March 1 - 7, 2009
 

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Saturday March 7, 2009

Movie Review: Pinocchio (70th Anniversary Blu-ray)
Miley Cyrus, Patrick Dempsey, Disney getting "View" showcase
ESPN Films suits up for pair of theatricals
Disney recruits student interns
ABC nabs rights to German mini 'Impact'
Lost Seasons 1 and 2 on Blu-ray: First Details and Cover Art
Movie Review: Pinocchio (70th Anniversary Blu-ray)

SoundtrackNet - In 1937, Walt Disney released the first feature-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Considered to be a massive gamble (even dubbed "Disney's Folly"), Snow White went on to be a massive success both critically and with audiences.  Moving forward on the second feature animated film, Bambi, hit a snag when Disney wasn't sure exactly how to do it.  And so, a popular Italian children's book by Carlo Collodi was adapted, and Pinocchio was released in 1940.

The story is a well known classic by know.  Woodworker Geppetto wishes upon a star that a marionette he crafted would be a real boy - and the Blue Fairy makes his wish come true, kind of.  Pinocchio is still a puppet, but very much alive - and to become a real boy, he needs to be brave, truthful and listen to his conscience, an anthropomorphized cricket who wears a top hat and has a walking cane.  Geppetto is thrilled of course, and sends Pinocchio off to school, but his journey is interrupted by the fox Honest John, who convince him instead to become an actor in the Stromboli puppet show.  Soon Pinocchio falls into the dark seedy underworld of The Coachmen, who lures boys to Pleasure Island where they are eventually transformed into donkeys.  I don't want to talk about the plot any further, even though you probably know what happens, but it's worth re-watching Pinocchio to let it all play out for you again.

Filled with classic songs (including the now immortal "When You Wish Upon a Star") and great moral situations posed to the audience, Pinocchio works for both children and adults alike.  Jiminy Cricket tries his best to lead Pinocchio through the various traps and temptations he encounters, and helps push the story along with his narration. It's a classic animated Disney film, and it pushed the bounds of animation with the beautiful and very lifelike performances and water effects.  The excellent songs were written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington, with the underscore by Paul J. Smith, and it also set the standard for how a story can be told through the music.

Just in time for its 70th(!) anniversary, Pinocchio has been given the ultimate treatment: a digital restoration and release on Blu-ray (and DVD) with a slew of special features.  The image is impeccable. I thought what Disney had done with last year's Blu-ray release of Sleeping Beauty was amazing, but this blows it away. You really wouldn't know that this is a 70-year old film; there is no film grain at all.  The animation is still "old school" and has that classic "roughness" to it, but every frame is sharp and exact.  It took a minute to realize it, but what I thought was "frozen grain" actually turned out to be the physical grain of the paper on the background art.  You can see every brush stroke, color is vibrant and deep, and it's a true masterpiece presentation.  Audio is presented in a new English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio home theater sound mix, and the original restored English mono track.  Considering the film's age, this is a rather straightforward front-heavy sound mix.  The music benefits better from the 7.1 mix, but it's still rather monaural. But it's certainly clean!

Special features for this new Platinum Edition are not as extensive as some other Disney releases, but still will provide hours of behind-the-scenes material.  First up are the different ways you can choose to watch the film.  You can watch the film in the original 1.33:1 aspect ratio, with windowboxing on the left-and-right of your screen.  But in a new approach, we're also offered a new presentation called (of course), "Disney View".  What this does is fill in the left and right sides of the screen with new watercolor artwork by Toby Bluth.  It's subtle and changes with the scenes to enhance the mood. A nice and non-obtrusive way to view the film, and most importantly, it's optional.  The other way to view the film is with the "Cine-Explore" mode, in which film critic/historian Leonard Maltin, Disney animator Eric Goldberg and film historian J.B. Kaufman provide an engaging picture-in-picture commentary that focuses on every aspect of the film and its creation.  Archival footage, interviews, artwork and more are all used and interspersed, making this an absolute must-watch track.  (The audio is available separately as an audio-commentary if you don't want the visual elements.)

There's the usual the "Disney Song Selection" feature letting you jump to (and sing along with) any of the songs, as well as the new music video cover of "When You Wish Upon a Star" by Disney pop artist Meaghan Jette Martin.  In "Games & Activities", we have two choices: a new pop-up trivia track, "Pinocchio's Matter of Facts", and "Disney Smart Games: Pinocchio Knows Trivia Challenge", where multiple-choice trivia game that you can play alone or with up to four players, for 30, 60 or 90 minutes.  It's fun, but runs a little slow at times.

The rest of the extras are all found on the second disc.  Two more "Games & Activities" are provided: "Pinocchio's Puzzles" lets you assemble shots from the movie in puzzle form, and "Pleasure Island Carnival Games" lets you play four different types of sideshow amusements, including target shooting, safe-cracking, strong man hammer, and some kind of skee-ball.  But the real extras are the behind-the-scenes materials, found in "Backstage Disney".  First up is "No Strings Attached: The Making of Pinocchio" (HD, 56-minutes).  This comprehensive documentary looks at the film, from pre-production, to animation, to music, to release.  It doesn't really look at the lasting effects of the film, but the archival footage, live-action reference material, and look at advances in animation technique are all fascinating and it's a well put together piece.

Three "Deleted Scenes" (HD, 9.5-minutes) are shown, mainly through storyboards and sketches.   "The Sweatbox" (HD, 6.5-minutes) looks at the use of the a stuffy screening room where story reels were presented to Walt Disney for feedback and discussion.  "Live Action Reference Footage" (HD, 10-minutes) looks at the way the animators would be influenced by actors filmed on bare stages with a minimum of props to inspire the animation performances. There are eight "Pinocchio Art Galleries" (all in HD), which cover Visual Development, Gustaf Tenggren Art, Character Design, Maquettes & Models, Backgrounds & Layouts, Storyboard Art, Production Pictures and Live-Action Reference.  Three trailers are included in the "Publicity" section: the original theatrical trailer (SD), the 1984 re-release theatrical trailer (SD) and the 1992 re-release theatrical trailer (SD).  A 1947 promotional recording of a deleted song "Honest John" (2.5-minutes) is included, as well as a small featurette, "Geppettos Then and Now" (HD, 11-minutes) that looks at a few different toymakers around the world who are continuing the age-old craft of wood carving - as well as some modern toymaker inventors who are taking things to the next level.

There is nothing about the restoration efforts on Pinocchio, which is too bad since the result is truly an impressive feat.  A third disc is included, which is basically the first disc of the DVD release.  It's a nice touch, so you can watch the movie with people who don't have a Blu-ray player.  It's hard to imagine any other 70-year old film looking this good, and Pinocchio blew me out of the water.  A classic film with a gorgeous transfer, solid audio and nice selection of extras, Pinocchio is well worth picking up when it comes out on home video for a limited time on March 10th.

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Miley Cyrus, Patrick Dempsey, Disney getting "View" showcase

The TV Guy - The Walt Disney Co., its programs and its stars will receive a promotional boost next week when "The View" visits Walt Disney Studios. Even Disney President Robert Iger will drop in.
Here's the guest list:

Monday: Miley Cyrus of Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana," Jimmy Kimmel of ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel LIve."

Tuesday: Jay Leno of NBC's "Tonight Show," musical guest Lady Gaga and the judges from "Dancing With the Stars," Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli. "Dancing" starts a new season Monday night on ABC.

Wednesday: Iger, Patrick Dempsey of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," Pixar animator John Lasseter, who will preview "Up." Iger also salutes Barbara Walters in her Disney Legend dedication ceremony.

Thursday: Maurie Benard of ABC's "General Hospital," Doug Savant and Kyle MacLachlan of ABC's "Desperate Housewives," musical guest Keyshia Cole.

Friday: Sally Field and Calista Flockhart of ABC's "Brothers & Sisters," a tour of that show's set from Matthew Rhys, a backstage look at "Dancing With the Stars," Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt of "The Hills" (which isn't a Disney show).

"The View" airs at 11 a.m. weekdays on WFTV-Channel 9.

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ESPN Films suits up for pair of theatricals
 
THR - ESPN Films is moving up the court with its theatrical features.

The unit is developing a pair of scripted projects inspired by true events: a story of the basketball-playing grandson of infamous cult leader Jim Jones, and the tale of Louis Mulkey, a beloved high school hoops coach who died on duty as a firefighter. Both projects derive from reporting the company undertook on its network and its Web site.

The Jones pic -- which will be written by Sang Kyu Kim, who also has written for Starz's "Crash" series -- will center on Jim Jones Jr., the son of the reverend who lost most of his family in the 1978 Jonestown massacre. He went on to raise a family including a son, Rob, who now plays basketball for the University of San Diego.

Christopher Wilkinson and Stephen Rivele, who penned Michael Mann's "Ali," will write the script for "Mulkey," while Mike Tollin, a frequent ESPN collaborator and producer of such big-screen hits as "Wild Hogs" and "Coach Carter," will direct and co-produce. The project will look at the late coach and the South Carolina team that went to the state championship inspired by his memory.

"What we like about both these projects is that they're not only about sports but they're also about the broader human condition," ESPN Films senior vp Ron Semiao said. "Not every sports movie has to be about a team that wins, then loses, then comes back."

Jones Jr., an adopted son of the cult leader and just 18 at the time of the Peoples Temple tragedy, said that basketball and life's larger lessons were intertwined. "The sound of a bouncing basketball initially hurt and then healed a family in the aftermath of Jonestown," he said. "Our history and hope (is) that this shared story could be a new legacy to the Jonestown tragedy."

ESPN has had several go-rounds with scripted and documentary programming, including its former ESPN Original Entertainment Unit. The company launched ESPN Films a year ago with the idea of making movies largely for the theatrical market as well as, to a lesser extent, the network. On the scripted side, it formed a partnership with CAA, which helped package projects and feed clients; all the names announced in the two new projects are CAA clients, though ESPN execs say its slate is not limited to them.

ESPN Films already has an ambitious slate of documentaries -- 30 filmmakers, ranging from Richard Linklater to Spike Lee, making one-hour docs that will air on the network beginning in the fall and continuing through 2011 -- and a Kobe Bryant doc that will air in May. It aired the television doc "The Greatest Game Ever Played," about the 1958 Colts-Giants NFL championship, in December.

It also is developing a scripted saga of baseball and civil rights based on the intersecting lives of Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey, with Robert Redford attached to star. There's no timetable for any of the projects, but scripts on both the Jones and Rickey pics, the latter of which is being written by "American X" scribe David McKenna, are expected to come in during the next few weeks.

Semiao said the company will talk to sibling unit Disney as well as other studios about financing and distribution. Theatrical-sports movies have had an uneven box office record, but the exec said it was the best course for ESPN.

"What fans and viewers said to us is, 'We like your brand, but we don't necessarily want to see it pre-empting sports programming,' " Semiao said. He added, "People have been seeing movies about sports in theaters for 75 years, and we think they'll continue doing that."

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Representatives from the Disney College Program will be on hand at noon and 6 p.m. in Room 204 of the Bernhard Center to provide information about the real world of make believe and becoming a Disney "cast member." The free event is sponsored by the WMU chapter of the Walt Disney World College Program Alumni Association, which was established in 1996 to provide networking opportunities and promote the development of the Walt Disney World College Program at WMU. Disney representatives began recruiting at WMU in 1993.

The program offers paid fall semester internships at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., and Disney World amusement park near Orlando, Fla. All internships provide living, learning and work experience.

The learning aspect, called the Disney College Program Educational Curriculum, involves core business classes, elective seminars and self-directed study opportunities. Core business classes focus on the Disney culture, situational leadership, communication, the business world and cultural change.

The work experience places students in positions at various theme parks, resorts and other Disney operations. Students serve as "cast members" in areas such as merchandising, transportation, attractions, food services, custodial services, life guarding and hospitality.

For more information, visit disneycollegeprogram.com.

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ABC nabs rights to German mini 'Impact'

THR - ABC has acquired the U.S. TV rights to "Impact," a four-hour miniseries produced by Germany's Tandem Communications, Jaffe/Braunstein Entertainment and Muse Entertainment and sold by Tandem.

NBC Universal's Sci Fi Channel has picked up second-window rights to the disaster drama about a meteor that strikes the moon and sends it on a collision course with Earth.

The $14 million production, licensed internationally by Tandem, stars David James Elliott, Natasha Henstridge, Steven Culp and James Cromwell and is directed by Michael Rohl ("Eureka").

ABC is expected to air it in the summer as a limited series.

" 'Impact' is an ideal acquisition for Sci Fi's weekend-movie franchise," said Thomas Vitale, the network's exec vp programming and original movies. "A high-caliber disaster-genre film with such a stellar cast is a recipe for success for Sci Fi."

Sci Fi has a strong track record with Tandem shows, with the futuristic tale "Lost City Raiders" and fantasy epic "Ring of the Nibelungs" having scored ratings gold for the channel.

The sale to ABC is a high-water mark for Tandem, which has carved a niche in high-end TV events by combining international financing with U.S.-bankable casts and scripts. "Impact" was presold to Germany's ProSieben, France's TF1 and Spain's Cuatro before shooting began. The mini also recently inked a deal with Japanese pubcaster NHK, and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has acquired U.S. video rights.

"We have focused on nurturing relationships with U.S. broadcasters, and the sale of 'Impact' to ABC is a home run for a European independent," Tandem managing director Rola Bauer said.

Bauer's company is positioning itself as a one-stop shop for U.S. and international broadcasters, expanding its scope to development, financing, production and worldwide distribution. Tandem hopes the strategy will become increasingly attractive as channels in the U.S. and abroad cut back on production costs.

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Lost Seasons 1 and 2 on Blu-ray: First Details and Cover Art

 TheHDRoom - The first two seasons of Lost are coming to Blu-ray Disc before you'll get a chance to shoot off fireworks this summer.

Disney Home Entertainment has confirmed the Blu-ray box sets for Lost: Season One and Lost: Season Two will released simultaneously on June 16.

Each season will be presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio at 1080p video with 5.1 uncompressed 48kHz/16-bit audio and D-BOX Motion Control support.

We've broken down the bonus features for each set by season below. At this time, none of the extras appear to be newly produced for Blu-ray.

Lost: Season One

  • Audio commentaries
  • The Genesis of Lost
  • Designing a Disaster
  • Before They Were Lost: Cast Auditions
  • Welcome to Oahu: Making of the Pilot
  • The Art of Matthew Fox
  • Lost @ Comic-Con
  • Lost: On Location
  • Flashbacks and Deleted Scenes
  • Bloopers
  • Spoofs

Lost: Season Two

  • Audio commentaries
  • Fire + Water: Anatomy of an Episode
  • Lost: On Location
  • The World According to Sawyer
  • Flashbacks
  • Deleted scenes
  • Bloopers
  • Mysteries, Theories and Conspiracies
  • Secrets from the Hatch

You can view larger cover art imagery by clicking through the disc details below. Amazon.com pre-orders are expected to launch any day now. With an SRP set at $69.99 for each set, Amazon pricing should come in around the $50 range.

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Friday March 6, 2009

Disney's Animal Kingdom Welcomes Birth of Colobus Monkey
Disney Unveils New Attractions, Lodging For Summer
Disney moving ahead with Hawaii resort project
Disney Dreamers and Doers 2009 Application Process Begins
Walt Disney’s School Days in Kansas City
Urgent Casting Call for Canines: Disney celebrates 'Dog' films on DVD
Britney’s Disney Day With Her Sons
Disney World's wine market no Mickey Mouse story
Jewel, O’Dell felled by Dancing With The Stars Rehearsals
 Resort group spent $270K lobbying government in 4Q
More Twitter thoughts for Disney other businesses
Disney's Animal Kingdom Welcomes Birth of Colobus Monkey

Disney News - Walt Disney World Resort recently welcomed a black and white colobus monkey – the first of its species born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The infant arrived February 17 after a six-month gestation and may be seen along the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail with a group of five other colobus monkeys. 

 

While the weight, size and gender are still unknown, animal care experts are encouraged by the amount of care given by first-time mother, Kabibi. “The baby was born looking healthy and vigorous,” said Rebecca Phillips, a primate manager at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. “We’re encouraged that the mother and baby seem to be adapting well.”

 

At birth, colobus monkeys are covered in white fur that is gradually replaced with black hair matching the adults. The monkeys are distinguished by their black body and white shoulders, backs and beard. The monkeys stand between 18- and 27-inches tall and weigh approximately 12 to 32 pounds. Unlike most primates, the colobus do not have thumbs, although they have long tails that help them navigate through the forest quickly.

 

Kabibi came to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2008 as part the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan, which manages genetic diversity among species through detailed records of individual animals. Disney’s Animal Kingdom also participates in AZA Species Survival Plans for several other animals, including elephants, cotton-top tamarins and okapi. 

 

Currently, approximately 65 colobus monkeys exist in AZA-accredited facilities around the United States. 

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Disney Unveils New Attractions, Lodging For Summer

Tampa Tribune - Walt Disney World Resort has announced a series of new attractions and events for the summer season, including a return to "treehouse lodging" at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa and a tethered balloon that lifts 30 guests 300 feet over Downtown Disney.

The summer opening of the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs will offer 60 three-bedroom villas elevated 10 feet on pedestals and beams. The concept was in place at Disney from 1975 to 2002.

Another new lodging option is the phased opening this spring and fall of Kidani Village vacation villas with thatched roofs at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas. The project involves conversion of rooms at Jambo House.

The 72-foot-diameter Aerophile will take guests on a six-minute flight at Downtown Disney. It is part of the restructuring of the food, retail and entertainment center into more of a family oriented locale compared to the nightclub orientation at Downtown Disney's West Side.

Other new events include Star Wars Weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from May 22 through June 14, with a variety of draws, including parades and autograph sessions with "Star Wars" actors.

In July, the Magic Kingdom will reopen its Hall of Presidents, including a representation of President Obama. 

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Disney moving ahead with Hawaii resort project

AP - Preliminary site work has begun at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts' first family destination resort in Hawaii.

Disney said today that the work at Ko Olina includes establishing where the foundations will be placed and laying underground utilities.

The work is being done behind a construction fence erected several weeks ago at the 21-acre oceanfront site located next to Marriott's Ihilani Resort & Spa.

Scheduled to open in 2011, the Disney resort is to include 350 traditional hotel rooms. It will also feature 480 timeshare vacation villas.

Plans call for a pool and water play area, an 18,000 square-foot spa, a wedding lawn, an 8,000 square-foot convention center and a children's club.

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Disney Dreamers and Doers 2009 Application Process Begins

Disney News - In 2009, Disney Parks worldwide are asking our guests, "What will you celebrate?" Many people may wonder; however, what it is Walt Disney World is celebrating this year?  We are excited to celebrate young people, as Disney Dreamers and Doers, who are making a difference in our community through their volunteer service.

Information regarding the Disney Dreamers and Doers application process was mailed to all Central Florida schools on March 6, 2009.  If you represent a school in Orange, Osceola, Lake, Polk or Seminole County and didn’t receive the information, please contact our Walt Disney Event Services team at (407) 566-1741.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, April 3, 2009. The application should be completed by a school coordinator – not the nominated student. Once an application is received, the school will receive a confirmation notice and further information regarding the next step of the process.

Each application will be reviewed by a diverse panel of Central Florida leaders and Disney Cast Members who will select three exceptional students per county (Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk and Seminole) per grade level (elementary, middle and high school). Recipients will be announced in May of 2009. 

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Walt Disney’s School Days in Kansas City

 KCTribune - Probably most people in Kansas City are aware that one of America’s best loved film makers spent much of his youth here in the city. What is probably less well known is the fact that one of his boyhood homes and the school he attended for six years before World War I are still standing although much altered.

Walter Elias Disney turns out to have been a Chicago native however. When he was four years old, the family moved to rural Marceline, Missouri, on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. In 1909, when he was seven, they moved into Kansas City. That fall Walt was enrolled at Thomas Hart Benton School located at 30th & Benton Boulevard, just over a block from the family home on 31st Street.

Walt’s father, Elias Disney, from whom the future animator received his middle name, brought the family to the big city because he had contracted for a paper route with the Kansas City Star. This newspaper included the Kansas City Times as the “Morning Kansas City Star,” according to its masthead. Elias’s contract called for six morning deliveries of the Times each week, six evening deliveries of the Star and, then, the Sunday morning edition of the Kansas City Star as well.

More to the point from Walt’s perspective, this meant that seven mornings a week he had to be out of bed at 3 a.m., and each weekday afternoon, he had to leave Benton School early in order to pick up papers with his father and brother Roy at the Star building at 18th & Grand. Because they did “hand” deliveries, the Disney's used pushcarts to carry the papers from the newspaper distribution center back to the upper middle class Santa Fe neighborhood they serviced with their deliveries. Elias insisted that papers had to be placed inside door openings or screens in order to prevent paper loss. It was drudgery beyond belief, at least in Walt’s mind.

The imaginative young man’s only respite were his hours at school each day where he loved to act and please his teachers. One, Miss Daisy Beck, made a lasting impression on him. Even though Walt was never much of an athlete, she insisted that he run in a track meet. The team won a medal which Walt treasured the rest of his days. When he returned in later years to Benton School after becoming a national figure in the movie business, he always recalled his admiration for “Miss Beck” and her insistence on his running even though he wasn’t very good.

On one occasion at the school, Walt was cast as a young Peter Pan [the English play had just been produced in England a few years earlier]. He recalled that his older brother Roy handled the ropes that permitted him to fly out over the audience. This worked well enough in rehearsal, but on the day the play was presented, Roy seems to have lost control of the ropes and Walt wound up in the third row. Instead of being mad, Walt reveled in the attention the flying stunt brought him among his fellow students.

The two Disney homes in Kansas City were both easily within walking distance of the school and of the entire Santa Fe neighborhood that served as the primary service area of Elias’s paper route. The Santa Fe neighborhood leapt into existence right at the turn of the century as a very comfortable set of houses on relatively sizeable lots located between Prospect and Indiana and from 27th to 31st Streets. Santa Fe is different from the surrounding neighborhoods in that its blocks run longways east and west rather than north and south in most of the rest of Kansas City.

Victor Bell and his wife Nannie Lockridge Bell had owned the land before it was subdivided to build these homes. Bell was an original partner with R. A. Long in the Long-Bell Lumber Company that once operated as the largest lumber company in the United States. By the time of the Disney’s presence in the area, the Bells were out of the lumber business and strictly engaged in land speculation and other investments. They did name two of the east-west streets in the neighborhood after themselves—Victor and Lockridge. The Disney homes were just south of the main part of Santa Fe Place. Their residences were much smaller and less pretentious.

Today, Benton School exists as D. A. Holmes Senior Residential Center after having been converted to D. A. Holmes School for African American children in 1953. The little house on Bellefontaine is much altered and in private hands. Current owners do, however, quietly acknowledge the history of their house with a small piece of Mickey Mouse yard art in the small fenced-in front lawn.

Walt Disney’s school days in Kansas City had a definite impact on his later life, if only because they provided him with a life experience that he long to escape. And oh, what an escape it was—Mickey Mouse, Snow White, Disneyland and World, and on, and on!

Dr. Bill Worley, Instructor in History, MCC-Blue River and Missouri Humanities Council Chautauqua portrayer of Walt Disney

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Urgent Casting Call for Canines: Disney celebrates 'Dog' films on DVD

 Monsters and Critics -Do you have a four-legged star roaming your home?

Time to brush that coat out, get those canines pearly white and stick a bow in Fido's fur, because Disney is giving you an opportunity to make your pooch a star.

In celebration of the releases of Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Bolt and Space Buddies on Disney Blu-ray and DVD, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is hosting a special casting call to find one camera-ready canine for a bark-on role in an upcoming Buddies film!

The first audition, will be held at The Grove in Los Angeles, on March 7th, 2009, will feature dogs strutting their stuff on a catwalk, and auditioning in front of friends, fans, and furry creatures a like.

The Beverly Hills Chihuahua catwalk requires participants to arrive "camera ready" in the style of Beverly Hills Chihuahua...glamour, fashion & doggy bling with outrageous outfits!

The Bolt runway is looking for all types of dogs, action star and super heroes full of talent and tricks!

Auditions will take place across the country in seven cities and will be documented for Director Robert Vince to choose the final star.

Audition dates, cities and venues:

LOS ANGELES—Saturday, March 7th
The Grove
101 The Grove Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90036

SAN DIEGO— Sunday, March 8th 
Fashion Valley Mall
7007 Friars Rd
San Diego, CA 92108

PHOENIX—Friday, March 13th
Bolin Memorial Park
1649 W Adams St
Phoenix, AZ 85000

Dallas—Sunday, March 15th
Fair Park (Museum of Nature & Science Bldg)
1300 Robert B Cullum Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75315

ATLANTA—Friday, March 20th
Centennial Park
265 Park Ave West N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30313

MIAMI—Sunday, March 22nd
Bayfront Park
301 North Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, FL 33132

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Britney’s Disney Day With Her Sons

Access Hollywood - Fresh off kicking off her “Circus” tour in New Orleans on Tuesday night, Britney Spears took some time off to relax with her sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, at Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on Thursday. 

Brit and her boys were photographed smiling inside the park and riding the Tomorrowland Indy Speedway attraction. 

Reviews of the pop star’s three-ring, circus-inspired concert spectacle have varied — some critics say the pop princess is not performing up to par, while devoted fans have praised her performance.

Britney is set to hit the stage again tonight in Atlanta, Georgia followed by performances this week in Miami and Tampa, Florida.

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Disney World's wine market no Mickey Mouse story

South African Wine - According to Koos Visser, marketing manager of Oranjeriver Wine Cellars who recently returned from a trip to America, the presence of this wine at Disney World provides for big opportunities.

"It's a good market with thousands of people visiting the venue for daily entertainment and a general break-away from their daily lives. There visitors can enjoy our wines in the restaurants or buy them as souvenirs in the outlet stores," says Mr Visser. "We have seen that after visitors to Disney World were introduced to a certain product - like Oranjeriver Wines - the brand was imprinted in their minds. The product is then sought after and bought when the visitors return back to their homes."

Apart from Disney World, Oranjeriver's wines are found in several states on the East Coast of America, including North Virginia, Maryland and Delaware as well as the cities of Baltimore and Washington DC.

"In a year or two, America will be the world's biggest wine market. Therefore it's essential for any producer with export ambitions to be present in that market now," reckons Mr Visser. "You have to know what the average American wine consumer likes, which is a sweeter, fruity wine with a colorful and interesting label. They particularly like the un-wooded Chardonnay and the fruity Shiraz of the Northern Cape. The interest in the Star Tree range is, in fact, so big that we will soon expand it with a natural sweet wine and a sparkling wine."

According to Mr Visser, wine exporters to America must have the right representatives who continuously look for new markets and appeal to merchants to provide your wine. Once you are listed, it is imperative that you can supply enough stock. "Therefore Oranjeriver Wine Cellars has its own representative to work in that market 24 hours per day."

Presently Oranjeriver exports plans to export 11,000 cases of wine to America per year. "But seeing the high profile of the wine in a place like Disney World, we hope to increase that figure and continue supplying a growing amount of wine to the American market."

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Jewel, O’Dell felled by Dancing With The Stars Rehearsals

Disney Blog - If you’ve watched any of the past seasons of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” then you know how competitive it can get. What you may not know is that it’s quite dangerous as well. Two competitors from the upcoming season are already out due to injuries suffered while training for the show.

Recording artist Jewel was diagnosed with a fractured tibia in both legs (:ouch:) and TV host Nancy O’Dell has a torn knee cartilage that will require surgery. Needless to say, both are dropping out of “Dancing With the Stars.”

Disney/ABC has announced that they’ll be making some changes to the cast as a result. In previous seasons they’ve brought in replacement ’stars’ at the last minute, but none have made it far due to the lack of rehearsal time.

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Resort group spent $270K lobbying government in 4Q

AP - The American Resort Development Association spent $270,000 in the fourth quarter to lobby the federal government, according to a recent disclosure form.
 
The association lobbied Congress on housing legislation intended to prevent foreclosures and on the $700 billion financial rescue package that was signed into law in October, according to the report filed Jan. 12 with the House clerk's office.

The association's members include the resort timeshare businesses of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Wyndham Worldwide Corp. and Walt Disney Co.

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More Twitter thoughts for Disney other businesses

The Bottom Line - In today's column I told you that I've long thought Twitter is rather pointless, but I'm starting to see some of the practical applications for certain businesses.

Here's a couple more thoughts. Some businesses can really reap a customer service benefit out of Twitter, especially big companies that may find it hard to provide one-on-one care via the phone or e-mail. The very nature of Twitter ensures that encounters are brief, but ensures customers won't feel ignored. And if a problem requires more attention, then you can take the conversation from Twitter to the phone or e-mail.

Leanne Jakubowski, social media director for Walt Disney World, told me the company is looking at using Twitter. She didn't get into any details because the company doesn't want to talk about it just yet, but I can see some uses. Guests could Twitter questions about where to eat or what rides to jump on first from inside the parks. They could ask for directions or any number of questions. Twitter could allow more custom-tailored and quicker responses than they would get from a general Web site FAQ -- and may be easier to read on a small screen.

For smaller businesses there are a few more points to consider. Social media like Facebook and Twitter really can blur the lines between our personal and professional lives. I'm generally uncomfortable with this and it's something to consider when using these tools. See, the whole point of Twitter and Facebook is apparently to share a lot of pointless drivel such as what I ate for lunch or what I'm watching on TV. I can't bring myself to post that kind of stuff. But I do like Facebook's photo-sharing applications when it comes to letting out-of-state friends relatives see pictures of my six-month-old daughter.

Small businesses can use Twitter as a promotional vehicle more than others. The Twitter community is none too happy about users who jump in and begin endless self promotion. And I can see why -- that's  like spam with a personal touch. But if you're giving something of value away or offering good deals, I think people will go for it.

Mike Whaling, president of a local social media company called 30Lines, said he's actually sealed a couple deals for his own business on Twitter. In addition, he's seen some good examples like a coffee shop in Toledo where the owner will tweet on occasion that for the next hour the drinks are on him. The shop's traffic quadruples during those times, Whaling said. Sure, the guy is having to give away free coffee, but he does it because he's building a loyal following of repeat customers.

My colleague tech writer Etan Horowitz compares it to the brand loyalty NASCAR drivers and sponsors have long enjoyed from their fans. I think that's a good analogy.

You will think Twitter is stupid if you try to read all the posts from every person you follow. A lot of it is pointless and doesn't even make sense unless you are following the conversation. The way you need to use Twitter is through the search function. This allows you to pinpoint conversations about what you are actually interested in. On any given day I can use this function to find out what people are saying about the meal they had at Olive Garden or if their flights are delayed or just got poor service at Orlando International Airport. I care about what people are saying about local business so I find the comments interesting and a small window into what's happening around town.

The main reason I have eased back from my "Twitter is stupid" philosophy is the speed with which you can tap into a vast network that you wouldn't otherwise have access to. When I was working on today's column, I asked the Twitter community for some examples of how they use the tool for business. I got a ton of responses -- some via Twitter, some on e-mail and even some phone calls. I talked to people I otherwise would not have found, or at least wouldn't have found so quickly.

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Thursday March 5, 2009

Name that Downtown Disney dining: Paradiso 37
Daft Punk to score 'Tron' sequel
Disney Parks Reservations, Consumer Spending Slowing
China's migrant workers allowed to visit Hong Kong Disneyland
Disney Actress Brenda Song Reaches Settlement On Her Libel Case Against Escort Company
The NAMM Foundation and Disney Channel Announce Second Round of Grant Recipients
Disney U.K. topper leaves post
Disney's 'Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience' Filmed with FUSION 3D System by PACE
5 Tips for Dads Visiting Disney Parks this Summer
ZillionTV to launch personalized TV service
Visit Disney train museum
Name that Downtown Disney dining: Paradiso 37
 
Theme Park Rangers - Disney officials confirm today the name of the E Brands restaurant coming to Downtown Disney. It's Paradiso 37. The menu will represent the 37 countries of North, Central and South America. The opening is set for "spring" of this year.
Also, a clarification: "the street foods of the Americas" is not part of the name, just a tagline, the company says.

Paradiso is being developed in the Pleasure Island district, in the former nightclub formerly known as 8TRAX, which closed last September with the other PI clubs.

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Daft Punk to score 'Tron' sequel

Entertainment Weekly - Technology and I have never gotten along -- just getting this blog post typed up and posted on EW.com is work enough -- but even I've got to admit: The prospect of going to see TR2N (a.k.a. the Tron sequel, a.k.a. How in the Hell Do I Pronounce That Anyway?) just got a lot more enticing. And that's because Disney has apparently tapped the Grammy-winning French electronica duo Daft Punk to compose and score music for the feature, which is expected to hit theaters around 2011.

I've been an unflagging fan of Daft Punk's propulsive, inventive, and downright sexy dance music since their debut album Homework was released in 1997. (Surely you remember the dazzling video for their first hit, "Around the World," which is, come to think of it, a total hot Tronny mess.) So it's hard for me to imagine that these guys—who are so good at what they do that they recently won a Grammy for Best Dance Recording for the live version of a song that was first released nearly EIGHT years ago—won't do something wholly original and fantastic with whatever TR2N ends up being.

Of course, I'm telling you all of this as someone who has never actually seen Tron, a groundbreaking 1982 sci-fi classic that made extensive early use of computer animation and graphics. In fact, my only real exposure to the film was during my family's annual trip to Disneyland. Because I was apparently a 65-year-old man in an eight-year-old's body, I used to beg my parents to take me on the poky ol' PeopleMover. For a brief moment during the ride, your car would enter a sonically jarring, near seizure-inducing tunnel that was surrounded by screens filled with lasers and popping lights, all meant to simulate the film's infamous Game Grid. We were so easily amused in the '80s, weren't we? (Somebody  tell me they remember this—and that it freaked them out in ways that still scar them to this day, so that I don't feel so alone in this world.)

Let's put the childhood memories away, though, and get to the real business at hand: Tron fans, Daft Punk fans, fans of Tron and Daft Punk...if you're reading this, what do you think? Is Daft Punk's futuristic, robotically influenced music the right match for TR2N? Does it make you more or less interested in seeing the movie? And if you aren't crazy about them, whose music would you like to hear in the new film?

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Disney Parks Reservations, Consumer Spending Slowing

Bloomberg - Walt Disney Co. theme-park reservations are slowing and consumers are spending less on merchandise, Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger said.

Attendance at the world’s biggest theme-park operator’s U.S. resorts is little changed from a year ago, Iger said today a Deutsche Bank conference in Palm Beach, Florida. Discounts will reduce profit at the unit, he said.

“We’re on par with where we were a year ago but we’re discounting,” Iger said. “We’re seeing decreased per-capita spending on merchandise. This economy is having an effect on a lot of businesses and we’re not immune.”

Iger also suggested Disney may shift its game development toward the No. 1 console, Nintendo Co.’s Wii, and said the company will reduce its output of online shows.

The entertainment industry’s ability to make money on programs for the Web is in question, Iger said. In the future, the company may consider starting an online video-subscription service, he said.

Since November, Burbank, California-based Disney has offered theme-park visitors three days for free at its theme parks when they book a four-day stay. The promotion includes a $200 credit that can be used to buy merchandise and food. The promotion has lifted reservations, Iger said. The unit provides Disney with about 30 percent of revenue.

Disney rose 31 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $16.36 today in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have fallen 28 percent this year.

Wii Console

Net income in the March-ending quarter may decline 28 percent to $818.6 million, the average of 10 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Sales may slide 6.3 percent to $8.16 billion, according to the average estimate.

In video games, Disney won’t abandon Nintendo competitors such as Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox 360 and Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 3, Iger said.

“We might be better off shifting our expense to platforms better suited for the Disney brand,” Iger said. “That doesn’t mean we won’t go after other platforms, but maybe not as aggressively.”

Iger said he’d like to see the day when Disney has a robust online-video subscription service. While profits aren’t as good as with DVDs, rentals are better than having content stolen through piracy, he said.

‘Dramatic Shift’

“We have seen a dramatic shift in how people consume entertainment,” Iger said. The computer and mobile phone have become more-important media devices, he said.

In discussing a video service, Iger was speaking about possibilities and the company has no immediate plans, a Disney spokesman said.

Disney plans to keep its 10 ABC-owned local TV stations because they are an essential part of the broadcast network, Iger said. Sales at the outlets are declining as advertisers pull back on marketing during the U.S. recession.

Pay-television services will have to provide payment to Disney to rebroadcast signals from ABC-owned stations, Iger said. The payments will be discussed when contracts expire next year, he said. CBS Corp. has successfully negotiated such fees from cable, satellite and fiber-optic network operators this year.

Disney can bolster profit at its ABC stations by investing in local news programs in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and elsewhere the company has operations, Iger said.

When broadcast rights for the Olympics become available, ESPN will consider whether to bid, Iger said.

“I don’t put the Olympics in the kind of must-have category, but that said I think they deliver real value from a programming perspective,” Iger said.

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China's migrant workers allowed to visit Hong Kong Disneyland

Top News - Migrant workers from factories in southern China will be allowed to visit Disneyland under a new scheme announced Wednesday allowing 10 million more Chinese visitors into Hong Kong.

However, with the theme park's entrance fees at 45 US dollars - a fortnight's wages for some Chinese factory workers - it is questionable how many of them will be able to afford the breaks.

From April 1, some 2.6 million residents of the Chinese border city of Shenzhen will be allowed to apply for multiple-entry visas to enter Hong Kong under the scheme aimed at boosting visitor numbers to Hong Kong.

From May 1, a further 7 million people without residency - mostly migrant workers - will be eligible to visit Hong Kong under its individual travelers scheme, government officials announced.

Most migrant workers in southern China earn a maximum of around 1,000 yuan (146 US dollars) a month and have never travelled outside mainland China.

Travel industry representatives welcomed the scheme but admitted they did not expect a huge influx of migrant workers and said they would be happy with "five to 10 per cent" of the eligible numbers.

Despite reverting to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" arrangement, wealthy Hong Kong maintains tight border controls with neighboring southern China.

Cross-border travel restrictions were eased substantially after 2003 to allow in millions more Chinese visitors, who now account for more than half of the city's visitor arrivals.

However, officials predict that visitor numbers will fall by 1.6 per cent to around 29 million in 2009 because of the global economic crisis and want more Chinese visitors allowed in ease the shortfall.

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Disney Actress Brenda Song Reaches Settlement On Her Libel Case Against Escort Company

 Gant Daily - Disney star Brenda Song has reached a settlement in her libel suit against an escort service company who used her photo in their ad.

The 20-year-old "Suite Life on Deck" star sued Vibe Media Inc. and its owner, Ali Askari, in Los Angeles Superior Court in April last year for libel, intentional infliction of emotional distress and commercial misappropriation of her photo and likeness when the company commissioned an ad with her photo alongside the text: "Hawaiin [sic] beauty. Come get lei'd."

The ads appeared in the back of L.A. Weekly.

The lawsuit was amended a month later and named the defendant as Vanessa Sena, who took the photo from the Internet and used it in the ad, according to eonline.com.

The settlement states that Sena agreed to pay $16,000 in damages, which needs to be paid by December 1 or risk owing the actress $100,000.

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The NAMM Foundation and Disney Channel Announce Second Round of Grant Recipients

 MSNBC - The NAMM Foundation and Disney Channel today announced the recipients of "Disney's High School Musical: The Music in You Grant Program" that encourages middle and high schools across the U.S. to put on their own school stage production of Disney's "High School Musical."

This is the second year that the two organizations have teamed to support this public affairs initiative, which is designed to utilize the popularity of the "High School Musical" movies to encourage kids to get involved in music and the arts in school.

The grant program supports a $5,000 monetary grant and school license to produce an adapted version of "High School Musical." The funds are to support music and arts-related educational costs of the production such as hiring music and dance coaches, and to help schools that do not have sufficient lighting and sound equipment for the production.

"For the NAMM Foundation, the collaboration with the Disney Channel creates a wonderful opportunity for kids to be involved in music and the arts -- activities that are subject to budget cuts in public schools across the United States," said Mary Luehrsen, executive director of the NAMM Foundation. "Participating in theatrical productions like these can be life-changing experiences for young people."

In 2007, the NAMM Foundation and Disney Channel teamed up to create projects supporting the public affairs initiative, which included "High School Musical: The Music in You," a "documusical" that chronicled a school theater production of "High School Musical" in Fort Worth, Texas. Additional joint initiatives were "The Music in You" micro Web site featuring interactive music and arts activities; public service announcements encouraging students to get involved in music and arts and communities to invest in more performing arts opportunities for kids; and a series of interstitials illustrating students involvement in the arts as part of their core curriculum. The interstitials were presented on Disney Channel, DisneyChannel.com and Radio Disney.

"We want to thank and applaud all of the schools that applied for the grant program," said Adam Sanderson, senior vice president, Brand Marketing, Disney ABC Networks Group. "We applaud their continued support for music and arts education activities, which allow kids to express their talent, imagination and creativity."

About Disney Channel

Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series and movies. Currently available on basic cable in over 97 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney-ABC Television Group. DisneyChannel.com, is the #1 entertainment Web site among Kids ages 6-14.

About Radio Disney

Radio Disney is the No. 1 destination for kids, tweens and families on the radio. It is available in the U.S. on over 49 terrestrial radio stations and on: RadioDisney.com, XM and Sirius satellite radio, iTunes Radio Tuner, XM/DIRECTV and mobile phones. Kids, tweens and families can also download Radio Disney programming via the iTunes Music Store.

About The NAMM Foundation

The NAMM Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to advancing active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs from the international music products industry. For more information, visit www.nammfoundation.org.

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Disney U.K. topper leaves post

Variety - Robert Mitchell, Walt Disney Co. senior VP and managing director of its U.K. operations, has ankled effective immediately.

Mitchell will be replaced by Daniel Frigo, Disney exec VP and general manager of the studio's Europe, Middle East and Africa ops.

He will continue to be responsible for those territories.

Mitchell had been with Disney since 1991, when he was approached to help expand the studio's U.K. office.

Disney declined to comment on the reasons behind Mitchell's sudden departure.

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Disney's 'Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience' Filmed with FUSION 3D System by PACE

PACE - A proprietary 3D camera system designed by Oscar-winning director James Cameron and Vince Pace returns to digital 3D production for Walt Disney Pictures. Disney, which first turned to digital 3D production leader PACE (www.pacehd.com) to create Disney Digital 3D(TM) for the Hannah Montana 3D movie, has once again tapped PACE for the production of "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience."

Using the exclusive FUSION 3D system by PACE, Director Bruce Hendricks and producer Art Repola shot the Jonas Brothers film with eight specialty cameras. FUSION then enabled the production team to create a real-time, dynamic form of 3D that gives the viewer the experience of watching the Jonas Brothers from the eight best seats in the house.

"The Hannah Montana 3D project was the highest-grossing 3D film opening, and it used FUSION 3D cameras," explained PACE founder and FUSION co-designer Vince Pace. "Hannah Montana's success brought Disney back to PACE for the Jonas Brothers film."

The FUSION 3D system stands alone as the best live-action 3D entertainment value for large projects like "Hannah Montana-Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" and "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience." That's because PACE specializes in 3D entertainment -- and unlike other companies that are still creating dimensional 3D on par with 3D B movies of a generation ago, the FUSION system creates a better-than-being-there experience for viewers.

Capable of filming 3D in the world's most extreme locations, FUSION has been used by other big names in the industry: In addition to the Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers films, FUSION was used to capture a U2 stadium concert in "U2 3D." Walden Media's "Journey to the Center of the Earth: 3D" also used FUSION, as did James Cameron's upcoming science-fiction epic "Avatar."

"We are excited to be able to provide next-generation 3D capability to the film industry," Pace stated. "PACE will continue to be a pioneer in 3D technology."

"Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience" is currently playing in 3D theaters nationwide. To learn more about PACE and FUSION, visit PACE at www.pacehd.com.

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5 Tips for Dads Visiting Disney Parks this Summer

Great Dad - Whether you’re in Paris, Tokyo, Orlando or Anaheim, a trip to Disneyland, or whatever they call it, is a must-do summer adventure, especially for the very little ones. Here are some tips that will make it a more productive and enjoyable day.
  1. Buy tickets before you go. You can skip the lines and also have more time to consider what tickets make most sense for your family. www.disneyworld.com
     
  2. Bring some healthy snacks. Even if you enjoy junk food, you’ll be amazed how much there is at the Disney parks. There are very few things that aren’t dipped in fat or filled with corn syrup. Pack a few carrots and apples just to keep your system working.
     
  3. Set expectations for rides. It’s really going to be a drag if you’ve been telling your son about Space Mountain for the last seven months only to find that he’s 3/8s of an inch short of the height requirement. In a perfect world, you could feed him nutrients to make sure he hits the ideal height in time for your trip, but in the world we live in, all you can do is play up, instead, the rides he can go on. Check out height requirements at DisneyWorld.com
     
  4. Plan your adventures. Don’t be obsessive about it, but experts know to arrive early and head as deep into the park as you can and work your way backwards. At least the beginning of the day will be relatively line-free. 
     
  5. Arrive early. Really early. Go early enough and you can get a good day in with small kids and be out by two or three PM.

If you possibly can avoid it, don’t go to any Disney property during the summer, school breaks, or weekends. September and October, when the weather is actually nicer, are usually the slowest months.

Note that the Disney and DisneyWorld sites all violate a cardinal web rule and play loud music on all of their landing pages. A word to the wise if you’re researching at work: Turn down the volume if you go to DisneyWorld.com.

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ZillionTV to launch personalized TV service

Reuters - Five major Hollywood studios have reached deals to provide content to a newly established personalized TV service called ZillionTV, the privately-held company said.

Through deals with Walt Disney Co, General Electric Co's, NBC Universal, News Corp's Twentieth Century Fox, Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros, Sony Corp, who are all stakeholders, ZillionTV will offer on- demand content delivered to TV via the Web.

The service also lets viewers personalize advertising categories and then inserts commercials into programs based on user preferences. Viewers will also be able to buy items on the spot through a store operated by Visa Inc, another ZillionTV stakeholder.

Currently in beta, ZillionTV said it plans to ultimately deliver the most extensive on-demand entertainment library available in the United States, with 15,000 titles by the end of 2009.

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Visit Disney train museum

Agoura Hills Acorn - The Calabasas Historical Society will host a trip to the Walt Disney Barn and Model Railroad at 10 a.m. Sun., March 15 at Los Angeles' Live Streamers Museum in Griffith Park.

The group will have lunch at Tam O'Shanter Restaurant.

In 1950, Disney built the Carolwood Pacific Railroad and barn in the backyard of his home in Holmby Hills.

For more information, call George French at (818) 3479356.

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Wednesday March 4, 2009

GM might end 10-year Disney World sponsorship
Disney's Bob Iger Looks Beyond Recession
Disney ponders online video subscription service
Alfred Molina puts spell on "Apprentice"
Hop to it: Frogs get jump start on daylight-savings time with activities at Disney's Animal Kingdom
Lerner Upped At Disney
Cold spell at Disney World forces foliage back into greenhouse for night
Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund provides emergency funding to two organizations in need
Disney Chairman Dick Cook Revisits First Job, Driving a Train
Dancing all the way to Disney
$2,500/night suite at Disney World gets makeover
Raises $2 Million Second Round For Celeb Style Site
Spring Trivia Challenge Time!
GM might end 10-year Disney World sponsorship

Sun-Sentinel - One of Walt Disney World's marquee sponsorship deals is in jeopardy.

Struggling U.S. auto giant General Motors Corp. is considering pulling out as sponsor of Test Track, the high-speed Epcot attraction that is among the most popular rides in all of Disney World.

A 10-year contract between Disney and GM expires this year. And GM, which lost $31 billion last year and is relying on loans from the federal government to stay in business, may not be able to afford renewing the pact. Disney and GM have been unable to strike a deal. GM has indicated it wants a resolution by the end of this month.

"We're still in discussions with them and haven't made a decision," GM spokeswoman Kelly Cusinato said. "It's definitely one that I think people are doing everything they can to preserve."

It is a lucrative partnership for Disney. Neither company would discuss the terms, but Automotive News reported last month that GM pays Disney close to $5 million a year.

The original corporate sponsors in Epcot, which opened in 1982, paid as much as $35 million over 10 years, according to a former Epcot executive. The German engineering giant Siemens AG is reported to be paying Disney $100 million over 12 years to sponsor Epcot's Spaceship Earth attraction.

Disney declined to discuss details of its talks with GM. "We continue to have a relationship with General Motors and are having ongoing discussions about continuing our relationship," spokeswoman Kim Prunty said Tuesday.

For GM, the marketing advantages of its Test Track sponsorship are obvious. Epcot lures an estimated 11 million visitors each year, making it the second-busiest theme park at Disney World and the third-busiest in the world.

The ride features vehicles, controlled by onboard computers, that carry guests through a series of simulated car-safety tests. During the 51/2-minute ride, guests are exposed to 100-degree temperature changes, bounced around hairpin turns, and hurtled through a final, outdoor sprint that reaches 65 mph, the top speed of any ride at Disney World.

GM's presence is everywhere. The carmaker's corporate logo is splashed throughout the pavilion that houses the ride. The queue includes a room featuring aerial photos of GM "proving grounds" around the world, from a desert track in Mesa, Ariz., to a cold-weather facility in northern Ontario. Guests exit through a swanky showroom displaying more than a dozen GM vehicles and a gift shop hawking pink Cadillac ball caps, die-cast Corvettes and electronic-toy Hummers.

When the ride debuted in March 1999, GM's vice president for marketing and advertising in North America said it would "help build brand awareness, corporate image and ultimately introduce new customers to GM dealers and our products."

The benefits extend beyond advertising. Disney also purchases GM vehicles, including Chevrolet Trailblazers and Silverados and Saturn Vue hybrids, for its corporate fleet as part of the contract, according to people familiar with the sponsorship.

But as valuable as the pact is to GM, the company may no longer be able to afford it. The automaker has said it could go out of business without as much as $16.6 billion in loans from the U.S. government, on top of $13.4 billion in taxpayer loans it has received.

GM would not be the first major corporate sponsor to drop out at Epcot. General Electric, ExxonMobil and AT&T are all former sponsors. Theme-park analysts also say they are certain Test Track would continue operating even if GM pulled out, as the ride's capacity is vital to managing park crowds.

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Disney's Bob Iger Looks Beyond Recession

CNBC - Disney can't ignore the reality of the recession and its impact on Disney's business (or its stock price), but CEO Bob Iger insists that the focus is on the long term. The strategy is to create high-quality branded content to leverage across its business divisions and all over the world. Iger says the biggest challenge isn't the economy, but creativity, and keeping its brands thriving.

He dismissed an accusation that the company is having a bit of a creative lull, directing attention towards an upcoming Pixar film, "Up," and a new Disney animated movie. The Disney Channel continues to thrive as do hits like ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," though Iger acknowledged that the network has failed to create equally strong hits in the past few years.

Iger defines entertainment broadly -- it's not just going to the movies or watching TV. He calls social networking entertainment, along with the range of casual and video games. Content people create themselves, and "mash-ups" of professional content also fit the bill. Iger remembered his decision to put home videos on ABC in 1989 for "Americas Funniest Home Videos." "Little did I know we were starting a huge secular trend," he says about the content that now populates everything from YouTube to Facebook.

Iger also spoke about the shift in how people consume entertainment, mentioning a poll about how people think about their computer and televisions. Over 80 percent of those aged between 13 and 24 consider their computer more of an entertainment device than their television. That number dropped to 74 percent for gen-Xers and down to 64 percent for baby boomers.

Disney recognizes the key role computers play in entertainment and wants to be flexible enough to make money in that space. Reflecting on the way piracy decimated the music industry, Iger says the company is better off with a lower price point if it can move content faster and cheaper to the customer.

Looking to build on the value of its brands and address the new ways people consume content, he says the company is considering creating a subscription online movie and TV rental service. The theoretical online video club of Disney's huge library could be accessed via DVD-by mail or download. Iger doesn't expect DVDs to go away, especially because his DVDs are family-oriented. Still, if the average family has 80 DVDs, that means the market is quite saturated, which is precisely why an online rental business could be a great solution.

Like the other CEOs who spoke at this conference Iger is truly optimistic. He says that he's just working from the premise that "people are going to have babies and babies are going to want to be entertained, particularly as they grow to be kids." The fact that Disney's brand is trusted makes them well positioned so the company is going to continue to invest in its brands.

Costs across the board -- making movies, distributing them, making DVDs, etc-- are going to have to come down, Iger acknowledges. But he's unfailingly optimistic that advertising as a business model isn't doomed (despite the 10 percent decline projected for this year). Product messaging has to find its way into the marketplace, he says.

Iger, along with all the other unfailingly optimistic CEOs, have got to be eager for the economy to turn around. The theme park division, advertising, home video and consumer products depend on it.

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Disney ponders online video subscription service
Reuters - Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) was considering moves like creating a subscription-based online video club to capture online consumers as well as revenue that is being lost to piracy, Chief Executive Robert Iger said on Tuesday.

Iger told analysts at a Deutsche Bank conference that media companies are under pressure to find ways to compete in a Web-based entertainment arena that is changing their business, possibly for good.

"We've also seen a pretty dramatic shift in how people consume entertainment" with computers and mobile devices becoming more important to most viewers than television, Iger said.

"The computer is a very important place to entertain people, and if we don't occupy space on those devices, others will," he said.

To that end, Disney was considering options that might include a subscription-based online rental club, in which users could access content from Disney's massive film and TV library by mail or online delivery, Iger said.

While moves to put more content online have been criticized as margin destroying, Iger said critics "aren't realizing is the business that we are used to may be over."

"When it comes to piracy, are we better off moving content faster and cheaper than if they steal it and we get nothing?" he said.

The comments come about a month after Disney reported double-digit drops in profit, and Iger warned investors of "secular changes" in DVD and advertising sales.

He also said on Tuesday that while advertising is under pressure and may change forms, "advertising is not going away at all."

He defended costly sports broadcast rights deals at ESPN, saying the deals are "all part of a strategic play to strengthen the competitive advantage" and will not hinder the sports network from growing "nicely" in coming years.

Iger said theme park attendance is holding "even" in the current quarter but added that discounting of tickets is cutting into per capita spending.

In general, Iger feels "more bullish" on the entertainment company's long-term growth prospect because the recession "is causing us to be more analytical and focus on value creation and changes in the marketplace."

"I believe we will emerge from this just fine," he said.

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Alfred Molina puts spell on "Apprentice"

Reuters - Alfred Molina is readying his potions for "The Sorcerer's Apprentice."

The actor has signed on to play the evil magician Horvath in the Disney fantasy drama starring Nicolas Cage and Jay Baruchel.

Jon Turteltaub ("National Treasure") is directing the film, and Jerry Bruckheimer is producing.

The story centers on an average college student (Baruchel) who is recruited to work for a sorcerer named Balthazar Blake (Cage). The man gives his reluctant student a crash course in the art and science of magic to prepare him for a battle against the forces of darkness in modern Manhattan.

Teresa Palmer also is in the cast, playing Baruchel's love interest.

Molina's deal puts him back into Disney and Bruckheimer's fold; he recently wrapped a turn as Sheik Amar in "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time," which the studio will release in May 2010.

Molina also has completed shooting "The Tempest," Julie Taymor's cross-gender take on the Shakespeare play.

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Hop to it: Frogs get jump start on daylight-savings time with activities at Disney's Animal Kingdom

Theme Park Rangers - You're in spring-forward mode, right? Daylight Savings Time returns this weekend, but Disney's Animal Kingdom is signaling that a little early with frog-based programs on Thursday, March 5 at its Conservation Station.

Activities on tap: a leaping challenge where children can see if they can jump as far as frogs plus a frog-calling game where guests match the frog to its ribbit. There's also frog-wear with goggles for that transparent eyelid look, mesh vests as permeable skin and suction-cupped gloves to demonstrate the unique feet of froggies.

It's in conjunction with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' efforts to raise awareness of the decline in amphibian populations.

At Animal Kingdom, the Animal Programs team studies the nutritional needs of the Puerto Rican Crested Toad, which is threatened by extinction.

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Lerner Upped At Disney

Billboard Business News - Diego Lerner has been named president of the The Walt Disney Company, Europe, Middle East and Africa, the company announced today. Lerner, who was most recently Disney's Latin America president, will oversee integration of all of Disney's businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with the exception of Disneyland Paris and ESPN.

Lerner will be based in London and report to Andy Bird, chairman, Walt Disney International. Lerner's Latin America responsibilities will be taken over by Claudio Chiaromonte, Disney's chief operating officer and CFO in the region.

During his Latin America tenure, Lerner oversaw the launch of Spanish and Portuguese versions of the Disney Channel, the launch of Radio Disney in the region, and the first Disney-branded local movie production, "High School Musical: El Desafio."

"Expansion in international markets is a key strategic priority for Disney, and Diego's proven ability to nurture and grow Disney's businesses makes him an ideal choice for this new position as we accelerate our efforts across Europe, the Middle East and Africa," Bird said in a statement.

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Cold spell at Disney World forces foliage back into greenhouse for night

Theme Park Rangers - And you thought throwing a sheet over your delicate plant life for the latest cold snap was a pain. At least you're not preparing an international flower and garden festival, right?

Heard from the Disney World nursery that they had frost last night and had to bring back into the greenhouse some items set to go over to the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. Among them: dozens of the flower towers, the floating gardens and container plants. None of them had been transported to the theme park yet; they were still at the WDW tree farm.

The show will go on, of course. Flower & Garden kicks off its 75-day run on Wednesday, March 18.

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Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund provides emergency funding to two organizations in need

Disney News - The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) is proud to provide a total of $8,000 in emergency funding to two organizations, the Pan African Sanctuaries Alliance (PASA) and Save the Elephants (STE).
 

The Pan African Sanctuaries Alliance received support to transport four infant chimpanzees that were confiscated from illegal traders by law enforcement in the Democratic Republic of Congo to a permanent sanctuary. The sanctuary will help the chimpanzees recover from their physical and emotional wounds and will provide them with a caring environment to re-socialize with other chimpanzees. The fragile nature of these animals would have made it difficult for them to survive without the specialized care the sanctuary will be able to provide. The chimpanzee is an endangered species, with less than 120,000 in the wild, which makes sanctuaries and rescues such as this truly vital.

In addition to this, the DWCF also provided Save the Elephants (STE) with $5,000 to radio-collar some of the last remaining elephants up against the Somali border in Kenya. The dramatic decrease in population, now in the hundreds, is largely due to ivory poaching. By tracking the elephants’ movements and learning about their needs, STE is hopeful that they will be able to help the species recover and ultimately serve as an important asset to the coastal reserves and tourism in the area.

Since 1998 the DWCF has awarded more than $450,000 in rapid response monies to more than 100 projects in times of true crisis.

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Disney Chairman Dick Cook Revisits First Job, Driving a Train

New York Times - For the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role of a train conductor in its upcoming “Race to Witch Mountain,” Walt Disney Pictures looked to an unusual talent: the chairman of the studio. Yes, making his big-screen debut on Friday is none other than Disney top dog Dick Cook.

Mr. Cook, known for his folksy personality, started his career at the company in 1970 as a monorail and steam locomotive driver at Disneyland. So “Race” director Andy Fickman thought it would be a funny inside joke to put Mr. Cook in the film as the operator of a freight train that crashes in spectacular fashion after getting caught in alien crossfire.

The fate of Mr. Cook’s character is left up in the air, something that concerned at least one eagle-eyed boy in a test screening, Mr. Fickman said. “This kid piped up and wanted to know what happened to that really nice train conductor man, which I thought was adorable,” he said.

Mr. Cook declined to comment. But Mr. Fickman clearly enjoyed the experience. “There’s nothing like directing a guy who could end your career on the spot,” he said. He jokingly added, “He was a pleasure to work with, though – except for the drinking.”

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Dancing all the way to Disney

DL-Online - When the Radke family traveled to Disney World several summers ago, Summit Dance instructor Mari Radke had little idea of what would result from the trip.

After watching a group of dancers perform at the park, Radke took the initiative and pursued the concept with her own dance students in mind. A successful endeavor, this summer will mark the third batch of Summit Disney Dancers to journey south to Florida’s much-revered amusement park.

Where some dance studios prefer to compete, Radke has never opted in that direction for her girls. “I though it would be more fun to perform at Disney World,” she said.

On June 5, 15 of Radke’s students, accompanied by her and several of the girls’ parents, will arrive at Disney in time for a two-to-three hour workshop on dance auditions. The girls will learn some choreography, and then be given general instruction in how to answer questions and what to expect were they to attend a professional dance audition.

The instructors at Disney teach the dancers “how to be positive or aggressive,” adds Radke, as attitude is a vital aspect of the art.

That Sunday, the girls will perform on an open outdoor stage, centered in the bustling marketplace in downtown Disney.

“We always perform on a Sunday,” Radke said, as Sundays usually see more visitors to the park. “People can be walking by — some will stop and watch.”

Always thrilled for an audience, the girls will create a 20-minute performance, interspersing their jazz and tap numbers with dances by other performing groups in order to make costume and shoe changes more feasible.

At the end, all 15 of the Summit dancers will return to the stage, incorporating their skills and graces in one large final production number.

The Summit Disney Dancers have been preparing for this summer’s spectacle since September, in addition to their regular schedule of dance classes. Once school is out in May, an entire week of three- to four-hour rehearsals will be dedicated to preparation.

For a semblance of the actual onstage performance, the girls will use the Holmes Ballroom, practicing even their speedy costume changes in order to perfect every element of the show.

The commitment is a tremendous one, but at practice, the girls appear entirely capable in regards to their upcoming act, and evidently excited for the experience.

In addition to their time spent onstage, the trip includes plenty of allowance for checking out all the parks, watching other performers and soaking in the entire Disney World experience.

“Why else go?” grins Radke. “We stay right in the park, at Disney’s All-Star Resort. It’s real simple, but it’s just right.”

She adds that the hotel rooms aren’t very well-used during the five days the group spends in Disney World: “You sleep, you get up, hurry up, got to go!”

An altogether enthralling week, there’s little down time with visits to MGM and Epcot to be made.

What began as a summer vacation has sashayed its way into an incredible opportunity for these graceful young ladies to showcase their skills, while rewarding their dedication, perseverance, and hours upon hours spent — literally — on their toes in rehearsal.

Johnson is a senior at Detroit Lakes High School and is an intern for Detroit Lakes Newspapers.

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$2,500/night suite at Disney World gets makeover

Orlando Sentinel - Looks like some of the swankiest digs at Walt Disney World are getting a makeover.
New construction permits show that Disney is renovating the Newport presidential suite at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. The sprawling accommodations include a master bedroom with a king-size, four-poster bed and a private bath, a second bedroom with two twin beds and a bath, a sitting area with a day bed, living room with fireplace, kitchenette, dining area and extra half-bath.

And it all costs just $2,500 a night. (In the busy seasons, that is. The price drops all the way to $1,800 a night during Disney’s slow periods.)

Permits show the suite’s furniture will get reupholstered new furniture in some rooms and reupholstered furniture in others, new drapes and a fresh paint job.

Worried that $2,500 a night is too much? Well, take heart – Disney is also making similar renovations to the Nantucket vice-presidential suite at the Beach Club resort (rate: between $875 and $1,245 a night).

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Raises $2 Million Second Round For Celeb Style Site

Washington Post - Fanzter, the creator of celebrity and style-focused site Coolspotters has closed its second round of funding for $2 million. Disney-backed Steamboat Ventures led the round, with Second Avenue Partners, the lead investor in the $2 million first round, also participating. The Collinsville, Conn.-based company was co-founded in 2007 by former ESPN exec Aaron LaBerge and Eric Kirsten. In May 2008 it launched Coolspotters, a community for users to recommend and buy products used by their favorite celebs and public figures. Currently in the works is its sports site called Simple Sports.
Steamboat Ventures MD Dan Beldy singled out Fanzter's potential to "create a new dynamic in online commerce" by combining users' passions with brands and product discovery. Beldy is joining Fanzter's board. The investment is intriguing for other reasons: Steamboat looks for ventures that have financial promise and "significant strategic interest to The Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS) Company."

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Spring Trivia Challenge Time!

Disney Insider - Winter's almost over, and spring is on its way at long last. To welcome it in, we've put together a brain-tingling trivia challenge to get your mental juices flowing. How much do you know about Disney's unique take on the season when we put away our heavy coats, welcome back longer days, and make time to smell the roses? Show your spring smarts with the questions below!

1) We'll start off easy – what's the spring-y name of Bambi's skunk friend?

     A) Blossom
     B) Flower
     C) Sunshine

2) Now a little tougher: At the 2009 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival (starting March 18!), how many blooms will be on view?

     A) 500
     B) 800
     C) 1,200
     D) Literally millions

3) Spring means green, and that makes us wonder, what special event will make Earth Day 2009 one to remember?

     A) The theatrical release of the first Disneynature documentary, "Earth."
     B) Adventures by Disney will lead a special trip to Antarctica.
     C) All the cookies sold at the Magic Kingdom will be green that day.

4) Disney has been commemorating Earth Day since the beginning. When was that, anyway?

     A) 1970
     B) 1972
     C) 1975
     D) 1977

5) What favorite springtime activity concludes "Mary Poppins"?

     A) Egg-hunting
     B) Croquet
     C) Kite-flying
     D) Gardening

6) Which Winnie the Pooh short is spring-themed?

     A) Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day
     B) Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too!
     C) Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree

7) Disneynature offers spectacular wildlife documentaries. What earlier Disneynature series paved the way?

     A) Wacky Animals
     B) True-Life Adventures
     C) Nature shorts

8) Which "Fantasia" segment featured frolicking springtime centaurs and fauns?

     A) The Nutcracker Suite
     B) Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
     C) The Rite of Spring
     D) The Pastoral Symphony

9) Disney's 1932 cartoon short "Flowers and Trees" boasted what first?

     A) The first Disney animated short released in Technicolor
     B) The first recipient of an Oscar® for Best Short Subject: Cartoons
     C) Both!

10) In "Alice in Wonderland," we meet the March Hare – why would a March hare be mad?

     A) Hares were believed to act mad during their spring mating season.
     B) "Alice" author Lewis Carroll just liked the way it sounded.
     C) It is an in-joke among the animators about Walt's creation Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

Answers: 1B, 2D, 3A, 4A, 5C, 6C, 7B, 8D, 9C, 10A
If you got five or more of these right, you deserve to be absolutely twitter-pated!

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Tuesday March 3, 2009

Disney makes 'High School Musical 4' with new cast
Virgin Megastores to close across U.S., including at Downtown Disney
Disney Cruise Line eyes San Diego, Los Angeles as hub for ship
Disney World Blossoms With Gardening Advice, Concerts
US-Credit Suisse cuts price target on Walt Disney Co
Beverly Hills Chihuahua on Blu-ray and DVD
Air Bud: Special Edition on DVD
New Disney Hawaii Hotel Resort Focuses on Family
Fashion boutique to open March 19 at Downtown Disney
Jonas Brothers Feel First Major Defeat
Longtime spokesman for Walt Disney World departs
Thanks for the tunes
Big Lots Sponsors ABC's 'The View from The Walt Disney Studios,' March 9-13
Disney Comes to San Francisco
Mastronardi Produce partners with Disney
College Hoops: CBS Expands MMOD Video, ESPN360 To Stream 124 Conference Games
Call Trading Flourishes on Struggling The Walt Disney Company
 A comeback for Siegfried and Roy on ABC's '20/20'
Asin steps out of Disney Pictures’ production
 New EMEA president for Disney
Disney makes 'High School Musical 4' with new cast
 
Reuters - Walt Disney Co's (DIS) teen hit franchise "High School Musical" is coming back for a fourth time -- but with a new cast of characters, the company said on Tuesday.

"High School Musical 4" will debut on the Disney Channel in 2010 -- marking a return to its original cable home after the third installment danced into movie theaters in 2008.

Disney Channel said in a statement the story would feature a music- and dance-filled love triangle set against cross-town rivalry between fictional high schools in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

It will introduce a new cast of characters after the fictional "graduation" of the original stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale in "High School Musical 3: Senior Year."

"High School Musical" and its spin-offs have proved a lucrative global franchise for Disney since the first made-for-TV movie aired on the Disney Channel in January 2006.

The first two TV movies have been seen by some 300 million viewers in more than 100 nations, including India, China and Russia, and have produced a hit soundtrack album, a concert tour and a vast range of toys, clothes and books.

"High School Musical 3: Senior Year" -- the first to be made as a feature movie -- has grossed some $250 million at the worldwide box office since its October 2008 release.

Most of the original cast members said last year they would not be returning if a fourth installment were made.

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Virgin Megastores to close across U.S., including at Downtown Disney

Orlando Sentinel - Virgin Megastore will close its stores around the nation by this summer, including one at Downtown Disney West Side.

The company had previously announced plans to close a store in San Francisco and two in New York City.

A company spokeswoman confirmed Monday that all six, including stores in Denver and Hollywood, Calif., will close.

Virgin Megastores, which sell compact discs, DVDs and books, are part of mogul Richard Branson's empire that includes Virgin Atlantic airlines and Virgin Music.

According to Virgin's Web site, the Downtown Disney store is the largest music and entertainment store in the Southeast, with more than 300 listening stations. It often held live performances and autograph signings.

Employees at the Downtown Disney store referred questions to a manager who was not on premises.

Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said Virgin's last day of operations at Downtown Disney will be May31.

The store "enjoyed strong sales," she said, and Disney is in talks with several other retailers about filling the space.

Sales of CDs have been hit hard both by the recession and by the ability to download music off the Internet.

"There hasn't been any incredible mega-hits to drive customers into the stores," said Britt Beemer, Orlando-based chairman of America's Research Group, a retail polling firm.

"The lack of anybody having grand slam music CDs has impacted them. When you add the Internet assault on top of it, you basically have a recipe for disaster."

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Disney Cruise Line eyes San Diego, Los Angeles as hub for ship

USA Today - Will it be San Diego or Los Angeles?

That's the question that has Disney fans on the West Coast buzzing today in the wake of a story that says the two cities are on the short list to get their very own Disney ship.

The San Diego Union Tribune reports its home town is well into negotiations with Disney to become the home port for the first Disney ship to be based in the West full time, but the growing cruise hub still has to beat out the Port of San Pedro in the Los Angeles area.

The news outlet says Disney is planning to launch cruises out of the region in February 2011.

Disney is in the midst of building two new, 122,000-ton cruise ships for delivery in 2011 and 2012 that will greatly increase its capacity and allow expansion to new itineraries. Construction on the ships began Monday at a shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.

The Union Tribune says Disney is expected to make a decision about its West Coast home later this month.

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Disney World Blossoms With Gardening Advice, Concerts

Tampa Bay Online - Walt Disney World will present its 16th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival from March 18-May 31.

Epcot guests will explore gardening exhibits and activities including:

  • The Great American Gardening Series - Gardening celebrities and authors from across the country will reveal their gardening secrets including "Ground Breakers" host Joe Washington and Shirley Bovshow of "Garden Police."
  • Flower Power Concerts Performers include Harold Melvin's Blue Notes, Davy Jones, Chubby Checker & The Wildcats, Tony Orlando, Jose Feliciano, Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone and others.
  • Green Garden– Guests discover how anyone can create an environmentally friendly garden as they learn about low-water-use gardens, with native plants.
  • Minnie's Magnificent Butterfly Garden - Hundreds of butterflies flit inside a walk-through screened enclosure that includes an exhibit showing how caterpillars form a chrysalis and emerge as butterflies.
  • Disney Gardening at Home Presentations - Disney horticulturists will share gardening tips and lead guests in a hands-on, take-home activity every Friday-Sunday. Children can learn how to grow a pizza garden during "Kids Gardening-It's More Than Mud Pies" April 24-26.
  • Epcot Gardens of the World Tour - For an in-depth exploration of Epcot's many different gardens, this tour is scheduled Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for the festival's duration. Guests get the inside scoop on World Showcase gardens that re-create landscapes from around the world, as well as tips for adding some landscape magic to their own gardens. For guests 16 and up, $59 plus Epcot admission.

More information about the 16th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is available by calling 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639) or at disneyworld.com/flower.

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US-Credit Suisse cuts price target on Walt Disney Co

Forbes - ‎Credit Suisse on Tuesday cut its price target on Walt Disney Co, lowering it 16 percent to $21 from $25. The firm cited an uncertain climate and lower estimates for cable advertising and studio revenue.

Despite that, the firm kept its outperform rating on the media company, seeing a strong content cycle in 2010 from the release of the film 'Toy Story 3' as well as distribution profits from DreamWorks live action.

Shares of Disney. a Dow component, rose 2.5 percent to $16.45 on Tuesday.

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Beverly Hills Chihuahua on Blu-ray and DVD

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment - A pampered pooch gets caught up in a "ruff"-and-tumble comedy adventure in Beverly Hills Chihuahua, available on DVD and Blu-ray Hi-Def on March 3, 2009 from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. When a diamond-clad, bootie-wearing Beverly Hills beauty gets lost on a Mexican vacation, she proves that good things really do come in small packages. Bonus features include an all-new animated short, deleted scenes and bloopers—plus Blu-ray exclusives that take viewers behind-the-scenes of the breakout hit that has captured the hearts of families and canine lovers across the nation.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua features live-action performances from some of Hollywood's hottest stars including Jamie Lee Curtis (Freaky Friday) and Piper Perabo (The Prestige), the voice talents of Drew Barrymore (Charlie's Angels), George Lopez (Swing Vote), Andy Garcia (Ocean's Thirteen), Cheech Marin (Cars) and Paul Rodriguez (A Cinderella Story), and 200 of the cutest canines north or south of the border! With its themes of courage, friendship and fun, this heartwarming and sublimely silly action adventure is a can't-miss DVD event for kids and adults.

When a chic Chihuahua named Chloe (voiced by Drew Barrymore) goes astray south of the border, she must find her own way back to her indulgent 90210 life. Wealthy Viv's (Jamie Lee Curtis) diminutive darling is misplaced in Mexico by a careless dog-sitter (Piper Perabo), thrusting her into the dog-eat-dog life of an ordinary mutt. As Chloe tries to make her way north with the help of her self-appointed protector Delgado (voiced by Andy Garcia) and a pack of new four-legged friends, hometown hero Papi (voiced by George Lopez), Chloe's ardent Chihuahua admirer, embarks on a cross-cultural mission to rescue his beloved. As Chloe goes from ridiculously spoiled to newly self-sufficient, she also learns to embrace her "tiny but mighty" Chihuahua heritage.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua on DVD has a suggested retail price of $29.99 (US) or $35.99 (Canada). Bluray Hi-Def is priced at $34.99 (US) or $44.99 (Canada).

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Air Bud: Special Edition on DVD

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment - The original Bud that started it all is back in a new Special Edition featuring an exclusive Dog-U-Commentary with the entire BUDDIES family. Buddy, the sensational real-life hoop hound with 22,000 career baskets under his collar, stars in this hilarious and touching Disney comedy that critics and families cheered as irresistible family entertainment!

When Josh Framm, a 12-year-old boy, finds himself in a new city with no friends, he's too shy to try out for the basketball team. However, while practicing, he meets Buddy, a runaway golden retriever, who surprises him with his ability to score baskets. Josh and Buddy eventually make the school team, and the dog's extraordinary talents spark a media frenzy -- one that attracts Buddy's greedy former owner who wants to cash in on the dog's new found fame.

Josh and Buddy have to stay one step ahead of the brute -- and rally their school team to the state finals at the same time!

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New Disney Hawaii Hotel Resort Focuses on Family

Cheapflights - Travel Weekly reports that Walt Disney Parks and Resorts broke ground on a $800 million Oahu, Hawaii resort, scheduled to open in 2011. The first ever Disney hotel and timeshare combo complex features two 15-story towers with 350 luxury hotel rooms and 480 timeshare villa units set on 21 oceanfront acres.

Located next door to the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa, the new Ko Olina Resort and Marina is focused on family, tradition and multi-generational customs, according to Disney executives.

Travel Weekly reports that the new Disney Oahu hotel and resort will include a "signature Disney kids' club with custom-planned activities and adventures; a lazy river at the pool, where guests can weave their way through volcanic rockwork and a caldera on tubes and body slides; and a saltwater snorkel lagoon."

The Disney hotel will also feature adult-only facilities including an 18,000-square-foot spa and multiple conference and business centers.

Wondering how many family members you can fit into this Hawaii hotel? Disney says the Vacation Club accommodations will range from studios to multiroom villas, and amenities will include everything from full-size kitchens, in-room washers and dryers, multiple bathrooms and other amenities.

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Fashion boutique to open March 19 at Downtown Disney

Orlando Sentinel - A boutique called TrenD is scheduled to open in Downtown Disney late on March 19.

A Disney Web site describes the store as selling "edgy and up-to-date Disney fashions and accessories -- plus exclusive merchandise from cutting-edge designers." The 2,500-square-foot shop will be near Pin Traders and Once Upon A Toy.

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Jonas Brothers Feel First Major Defeat

JustPressPlay - In the recent weekend box office the Jonas Bros 3-D movie was speculated to make somewhere from $20 to $25 million and take the number one slot. Well, that didn't happen, in fact it made far less than rumored. It came in second to a movie that surprised just about everyone by beating out the pop sensations. Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail came in first and won by a few million.

Tyler Perry's movie raked in $16.5 million making it's two week total a whopping 64.9 million and trumping the Jonas Bros lackluster $12.7 million. Disney was being very reserved with estimating only $15 million when everyone else was estimating $20 or $25 million. If you watch any late night anything then you have already seen them openly promoting their own 3-D movie in an attempt to reach Miley Cyrus's 3-D movie money (which they co-starred in) and seemed to be humbled by the 2nd place finish.

Disney's first 3-D feature, Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both World's made $31.1 million upon release and made an overall $65.3 million. Right now for the Jonas movie, $31.1 million seems to be a far off number to look at, Disney is going to have to rely on DVD sales over a decent release total. To note, the Jonas movie was released in double the theaters that Miley Cyrus's movie wa.

This is a start to what seems to be a humbling small downfall for the pop stars who have had their fan base of young girls enthralled since becoming big from the Hannah Montana series and movie. The sting and start of what all teen idols eventually feel is seeming to set in. Never has a teen star continued his or her career successfully keeping the same style and crowd. Let's be honest, you cannot be 35 and have 15 year old girls screaming for you and not be looked at weird.

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Longtime spokesman for Walt Disney World departs

Orlando Sentinel - Bill Warren, a veteran Walt Disney World executive who served as a public voice for the company in both media and government circles, has left Disney.

Warren’s position – vice president of government relations – was eliminated Friday, part of the widespread executive cuts Disney is making in the midst of the worst economy in a generation.
I’m very fortunate. I had a very good run at Disney. No regrets,” Warren said.

Warren spent 14 years with Disney World, where he oversaw development of the resort’s media relations department and coordinated responses to countless news stories. He has been quoted hundreds of times in the Orlando Sentinel alone. Warren moved over to Disney’s government-lobbying department about a year ago.

A former newspaper journalist, Warren was a founding editor of the Orlando Business Journal. He also worked for Progress Florida before joining Disney.

Warren, 52, said he is still considering what he will do next. But he said he plans to continue working in Central Florida.

“I’m very much an Orlando person,” he said.

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Thanks for the tunes

Theme Park Rangers - I am starting to feel like a crotchety old man. "All the good stuff from my younger years is gone!"
So now, Virgin Megastore is shutting down at Walt Disney World's Downtown Disney. [Virgin Megastore closes] Between the closing of the Pleasure Island clubs and this, there really is no reason for me to trek down there anymore.

I am old enough (shudder) to remember true "record stores." OK, it was the very end of the record era, and the record store I shopped in as a kid had more cassettes than records, but still.

And the Virgin was more than a music store ... it was a destination. You could browse for hours, and, yes, I did buy stuff. Fabulous imports from the British scene. Rare Disney music from the Tokyo park.

I can remember hanging out with my friend Mike, moving from listening station to listening station, just finding out about new music and artists. Or hanging out with different groups upstairs with some goodies from the cafe, catching up and people-watching -- always half the fun of Downtown Disney.

To be fair, I haven't bought anything there (except for food and drink) in more than a year. But it does seem like the end of an era. Without the PI clubs and Virgin, there's not really a spot for my gang to hang. We're too cheap for the big restaurants, and too old for McDonalds.

Imagine me shaking my fist in the air as I squawk, "Back in my day, we had a record store AND places to dance..."

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Big Lots Sponsors ABC's 'The View from The Walt Disney Studios,' March 9-13

PR Newswire - Big Lots (NYSE: BIG) is the exclusive sponsor of ABC Daytime's "The View from The Walt Disney Studios," to broadcast live March 9-13 from Disney Legends Plaza on the Walt Disney Studios lot. "The View" features Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and Sherri Shepherd. "The View" is an original forum in which real women discuss everyday issues and share their no-holds-barred opinions.

The branded entertainment deal includes unprecedented national exposure for Big Lots through ABC Daytime. Some of the stars scheduled to appear during the week include Miley Cyrus (Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana"), Jay Leno ("The Tonight Show with Jay Leno"), Jimmy Kimmel (ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"), Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt ("The Hills"), and Sally Field and Calista Flockhart (ABC's "Brothers & Sisters").

Throughout the weeklong broadcast of "The View from The Walt Disney Studios," celebrity designer and television host Jennifer Farrell, a veteran of shows like "Merge" and "Find and Design," will provide tips on how to decorate affordably.

"We are delighted to be part of this highly anticipated TV event and to have this opportunity to showcase Big Lots, along with Jennifer Farrell, whom the public associates with tasteful, cost-conscious decorating," said Big Lots CEO Steve Fishman. Big Lots will also feature Farrell in connection with its May 2009 in-store Home Event, which offers a collection of upscale, affordable furnishings.

Rob Claxton, Big Lots' Senior VP of Marketing, noted that the sponsorship is a natural fit with the company's predominantly female customer base. "'The View' is a show our core customer is watching," said Claxton. "The tips from Jennifer will be of particular interest to our customers who, in this tough economic period, are spending more time in their homes and trying to make their dollars go further."

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Disney Comes to San Francisco

Extranomical News - There are ongoing changes afoot on the grounds of San Francisco’s Presidio – the former military base which has been decommissioned for decades. The city has taken great care to integrate the area into the private sector over the years, retaining the original structures on the property, but slowly allowing those to be transitioned into a blend of residences, offices, commercial spaces, retail, and public use facilities. Possibly the highest profile and largest settler into the Presidio has been George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic, best known for creating the Star Wars movies. Though toward the end of this year, there will be a new neighbor which will likely overshadow ILM in name recognition and visitor draw. What could possibly garner greater interest than Star Wars from the visitors passing through on their San Francisco tours and warrant that the tour buses divert their routes and tour monologues accordingly? The name of Walt Disney is a pretty good bet to attract a lot of attention from tourists and quickly rise to the top of visitors’ lists of San Francisco sightseeing attractions in the city. The first and only Walt Disney Family Museum is currently being constructed and will be completed and opened on the Presidio grounds in 2009.   

Walt Disney was a risk taker and enjoyed thinking about anything new, pushing the envelope in whatever way that he could, on whatever he was focused upon, and the museum will highlight this history in Disney. Walt was keenly interested in technology and the future and that fascination will be shared with the public through exhibits that will themselves be quite technologically advanced. A large collection of artifacts and artwork will also be showcased for the public as well as significant archival footage of Walt speaking about himself, his family, his work, and his philosophies. The museum is taking great care to make not only your initial visit feel spontaneous and non-linear, but to design the museum in a way that repeat visitors will feel that the experience is new with each visit. 

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Mastronardi Produce partners with Disney

The Packer - Kingsville, Ontario-based Mastronardi Produce Ltd. is marketing greenhouse produce with Disney Garden packaging this spring, and Disney’s hottest property, “High School Musical 3,” will be the focus of the labels.

Shipments of the “pompom tom” cocktail tomatoes, mini cucumbers and grape tomatoes are scheduled to begin in April.

“This is a great opportunity for our company,” said Chris Veillon, marketing manager for Mastronardi. “Disney is the most recognizable brand in the world, even more, I think, than Coke and Pepsi. This identifies that we’re a leader in our category. They would not be working with us otherwise.”

Much, if not all, of the packaging early on centers “High School Musical 3,” which was released Feb. 17 on video. The franchise recently has seen expanded programming on TV.

However, Veillon stressed that the agreement with Disney fresh produce licenser Imagination Farms gives Mastronardi access to other Disney-branded characters, movies, promotions and themes.

“It’s a very exciting time,” Veillon said. “There’s a lot of energy in the marketplace right now to offer value-added products. (Mastronardi already) differentiates itself with our unique brands of products. But now, we target them to a younger audience.”

Parents, however, are the deciders when it comes to meal and snack purchases, he said.

“We have to offer quality, healthy products,” Veillon said. “The fact we have the Disney brand on the side of our boxes won’t make a difference if we don’t continue offering high-quality products.”

Mastronardi Produce is one of nearly 30 co-packers that market Disney Garden fresh produce in North America, with more than 300 stock-keeping units.

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College Hoops: CBS Expands MMOD Video, ESPN360 To Stream 124 Conference Games

paidContent - If it's March, it's madness. Between now and the NCAA Men's Division I National Championship on April 6, fans will be served an all-you-can-eat, ad-supported buffet of college hoops online served up primarily by CBSSports.com and ESPN.com/ESPN360. The video philosophies couldn't be more different: the Disney (NYSE: DIS) broadband sports network is available exclusively through dozens of ISPs plus .edu and .mil but only through ESPN360.com, while CBS Interactive (NYSE: CBS) encourages one-click access to live streaming video through the MMOD video player. This year, sites using the NCAA March Madness on Demand Developer Platform have expanded to include USAToday.com, the CBS Interactive sites (TV.com, GameSpot and even CNET.com); last year, the 200-plus sites included ESPN, Yahoo (NasdaqGS: YHOO), MySpace, Facebook and more.

—NCAA March Madness On Demand (MMOD): Partner sites can choose from five ways to access 63 live games from the first round through the finals, including linking to a specific game and linking to the player. The player launches March 10 with historical highlights. Standard video will be available through Windows Media and Flash an HD player powered by Microsoft (NasdaqGS: MSFT) Silverlight also is an option this year. Last year, the MMOD Player drew more than 4.7 million uniques, up 164 percent over 2007, and CBSSports.com delivered 4.9 million hours of live streaming audio and video, up 81 percent. This year's presenting sponsors are AT&T (NYSE: T), Coca-Cola, and Pontiac.

—ESPN360.com: But before MMOD kicks into gear, ESPN gets to host Championship Week with 124 conference tournament games leading to 24 men's and women's conference championships. ESPN360 will simulcast every ESPN and ESPN2 men's and women's game starting March 5, as well as numerous out-of-market games from top conference tournaments. ESPN360 is also the online home of the Women's Final Four, and will show every Women's Tournament game live as well as some NIT games.

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Call Trading Flourishes on Struggling The Walt Disney Company

Schaeffers Research - Hopes are on the rise for entertainment guru The Walt Disney Company (DIS). The security has seen a rise in call trading recently as investors anticipate a rebound in the shares. On the International Securities Exchange (ISE), 2.3 calls have been purchased to open during the past 10 trading days for every 1 put purchased to open. This ratio of calls to puts is higher than 89% of all those taken during the past year.

Furthermore, the 10-day ISE/Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) call/put volume ratio comes in at 1.82, as call volume nearly doubles put volume. This ratio is also higher than 83% of all those taken during the past 12 months.

This rise in call trading has resulted in a drop in the security's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR). The ratio has plunged from a near-term peak of 1.02 on Feb. 23 to its current reading of 0.91. During this time frame, call open interest among options slated to expire in less than 3 months has increased by 6.9%, while put open interest has decreased by 4.1%.

Meanwhile, Wall Street is still smitten with the media giant. The stock has earned 9 "buy" ratings, 5 "holds," and 2 "sells," according to Zacks. Furthermore, the 12-month price target for DIS stands at $23.30, according to Thomson Reuters. This lofty estimate implies that analysts are expecting the shares to rally more than 45% during the next 12 months. However, we could be seeing the beginning of a shift in sentiment toward DIS. Credit Suisse lowered its price target for the security from $25 to $21 this morning. Any additional downgrades or price-target cuts could weigh negatively on the shares.

Short sellers have begun to abandon their bearish bets, as they believe the equity has put in a bottom. During the past month, the number of DIS shares sold short has decreased by 10.7% to 52.7 million. This accumulation of bearish bets accounts for 3% of the company's float and is just 2.2 times the stock's average daily trading volume. It is unlikely the stock will receive much of a boost if these bears continue to unwind their short positions. In fact, if the stock maintains its current downtrend, it is possible that it will attract the pessimists back to the stock's side, increasing the selling pressure on DIS.

Speaking of downtrends, the stock has steadily declined since it was rejected by resistance at the 35 level in mid-September. During this time frame, the security has retreated more than 53% under its 10-week and 20-week moving averages.

Overall, this combination of growing optimism against the stock's weak technical backdrop has bearish implications from a contrarian perspective. If the bulls begin to unload their long positions as the stock continues lower, it will create a fresh wave of selling pressure.

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A comeback for Siegfried and Roy on ABC's '20/20'

AP - It was no illusion.

Legendary illusionists Siegfried and Roy appeared in public last weekend for the first time in more than five years, sharing the stage with the Bengal tiger that had ended their careers, for what they said was one last performance.
"They really wanted a final chance to get on the stage and say good night, goodbye, and thank you to all the fans who have supported them so devotedly," says ABC News' Elizabeth Vargas. "And they wanted to take this risk."

On a special edition of the "20/20" newsmagazine, Vargas reports on their remarkable performance at Las Vegas' Bellagio Hotel and Casino, where for more than 13 years they thrilled thousands.

In the hour-long program (which was not available for preview), Vargas also visits with Roy Horn and Siegfried Fischbacher at home, and hears about the grueling five years endured by both of them since Montecore, a massive white tiger, brutally mauled Horn during a 2003 performance.

"Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Returns" airs Friday at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.

"Up to now, the focus, understandably, has been on Roy and the catastrophic injuries he suffered," says Vargas. Even after cheating death, "he was told by doctors he would never walk or talk again, and he's doing both.

"But an unreported part of the story was what Siegfried went through. He suffered from something we know as 'caregivers' syndrome' -- when people who take care of others forget to take care of themselves.

"Roy, for all his improvements, is still terribly, terribly injured. But Siegfried has had struggles of his own. He really lived for the stage, and then it was taken away in one moment.

"He's honest in talking about how, after that, he suffered from severe depression."

A year ago, the pair surprised their public by announcing a one-time-only comeback: a brief charity show to benefit the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, which will treat brain disorders like those Horn (now 64) suffers and is set to open in Las Vegas later this year in a building designed by famed architect Frank Gehry.

A signature trick by these veteran performers, it began with Fischbacher (now 69) dressed in white robes and a mask standing inside a cage that was then draped. As Horn removed the cloak seconds later, Fischbacher appeared across stage, a hulking tiger having taken his place.

"I asked them both, 'Why do this?'" marvels Vargas. But after spending time with them, she says, the answer may be found in "the power of their friendship and partnership."

ABC is owned by the Walt Disney Co.

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Asin steps out of Disney Pictures’ production

IndiaGlitz - The graceful South Indian beauty, Asin is now busy signing offers one after the other, thanks to the blockbuster hit ‘Ghajini’ produced by Allu Arvind. She was supposed to act in two films set to be produced by Disney Pictures.

Rumors abuzz now say she has stepped out of one of the films titled ‘Zokkomon’, and it’s not sure whether she will be in the cast of the second film which is yet to go to the floors. The star cast of the film has Darsheel Safary and Anupham Kher in the lead.

The offer from Disney Pictures came her way while she was still shooting for ‘Ghajini’ through Aamir Khan gave credence to his friend Satyajit Bhaktal, director of the film. Reliable sources have revealed that the remuneration she quoted is the reason behind this reversion. The space will be filled up by Manjari Phadnis, the second heroine of ‘Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na’. She debuted to films with ‘Rok Sako To Rok Lo’ and is known to the Telugu audience with ‘Siddhu From Sikakulam’.

Manjari is delighted about this meaty offer that has come her way after a year and she has high hopes on this film.

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New EMEA president for Disney

C21Media - Disney has named a new president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), relocating one of its top Latin American chiefs to London to do the job, effective immediately.

Diego Lerner was previously president of The Walt Disney Company, Latin America, and oversaw the regional launches of Disney Channel in 2000, Jetix in 2004 and Playhouse Disney in 2008. He also forged local alliances with Patagonik Film Group and Miravista.

In his new job, he will run all Disney lines of business in EMEA, excluding Disneyland Resort Paris and ESPN. He will report to Andy Bird, chairman of Walt Disney International, though will remain president of Disney’s businesses in Latin America.

"Expansion in international markets is a key strategic priority for Disney, and Diego’s proven ability to nurture and grow Disney’s businesses makes him an ideal choice for this new position," said Bird.

As for Disney in Latin America, Claudio Chiaromonte will assume all day-to-day responsibilities as chief operating officer and CFO. All Disney businesses in the region will report to Chiaromonte.

Lerner joined Disney in 1990 as exec director of its video and pay-TV divisions for Latin America, setting up self-distribution operations in Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Argentina.

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Monday March 2, 2009

Disney Cruise Line Begins New Ship Construction
A Good Time to Bet on the Mouse
Cramer Recommends Disney on Lightning Round
Trade zone can aid Disney parks
2009 Disney's Night of Joy Details Announced
Milovich Named Human Resources SVP at Disney/ABC
Quiet, funky Kauai town Hanapepe was the model for Disney's ‘Lilo &Stitch'
Leap for joy at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney Cruise Line Begins New Ship Construction

Disney News - Disney Cruise Line began construction on two new ships today with a steel cutting ceremony at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.  Scheduled for completion in 2011 and 2012, the new ocean liners will further advance the company’s one-of-a-kind guest experience and create more family cruise options with a brand guests know and trust.

 

“When we launched our business in 1998, we recognized a need in the marketplace for a cruise experience created just for families,” said Karl Holz, president of Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations.  “With these new ships, we are continuing to build upon that vision of providing more families with an unforgettable cruise vacation and the chance to explore new destinations with Disney.”

 

The first piece of steel cut for the new ships was part of the art deco inspired scrollwork that will grace the bow of the ships.  Similar to the scrollwork on the Disney Cruise Line ships, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, the intricate pattern is reminiscent of the classic ocean liners of the 1930s, designed to reflect the glamour of the golden age of cruising with added touches of Disney whimsy, such as the Mickey Mouse medallion in the center of the design.

 

Since finalizing a contract with the Meyer Werft shipyard to build the two new ships, Disney Cruise Line and Walt Disney Imagineering have created a truly distinctive design for the new ships.  Over the next few years, construction will continue, bringing the design to reality. The design details will be unveiled at a later date.

 

Holz noted that the fleet expansion will more than double the passenger capacity for Disney Cruise Line.  Each ship will have 1,250 staterooms and will weigh 128,000 tons.  Similar to the existing ships, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, the new ships will be purpose built with families in mind, with specially designed areas and activities for each member of the family to allow for both quality time together and wonderful individual experiences.  The focus is to provide a setting where families can reconnect, adults can recharge and kids can immerse themselves in worlds of fantasy only Disney can create.

Known for bringing family travel to the cruise market, Disney continues to be a leader in the industry and was recently named the top large cruise ship experience by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine in the 9th annual “Reader’s Cruise Poll.”  The Disney Wonder, which sails three- and four-night cruises to The Bahamas, was ranked as the No. 1 cruise ship in the “Large Ship” category.  The Disney Magic was also ranked in the top five cruise experiences overall.  The Disney Magic primarily sails seven-night cruises to the eastern and western Caribbean and, beginning in the spring of 2010, will embark on a season of limited itineraries exploring Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. 

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit disneycruise.com or call Disney Cruise Line at (888) DCL-2500. Travel agents can call Disney Cruise Line at (888) 325-2500 or visit disneytravelagents.com.

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A Good Time to Bet on the Mouse

RealMoney - In my ongoing, unwavering belief in thorough research, I recently sent my two trusted research assistants on an investigative mission. I sent the two, who are both managers of different retail operations here in the mid-Atlantic region, to investigate a company that I have been looking into and want to start buying. The two did not mind too much. After all, it's not every day that they get to go to Disney World on Dad's dime, especially since the dead of winter was here, and it was a free chance to hit the Florida sunshine.

The two reported back that although traffic was down from previous trips, the Happiest Place on Earth was still attracting traffic. Lines for the most popular rides still routinely ran somewhere around an hour. They did note that the "fast-pass" addition that allows you to basically reserve a time for each ride cut down their wait times if they planned properly.

The Disney marketing machine continues to run at high efficiency. Each of the popular rides exits through a gift shop that's filled with merchandise themed to that ride. Many of them offered pictures of visitors on the rides, and those were selling briskly. Everything functioned with the ruthless, smiling efficiency for which Disney has always been known.

They also followed Dad's instructions to strike up conversations with other park visitors. My intrepid and sunburned investigators reported that most of the people they talked to were from the Midwest, as opposed to the Northeast or the South. They noted a lot of different languages being spoken, primarily Spanish, as would be expected in South Florida, with French and Italian coming second or third. Europe may be slowing down, but someone is still finding money to visit Mickey and Minnie in their Central Florida digs. Both budding analysts reported that a large number of the folks they chatted with had government and defense-related jobs -- not surprising, as those are two pockets of stability in the job market these days.

My son did make one very astute observation. He noted that purchases for items as small as a bottle of water were being made with plastic. Even noting that a lot of those transactions were probably debit cards, a lot of credit was used to finance trips to the Magic Kingdom. Not to be outdone, my daughter shared that at one point she was behind a woman at a coffee shop who was buying two cups of coffee for a total of $8. It took her three credit cards before one was accepted for this enormous purchase. That was the only alarming detail that was reported from the trip.

Let's take a look at the valuation of Disney. Using a recently reported transaction for raw land in the Orlando area, the land owned by the company is worth about $6 billion. If I value its 22,000 hotel rooms at the same level the market is valuing Marriott right now, we get another $250 million. The segment had profits of $1.9 billion last year. I will put a deal-maker-like multiple of 5 on the earnings stream and come up with $9 billion. All together, then, the parks and resorts alone are worth $14.2 billion.

The Disney media assets are the highest quality around. They include the premier sports network in ESPN, the most respected children's network in Disney Channel as well as the ABC network, Lifetime and the channels of the A&E network. Last year, operating profit in this segment of the company was $4.7 billion. Again, let's put an old-fashioned-LBO type multiple of 5 on these earnings. That gives us $23.5 billion.

Now we come to the studio entertainment division. This includes Disney Studios, Miramax Films, Touchstone Pictures and of course Pixar. It also includes the priceless Disney film catalog. Last year the company earned $1.1 billion from new releases as well as DVD sales of prior titles. Again, we will go with the 5 multiple to come up with a value for the segment of $5.5 billion.

Consumer products was the least profitable division of the company, with profits last year of $718 million. This division includes the Disney Stores in the U.S. and Europe. It also contains Disney Interactive, which produces computer and video games based on Disney cartoon characters and movies. Again, I am going to use the 5 multiple to value the division at $3.575 billion.

If we add it all up, I get a value of $46.95 billion for Walt Disney. I place a zero value on all the rides, stores and buildings, except for hotel rooms, in all the parks. We added no premium for the quality of assets such as ESPN that are dominant in their segments of the industry. Most importantly, I put zero value on the company's two biggest assets: the film library and character rights. The value of Mickey Mouse, Snow White and even Captain Jack Sparrow are not included in my analysis at all.

The current market cap of Walt Disney World is just $31 billion at current prices. At two-thirds of what I believe is an incredibly conservative sum of the parts, there is an enormous margin of safety in the stock right now. This is one of the most valuable collections of property, both real and intellectual, in the world today, and it is on sale. I know, the economy is terrible, and the market is worse. I cannot see how five years from now these shares are not a lot higher than this level. It is just hard to go wrong with Mickey Mouse, especially at prices far less than earnings or liquidation value.

By the way, our crack research team failed in only aspect of their mission. They forgot to get Dad a Pirates of the Caribbean coffee mug.

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Cramer Recommends Disney on Lightning Round

 Investerms - The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) shares opened lower despite receiving a positive recommendation by CNBC’s Jim Cramer on his Mad Money Lightning Round. The hedge fund manager turned television star believes that Disney remains a strong company and suggested viewers buy it for the long-term, but cautioned that things would likely be bad for the next three to six months. Cramer also recommended that investors buy in increments as the stock drops to average in lower.

During its latest quarter, Walt Disney reported net income of $845,000, or $0.46 per share, compared to $1,250,000, or $0.66 per share, a year earlier. The company’s Consumer Products and Interactive Media segments saw higher revenues, but costs lowered the segments’ net profits to below year-ago levels. Disney plans to counteract some of these declines by implementing cost-cutting measures, which primarily consist of planned lay-offs across several businesses.

The Walt Disney Company is a global entertainment company consisting of several segments, including Media Networks, Parks and Resorts, Studio Entertainment, and Consumer Products. Shares of Disney fell $0.65, or 3.82%, to $16.13 per share in early trading.

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Trade zone can aid Disney parks

Orlando Sentinel - Walt Disney World may want to take advantage of the new foreign-trade zone created in east Orange County for a new Disney Cruise Line warehouse.

Disney's trade-zone application, which was submitted by Orlando International Airport and approved earlier this year by the federal government, states that the warehouse space Disney's cruise division is leasing in the area could be expanded to hold "goods for theme parks."

The chief purpose of the foreign-trade zone is still to allow Disney Cruise Line to move foreign-made goods between its warehouses and its Bahamian-flagged cruise ships without having to pay import duties. That's because goods stored in such a trade zone are treated as though they had never entered the U.S. The goods for the ships include everything from spare diesel-engine parts and extra icemakers to artwork, bed linens, televisions, plush toys, liquor and chocolate.

But a secondary benefit of such a warehouse is that it could allow Disney World to defer paying duty on foreign-made merchandise used or sold in the giant resort.

Disney could import items straight to the warehouse and not have to pay duty on them until it was ready to use them.

Even without theme-park goods, Disney Cruise Line expects to store about $6.5million worth of foreign merchandise in the trade zone, according to the application. That amount will likely grow once two new ships that Disney is having built are put to use. Disney is leasing roughly 64,000 square feet of warehouse and office space, but the building has an additional 78,000 square feet of space available.

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2009 Disney's Night of Joy Details Announced

Disney News - For one exciting weekend each fall, Christian music lovers from all over the globe gather for a celebration with top-name music artists, theme park attractions and Disney characters.  The long-running series has played to a combined audience of almost three-quarters of a million people.

This two night event will present concerts on stages throughout Disney's Hollywood Studios from 7:00 PM - 12:30 AM. In addition to the performers, top attractions throughout the Studios will be operating.

2009 Entertainment Schedule:

September 11:
P.O.D.
newsboys
Kutless
Chris Tomlin
NEEDTOBREATHE
Leeland
Superchick

September 12:
Skillet
MercyMe
Jars of Clay
Flyleaf
Family Force 5
Grits
Mandisa

This is a "hard ticket" event, which means a separate pass must be purchased to enter Disney's Hollywood Studios on these evenings. Please note; Advance tickets are available only prior to the event date. On the day of the event, only “Day-Of” tickets will be sold. Admission to Night of Joy is limited. Tickets can be purchased by calling 407-W-DISNEY.

Ticket Sales

With an innovative ticket – exclusively for groups of 10 or more – that combines a “day” visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios with Night of Joy admission that evening, guests will have a chance to participate in “The American Idol Experience.” And by booking on or before Aug. 12, the Studios day/Night of Joy group ticket costs just $44.95 plus tax (beginning Aug. 13, it costs $49.95).

There’s also a two-day ticket exclusively for groups of 10 or more that combines Night of Joy admission on both evenings (Sept. 11 and Sept. 12) with two “day visits” to the guest’s choice of Walt Disney World theme parks (one per day) on Night of Joy weekend (Sept. 11-13). Booked on/before Aug. 12, that ticket costs just $89.95 plus tax (beginning Aug. 13, it costs $99.95).

Night of Joy tickets for individuals also are available. One-night tickets purchased in advance (up to the day prior to the event) are $49.95 plus tax (on event day, if available, tickets are $54.95). Two-night tickets (providing admission to Night of Joy on both Sept. 11 and 12) are $84.95 plus tax.

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Milovich Named Human Resources SVP at Disney/ABC

Broadcasting & Cable - Steve Milovich is the new senior vice president of human resources for Disney/ABC Television Group, taking over for long-time industry executive Jeffrey Rosen, who retired recently after more than 27 years with Disney/ABC.

Milovich will be responsible for human resources for the company's entire entertainment and news TV properties around the world as well as Radio Disney and Hyperion Publishing. He will oversee employee development and relations, diversity, recruitment, and internal communications and operations.

"Steve is one of the most entrepreneurial human resources executives that I've ever met," said Anne Sweeney, president of Disney/ABC Television Group in a statement. "I'm looking forward to having his expertise brought to bear on behalf of the most important resource of our group...our employees."

Milovich previously served as senior vice president of corporate human resources, organization, and leadership development for The Walt Disney Company. Before joining Disney he worked as senior vice president of human capital for Walker Digital, the company that developed Priceline.com. He has also worked for Allied/Signal/Honeywell International and PepsiCo in various human resources positions.

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Quiet, funky Kauai town Hanapepe was the model for Disney's ‘Lilo &Stitch'

 Kentucky.com - Hanapepe is the Roswell, N.M., of the tropics. A place portrayed as secretly inhabited by dozens of alien beings who have crash-landed on Earth and now call Kauai their home.

At least that is the story in the world of "Lilo & Stitch," the Disney movie and TV franchise starring a Hawaiian girl named Lilo and the odd, stray "dog" she adopts from the local pound. The puppy, Stitch, is actually an alien experiment on the loose - and soon he brings dozens of his kindred space creatures to live on the Garden Island.

In creating "Lilo & Stitch," Disney jumbled the geography of Kauai. The craft is shown landing on the lush North Shore, all the better for the many surfing and beach scenes. But when the illustrators wanted to find inspirations for a sleepy town to model Lilo's home upon, they found it on the opposite side of the island.

"In the small town of Hanapepe, I found all the usual homey details, ranging from rusted-out bridges to homemade mailboxes," wrote Paul Felix, the film's production designer, in the official Disney "making of" book on the movie.

The town that inspired the Disney team's watercolor movie backgrounds has been little changed by its years of cinematic and cartoon fame.

It remains a town that literally has been passed by. Highway 50 loops around the town, speeding visitors between the resorts in Poipu and the road to Waimea Canyon.

Hanapepe retains its pre-World War II look. It feels off the beaten path, a place of clapboard houses with tin roofs, old storefronts with wooden sidewalks and a shuttered movie theater. Dogs lope through town and roosters bob in the crosswalks.

The town's stores have long ago been turned into artists' studios, cafes and bookshops. But Hanapepe has none of the strip mall T-shirt shop feel of tourist haunts along the Coconut Coast. Hanapepe is beyond sleepy; it's practically catatonic in its pace.

Roger and Stephanie Strickland, a former Orange County couple living in Willits, brought their twin daughters, Naomi and Sara, 7.

"They love 'Lilo & Stitch,'" Roger said. "The two places we try to go as often as possible are Kauai and Disneyland, so there's a match here."

Most of the ties to the movie have to be left to your memory and imagination. Yes, "Home of Lilo and Stitch" is painted on the side of the abandoned and decaying Aloha Theater, with its ALOHA neon sign begging for restoration.

But outside of a few posters, there's no overt attempt to capitalize on the Disney franchise.

Visitors can have a vegetarian lunch at the Hanapepe Cafe. At J.J. Ohana, people can buy necklaces and other jewelry made from shells brought from the nearby island of Niihau.

The big draw, if you can call it that, is the Hanapepe Swinging Bridge. It's actually a re-creation of the original, which was blown down by Hurricane Iniki in 1992. The bridge of wooden beams and steel cables sways, creaks and moans. There's not much on the other side, so most visitors simply turn around and come back.

The Talk Story Bookstore at the west side of town is a good place to learn more about Hanapepe. Three store cats - Chada, Celeste and Ciera - snooze in the shelves of the old storefront. Inside, the walls are painted fire engine red. Ed Justus, a transplanted Virginian, runs the place with his wife, Cynthia Powell. There's a good collection of Hawaiiana books and local art.

"Pierce Brosnan comes in," Justus said of the former 007. "He's really tall. He has a place up on the North Shore. He was with his mother. He said he wanted to come back down and play cribbage one night."

Talk Story also has books on local history, which isn't always as upbeat as little Lilo's cartoon hometown. This side of Kauai was dominated by sugar plantations. The last one, Gay & Robinson, closed in 2008 after 119 years.

And locals still talk of the "Hanapepe Massacre." In September 1924, mostly Filipino immigrant workers had been on strike for 165 days, demanding $2 a day and limiting the workday to eight hours. The McBryde plantation brought in strikebreakers and, in a showdown with police, 16 strikers were killed.
Before leaving the area, people can circle around on Highway 50 to the Lappert's Ice Cream factory store, where Kauai's best cold stuff is made. There are the classic ice cream flavors, along with a few island treats like guava and mango.

If you want to keep the Lilo theme going, visit the Kilauea Lighthouse on the North Shore, which is frequently seen in the movie and TV series. Visit the Hyatt Kauai in Poipu on Tuesdays or Saturdays to see the keiki hula group, much like the one that Lilo belongs to. The children sway to Hawaiian music, and if you have kids, there is a chance to come out and dance with the troupe at the end of the show.

On your way back to the airport in Lihue, you'll pass the Humane Society. If you stop in and find a strange little blue dog with huge teeth, take it back to Hanapepe. It will feel right at home.

IF YOU GO:

GETTING THERE: Hanapepe is just off Highway 50 on the south coast. Look for signs after you pass Eleele. It's a good side trip if you are visiting the Kauai coffee belt on the south side of the island or going to nearby Port Allen for one of the excursion boats up to the Napali Coast.

-Talk Story, 3567 Hanapepe Road, Hanapepe, 808-335-6469. talkstorybookstore.com. Music outside on Friday nights.

-J.J. Ohana, 3805-B Hanapepe Road, 808-335-0366, jjohana.com.

-Hanapepe Cafe, 3830 Hanapepe Road, 808-335-5011.

-Gay & Robinson Sugar Plantation. At the 19-mile marker on Kaumualii Highway, make the turn toward the sea. You'll end up on what looks like a 1940s suburban street lined with monkeypod trees. These are the remnants of the last sugar plantation town. The small museum at the end of the street was closed when I visited last year.

-Salt Pond Beach Park. Though Hanapepe is inland, it is a short drive from one of the better south shore beaches, especially popular with windsurfers.

-"Lilo & Stitch - Collected Stories From the Film's Creators" (Disney Editions, $27.95). Out of print and hard to find, it's become a collectible title for Disney fans.

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Leap for joy at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Examiner - Guests visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park on March 8 will have something to celebrate that will have them leaping for joy. Join Disney conservation specialists in a special event to help save frogs and other amphibians. This event is part of the “Spring Forward for Amphibians” campaign created by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
During the event there will be frog and jumping related activities for guests of all ages. There will be Disney conservationists and other Animal Kingdom Cast Members on hand to teach guests how to save endangered amphibians.
 
Learn the frog’s life cycle and listen to frog calls. Or play some games and even enter a jumping contest. There is even a chance to be selected for a “Magical Moment” and have one-on-one time with a frog expert and get an up close look at the amphibian room.
 
This event will be held at the Conservation Station at Rafiki’s Planet Watch from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on March 8.
 
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is not the only location celebrating this event. Many AZA certified zoos across the country will be participating in local events to promote and call attention to the on-going amphibian crisis.
 
For more information about “Spring Forward for Amphibians” visit www.aza.org/yearofthefrog

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Sunday March 1, 2009

Mystery of Disney's are you 23 Revealed!
Disney's Hanging Baskets
'Jonas Brothers' edges out 'Madea' on Friday at the box office
Downtown Disney hotels offer deals
Disney's Lloyd in Space
Surviving the spin: Which rides whirl at Disney World?
The First Annual Disney Jazz Celebration Festival
Sharing stinky diapers at Disney World? No thanks!
Mystery of Disney's are you 23 Revealed!

PR-USA - When Disney asked the mysterious question "Are You 23?," one website was able to respond with the answer. In January, the Walt Disney Company introduced a mysterious viral marketing campaign promoting an unnamed event to take place on March 10. Ads as well as posters placed on display throughout the US theme parks featured the question "Are You 23?" and directed guests to visit disney.com/23 where they could add their email address to a list to "be the first to know."

Speculation has since run rampant throughout the online community trying to associate the number 23 with anything Disney. Theories have ranged from the release of 23 Disney DVDs on March 10 to a private club inside Walt Disney World akin to Disneyland's Club 33 to Pixar's 23rd birthday and more. One of the most clear associations was actually with the event's date of March 10, which is also the day that Disney is holding its annual shareholder's meeting.

Up until now, it was anyone's guess as to what just "D23" would be, but this past week saw a couple of leaks that confirm just what Disney is up to. The first leak were images of enamel pins in jewelry boxes marked D23 that were published on DisneyShopping.com and were subsequently pulled and replaced by images of a plush Mickey Mouse. The breakthrough leak, however, came from Stitch Kingdom (http://www.stitchkingdom.com) who found an advertisement for the "official community for disney fans" in the promotional booklet packaged with the Pinocchio 70th Anniversary DVD to be released on March 10.

The advertisement features Pinocchio's Jiminy Cricket with the title "Wishes Come True." It can be seen along with other D23 updates at http://www.stitchkingdom.com/tag/d23.

Stitch Kingdom is a Disney news and vacation planning website which offers exclusive information and planning tips as well as revolutionary planning tools such as ReSearch!, the planning tool designed to alert guests as to closures during their upcoming theme park vacation. ReSearch! consists of the most current and complete database of park closures and allows users to store their specific vacation dates on the server and be notified by email whenever a change that potentially affects them occurs.

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Disney's Hanging Baskets

Southern Living - Melissa Shepherd isn’t a basket case, but if she were, you couldn’t blame her. Each year, she and a team of gardening specialists at Walt Disney World in Orlando assemble “an outrageous number” of new hanging baskets―more than 6,000―to decorate its parks and resorts with petunias, geraniums, and other flowers. Follow her tips to create inexpensive, colorful displays that even your wicked stepsisters will like.

These containers suspended by chains or wire offer distinct advantages, says Melissa. First, they elevate color to eye level instead of relegating it to the ground. Second, many trailing plants (such as ivy geraniums (pictured), million bells, and bacopa) do better in baskets than they do in the ground.

Melissa starts with a wire-frame basket into which she presses moist sphagnum moss to make a shell. Nearly invisible strands of monofilament line attached to the sides of the frame help keep the moss in place. Next, she fills the basket with commercial potting soil and mixes in a tablespoon or so of slow-release fertilizer. Finally, she plants flowers she knows will make a splash.
Sure Fire Winners
 
  • Million bells (Calibrachoa sp.)―trailing plants that resemble miniature petunias; come in almost every color; bloom nonstop; don’t need deadheading (removing of old flowers); plant in sun.
  • Mini Cascade Hybrid ivy geraniums―showy clusters of red, pink, salmon, or lavender flowers on cascading stems; take summer heat from the Lower South northward; need some deadheading; plant in sun.
  • Wave Series and Ramblin’ Hybrid petunias (pictured)―hundreds of nonstop blooms in blue, purple, lavender, pink, and rose on heat-tolerant, wide-spreading plants; don’t need deadheading; plant in sun.
  • ‘Dragon Wing’ begonias―upright, mounding growers with glossy, green leaves and red flowers; good as anchor plants for center of pot; prefer light shade.

    Single Color vs. Mixed Baskets

    Use plants in one color, such as all pink geraniums, when aiming for simplicity or mass impact. Mixed baskets act more like flower arrangements that you appreciate close-up. “Doing a basket with three or four different plants adds color and texture and enhances the story you’re trying to tell,” Melissa explains.

    The key to successful mixed baskets is adding filler plants―spreading plants with attractive foliage that fill in gaps between anchor plants. Favorites include spider plant, variegated pothos, sweet potato vine, purple heart, and asparagus fern.

    Mixed baskets also benefit from some white flowers and foliage. “White really draws the eye,” Melissa notes. “It gives that sparkle factor. If the location is shady or tucked away, having a little white brings out the color of the whole basket.”

    Hanging Basket How-To

    Step 1:

    Begin by inserting small spider plants into the sides. They will fill out and cover up the moss.

    Step 2

    Fill the basket with moistened commercial potting soil.

    Step 3

    Add begonias, a sweet potato vine, and chenille plants for color. Hang the finished basket, and watch it grow.

    Tips for Success

    • Make sure all the plants in the basket like the same growing conditions.
    • Plant so the weight is balanced and the basket doesn’t pull to one side when the plants fill out.
    • Because these containers are focal points, remember to deadhead or pinch the plants if they require it.
    • Feed once a week with a water-soluble 10-10-10, 13-13-13, or 20-20-20 product to keep blooms coming.
    • It’s okay to copy plant combinations you see in garden centers.

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    'Jonas Brothers' edges out 'Madea' on Friday at the box office

    Entertainment Weekly     - It may come up short of the $31 million Miley Cyrus' 3-D movie bowed to, but Jonas Brothers: 3-D Concert Experience did come out on top of Friday's estimates with a $4.8 million opening, on tap for a $20 million weekend. That was just enough to unseat last weekend's top dog, Madea Goes to Jail ($4.6 million), which will likely top $60 million after just its second week. Friday's third-place spot went to Slumdog Millionaire ($3.2 million), on pace for a nice post-Oscar bump thanks in part to Fox Searchlight adding 700 runs this frame. And fourth-place Taken ($2.85 million) is set to break $100 million after just four weeks in release.

    1. Jonas Brothers: 3-D Concert Experience -- $4.8 million
    2. Madea Goes To Jail -- $4.6 million
    3. Slumdog Millionaire --$3.2 million
    4. Taken -- $2.9 million
    5. He's Just Not That Into You -- $1.9 million
    6. Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun Li -- $1.7 million
    7. Confessions Of A Shopaholic -- $1.4 million
    8. Paul Blart: Mall Cop -- $1.3 million
    9. Fired Up -- $1.3 million
    10. Coraline 3-D -- $1.1 million

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    Downtown Disney hotels offer deals

    Fort Worth Star Telegram - If you are thinking about a trip to Walt Disney World this year, you might want to book your accommodations at one of the seven Downtown Disney Resort Area Hotels in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Downtown hotels are offering a Passport to Savings coupon booklet that includes discounts and specials for area dining, shopping and entertainment, as well as area maps and the schedules for the hotels’ bus service.

    Guests staying at these "official" Disney World hotels receive their coupon booklet, which also enables them to purchase tickets at their hotel. Also offered is complimentary transportation to all four Disney theme parks, two of Disney’s water parks, Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island; advanced tee times at all five Disney golf courses; availability of priority seating arrangements for Disney dinner shows and theme park restaurants; and discounts at selected area restaurants, attractions and stores. For reservations or more information, visit www.DowntownDisneyHotels.com.

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    Disney's Lloyd in Space

    TVNZ - The creators of "Rugrats" and "Recess" now explore the next phase of childhood-the teen years-in this far-out animated series.

    Three-time Emmy-nominee Courtland Mead ("A Bug's Life") is the voice of LLOYD, an average 13-year-old in every way... except that he's an alien who lives on a space station in the middle of the galaxy!

    Having only a picture of the Han Solo-like father he's never met, Lloyd dreams of being a bold, heroic explorer. But since he's only 13, his dreams are much bigger than his ability to carry them out.

    His mother, space station commander CAPTAIN NORA NEBULON, is constantly having to rescue him from the scrapes he gets himself into, but Lloyd is undaunted and, with his friends in tow, will always be ready to set off when adventure calls... or if there's homework to avoid.

    Disney's Lloyd in Space explores the timeless themes of adolescence through the eyes of a likable young hero who longs to boldly go where no kid has gone before!

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    Surviving the spin: Which rides whirl at Disney World?

     Examiner - The theme parks at Disney World are known for their relatively tame rides. Granted, Rockin' Rollercoaster at Disney Hollywood Studio flips riders upside down, but it's slow as a baby carriage compared to Universal's Hulk and SeaWorld's Kraken. Tower of Terror does some nice drops that lift your butt off the sea, but for those who fear heights, Dr. Doom's Fearfall is much more instense. Most people who fear extreme rides can do the majority of rides at Disney.

    But fear factor isn't the only thing that impedes a person's ability to ride. Some simply can stand to spin. I am somewhat in this category; I can ride any roller coaster you throw at me, but whip me around in circles and I'll get a whanging headache unless I've loaded my blood with sugar. If spinning doesn't agree with you, there are a few rides at Disney to watch out for:

    MAGIC KINGDOM

    Mad Tea Party. This is the granddaddy of all spinning rides (pictured at top right). In fact, spinning is its main purpose for existence, and rides can make their teacups whip around even fast. Avoid at all costs if spinning makes you sick! A lot of meals are spilled at this wicked ride's exit.

    Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. This one doesn't spin unless you make it, and even then it's relatively slow. Spin-haters are fine on Buzz unless they're riding with a sadistic companion who takes over the control lever.

    EPCOT

    Mission: Space. One side of this ride (green) is a motion simulator, while the other (orange) is the spinning ride from hell. Both sides were originally spinners, but that proved to be too intense for many Disney guests so they retrofitted one into a tame option.

    The Seas With Nemo and Friends: This one doesn't spin, but the East Australian Current spins around you in a tunnel at one point. You'll be fine if you close your eyes.

    ANIMAL KINGDOM

    Primeval Whirl: Mate a mad mouse roller coaster with a tilt-a-whirl and this is what you'd get. The coaster seats spin madly, so if whirling makes you hurl, avoid it! Ironically, I love this ride even though the spinning gets to me (and even tho' a particularly vicious bout once gave me mild whiplash). I chow down a hunk of fudge from the nearby shop first because sugar seems to counteract some of the effects.

    DISNEY HOLLWOOD STUDIO

    Toy Story Mania: This one only spins as it moves between "shooting galleryies," but those short bouts are intense. They don't bother me, but I've had some people report queasiness so if you're particularly sensitive, beware.

    This summary covers rides with cars with spin. Obviously, rides like Dumbo and Astro-Orbitor spin, too, but it's not just your ride vehicle...it's the whole ride. These are pretty obvious, so you can judge immediately whether or not you can handle it.

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    The First Annual Disney Jazz Celebration Festival

    All About Jazz     -     Disney Jazz Celebration Festival

    Billed as a celebration of jazz music Disney Style, Disney World has joined the ranks of major entertainment venues that is now promoting jazz to younger audiences when it launched the first annual Disney Jazz Celebration Festival. Developed as part of its Disney Youth Programs, the festival provided an exciting mix of education, live concerts and just plain old fun to students of participating middle and high school vocal and instrumental ensembles from all over the country through workshops, clinics and performances with top jazz artists. The primary focus, of course, was education with the opportunity to learn from world- famous jazz educators and artists. In addition, the student jazz bands were also evaluated by renowned collegiate adjudicators who critiqued performances, imparted knowledge and graded overall performances by the groups. Disney Jazz Celebration is supported in part by Conn-Selmer, Inc., a leading manufacturer, distributor and supplier of concert and orchestral musical instruments that also outfits Disney's fifty bands.

    This first-ever jazz series drew the interest of jazz luminaries like saxophonist and band leader Bob Mintzer, drummer and educator Steve Fidyk, legendary trombonist and band leader Jiggs Whigham, and vocalist/ multi-instrumentalist Laura "Lolly" Allen among others. Helping to kick off the inaugural Disney Jazz Celebration on Thursday evening, February 19th, was a performance from internationally-acclaimed jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. An educator himself as a tenured professor at Florida International University, Sandoval was the featured guest that evening as he helped to introduce the many musician-educators who would be serving as adjudicators as well as the jazz artists assuming the role of clinicians.

    An "Honorary Citizen of Disney," this was not Sandoval's first appearance at Disney World. Having performed here many times, he boasted that before becoming a citizen of the United States, Disney was kind enough to grant him citizenship first. Explaining that he was glad to be asked to be at this first Jazz Celebration Festival as a part of promoting jazz to younger audiences, he implored the students to keep jazz alive, stating that once jazz "used to be the locomotive [engine] of the train and now it's more like the caboose."

    Heading the list of the vocal adjudicators were Michelle Weir (leading figure in vocal jazz education and former member of the Grammy-nominated vocal group "The PM Singers," Dr. Steve Zegree (Bobby McFerrin Professor of Jazz at Western Michigan University) and pianist/composer Larry Lapin (Professor of Jazz Studies and Jazz Vocal Programs at the University of Miami). On the instrumental side, the adjudicators included Dr. Willie L. Hill, Jr. (Director of the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts/Amherst), Joel Leach (Professor of Music at California State University-Northridge), and Dr. Ramon Ricker (Associate Dean for Professional Studies and Professor of Saxophone at the Eastman School of Music).

    The festival's welcoming event was a head-turning, virtuoso performance from Arturo Sandoval and his sextet that featured pianist Manuel Valera and saxophonist Ed Calle, both of whom played off Sandoval, delivering excellent solos throughout the concert. Held at the Premiere Theatre at Disney's Hollywood Studios, this welcome gathering drew over 700 students and directors from participating bands—from as close as Sarasota, Florida to as far as East L.A., Minnesota, New Jersey and Portland. Sandoval's music touched on a variety of jazz genres—from Latin jazz to hard bop, from the blues to just plain old straightahead contemporary jazz. Sandoval himself was extraordinary as he performed not only on the horn in his classic stratospheric style but also on percussion and a synthesizer before capping off the evening with a stunning performance on the piano (which he proclaimed his "real" passion).

    Sandoval performed for close to two hours, engaging the student audience with his wit and impressive scatting which had the responsive audience voicing appreciative whoops on several occasions. He shared the stage with Los Angeles-based educator/vocalist Jennifer Barnes and then later with a rising young talent in the person of saxophonist Kenneth Whalum, a Selmer featured artist, who happens to be the nephew of saxophone great Kirk Whalum. They performed a delicious rendition of the old standard (partially penned by Johnny Mercer) "Autumn Leaves" before giving way to Sandoval's special tribute to the late Oscar Peterson, for whom Sandoval had previously written a tune entitled "Oscar," as he played the piano, pounding the keys into submission in a captivating performance.

    The education workshops and ensemble performances before the collegiate adjudicators began early Friday, February 20th at the Saratoga Springs Performance Hall with the first performances coming from the vocal groups, including the first-ever public performance from a nine-member all-female vocal ensemble Spanish River Splash from Spanish River High School and led by Rita Bowling. They performed three tunes: "Chili Con Carne," "Sonny," and 'Summertime." After each song the vocal adjudicators (Michelle Weir, Dr. Steve ZeGree and Larry Lapin) critiqued the performance and provided recommendations on style as well as substance. There were only three vocal bands participating, with the others being "BHS Voices" from Beaufort High School and the "Epic Jazz Choir," an outstanding group from Downey High School, located just east of LA. Led by Corey Olariu, this fifteen-member vocal group with their own three-piece rhythm section, began their turn with an energetic rendition of George Gershwin's "'S Wonderful" and continued in classy style with Antonio Carlos Jobim's immortal "Desafinado," then they moved to a striking version of Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer's familiar "Moon River," and closed with the Jackson Five pop tune, "I Want You Back".

    The majority of the bands were large instrumental ensembles—often listing more than twenty-five student musicians—that in the professional world would be categorized as "super-sized" big bands. Of course, being middle and high school bands, they often carred more instrumentalists than the average big band in order to allow more student participation. Some of the participating bands included were from Beaumont Middle School, Central York City High, Eden Prairie High School, Graham High School, Laguna Beach High School, Odyssey Middle School, Pawling High School, Princeton High School, Sarasota Military Academy, South Portland High School, and St Joseph's Collegiate Institute. The collegiate adjudicators evaluating each performance on the instrumental side were Dr. Willie L. Hill, Jr., Joel Leach and Dr. Ramon Ricker.

    An important part of the educational component at the festival was the on- going master classes taking place throughout the day on Friday and Saturday. These workshops provided students with the opportunity to interact with jazz celebrities and learn techniques and tricks of the trade from the best in the business. Leading the clinics were master saxophonist Bob Mintzer, woodwinds clinician; trombonist extraordinaire Jiggs Whigham (all the way from Germany, where he resides), who was the brass clinician; drummer Steve Fidyk, who led the percussion classes; finally; vocalist Jennifer Barnes, who provided instructions on jazz singing.

    The other major highlight of this first Jazz Celebration Festival was the Friday night jam session held at the Hollywood Disney Premiere Theatre. Led and directed by Dr. Willie L. Hill, Jr., student-musicians were picked at random and divided into six groups, in which they would perform with the various artists, allowing them to share the stage with jazz celebrities and showcase some of their skills. As Dr. Hill called their names for each performance, the students jumped from their seats and rushed the stage with youthful enthusiasm eager to play. Though the performances were totally unrehearsed, students and celebrities played standard tunes that all the students were familiar with. Each group began playing one chorus together before Dr. Hill pointed to the next student's turn to solo. The jam session began with the first group playing Duke Ellington's "C Jam Blues" with Jiggs Whigham and a handful of students from the different school ensembles.

    The second group featured Ken Whalum and Dr. Ramon Ricker as they played Kenny Dorham's "Blue Bossa," trading saxophone lines between the artists and students. Guest performer Laura "Lolly" Allen, a four-mallet vibraphonist, was joined by vocalist Jennifer Barnes and drummer Steve Fidyk leading the third group. Two of the best performances of the night were provided by the fourth and fifth groups. The fourth group played the all-time Billy Strayhorn standard "Take The "A" Train" (Duke Ellington's theme song) and featured Larry Lapin on the piano, Mintzer on tenor, Jiggs Whigham on the trombone and Bach-featured artist, Nathan Warner on an arresting trumpet—all sharing the stage with student musicians awed by the situation they found themselves in.

    On the fifth performance the group played the familiar Gershwin vehicle "I Got Rhythm," on which Mintzer and Whigham were joined on the stage by Michelle Weir on the piano and saxophonist Ken Whalum plus four vocalists, who together belted out the lyrics like pros. Dr. Hill was masterful directing each group and mingling in on some vocals of his own. As an added surprise, Dr. Hill called on many of the directors of the various bands to come to the stage and perform the last number, Gershwin's "Summertime," to close out a rich and rewarding evening of jazz music and fun for all in attendance.

    The basic theme echoed by many of the adjudicators and celebrity musicians alike to all the students participating in this first Disney jazz event was, as Dr. Hill stressed, listen, listen and listen to jazz music as often as possible: it's the best way of learning on your own. The event ended Saturday night with the Disney Jazz Celebration Jammin' Awards Ceremony, during which all groups were given awards for their participation. A handful of the bands were recognized for their outstanding performances, including the Epic Jazz Choir from Downey High School, who received the award for Best in the Vocal category. The three instrumental bands awarded Best In Jazz Ensemble Category were: Beaumont Middle School, Lexington, KY for Best Middle School performance; Laguna Beach High School,Laguna Beach, CA, for Best in Category (AA); and finally Central York High School, York, PA, for Best in Category (AAAA).

    The experience of the first Disney Jazz Celebration Festival is summed up best by the following quote by a participant: "We decided to participate in the Disney Jazz Celebration this year because of the educational benefits that it provided our students. To have the opportunity to listen to jazz greats such as Arturo Sandoval and participate in master classes with Bob Mintzer, is an monumental experience our students will never forget...Every band was a winner." (Joe Bongiovi, Director, Princeton High School.)

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    Sharing stinky diapers at Disney World? No thanks!

     Examiner - The theme parks are great about providing diaper changing facilities in their restrooms. Most parents take advantage of this, but some seem to feel the need to whip off that poopy diaper and expose their baby's butt no matter where they might be at the moment. A bus seat, bench, on the ground in a line, or even on a restaurant table...all of these are used as impromptu changing surfaces at the theme parks. Sure, they might seem to convenient to the harried parent, but it's downright repulsive to fellow guests. That baby in the photo at upper right might look cute and innocent, but you don't want to be next to her when she's done digesting her dinner!

    Of course, babies don't mess their diapers on schedule, and it might not always be easy to get to a restroom (although I take issue with that excuse because there are so many at both Disney and Universal). But playing Devil's advocate, how can parents do public diaper changes while trying to to gross out fellow guests?

    Rule One: Do not change a diaper on any surface where someone else might eat food. The people who come after you will not appreciate setting their dining trays where Junior's butt sat a few minutes ago. Don't do the change within eye and nose shot of eateries either. It just not appetizing, no matter how you try to justify it.

    Rule Two: Try not to do a change on a surface where others sit. If you can't avoid it, make sure that you use a changing pad. No one wants to park their butt on a bench and inadvertently share in your baby's "leftovers."

    Rule Three: Do not change diapers in close quarters. These include lines, show waiting areas, buses, boats, and monorails. Step out of the line, or wait until you're out of the crowd.

    If you want a quiet, private place to change, feed, or nurse your baby, all of the Disney theme parks provide Baby Care Centers. At the Magic Kingdom, it's located next to the Crystal Palace restaurant. At Animal Kingdom, it's behind Creature Comforts at Discovery Island. At Epcot, it's in the Odyssey Center in Future World. At Disney Hollywood Studios, it's inside Guest Services at the front of the park. The Centers also sell items like formula, diapers, and teethers. The water parks don't have Baby Care Centers, but their restrooms all have changing stations. If you want a break from baby, call 407-828-0920 for information on in-room sitting services.

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