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| MickeyXtreme's News Archive March 19-25 2006 | ||
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Saturday March 25, 2006 |
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Once again, the power of the Force and the
magic of Disney combine for Star Wars Weekends, a
family-friendly fan-fest scheduled for May and June 2006 at
the Disney-MGM Studios theme park.
With the park's famous Star Tours thrill ride serving as the centerpiece of the celebration, the annual Star Wars Weekends event fills Disney-MGM Studios with dozens of heroes, heroines, droids and villains from the famous Star Wars films. Meet-and-greets with famous villains and heroes from the six Star Wars films -- Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and the latest blockbuster, Revenge of the Sith -- bring guests face-to-face with their favorite characters. Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith was the highest-grossing film of 2005. During Star Wars Weekends, guests never know which Star Wars character they'll find around the corner, whether it's the heroic Jedi Luke Skywalker, the mysterious bounty hunter Boba Fett, the furry, loyal and lovable Chewbacca or the evil Siths Darth Vader and Darth Maul. Jedi Mickey Mouse has even been known to make an appearance during the festival. Star Wars celebrities often serve as
special guests during each weekend and take part in
meet-and-greet sessions, star conversations and
Hollywood-style motorcades. |
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There's reel fun in the offing for guests
angling for a new Disney bass fishing experience.
Beginning in mid-March, guests can cast their fate to the skills of Disney bass guides on the un-fished waters of 42-acre Barefoot Bay at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. The two-hour private excursions will be aboard tournament-style Nitro bass boats that can accommodate one or two guests. The fishing is catch-and-release. Cost is $200-$230 (excursions during the morning command the higher rate) for boat, guide and equipment for one or two guests. For reservations and additional information, guests can call 407/WDW-BASS (939-2277). |
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Plan
ahead for 'Extra Magic' at Disneyland
We all know the essential ingredients to a magical moment. But do we ever do enough preparation to ensure some lush divine memories in retrospect? If you're craving for some magical fun at Hong Kong Disneyland this year, there's now even more opportunities for you to multiply the fun. Hong Kong Disneyland has unveiled the launch of new features including Extra Magic and pre-purchase meal coupons for international guests. Guests can choose their very own Extra Magic from one of these three features: a complementary photo on Space Mountain or The Many adventures of Winnie the Pooh; buy one main course meal and get the second for free; or a Disney-themed sourvenior lunchbox. This Extra Magic offer is only valid from 20 March to 30 September, 2006. Travel agents can assist clients to buy meal coupons at the two Disney-themed hotels (Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and Disney's Hollywood Hotel) as well as selected dining outlets throughout the park. Visitors who book to stay at either one of the Disney-inspired hotels before 30 June can take advantage of a Breakfast on Us complimentary breakfast. Hong Kong Disneyland Sales and Travel Trade Marketing, Vice President, Josh d'Amaro said the introduction of these offers were due to helpful feedback from the industry. Ms Pan of GZL's outbound tour department said: "This exciting 'Extra Magic' promotion that Hong Kong Disneyland is offering exclusively to the trade will certainly be attractive to consumers. It is encouraging that Hong Kong Disneyland is tailoring promotions based on the needs and travel patterns from the different markets." Make sure you have all the best produced ingredients ready for a magical Disneyland experience by planning your holiday ahead. |
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Free
kid flights to Disneyland Paris
Book by midnight on Friday, March 24, to grab free flights to Paris Orly Airport and free stays at Disneyland Resort Paris for children with Thomsonfly. Travel between April 19 and May 26. Fly from Coventry and Doncaster airports. Children under the age of 16 must be booked with an adult, and the offer applies specifically to a maximum of two children per paying adult. There is restricted availability during public and school holidays. First come, first served. |
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Disney
Taps Buder Engel for Mobile Launch
Walt Disney Co., poised this summer to go head-to-head with the nation’s major carriers in a battle for share of the family cellphone market, has hired San Francisco agency BuderEngel & Friends for an anticipated $50 million-plus launch. |
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Peace
Reigns at Disneyland
Ending the threat of a possible strike that could have shut down the Walt Disney Co.'s Disneyland park, the Disneyland Master Services Council of Unions, representing nearly 4,600 "cast members," announced today (Thursday) that it had reached an agreement on a new contract. The union and Disneyland execs had been negotiating under the guidance of a federal mediator since March 15, when the previous contract expired. The union invited members to vote on the new agreement on Saturday in Millionaire Theatre in Disney's California Adventure Park. |
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Jennifer
Garner To Star In Erotic Thriller 'Sabbatical'
Jennifer Garner and her production company, Vandalia Films, are set to produce an erotic thriller. Garner must have lost her mind. In the past year she's gotten married to Ben Affleck and allowed him to get her pregnant almost immediately. And now, she's reportedly going to prance around in front of a camera naked for the forthcoming Disney erotic thriller Sabbatical. The story's premise follows a couple that hits the seventh-year-itch of marriage. To inject some life into their union, they decide to take a two-week sabbatical from each other during which, within a set of agreed rules, they can do whatever they want. When the wife returns to the agreed-upon meeting place two weeks later, however, she discovers that her husband has disappeared. |
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Rooms
To Go readies new licensed Disney lines
Looking to build on the success of its licensed Cindy Crawford and Disney furniture lines, retailer Rooms To Go will add two Disney themes this fall and more Crawford goods while it works on a third licensed collection. The nation’s largest furniture store is readying youth groups linked to upcoming Disney’s movies “Cars” and the “Pirates of the Caribbean” sequel. Jeff Seaman, CEO of the 110-store chain, said the introductions will coincide with the movie releases. RTG has successful youth groups based on Disney princesses, Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh and the Disney Channel’s “Lizzie McGuire,” launched this past fall at its Rooms To Go Kids & Teens stores. Seaman said Disney executives suggested a dedicated boys group; thus, the upcoming “Pirates” collection. The current Disney furniture line also is wholesaled on a limited basis through Canyon Furniture to non-competing retailers, and Seaman expects that will continue with the new collections. He said RTG guaranteed Disney $10 million in sales the first year, “and we’re going to do a lot more that that.” The Cindy Crawford line at RTG’s main stores, promoted by Crawford herself in print and TV ads, also has been successful, give or take a group or two, and is well on its way to at least $100 million in its first year. New Crawford product will be in stores this spring, Seaman said, adding the retailer will change at least 50% of the line to keep it fresh. Meanwhile, RTG is working on a third licensed line. Seaman wouldn’t elaborate because details need to be finalized, but he expects it will be in stores early next year. Rooms To Go did about $1.6 billion in furniture, bedding and accessory sales last year, up over 12% from $1.42 billion in 2004. |
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"Raymond"
Star Heaton Eyes Daytime Talk Show
Patricia Heaton could be the next sitcom star to host a daytime talk show. Sources said the Emmy-winning co-star of ``Everybody Loves Raymond'' is in negotiations for a show targeted to launch in fall 2007. The project is described as being in the vein of ABC's daytime talker ``The View,'' where Heaton would serve as one of multiple hosts, according to sources. The project is being developed by Buena Vista Television, whose Disney corporate siblings Touchstone Television and ABC are already working with Heaton on an untitled comedy pilot being eyed for next season. If the comedy and talk show were both to move forward, Heaton could follow in the footsteps of Kelly Ripa, who stars in the ABC comedy ``Hope & Faith'' and co-hosts Buena Vista's daytime talk show ``Live With Regis and Kelly.'' Megan Mullally, one of the stars of NBC's ``Will & Grace,'' also is hosting a talk show that launches in the fall -- ``The Megan Mullally Show'' -- but her sitcom is ending this season. Heaton won two Emmys for her role as Debra Barone on CBS' ''Everybody Loves Raymond.'' The mother-of-four's extra-curricular activities include serving as honorary chair of Feminists for Life. Separately, sources said Buena Vista Television also is in talks with Marianela, a VJ on music television network fuse, about doing a project. Marianela hosts the network's live weekday show ``Daily Download.'' Details on both projects were sketchy Thursday, and Buena Vista Television wasn't available for comment. |
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Friday March 24, 2006 |
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Disney will not be
establishing a park in Dubai or, in fact, anywhere in the
Middle East anytime soon, said James Rasulo, chairman of
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts speaking to Khaleej Times,
during the IAA Congress.
"When
deciding on a location, we have to look at the size of
economy and the distribution of income. We are a premium
tourism product and we need certain characteristics. I don't
see the Middle East today as a market that is quite ready
for that, but I never say never," he said. However, India
fulfils some of those requirements. He said: "There is
a still a fundamental evolution of infrastructure that has
to occur so that people can get to a single destination with
the footprint that we would like to develop. Today that
footprint is not in place." But that will not be the
case forever, he added. "If you look at the population
and economic realities of India, it is possible one day, but
that day is not now." China is a
slightly different matter. Although Hong Kong recently
opened a Disney Resort, he sees the establishment of a
second resort in China as a real possibility. "Someday
I imagine that due to the sheer geography of China, a
growing economy and population there may be a second
destination in China," he said. But not in coming
years. "We look with great anticipation to be able to
deliver our very special formula and entertainment to all of
the markets that can support it," he said. Rasulo also spoke about how to manage global brands in a "flat world". This is a world "where media is ubiquitously available, and the definition of what is a local market is being eroded by portability, customization and personalization," he said.As one of the
world's most global and successful brands, the reason for
Disney's success is simple. "The basic principles of
global brands come back, not shockingly, to consumer
insights," said Rasulo. "If a brand does not speak
to consumer need it will not be a global brand. It will
simply be a globally distributed local brand." He said
companies that have been successful in establishing a global
brand speak to universal human values and the need to belong
to communities. Speaking about
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts specifically Rasulo said the
concept is successful because it fulfils "the desire to
have a transformational experience and to feel as if your
own personal dreams are coming true". He also said;
"The principles on which we can manage a global brand
are anchored in consumer insights. They have universal
principles that have to be consistently expressed and speak
to universal values. They speak to what we believe are a
market of one, that is so basic in its needs and desires,
that that market is replicated by four or five billion
people all over the world. This is what Disney does." |
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For all the knocks on supposedly slow-footed conglomerates, two big media companies have looked plenty nimble lately. High-stakes acquisitions in new media have fueled 2006 rallies at Disney (DIS:NYSE) and News Corp. (NWS:NYSE). Disney shares are up more than 15% and News Corp. is up more than 6% this year, despite dilutive acquisitions at both companies. Disney agreed in January to buy animation powerhouse Pixar (PIXR:Nasdaq) for $7.4 billion, while News Corp. over the past year has grabbed Internet plays MySpace for $580 million and IGN Entertainment for $650 million. Gains at Disney and News Corp. show that investors are willing to reward bold gambles in fast-growing businesses, regardless of concerns about size. The news could serve as a tonic to shareholders of laggard players like Time Warner (TWX:NYSE), which recently fought off the breakup-minded hedge fund investor Carl Icahn. That is, assuming managers at those companies start making the right moves. Disney CEO Bob Iger hasn't been shy about being early to the game where emerging technological trends are concerned. Witness the fact that he was the first to put his ABC network content on Apple (AAPL:Nasdaq) iPods. Disney has also moved to unload some noncore businesses, as in its radio deal with Citadel Broadcasting (CDL:NYSE). "Disney stock certainly has strong momentum with continued ABC ratings strength, the prospect of a very strong opening from [Pixar film] Cars and continued very favorable reviews for Bob Iger's initial moves as CEO," says Jack Liebau, president of Disney shareholder Liebau Asset Management. Liebau also notes that Disney's theme-park business has been quite strong, particularly in Orlando, and that creative talent in the person of Pixar's John Lasseter should help. Similarly, News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch and COO Peter Chernin have been focused on grabbing a foothold in new media. Liebau says the MySpace acquisition is proving to be attractive, as the company is growing its subscriber base. He also notes Fox TV is performing well, along with Fox News. Liebau owns shares in News Corp. as well. |
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Disney
plans strategy for crowd control
A Hong Kong Disneyland committee has come up with three suggestions to avoid serious overcrowding problems, and the park is "actively considering" which of them to implement, a spokeswoman said. The solutions include creating a "fast pass" system that will encourage visitors to enter the park at staggered times. The park may also "dispatch" guests to its Inspiration Lake so they can take pictures. It is also considering hiring more staff to entertain guests while they wait in the humidity and heat. "We are enhancing our in-park procedures just in case crowds gather outside the park or overcrowding situations happen," said Glendy Chu, media relations manager for Disney. Chu said that the instructions to modify the park's logistical operations on busy days did not come from the government. "It's our initiative. We have to proactively deal with measures," she said Friday. During last year's Labor Day weekend, Disney committed a logistical error when it failed to mark its tickets as "date-specific." It did not anticipate the overwhelming crowds during a very popular mainland holiday. To prevent a repeat of the anger and discontent experienced by many mainland tourists, Disney changed the way it marks the tickets, so far setting aside 15 days as "special." Visitors will have to buy those tickets in advance before they can be guaranteed entry, Chu said. "We have already marked some of the Easter holiday and `Golden Week' holidays as special days," she said. The park's public affairs offices and park operations management met recently to review the park's other new crowd control options, she said. "When [the park] is going to reach capacity we might hand out something like a pass, [which] will advise the visitors to come at a designated time," Chu said. She said it would not be called a "fast pass," but it works like one, allowing entry only during specific hours. "We are also considering finding additional manpower and additional cast members to help the guests to answer any of their inquiries and to help explain the situation to them," she said. But Disney has lost on average about 10 percent of its workforce since the park opened on September 12. "I would say our current staff turnover rate is in peak drop/change season," Chu said. "We are maintaining a 90 percent staff retention rate. We have a quite stable workforce." Chu could not say whether the "gross average" of 90 percent came from the past six months or whether sudden changes in turnover occurred in the past few weeks or months. "A lot of our staff have been with the park for two or three years, we have to bear in mind," she said. Many people from the United States arrived in Hong Kong during the three years leading up to park's opening in 2005. These contracts are expiring and the staff are headed back to the United States. Chu said that she did not know how many people will be hired to instruct visitors outside the park on busy days. She stressed it is only an alternative and no final decision has been made. |
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New
Stingray Adventure Adds to the Fun of Disney Cruise Line
A new shore excursion at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay, provides Disney Cruise Line guests with an exciting opportunity to swim and interact with Southern Stingrays in a private lagoon. This up-close encounter with the rays is part of a one-hour experience, Castaway Ray's Stingray Adventure, and is open to all guests 5 years of age or older. The program opens with an informational session about stingrays, covering topics such as history, interesting facts and the biology of the animals. Once in the water, a marine specialist leads the group in an interaction experience, allowing guests to feed, touch and interact with the rays. Following the guided interaction, guests who want more time with the rays can snorkel in the 40,000-square-foot area. 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. |
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Disney
Channel's "Hannah" a cute teen fantasy
Ah! If we could all live the life of Hannah Montana, famous pop star by night (and a little of the day), and normal, regular girl-kid the rest of the time. We'd have the best of both worlds: one that holds great celebrity and fame, and a second that gives us that regular kind of life with family and friends (the very cool kind we see in Disney television series). Welcome to that kind of life -- or lives -- in this very upbeat and good-natured new live-action weekly tween series, "Hannah Montana." It tries very hard and succeeds at being very, very cute. Starring as Hannah, in real life named Miley Stewart, is Miley Cyrus (offscreen daughter of country rocker Billy Ray Cyrus, who plays Hannah's songwriter dad, Robby). She's extremely bubbly and bright, and does a more than credible job with the one-liners she hand-delivers to the audience. In the series, Miley Stewart is an everyday kind of 14-year-old, going to middle school (her fame unbeknownst to her friends), getting crushes on boys and dealing with other girls (and we know how girls are at this age!). But by night, so to speak, Miley is Hannah Montana, a famous pop star who goes on tours (let's see how the writers handle that one week after week) and generally is full of talent and verve. That's a lot for a tween to handle. But in this best-of-both-worlds kind of universe that the folks at Disney make so appealing, everything works out, and in 22 minutes, give or take, every week. Series creators Michael Poryes, Rich Correll and Barry O'Brien make sure of that. The entire production also is star-kissed with color, good humor and fantastical fantasies that every tween girl can hook in to. At age 14 or so, who wouldn't want to have Hannah/Miley's life, especially if it is one (as presented here) seemingly without any serious strife -- or at least the kind of strife that can be solved within the span of television sitcom episode. It's all very delicious and extremely cool. Even if this tween has an annoying brother (Jason Earles), he is nonetheless a brother who can be easily bribed and turns out in the end (of every episode, of course) not to pose too much of a threat. Miley's dad also is extremely savvy and apparently wondrous at solving problems. It's a great life, or, we should say, a great couple of lives. "Hannah Montana" is heartfelt, gives viewers a candy cane kind of world (its colors are extremely bright) and makes light of its heroine's double life. What could be better than that? Cast: Miley/Hannah: Miley Cyrus Lilly: Emily Osment Oliver: Mitchel Musso Jackson: Jason Earles Robby: Billy Ray Cyrus Director: David Kendall; Teleplay: Douglas Lieblein, Michael Poryes; Executive producers: Steven Peterman, Michael Poryes; Director of photography: Michael Franks; Costume designer: Ann Somers Major. |
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'Desperate
Housewives' inspires video game
Walt Disney Co.'s (DIS.N) Buena Vista Games Inc. said on Friday it plans to release a PC video game based on the wildly popular television show "Desperate Housewives" this fall. In the game, players take on the role of a new housewife who can uncover or create new scandals on Wisteria Lane, the seemingly perfect street where the show takes place. Actress Brenda Strong, who is the voice of deceased housewife Mary Alice Young on the show, has signed on for a similar role in the game. Negotiations are in the works with the other cast members, a spokeswoman for Buena Vista Games said. The game's developer is Liquid Entertainment, creator of the PC game "Dragonshard." |
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Disney
plans big for mobile, IPTV content
Fifteen months after launching operations in the country, The Walt Disney Company, which runs kids channels Toon Disney and The Disney Channel, is looking to move to the next level by launching mobile, gaming and IPTV-related services. “Worldwide, we are available on the mobile, broadband and IPTV platforms. It is a logical extension for us,” says T.N Prabhu, head of new media initiatives at Walt Disney India on the sidelines of the seminar on ‘Digital Content: Challenges for India’ on the third day of the Ficci Frames Summit in Mumbai. What the company will do in the near future is launch ringtones, wallpapers, graphics, games of popular Disney characters on mobile phones. IPTV, on the other hand, will be used to promote gaming, while broadband will be used to push its educational initiatives, says Prabhu. “IPTV is something we will have to look at when it launches in the country. But mobile content is something that we will exploit since we have a pool of in-house characters. This will only help us reinforce the characters,” he adds. |
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Sky doesn't fall following Disney's first computer film "CHICKEN LITTLE"-- After its 10-year partnership with Pixar Animation produced such hits as "Toy Story,""Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles," Disney made its first solo foray into computer-animated cartoons with this solid though slight fairy-tale tweak. Zach Braff provides the voice of the title character, a chick who cried wolf that the sky was falling and now must save his town when his prediction comes true -- in the form of an alien invasion. Among DVD extras are deleted sequences and concepts, including three alternate openings, one in which Chicken Little is a female character. The disc also has half a dozen featurettes examining story development and voice talent, which includes Joan Cusack, Steve Zahn and Garry Marshall, plus music videos from Barenaked Ladies and the Cheetah Girls. DVD, $29.99. (Disney) |
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Calypso
extends Disney partnership
Calypso Soft Drinks has tied up with the forthcoming Disney film Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest. The company said yesterday (23 March) that it would release ‘Caribbean Curse’ and ‘Bootstrap Blackcurrant’ in cluster packs of four 250ml bottles with sport-cap. The packaging features the film’s skull and crossbones logo along with a close-up of Johnny Depp as one of the pirates. The drink is targeted at both boys and girls aged between six and eleven years old. The drinks will be available from 24 April, initially in Waitrose supermarkets, and will have an on-pack promotion offering a free film poster in return for four tokens. “We expect Dead Man’s Chest to be the film franchise of the year,” said Richard Cooke, Calypso’s sales and marketing director. Calypso’s Pirates of the Caribbean no-added-sugar juice drinks are supplied in outers of six cluster packs of four 250ml clear PET bottles with re-sealable sports caps at a recommended retail price of GBP1.39 (US$2.41). |
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Disney
sweatshops hidden behind grandeur
Disney, unlike
any other company, captures the magic and idealism of
childhood that every adult wishes to recapture through love,
success and the pursuit of one's dreams. The magic is in the
message: good will always triumph over evil, if we believe
in ourselves and persist towards what is absolutely right,
then our real beauty will be revealed. |
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Thursday March 23, 2006 |
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Readers and Golf Magazine experts have rated
Walt Disney World Resort as a Gold Medal winner in the
magazine's latest biennial survey of America's Best Resorts,
putting the Vacation Kingdom among the top 25 golf meccas in
the country.
Walt Disney World Resort is the only Florida resort -- and one of just seven resorts in the Eastern U.S -- to be recognized with a Gold Medal in the survey, which was announced in the March issue of Golf Magazine. This marks the eighth consecutive biennial rating period since 1992 that Golf Magazine has recognized the Vacation Kingdom. During that period, Disney has been honored with six Gold Medals and two Silver Medals. Thousands of readers who have taken golf vacations were asked to rate the places they have been during the past two years on a variety of criteria -- from tees and greens to soups and nuts -- in a quest to determine "the finest retreats in the U.S. based on the golf, the service, the amenities and the overall luxury of the experience." Golf Magazine's summation of Walt Disney World Resort: "There are 99 holes here, plus more thrills for the family than you can shake a wand at. Three courses by Joe Lee (the best of which is the Magnolia track) and contributions from Tom Fazio and Pete Dye round out this magical kingdom for golfers." Guests can call 407/WDW-GOLF or visit disneygolf.com for tee times. Private lessons also are available. |
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HK
Government Blamed In Disney Death
The daughter of a woman who died at Hong Kong Disneyland last year has accused the Hong Kong government of a coverup after learning no inquest will be held. Singaporean Joanna Boey said she plans to pursue her case through U.S. courts, the South China Morning Post reported Thursday. Nge Yoi Chan was 82 when she died of heart problems at the theme park in September. |
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'Cars'
to start engines in N.C. at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Disney-Pixar's exciting new computer-animated feature "CARS" will stage its World Premiere on May 26th at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina in one of the most unique and elaborate movie events of all-time, it was announced today by Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip, and others from the voice cast of the film will be joined by a host of stars from the racing world and 30,000 guests that are expected to attend the "CARS" World Premiere, taking place at the same location as that weekend's famous Coca Cola 600 NASCAR race. The screening of the film represents the first multi-screen digital cinema premiere ever, with Texas Instruments and its DLP Cinema® technology serving as Disney's event technology partner in providing the digital cinema projectors. A series of four giant custom-built outdoor movie screens (115-feet wide and 50-feet tall) will be constructed at Lowe's Motor Speedway at Turn #2 of the track. Each screen will have three DLP Cinema 2K digital projectors dedicated to it. A state-of-the-art sound system is also being created and installed for the event. Academy Award-winning filmmaker John Lasseter ("Toy Story," "A Bug's Life," "Toy Story 2"), who directed "CARS" will also be attending along with producer Darla K. Anderson ("A Bug's Life," "Monsters, Inc."), and other key players from Pixar Animation Studios and The Walt Disney Studios. Tickets for the premiere will be made available for purchase by the general public starting today. Proceeds will benefit Speedway Children's Charities, and Association of Hole in the Wall Gang Camps. For tickets, call 1-800-455-FANS, visit the Lowe's Motor Speedway box office, or order online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com. To cap off the weekend, the #96 DLP HDTV car will be wrapped as the film's lead character "Lightning McQueen" for the NEXTEL Cup series race in Charlotte the same weekend. Commenting on the announcement, Lasseter said, "We're thrilled to bring the premiere of 'CARS' to Lowe's Motor Speedway and excited to share this film with such a great community of race fans. Humpy Wheeler, the president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, has become a great friend and helped all of us at Pixar when we were developing the story and characters for the film. In fact, Humpy provides the voice of Tex, a 1975 Cadillac Coupe de Ville. I have loved automobiles and the world of racing for a long time and 'CARS' is a very personal story to me. This premiere event is the perfect way to debut our film to racing and movie enthusiasts." Cook added, "Pixar has captured the feel and excitement of the racing world in their latest film, 'CARS,' and we felt that it would be great fun to stage the premiere in a setting that would do justice to the film. John Lasseter has done an amazing job bringing the world of cars and racing to the big screen, and combining it with that magic Pixar story sensibility that appeals to absolutely everyone. With the proceeds of this benefit going to two fantastic children's charities, we hope to launch the film in grand style and help some worthy institutions at the same time." Humpy Wheeler said, "It's a great honor to be working with Disney, John Lasseter, and his colleagues at Pixar in hosting the World Premiere of 'CARS.' This is a fantastic film that celebrates everything that we love about cars, and it also gives us a unique view of the world of competitive racing. All of us at Lowe's are looking forward to the big event on May 26th, and are delighted that we have been chosen to participate." After taking moviegoers magically into the realm of toys, bugs, monsters, fish, and superheroes, the masterful storytellers and technical wizards at Pixar Animation Studios ("The Incredibles," "Finding Nemo," "Monsters, Inc."), and Academy Award-winning director John Lasseter ("Toy Story," "Toy Story 2," "A Bug's Life"), hit the road with a fast-paced comedy adventure set inside the world of cars. A Walt Disney Pictures presentation of a Pixar Animation Studios film, "CARS" is a high octane delight for moviegoers of all ages, fueled with plenty of humor, action, heartfelt drama, and amazing new technical feats. Lightning McQueen (voiced by OWEN WILSON), a hotshot rookie race car driven to succeed, discovers that life is about the journey, not the finish line, when he finds himself unexpectedly detoured in the sleepy Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. On route across the country to the big Piston Cup Championship in California to compete against two seasoned pros, McQueen gets to know the town's offbeat characters -- including Doc Hudson (a 1951 Hudson Hornet with a mysterious past, voiced by PAUL NEWMAN), Sally (a snazzy 2002 Porsche voiced by BONNIE HUNT), and Mater (a rusty but trusty tow truck voiced by LARRY THE CABLE GUY) -- who help him realize that there are more important things than trophies, fame and sponsorship. The all-star vocal cast also includes free-wheeling performances by Tony Shalhoub, Michael Keaton, Cheech Marin, George Carlin, Katherine Helmond, and John Ratzenberger. Delivering more fun and authenticity to the cast for "CARS" are vocal performances from some of the all-time greatest names from the racing world including the legendary Richard Petty, plus "drive-on" roles by Mario Andretti, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Darrell Waltrip (who holds the record for five-wins at the NASCAR Coca Cola 600), and Michael Schumacher, the ace German Formula 1 racing legend, who is a seven-times world champion, and is widely considered to be the best Grand Prix racing driver of all-time. |
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Get
a free on ride photo from Expedition Everest
From now until September 30th, When you complete all 3 episodes of Yeti Vision on disneyeverest.com, you can receive a free 5x7 photograph of your ride aboard Expedition Everest. When you complete all 3 episodes, a voucher with a bar code will pop up, print the voucher. Take this voucher to Animal Kingdom guest relations who will verify the authenticity and then give you a coupon to use at Everest's merchandise location, Serka Zong Bazaar. You must have this coupon in order to receive the free photo. |
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Pirates
Easter reopening potentially delayed
The latest information from within the Magic Kingdom indicates that the Pirates Phase 1 reopening may be pushed back a week. It was set to reopen on April 1 for the busy Easter period. However, there is now a possibility that the reopening may be pushed back to the 8th April. The reality of the situation is that they are dealing with a complex refurbishment, which may experience some delays. It's safe to say that its in everyone's interest to get Pirates running over Easter, and I am sure the work crews are well aware of this. More information will be posted here when available. |
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High
School Musical Soundtrack Reclaims The #1 Position On
Billboard's Hot 200
The soundtrack to the smash hit Disney Channel Original Movie, High School Musical, has returned to the top position on the Billboard Top 200 chart with 142,272 units scanned for the week, a sales increase of 3%. Sales of the platinum-certified soundtrack have increased each week since its release 10 weeks ago. High School Musical first claimed the #1 spot the week of February 26, seven weeks after its release. Additionally, this week High School Musical continues its reign at #1 on both the Billboard Soundtrack Chart (a position it has held for six out of the past eight weeks) and the Billboard Kids Chart (where it has topped the chart for nine consecutive weeks). Digital sales continue to be a significant component to the soundtrack's success, with 56,505 single tracks sold last week. To date, digital singles sales for the High School Musical soundtrack have surpassed 1.1 million. High School Musical has generated one platinum single, "Breaking Free," and four gold singles – "What I've Been Looking For," "We're All in This Together," "Start of Something New" and "Get'cha Head in the Game." High School Musical, a contemporary musical comedy, has aired eight times (January 20-March 10) on Disney Channel. For those eight telecasts, it has delivered 30.6 million unduplicated Total Viewers, 9.5 million Kids 6-11 and 9.8 million Tweens 9-14. The ninth telecast will be presented on March 23 (8:00 p.m., ET/PT) on 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 plus contemporary acquired programming. Currently available on basic cable in over 87 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on 23 Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney-ABC Television Group. Walt Disney Records is part of The Buena Vista Music Group, the recorded music and music-publishing arm of The Walt Disney Studios. For more information, please visit Disney Records.com. |
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Tarzan
to Offer $20 Lottery Tickets
The upcoming Disney musical Tarzan, which is set to begin performances March 24 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, will offer a limited number of $20 lottery tickets to each performance. Those interested in trying to obtain these tickets will be asked to fill out a lottery form two-and-a-half hours prior to that particular Tarzan performance. Winners for the seats, which are located in the first row of the orchestra, will be chosen two hours before curtain time. There will be a limit of two tickets per person, and tickets must be purchased using cash only. About the lottery system, Disney Theatricals President Thomas Schumacher said in a statement, "As someone who grew up wanting to see as much live theatre as I could, it is such a pleasure to be able to make these reduced price tickets available for Tarzan. The $20 Lottery Ticket Program will allow us to share this theatrical experience with audience members who may not otherwise be able to see Tarzan, and that is invaluable to me.” Tarzan will officially open at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 West 46th Street, on May 10. |
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Disneyland
Unions come to settlement with Management
We have reached a settlement with Disneyland for a new collective bargaining agreement which has the full recommendation of your bargaining committee. This offer will be completely explained and you will have the opportunity to vote by secret ballot on the offer as follows. For more information click this LINK |
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Discovery,
Disney and Conservation International Team Up
In April 2006, Discovery Networks will introduce viewers to high-altitude viewing with the debut of original Everest-themed programming across several of its networks. The result of a unique alliance between Discovery Communications, Disney and Conservation International, these original specials explore the majesty and mystery of the world's tallest mountain — Mount Everest. Watch Everesttheexperience.com for new interactive adventures and programming updates. Disney's Expedition Everest Everest programming on the Discovery Networks coincides with the opening of Walt Disney World's newest attraction. The fabled yeti comes to life at Expedition Everest, a dramatic high-speed, high-altitude train adventure coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park as part of the Happiest Celebration on Earth. Hop aboard a train bound for Mount Everest. Treacherous chasms and hairpin turns are just the start of the action as you race up, down and even backwards through the mountain, swerving down spiraling curves, then through chilling, snowcapped peaks and ice caves. It all leads to an exciting encounter with the legendary Yeti. |
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Narnia
DVD to reveal secrets of real life imagery
A DVD of “The Chronicles of Narnia: |
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Tower
Up
Disneyland Paris - From outside the Walt Disney Studios it might look as if there was no progress on the Tower of Terror in the last weeks, but this is far from true, as a closer look from inside the park shows. While there have been no major changes to the drop tower building, the walls of the entrance / lobby as well as exit building continue. Interestingly a steel frame has been installed for what could become a smaller turret / tower to grace the lobby building. Currently this would be the only part of the building not constructed out of steel. The drop tower in the meantime sits mostly unchanged. The crane to lift the elevator motors into the building is still in place, but the temporary staircase at the back of the tower has been dismantled, indicating that either no work in the upper section of the building scheduled currently or the interior staircase has been installed already. |
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But since we are in
the Walt Disney Studios anyway, let's drop by the second
major construction site - the Toon Studios. As expected the
foundations for the exterior walls have been laid in the
"channel" that had been dug earlier. Surprisingly
the first lower segment of the walls is already rising up
while there is not sign of the coaster track yet. Therefore
right now it seems, as if a different procedure has been
chosen compared to the construction of the
Rock'n'Rollercoaster, for which the track was installed
before the exterior walls were erected.
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Walt
Disney to make, invest in movies in India
Walt Disney Company (India) is all set to make it big in the Indian movie industry. The media company, which already has a presence in the kid’s television segment through Disney Channel and Toon Disney in India, is now setting sights on Bollywood. To this effect, Walt Disney will look at making movies itself or acquiring them from local producers and directors. While the acquisition will be done under the banner of Walt Disney Pictures, distribution and marketing will be handled by group firm Buena Vista International. Speaking to DNA Money at the Ficci-Frames 2006 conclave, Mark Zoradi, president of Buena Vista International, said, “We will be looking at making 10 to 15 movies in the next 10 years. While some of them will be made by us, movies that are in sync with Disney’s philosophy of great storytelling will be acquired as well. We will primarily invest in movies that will work in the Indian market. And if a few have the global appeal, we will release them across the globe as we do with our other potential movies.” The company recently appointed Shyam PS (who shot to fame post Rang De Basanti) as the head of film production and acquisitions for India. Of the total number of movies Walt Disney will make/acquire it expects at least a couple of them to be released globally. While financing the movie is expected to be done internally, when asked about the kind of investments Walt Disney will make toward moving making/acquiring in India, he abstained from divulging investment figures citing company policy. The profile of movies that will be made/acquired range from local animation movies, mainstream cinema, blockbusters etc hence the cost will differ from one movie to another. And going as per industry standards, cost of making a Bollywood movie can range anywhere from less than Rs 10 crore for a low to average budget film and over Rs 10 crore for a big banner movie. Another US giant, the cable network and movie studio owner Viacom Inc has already said it is keen to tap India’s digital media business and explore co-producing films to address its large base of young people, its chief executive said on Wednesday. “When the world sees India, they see its fast-growing economy, its large middle class, its smart and well-educated young people, and its big movie and television audience,” said Tom Freston at the conclave on Wednesday. “Anyone would consider it a promised land,” said Freston, who lived in India for several years in the 1970’s, when he set up an apparel export business here and in Kabul for western buyers. “We don’t just want to distribute movies here: We’re looking at co-producing films here with Indian partners,” said Freston, who claimed Hindi films of the 1970’s made “a huge impact” on him. “We’re also keen to explore the home video market: 80% of film revenues in India comes from ticket sales, whereas 60% of revenues in the west comes from home video,” he said. India, home to the world’s most prolific film industry and the third-largest cable TV market, will become Asia’s leading cable market by 2010. |
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TVNZ
and Disney Long-Term Programming Partnership
TVNZ and The Walt Disney Company's BVITV (Asia Pacific) Announce Long-Term Programming Partnership TVNZ is delighted to announce that it has concluded the renewal of its long-term agreement with Buena Vista International, the international supplier of Walt Disney television programming and feature films. "This partnership with Buena Vista International will ensure TVNZ's continued supply of global television hits such as the phenomenon that is Desperate Housewives, as well as other New Zealand ratings winners such as Lost, Grey's Anatomy and Scrubs", says Stephen Smith, TVNZ's Head of Content. In addition, the deal will supply TV2 with Disney's family-friendly, quality children's animation, and major movie box office attractions such as The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest. "BVITV's commitment to clients drives our business and we are thrilled to be extending this partnership with TVNZ, one of our key business partners in Asia Pacific", says Steve Macallister, BVITV-AP's senior vice president and managing director. Buena Vista International has had an astonishing track record of success in supplying TVNZ and American networks with premium hit dramas and comedies, a track record that looks sure to continue with BVI's focus on quality television development and production. |
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The
Mousecapade
Listen to Radio Disney live online! Radio Disney is LIVE on your computer! Check out Radio Disney 24/7 with the new launch of streaming audio "Disney style" only on RadioDisney.com! Coming in April: Parents: Get connected with Radio Disney! Sign up for the Radio Disney NEWSWIRE E-mail Newsletter to be the first to hear about the newest promotions and events perfect for the family happening right here in Richmond! Visit www.radiodisney.com/WDZYAM1290 and find the "button" labeled NEWSWIRE for more details. The Radio Disney AM 1290 newswire is sent once a month direct to parents. Radio Disney has lots of fun coming your way, so keep it tuned to Radio Disney AM 1290 or check out www.RadioDisney.com/WDZYAM1290 for even more events this month, contest rules and to confirm event details as events are subject to change. |
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ABC
taps two to helm comedies
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Dear Mr.
Disney
Last week I spent spring break at beautiful Disney World. While it wasn't the first time for me, this particular visit elicited so many thoughts and observations about the park that I wished I could bring them to the attention to Mr. Walt Disney himself. Unfortunately Mr. Disney passed away in 1966 and it would seemingly be impossible - for anybody else. You see, there are millions of beliefs of what heaven is like. Personally, I see heaven as a beautiful cloud city (not unlike Care-a-lot.) However, instead of flying around in cloud cars, those lucky residents spend most of their time reading (and admiring) my weekly columns. If you think I'm kidding, you seriously have no idea what a megalomaniac I truly am. Mr. Disney, the following letter is directed at you, however I think that simple Earth-dwellers like my online arch enemy "Big Al" could find enjoyment in reading it as well. Mr. Disney, I could have spent this year's spring break a thousand different ways - drunk in Key West, drunk in Cancun, drunk in my apartment - but I decided to spend mine at Disney World... drunk. Why Disney World? Forget the fact that it was pretty much free for me to go. And forget the fact that I avoid beaches of Cancun and Daytona because there isn't an FDA-approved sun tan lotion strong enough to keep my German-Irish bum from burning like a bad case of Chlamydia. I went to Disney World because - even for a 23-year-old, contemptuous excuse for a human being like me - it truly is the "Happiest Place on Earth." I love Disney World... except for Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Downtown Disney, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon and 83 percent of Disney-MGM Studios. The rest (the Magic Kingdom) is pure entertainment gold. The rides aren't anything to write home about and the food, while surprisingly good for a theme park, is obscenely expensive. It doesn't matter - Disney World has something I haven't found anywhere else in this country: charm. I know that your goal from day one, Mr. Disney, and to that end, you have succeeded immeasurably. I feel like a child walking around your park. Whether I'm taking photos with your iconic creations (and lesser ones like Rafiki, whose line is invariably shorter,) watching the amazing fireworks displays or ignoring the not-so-subtle racial overtones in the Song of the South-themed Splash Mountain, I forget about all my deadlines, finals and my dreaded post-graduation job hunt. However, that's not to say there aren't improvements to be made, sir. My first suggestion involves children. Frankly, there are just too many of them. From the nine-year-olds still riding in strollers to the 11-year-olds still afraid of Goofy, they're a nuisance. New rules must be implemented. First of all, it bothers me to see parents carrying their sleeping tyke to and fro. If they can't stay awake, what's the point of being there? They're just taking up space, giving me one less chance to soar on the Dumbo ride. All children incapable of standing on their own should be ushered out of Disney - much like Michael Eisner was. Aside from the "standing" rule, how about a couple of days a week for adults only - adults 18 to 55, that is (old people are just as slow.) Speaking of obstruction, there's another disturbing problem I've found and it involves America's growing problem obesity "epidemic." I know that the American government now classifies it as a disease, but I have little sympathy personally. When I see a large man riding around in a cart only to get up and walk to the men's room (or more likely, a hot dog stand) without a problem, I begin to think that it's far too easy to get one of those scooters (which may or may not allow them to cut in line... I've seen that it does.) People with true disabilities are exempt from the "walking rule" obviously. While I'm making room in the park, Mr. Disney, I have another suggestion that most people won't like too much. Disney World has done an amazing job of encouraging and promoting diversity and attracting money - I mean visitors - from around the globe. But as a bona fide American genius, it must make your blood boil to look down from cloud heaven and see large families draped in red, Canadian flag-infested (and matching) outfits. It doesn't take tacky red-and-white clothing for me to spot a Canadian. The Canadian is the wide-eyed, goofy-grinned spectator complete with an awkward personality and uncanny ability to stop on a dime - and hold up hundreds of people behind them - to take a photo of Mickey having his photo taken with someone else's young child. If Canadians were eliminated from Disney, or at least diverted away from the Magic Kingdom (let 'em rot at Epcot) it would be better for everyone involved. Mr. Disney, I know that you are no longer with us. However, if my calculations concerning heaven are correct, you can influence all mortals to do your bidding. Should the young, the old, the obese and, most importantly, the Canadians be restricted access from your Magic Kingdom, it would be so awesome. While you're at it, how about a day - once a week - where only those of German or Irish or German-Irish... with opinion columns... named Gary can enter. I hate crowds. Sincerely (not really, unless you're completely dense and don't understand what a farce is) |
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Jordan
and Peter plan Disney wedding vows renewal
Jordan and Peter Andre plan to renew their wedding vows at Walt Disney World. The couple have just returned from a holiday at the Florida fun park and Jordan told OK! magazine: "We had such an amazing time that we want to go back in September this year for our first wedding anniversary." Jordan and Andre married in the showbiz wedding of the year at Highclere Castle in Berkshire. The glamour model said of their Disney extravaganza: "It'll be totally different from our wedding. I don't want the stress of table plans and all of that. But don't worry, it won't be low-key." The surgically-enhanced star also revealed her latest ambition – to become a waxwork at Madame Tussauds. "I can't see why Madame Tussauds don't have me and Pete in there – they could have us in our wedding clothes. I would let them have my wedding dress as long as they looked after it, and Pete would let them have his suit. "So if you're reading this, Madame Tussauds, you should have me and Pete in there." |
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Wednesday March 22, 2006 |
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Expedition
Everest closing for media events
It is expected that on the 6th and 7th April, Expedition Everest will be unavailable to guests due to the media events for the official Grand Opening. Also, Asia will close around 3:00pm on the 6th April and only the Serka Zong area around Everest will be closed all day on the 7th. |
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Accusations
Of A Sexual Assault On The Disney Wonder
Disney Cruise Lines are being sued over accusations of a sexual assault on board one of its ships.
The parents of a New York girl filed the
lawsuit, saying their daughter was sexually assaulted by a
crew member during a cruise on the Disney Wonder back in
October.
The family is looking for damages in excess of $75,000. Disney says it is taking the allegation very seriously but isn't commenting on the lawsuit. The crew member no longer works for Disney. |
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Inline skaters from across the country will
have the chance to experience Walt Disney World Resort
"on wheels" as part of the fourth annual Walt
Disney World Inline Marathon and Half Marathon on Sunday,
April 2. Skaters as young as 13 years old will participate
in the races, which start at 6:15 a.m. at Disney's Wide
World of Sports Complex.
From the sports complex, the loop course whisks skaters to Disney-MGM Studios theme park. After barreling down Hollywood Boulevard, skaters roll along a charming coastal village at Disney's Yacht Club and Beach Club resorts, then continue on to Epcot and the many nations of the spectacular World Showcase. Half-marathoners experience an exhilarating finish at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, while those daring enough to complete the full 26.2 miles circle around for a second loop through the scenic course. Disney's Inline Marathon weekend gets underway on Saturday, April 1, with the Inline Marathon Expo from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Milk House at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, and the All-Star Kids Classic races. Skaters can register for the 2006 Walt Disney World Inline Marathon and Half Marathon online at disneyworldsports.com or print an application to be completed and mailed. Entries received on or before April 1 are $80 for the Inline Marathon and $65 for the Half Marathon. Entry fees are non-refundable/non-transferable. Registration will not be available on race day. |
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Upcoming
Expedition Everest TV shows
Expedition Everest:
Journey to Sacred Lands |
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Animal
Kingdom forecasting new attendance records
Boosted by the massive new Expedition Everest, Animal Kingdom is expecting record attendance over this Easter period. The previous highest attendance at Animal Kingdom is being forecast to be beaten by almost 10,000 additional guests on some days. |
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Disney Insider - One of childhood’s
greatest wishes is that the characters on the TV could play,
talk, and interact directly with YOU. Parents wish that kids
could learn as well as be entertained by their favorite
shows. Both wishes come true with Playhouse Disney Preschool
Time Online, the new broadband Internet learning service
from Disney Online.
Preschool Time Online is designed to provide the high-quality graphics and content that you’d expect from a CD-ROM, but with frequent updates delivered straight to parents’ computers, so there’s always something new and fun to do and learn. Once every two weeks, children receive a fresh set of educational activities, including games, stories, and puzzles -- all hosted by their favorite Playhouse Disney characters from Disney Channel: Bear in the Big Blue House, JoJo, Higglytown Heroes, Stanley, Rolie Polie Olie, the Koala Brothers, Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, and more! They can move through the activities and fun in a pre-scripted order, or skip around as they please. The activities are designed to foster kindergarten readiness skills including reading readiness, math readiness, thinking skills, social skills, daily living skills, imagination and self-expression, motor skills, and computer skills. A wide variety of topics and concepts are also introduced in areas such as emotions, family and home, health, safety, community, animals, the arts, and more.
Educational consultant Debra Lieberman,
Ph.D., works closely with the creative team at Disney to
make sure Preschool Time Online will be a fun way for kids
to prepare for preschool, kindergarten, and life. She says
that combining fun and education is the most natural thing
in the world.
“We have a great advantage here, because learning IS fun! There's a wonderful sense of adventure and accomplishment in learning, especially for young children,” she says. “At all ages, everyone enjoys learning about things that matter to them. Preschool Time Online helps children learn because it is a rich and stimulating environment with a lot to see and do. It presents age-appropriate content, stories, characters, and challenges.” To create that environment, the team relied on current research into the learning patterns of young children. The product relies on tools like personalized learning, lots of feedback so kids know when they’re on the right track, and challenges that encourage children to reach new goals. Another unique challenge posed by Preschool Time Online was bringing the distinctive look and tone of the beloved television shows to the computer world. “As the Educational Consultant for Preschool Time Online, one of my jobs is to ensure that the interactive learning adventures present the same high level of educational quality as Playhouse Disney, even though Preschool Time Online uses a different set of production values and technologies,” says Debra. “Our user testing tells us that the interactive product conveys a quality level comparable to the television shows.” One of the best things about Preschool Time Online, in Debra’s opinion, is the way it appeals to users of all ages – in part, because it’s just plain fun. “While Preschool Time Online is certainly aimed at the interests and abilities of preschoolers, our user testing sessions confirm that this age group loves it -- parents are also fascinated by Preschool Time Online,” she says. “In the longstanding Disney tradition of providing layers of content, some for the young and some for the old, Preschool Time Online delights older children and adults in unique ways. I expect it to become a shared family activity with a variety of family members interacting with the young child in learning adventures and in discussions of the learning activities long after the child's computer time is over for the day.” And that kind of togetherness is truly what Disney is all about. |
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The Walt Disney Co. plans to shutter an
animation facility created by former CEO Michael Eisner.
Sources said about 32 animators and other employees at Circle 7 will lose their jobs, while the remaining 136 or so will be assigned to Disney's Feature Animation division. Circle 7 was built to make sequels to the movies Disney made with Pixar Animation Studios. Although Disney had sequel rights to those films, Pixar did not intend to help make them, including "Toy Story 3," which had been under way at Circle 7. With Disney's $7.4 billion acquisition of Pixar set to close in the next two months, Circle 7 has become a less important asset. Pixar CEO Steve Jobs, who will join the Disney board of directors, and Disney CEO Bob Iger have said since the merger plans were announced in January that sequels to Pixar films will now be handled at Pixar's studio in northern California. That Disney was making "Toy Story 3" at Circle 7 without Pixar had been a source of angst for Pixar management, insiders have said. Now that Pixar executives are set to run Disney's storied animation studio, they'll be deciding which Pixar movies will get the sequel treatment, and they haven't yet discussed publicly whether they will bring back Buzz Lightyear and Woody for a third iteration. |
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"The
Lighthouse" acquired by Disney
Disney has acquired "The Lighthouse," a claustrophobic thriller from scribe Dean DeBlois. The story is set off the coast of Brittany in the English Channel, where lighthouses perch on solitary pieces of rock and lighthouse keepers live in isolation for two months at a time. When a man arrives to install automated equipment, he meets two brothers who have been living there for years and begins to unravel their dark secrets. DeBlois was the co-head writer on "Mulan" and co-wrote and co-directed "Lilo & Stitch," both from Disney. |
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Blast
off on a New Adventure with Disney's Little Einsteins
Musical Missions CD
Walt Disney Records launches Disney's Little Einsteins Musical Missions, an all-new, interactive audio adventure inspired by the hit Playhouse Disney TV series Little Einsteins. Little Einsteins Musical Missions takes children on four fantastic musical adventures hosted by their favorite Little Einsteins characters (Leo, June, Annie and Quincy) and set to classical pieces such as Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik," Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee," Bizet's "Carmen Suite #1" and Brahms' "Hungarian Dance #5." The CD also features three original songs from the show: "The Little Einsteins(TM) Theme Song," "Mission & Blast Off" and "The Curtain Call." The Little Einsteins Musical Missions digipack includes an activity booklet depicting the settings for each adventure (from Seattle's Space Needle to the Egyptian Sphinx) along with reusable picture clings of the characters to provide an interactive experience while children listen to the CD. Musical Missions gives little ones a chance to learn music fundamentals while promoting the development of abstract reasoning during early childhood and enabling the imagination to soar. It's a fun-filled way to advance children from listening to music to interacting with music. Created by The Baby Einstein Company and Walt Disney Records, Little Einsteins Musical Missions was developed in conjunction with The American Music Conference (AMC) and music teacher and arts integration specialist Anne Fennell. With over two decades experience as a music educator, Fennell served as a consultant during the creation of CD, in addition to creating the curriculum guide for Our Big Huge Adventure, the first DVD title in Disney's Little Einsteins franchise. The #1 rated series in the Playhouse Disney programming block on Disney Channel, Little Einsteins is an inspiring and highly interactive preschool TV series featuring four music-loving protagonists and their versatile ship, Rocket. The episodes all begin with a call to action - or "mission" - followed by fascinating journeys of discovery which include a celebrated piece of classical music and a renowned work of art or world culture. The characters use their passion and talents to work together, solve challenges and achieve their goals, and viewers are invited to join in their activities, reinforcing the early-learning concepts contained in the series. The series airs every day (8:00 AM ET/PT) during Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney programming block. Disney's Little Einsteins Musical Missions
track listing is as |
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Disney is providing an opportunity for
college students to do an internship through the Disney
College Program. The program offered at Disney World in
Orlando, Fla., enables students to build networks and learn
from Disney leaders while working in a fun-filled
environment.
Housing is provided in furnished one- to four-bedroom apartments near Disney property. The rate of housing, which includes all utilities and transportation to and from work, is deducted from the students' weekly paycheck. Students will also be able to take one of the seven redesigned courses offered as a part of the program which has been providing internships for 25 years. The courses have been recommended by the American Council on Education for credit. Interested students can speak with a Disney College Program recruiter at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, and 12 p.m. Thursday, March 23. The presentations will be held in the State College Room in the Mauker Union at University of Northern Iowa. Students need to fill out an application online at www.wdwcollegeprogram.com before attending the session. Wartburg students have also become part of the Disney College Program. Seniors Katja Halverson and Anne Fattig had internships at Disney World in fall 2004. Halverson, a campus representative for Disney, worked as a lifeguard and Fattig worked as a merchandise hostess. "I realized it was really a great opportunity to go somewhere fun for a semester, to live in a great environment," Halverson said. "Disney is a great company. Now as a campus representative, I'm really promoting the program and making people realize that it's not Disney's workforce so to speak, it's really a great opportunity. "I just got back from Burbank, California.... I was there over break interviewing to work in the marketing department. I was able to do that because of the connections that I established while I was out in Florida and the network that I have built up with the company." After the students become cast members, another name for employee, they are allowed to enter all the parks for free. They get discounts on the merchandise and in the entire city of Orlando. "It's really helped my communication skills with people because I would meet thousands of guests every day through my work. I've learned to work with people that I don't get along with," Fattig said. "It's really strengthened my leadership skills. It got me a job. I'll be working for Target because I had Disney in my resume." The program is a paid internship and it ranges from $6.40 to $6.90 per hour depending on the position with 35 to 45 hours a week work schedule. The Disney College Program provides a schedule for the students to work around their class time which is once a week. "I think it's a great opportunity for those people seeking to get away from the campus for a while and immerse yourself in a different culture. For me personally, it has really enhanced my understanding of how the media works, how integrated marketing works. It's also enhanced my communication skills and my corporate skills." Halverson said. "It really gave me a feel for corporate culture within a large company. It's open to anyone. They work with you to sort of make it fit your needs." Students can go either for the fall or the fall advantage and either the spring or the spring advantage. The fall starts in late Aug. or early Sep. and ends in late Dec. or early Jan. while the fall advantage starts in June and ends in Dec. or early Jan. It does require students to work over Christmas. Visit www.disneycollegeprogram.com or call 1-800-722-2930 for more information. "Make sure its right for you before you go down to Florida. This is not the right program for everybody so make sure you really want to do it and you are really ready for it. But it's a ton of fun. I had a great time. I would go back," Fattig said. "I learned a lot from it. I have really grown from the experience. It's a good time. Do it." |
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ABC's
`Grey's Anatomy' climbs in ratings, may move to Thursday
ABC Television Network is considering
shifting ``Grey's Anatomy'' from Sunday nights to Mondays or
Thursdays after a surge in popularity in the hospital drama. |
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Jim
Hunt to Speak at Bank of America Media Telecommunications
and Entertainment Conference
A presentation and general discussion with Jim Hunt, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) will be hosted by Bank of America at its Media, Telecommunications, and Entertainment Conference on Wednesday, March 29, 2006, at 2:50 p.m. EST/11:50 a.m. PST. To listen to a live Webcast of the session, please point your browser to www.disney.com/investors approximately fifteen minutes prior to the start time. A re-play will be provided through Wednesday, April 12, 2006, at 4:00 p.m. PDT. |
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Tuesday March 21, 2006 |
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For the first time, Disney Cruise Line is
adding European flair to its itinerary offerings,
repositioning the Disney Magic for the summer of 2007 to the
Port of Barcelona in Spain and offering alternating 10-night
and 11-night Mediterranean cruise vacations to Europe.
"Our guests have told us they would love to take a European vacation, but all of the planning and logistics can be daunting. These special sailings will offer a hassle-free way to experience the beauty and culture of Europe combined with the fun of a Disney cruise," said Disney Cruise Line President Tom McAlpin at an announcement event at Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort this morning. With eight European ports of call, which provide gateways to familiar cities such as Florence, Rome, Pisa and Cannes, these new Mediterranean itineraries present the family vacation of a lifetime. |
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"The flexibility and mobility of Disney
Cruise Line allow us to offer guests a new way to explore
other parts of the world while enjoying a world-class cruise
experience," said Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman
Jay Rasulo. "Disney Cruise Line is a model for the way we
are expanding our family vacation business worldwide by
offering new experiences the whole family can enjoy."
The four 11-night itineraries depart on Saturdays: May 26, June 16, July 7 and July 28; while the four 10-night itineraries depart on Wednesdays: June 6, June 27, July 18 and Aug. 8. Both itineraries will depart from Barcelona for the summer. In addition to the Mediterranean cruises, two 14-night trans-Atlantic sailings bookend the 10- and 11-night adventures with the eastbound itinerary departing from Port Canaveral, Fla., May 12, and the westbound starting from the Port of Barcelona, Aug. 18. Bookings for these special and very limited itineraries are scheduled to open on April 4, giving interested guests time to plan with their families and friends. Starting rates for the Mediterranean 10- and 11-night itineraries range from $2,399 to $3,499 and are based on double occupancy. Guests interested in booking a Mediterranean cruise to Europe with Disney Cruise Line should call (888)-DCL-2500, visit www.disneycruise.com or contact their travel agent. Disney Cruise Line specifically designed its ships with areas and activities that appeal to the unique vacation needs of every member of the family. As a result, its vacations offer guests an unbelievable cruise experience not found anywhere else. The ship features nearly an entire deck that is dedicated just to kids where they can enjoy fun, supervised activities designed for especially for different age groups. Additionally, an experienced staff cares for infants and toddlers at Flounder's Reef Nursery, allowing parents the opportunity to explore ports of call or adult areas on the ship, such as a special pool, the spa, a nighttime entertainment district and a romantic dining experience. The Walt Disney Theatre provides a magnificent showplace of state-of-the-art sound, lighting, staging and set design. The curtain is lifted after the sun drops and original Disney musicals, family-friendly variety acts and first-run films entertain all ages. While sailing on a Disney cruise, guests also get to enjoy three different themed restaurants through the voyage. Guests travel from the casual elegance of Lumiere's to the colorful, island-inspired Parrot Cay and Animator's Palate, where Disney animation springs to life throughout their meal. Along the way, they enjoy the familiarity of having the same wait staff with them at each restaurant they visit. Adults may also opt to dine at Palo, an exquisite restaurant featuring sweeping views and northern Italian cuisine. The 877 family-friendly staterooms aboard each Disney ship were designed to offer maximum comfort. Most feature an industry first – a bath-and-a-half with two separate areas; one offering a shower and sink, the other a sink and toilet. Special 2007 Mediterranean Cruises
to Europe 11-Night Itinerary |
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Disney
reportedly closes unit devoted to Pixar sequels
The first casualty of Walt Disney Co.'s (DIS) acquisition of Pixar Animation Studios came Monday when the Burbank entertainment giant shuttered a computer animation unit created to make sequels to such Pixar hits as "Toy Story" and "Finding Nemo," The Los Angeles Times reported in its Tuesday editions.
Thirty-two employees, or nearly 20% of the
168 artists, production managers and support staff, were
told they would lose their jobs effective May 26, the paper
reported. The remaining 136 will be absorbed into Disney's
feature animation division and redeployed to work on such
productions as "Meet the Robinsons," "Rapunzel"
and "American Dog."
In a statement, Disney confirmed Monday's developments with The Times. |
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HK
launches family program to promote tourism
The Hong Kong Tourism Board HKTB started a program called "My Hong Kong Family" on Sunday in an attempt to promote the city as the ultimate family destination, not just for leisure, but also business visitors. Local families were invited to design a visit route and guide for an overseas family around the city, thus helping visitors discover and experience Hong Kong's distinctive culture and lifestyle. Officiating at the program's opening ceremony, HKTB Executive Director Clara Chong said that the board is striving to extend the tourism footprint to all corners of Hong Kong, and bringing more of the population into contact with visitors. "We know that many visitors are not only interested in sightseeing, shopping and dining, but also experiencing the living culture and traditions of Hong Kong," the Director said. "In organizing the program, we aim to foster closer exchanges between local and overseas families, and enable the visitors to rub shoulders with friendly locals, live within our culture, and discover the unique, multi-faceted experiences of our city," she added. Hong Kong has already identified family travelers as one of its key target segments when planning the 2006 Discover Hong Kong Year campaign through measures like the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland last September. The tourism board hoped to package its existing attractions, such as Ocean Park, museums and hiking and heritage trails for family groups. From March 20 to April 25, participants will be required to design a two-day travel itinerary and submit an essay and 15 winning families will be selected to become Discover Hong Kong Year Family Ambassadors. |
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Troops
get break at Army Disney resort
It's not exactly camouflaged, but just beyond a bamboo thicket near where the Monorail whisks tourists to the Magic Kingdom, the Army owns a resort with a critical wartime mission. The 586-room Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort has no guard gate with saluting soldiers, no humvees in the parking lot. Except for five service flags out front, there's little hint of a military installation. Here, the Army and its civilian staff must provide all the first-class dining, activities and service any family visiting Disney would expect. But the resort serves an exclusive clientele: active-duty service members, military retirees and reservists -- and their family members -- of whom there are more than 21,000 in Brevard County. "The visit here has to be transparent; there should be no sign here that we're not Disney," says civilian general manager Jim McCrindle, who also is (according to regulations) the "installation commander." The Army and its civilian staff also must provide a quiet retreat for military families with a husband or wife who is returning from combat or preparing to go. McCrindle says he sees "various stages of relaxation" among the guests, noting that "a soldier has a certain look when they've been in a combat zone -- the stare." He said he often sees couples touched by combat slowly walking the grounds just talking. After seven to 10 days, he says, tensions ease, loud noises seem bearable to the combat veterans, and the vacationers blend with the rest, joining the morning rush to breakfast and buses to EPCOT or Disney-MGM Studios. "It's a stressful time for the Army, and it's a stressful time for the families who have been left behind," said Army Col. Bruce Sweeney, a guest at the resort who returned from combat duty in Iraq in November and now is stationed in Washington, D.C. Teresa Woods of Amory, Miss., knows about that stress firsthand. At a resort swimming pool recently, she lounged in the shallow end and took pictures of her 9-year-old daughter, Hope. Her husband, Army Staff Sgt. Barry Woods, stayed in the room to rest. He had just returned from Baghdad, where he worked as an intelligence analyst for about a year. "Just worrying about him being there . . . I had to turn the TV off," she said. A family vacation to a resort at Disney World made sense, she said, "just to reconnect and get back into the swing of things. . . . He's much more relaxed here than he is at home." Serious mission Providing "R&R" for all service members is a job the Army takes seriously, having opened four such getaways around the world since World War II. And accommodations at Shades of Green are nothing like barracks. A standard room comes with two queen beds, a balcony overlooking Disney's championship Palm golf course and a spacious clay-tiled bathroom. But the ultimate lure, guests say, are the rates, which start low and rise with rank. An Army private or Air Force airman pays $77 per night for that standard room; a colonel pays $106. The same room would cost about $250 at a nearby comparable private resort such as Disney's Polynesian Resort. Service members say they appreciate the temporary disregard for rank and regimen. "I'm not here as a colonel, I'm just here as Bruce Sweeney, taking my family on vacation like anybody else," Sweeney, 50, said. "There's no rank. There's no 'Hey, soldier, do this, do that.' " The Army has invested more than $130 million in Shades of Green, and it reports that every penny came from money raised at its resorts. The Army has doubled the resort's size in 10 years. It operated at 95 percent capacity for 2005, with the average stay lasting five days with three people per room. In all, Shades of Green served about 150,000 guests last year. A recent $90 million expansion included about $6 million for features that comply with government "defense of force" standards. They include a 170-camera security system and a detached parking garage designed to insulate the lodge from an explosion. Money well-spent The Army's decision to buy and build up the resort stemmed from its global reorganization, which has moved thousands of personnel from overseas to the continental United States. Suggestions from service members steered the Army's attention to Orlando. And after scouting dozens of locations, it settled on the former Disney Inn, which occupied a choice location but no longer fit Walt Disney Co.'s profit expectations, McCrindle says. The Army paid $43 million for the resort structures in 1996 and signed a 100-year lease for the land. Again, the Army reports, the costs -- including a two-year closing and renovation from 2002 to 2004 -- were covered by the lodging, food and drink payments from service members. The money is well-spent, says Air Force Lt. Col. Kurt Van De Walle, a recent guest. The 41-year-old Desert Storm veteran stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida says career service members -- those who serve in combat and those who don't -- deserve some perks. "The wage you make is a living wage, but it's not a whole lot more," he said. And the resort's rates let service members "experience some of the neat things about being an American." As for the name Shades of Green? It refers to the hue in most of the services' ground combat uniforms, McCrindle says. "We couldn't call it the Pink Orchid," he said. "We couldn't call it 'The M-16 Stopover' either." |
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Pixar's
Creative Force Gives a Glimpse of His Future With Disney
In the wake of its $7.4 billion acquisition of Pixar, the Walt Disney Company has been mum about what role John Lasseter, Pixar's chief creative officer, will play in reviving Disney's storied animation division, except to say that it is a big one. After the premiere of the latest Pixar film, "Cars" (which Mr. Lasseter directed), at the movie theater industry's annual conference in Las Vegas last week, Mr. Lasseter gave some hint about what he planned to do in a postmerger Disney. Mr. Lasseter said that he and Edwin E. Catmull, Pixar's president, who will become president of the two divisions, would spend eight days a month at Pixar's headquarters in the Bay Area and eight days at Disney's animation headquarters in Burbank, and would reserve five days to be spent at either studio. Mr. Lasseter said that the two men would be able to watch film of coming movies and hold meetings with film directors and artists if they were not together in person, often through videoconferencing. Pixar is already set up that way so animators can easily communicate with one another. "Even if I can't be in Los Angeles, I can be watching reels," said Mr. Lasseter. "I can be looking at the art direction." Mr. Lasseter said at a recent Disney annual meeting that he wanted to bring back some of the talented filmmakers who left Disney when the company abandoned hand-drawn animation. While Mr. Lasseter did not name names, some in the industry have speculated that Mr. Lasseter was interested in veterans like Ron Clements and John Musker, who worked on Disney hand-drawn hits like "Hercules" and "The Little Mermaid." One Disney veteran not likely to return is Jeffrey Katzenberg, a former Disney executive and the chief executive of rival DreamWorks Animation, although he still has a keen interest in the company. Mr. Katzenberg set off a flurry of whispers and murmurs in Las Vegas when he entered the theater to watch "Cars" and was seated in a V.I.P. section reserved for Disney's guests. Mr. Lasseter had less to say about what was in the works for Disneyland and Disney's resorts in Florida, Tokyo, Paris or Hong Kong. But he said he would be working closely with the creators of theme park attractions to develop the look and style of new rides at the same time the studio was developing its animated films, a risky departure from the company's old practice of opening attractions long after a movie left theaters or was a hit on DVD. "I love the parks so much I just keep thinking about the rides and developing movies," he said. "I want to bring people in so they can start talking about the rides early on." |
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Tickets
for Disney's 24th Annual Night of Joy Now Available
Walt Disney World Resort has put together a 16-act lineup of top contemporary Christian music artists for its 24th annual Night of Joy, with marquee names MercyMe, Casting Crowns, Kirk Franklin and tobyMac heading the list. They'll be joined in Magic Kingdom during the two-night music extravaganza, Sept. 8-9, by BarlowGirl, Rebecca St. James, Jeremy Camp, Todd Agnew, David Crowder Band, Smokie Norful, ZOEgirl, Building 429, Matthew West, Hawk Nelson, Tonex and Vicky Beeching. All acts will play either Friday or Saturday except for BarlowGirl, which will perform both days. Night of Joy hours are 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. each day (after regular park closing) and require a special ticket. Advance tickets ($39.95 plus tax for one night, $67.95 plus tax for both nights) are available by calling 407/W-DISNEY or by visiting disneyworld.com/nightofjoy online. Tickets on the day of the event will be $44.95 plus tax if available (Night of Joy is frequently sold out in advance). Since its inception in 1983, Night of Joy has featured more than 100 of Christian music's top artists, whose performances in Magic Kingdom have been experienced by more than 900,000 guests. In addition to shows on stages throughout the park, Night of Joy offers guests a chance to experience popular Magic Kingdom attractions during event hours. |
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Disney
Is Cool Again
It's more than just a game. Next week, the Kingdom Hearts II video game hits stores, and it's going to sell briskly. More than a million copies were sold in its first three days in Japan back in December. The title combines original characters with more than 100 Disney (NYSE: DIS) animated classics in an ambitious action-adventure game. It may be the one time that you can approach a diehard gaming teen to talk about Goofy, Donald Duck -- or new additions in this second installment, like Stitch and Chicken Little -- and not get laughed at. The original game was a runaway hit a few years ago, moving more than four million copies worldwide. At the time, the title stuck out like a sore thumb. Disney's theatrical animation division was in the toilet. Disney Store sales were waning. There was nothing of note going on at ABC. Kingdom Hearts was the only beacon of hope for Disney in a jaded teen market. Fittingly enough, it wasn't even a Disney product. The franchise is the handiwork of Final Fantasy creator Square Enix. However, given the wide licensing rights of its characters, Disney is the welcome beneficiary of a third party that's making Disney cool again. But Kingdom Hearts II isn't the only new initiative putting a little magic back into the House of Mouse. How Disney got its groove back There was a time when a new Disney animated feature was a big deal. One of the first trips that my wife and I took after getting married was out to California. The highlight of that trip was catching a sneak preview of Beauty & the Beast at the grandiose El Capitan theater on the Hollywood strip. Over the years, Disney failed its animation studio legacy. It grew formulaic, cost-conscious, and irrelevant. It cheapened the brand with direct-to-video sequels, somehow unaware of the long-term harm it was committing in the pursuit of near-term profitability. I'm not sure how long it would have taken Disney to win its way back into favor organically. I just know that CEO Bob Iger's finest move to date in his young term was making peace with Pixar (Nasdaq: PIXR). Now that the two are hooking up for keeps, Disney is once again the undisputed king of theatrical animation. Chicken Little may have been a nice effort out of the Disney camp, but Pixar's Cars comes out in June as a can't-miss blockbuster. Keeping the teens talking Aim a few grades earlier in the schooling process, and the Disney Channel -- though still not as culturally significant as Viacom's (NYSE: VIA) Nickelodeon -- continues to make respectable headway in launching young personalities into the mainstream. Then you also have some of Disney's latest online undertakings, which can only be described as aggressively ambitious. With this year's opening of the Expedition Everest roller coaster at the Animal Kingdom theme park, Disney has launched a standalone site promoting the ride with clips, interactive games, and assorted eye candy at DisneyEverest.com. Yes, the world's leading theme park operator realizes the importance of themed attractions, even when guests aren't on them. Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom, a free online game, is a role-playing experience where members deck out their avatars and stroll through various areas to chat, trade, and play games with others on the site. I have seen the game evolve since its beta last year, and Disney continues to top itself at its vmk.com domain. What started out as a simple whitewashed community site with just three games has been transformed into a more engaging experience, with real-world quests that find players on missions through the real Disney parks to earn virtual trinkets. It's not just about the parks, though. Step into the rendered replica of the Sci-Fi Dine-In restaurant, which was recently added to the online game, and you'll see ads for Disney's The Chronicles of Narnia and this summer's sequel to the surprising smash The Pirates of the Caribbean. And, yes, speaking of Pirates, the highly attractive trio of Keira Knightly, Johnny Depp, and Orlando Bloom grace the cover of Disney's latest annual report in full pirate regalia. It's easy to draw the line between the end of Michael Eisner's tenure at the helm and the promotion of Iger, but that's not entirely fair to Eisner. He was there as many of these revitalizing programs were just getting started. Disney doesn't always get it right. It inexplicably did away with Disney Magazine last year, just as Disneyland was celebrating its 50th anniversary. And the company really did take too long to build out Animal Kingdom into a full-day destination, though with the arrival of Everest, I may have to go back and rework my once scathing critique. Then again, you don't need to be perfect to matter. In fact, imperfection can often be an endearing trait if you're hitting it out of the park everywhere else. The high price of staying cool It's the right thing to do, though. David Gardner is bullish on computer animation. It's why Pixar and DreamWorks Animation (NYSE: DWA) have both been recommended. Disney, with Pixar on its arm and so much audience-attracting splendor sparkling all around it, gets it. It couldn't be the true family entertainment juggernaut without resonating with all age groups, and now the company is finally there. It took a while for it to get back the connection it squandered after the animated classics ran dry and The Mickey Mouse Club moved on. The long path it took to get to this point is almost immaterial now. The important thing is that it has finally arrived. It's more than just a game. This is business. |
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World
of Disney Celebrates 10th Anniversary Year
To celebrate its 10th anniversary year, the World of Disney store in Downtown Disney Marketplace at Walt Disney World Resort has unveiled new and interactive experiences at the largest Disney shopping destination on earth. The newly "re-imagined," 51,000-square-foot retail playground features a world of pirates and heroes in a new, interactive Adventure Room. Across the store, youngsters can be made up as pretty as a princess with the help of a "Fairy Godmother-in-Training" in the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, part of the store's new Princess Room. Young adventurers can pretend to sail the high seas and hoist the Jolly Roger in the Adventure Room. Young heroes and heroines can fill treasure chests and skulls with pirate plunder, create their own seafaring hat and interact with a new Audio-Animatronics pirate named Rusty Blade and his talking parrot pal, Pollyanna. The latest Disney video games also fuel the imaginations of young adventurers. "Owned" by the Fairy Godmother and "operated" by Fairy Godmothers-in-Training, the new Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique offers a menu of salon services designed to pamper princesses ages three and up. Package options and prices include:
Each package comes with a sash, and there are three different hair style options from which to choose: the Fairytale Princess, the Disney Diva and the Pop Princess. Hours of operation for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique will be 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. daily (last appointment will be at 5:30 p.m.), seven days a week. Walk-ins are accepted; however, reservations are strongly encouraged by calling 407/WDW-STYLE (939-7895). The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is part of the store's new Princess Room. Resembling a great hall from castle lore, the room is dedicated to the classic fairy tale stories of Disney Princesses, Princes and their castles. Other features include an Audio-Animatronics princess who sings to guests, and interactive stations where little girls can create their own tiaras and wands, fill jewelry boxes and purchase princess make-up kits. |
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Producer
of 'Chicago' sues Miramax for $10 million
A producer of the Oscar-winning movie "Chicago" thinks the double-dealing portrayed in the film spilled over to real life. He's suing Miramax Films for ten million dollars. The Producer Circle Company, or P-C-C, claims ownership to the film rights of the musical and says it was supposed to get part of the film's gross. It accuses Miramax of failing to pay P-C-C its cut of hundreds of millions of dollars the movie earned. P-C-C founder Martin Richards, in court papers, says he and Miramax founders Bob and Harvey Weinstein were "Chicago's" producers. The dispute is not unfamiliar in Hollywood, and often centers on gross profit, net profit and how the two are calculated. P-C-C also accuses Miramax with not accounting for D-V-D sales, foreign distribution and other income sources. |
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Hong
Kong Disneyland launches new features for Travel Agents
Hong Kong Disneyland has launched a series of new features designed to assist travel agents better sell and promote Disney's magical experience. Ms. Pan of GZL's outbound tour department said, "This exciting 'Extra Magic' promotion that Hong Kong Disneyland is offering exclusively to the trade will certainly be attractive to consumers. It is encouraging that Hong Kong Disneyland is tailoring promotions based on the needs and travel patterns from the different markets. This is a great opportunity for us to further promote Hong Kong Disneyland." Choose your own Extra Magic International guests who book a magical visit to Hong Kong Disneyland through a travel agent can choose their own Extra Magic. Extra Magic includes a choice of one of these features: a complimentary photo on Space Mountain or The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh; buy one main course meal and get the second for free; or a Disney-themed souvenir lunchbox. This Extra Magic offer is available from 20 March - 30 September, 2006. International Guests can Purchase Meal Coupons Travel agents can now offer their customers the option of buying meal coupons for use throughout their visit to Hong Kong Disneyland. Guests can pre-purchase coupons for meals at the two Disney-themed hotels (Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and Disney's Hollywood Hotel) as well as selected dining outlets throughout the park, including the Starliner Diner in Tomorrowland and the Royal Banquet Hall in Fantasyland. In addition to the buffet breakfasts available at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and Disney's Hollywood Hotel, guests have the opportunity to buy coupons to enjoy a fabulous character breakfast right in the heart of Main Street USA. Guests will be allowed into the park one hour before the official opening time of 10am, to enjoy breakfast at the Plaza Inn with Mushu the dragon, the cheeky star of Mulan. Hong Kong Disneyland has developed three ways for travel agents to book park tickets and Disneyland hotel stays for their customers.
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Disney's #1 animated movie of 2005, CHICKEN
LITTLE is coming to DVD March 21, 2006! A fantastic world of
breathtaking action and laugh-out-loud fun, CHICKEN LITTLE
is available for the first time on DVD loaded with
exclusive, never-before-seen features – deleted scenes
including three alternate openings, music videos from the
wildly popular The Cheetah girls and BNL, "Where's
Fish?" trivia game, karaoke sing-along and more.
Boasting side-splittingly funny vocal performances and a
stand-out cast that includes red-hot star Zach Braff as
Chicken Little, this is the musthave DVD that the whole
family will enjoy over and over again.
Disney's first fully computer generated animated feature, CHICKEN LITTLE employs cutting-edge animation techniques to continue Walt Disney Feature Animation's legendary tradition of innovation, memorable characters and great stories. CHICKEN LITTLE is a dazzling, visually brilliant film unlike any that has been done before in animation, but true to Disney's distinct filmmaking style, and the film continues the proud legacy of Disney animated classics. Zach Braff ("Garden State," TV's "Scrubs"), brings his offbeat humor and explosive energy to the role of Chicken Little. Garry Marshall ("Pretty Woman," "The Princess Diaries") is Buck Cluck, Chicken Little's good-hearted dad; Joan Cusack ("Ice Princess," "The School of Rock") is Abby Mallard (aka Ugly Duckling); Steve Zahn ("Sahara," "Happy, Texas") takes on the big role of Runt of the Litter; and Chicken Little's nemesis Foxy Loxy is voiced by Amy Sedaris ("Bewitched," "Elf"). The film's soundtrack boasts new performances by such popular recording artists as BNL, John Ondrasik, Patti LaBelle and Joss Stone, and The Cheetah Girls. Perfect for Easter gift-giving, CHICKEN LITTLE is available on DVD for $29.99 (S.R.P.) on March 21 from Walt Disney Home Entertainment. |
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CHICKEN LITTLE'S supporting cast includes
legendary comedian Don Knotts ("Pleasantville,"
TV's "The Andy Griffith Show") as Mayor Turkey
Lurkey; Harry Shearer ("This is Spinal Tap," TV's
"The Simpsons,") is the canine sports play-by-play
commentator; Patrick Stewart ("X-Men," TV's
"Star Trek The Next Generation") is the sheepish
high school teacher Mr. Woolensworth; Wallace Shawn
("The Incredibles," "Toy Story 2") is
the high-strung high school Principal Fetchitt; Fred
Williard ("Best In Show") and Catherine O'Hara
("Waiting For Guffman") are a pair of concerned
alien parents, Melvin and Tina. Adam West (TV's
"Batman") is the voice of Ace, Hollywood's version
of Chicken Little in the movie version of his life. Patrick
Warburton, ("Kronk's New Groove," TV's
"Seinfeld") provides a memorable cameo as the
alien cop.
Chicken Little (Zach Braff) caused big-time havoc in his hometown of Oakey Oaks by proclaiming that the sky was falling, when apparently it was not. Now, ridiculed by Foxy Loxy (Amy Sedaris) and the entire town, the plucky chicken tries his best to win the respect of his father, Buck Cluck (Garry Marshall). When he leads the local baseball team to an upset victory, Chicken Little becomes the toast of the town, but then he discovers… the sky really is falling! Fearful of once again being labeled crazy, Chicken Little enlists his closest pals – Runt of the Litter (Steve Zahn), Abby Mallard (Joan Cusack), and Fish Out of Water – to help him. Together with his hysterical band of misfit friends, Chicken Little must hatch a plan to save the planet from alien invasion and prove that the world's biggest hero is really a little chicken. CHICKEN LITTLE'S story is by Mark Dindal and Mark Kennedy, screenplay written by Steve Bencich & Ron J. Friedman, and Ron Anderson. CHICKEN LITTLE is directed by Mark Dindal and produced by Randy Fullmer, the same talented filmmakers responsible for Disney's zany 2000 animated comedy, The Emperor's New Groove. |
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ABC
Family to Present Cable Premieres of Hit Feature Films in
Deal with Warner Bros.
ABC Family has acquired a slate of movies that will make their cable premieres on the network in a deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution (WBDCD) featuring 2006 Oscar-nominee Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, the new Christmas classic, The Polar Express, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, starring Johnny Depp and two films from the Harry Potter franchise, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, it was announced today by Paul Lee, president, ABC Family and Eric Frankel, president, Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution. "We are thrilled with these acquisitions," said Lee. "We own the holidays with our branded programming events, ’13 Nights of Halloween’ and ’25 Days of Christmas,’ and these two films are additions that fit perfectly." "ABC Family has become a destination for viewers with its great programming during the holidays, and year-around for that matter," added Frankel. "We are very pleased to be continuing our unique relationship as a major program supplier of such hit series as Smallville, Gilmore Girls, Full House and Whose Line as well as the majority of specials in their ’25 Days of Christmas’ and now a raft of box office hit films." Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride will be making its television premiere during ABC Family’s eighth annual "13 Nights of Halloween," October 19-31, programming event. With Burton’s unique dark vision, Corpse Bride follows the tale of Victor (voiced by Johnny Depp) who, on the eve of marrying his true love Victoria (voiced by Emily Watson), gets dragged to the underworld where he mistakenly marries a corpse bride (voiced by Helena Bonham Carter). This fantastical stop-animation movie brings Victor on an amazing quest to undo wrongs and let true love prevail. The basic cable television premiere of The Polar Express will occur during ABC Family’s ninth annual "25 Days of Christmas," December 1-25, programming event. Based on the classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg, directed by Robert Zemeckis, with all leading characters voiced by Tom Hanks, The Polar Express tells the story of a young boy who is beginning to doubt the existence of Santa Claus. Led by a mysterious train conductor (also Tom Hanks), the boy is whisked away on an adventure filled train ride to the North Pole to be shown the wonder of Christmas. The broadcast television premiere of the movie will be on the ABC Television Network. Also making its basic cable premiere on ABC Family will be Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Freddie Highmore. In Tim Burton’s take on the classic Roald Dahl classic novel, a young boy named Charlie (Highmore) finds all of his dreams come true when he finds one of the most sought after "Golden Tickets" and gets an exclusive tour inside Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. With Wonka (Depp) as his guide, Charlie finds a colorful and wondrous world inside the mysterious factory filled with Oompa-Loompa’s, chocolate rivers and nut-cracking squirrels. The deal also includes the basic cable premiere of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in 2006 and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2008, both for exclusive five year windows. The ABC Television Network will have the broadcast television premiere of the Harry Potter movies, as well as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In addition, Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, Cinderella Story and Looney Tunes: Back in Action will also join ABC Family’s programming library as basic cable premieres. Distributed in 89 million homes, ABC Family features original movies, series and specials. Programming that is reflective of today’s families – with all of their diversity, dysfunction, humor and passion. |
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Disney's
Iger: No Net Neutrality Laws Needed
Walt Disney CEO Robert Iger weighed in on the network neutrality debate Monday with an opinion guaranteed to please his hosts here at the TelecomNext show -- in that he doesn't think any new legislation is needed. "We appreciate the pledges made" by the telecom and cable companies not to block or degrade services, applications or content, Iger said at the end of his keynote presentation. "We do not support any [Network Neutrality] legislation at this time." Iger's was the only clear statement made on the issue during Monday afternoon's rapid-fire session of keynote presentations here, a slate of presenters that included Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg, Time-Warner cable CEO Glenn Britt and Norio Wada, President & CEO of Japanese provider NTT. The executive viewpoints were the headline event on the first day of the TelecomNext event, the new yearly gathering for the conglomerate of telecom providers that belong to the U.S. Telecom Association. While Verizon and Seidenberg have contributed mightily to the Network Neutrality debate, weighing in strongly against any new legislation both in public appearances and in written statements, on Monday Seidenberg only made passing references to the issue in a speech that mainly focused on Verizon's strategy for building faster networks for the future. Calling the light regulation of the wireless and cable markets "a good framework," Seidenberg said that "business and government need a shared vision to vault into the markets of the 21st century." Iger, whose company is already participating in partnerships with access providers like Verizon and distributors like Apple's iTunes store for its branded content, said he's generally against heavy government regulation in areas where he sees "market forces" doing a good job of policing competition. He also said that Disney supports a national franchising plan to make it easier for telcos to get into the video-delivery business, while "also supporting a level playing field for cable companies." Iger also said Disney opposes regulatory or legislative requirements to offer a la carte cable programming, an idea that seems to be a favorite of FCC chairman Kevin Martin. "It [a la carte regulation] is bad for our business, bad for your business and bad for the consumer," said Iger to the assembled crowd of mainly telco company employees, their customers and equipment suppliers. "I don't belive there's any market-based need [for such regulations]." Offering somewhat of a counterpoint was NTT's Wada, who talked about his company's plans to build a fiber-based network in Japan that he said would be open to competitive providers and Internet service providers. Perhaps the most-curious inclusion in Monday's lineup was cable chief Britt, who noted that previously he might not have been invited to a USTA event. But since Time-Warner cable is among the leaders in providing Voice over IP services -- the company claims 1.1 million users -- Britt deserves a spot at TelecomNext as much as the next CEO, and said to his new friends that they can expect competition from Time-Warner Cable on both the market and regulatory fronts, as they seek a "level playing field" on which to offer products and services. Britt, who said he is opposed to the wholesale imposition of "old telecom rules" on cable companies entering the phone markets, derided companies (who he didn't name) who "run to the government, asking for favors to hobble competitors." Britt said Time-Warner Cable is "for a level playing field -- and you can expect us to oppose any efforts to tilt it." |
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Disney
passes 4 million mark on iTunes
Disney CEO Bob Iger said that Disney content has surpassed 4 million downloads on iTunes since the company first began offering content in October of last year. Citing the evolution of TV content toward digital delivery, he said that the data point is indicative of the biggest change in the TV business: "Technology has transformed authority from the distributor and creator to the consumer. Today's consumer is more tech-savvy and governs how and when and at what price content is sent to them," according to a quote in TVWeek.com. The report says Iger, speaking at the TelecomNext show in Las Vegas, also credited ITunes for introducing the concept of new distribution windows, which he said Disney has been a proponent of, including re-evaluating distribution windows for content in general. Iger also said that the trend toward multiple and diverse platforms--including digital delivery from services such as iTunes--will further widen the divide between good and "inferior" programming. |
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Disney
to Sponsor WE Series
Walt Disney Home Entertainment will be the exclusive sponsor of WE: Women’s Entertainment original series Two Funny: Cotter & Louise. The Walt Disney Co. unit will promote its Pooh’s Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin via on-air presence including tagged tune-ins and billboards, as well as online presence on the Rainbow Media Holdings LLC-owned network’s Web site www.we.tv. Two Funny: Cotter & Louise -- set to debut April 8 at 10 p.m. (EST) -- is a half-hour show that follows the lives of Kerri Louise and Tom Cotter, two comedians featured on NBC’s Last Comic Standing. Walt Disney Home Entertainment will release Pooh’s Grand Adventure for the first time on DVD April 11. |
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Disney
Crowns Honorary Real-Life CHICKEN LITTLE
On Monday, March 20, Walt Disney Home Entertainment culminated a nationwide hunt for the honorary real-life CHICKEN LITTLE – and crowned a different kind of Hollywood star! |
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The result of an expansive search of
hundreds of U.S. chicken farms for the perfect
“real-life” poultry star, chicken finalists were flown
to Hollywood, where they strutted their stuff down a
special chicken “runway” to a special Chicken Little
measuring stick, in hopes of being sized-up for the title
of honorary “real-life” Chicken Little!
CHICKEN LITTLE Producer Randy Fullmer was present to measure and crown the winning chicken. The winners were Matt and Laura John, from Winchester, Kentucky with their lucky chicken Elvira. |
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Monday March 20, 2006 |
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While most media stocks continue to languish,
shares of Walt Disney are up nearly 20 percent in 2006. Is
there more magic?
Disney's stock is up nearly 20 percent so far
this year, making it the second-best performer in the Dow
Jones Industrial Average.
What's more, Disney has vastly outpaced its big media rivals in 2006: shares of News Corp. are up 7 percent while CBS, Viacom and Time Warner are all in the red. (Time Warner owns CNNMoney.com.) How has Disney done it? In a word: Pixar. Disney agreed to buy its long-time partner in January for $7.4 billion. The acquisition of Pixar, the computer-generated imagery (CGI) animation studio founded by Apple head Steve Jobs, was widely applauded by Wall Street since it cements Disney's position as a leader in the lucrative CGI market. Disney has had a distribution deal with Pixar, but it was set to expire after the release of this summer's "Cars." Losing Pixar, which has had six straight blockbuster hits, would have been a huge blow to Disney, which has not been very successful with its own CGI movies. "There was an overhang about getting the Pixar situation settled," said Robin Diedrich, an analyst with Edward Jones. "Animation is so important to the Disney operation that this is something that people were worried about for some time." The Pixar acquisition also won over many investors because of the Jobs and Apple effect. Once the Pixar deal closes, Jobs will become one of the company's largest individual shareholders and will also serve on Disney's board of directors. Disney chief executive officer Bob Iger has already taken steps to ally Disney more closely with Apple -- videos from Disney-owned networks, ABC, ABC Family, the Disney Channel, ESPN and SOAPNet are all available at Apple's wildly popular iTunes store. Matthew Kelmon, president of Kelmoore Investment Co, a money management firm that owns Disney in the Kelmoore Strategy Liberty fund, said that investors are banking on Disney continuing to work closely with Apple now that Jobs will have a vested interest in the company. "There is buzz about Steve Jobs," said Kelmon. "As opposed to giving the appearance as an old media company dinosaur, it looks like Disney is figuring out what the new mainstream is and they are partnering up with the right people." But others say Disney's resurgence is about more than just Pixar and Jobs. During the past two years, ABC has gone from being the laughing stock of the major broadcast networks to arguably the coolest network thanks to hits "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Lost." Disney also has seen fortunes turn around at its theme park business, which accounts for 27 percent of overall sales and operating profits. Revenues from parks rose 13 percent in its most recent quarter while operating income surged 51 percent. Credit rating agency Moody's upgraded some of Disney's debt last week. The Moody's analysts noted that Disney "has proven its ability to successfully emerge from a downturn in several lines of businesses through improved strategies in Consumer Products, Parks, and Media Networks segments." Joe Bonner, an analyst with Argus Research, said Disney also is poised to have a strong year in its film studio business. In addition to "Cars," this summer Disney will be releasing "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men's Chest," the sequel to its surprise 2003 hit "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl." So Bonner thinks that Disney may fare better than other studios, which are all battling a box office Hollywood slump. "Disney has a good lineup coming up and studios with good movies will be ok. Those that don't are going to have a problem," he said. Investors have fallen in love with Iger as well. It's worth nothing that only two years ago, Disney was a company under siege fighting to remain independent. Activist shareholders, including Roy Disney, the nephew of founder Walt, were calling for the head of then chief executive officer Michael Eisner. And to top things off, Disney was perceived as being in such a weak competitive position that cable giant Comcast launched an unsolicited takeover bid for the House of Mouse. Comcast eventually walked away from the deal. But with Eisner stepping down as CEO last September, Iger has been able to make peace with the dissident shareholders as well as with Jobs, who did not get along well with Eisner. As such, the Moody's analysts added in their report that their firm has "comfort with the strategic plans of the company, particularly in light of Bob Iger's successful transition to CEO." Still, can Disney's stock still be worth buying now that it's already had a big run? Diedrich said that shares, trading at about 20 times fiscal 2006 earnings estimates, are still attractive given that profits are expected to increase by 13 percent this year and for the next few years. She adds that this is the first time in a while that nearly all of Disney's major businesses are clicking. "It just boils down to earnings growth momentum -- Disney has a good well-rounded mix," she said. Disney is also a top holding in the Longleaf Partners fund, one of the more highly regarded value funds. And in their fund's annual report, the management team of Longleaf Partners wrote that many media companies like Disney have been unfairly beaten down because of fears of the massive transformation taking place in the media industry, i.e. increased competition from new technologies. "Wall Street appears uncomfortable with the uncertainty that a changing competitive landscape creates. The next five years will bring change, but today's increasing cash flow at the best franchises such as Disney...is driving up values," the Longleaf team said. "These investments have a much larger margin of safety between price and value than a year ago, and they are among the most discounted names in the fund." Bonner added that Disney deserved to trade at a multiple, based on 2006 earnings estimates, in the low-to-mid 20s. At that level, Disney's stock would trade at about $33, 15 percent higher than its current price. So as the rest of the sector continues to struggle, it looks like Disney may wind up holding on to its newfound status as the marquee stock in media. |
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The sky had been falling at the Mouse House's
feature animation department before the Walt Disney Co.
bought its partner and computer conjurer extraordinaire,
Pixar. The release of Chicken Little (Rated G, Walt
Disney Studios/Buena Vista, $29.99 on DVD) was the surest
sign.
Though not as wretched as Home on the Range, this foul fractured fairy tale is a turkey nonetheless. The little ones might be captivated by the silly voices, the colorful animation and, well, that's about it. For anyone over the age of 6, Chicken Little is one of those hits you take for the sake of the children. There's little wit, charm or intelligence, and it's even more transparent and formulaic than the typical fare from the studio. Considering the voice talent, which includes Scrubs' Zach Braff, Joan Cusack and the late, great Don Knotts, you'd hope for more. Chicken Little (voice by Braff) is a scrawny bird who's always attempting in vain to please his father (I think my son may know how that feels). To Dad's dismay, he cries out one day that the sky is falling, only to be revealed a fraud -- or so everyone thinks. Chicken Little is the object of ridicule for months until by some miracle he gets the game-winning hit in a baseball game, immediately wiping his slate clean. Funny thing is that soon after, the sky begins falling -- again. Yes, it's for real, sort of. Chicken and his buds, Runt (Steve Zahn) and Abby Mallard (Cusack) discover that the falling sky is actually some sort of spaceship. They now must warn their hometown about an impending alien invasion. If you can handle that, by all means crack this one open and plop it in your DVD player. I'd recommend using the disc as a coaster, however. The disc (** ½): The single disc has a pedestrian set of extras. There's a group of deleted scenes with three alternate openings. I find it difficult to believe there were some worse than the one that began the movie, but I was wrong. There's a making-of featurette. The Games & Activities section has a trivia game, and the Music & More section includes a karaoke sing-along and music videos from the Cheetah Girls and Barenaked Ladies. No, this disc isn't all it's cracked up to be. |
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The Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel will add a
touch of leisurely elegance to the weekend as it presents a
traditional afternoon tea buffet every Sunday featuring a
range of sumptuous desserts to tempt every palate.
Beginning this Sunday, March 19, guests can indulge and relax against the stunning backdrop of the South China Sea from the comfort of their chaise lounge chairs in the Grand Salon, located adjacent to the hotel's lobby. The Sunday Afternoon Tea Buffet will feature homemade English scones with lashings of whipped cream, a freshly baked Mickey Mouse waffle corner, a free-flowing chocolate fountain for dipping juicy strawberries and marshmallows, and a range of decadent cakes, desserts and pastries. Complementing the buffet will be a selection of specially brewed teas including English, rose, peppermint, chamomile and Chinese – all served in delicate china cups. "The Hong Kong Disneyland hotel recalls the romance and luxury of grand, Victorian era hotels made famous in England, Europe and America. We're excited to invite Hong Kong residents to retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a leisurely Sunday afternoon with delicious desserts, teas and our friendly Disney hospitality," said Klaus Mager, Director of Food and Beverage, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. Priced at HK$168* for adults and HK$88* for children aged 3 – 11 years old, the Sunday Afternoon Tea Buffet will be available in the Grand Salon from 2:30pm – 5:30pm. |
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Pixar
sale to Disney animates stock collectors
Pixar Animation Studios' (PIXR) upcoming sale to Walt Disney Co. (DIS) has inspired an audience of investors more interested in buying a piece of paper than a piece of the $7.4 billion deal. All these people really want is one of Pixar's stock certificates, the commemorative scrolls given to shareholders of the computer animation pioneer behind hit movies like Toy Story and The Incredibles. Once Disney absorbs the company later this spring, Pixar will stop issuing the colorful certificates decorated with Toy Story stars Woody and Buzz Lightyear — just one of the reasons why this particular piece of paper is so treasured. "It's like a piece of art," said Brian Giboney, who recently added Pixar to his collection of stock certificates from about 100 companies. "And it's not something that you are going to be able to buy down the road." Giboney, 35, keeps his Pixar certificate in a safe place, just like the rest of his collection, because he believes the documents will become more valuable as computer databases increasingly replace paper records of stock ownership. He prizes his collection so much that he asked the Associated Press to withhold his home city to thwart potential thieves. Other people like San Francisco resident Lily Chang want a Pixar certificate purely for emotional reasons. She bought five Pixar shares shortly after the Jan. 24 announcement of the Disney sale just so she could get a stock certificate, which she tucked into one of her old college textbooks in hopes of getting the wrinkles out. "I feel like a dork because it feels a bit obsessive," said Chang, 36, who once dreamed of working for Pixar. "I am never going to be selling this (certificate) on eBay though. You can't put a price on sentiment." With the Disney deal looming, many people are buying just one share of Pixar stock because that's the least expensive way to get certificates before they become obsolete. Pixar's stock price recently has been hovering around $65, but getting a certificate costs another $35 to $40 in additional fees at places like OneShare.com and Frame A Stock, which specialize in the service. Throw in the frame that many people have been buying to memorialize the Pixar certificates and the total cost is closer to $150. That price hasn't scared off buyers at OneShare, where orders for Pixar stock certificates are running 35 times higher than the same time last year. "It's been like Christmas all over again for us," said Byron Beach, OneShare's vice president of marketing. Pixar sales have tripled at Frame A Stock, and the company expects demand to accelerate even more as it steps up its promotional efforts during the next month, said President Tim Stockton. Stock certificates used to be the standard way of denoting ownership in a publicly held company, but that has changed dramatically during the past decade as the securities industry has shifted to electronic record-keeping to reduce costs. The Depository Trust & Clearing Corp., which settles most U.S. stock trades, now has just 3.4 million stock certificates in its vaults, down from roughly 30 million in 1990. Certificates are expected to become even more rare with the passage of a new law last year in Delaware, where more than half of the nation's publicly traded companies are incorporated because of the state's favorable business rules. Delaware has dropped a requirement forcing all companies to issue stock certificates, making the choice optional. The rise of paperless record keeping is helping to popularize scripophily — the collection of old stock and bond certificates. Some of these collectors are strictly in it for the money, hoping to come across something as valuable as vintage Standard Oil stock certificates issued in the 19th century. Some of Standard Oil's 1873 certificates, signed by John D. Rockefeller, have fetched anywhere from $8,500 to $130,000 apiece, said Bob Kerstein, who runs Scripophily.com, which has become a magnet for collectors. Other collectors are just looking for a memento that sums up a particular era. That's one reason why the stock certificates of Enron — an emblem of corporate scandal — were recently listed on Scripophily for prices ranging from $49.95 to $375. Enron's stock disintegrated in late 2001 when the company went bankrupt. It also helps to have a flashy certificate. That factor seems to be driving demand for eToys, a relic of the dot-com boom that went bankrupt in 2001. Its ornate certificate, featuring toys alongside its red-and-blue logo, demands $125 to $250. Even before the Disney sale, Pixar was among a handful of companies whose stock certificates have been a perennial favorite. Other high-demand stock certificates include Harley-Davidson, Ford Motor, Dreamworks Animation SKG, Tiffany, Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Microsoft and Apple Computer. Except for a few brief periods, Disney's stock certificate has been the top seller at OneShare since former bond trader Lance Lee started the company a decade ago. Since then, OneShare has sold more than $20 million in stock, Lee said. Disney's stock certificates are adorned with drawings of Mickey Mouse, Tinkerbell and several other pop culture icons, making the documents popular gift items for parents and grandparents shopping for children's gifts with an investment twist. Because Disney is buying Pixar with its own stock, Pixar shareholders will be eligible to receive a Disney certificate after the deal is completed. Pixar supplanted Disney as OneShare's most popular certificate as soon as the sale was announced, Beach said. It's the longest stretch that any company besides Disney has topped OneShare's sales charts, which didn't surprise Lee. "If you are a Pixar fan," Lee said, "there's something a lot more substantial about buying the company's stock certificate instead of getting some figurine of a character in one of Pixar's movies." |
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ABC
scales back its ambitions for `World News'
A month and a half after ABC's Bob
Woodruff was seriously injured while traveling in a military
convoy in Iraq, the evening newscast he co-anchored is still
mired in uncertainty as network executives try to sort out
how to keep it on track in his absence. |
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Pixar
Will Stop Issuing Colorful Stock Certificates Once They Are
Absorbed by Disney
Pixar Animation Studios Inc.'s upcoming sale to Walt Disney Co. has inspired an audience of investors more interested in buying a piece of paper than a piece of the $7.4 billion deal. All these people really want is one of Pixar's stock certificates, the commemorative scrolls given to shareholders of the computer animation pioneer behind hit movies like "Toy Story" and "The Incredibles." Once Disney absorbs the company later this spring, Pixar will stop issuing the colorful certificates decorated with "Toy Story" stars Woody and Buzz Lightyear _ just one of the reasons why this particular piece of paper is so treasured. "It's like a piece of art," said Brian Giboney, who recently added Pixar to his collection of stock certificates from about 100 different companies. "And it's not something that you are going to be able to buy down the road." Giboney, 35, keeps his Pixar certificate in a safe place, just like the rest of his collection, because he believes the documents will become more valuable as computer databases increasingly replace paper records of stock ownership. He prizes his collection so much that he asked The Associated Press to withhold his home city to thwart potential thieves. Other people like San Francisco resident Lily Chang want a Pixar certificate purely for emotional reasons. She bought five Pixar shares shortly after the Jan. 24 announcement of the Disney sale just so she could get a stock certificate, which she tucked into one of her old college textbooks in hopes of getting the wrinkles out. "I feel like a dork because it feels a bit obsessive," said Chang, 36, who once dreamed of working for Pixar. "I am never going to be selling this (certificate) on eBay though. You can't put a price on sentiment." With the Disney deal looming, many people are buying just one share of Pixar stock because that's the least expensive way to get certificates before they become obsolete. Pixar's stock price recently has been hovering around $65, but getting a certificate costs another $35 to $40 in additional fees at places like OneShare.com and Frame A Stock Inc., which specialize in the service. Throw in the frame that many people have been buying to memorialize the Pixar certificates and the total cost is closer to $150. That price hasn't scared off buyers at San Francisco-based OneShare, where orders for Pixar stock certificates are running 35 times higher than the same time last year. "It's been like Christmas all over again for us," said Byron Beach, OneShare's vice president of marketing. Pixar sales have tripled at Frame A Stock, and the Fort Myers, Fla.-based company expects demand to accelerate even more as it steps up its promotional efforts during the next month, said President Tim Stockton. Stock certificates used to be the standard way of denoting ownership in a publicly held company, but that has changed dramatically during the past decade as the securities industry has shifted to electronic record-keeping to reduce costs. The Depository Trust & Clearing Corp., which settles most U.S. stock trades, now has just 3.4 million stock certificates in its vaults, down from roughly 30 million in 1990. Certificates are expected to become even more rare with the passage of a new law last year in Delaware, where more than half of the nation's publicly traded companies are incorporated because of the state's favorable business rules. Delaware has dropped a requirement forcing all companies to issue stock certificates, making the choice optional. The rise of paperless record keeping is helping to popularize scripophily _ the collection of old stock and bond certificates. Some of these collectors are strictly in it for the money, hoping to come across something as valuable as vintage Standard Oil Co. stock certificates issued in the 19th century. Some of Standard Oil's 1873 certificates, signed by John D. Rockefeller, have fetched anywhere from $8,500 to $130,000 apiece, said Bob Kerstein, who runs Scripophily.com, which has become a magnet for collectors. Other collectors are just looking for a memento that sums up a particular era. That's one reason why the stock certificates of Enron Corp. _ an emblem of corporate scandal _ were recently listed on Scripophily for prices ranging from $49.95 to $375. Enron's stock disintegrated in late 2001 when the company went bankrupt. It also helps to have a flashy certificate. That factor seems to be driving demand for eToys Inc., a relic of the dot-com boom that went bankrupt in 2001. Its ornate certificate, featuring toys alongside its red-and-blue logo, demands $125 to $250. Even before the Disney sale, Pixar was among a handful of companies whose stock certificates have been a perennial favorite. Other high-demand stock certificates include Harley-Davidson Inc., Ford Motor Co., Dreamworks Animation SKG Inc., Tiffany & Co., Coca-Cola Co., Starbucks Inc., Microsoft Inc. and Apple Computer Inc. Except for a few brief periods, Disney's stock certificate has been the top seller at OneShare since former bond trader Lance Lee started the company a decade ago. Since then, OneShare has sold more than $20 million in stock, Lee said. Disney's stock certificates are adorned with drawings of Mickey Mouse, Tinkerbell and several other pop culture icons, making the documents popular gift items for parents and grandparents shopping for children's gifts with an investment twist. Because Disney is buying Pixar with its own stock, Pixar shareholders will be eligible to receive a Disney certificate after the deal is completed. Pixar supplanted Disney as OneShare's most popular certificate as soon as the sale was announced, Beach said. It's the longest stretch that any company besides Disney has topped OneShare's sales charts, which didn't surprise Lee. "If you are a Pixar fan," Lee said, "there's something a lot more substantial about buying the company's stock certificate instead of getting some figurine of a character in one of Pixar's movies." |
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Ground
could break soon on Anaheim commercial district
After nearly a decade of planning, a high-scale shopping and hotel district near Disneyland could break ground within two months. The 20-acre project known as Garden Walk once included movie theaters, an aquarium and an interactive discovery museum. The latest vision calls for an outdoor mall with about 80 restaurants and shops, three hotels, a high-end fitness center and a parking garage. If the project takes shape as planned, construction could begin in May. The City Council will consider the updated plans at its March 28th meeting. |
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China
Shares Gain on Hopes for Disney Park
China's shares rose Monday as investors focused on Shanghai-listed firms amid hopes that the city will build a Disney theme park. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index jumped up 1.5 percent to 1,288.42. The Shenzhen Composite Index rose 1 percent to 312.20. The Chinese currency, the yuan, closed stronger at 8.0241 to the U.S. dollar. At 0730 GMT, the dollar was at 8.0251 on the over-the-counter market -- the third consecutive day it reached a new low against the yuan. The movement occurred a day after two of Beijing's critics in the U.S. Congress began their visit to China. Dealers said the visit by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer and Sen. Lindsey Graham was a factor in the yuan's rise. They are the architects of proposed legislation that would impose a 27.5 percent tariff on all Chinese imports if the yuan doesn't become more flexible. "They ought to understand China is making the greatest effort," Wu Xiaoling, deputy governor of the People's Bank of China, said Saturday when asked about her hopes for the senators' visit. Earlier this month, Shanghai's mayor told reporters at the annual parliamentary session that the city is hoping to build a Disney theme park and is awaiting go-ahead from the central government. However, The Walt Disney Co. said earlier this month that no agreement has been reached on building a theme park in Shanghai. The company opened Hong Kong Disneyland in September. Still, stocks of companies based in the city rose as investors bet that a park will be constructed. "The news has become widely spread," said analyst Xu Yinghui at Guotai Jun'an Securities. "Once the Disney project is approved ... the assets held by Pudong-based companies will be revalued." Shanghai Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone jumped its daily limit of 10 percent to 7.78 yuan, Shanghai Wai Gaoqiao Free Trade Zone Development also rose 10 percent to close at 5.60 and Shanghai Xinmei Real Estate gained 9.9 percent to 4.10. All of them are located in the Pudong New Area, where the Disney park is said likely to be developed. |
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Disneyland
Resort THEA Awards
DLR picked up two awards at last night's Thea awards (presented by TEA the organization that supports creating themed environments) at a fun benefit at the Disneyland Hotel. It was the 12th year of the ceremony. Disneyland picked up a unique award for its 50th called the Classic award. It was presented it all of the cast members that make the place so magical. The only other specific award was for Disney Creative Entertainment (and Steve Davison in particular) for Best Show: Remember.....Dreams Come True. |
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'The
Evidence' is clear: ABC's new crime series not worth serving
time
Five years ago, a drama like ABC's new "The Evidence," set in San Francisco, might have been compelling enough to recommend. A grisly murder. A puzzle to solve. Two wise-cracking detectives, one with emotional baggage. Some nice shots of a very beautiful city. Unfortunately, even five years ago "The Evidence" would hardly have seemed meaty. Not rote, exactly, but missing something. Set in today's world of televised dramas, when the bar has been set impressively high and audiences have their pick of very different, mostly excellent police procedurals, forget it. All "The Evidence" can evince is a shrug and this pretty good question: Why? Really -- why bother? If you're going to launch a cop drama these days, you'd better bring it. You'd better give the audience some kind of complicated anti-hero character study that is at least as good as what CBS is doing and maybe, quite possibly, dares to approach the level of basic cable. "The Evidence" offers none of that, preferring to rely on an old-school formula that pits Orlando Jones and Rob Estes as friends and partners battling big-city crime, juxtaposing allegedly serious topics with an allegedly freewheeling sense of devil-may-care humor. Not a good mix. Check the label. There's a sell-by date on that. Estes plays Sean Cole, an inspector (yep, that's what they're calling these guys) working long, dedicated hours at SFPD, trying to crack homicides. He's haunted by the fact that his wife was murdered in their own house -- bullet to the head, so she was targeted -- and some of the evidence went missing and he can't solve the crime. Perhaps, in his darkest hours he can have a drink with Adrian Monk, another fictional San Francisco detective whose wife was murdered and who can't solve the case, either. At least in "Monk," Tony Shalhoub gets a character so different -- obsessive compulsive -- that he's worth inhabiting. Estes only gets to act forlornly about his wife in the pilot, mulling police photos of her crime scene and playing back her voice message. It's territory that's been well trodden for years. Estes can't do anything new or original with it. You'd think the producers of "The Evidence" would say, whoops, already one moping detective in San Francisco -- maybe we'll go to Portland. Instead, they decided to stay here but weren't so clear in their decisions regarding Inspector Cole. Is he forlorn, or is he the roll-with-it sidekick to breezy and funny Inspector Cayman Bishop (Jones), who plays the cool cat routine like, well, like he's seen it a billion times, which is probably true? So much for the original premise. Ah, but the selling point -- one assumes -- in "The Evidence," is this neat little trick of giving you all the evidence up front, at the start of the show, like doling out puzzle pieces. Bloody cell phone. Severed finger. Bouquet of flowers. Ooooh. How do they fit? How will it all unfold? Well, aside from the fact that this trick isn't so new, it would help if the unfolding mystery surrounding said evidence were actually compelling. In the pilot to "The Evidence," there isn't a shock to be had. If you don't figure out the murderer almost instantly, chances are you don't have a television -- or haven't turned it on in years. Not even Martin Landau as Dr. Sol Goldman -- the scientific lab genius who puts all the clues together after announcing them so ominously in the opening sequence -- can save this drama. So, just to make the next few moments slightly more interesting, let's present some evidence for you to analyze: A tired premise. Overly familiar characters. Dull writing. An unclear tone. A series that pales in comparison to any of the "CSI" shows and pretty much every new crime and punishment procedural in the last five years. Why make this show if you're ABC? Why make it so poorly when your other dramas have been so good, in comparison? Ten seconds. Put your pencils down. And the answers are, in no particular order: -- ABC doesn't really have any police procedurals, despite the fact that the American public has a seemingly limitless appetite for them. -- Because it has no practice at this genre anymore (how quickly ABC forgot the high standards of "NYPD Blue"), nobody can suss out immediately how unacceptably average "The Evidence" really is. -- Maybe when all the logic that said "Invasion" would be a slam-dunk hit following the similarly episodic and mysterious "Lost" had been proven wrong, ABC thought it would toss something at "CSI: NY" and "Law & Order" that combined both their qualities. You know, maybe viewers would get confused. In either case, "The Evidence" doesn't have the gravitas to compete with those proven series and, more damning, you won't find anything in "The Evidence" that hasn't been covered better or more dramatically in the other two. ABC knows how to make some compelling soaps. No matter how you dress up "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy," "Boston Legal" or "Commander-In-Chief," they are all soap operas on some level. Guns and pathology are currently not ABC's strongest suit. "The Evidence" is overwhelming that you should watch something else. And if you saw that line coming, wait until you spoil the whodunit in "The Evidence" before the second commercial break. |
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Longtime
ABC News Anchor Bill Beutel Dies
Bill Beutel, the longtime television news anchor and host of the show that became ABC's "Good Morning America," has died, the network announced. He was 75. Beutel, whose trademark signoff "Good luck and be well" closed WABC's nightly local newscast for more than 30 years, died Saturday at his home in Pinehurst, N.C., the network said. The cause of death was not disclosed. In 1975, Beutel hosted "AM America," the network's national morning news show. He "proved you could be a tough newsman and a gentleman at the same time," WABC president and general manager Dave Davis said Sunday in a statement. "He was never shrill, always measured, and universally respected the original class act." Beutel, who won several Emmy awards and a Peabody award, began as a radio reporter in his hometown of Cleveland. He started working in television in 1962, appearing as a reporter for ABC national news and as an anchor for the local evening newscast. After a stint as ABC's London bureau chief, where he worked with a young Peter Jennings, Beutel returned to New York to man the local anchor desk in 1970. He stepped down in 2001, continuing to report for the network for another two years. He reported frequently from overseas and, at age 70, traveled to cover the dangers surrounding the diamond trade in Sierra Leone. |
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Walt
Disney World is planner's playground
Planners arranging a meeting at Walt Disney World have the run of a 45-square-mile fantasyland with every imaginable prop, backdrop, piece of technical wizardry and food and beverage item at their disposal, up to a full-blown cruise ship experience. That's the opportunity -- and sometimes the challenge -- meeting planners face for more than 4,000 events held at Walt Disney World annually. The opportunity is in the nearly endless supply of possibilities for events -- the challenge is to create an event that works for each group and falls within their budget. Disney supports this variety of meeting options with the Disney Events Group, which includes 500 experienced employees in 11 locations with more than 100,000 square feet of office and storage space. Just looking behind the scenes of this full-service production house can be exhausting. There's a long list of special services, ranging from coffee breaks to customized menus to in-house satellite video and well-known performing artists. One size doesn't fit all The Disney Events Group doesn't focus on mega conventions, although it once catered an event for 20,000 attendees. About 1,200 of the 4,000 events held at Disney each year involve producing at least one custom activity for small meetings, family weddings and corporate retreats. That compares to the estimated 1,215 conventions and tradeshows held in Orange County in 2005, each of which typically includes a dozen or more individual events within their schedules. More than 5.5 million people attended meetings in 2004 in Orlando, staying 3.3 nights on average, according to research gathered by D.K. Shifflet & Associates for the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau. The bureau estimates the local economic impact of convention/group meeting visitors was $2.63 billion. Nationwide, the meeting industry is a $102 billion behemoth. There are also an undetermined number of local meetings and events not monitored by the bureau's research, including many of the 4,000 Walt Disney World events. However, industry leaders agree that Disney hosts a large share of local meetings in its hotels, as well as events on its property for groups staying in non-Disney hotels. The types of events at Disney belong in three categories, says Ken Malquist, a show director and part of the Disney Events Group: About a third involve Disney just providing equipment; another third involve an off-the-shelf, pre-packaged Disney party or event; and the other third are custom-designed by Disney. High-dollar events Many of those custom events are one-of-a-kind productions that make memories for the customers and profits for Disney. For example, one international group hosted a five-day dealer event and dropped a cool $500,000 just on entertainment. Another event, produced in February for Lanxess Corp., cost the Pittsburgh-based subsidiary of a German firm more than $1,700 per attendee. An elaborate introduction for a new subsidiary called Saltego was developed by Lonnie Barton, a Lanxess corporate event planner, who says the event was well worth the price. Disney Events Group first offered some him some off-the-shelf suggestions but, says Barton, "They were too pat. We wanted something bold and unique." Barton's own ideas were made into reality at World Showplace, a large special-events venue inside Epcot. Disney designed five circus-like acts, using Disney performers similar in style to the Cirque du Soleil. They took a new Saltego corporate video and, using a singer and six dancers, brought it to life. Barton says he was awed at the detail Disney provided, making red, purple and even black vodka martinis in the company's colors. "We're a very visual company," he says, "and they worked our logos and our colors in everywhere. Barton's company spent about $225,000 for the evening, and he says his first big event for Lanxess was so successful, "my company president high-fived me. Disney made me look great." Disney itself won't reveal prices for its events, but it's obvious they are pricey when considering what's involved in supporting, and paying for things such as:
Mutual respect Disney has a reputation for being expensive, but most association groups feel they get their money's worth, and more, says Leah Wintz, chairwoman of the Professional Convention Management Association, an industry group that focuses on meeting planners. "Expectations at Disney are always very high," she says. "And occasionally it's just not a magical moment. But they always recover, and they really deliver." In addition, she says the meeting industry respects Disney as a corporate citizen and as a resource. "They are well-perceived as friends to the industry," says Wintz. "They put their money where their mouth is." Others agree that a Disney meeting is worth every penny. "We had a small group, but we were never treated like that," says John Pascarelli, executive vice president of operations Mediacom Communications Corp., the eighth-largest cable television provider in the country, which recently hosted 300 executives and cable operators at Disney. Mediacom meets every other February in warm weather locations. This was their first at Walt Disney World. Pascarelli would not put a price on his group's three-day event, saying that the Orlando-area meeting cost about the same as events in other cities. The final night's event was staged at Disney-MGM Studios after the park closed to regular guests. During the Indiana Jones stunt show, the actors stopped the show and invited the audience on stage, where they found an elaborate Moroccan buffet, a full bar and dinner tables. During dinner, the show and other themed entertainment went on around the guests. At Disney, says Pascarelli, every face is a happy face. "Several of our speakers mentioned it." He adds, "Our attendees are in their late 30s and early 40s. It was really exciting to watch their faces light up at Disney." |
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New
Disney title aims to offer a loftier view
Stick your tongue out
at a two-day old baby. Chances are she will stick her tongue
out right back. Infants are hardwired to imitate their
parents. It is a matter of survival. She isn’t interested in articles by
experts. |
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Disney
DVD To Release Dumbo:Big Top Edition
The Big Top is up and the circus is ready
as Walt Disney Home Entertainment presents Walt Disney's
timeless classic Dumbo in a new Big Top Edition. One of
Walt's most inspirational and heartwarming animated films of
all time, this DVD features a new digital transfer to
provide the most pristine visual experience for a new
generation of fans, and 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound.
Bonus features for all ages include a new educational
DisneyPedia about circus animals, accompanied by in-pack,
collectible matching-game learning cards, a new "Baby
Mine" music video; and special family features like the
DVD Storybook "Dumbo’s Big Discovery,"
delightful Sing Along Songs, and bonus animated shorts
"Elmer Elephant" and "The Flying Mouse." |
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Trend
to ban smoking taking hold in U.S., Europe
More countries, states, cities, hotels and rail services recently have moved to ban smoking. Among the changes: • Last month, Disneyland banned smoking at the Disneyland and Paradise Pier hotels. The third hotel at the Anaheim theme park, the Grand Californian, has been smoke-free since it opened in 2001. ``Very, very few guests request smoking rooms,'' said Donn Walker of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Out of tens of thousands of reservations for the two hotels, for stays through 2010, only 35 had requested such rooms, he said last month. • Westin Hotels & Resorts has barred smoking in all 77 of its hotels in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean since Jan. 1. The policy applies to guest rooms and public areas; smoking may be allowed in designated outdoor zones. Westin, which claimed it was the first big hotel chain to go smoke-free, deep-cleaned 2,400 rooms for the changeover and replaced items such as air filters. • The District of Columbia City Council voted in January to ban smoking at indoor work sites, bars and restaurants. The law, expected to take effect next January, doesn't apply to the halls of the U.S. Congress. • The Senate of Virginia voted Feb. 13 to ban smoking in most public spaces, including restaurants. The bill faced an uncertain future in the House of Delegates. • Britain's House of Commons voted Feb. 14 to ban smoking in pubs and clubs, Reuters news service reported. Passage was expected in the House of Lords. The ban would take effect in mid-2007. Ireland passed a similar law in 2004. • Switzerland in December joined Belgium, Britain, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden in banning smoking on the national rail network, officials said. Several other European rail systems restrict it, to varying degrees. In France, the high-speed TGV trains have been smoke-free since 2004. Not everyone, of course, is on the anti-smoking bandwagon. Disney hotels in Europe and Asia set aside rooms for smokers, Walker said. At Disneyland Resort Paris, park guests may smoke in most places except indoors and while in line, he said. He said each resort made its decision based on local demand. Marriott International doesn't have plans to go smoke-free, said Gordon Lambourne, the hotel company's senior vice president for global public relations in Washington, D.C. Although 85 percent or more of Marriott's hotel rooms are non-smoking, ``you still have customers, particularly in an international setting, who want to smoke,'' he said. |
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Sunday March 19, 2006 |
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Walt Disney World - The signs were
posted everywhere last night, inside and outside Disney's
MGM Studios, Due to unforeseen circumstances the 7:30 and
9:00 p.m. performances of Fantasmic are cancelled.
Why was Fantasmic cancelled on a perfectly beautiful night?
Your not going to believe this, but, rumor has it that the
structural integrity of the mountain was to blame. You heard
it right, some rocks from the mountain had fallen into the
moat and Disney was forced to cancel the shows.
I hope this is not the case for Disney's other structures. Additional performances of Indiana Jones Stunt Show Spectacular and Beauty and the Beast were staged to compensate for the Fantasmic closure. |
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Don't worry Mickey we have the safety net up |
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A Chinese soldier stationed in Hong Kong has
been fined for stealing a Mickey Mouse key ring from Hong
Kong Disneyland, a court document showed.
Tsuen Wan Magistrates' Court charged Zhang Qinggang, 27, with theft and ordered him to pay HK$1,000 ($129) for pocketing the HK$35 ($4.50) key ring from a shop at the theme park in January, the document issued Friday showed. Zhang, a Hong Kong-based member of the People's Liberation Army, was shopping at the theme park with his wife when a security guard spotted him slipping the key ring into a carrier bag, the Ming Pao Daily reported Saturday. The soldier pleaded guilty to the charge, the paper said. The theft was an individual case and the Chinese army has always abided by the law since stationing in the city eight years ago, the paper quoted a PLA Hong Kong garrison spokesman as saying. PLA soldiers were deployed to Hong Kong in 1997 after the former British colony was returned to China |
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Ready,
Aim - SHOOT!
Disneyland Paris -
Turns out this weekend the milestones toward the official
opening of Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast are falling one by
one. First on Friday the construction walls were taken down
allowing guests a close up view of the complete entrance
area, the outdoor queue (unfortunately mostly un-themed
zig-zag as already found at the rides in the WDS), the new
attraction specific mural that replaced the Visionarium-mural
and the new on-ride photo sales counter that has been placed
next to Constellations "blocking" the former exit
doors of the Visionarium. |
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Marina Jigalova-Ozkan has been named Managing
Director for The Walt Disney Company (Russia). The
announcement was made by Walt Disney International president
Andy Bird.
In this capacity, Jigalova-Ozkan will be responsible for driving the company's growth strategy and coordinating all of Disney's business efforts in Russia, which will include overseeing Disney's global brands in the market; expanding existing businesses; and seeking out new business opportunities. With Jigalova-Ozkan's appointment, Disney will now have its existing businesses in Russia managed locally, with all business segments reporting in to Jigalova-Ozkan, as well as their respective business units. Jigalova-Ozkan will be based in Moscow and will assume her new post on 1 April, 2006. "We are delighted to bring Marina's knowledge of the Russian media sector and her expertise in building businesses in Russia to Disney as we increase our presence throughout the country. All economic and business indicators point to impressive growth potential for Disney in Russia and Marina's experience will be invaluable as we continue to exploit new business opportunities and contribute to Disney's long term growth," said Bird. Jigalova-Ozkan joins Disney from Prof Media Moscow, where she served as first deputy general director. Prof Media Holding is the largest private diversified media holding in Russia and whilst there, Jigalova-Ozkan led the management of the group in their launch of new businesses and acquisitions of new media assets, the development and implementation of restructuring programs in both the publishing and radio segments, as well as day-to-day operations. |
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Foodie's
adventure at Disneyland
Six months after its grand opening, Hong Kong Disneyland has become one of the most popular family destinations in the region. Though many times it gets compared to its counterparts in California, Florida, Tokyo and Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland can hold out on its own. HK Disneyland may be the smallest and most compact among the other 10 Disney Parks in the world, but the limitation does not impede the fun and the imagination. Like its predecessors, this theme park is packed with magical shows, rides, parades and spectacles designed to bring out the child in us. And one of its more magical attractions is the eating expedition. "Dining is another integral part of the Disney experience as is shopping," said Rudolf Muller, executive chef of HK Disneyland Resort. The resort may be rooted in the all-American dream of Walt Disney, but the cuisine in the theme park and two resort hotels reflects Asia's diverse cultures and tastes. "Food is also part of the guest experience," said Muller. "I'm absolutely sure that you will leave the place if you don't like the food you eat and see around you." Right, bad food will also forever remain in one's memories. Culinary delight The Park offers a diverse range of food in its eight restaurants, three of which are table-service and the rest, self-service. The food-and-beverage team has carefully designed the park's menus to feature popular dishes from different parts of Asia—from the Northwest, the Jiangnan region and Guangdong province in Mainland China, to Southeast Asia and Japan. Different kitchens feature different styles of cooking, such as Steam Kitchens, which serve dim sum and steamed dishes; Wok Kitchens, serving stir fries; and other eateries such as Curry, Noodle, and BBQ Kitchens. "Hong Kong is a very sophisticated food town, more like New York City," said Klaus Mager, director of food and beverage for HK Disneyland. "It's a population that is very knowledgeable, very much into food." In the park, food is relatively healthy and fresh. Noodles are cooked as you watch. The three cafés—Clopin's Festival of Foods in Fantasyland, Tahitian Terrace in Adventureland, and Comet Café in Tomorrowland—offer menus from different regions of China. Noodle bowls range from Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles to Nanjing Beef Noodle Soup. Wok dishes include Nyonay Chicken Curry, kung pao chicken, slow-braised pork ribs and Yang Zhou fried rice. Also offered are barbecue specialties such as spicy fried chicken legs, roasted five-spice duck and roasted pork sausage. On our cold afternoon weekday visit at the park, we gobbled down a big bowl of hot Curry Laksa Noodle Soup that cost HK$45 (P497). Others partook of the tender chicken teriyaki, also at HK$45. What's nice about the service is that each order comes with utensils that are packed nicely in small little plastic bags, and the queues move quickly especially during lunch and dinner. For a quick bite, snack carts throughout the park are inspired by the colorful street vendors in China. Carts serve fresh mango, orange, grapefruit, guava and mango juices at HK$20 (P132). Soya milk is sold at HK$15 (P99), bottled water HK$10 (P66). Filling snacks include small baskets of wrapped fruits, as well as turkey and chicken legs, hot dog on a stick, and sausages. Popcorn, in caramel and coconut milk flavors, is everywhere, at HK$15. If you want a real Chinese gustatory treat and have plenty of time at hand to enjoy every bite, then step in at Plaza Inn, operated by the Maxim's Group. It serves Cantonese dishes. We recommend the roasted chicken, garlic broccoli, scallops and mango pudding. Now, if you suddenly crave for a blend of Western and Chinese cooking, visit Main Street Corner Café for its New England-style fish and chips and chicken curry. For a sweet bite, the Market House Bakery offers muffins, croissants and pies, including a Mickey Mouse-shaped rice krispy treat. For burgers and fries, go straight to Starliner Diner, which is the park's largest and only American restaurant. Try the Char Siew Burger, a pork patty spiced with char siew and water chestnuts served in steamed bun at HK$35 (P231). "After all the research and survey made prior to the opening, we agreed that we had to 'localize' or adjust the taste of the food to our target market," noted Muller. To suit the Asian market that leans toward sweetness, Muller added sugar to the spaghetti; the patties are pre-seasoned; and the chicken wings, legs and drumsticks are coated with batter and cooked like tempura. Crème de la crème of dining Having two plush resort hotels in Disneyland, an elegant, fine-dining experience should also be part of the magical package. The upscale Crystal Lotus at HK Disneyland Hotel serves Asian cuisine in such a contemporary Chinese arts-and-crafts setting with lotus designs used in various forms throughout the interior. Here, dinner is when the chef shines, with live fish tanks for the catch of the day and specialties like the signature Jiang Nan appetizers of crispy suckling pig served with sweet sauce, roasted goose served with pickled plum jam, and smoked Mandarin fish fillets; braised Tasmanian rock lobster in pumpkin soup, steamed fresh crab claw infused with ginger rice wine, and braised young Shanghai brassica in clear superior soup. The Enchanted Garden Restaurant is for a more refreshing, relaxed and informal gathering, set in Victorian-style garden conservatory complete with tall potted palms and a high-arching glass ceiling. The buffet has a mix of Asian and Western favorites, with a selection of dim sum, noodles, chicken, ham, omelet, waffles. Don't worry about lining up to take photos with the famous characters at the Disney Park and the Enchanted Garden restaurant; they come right up to your table! The fab five—Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy and Donald Duck—take their time to sign autographs and take their pictures with you. Over at Chef Mickey, the signature dining venue of Disney's Hollywood Hotel, there's an array of international favorites such as pizza, Chinese barbecue, Indian curry and sausages. Promo for Pinoys This summer, to entice families from the Philippines, HK Disneyland is offering free breakfast for Filipino resort guests if they stay at one of its two fabulously themed hotels. Until May 31, hotel guests can receive one free breakfast for up to four people. Guests of HK Disneyland Hotel can enjoy breakfast at the Enchanted Garden, while those at Disney's Hollywood Hotel can partake of the breakfast buffet at Chef Mickey's restaurant. Promo applies to new reservations only. Contact your local travel agent. |
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'Extreme
Makeover' finds 'deserving' family in Kentucky
On Thursday, 6-year-old Alex Hassall donned the blue Cinderella princess outfit she had just gotten at Disney World. She then rode with her family to the place where her house used to stand. Two really big buses stood in the way of whatever was behind them. Her daddy, Brian, a police officer who has endured 10 years of agonizing migraines after being shot while on duty at Transylvania University, stood nearby. Her mama, Michelle, a young high school choir director only recently in cancer remission, was there too. Quite dramatically, the buses were directed to move and, just like in a fairy tale, a new house appeared on the landscape. One where her daddy can sleep better, where her mama can breathe easier, where her 3-year-old brother can bother her endlessly and where she can thrive in her new room outfitted in pink and blue sparkly Libby Lu VIP (Very Important Princess) splendor. ABC-TV's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition came to Harrison County last week to give a gift to the whole Hassall family -- Brian, Michelle, Alex and Sam -- first by sending them to Orlando, Fla., for vacation from all the bills and all the worries stashed in their home on Highway 1284. Then, in less than seven days, the ABC crew, along with 1,000 volunteers and much donated local labor, braved the rain and the wind and serious concern that the drywall wouldn't dry in time -- all so the family would have a new house. The family was overcome with emotion and gratitude, says Michelle Franzetti, a Harrison County High School senior and a chorus student of Michelle Hassall's, who was on hand with her classmates. "Mrs. Hassall looked over at us, and we yelled, 'We love you, Mrs. Hassall,' and she was crying and she mouthed, 'I love you' back." The Hassall family, surrounded by what seemed to be an entire town of well-wishers, then stepped inside the house to express their joy and gratitude for the cameras. (The program airs on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. on WTVQ-Channel 36, but a date for the Hassall home episode has not been scheduled.) Everyone who knows the family found them profoundly deserving of the gift. "We get 5,000 applications a week," says Home Edition co-executive producer Denise Cramer, speaking of those seeking help with similar situations. "We have to choose between the needy and the deserving. The Hassalls are deserving. Even the school choir issued an impassioned plea to us -- it was a moving videotape -- about how much the family helps others despite their own misfortunes." Brian Hassall, then a Transy police officer, was shot in the line of duty on June 21, 1996. Since then, he has suffered migraines hastened by exposure to daylight. He works nights for the Cynthiana Police Department and has had to sleep days in the couple's dark, dank basement. "Before, my husband couldn't come upstairs," said Michelle Hassall, "because of the light. And I couldn't go downstairs because of the mold." Michelle, 34, has battled a blood disorder for years and underwent chemotherapy last fall for lymphoma. The couple adopted their children, Alex and Sam, who has special needs. All this means the family has missed a lot of work, accumulated stacks of medical bills, maxed out credit cards, taken a second mortgage and lived paycheck to paycheck. All the while, says Franzetti, "doing everything they can for anybody else. You have a problem, you take it to Mrs. Hassall and she cries with you. She even apologizes for missing school days because of her chemo. She says she feels guilty that we're being cheated because she can't spend more time with us." The Miracle on Highway 1284 started last Saturday with complete demolition of the site. The logistics of laying the foundation, erecting the framing, installing the plumbing, the electrical wiring, the drywall, the tiling all had to be perfectly orchestrated -- working 24 hours a day -- to meet the impossible deadline. And to solve the unique needs of this family, special windows and lighting were installed. "Basically, Extreme Makeover is building a 3,000 square-foot house in four and one-half days," said Billy Rudd, owner of Rudd Drywall and Acoustics of Lexington. Rudd brought in a crew of 30 to work whatever hours were needed, even bringing in heaters and fans to expedite the drying process. Lexington's Riterug, a flooring company, was asked to install 1,800 square feet of hardwood in six hours. "Normally, it takes us two to three days to do that much," said Mickey Goldberg, executive vice president of the company which also took on pouring concrete shower pans and tiling the bathrooms. Instead of the usual two-man crew, Goldberg scheduled 20. "It's like an Amish barn-building," he said. Cramer, the producer, said the whole process, if not donated by generous contractors, "would cost millions." "In general," she said, "people want to help. Sometimes they don't know how to start. We go in and say, 'Show up, bring your skills, wear this shirt and make a difference.'" Michelle Hassall marveled at how the whole process has been "amazing" and, yet, just another in a long line of miracles that God has worked for her family. "I was healthy enough to go on the trip," she said, "and we've had a lot of help from the church. When Brian was shot, he nearly bled to death but didn't. Our children are well." Everything in the Hassalls' old house was placed in storage, with new furnishings gracing the new house. The Hassalls plan an auction of their things as a way to tithe to their church. After the TV people leave, there will still be financial concerns. Michelle laughed yesterday and explained, "I'll pay a mortgage until I see Jesus." There will be other concerns, as well. "My children," she said with a lilt in her voice, "now think they're the prince and princess of everything." |
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