call," Van Os, of La Jolla, Calif., said. "I sent in my application over e-mail, got accepted and had to fly off the ship from Chile."

More than 500 sailors applied, but only 30 got invited to the team trials. From there the crew was narrowed down to 15 and 11 or 12 of those will actually compete in the race with the remaining serving as alternates.

"The sailing community is pretty small, so people were talking about this project," said Chris Branning, the team's other co-navigator, 21 of Sarasota, Fla. "We had eight days of selection trials and at the end of that we had 15.

"We started training in January all the way through the beginning of May. We came together very well as a team.

"I've worked with a lot of crews in my life, but this is by far the closest group I've ever been in. I've sailed against a few of them but never with any of them prior to this."

The premise of the movie is that it will be unscripted, with no preconceived outcome. Filming began as soon as the applicants stepped off the plane for the trials last summer.

"It was really weird the first two weeks or so because we always had these cameras in our face," Van Os said. "After that, we were just so used to it, we barely even saw them any more. The camera is in your face, the boom is over your head and it just stops phasing you."

Even so, the crew hadn't been filmed in nearly a month before entering the North Sails loft and several crew members mentioned jitters about being on camera again.

"It'll be great for the sport," Branning said. "We're hoping it will really raise sailing's profile. The cameras have been with us through the whole process.

"Hopefully, we'll be able to give the people a great story."

The film is being shot in high definition from the air, from the water and onboard the sailboat by a crew that features previous Emmy winners, Oscar nominees, and even an Olympic gold medalist.

Disney said he and the producers of the film went strictly away from the growing method of pairing a group of volatile personalities for some cheap drama onscreen.

"The most important thing we're trying to do is show a group of young people come together to form a team and understand a common objective," Disney said. "We want to show people what happens on a boat once it disappears over the horizon. There is a hell of a lot that goes on out there.

"It'll be a lot of young people with strong character doing their best to win a race."

Early on, the crew has performed well. They most took fifth out of 15 big boats in the First Team Real Estate Regatta for the Hoag Cup at Newport Beach earlier this month.

"We had a couple of knockdowns, some mistakes during training," Branning said. "Hopefully we got that out of our system now that the race is approaching.

"This is a great team and we are very confident heading into it."

They'll receive some friendly competition from Disney once the Transpac starts.

Before I could catch that breath, I was greeted by the front man who reeled off their offerings: cigars, cigarettes, liquor, coffee. The place looks slick, especially the bar proper, which resembles a melting-ice slab. It's realistic enough force me want to touch it. (It wasn't cold.) Also eye-catching are the fiery back-lit tobacco leaves up and behind the bar.

It seats about 30, but with the high ceilings, it didn't feel claustrophobic.

The bar is located in what I could call the Pleasure Island DJ booth, facing the Mannequins/Ragland Road side. (Photo from Walt Disney World)

Now, those characters have gone couture.

Designer and fashion maven Kidada Jones recently introduced a line of baby blue and pink women's loungewear, costume jewelry and home accessories inspired by the animated heroines that have come to be known in marketing circles as the Disney Princesses. Jones' line made its debut this month in a special white room, decorated with cherry blossoms and a fairy tale castle, in the fashionista fantasyland known as the Fred Segal boutique on Melrose Avenue.

The princesses also have inspired a line of wedding gowns by designer Kirstie Kelly that aim to evoke the happily-ever-after vibe in chiffon, satin and taffeta. At prices of $1,100 to $3,500, the gowns are more expensive than the trinkets and toys for tots and teens that Disney has historically been known for.

For several years now, Disney has quietly been courting the Hollywood glitterati with high-end fare, taking such iconic characters as Mickey Mouse to places they had never ventured. Some of these designer items, such as a furniture line unveiled in 2006 and the bridal gowns introduced this year, have little visible connection to the entertainment giant. The Disney name is not flaunted or embroidered on the goods. Rather, the products are contemporary interpretations of vintage Disney art.

The goal is to give the Disney brand cachet with trendsetters that could carry over to the mainstream, expanding the company's reach beyond kids.

"You gain visibility and make it cool when you sell some upstairs," said Martin Brochstein, editor of the Licensing Letter, a biweekly newsletter that covers consumer products licensing. "It really gives it a kind of halo effect to the rest of the line."

Disney Consumer Products Chairman Andy Mooney started reexamining the company's licensing strategy after he joined the company in January 2000. To achieve his goal of $50 billion a year in retail sales, Mooney knew the studio needed to move beyond character licensing. He aimed to position Disney as a lifestyle brand, for which all manner of products could be fashioned to fit.

"There was a lot of skepticism about why anybody would buy Disney products if they didn't have the characters on them, because for 50 years that was the business we were in, character licensing," Mooney said. "But the opportunity is 20 times larger than character licensing."

Disney's new licensing approach appears to be paying dividends.

Mooney said recently that retail sales of licensed merchandise have doubled in just five years, to a projected $26 billion this year, from $13 billion in 2002.

Operating income grew 55 percent from 2000 to about $600 million last year.

The Walt Disney Co. will premiere the Chinese-language movie "The Secret of the Magic Gourd" in Beijing on Friday - one of a number of projects aimed at carving itself a strong position in China.

The film, made in Hong Kong, is based on a popular Chinese story about a boy who discovers an enchanted gourd - a squash-like vegetable - that grants him wishes.

The movie, made by Hong Kong's Centro Digital Pictures, is the first-ever Disney-branded movie made outside Hollywood. Disney's famed animators were not involved.

It's a significant venture into local-flavored programming for a company that has until now counted on Mickey and friends to help win fans around the world. Disney's first park on Chinese soil, Hong Kong Disneyland, is a near-replica of the original Disney theme park in California.

"Good stories are not dominated by American creators," Disney's top China executive Stanley Cheung said in a recent interview in Hong Kong.

"We are not fixed on the idea that we have to lift stuff from the U.S. and drop it into China and if that doesn't work, we don't have business. I think that would be a narrow way of doing business," Cheung said.

"Magic Gourd," which will be promoted with story book and merchandise tie-ins, is only the beginning of Disney's localization in China, with plans to assemble a group of Chinese Disney characters alongside the more traditional ones, he says.

Cheung said the story of "The Magic Gourd" fits with Disney's traditional values. The movie's main character is troubled by his magical vegetable which steals from others to please him.

"It's about a kid growing up understanding himself, family, positive values," Cheung said.

The executive said Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger and the company's senior management are committed to localized content.

"It's directly from Bob and our global leaders," Cheung said.

"They look at China as very, very important to The Walt Disney Co., especially in the longer term ... (in) 10, 15 years," he said, but declined to say if Disney's China operations are profitable.

"The company, especially Bob and the board, are looking at how we can grow, how we can ensure long-term growth of this company," he said.

Disney already has a significant presence in China.

Launched more than 12 years ago, the "Dragon Club" show, featuring Disney animation, currently airs on nearly 40 Chinese TV stations.

Chinese audiences have seen "Toy Story," "Finding Nemo" and a stage production of "The Lion King," and they can buy Mickey Mouse Magazine and Pooh Magazine. They also have access to Mickey dolls at any of the more than 4,200 Disney outlets in China.

Cheung said Disney plans to launch a new Internet-based driving game featuring Mickey Mouse this summer with Shanda Interactive Entertainment.

Disney's entry into China isn't unfettered, however.

The Chinese government keeps tight watch over media content. It limits the number of foreign movie imports to about 20 a year and has banned foreign cartoons from prime-time television.

Cheung said Disney remains in talks with Chinese officials about launching a Disney channel.

Cheung's appointment as Disney's top China executive also appears to be part of the company's strategy to boost its local business. The company has expanded its China staff from about 70 to nearly 400 in the past 2-1/2 years.

The highly anticipated DVD release is THE all-access pass to super-star status. Re-live the popstar's reaction to having another celebrity on the canvas and her ensuing crush, which includes her first kiss! Watch the live concert performance of "Nobody's Perfect," and spend a fashion-filled day at a photo shoot with Miley, her family, and her "Hannah Montana" co-stars.

In this new compilation, all four episodes center on the budding relationship between Miley and Jake Ryan starting with an episode entitled "New Kid in School" when Miley reconsiders hiding her superstar alter-ego when Jake, a famous TV actor, enrolls in her school and starts getting all of the attention. The episodes that follow chronicle the ups and downs that come with a first crush.

"Hannah Montana," starring real-life daughter-father Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus, dominated 2006 as basic cable's #1 series among total viewers, Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14. After a stellar launch in the U.S., the series continues to score around the world, garnering #1 ranks and reaching millions of viewers in 122 countries. The soundtrack to the series was the first ever television soundtrack to debut on the Billboard Top 200 Chart at #1, a spot it held for two consecutive weeks finishing at #6 for the year.

High School Musical: The Concert Extreme Access Pass DVD features multi-talented young stars (in alphabetical order)—Corbin Bleu ("Chad"), Monique Coleman ("Taylor"), Lucas Grabeel ("Ryan"), Vanessa Hudgens ("Gabriella"), and Ashley Tisdale ("Sharpay") joined by the Emmy Award-nominated singer/songwriter Drew Seeley, who co-wrote the hit "Get'cha Head in the Game" and contributed male vocals to the High School Musical and The Cheetah Girls 2 soundtracks hitting all the high notes from their recent "High School Musical" 42-city North American tour. The concert tour includes all the major hits from the top-rated Disney Channel Original Movie.

In addition to performing songs from High School Musical, the stars will also have breakout moments during the concert. Corbin Bleu, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale will perform material from their current and/or forthcoming solo albums. Emmy Award-winning director and choreographer Kenny Ortega served as concert director and choreographer for "High School Musical: The Concert" and assembled a world-class production team for the concert tour.

High School Musical: The Concert Extreme Access Pass is the first installment in Disney Channel's D*Concert series and the latest addition to the "High School Musical" franchise. Disney Channel's original "High School Musical" DVD sold more than 400,000 units its first day in stores last year, making it the fastest selling TV-on-DVD release of 2006. The multi-platinum soundtrack to the smash hit Disney Channel Original Movie "High School Musical" was the #1 album of 2006 and the first-ever TV movie soundtrack to peak at #1 on Billboard's Top 2006. High School Musical" drew record numbers (150 million viewers worldwide) for Disney Channel and won the 2006 Outstanding Children's Program Emmy.

High School Musical: The Concert Extreme Access Pass DVD will treat serious fans of the made-for-TV blockbuster to live performances of soundtrack hits such as "Breaking Free," "Start of Something New" and "We're All in This Together." The quintet is joined on-stage by Drew Seeley, co-writer of the soundtrack hit "Get'cha Head in the Game."

The "U Direct" special feature allows fans to simultaneously watch the concert from four different camera angles. Hang out behind-the-scenes with cast members—even while the show is going on—with the "Fan Cam" virtual backstage pass. "High School Musical on the Road" gives the viewer 24 hour access to the stars, including their dressing rooms and tour bus, is available in the "Concert Countdown."