|
Saturday
May 9, 2009 |
ESPN's Chicago Launch: A Regional Sports Web War?
Disney close to investing more capital in HK - source
Getting the most
out of Disney World
ABC picks up 'Flash
Forward' |
|
ESPN's
Chicago Launch: A Regional Sports Web War?
BusinessWire - For the first time in more
than a decade, ESPN is making a push into the regional sports
business. But this time ESPN is going online, instead of
offering a service on TV.
The launch a month ago of ESPN Chicago, a
Web site for sports fanatics in the Windy City, has the
potential to set off a digital war in regional sports as the
existing stalwarts with local sports networks, Fox (NWS) and
Comcast (CMCSA), prepare to fend off ESPN. Fox is launching new
Web sites while Comcast is upping investment in its local sports
sites, including expanded coverage. "I feel confident," says Jon
Litner, president of the Comcast Sports Group. "That's because
we've always been about local and we work where we live."
ESPN executives say they have no plans at
this time to roll out more local Web sites. But it really seems
like a no-brainer for the sports media giant because it can pull
off that strategy with minimal new investment.
Fans can't seem to get enough sports
online. Of 192 million unique visitors to the Internet in March,
sports sites attracted about 80 million of them, according to
Web tracker comScore (SCOR). The leading sites were Yahoo!
Sports (YHOO), with 26 million visitors, followed by ESPN with
21 million.
ESPN Could Launch in L.A., Too
In Chicago, ESPN is using editorial
content from its local AM radio station, WMVP—aka ESPN 1000—as
well as from the ABC affiliate there, WLS-TV. (ESPN and ABC are
both owned by Walt Disney (DIS).) Anchors from ESPN's operations
in Los Angeles and Bristol, Conn., do Chicago-centric video that
is streamed as a Chicago SportsCenter and a local
Baseball Tonight program on the site. ESPN.com
writers are tapped to do Chicago-focused stories for the site
and ESPN's existing Chicago multiplatform advertising sales team
is selling ads for the site. The advertisers are a mix of
national and local businesses, ranging from StubHub and
MillerCoors to Chicagojobs.com and Binnys Beverage Depot.
ESPN's legacy Web offering in Chicago—the
WMVP Web site, with much leaner offerings—is now part of the
larger ESPN Chicago site. ESPN also owns radio stations in New
York, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles, where it might be
able to replicate the Chicago model. In addition, the company
has more than 300 affiliate stations.
Since its launch, ESPN Chicago has logged
nearly 5 million page views from more than 1 million visitors,
says John Kosner, ESPN's senior vice-president and general
manager of digital media. Kosner says the traffic is exceeding
initial audience projections for the site by 300%.
"The whole idea here is to superserve
Chicago sports fans," Kosner says. "And they are passionate, so
that's one big reason why we decided to launch a trial there. We
can take our infrastructure from our newly redesigned ESPN.com
and deliver it on a modular basis in Chicago."
Will ESPN Bid for Local TV
Rights?
The launch couldn't have come at a better
time, with baseball season starting, the Bulls and the
Blackhawks in the playoffs, and quarterback Jay Cutler being
traded to the Chicago Bears. "And then, of course, there is the
First Fan himself—Barack Obama—being so passionate about Chicago
sports," says Kosner.
Those who follow the sports business say
such a move was inevitable. "This is just another way that ESPN
is extending its brand," says Neal Pilson, owner of sports media
consultancy Pilson Communications, "and staying in touch with
sports fans around the country on ever more platforms." Pilson
says the move to local raises the question about whether ESPN
one day might bid for local sports TV rights now secured by Fox
and Comcast. "It will be interesting to see where this leads
them."
ESPN has been predominantly a national
brand and service with national rights deals. Back in 1998 it
did attempt to enter the local sports market in Los Angeles
through a channel to be called ESPN West. Those plans were
abandoned when Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. bought the Los
Angeles Dodgers and secured the rights to broadcast the team's
games for its Fox regional sports network there.
Comcast Beefs Up Local
Offerings
While Fox currently does not offer local
Web sites for its 19 regional sports networks, it plans to begin
rolling out city-specific online sites for those networks later
this year. A Fox Sports spokesman says plans for local Web sites
(it does operate foxsports.com, the fourth most visited sports
site) were already in the works before ESPN Chicago launched.
In turn, Comcast, which operates 10
regional sports nets, just hired an executive to head its online
strategy in local markets and to bolster those Web offerings. On
May 6, Comcast's Litner announced that Eric Grilly, formerly
president of the Web site for The Philadelphia Inquirer
and Daily News, would become executive
vice-president and chief digital officer—a new post for Comcast
Sports Group. Comcast is going head-to-head online with ESPN in
Chicago through its regional sports network's own Web site.
Between local bloggers, professional teams operating their own
sports channels, and now even universities looking to launch
24/7 sports networks, the media market for hometown sports is
becoming increasingly competitive. "What we do to distinguish
ourselves is that we live, breathe, cry, shout right along with
the fans, owners, and players in these cities," says Comcast's
Litner. "We don't parachute in on a Thursday night and pull out
of town on Sunday. We're there." |
|
Top
|
Disney close to investing more capital in HK - source
Reuters - The Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) is close to agreeing
to invest more capital in Hong Kong Disneyland and allow the
island's government convert its loans to equity to maintain its
majority share of the theme park, a source involved in their
talks said.
If Disney and Hong Kong's
government, which now owns 57 percent of the underperforming and
much-maligned resort, can close a deal, it could pave the way
for an expansion that is estimated to cost HK$3 billion ($387
million) and boost flagging attendance at the nearly
four-year-old park.
The Hong Kong government put up
the bulk of the estimated total investment of $3.6 billion to
develop and build the 310-acre (126 hectare) resort at Penny's
Bay.
The source, who declined to be
identified because the negotiations have not been made public,
told Reuters however that Hong Kong's government will not budge
on two points: the need to retain equity control of the project,
and a refusal to put up any more cash for the park.
"The Hong Kong government might
reduce its holdings, but still retain a majority shareholding.
That's the bottomline," said the source.
Top Disney executives met with
Financial Secretary John Tsang in Los Angeles last week,
triggering speculation that the two partners were close to
hammering out an agreement after years of back-and-forth over
China's first Disney themepark.
Hong Kong officials and Disney
executives have said their recent talks had broken fresh ground
and they would announce details soon.
Disney spokeswoman Tasia
Fillippatos had no comment, saying the No. 1 U.S. entertainment
company is "not going to negotiate the deal through the press."
Critics say the Hong Kong site is too small to attract the
repeat visits that have made Disney's other parks profitable.
Attendance has failed to reach
initial bullish projections, despite the park's proximity to
mainland China, and the Chinese tourist market has since been
hit by the economic crisis.
The proposed expansion plans
would enlarge the park's existing area by around a third, a
source told Reuters and feature three new "lands" to complement
the four existing ones.
Disney has also signed a
framework agreement with authorities in Shanghai to build a park
there.
Sources say that the Hong Kong
government isn't willing to surrender its controlling stake
given pressure from the Hong Kong public, and especially the
city's legislators who have final say on whether to approve the
deal. |
|
Top
|
Getting the most
out of Disney World
Vancouver Sun - Mickey for president.
That's how my family and I felt following our trip to Walt
Disney World in Orlando, Fla., during March break this year.
Efficient fantasy doesn't begin to do our experience
justice. Our two boys, age 10 and 13, were pumped from the
beginning, thrilled at the thought of the Disney spectacle
and wild rides they were about to experience. My husband and
I took on the project with an attitude akin to cynical
resignation. But we were no match for Mickey's charms. We
arrived in Orlando only to be ushered quickly to our
air-conditioned bus, welcomed at the Disney resort by
helpful and efficient staff and given keys to our spotless
and comfortable suite.
And so, a mere one hour after arriving at our
destination, the two of us were walking around with silly
grins glued to our faces. Walt Disney World is designed for
fun and nothing but fun. Creative, innovative and snazzy.
The weather was perfect, the flowers bloomed and the
infrastructure hummed like a well-oiled machine.
We began to refer to beauty, cleanliness, efficiency and
civilized service as very "Mickey." Conversely, once back in
Montreal, we took to describing rude behavior, street litter
and incompetent service as very "un-Mickey."
The massive Walt Disney World Resort covers
120-square-kilometres of Florida landscape. With so much to
see and do, advance planning goes a long way to help ease
confusion and unnecessary exhaustion during your trip.
Here are 10 things to consider when planning a trip to
Walt Disney World.
Before you decide to go, consider the ages of your
children. Don't be fooled by the adorable ad campaigns
featuring delighted toddlers hugging Mickey Mouse. That
moment represents a few seconds in what can be a very long
and frustrating day visiting a Disney theme park with an
overtired preschooler.
A preschooler won't remember the trip for long, but you
will. Keeping the tiny tot rested and happy will make for
happier memories.
Book your vacation through a travel agent who is familiar
with the myriad of possible Disney vacation packages. Our
travel agent (CAA's Kathryn Drew) was excellent. She had
much to offer in the way of anecdotal advice that she had
gleaned over the years from returning families. (See above
advice on the age of your children.) We used air points to
book our flights and not all air-points plans allow access
to all flights at all times, so we booked way ahead to be
sure to get seats on the dates we wanted.
Buy a good Walt Disney World guide book. Use it as a
resource tool when planning the trip, but also take it with
you. A guide book is packed with wonderful tips and includes
all the important telephone numbers and websites you need.
Bookstores offer a good selection of guides. We used The
Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2007 (Wiley) by Bob
Sehlinger with Len Testa. A 2008 version is now available.
Stay on site. If you stay at one of the Walt Disney World
resorts - they come in three price categories, moderate,
medium or luxury - you enjoy perks including comfortable,
air-conditioned transportation to and from the airport with
Disney staff handling your luggage retrieval and delivery,
extended-hour access to the theme parks and free shuttle
service from park to park.
When booking, take the Disney Dining Plan and the Park
Hopper options. They save money and reduce hassle. The Park
Hopper option allows people to visit more than one theme
park a day. The Disney Dining Plan covers the cost of
snacks, light meals and dinners and can save you up to 40
per cent in food costs.
- Keep in mind the large size of the portions served in the
United States. I shared my sons' dinners, and we still had
food left on the plates. - Make sure the cashier
understands clearly from the outset, before he or she begins
punching buttons on the cash register, that you will be
paying with your meal plan and make it clear whether you are
ordering a snack, a light meal or a dinner. You don't want
the wrong item to be deleted from your meal plan.
- We bought refillable mugs the first full day of our
visit. Every morning, even before the restaurant opened, we
could go to the coffee machines and fill our mugs for free.
Yes, there are coffee machines in the rooms, but, hey, we
were on vacation.
Book dinner reservations at the same time as you book
your flight and accommodations. You can find a complete list
of all the dining facilities on the Walt Disney World
website (www.waltdisneyworld. com) or in an updated guide
book. Making reservations for every evening meal is a good
idea. The family can be tired and cranky after a long day of
fun in the sun, and standing in line for a table can ruin
your day.
- Le Cellier Steakhouse at the Canadian Pavilion at Epcot
is considered one of the best places to eat. You must
reserve in advance. The Disney restaurants reservation
number is 407-939-3463. The top-notch, all-Canadian menu,
the pavilion's beautiful Victoria-garden setting and its
updated, multimedia presentation make a stop at the Canadian
Pavilion a must.
- On our last night, we ate at the California Grill
located on the top floor of the upscale Contemporary Resort.
Reserve in advance. The panoramic view of Walt Disney World
is spectacular, and so is the food. If you book your
reservations for later in the evening, you will see the
Magic Kingdom fireworks from the comfort of your table.
Reserve a table by the window.
- When making dinner reservations, make sure to ask what
the restaurant's policy is concerning dinner coupons. The
California Grill, for example, allows adults to pay for
their meals with the meal-plan option, but children's meals
are not covered.
It is physically impossible for any one family to see
everything at every theme park in the course of a one-week
visit. We would make plans for each day during dinner the
night before. Our two boys would come up with a list of
priorities, deciding which ride they would take in which
order. The order would be influenced by the popularity of
the ride. The most popular rides would be enjoyed first
thing in the morning.
There are four theme parks, Downtown Disney and the water
parks to consider. Concentrate on one theme park a day,
leaving one day at the end of the vacation to unwind at a
water park. It was the perfect decision for our weary eyes,
minds and legs. This is very important. Take full
advantage of the fast-pass option. Excessively popular
Disney rides have huge lineups. The way to beat those long
lineups is to use fast passes, which are available at
self-serve machines set up adjacent to each ride. The pass
tells you exactly what time you should come back to line up.
(Usually around one hour after picking up the pass.) This
frees you up to wander and do other things until it's time
to take the ride. The fast-pass lines are always shorter
than the regular lines and move quickly.
A word to the wise. Disney merchandise is everywhere. At
times it feels like you are wandering a huge shopping mall
with some rides tucked in here and there for good measure.
Every ride exits into a souvenir shop. The temptations to
buy, buy, buy are enormous. Lay the ground rules with the
children about how many trinkets will be purchased in
advance of each day's visit.
Fireworks displays begin after dark. On the days you want
to see the fireworks, schedule an afternoon break at the
hotel to relax. Even children with exemplary stamina stop
enjoying when the day stretches beyond 13 hours. |
|
Top
|
ABC
picks up 'Flash Forward'
THR - ABC has officially picked up drama "Flash Forward."
The show, which already is being promoted on the network,
received a 13-episode order Friday night.
Based on Robert J. Sawyer's novel, the Joseph
Fiennes-starring series chronicles the aftermath of a global
event in which everyone in the world blacks out for 2
minutes, 17 seconds and has mysterious visions of six months
into the future.
David Goyer and Brannon Braga co-wrote the pilot for
"Flash," which Goyer directed.
Both will exec produce the series, but because of his
commitment to Fox's "24," where he is an exec producer,
Braga won't be involved full time on "Flash."
"Eli Stone" co-creator/exec producer Marc Guggenheim has
come on board as exec producer and will run the series with
Goyer.
Also exec producing are Jessika Goyer, Vince Gerardis and
Ralph Vicinanza.
ABC has been the most aggressive among the broadcast
networks, handing out early series pickups to its strongest
pilots.
The pickup for "Flash" came hours after the network brass
screened it to a strong reception. It follows ABC's Thursday
order of new comedy "Modern Family."
In addition to Fiennes, the cast of "Flash" includes Sonya
Walger, John Cho, Jack Davenport, Brian O'Byrne, Courtney B.
Vance, Christine Woods, Zachary Knighton and Peyton List.
With ABC's pilot screenings slated to wrap Monday, other hot
prospects at the network include mystery drama "Happy Town"
and Jerry Bruckheimer's "The Unknown," both enjoying rave
reviews. Also going strong are the Courteney Cox-starring
comedy "Cougar Town" as well as the contemporary witch take
"Eastwick."
Another remake, "V," is heading into its Monday screening
with a strong buzz, with dramas "Empire State" and
"Limelight" also in contention.
On the comedy side, the Patricia Heaton starrer "The
Middle," which was filmed months ago, is picking up heat
after a solid screening.
Three pilots also have something going for them -- the
strong presence of stars Alyssa Milano ("Romantically
Challenged"), Kelsey Grammer ("untitled Kelsey Grammer
project") and Cedric The Entertainer ("The Law").
|
|
Top
|
|
Friday
May 8, 2009 |
Disney/Pixar
launching new studio
“Shine On” Sightings Spread Across Central Florida
Disney Looks Cheap Once
Again
Disney bakery produces treats with less environmental impact
New
comedy `Modern Family' set for ABC next season
Hannah Montana: Miley Cyrus Nominated for MTV Movie Award
All Aboard For 'Disney's A Christmas Carol' Train Tour
Save dollars at Disney
World
BOOM! Lands at Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store
Geri pays homage to
Mickey Mouse
Disney Cleans Up it's
Gay Act
Disney’s Animal Experts Ensure Mother-Child Bond Among Animals
Disney holding auditions for children in Denver
Aflac to
debut Disney Pixar ad and race car |
|
Disney/Pixar
launching new studio
The Hollywood Reporter - Woody and Buzz are heading north.
To accommodate a growing slate of non feature projects,
Disney and Pixar will launch an animation studio in the fall in
Vancouver.
The focus will be on Pixar's legacy characters, including
Buzz and Woody from the "Toy Story" films and Lightning McQueen
and Mater from "Cars."
"The operation will be small in size and dedicated to
producing short-form quality computer animation for theme parks,
DVDs, television and theatrical exhibition ... for several
different divisions of the Walt Disney Co.," Disney/Pixar
president Ed Catmull said.
Amir Nasrabadi, vp operations and finance at DisneyToon
Studio, has been tapped as GM of the new facility, and Dylan
Brown -- previously a supervising animation director at Pixar,
with credits including "Ratatouille" and "Finding Nemo" -- will
serve as creative director. Darwyn Peachey moves from technical
lead on the 3-D versions of "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2" to
chief technology officer at the Vancouver location.
The trio will report to Ali Rowghani, Disney/Pixar's CFO and
senior vp strategic planning.
Pixar GM Jim Morris said he expects the staff to reach
75-100. He added that feature work and all stereoscopic 3-D work
will still be done at Pixar's headquarters in Emeryville, Calif.
The move marks the latest company to open a VFX or animation
facility in Vancouver. Other residents include Rainmaker, an
animation company; CIS Vancouver, a Deluxe-owned VFX business;
and Moving Picture Co., a Technicolor-owned VFX facility.
Tax incentives, a local talent base and proximity to Pixar
contributed to the decision. Pixar will receive incentives
offered for animation production and research and development.
"Canada, and Vancouver specifically, has had terrific tax
incentives for this type of work," Morris said. "I think they
have a desire to grow this sort of business activity and get a
critical mass. This will allow us to do more with the budgets
that we have."
He said the intent is to build the studio as a start-up with
local talent. "There is a great animation community in
Vancouver, as well as postproduction, visual effects and good
schools," he added.
Morris said Pixar would step up production of its
character-based ancillary content at the new venue.
"We have a somewhat unfulfilled demand," he said. "We wanted
to do various things with 'Toy Story' to keep the characters
alive. People like to see them somewhat regularly." He pointed
to Pixar chief creative officer John Lasseter, who would like to
do more with the "Cars" characters.
Pixar has a full slate of upcoming titles -- some sequels and
some introducing new characters. "Up," the studio's 10th
computer-animated feature and first to release in digital 3-D,
opens May 29 and introduces new characters, including elderly
Carl Fredricksen and young wilderness explorer Russell.
The 3-D releases of "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2" bring
Woody, Buzz and the toys back to theaters Oct. 2.
Current film projects at Pixar, which employees about 1,000,
are the 3-D features "Toy Story 3," "Cars 2," "The Bear and the
Bow" and "Newt." The studio also is developing a series of
shorts based on the Mater character from "Cars" as well as theme
park projects. |
|
Top
|
“Shine On” Sightings Spread Across Central
Florida
 Disney
News - Bright red banners sporting the phrase "shine on" are
being spotted all over Central Florida. Reports of sightings
have come in from Orange, Osceola, Lake, Polk and Seminole
counties. Pictures of the banners in locations such as Lake Eola
and downtown Celebration have been sent to the Walt Disney World
Community Relations team.
Does the yellow button on the signs indicate a Disney
connection? When asked about the "shine on" banners, Eugene
Campbell, vice president of Community Relations for Walt Disney
World Resort wouldn’t confirm a potential tie but said "we are
always looking for ways to invest in the community to help make
Central Florida an even better place to live, work and play for
our nearly two million neighbors."
What’s behind the banners? Keep checking www.shineontoday.com
for hints. All will be revealed starting May 11. |
|
Top
|
Disney Looks Cheap Once
Again
Seeking Alpha - Walt Disney Company (DIS) is a blue-chip
franchise that rarely gets this cheap. One has to go back to the
start of the 1990s to find Walt Disney Company trading around
its current price-earnings ratio of under 14. Investors,
therefore, have an opportunity to buy one of the premier U.S.
brands at a valuation not seen in years.
Disney Company is home to the top brands in media and
entertainment. It is comprised of the studio entertainment
division that includes Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney
Animation Group, Pixar Animation, Touchstone Pictures, Miramax
Films and other top names. It also owns key television
properties including ABC, ESPN and Disney Channel. Finally,
there are the consumer products and theme park divisions.
These brands offer long-term earnings power that transcend the
current economic recession even if current results are weak.
Second quarter profits for Disney were down by roughly half over
the same period last year; however, investors should look past
the next few quarters of profits to the long term earnings
potential of this company and accumulate Disney shares with a
long term view.
Investors who purchased Disney in January 1990, the last time it
traded this cheaply, had a tremendous run that saw the company's
share price appreciate nearly five-fold between January 1990 and
May 1998. Almost twenty years on, Disney looks cheap once again. |
|
Top
|
Disney bakery produces treats with less environmental impact
Orange County Register - Do you remember how you felt around 2
p.m. Easter Sunday when you were 10?
That's kind of how you'd feel after touring Disneyland's new
central bakery off of Ball Road in Anaheim with the park's
executive pastry chef, Jean-Marc Viallet.
Viallet, intensely proud of the new facility opened in March,
will stuff you full of Mickey Mouse cookies, molten chocolate
cake, cheese cakes, fresh-baked bread and a myriad of other
sweets.
Disney processes hundreds of pounds of sugar, flour,
chocolate, dairy products and fruit every day to distribute
almost 9 million pastries and baked goods per year throughout
Disneyland and the resort area, Viallet said.
And that huge, tasty effort just got a little more
environmentally friendly.
THE FACILITY
David Lopez, the project manager who oversaw construction of
the new central bakery, said that the building has many features
that help save energy and water.
The roof is filled with tubular skylights, mirrored inside,
that direct sunlight into the building during the day, reducing
the need for electric lighting — some rooms don't even need any
lights on.
Big, double-paned windows let still more light in while
insulating the facility from heat.
Part of the parking lot is porous to allow rainwater to seep
back into the water table, rather than running off into the
ocean. And the building's perimeter acts as an earthen sieve
that filters most of the rest of the runoff into the ground.
Even the downspouts from the roof are filtered to remove
trash or particles that might collect on the flat roof and wash
onto the ground or into storm drains, Lopez said.
Much of the baking equipment sucks down a lot of energy, but
the dishwashers are Energy Star appliances that conserve water
and electricity.
With the new building, Disney has centralized most of its
baking in the 10,000-square-foot facility. Park officials say
Disneyland does 97 percent of its own baking, and the new
facility handles 90 percent of that. Some specialty items for
restaurants like The Napa Rose, for instance, will continue
production in the localized bakeries in the park.
The bakeries had before been scattered throughout the
resort's hotels.
THE PROCESS
The production line is shaped like a "U" — in one end, trucks
drop off hundreds of pounds of chocolate, cream, sugar, flour
and other raw ingredients. They either go into the pantry, or
the big walk-in freezer.
Accessible from the outside, the freezer is as big as the
entire bakery in the Disneyland Hotel.
The center of the "U" is dominated by wide finishing tables,
stove tops, huge industrial mixers capable of handling 350
pounds of dough, stone slab-lined bread and pastry ovens, ovens
with rotators and baking spaces big enough for a man to walk in
comfortably.
These handle seven-foot racks holding dozens of trays of
brownie batter or Mickey cookies — the bakery churns out 500-600
Mickey-face cookies a day, 365 days a year.
Off to the side is a specialty climate-controlled chamber
that pastry chefs use to make any kind of cake — from a
four-year-old's standard birthday treat, to the most elaborate
wedding or banquet cake imaginable.
A special temperature-controlled counter top in the cake room
allows bakers to work with all different kinds of materials like
fondant or milk chocolate at exactly the right temperature.
Gary Maggetti, the general manager of food and beverage at
Disneyland, said that once the Celebrate promotion really ramps
up, park goers will be able to call a restaurant in the park and
order up a custom cake for any kind of occasion. The order will
go to the cake room where bakers will whip it up to
specifications post-haste and ship it off to the appropriate
restaurant.
All the shipping out of the bakery comes through the opposite
end of the "U" to trucks, where it's distributed out to the park
and hotels. |
|
Top
|
New
comedy `Modern Family' set for ABC next season
AP - ABC says it has picked up a mockumentary-style comedy about
family life for next season.The network said Thursday it has
ordered 13 episodes of "Modern Family," starring Ty Burrell, Ed
O'Neill and Julie Bowen. The announcement comes two weeks before
ABC and other networks unveil their schedules for the 2009-10
season.
ABC's early word on "Modern Family" is a sign that the show
has solid network support and that comedy may be in for a
rebound on TV.
ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co. |
|
Top
|
Hannah Montana: Miley Cyrus Nominated for MTV Movie Award
buddytv - Proving that her career is still on the rise, Hannah
Montana starlet Miley Cyrus has just received a nomination for
this year's MTV Movie Awards. Last Monday, the full list of
nominees was revealed. Everyone was in a flurry over their
favorites, and the Disney princess was ecstatic upon discovering
that she was one of them.
Miley Cyrus bagged a nomination for two categories. The first
is for "Breakthrough Performance - Female" and the second was in
a brand-new category. Her hit song "The Climb" was chosen as a
nominee in "Best Song from a Movie."
"I got nominated for an MTV award!!!!" Miley posted on her
Twitter page. She even added: "Yayyy :)"
Competing against Cyrus for "Breakthrough Performance -
Female" award are fellow Disney gals like High School Musical's
Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale. However, a couple of other
challengers could give them all a run for their money. Slumdog
Millionaire's charming Freida Pinto has also been listed under
that category, as well as Kat Dennings of Nick and Norah's
Infinite Playlist.
As for "Best Song from a Movie," Miley Cyrus' "The Climb" has
been pitted against several major contenders. One of which is
Paramore's "Decode" from the movie Twilight. There's also
Slumdog's incredibly catchy "Jai Ho," in addition to the Bruce
Springsteen ballad "The Wrestler," from the film of the same
name.
If you want to help out your favorites to win their
respective awards - that bucket of golden popcorn, head on over
to MTV's web site. Voting will be open until May 27 for all
categories except best movie, which has a deadline of May 31.
The awards show will be held at Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal
City, California and will be hosted by Saturday Night Live's own
Andy Samberg.
While Cyrus has millions of fans, can she still hold on to
her spot in the limelight? Find out when the MTV Movie Awards
airs on May 31. |
|
Top
|
All Aboard For 'Disney's A Christmas Carol' Train Tour
PR
Newswire - Disney is pulling out all the whistle stops and
taking its show on the road with a spectacular immersive and
interactive 40-city train tour including a 3D sneak peek of film
footage from the upcoming movie "Disney's A Christmas Carol," it
was announced today (05/08/09) by Dick Cook,
chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. Set amidst a snowy backdrop
-- complete with all of the sights and sounds of Christmas
including carolers, decorations, giveaways and many more
surprises in each of the 40 cities -- the Train Tour is being
launched with HP on board as the title and technology sponsor
and driven by Amtrak. This family event is for guests of all
ages and is free to the public.
Starring Jim Carrey
and directed by Academy Award(R)-winning filmmaker
Robert Zemeckis, "Disney's A Christmas Carol" opens in
theatres November 6 in Disney Digital 3D(TM) and
in IMAX 3D(R).
Commenting on the announcement,
Cook said, "'Disney's A Christmas Carol' Train Tour is an
incredibly fun way to introduce families across the country to
the wonders and spectacle that is Robert Zemeckis' unique and
spectacular new holiday film. We are so proud of the movie, and
think the 3D footage is so incredible, we just had to give
everyone a chance to see it in Disney Digital 3D. From
Los Angeles to New York, and all
points in between, guests are going to have a fabulous time
discovering things about the making of this extraordinary film,
participating in their own festive fantasies, and getting into
the holiday spirit all year round. 'Disney's A Christmas Carol'
is great entertainment for moviegoers of all ages, and this is
the perfect introduction to a fun and exciting new holiday
classic."
Among the highlights of the tour
are authentic artifacts on loan from the Charles Dickens Museum
of London; artwork, costumes and props from
the film; demonstrations of performance capture technology; and
a chance to morph your face into one of the film's characters
using HP TouchSmart PCs. At each stop along the way, a
state-of-the-art Disney Digital 3D Theatre will be erected,
where guests can get a sneak peek of "Disney's A Christmas
Carol" and see other exclusive behind-the-scenes materials from
the movie. The latest details about tour stops and scheduled
events are available at
www.christmascaroltraintour.com.
Featuring four custom-designed
vintage rail cars full of behind-the-scenes attractions,
entertaining demonstrations, and fun activities, the tour will
have its inaugural stop at Los Angeles' Union Station over
Memorial Day Weekend, from May 22nd through May
25th. During the next 24 weeks, the train will make 40
stops in 36 states, as it travels its way across more than
16,000 miles of track. The tour will finish at New York's Grand
Central Terminal over the weekend of
October 30th through November 1st.
At every tour stop, Radio Disney
will invite kids to enter for a chance to become a Movie Surfer
representing their hometown. Each Hometown Movie Surfer will get
a chance to appear on Disney Channel by filming their very own
Movie Surfer's segment! They'll also receive a prize package of
exclusive Movie Surfer and "Disney's A Christmas Carol" gear.
ABC television stations across
the country will run local promotions. At each stop, guests will
have the chance to win an HP TouchSmart PC and an HP Photosmart
wireless printer. Additionally, Disney is
working with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America organization to
provide an early Christmas experience to kids across the
country.
Disney will present the organization with a donation in the
amount of $100,000 at the May 21st
launch in
Los Angeles to further the organization's efforts of
helping kids grow up to be great and will invite Boys & Girls
Club kids to be part of the tour when it comes to their town.
Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the nation are impacting the lives
of 4.8 million young people each year with after-school programs
that emphasize education, career exploration, community service,
technology skills, financial literacy, the arts and more to help
them reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens.
A variety of innovative HP
technologies helped to make the Train Tour possible. HP ProLiant
servers and HP ProCurve switches will provide
Disney with the computing power that will allow guests to
collect and upload photos. Throughout the train exhibits,
Disney is using HP TouchSmart PCs to run an interactive
face morph application and HP monitors to showcase performance
capture technology as well as images and digital effects from
the film. Additionally, each train car will be wrapped with
Disney's Train Tour logo using the versatility of HP Scitex
printers.
"For decades HP and
Disney have joined together to captivate audiences
through technology innovation and digital entertainment," said
Michael Mendenhall, senior vice president and chief
marketing officer, HP. "HP technology used in the making of
'Disney's A Christmas Carol' has enabled Disney
to push the boundaries in performance capture technology. The
Train Tour offers an innovative way for guests to interact with
HP's latest technology and experience the magic behind the
film."
Amtrak locomotives and engineers
will lead the four-car Train Tour (plus a private car), across
the US, with stops ranging from 1-3 days along the way. Each
train station will be themed with holiday decorations, and
feature artwork from the film, Christmas Carolers, fun
activities for the entire family, and snow!
"Rail travel continues to
influence the way people connect with each other and celebrating
the release of a true classic is a perfect way to further that
connection," said Emmett Fremaux, Vice
President Marketing and Product Management, Amtrak. "We couldn't
be more thrilled to be teaming up with Walt Disney Studios for
this 40 city tour to help educate Americans about the benefit of
rail travel."
Dolby Laboratories will be
supplying its Dolby(R) 3D Digital Cinema solution for the
traveling Digital 3D theater, and Barco is providing the DP2000
digital projectors. Panasonic provides some of the latest high
resolution large screen technology available to consumers today
throughout the train cars. And, the Department of
Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
is encouraging guests traveling to and from the train to Buckle
Up, Every Trip, Every Time!
ABOUT THE MOVIE
"Disney's A Christmas Carol," a
multi-sensory thrill ride re-envisioned by Academy Award(R)-winning
filmmaker
Robert Zemeckis, captures the fantastical essence of the
classic Dickens tale in a groundbreaking, performance-capture 3D
motion picture event. Ebeneezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey)
begins the holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at
his faithful clerk (Gary Oldman) and his cheery
nephew (Colin Firth). But when the ghosts of
Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come take him on an
eye-opening journey, revealing truths Old Scrooge is reluctant
to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before
it's too late. Through the magic of performance-capture
technology, Jim Carrey tackles seven roles,
including Scrooge and all of the Christmas spirits.
"DISNEY'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL"
TRAIN TOUR SCHEDULE
Stop
# Market Date Site Address
City State Zip
1 Los May 22-25 Los Angeles 800 N. Los
Angeles Union Station Alameda
Angeles CA 90012
St.
2 Grand May 29-31 Williams Depot 233 North
Williams AZ 86046
Canyon Grand
Canyon
Blvd
3 Santa Fe June 2 Santa Fe Depot 410 S Santa
Fe NM 87501
Guadalupe
St
4 Albuquerque June 5-7 Albuquerque Amtrak
Albuquerque NM 87102
Station
214 First
Street
Southwest
5 Denver June 12-14 Denver Union 1701
Denver CO 80202
Station Wynkoop St
6 Salt Lake June 16 Ogden Union 2501 Wall
Ogden UT 84401
City Station Avenue
7 Sacramento June 19-21 California 111 I
Sacramento CA 95814
State Rail Street
Road Museum
8 San June 26-28 Port of 675
Redwood CA 94063
Francisco Redwood City Seaport City
Blvd.
9 Portland July 1 Portland 800
Portland OR 97209
Union Northwest
Station 6th Avenue
10 Seattle July 3-5 King Street 303 South
Seattle WA 98104
Station Jackson
Street
11 Spokane July 7 Spokane 221 W. 1st
Spokane WA 99201
Amtrak Avenue
Station
12 Whitefish July 10-11 Whitefish 500 Depot
Whitefish MT 59937
Amtrak St
Station
13 Fargo July 15 North Dakota 1301 12th
Fargo ND 58102
State Avenue
University North
14 St. Paul July 17-19 Amtrak Midway 730 St.
Paul MN 55114
Station Transfer
Road
15 Chicago July 24-26 Chicago Union 225 South
Chicago IL 60606
Station Canal Street
16 St. Louis July 31- St. Louis 550 South Saint
Louis MO 63103
August 2 Union Station 16th Street
17 Memphis August 4 Memphis 545 South
Memphis TN 38103
Central Main Street
Station
18 New Orleans August 7-9 Riverview 6500 New
Orleans LA 70118
in Audubon Magazine
Park Street
19 Houston August 11 Houston 902
Houston TX 77002
Amtrak Washington
Station Avenue
20 San Antonio August San Antonio 350 Street San
Antonio TX 78205
14-16 Amtrak Hoefgen
Station
21 Dallas August Dallas Union 401 South
Dallas TX 75202
18-19 Station Houston St
22 Oklahoma August Oklahoma City 100 South
Oklahoma OK 73102
City 21-23 Santa Fe E. City
Depot K.Gaylord
Blvd
23 Kansas City August 25 Kansas City 30 W.
Kansas MO 64108
Union Station Pershing City
Road
24 Omaha August Durham Museum 801 South
Omaha NE 68108
28-30 10th Street
25 Detroit September Henry Ford 20900
Dearborn MI 48124
4-6 Museum Oakwood
Greenfield Blvd
Village
26 Indian September 9 Downtown 24 North
Bargersville IN 46106
-apolis Bargersville Main Street
27 Louisville September Louisville 1000 W.
Louisville KY 40203
11-13 Union Station Broadway
28 Cleveland September Cleveland 1085 W
Cleveland OH 44114
18-19 Brown's Lot Third St
29 Albany September Albany 525
Rensselaer NY 12144
22 Rensselaer East Street
Rail Station
30 Boston September South Station 2 South
Boston MA 02110
25-27 Station
31 Baltimore September B & O 901 W
Baltimore MD 21223
30 Railroad Pratt St
Museum
32 Washington October Union Station 50
Washington DC 20002
2-4 Massachusetts
Ave. NE
33 Atlanta October 6 Southeastern 3595
Duluth GA 30096
Railway Peachtree
Museum Rd
34 Spencer October NC 411 S.
Spencer NC 28159
9-11 Transporta Salisbury
-tion Museum Ave
35 Savannah October 13 Savannah 2611
Savannah GA 31415
Amtrak Seaboard
Station Coastline
Dr
36 Miami October Gold Coast 12450 SW
Miami FL 33177
16-18 Railroad 152nd St
Museum
37 Jackson October 20 Jacksonville 3570
Jackson FL 32209
-ville Amtrak Clifford -ville
Station Lane
38 Charleston October Ansonborough Washington
Charleston SC 29401
23-25 Field and Concord
Streets
39 Philadel October 27 30th Street 2955
Philadel PA 19104
-phia Station Market -phia
Street
40 New York October 30 Grand Central 42nd New
York NY 10017
-November 1 Terminal Street
and Park
Avenue |
|
Top
|
Save dollars at Disney
World
USA Today - A Walt Disney World vacation is a rite of passage
for many families, but it also can be an expensive trip. To keep
costs down, stay at a Disney World property. Here's why:
Better rates. Disney is offering its value properties from
$68 per night and moderate hotels at $129 on weeknights.
Transportation. Resort guests get free airport transfers and
can take advantage of free bus, water taxi and monorail
transportation between the parks and the hotels. That means
there's no need to rent a car on your trip.
Meals. Only guests at Disney properties have the option of
purchasing a meal plan, which Disney claims can save you up to
30% over a la carte pricing.
Extra hours. Disney guests are entitled to early or late
admission to certain parks on certain days. That can mean
avoiding the long lines for Spaceship Earth or Pirates of the
Caribbean. Before you book your trip, visit Disney's website to
take advantage of any other timely Disney deals. |
|
Top
|
BOOM! Lands at Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store
Comic Book Resources - Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio
Store announced today that the new BOOM! Kids line of Muppet and
Disney/Pixar comics will be available to their customers
starting immediately! Newsstand editions of THE MUPPET SHOW
COMIC BOOK, THE INCREDIBLES: FAMILY MATTERS, CARS: THE ROOKIE
and all forthcoming Muppet and Disney/Pixar comics will be
hitting the shelves each Wednesday as new comics are released!
"We couldn't be more excited to be the only
comics carried at the Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store,"
said BOOM! Kids editor Paul Morrissey. "I can't wait to see the
fans' reaction to these great books!"
Commenting on the announcement, Lylle Breier,
General Manager of The
Muppets Studio, said, "BOOM! Studios has a reputation for
creating some of the most exciting and imaginative comic books,
and we're pleased to be offering their new line of Muppet and
Disney-Pixar comics under the BOOM! Kids imprint at Disney's
Soda Fountain & Studio Store. These great new comics offer fun
new adventures centered around 'The Muppet Show' and such
popular Disney-Pixar properties as 'The Incredibles' and 'Cars.'
Muppet fans and moviegoers are going to enjoy this fantastic new
line of comics and they can always pick up the latest releases
in person while they're shopping or having an ice cream sundae
at Disney's Soda Fountain."
BOOM! Studios announced the launch of their
new imprint, "BOOM! Kids" in late March. BOOM! Kids serves as a
home for BOOM!'s kid-friendly publishing content. The company's
new imprint includes its own website, www.boom-kids.com. The
premiere books for this imprint include THE INCREDIBLES: FAMILY
MATTERS #1, THE MUPPET SHOW COMIC BOOK #1, both released on
March 25th, and CARS: THE ROOKIE #1 released April 1st.
All BOOM! Kids' titles will be serialized as
individual 24-page comic books in Direct Market comic book
collector shops and newsstands; then each four issue complete
story will be collected into graphic novel trade paperbacks
available in the mass market via Borders, Barnes & Noble and the
direct market as well.
Recently, BOOM! Studios announced a national
newsstand distribution agreement with Kable Distribution
Services, Inc. for the BOOM! Kids line of the monthly
publication to the newsstand market.
For additional information, see
www.boom-kids.com.
Disney's Soda Fountain & Studio Store is
located at 6834 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood and is open daily.
For more information about Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio
Store, please visit the official Web site:
www.disneysodafountain.com or call 323-817-1475.
About BOOM! Studios
BOOM! Studios (www.boom-studios.com) is a
unique publishing house specializing in high-profile projects
across a wide variety of different genres from some of the
industry's biggest talents, including Philip K. Dick's DO
ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, The Henson Company's FARSCAPE,
and the original Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE. BOOM! recently
launched its youth imprint, BOOM! Kids, with Pixar's THE
INCREDIBLES, CARS, and TOY STORY, as well as Disney's THE
MUPPETS. This year, BOOM! Studios celebrates its fourth
anniversary.
About Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store
Located in the heart of Hollywood, Disney's
Soda Fountain and Studio Store offers a wide selection of new,
hard-to-find and exclusive merchandise, all related to Walt
Disney Studios' films. The store occupies 4,698 square
feet along Hollywood Boulevard right next door to the El Capitan
Theatre, which serves as an exclusive first run theatre for Walt
Disney Pictures, hosting live stage shows, world premieres, and
other special events. Theatre patrons have access to the store
through a connecting door. The historic El Capitan reopened in
1991 as a flagship Disney venue with the world premiere of The
Rocketeer. |
|
Top
|
Geri pays homage to
Mickey Mouse
easier - Mickey Mouse has invited some of the biggest names in
fashion and showbiz to celebrate Mickey's Magical Party at
Disneyland Resort Paris by creating bespoke My Mickey Ears.
Mickey's Magical Party is a year-long celebration taking
place between 4th April 2009 and March 2010 at Disneyland Paris
that promises to offer guests of all ages interactive
entertainment and new experiences.
Geri Haliwell, Estelle, John Terry, Amir Kahn, Katie Hillier,
Charlotte Olympia, Corto Moltedo, Brix Smith-Start, Pearl Lowe,
Daisy Lowe, Patsy Kensit. Luella, PPQ, Henry Holland and Giles
Deacon have all taken iconic Mickey ears and put their personal
twist on them. From spikes and studs, pom-poms and gems, to
intricate sequined flowers, each pair of bespoke ears are
one-offs and reflect the personality of its designer.
Each pair of My Mickey Ears will be available for auction
from 5th May – 5th June 2009 via the charity website
buyoncegivetwice.co.uk/events/mymickeyears. All proceeds will go
to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity as part of
Disney's ongoing commitment to the hospital's redevelopment.
"Great Ormond Street Hospital is one of the most amazing
places I've been too, its more than a regular hospital, it has a
wonderful energy and it's so full of love. I loved making the
Mickey ears with my daughter. It was a great excuse to get
messy. We believe we've created the finest pair of ears on the
planet!" says Geri Haliwell.
The full collection of My Mickey Ears, will be on exhibition
and open to the public from 13th - 27th May 2009 at START
boutique, 42-44 Rivington Street, Shoreditch, London EC2A 3BN.
|
|
Top
|
Disney
Cleans Up it's Gay Act
Sydney Star Observer - A second
Hollywood actor has come out in the space of a week. David Ogden
Stiers, best known as Major Charles Winchester on M*A*S*H, said
he stayed closeted for fear he would lose voice-acting work with
Disney.“I enjoy working and many have this idealistic belief
that the entertainment industry and studios like Walt Disney are
gay-friendly. For the most part they are, but that doesn’t mean
for them that business does not come first,” he told Oklahoma
City LGBT website gossip-boy.com.
“What they might allow in a more known actor, they prefer not
having to deal with in minor players.”
But the overt discrimination and suggestions from employers
that he remain closeted ended around seven years ago, he said,
and he had no ill-will towards them.
Stiers starred in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, Beauty and the
Beast and Pocahontas. |
|
Top
|
Disney’s Animal Experts Ensure Mother-Child Bond Among Animals
 Disney
News - The animal care team from Walt Disney World Resort has
been busy since last Mother’s Day, assisting with the births of
more than 440 animals and more importantly, helping to ensure
that the relationship between mother and child remains
uncompromised.
While much focus is
given to the expert care of the animals during the birthing
process, equal attention is given to the delicate and complex
mother-child bonding process which uniquely varies among species
and among individual animals.
For example, animal
care experts at Disney’s Animal Kingdom were recently monitoring
two baby vultures hatched from two different sets of new
parents. One pair adapted quickly to their new parenting roles,
while the other pair struggled and had difficulty feeding their
new offspring. Concerned about malnourishment, the animal
husbandry team intervened by providing supplemental food to the
smaller bird. Eventually, the struggling parents began copying
the behaviors of the adept parents and improved their parenting
skills. Their efforts have been successful and today, both young
chicks are of equal size.
“Disney’s Animal
Programs team constantly balances animals’ physical needs such
as food and shelter with the social needs of both mother and
child.” said Matt Hohne, animal operations director at Disney’s
Animal Kingdom. “By sharing this information with guests and
with other researchers, Disney’s Animal Programs hopes to
protect species and learn more about breeding, animal behavior,
health and natural habitats, which are paramount to the success
of long-term conservation efforts.”
Among mammals, nearly
all of the primary caregivers are mothers, but in some groups,
it may take an entire village to raise a child. For instance,
Walt Disney World Resort welcomed a black and white colobus
monkey baby – the first of its species born at Disney’s Animal
Kingdom. Animal keepers are typically more anxious about the
parenting skills of any first-time mother, but this baby
continues to thrive under the attentive and watchful eyes of
first-time mother, Kabibi. She’s also getting some extra help
from three other adults that take turns watching the baby while
the mother sleeps or eats.
Last June,
second-time mother Moyo gave birth to a 327-pound male elephant
calf – the heaviest animal yet to be born at Disney’s Animal
Kingdom. During the baby’s first days, mother and son bonded
quickly and the animal care team quickly became confident about
the calf’s future since nursing was early and successful. Some
of that confidence may be attributed to experience. Having
groomed and nursed a first-born, Moyo quickly remembered her
prior parenting skills.
At Disney‘s Animal
Kingdom, animal experts carefully monitor the progress of mother
and baby, starting with the infant’s eating habits and activity
levels. They also closely watch the care-giving habits of the
mother to ensure the baby receives appropriate care and
grooming. This level of attention is maintained not only during
infancy but throughout an animal’s entire lifespan.
Through successful
breeding programs, Disney’s animal experts are helping to
increase the population of endangered animals such as the Key
Largo woodrat and the Micronesian kingfisher. The goal is to
eventually reintroduce these captive-born animals in the wild.
Such was the case with a pair of endangered white rhinos that
were born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and transferred to a
wildlife preserve in Africa. This was the first reintroduction
of white rhinos from the United States to Africa and marked the
beginning of efforts to re-establish a rhino population --
extinct since 1972 when white rhinos were a casualty of civil
unrest in the region.
This commitment to
animals reaches beyond the boundaries of Disney theme parks
through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, (DWCF). Since
establishment in 1995, the DWCF has donated $13.8 million in
funding to 750 projects in 110 countries. One of the current
projects is a gorilla rescue center in the Democratic Republic
of Congo where animal experts are working to rehabilitate and
reintroduce orphaned gorillas that lost both parents due to
poaching and other illegal activities. |
|
Top
|
|
Disney holding auditions for children in Denver
Denver Theater Examiner - Disney Theatrical Productions is
hosting an open casting call here in Denver for the Broadway and
National Touring Productions of Mary Poppins - check it out!
Disney Theatrical Productions will be hosting open auditions
for the Broadway and National Touring companies of Disney and
Cameron Mackintosh's MARY POPPINS, in Denver on Sunday, May 17
at The Newman Center for Theatre Education at The Denver Center
for the Performing Arts for children who can sing, dance, and
act to play "Jane Banks" and "Michael Banks." Children of all
cultural backgrounds are encouraged to attend.
ABOUT "JANE BANKS"
Jane is a pretty and attractive 11-year-old girl. Exuberant
but willful. Thoughtless, short-tempered and untidy.
Occasionally inclined to snobbishness. Maximum height of 58".
ABOUT "MICHAEL BANKS"
Michael is a cute and cheeky 9 year-old boy. Excitable.
Naughty. Noisy, mischievous and troublesome little boy who
adores his father and tries to be like him. Maximum height of
56".
WHEN:
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Sign-in held promptly from 10:00am – 11:00am
Auditions begin at 11:00am
All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Parents or guardians must remain on the audition site at all
times.
PREPARE:
Please prepare a contemporary Musical Theatre song. Please
provide sheet music for the accompanist, and remember to bring a
current picture and resume.
WHERE:
The Newman Center for Theatre Education at the DCPA
1101 13th Street
Denver, CO 80204
For more information: visit www.disneyonbroadway.com/auditions
or email casting@disneyonbroadway.com. If you are unable to
attend these auditions, send a picture and a resume (you may
also include a DVD or demo CD) to Disney on Broadway, ATTN:
Casting, The New Amsterdam Theatre, 214 West 42nd Street, New
York, NY 10036. |
|
Top
|
Aflac to
debut Disney Pixar ad and race car
 Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer - Aflac Inc. has collaborated with Disney
Pixar for a new television commercial set to debut Saturday.
The Aflac duck will share the screen with a few characters from
Disney Pixar’s 3-D movie “Up,” an animated comedy adventure that
hits theaters later this month.
The ad’s message is the same one Aflac has been pushing in
its last several commercials: the company will provide
policyholders with cash when they are injured or sick. Company
officials have previously said that while many people are
familiar with Aflac, not all know what the supplemental
insurance firm actually does.
“This commercial reminds all of us about the importance of
having a financial plan for life’s unexpected events,” Jeff
Charney, Aflac senior vice president and chief marketing
officer, said in a news release.
Aflac will also use characters from “Up” in a new paint
scheme for the Aflac 99 Ford Fusion race car. The Disney
Pixar-inspired car will make its debut Saturday when Carl
Edwards takes the wheel at the Southern 500 Nascar race at
Darlington Raceway in South Carolina.
Aflac officials mentioned last month the company would be
branding itself alongside Disney Pixar when they announced a new
marketing campaign called Aflac Wingspan. The campaign — which
features a new slogan, “We’ve Got You Under Our Wing” — aims to
reach more potential customers and boost sales during the
economic downturn.
The movie “Up” is Disney Pixar’s first 3-D film. The film
centers around Carl Fredricksen, a 78-year-old balloon salesman
who decides to fulfill his lifelong dream for adventure. The
elderly man ties thousands of balloons to his house to fly away
to the South American wilderness. Then he discovers a stowaway:
an 8-year-old Junior Wilderness Explorer named Russell. |
|
Top
|
|
Thursday
May 7, 2009 |
'Wipeout' visits Downtown Disney on Sunday, Monday
Matt
Millen joins ESPN as football analyst
Disney passholder offers
ABC
Music Lounge: No cocktails, but nonstop music
Characters return to Disney's Celebrate a Dream Come True parade
at Magic Kingdom
Hitting rewind
on a weekend at Studios
New Orleans writer Whitney Stewart tells the story of Walt
Disney and Mickey
'Dancing With the Stars' was Monday's big winner for ABC, Disney
Disney
to Develop Online Subscription Service
Disney Interactive Studios Announces Disney Sing It: Pop Hits
No Earnout
For Club Penguin Founders In '08 |
|
'Wipeout' visits Downtown Disney on Sunday, Monday
Orlando Sentinel - If you want to see the Wipeout Road Trip,
visit Downtown Disney from 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday.
ABC said the event will be set
up across from DisneyQuest, Cirque du Soleil and House of Blues.
There's a registration booth
where you can sign a waiver and get a wrist band. To take part
in two games -- Log Roll and Sucker Punch Wall -- you must be 18
or older.
You'll get a video taken of your
participation in Sucker Punch Wall. You can have your photo
taken with Ballsy, the ball mascot. You'll win a prize -- not
matter how you do.
If you're younger than 18, you
can still get your photo taken with Ballsy.
"Wipeout" returns to the ABC
lineup May 27. |
|
Top
|
Matt Millen
joins ESPN as football analyst
AP - Matt
Millen is a lot more popular as a
broadcaster than he was as an NFL
executive.
The architect of
the league's
first 0-16 team
is joining ESPN
as a football
analyst. He was
a successful
commentator at
CBS and Fox
before taking
over the Detroit
Lions in 2001 --
and leading them
to one of the
worst eight-year
stretches in NFL
history.ESPN
said Thursday
that Millen will
call college
football games
and appear on
NFL studio
shows. He served
as a guest
analyst with NBC
during last
season's
playoffs after
the Lions fired
him in
September.
ESPN
executive vice
president Norby
Williamson calls
Millen "one of
the absolute
best analysts in
the business."
Millen was on
four Super Bowl
championship
teams during his
12-year NFL
career.
ESPN is a
unit of The Walt
Disney Co.
|
|
Top
|
Disney passholder offers
Theme Park Rangers - With May comes a new Mickey Montitor,
full of passholder events and deals:
-- Sign up online for a
technical demonstration of pyrotechnics used on Disney
property. It's from 4 to 5 p.m. June 20 at Disney's Wide
World of Sports. Presenter for "A Blast with Brad" is Brad
Cicotti.
-- Set your alarm for the World
of Disney passholder sale at 6:30 a.m. June 6. Guests will
get 50 percent off select merchandise, surprise merchandise
at registers, doorbusters available at opening, and a free
gift to the first 1,000 guests.
-- For the first time, a pin
will be released during Star Wars Weekends, on May 22. It's
Yoda with a spinning element, and it's only available to
passholders. Price is $12.95, according to the Mickey
Monitor, but the Web site says $14.95. The edition size is
2,000. Limit of 2 pins per passholder per day.
-- Persuade your friends and
family to buy **new** Disney passes, and they can get 10
percent off and you can earn $25 for each pass they purchase
with Pass-Along Cards found in the newsletter. This offer is
good between May 1 and July 31.
-- Save at Cirque du Soleil
with 30 percent off the regular price of Category 2
admission for you and three guests for most shows through
June 27.
-- Sweepstakes to win a framed
and autographed Star Wars-themed poster and another for a
one-year charter membership to D23.
-- New this summer for
everyone: From May 10 to Aug. 29 you can meet Lilo and
Stitch at Typhoon Lagoon and Goofy at Blizzard Beach. Later
this month, Carl and Russell from Disney-Pixar's
Up will sign
autographs and pose for photos at Disney's Hollywood
Studios.
|
|
Top
|
ABC Music Lounge: No cocktails, but nonstop music
AP - Cocktails won't be served, but ABC says a new online
"music lounge" will offer a full menu of songs and artists
featured on its shows.
The virtual ABC Music Lounge is
aimed at making the most of the tunes included on "Grey's
Anatomy," "Desperate Housewives" and other programs, the network
said Thursday.
The Web site offers a streaming
"radio station" playing 200-plus singers and bands whose songs
have been heard on ABC, Web pages for featured artists and a
link for online song purchases.
Music videos, exclusive
performance footage and interviews with artists and show
producers also are on the site.
"This is way to bring all the
music of ABC into one place, to allow people to find and enjoy
it," said Michael Benson, ABC executive vice president for
marketing.
Artists showcased on the new
site include Adele, the Fray, Lenka, Anya Marina, Joshua Radin
and Rilo Kiley.
ABC Music Lounge's scheduled
Thursday debut was to coincide with 100th episode of "Grey's
Anatomy." To mark the occasion, the Web site offered a
retrospective of the music featured throughout the drama's run.
Other TV networks highlight
on-air music on their Web sites, but ABC said its goal is to
offer the most "robust" destination. The Music Lounge is another
measure of the growing importance of television to the music
industry, ABC executives said.
"There's been so much talk about
CD sales declining. That doesn't mean the use of music and
demand for music is declining," said Peter DiCecco, ABC senior
vice president of business and legal affairs for music. "People
always want a venue to find music. TV is that venue."
ABC also is taking on the
"important responsibility" of helping to launch new artists in a
changing music industry, said Dawn Soler, ABC vice president for
TV music.
According to the network, sales
of the Fray's "How To Save A Life" jumped nearly 300 percent
after playing in an episode of "Grey's Anatomy," while digital
downloads of Lenka's "Trouble Is A Friend" also jumped after it
was included on the show.
The network is working with Epic
Records and other labels to create a new business model that
provide for revenue-sharing and help reduce license fees for the
use of music on TV, Benson said.
ABC is owned by The Walt Disney
Co. |
|
Top
|
Characters return to Disney's Celebrate a Dream Come True parade
at Magic Kingdom
Theme Park Rangers - Hallelujah! Someone has seen the light at
Disney World's Magic Kingdom and boosted the number of
characters in the Celebrate a Dream Come True snoozefest of a
parade. I counted almost two dozen additional characters in the
daily parade.
The additional characters --
who are walking the route so they can actually interact with
guests (imagine that!) -- are interspersed throughout the
Magic Kingdom parade, leading each unit.
Strangely, the additional
characters come with a cost: The villains float has been
removed. That's a shame, as Cruella, Maleficent and the Evil
Queen from "Snow White" always entertained. But for those
who have to have some evil in their parade, some of the new
characters are villainous.
Among the character
additions are some faces not as frequently seen in the Magic
Kingdom parades. Here's a run-down of what I noticed:
* Chip, Dale and Pluto have
moved to the front of the parade in front of Mickey and
Minnie.
* Gepetto, Gideon and
Foulfellow are in front of the Pinocchio/Snow White float.
* Jafar, Genie, and the
rarely seen Abu character lead Aladdin, Mary Poppins and
Bert.
* Captain Hook, Mr. Smee and
Tweedle Dee and Dum process in front of Peter Pan, Wendy,
Alice and Mad Hatter.
* Cinderella's mice, Suzy
and Perla, kick off the princess procession, along with her
evil stepmother, Lady Tremaine and her ugly stepsisters, who
provide some fun comic relief.
* Lilo & Stitch, Woody and
Jessie are in front of the finale float, which now includes
Baloo and King Louie.
Other changes after the
jump:
* In an effort to
let the characters interact
more with the crowd, they dismount their floats during the show
stop and dance
closer to the audience. Dancers
run up on the floats
to take their place.
* It seems an effort has
been made to jazz up the show stop. Along with the men
waving flags, it looked as though there was increased ribbon
action from the women.
Overall, the improvements
were needed and they improve the ambience of the parade, but
it still is a pretty weak effort by Disney. I still wonder
who thought it was a good idea to OK a parade full of
generic dancing Disney kids and minimal characters. At least
these changes seem like an effort to add some charm and
magic into what should be the daytime centerpiece of
Disney's entertainment.
I'm going to give it some
time and check it out again in a few weeks when I have
company in town. We'll see if there are any more tweaks to
be had.
|
|
Top
|
Hitting rewind
on a weekend at Studios
Theme Park Rangers - Last weekend
was all about the way-back machine for the 20th anniversary of
the opening of Disney's Hollywood Studios. Disney World's third
theme park, known as Disney-MGM Studios until last year, has
been morphing over the years from its roots as working
production company (with live animators under glass) to a more
idealized concept of Hollywood and its associated thrills.
On Friday, I attended a public talk with Imagineering executives
sharing their experiences with molding the park back in the
'80s.
"It had a humble beginning," said Bob Weiss. But it also had a
quick metamorphosis: Three weeks of development from a pavilion
at Epcot's Future World to its own free-standing theme park.
The first years of the park centered on a tour of the studios.
One stage included peeks of shows in production, such as the
Mickey Mouse Club.
"We realized the moments of pure magic on a soundstage are few
and far between," said Tom Fitzgerald.
That's one of my first MGM moments, actually. Looking down on a
dimly lit stage at ... nothing.
Also gone is the "Star Today" program (I saw Greg Louganis
once), where luminaries visited, chatted and put their hands in
wet cement. The early days packed a lot of star power, even if
it was on tape. In the Imagineers session, we were shown clips
featuring Carol Burnett, Tom Selleck, Goldie Hawn, C3PO, Warren
Beatty and a funny bit co-starring Mel Gibson and Pee-Wee
Herman.
Then-CEO of Walt Disney Co. Michael Eisner and Mickey Mouse (in
his casual '80s garb) were co-stars in "Michael and Mickey,"
part of the tour that included coming-attractions trailers. In
it, Michael wears a Mickey watch, and Mickey wears a Michael
Eisner watch. We laughed 20 years later.
Taped at the Studios especially for the Studios was "The
Lottery" starring Bette Midler. It was fun to see scenes from
the park's New York street, including a tumble down the
subway-less subway entrance. Fun to watch were slides of
buildings in California's Hollywood that inspired the
architecture of the Disney park. For instance, the front gates
were modeled after the Pan-Pacific Auditorium, and the Brown
Derby is fashioned after restaurants, despite the fact the
originals had fallen into disrepair. (Fun fact: the inspiration
for the Darkroom and its giant-camera facade is now a Thai
restaurant out west.)
The session covered topics from construction through expansion
and the latest additions such as Toy Story Mania and American
Idol Experience.
When pressed for his favorite attraction, Eric Jacobson finally
admitted to a fondness for Tower of Terror.
"It was so enjoyable doing something guests have never seen
before," he said.
An element of the Studios park that received groans from the
audience was the addition of the Mickey's Sorcerer's Hat, also
referred to as "that big hat."
Weiss sort of hid his contempt of the hat while an image of the
Chinese Theater was on the screen.
"You can't get this view anymore," he said. "I hope we will get
this view again sometime soon."
It was in no way any sort of announcement ("I hope
..."), but it drew cheers anyway.
I'm not so offended by that big hat — not nearly as awful as the
late Mickey's wand at Epcot. But it does block the Chinese
Theater and disrupt the architecture that the park was built
upon, especially along Hollywood Boulevard.
And it would help if it actually did something, or topped
something more interesting than a pin shop.
My suggestion: move that sucker out front, where they have put
up a Christmas tree in the past. And while we're at it, make it
spin.
Hey, a ranger can dream. |
|
Top
|
New Orleans writer Whitney Stewart tells the story of Walt
Disney and Mickey
 The
Times-Picayune - WHO WAS WALT DISNEY?
By Whitney Stewart Illustrated by Nancy Harrison (Grosset &
Dunlap, $4.99)
New Orleans writer Whitney
Stewart -- also the biographer of Sir Edmund Hillary, the Dalai
Lama, and Aung San Su Chi -- turns her attention to one of the
most prolific creators of children's entertainment in this
biography of Walt Disney.
The book follows a straight
chronology, from Disney's birth in Illinois to an idyllic
childhood in Marceline, Mo. (the model for Disneyland's Main
Street U.S.A.), his service in World War I, to his creation of
cartoon characters that became the basis for a film and
amusement park empire.
Stewart recounts how young
Disney once caught a field mouse, leashed it, and paraded it
through a classroom to a mixture of delight and horror on the
part of his classmates; mice would later, of course, be the key
characters in Disneyland. Even now, who doesn't enjoy a hug from
Mickey or Minnie?
Stewart tells her story in
straightforward fashion, not glossing over Disney's difficult
workaholic nature and his love of cigarettes (he died of lung
cancer in 1966), and the various tragedies in his life. There
are interesting sidebars about such topics as Charlie Chaplin (
a Disney favorite), animation basics, the Great Depression,
Pearl Harbor and Epcot, as well as timelines and an interesting
bibliography.
This compact book reminds us of
the impact a single individual can have on the cultural
landscape. Disney was an American dreamer, to be sure, and one
of our great American success stories. |
|
Top
|
'Dancing With the Stars' was Monday's big winner for ABC, Disney
Orlando Sentinel - The Nielsen ratings resumed coming in
yesterday, and we received the numbers for Monday night this
morning.
"Dancing With the Stars" was
the big winner that night and put Disney-owned ABC on top in
total viewers and in the 18-to-49 age group.
"Dancing" averaged 20.3 million
viewers over two hours and dominated 8 to 10 p.m.
Running second at 8 was
Fox's "House" with 12.1 million fans. The CBS comedies came
next: "The Big Bang Theory" with 9.3 million and "How I Met
Your Mother" with 8.9 million.
At 9, the CBS comedies ran
second second: "Two and a Half Men" with 14.2 million and
"Rules of Engagement" with 11.3 million. Fox's "24" was the
choice of 10.1 million. NBC's "Medium" was the stop for 7.2
million over two hours.
At 10, CBS was in front with
"CSI: Miami" pulling in 13.7 million. ABC's "Castle" charmed
nearly 10 million.
For the night, ABC averaged
17 million in prime time. Here's how the other broadcast
networks fared: CBS with 11.9 million, Fox with 11.1
million, NBC with 6.3 million, The CW with 2.2 million for
"Gossip Girl" and "One Tree Hill," and MyNetworkTV with 1.3
million.
CBS and Fox tied for second
in the 18-to-49 age group.
|
|
Top
|
Disney
to Develop Online Subscription Service
MediaPost Publications -
During a first quarter earnings call,
Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger on Tuesday said the media giant
was developing an online subscription service of Disney branded
content. "We realize that monetizing at a rate that is as robust
as the traditional platforms doesn't exist yet, but we
believe... that eventually it will," Iger said. "We are looking
to create a real blend in terms of how we monetize and how we
reach consumers and what kind of product we make available," he
said.
The announcement follows a string of major interactive moves by
Disney, including last week's announcement that it would buy a
near 30% stake in Hulu.com, the online video venture brought to
market by News Corporation and NBC Universal in 2007. Disney
also has a deal in place to put excerpts of its content on
YouTube, Google's online video sharing site. Iger said the Hulu
announcement did not preclude the possibility of Disney's longer
form content ending up on YouTube one day. "We feel pretty,
pretty confidently that if we don't put our product out online
in a well-timed and well-priced basis, it will still ... be
demanded by consumers," he said.
|
|
Top
|
Disney Interactive Studios Announces Disney Sing It: Pop Hits
Business Wire
- Disney Interactive Studios today announced that Disney Sing
It: Pop Hits, the third game in the video-based karaoke
video game franchise, will be released this fall. Disney Sing
It: Pop Hits features 30 master recordings and popular music
videos from fan favorites, including Miley Cyrus, Jonas
Brothers, Taylor Swift, Colbie Caillat, Demi Lovato, Hannah
Montana, Jesse McCartney, Coldplay and One Republic. This
instantly recognizable mix of Radio Disney and platinum-status
talent allows players of all ages to connect with current
artists right in their own living rooms.
“Great music,
chart-topping artists and immersive gameplay are the key
components in making this franchise popular with tweens and
families around the world,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice
president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. “In
addition to an exciting new collection of songs, the fun factor
has been raised with new multiplayer elements that will bring
hours of enjoyment to music fans of all ages.”
In Disney Sing
It: Pop Hits, fans will enjoy familiar single and
multiplayer game modes such as singing solo, duet and
head-to-head. Players will learn how to sing from a professional
in the newly expanded “Sing It Pro” mode. Led by Disney Channel
star Tiffany Thornton from “Sonny With A Chance,” this series of
voice exercises runs through the basics of pitch and breathing,
all the way up to harmonizing in a duet and riffing. These
exercises are designed to teach players how to sing so they can
unlock special rewards based on vocal improvements as they play.
Additional
expanded and new features include:
-
Sing It Encore:
Record and play back performances, and apply special effects
-
Run the Risk:
Attempt to outbid opponents on predicted scores
-
Duet Mode:
Harmonize with friends to earn higher scores
-
Unlockables: Earn
pins and themes to customize console wallpapers
Slated for a fall
release, Disney Sing It: Pop Hits follows last year’s
release of Disney Sing It and this spring’s Disney
Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year. These titles
provide a fresh and interactive social experience for fans,
where they can team up or compete in lively performance battles
with friends.
Developed by Zoë
Mode, Disney Sing It: Pop Hits will be available this
fall for Wii and PLAYSTATION3 computer entertainment system. The
game will be sold as a standalone or bundled with one Logitech
microphone for all systems.
About Disney
Interactive Studios
Disney Interactive
Studios, part of Disney Interactive Media Group, is the
interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS).
Disney Interactive Studios self publishes and distributes a
broad portfolio of multi-platform video games, mobile games and
interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses
properties and works directly with other interactive game
publishers to bring products for all ages to market. Disney
Interactive Studios is based in Glendale, California, and has
internal development studios around the world. For more
information, log on to
http://www.disneyinteractivestudios.com.
About Disney
Channel
Disney Channel is
a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television network that
taps into the world of kids and families through original series
and movies. Currently available on basic cable in over 97
million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on Disney
Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the
Disney-ABC Television Group. |
|
Top
|
No Earnout
For Club Penguin Founders In '08
Washington Post - When the Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS)
acquired popular virtual world Club Penguin in August 2007, the
company was upfront about the cost: $350 million in cash at the
time with the possibility of another $350 million. To earn that
additional $350 million, CP cofounders Lane Merrifield, Dave
Krysko and Lance Priebe had to meet earnings targets. Club
Penguin makes its money from premium subscriptions (the it had
700,000 when acquired by Disney) and sales of virtual items.
But according to
SEC filings, including the 10-Q filed Tuesday in conjunction
with FYQ2 earnings, Club Penguin missed its goals for 2008.
That leaves another $175 million on the table for the three
but given the current economic climate, it's looking more
likely that Disney will end up paying $350 million for Club
Penguin?not $700 million.
Does that mean the
acquisition was a failure? No. Club Penguin, now part of
Disney Online and the Disney Interactive Media Group,
continues to play a major role in Disney's virtual-world
push and its international plans. Its most recent expansions
were to France and Portugal. It's a reflection of Disney's
caution in certain kinds of spending that the deal came with
these strings attached?and of the difficulty projecting
targets when the economy shifts like tectonic plates.
From the 10-Q: "On August 1, 2007, the
Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of Club
Penguin Entertainment, Inc. (Club Penguin), a Canadian
company that operates clubpenguin.com, an online virtual
world for children. The purchase price included upfront cash
consideration of approximately $350 million and additional
consideration of up to $350 million payable if Club Penguin
achieved predefined earnings targets in calendar years 2008
and 2009. There have been no additional payments of
consideration for Club Penguin and remaining additional
consideration of $175 million is potentially payable based
on calendar year 2009 results."
|
|
Top
|
|
Wednesday
May 6, 2009 |
Disney
shares jump following earnings report
Ticker Shock: Three Reasons to Invest in the Wonderful World of
Disney
Onboard signs Disney
agreement
Don't rely on this iPhone app to guide you through Disney
Keeping
"Jonas" Styling - On and Off Camera
Walt Disney
upped to overweight at BarCap
Disney CFO: Domestic Room Reservations Expected Flat
Michael J. Fox stays positive on his ABC special
Hugely Anticipated Finale to Blockbuster Percy Jackson & the
Olympians Series Goes on Sale Today
Marc Davis Art on Exhibit |
|
Disney
shares jump following earnings report
MarketWatch - In early trades, Disney was up 10% at $25.47, a
gain of 7.3%.
The action came after the
entertainment giant released earnings results for the March
quarter after the closing bell on Tuesday. Earnings slid by
46% on restructuring charges, decreased advertising sales at
its owned-and-operated television stations and a decline in
DVD sales.
The bottom line, however, still
managed to best Wall Street's estimates.
Barclays Capital flipped its
rating on Disney from underweight, or sell, to overweight,
or the equivalent of a buy call. Wunderlich Securities
lifted its rating on the stock to hold from sell.
"While we continue to harbor
structural concerns on certain subsectors of media, we
believe Disney is best-positioned for media's digital
evolution," Barclays analyst Anthony DiClemente wrote in a
note to clients. "DVD sales and ABC are now a smaller
component of operating income and thus valuation."
Wunderlich analyst Martin
Pyykkoken lifted his rating on Disney shares to hold from
sell Wednesday, saying that the company's cable networks
were more resilient than he'd anticipated during the worst
economic environment in decades, and that there appears to
be "sustained bookings stability" at the company's theme
parks and resorts for the rest of the fiscal year.
"The ESPN brand value and
Disney cable channel programming led to outperformance in a
down advertising market for the quarter and they are key
factors in our rating upgrade on Disney shares," Pyykkonen
told clients.
The company's media networks
division, which includes ABC, ESPN and Disney Channel, among
other outlets, reported that its fiscal second-quarter
revenue rose 2% to $3.62 billion, but its operating profit
fell 4% to $1.30 billion.
While cable network profit rose
5% on increased fees paid to ESPN, ABC Family and Disney
Channel by cable and satellite operators, operating income
at ABC plunged 38%, as ad sales dropped at the TV stations
and higher production expenses cut into the bottom line.
At the company's U.S. resorts,
room reservations for the rest of the fiscal year are
"nearly on par" with the final two quarters of 2008, Chief
Financial Officer Tom Staggs remarked on the conference call
Tuesday evening.
Fiscal third-quarter
reservations are "slightly ahead" of the year-earlier pace,
partly because of a "buy four and get three free" promotion
at Walt Disney World, which will expire during the fourth
quarter.
Pyykkonen characterized the
parks news as "a positive sign."
Staggs declined to comment on
whether the promotion would be extended or if others would
be implemented later this year, saying only that Disney
would evaluate the marketplace and come to some conclusion.
The one main challenge for
Disney during the rest of fiscal 2009 is its studio
entertainment division, where the results in the March
quarter were "even worse than expected," Pykkonen wrote.
Revenue at the company's film
and television studios fell 21% to $1.44 billion, and
operating income dropped 97% to $13 million. In the home
entertainment arena, sales of such DVDs as "Beverly Hills
Chihuahua," "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" and "Bolt"
underperformed the studio's output in the second quarter of
2008, which included "No Country For Old Men" and
"Enchanted."
Worldwide theatrical
distribution proceeds also dropped sharply from a prior-year
period that included "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of
Both Worlds." Staggs added that the film studio will again
face difficult comparisons in the current quarter.
Staggs also told analysts
Tuesday that the rate of decline in the advertising market
is "stabilizing," but added that "ad buyers and consumers
remain cautious." Advertisers are making buys closer to the
air date of a particular program, while consumers are
booking trips to the Disney theme parks and resorts nearer
to their date of attendance, he said.
Last week, Disney took a stake
in the increasingly popular streaming video Web site Hulu,
and said it would make full-length episodes of such shows as
"Lost," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Desperate Housewives"
available for ad-supported viewing
During the call, Chief
Executive Bob Iger said the company is convinced that
putting some of its most popular television programming on
the online video site Hulu will not cut into ABC's TV
audience. As is the case with ABC.com and iTunes, Disney has
found that Hulu's audience is younger than the average TV
viewer, Iger explained, meaning that the company has a
chance to attract different viewers to its new media
platforms.
"We realize that monetizing
[online video] at a rate that's as robust as the traditional
platforms doesn't exist yet, but we believe ... eventually
it will," Iger said.
|
|
Top
|
Ticker Shock: Three Reasons to Invest in the
Wonderful World of Disney
Minyanville - It looks like Mickey
cleared the second-quarter earnings bar.
Excluding items, it put up $0.43 a share, which was a
respectable $0.03 better than expectations. Of course, I
don’t think this quarter’s results were that magical, in
that a quick look back indicates the bar had been lowered.
Over the last 30 days, the estimate has come down from $0.43
to $0.40. Meanwhile, its revenue number came in at about
$8.09 billion, which seemed to be a bit shy of expectations.
I admit this is starting to sound cliché, but I think things
could have been worse. And long term, I can’t help
but be bullish on Goofy and crew.
As I've said in the past:
1. Although some families may not venture to its
theme parks this year or next (particularly here in the
States) because of the lousy economy, I think once the dust
settles, that’ll change. I think we'll see vistorship and
merchandise sales rise. Kids aren’t going to stop yearning
for this stuff, and parents who grew up on Mickey aren’t
going to want to stop going, either.
2. In spite of current conditions, the company is
expected to earn $1.67 a share
this year. I can only imagine how well it might do on the
earnings front once the economy seriously starts to perk up.
3. I just don’t see any other company that can
replicate what Disney created. Sure, there are a ton of
non-Disney movies out there that could bring kids into
theaters, and there are regional theme parks. But at the end
of the day, how many really compare with the product Disney
puts out?
In the near term, I think there’s a chance the stock could
languish. But long haul, my bet is on Mickey. And Goofy - I
love that guy.
|
|
Top
|
Onboard signs
Disney agreement
DFNI Online - Airlines and high-speed trains using Onboard
Retail Solutions' systems will offer tickets to Disneyland
Paris.
Onboard Retail Solutions has
signed an agreement with Disney Destinations International UK to
sell Disneyland Paris ticket vouchers to passengers onboard
high-speed trains and airlines travelling into Paris. The
service, which will be initially deployed by Eurostar in
partnership with catering firm Momentum, will enable travellers
to purchase a variety of passes in voucher form through
Onboard's handheld terminal at competitive prices.
Disneyland Paris vouchers sold
through Onboard's point-of-sale device are bar-coded and
customised to Disney's specifications, in addition to carrying a
unique identifier to assist with usage and prevent forgery.
Onboard CEO Thomas Drohan said:
"We are absolutely thrilled to have struck this agreement with
Disney Destinations International UK, which comes at a crucial
time for Onboard Retail Solutions, not least because selling
Disneyland Paris park ticket vouchers onboard is a perfect
example of our VIP—or Virtual Inventory Product—service. VIPs
are a new way to offer passengers a much wider selection of
products that goes far beyond traditional onboard retail."
The company added it is keen to
expand the idea to rail operators and airlines serving other
Disney resorts. |
|
Top
|
Don't rely on this iPhone app to guide you through Disney
Theme Park Rangers - It seems like there's an iPhone iApp for
everything, and that now includes Walt Disney World. iPhone
users (or those with an iPod touch) can download "Walt Disney
World Guide" Notescast, which is a vacation guide for the theme
parks.
My husband was excited to
discover Notescast (from TimeStream Software and found at
the iTunes store) when it was released a couple weeks ago,
thinking it might help entertain the kids in some long
theme-park lines this summer. However, the application is
heavy on descriptions rather than tips and suggestions.
If you've never been to Disney,
this application could help you look like you know what
you're doing. Bonus for the rest of us when you don't stop
short on Main Street with a stroller and extended family to
study a map.
But the app just isn't timely
or particularly helpful for repeat visitors. The "How to
Plan Your Vacation" menu includes selecting a resort,
choosing a ticket plan, making dining reservations and
making resort reservations. I don't know anyone, though, who
would book a hotel without photos and prices. Forget trying
to compare ticket plans; if you have Internet access, you're
better off studying the chart at Allears.net.
Some of the info is downright
outdated: When was the last time you saw the busload of
Disney characters travel through Epcot or when did you take
in Body Wars? And it's been more than a year since single
strollers cost $10 a day to rent at any of the parks. Some
of the info was laughable: Give your kids a disposable
camera to take photos. That would cost an arm and a leg for
the film and developing compared with using digital
photography. Also, cast members are happy to answer
questions. Um, really?
I had hoped the Hidden Mickeys
Tours category would offer something to salvage the iApp,
but I was again disappointed. Notescast describes each
hidden Mickey instead of giving clues so you can find it for
yourself.
Perhaps the most redeeming part
of this iApp is its price: 99 cents. And the only "secret"
you will discover is that your wallet is a dollar lighter.
|
|
Top
|
Keeping
"Jonas" Styling - On and Off Camera
Disney Insider -
It takes a cast and crew of
hundreds to bring a new TV show to life – the actors, the
camera crew, the director, the ... stylists? That might not
be the first behind-the-scenes job we think of, but it's an
important one – especially when the show in question is
called "JONAS."
Having just debuted Saturday, May 2, on Disney Channel,
"JONAS" is a fun version of life in the music biz. Music
sensations the Jonas brothers – Joe, Nick, and Kevin – play
ordinary teenagers that is, when they aren't onstage as rock
superstars! Although their characters are fictitious, it's a
storyline with obvious parallels to the real lives of the
Jonas brothers themselves, and that includes a dose of
rock-star style, provided on the show by the character
Stella Malone (played by Chelsea Staub) and behind the
scenes by their real-life stylist, Michelle Tomaszewski.
We talked to both Chelsea and Michelle to see what to expect
from the show ... and the fashions. Michelle explains that
"On the show, everything you see Chelsea holding for the
boys' characters, I gave input on choosing those clothes."
She's been perfecting the Jonas' look for two-and-a-half
years now, with plenty of feedback from the guys themselves.
"It's a group effort, we work together. They come up with
ideas, and I'm here to make their dreams come true. It's
important as a stylist that you and your client come up with
ideas together, because that makes it special and unique –
it's about their personality, and they wear the clothes, the
clothes don't wear them!"
Getting that "special and unique" look, she explains,
involves mixing designer and vintage clothes, plus some
pieces that are created especially for the guys. Then
everything is tailored to give it the perfect fit –
literally made for the Jonas brothers.
So, when we see Stella styling the guys on-screen, are we
getting a look at the real thing? Michelle says we are – in
part, "You see part of the process, but styling is such a
long process, between preproduction, postproduction, and
shooting, it's just nonstop – it's long hours and coming up
with ideas and new designers. It's a show in itself!" In
fact, Michelle had to provide about nine changes of clothing
per episode for each brother – that's 27 complete outfits –
so needles were flying backstage.
Chelsea says she looked to the real stylists on the set for
guidance – both in her role and her own offstage look.
"Michelle is incredible! She's always had the coolest ideas
and the coolest clothes. I love Michelle, and I would go to
her for my personal fashion tips. There were several events
where we were all getting ready on set to head to different
red carpets, and I'd run upstairs and ask 'Do you like this?
What earrings go with this?' I also have my own wardrobe
stylist on the show, and that's who I asked the most
'stylist questions.'"
She laughs, "I sew on the show – I constantly have a needle
and thread and measuring tape – so I was constantly asking
the stylist and my mom 'How do I measure this?' or 'What's
an inseam?' How do I look like I know what I'm doing? I'm a
creative person, but I'm not a patient person, so sewing is
probably not for me."
Although she may never be a seamstress like Stella, Chelsea
thinks she and her character do have some things in common.
"Stella's the only girl who's not affected by their fame –
she doesn't care how many girls love them, they still have
to remember her birthday! She gives them girl advice and
they really trust her. And when I first met the Jonas
brothers, two years ago, when we first filmed the pilot, it
was before they really took off. So I got to meet them
before the craziness and get to know them as normal teenage
guys that I wasn't shy around."
One of Stella's greatest contributions as a friend is
helping the brothers "keep it real" by reminding them not to
get too starstruck – but, Chelsea says, that's one job no
one needs to do in real life. "I don't think I bring them
back down to Earth, because they're already there!" she
says. "They're some of the hardest-working teenagers I've
ever met, and they already have two feet on the ground."
Chelsea and Michelle agree that the Jonas brothers are
amazing colleagues. "They're great people to work with,"
Michelle tells us, and Chelsea adds, "They are the most
amazing guys on the planet. I didn't mind getting up at five
in the morning when I get to hang out with them."
So when you grab the popcorn and sit down to watch "JONAS,"
keep an eye on the fashions – and the fun. From Stella's
tape-measure technique to the perfect cut of Joe's school
blazer, a lot of off screen effort went in to making "JONAS"
look effortlessly awesome. "JONAS" airs every Saturday at
8PM/7c on Disney Channel.
|
|
Top
|
Walt
Disney upped to overweight at BarCap
MarketWatch - Walt Disney Co. was upgraded to
overweight from underweight by Barclays Capital, with the
brokerage also lifting its price target to $32 from $17. The
broker said consumer confidence has likely bottomed, and the
company is a best-in-class global entertainment company
well-positioned from here on out.
|
|
Top
|
Disney CFO: Domestic Room Reservations Expected Flat
Wall
Street Journal - Tom Staggs, chief financial officer
with The Walt Disney Co. (DIS), said Tuesday that hotel room
reservations at the company's domestic theme parks are flat
for the rest of the company's fiscal year compared with its
year-ago results.
On a conference call following the media giant's
second-quarter earnings release, Staggs said per capita spending
by visitors at its domestic parks was down 6% in the second
quarter.
He also said attendance at its Walt Disney World Resort in
Orlando, Fla., was down 1%, while attendance at its Disneyland
resort in Anaheim, Calif., was up about 2%.
Disney's parks business has been hit hard by the economic
downturn. In response, the company launched its "Buy 4, Get 3
Free" promotional pricing offer, which boosted attendance. But
those offerings also weighed on the company's profit margins.
Staggs said the offer in Orlando helped to lift room
occupancy to 89% versus 88% in the prior year but also
contributed to a 17% decrease in per-room spending. In Anaheim,
the company didn't have a comparable promotion and occupancy
came in at 69%, down by 14 percentage points. Per-room spending
at Disneyland Resort decreased by 6%.
Overseas, Staggs said the company suffered weak guest
spending and lower attendance at Disneyland Resort Paris, which
drove operating income lower. Results in Tokyo and Hong Kong,
however, improved.
The company's revenue from its parks division fell 12% for
the second quarter, while its operating income plunged 50%.
"Our parks management did a good job in offsetting a portion
of our revenue declines by reducing costs," said Staggs. "At the
same time, we are careful to maintain the quality of our guest
experience, so our cost-reduction opportunities are somewhat
limited, especially given the relatively modest declines in
volume that we are experiencing." |
|
Top
|
Michael J. Fox stays positive on his ABC special
AP - Michael J. Fox isn't very good at feeling discouraged,
whether for himself or anybody else."Right now, things are
tough," he'll concede, "and people have reason to expect the
worst. But I see a real effort by people to turn all that into a
positive -- to seize the opportunity to strive for something
better."
Go ahead and call Fox an optimist. It's a title this actor,
activist and Parkinson's patient has already claimed. It's the
ID he says he prefers.
Fox's hopeful new memoir, "Always Looking Up," is riding high
on best-seller lists, and he's following up with a TV special on
a similarly spirited track: "Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an
Incurable Optimist" airs on ABC at 10 p.m. EDT Thursday.
During the hour, Fox visits with seven-time Tour de France
champion and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. He joins TV star
(and Chicago Cubs loyalist) Bonnie Hunt at Wrigley Field --
where hope springs eternal among fans of a team that hasn't won
a World Series in their lifetimes. He journeys to the Himalayan
nation of Bhutan, where happiness is a national priority.
His wide-ranging program "isn't prescriptive," Fox was
telling a reporter earlier this week in his office on
Manhattan's Upper East Side. "I just need to express myself,
because that's what I do. It's the only way I can live my life:
to embrace the possibilities, instead of fear the realities.
"We've been scared for a while," he says. "Before the
economy, it was the war and terrorism. And we reacted fearfully
at first. But I think we're trying something new, now: It's not
about duct-taping yourself inside your house. It's about opening
your windows and seeing what's out there.
"In my own way, I'm cheerleading that."
It was in 1998 that Fox publicly revealed the Parkinson's
disease with which he had been diagnosed seven years earlier. In
2000, he left his successful TV series, "Spin City," and retired
from full-time acting.
Fox, still boyish-looking at age 47, has kept busy since then
with his family (he's married to actress Tracy Pollan, with whom
he has four children), his writing and the occasional acting gig
(like his appearance this season as a paraplegic junkie on the
FX drama "Rescue Me").
Meanwhile, he's become a forceful advocate for research to
find a cure for Parkinson's.
"Optimism doesn't mean being in denial," Fox says. "It's not
Pollyannish. It allows for the fact that things are tough. There
can be tough optimism: an acceptance of obstacles, with a
willingness to fight through them."
As Fox speaks, he appears unconcerned by his rocking and
fidgeting -- a symptom of Parkinson's. Nor has he let his
condition bring an end to his sporting pursuits, including golf,
which he took up after his diagnosis.
On his special, he plays golf with Bill Murray.
"I'm a terrible golfer! But it's just so much fun to get out
there," says Fox, maybe summing up his feel-good message when he
adds, "Optimism isn't about hoping for the end result. I'm
content to enjoy the hope, without needing to be assured of the
outcome."
ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co. |
|
Top
|
Hugely Anticipated Finale to Blockbuster Percy Jackson & the
Olympians Series Goes on Sale Today
Business Wire -
Tuesday, May 5, 2009 marks the official release of
Disney-Hyperion Books’ Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 5:
The Last Olympian, the highly anticipated final book in Rick
Riordan’s blockbuster series. In this stunning conclusion to the
series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth
birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization
rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying
suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.
In support of the
release of The Last Olympian, Riordan will embark on a
monumental tour with a kickoff of mythic proportions at
BookPeople in Austin, Texas and will also visit Houston, Texas;
Vancouver, BC; Seattle, WA; San Francisco, CA; New York, NY;
Boston, MA; St Paul, MN; St Louis, MI; Raleigh, NC; Miami, FL;
Atlanta, GA; Dayton, OH; and San Antonio, TX.
This past fall
Disney Book Group kicked off the official Percy Jackson & the
Olympians Mythology Bee for schools and libraries throughout the
US with more than 1,000 requests for Bee kits. This spring,
schools and libraries have conducted the Percy Jackson & the
Olympians Mythology Bee and the winner from each Bee was entered
to win the grand prize- a trip for four to Greece this summer to
meet Rick Riordan. It was announced today that the Grand Prize
winner is 12-year-old Julia from Pittsburgh, PA.
Disney Book Group
also launched the Are You the Last Olympian? nationwide
sweepstakes on April 7, 2009, with the grand prize of a Disney
Cruise for four. The sweepstakes is available exclusively on the
series’ dedicated website at
www.percyjacksonbooks.com.
The Percy Jackson
and the Olympians series has been sold into 32 different
language markets with more than 5 million copies sold in the
U.S. The first book, The Lightning Thief, debuted in the summer
of 2005, and was a New York Times Notable Book and a Today
Show/Al Roker’s Book Club Selection -- film rights have been
purchased by Twentieth Century Fox (the movie is currently
filming in Vancouver). The Sea of Monsters was a Publishers
Weekly and BookSense national bestseller. The third title, The
Titan’s Curse, made the series a #1 New York Times bestseller,
and the fourth title, The Battle of the Labyrinth, had a first
printing of one million copies.
The novels draw on
Riordan’s experience with his son, who was diagnosed with ADHD
and dyslexia. After recounting the stories of gods and heroes,
he ran out of myths and his son asked him to make up a new
story. Over the course of a few nights the story of Percy
Jackson came to life and at the suggestion of his son, he wrote
what became The Lightning Thief. The books ultimately inspired
actual summer camps hosted by bookstores; this summer, multiple
stores across the US are holding Camp Half Blood sessions.
Rick Riordan is
the author of the previous books in the New York Times #1
best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series: The
Lightning Thief; The Sea of Monsters; The Titan's Curse; and The
Battle of the Labyrinth. His previous novels for adults include
the hugely popular Tres Navarre series, winner of the top three
awards in the mystery genre. He lives in San Antonio, Texas,
with his wife and two sons.
Disney-Hyperion
Books is an imprint of Disney Book Group (DBG); additional DBG
imprints include Disney Editions, Disney-Jump at the Sun Books,
and Disney Press. DBG is part of Disney Publishing Worldwide,
the world's largest publisher of children's books and magazines,
with over 400 children's magazines published and 120 million
children's books sold each year. Headquartered in White Plains,
NY and Milan, Italy, Disney Publishing Worldwide publishes books
and magazines in 85 languages in 75 countries, reaching more
than 100 million readers each month. |
|
Top
|
Marc Davis Art on Exhibit
Disney Blog - It’s hard to express how talented an artist Marc
Davis, one of Walt’s Nine Old Men, was. You’ve no doubt seen his
animation (Aurora, Maleficient, and Tinkerbell to name a few)
and his concept art (Pirates, Country Bears, and Haunted Mansion
are just the beginning), but you don’t really understand until
you’ve seen his non-Disney drawings and paintings.
Beginning this Friday
is your chance to be amazed. Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale is
presenting The Art of Marc Davis. For a little more
background, Alice Davis talks about the exhibit in the Glendale
Press.
The art show runs
from May 8th through July 26th, 10:00am–5:00pm everyday except
Mondays when the museum is closed. For more information, check
the Forest Lawn website. |
|
Top
|
|
Tuesday
May 5, 2009 |
Disney Profit Falls Sharply But Clouds Are Parting
Revenue, studio seen down in upcoming Disney results
Options:
Preparing for a Disney Dip
Nicolas Cage Film Stunt Goes Horribly Wrong, Two Pedestrians
Hurt
Disney, Orlando International Airport reach deal on Magical
Express shuttle
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey's Big Splash on DVD
Enchanted April on DVD
October Road Season 2 on
DVD
Imagination Movers Warehouse Mouse Edition on DVD
A not-so-magical
Disney vacation
Disney Bounces
Their Boob Screeners
McG Denies Casting Dwayne Johnson For "20,000 Leagues Under The
Sea"
'Jonas'
fails to match 'Hannah Montana's' numbers |
|
Disney Profit Falls Sharply But Clouds Are Parting
The Wall
Street Journal - Walt Disney Co.'s
quarterly profit dropped 46%, dragged
down by recession-hobbled theme parks, a
dismal performance from its movie studio
and write-downs.Even so, Disney
President and Chief Executive Robert
Iger said the company was seeing signs
that the economic situation has begun to
stabilize. Coming from Disney, that
sentiment is significant, given that the
company operates in a wide array of
sectors, from home entertainment to
tourism.
Advertising, travel and tourism
appear to be stabilizing, Mr. Iger said,
although he cautioned that the retail
segment, particularly in Europe could be
facing more difficult times. The
executive added that "it is too early to
make predictions about the timing and
pace of the recovery."
In one bright spot in the quarter,
operating income at its cable division
-- which includes ESPN and the Disney
Channel -- was up 5% from a year
earlier.
Thanks to heavy discounting and
promotions, overall attendance at
Disney's domestic theme parks was
virtually even with last year. Guest
spending fell, and discounts and
promotions eroded profit margins.
At Walt Disney World in Orlando,
Fla., an ongoing promotion helped
increase hotel occupancy to 89%, up
slightly from a year ago, though
per-room spending fell 17%. In contrast,
at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., where
no similar promotion was being offered,
hotel occupancy was only 69% for the
quarter, down from 83% a year earlier.
Operating income
for the
company's parks
and resorts
division fell
50% to $171
million,
compared with
$339 million a
year ago.
Roughly $50
million of the
company's $102
million in
restructuring
charges for the
quarter were
related to the
theme parks.
The Burbank,
Calif.,
entertainment
conglomerate
looked to cut
costs
company-wide
during its
fiscal second
quarter, which
ended March 28.
Its
theme-park
division shed
about 1,900 jobs
through a
combination of
layoffs and
buyouts, and
restructured
many of its
behind-the-scenes
operations.
Mr. Iger
singled out the
poor performance
of the company's
movie studio as
one of its
biggest
problems. The
movie studio's
operating income
sank 97% to $13
million and
sales were off
by 21% from a
year earlier.
Theatrical
releases
"Bedtime
Stories,"
"Confessions of
a Shopaholic"
and "Race to
Witch Mountain,"
underperformed
at the box
office in the
quarter, but
they faced tough
comparisons with
hit movies a
year earlier.
DVD sales
were also off
for the Disney
titles that were
released during
the quarter.
Chief
Financial
Officer Tom
Staggs said the
company expects
more weakness
from the studio
in the current
quarter, as its
coming movies
will also face
tough
comparisons with
last year.
Things
remained
difficult at the
broadcast
networks, with
local
advertising
declines pulling
down revenue and
higher
production costs
hurting
operating
income.
The local-TV
advertising
market remained
especially tough
and the ABC
network saw
higher
programming
costs than a
year ago, partly
because last
year's
screenwriters'
strike had
virtually shut
down television
production
during the
year-ago
quarter.
The cable
networks,
including
stalwart sports
programmer ESPN,
provided some
relief. Revenues
were up 4% to
$2.2 billion and
operating income
grew 5% to $1.14
billion.
In a
conference call
with analysts,
Mr. Iger
discussed the
company's
recently
announced equity
investment in
online video
site Hulu.com,
which was a
joint venture
between
General Electric
Co.'s NBC
Universal and
News Corp.
He said he
thinks Disney's
participation in
Hulu could help
drive visitors
back to other
Disney-owned
sites, including
ABC.com and
ESPN.com.
When Disney
climbed aboard
the venture late
last month, it
signaled the
company's
willingness to
distribute some
of its
television
content online
free to
consumers
alongside its
competitors.
For the
quarter, Disney
reported a
profit of $613
million, down
from $1.13
billion a year
earlier. Revenue
fell 7% to $8.07
billion compared
with $8.71
billion a year
earlier.
Disney
reported noncash
impairment
charges of $108
million related
to FCC radio
licenses and $46
million related
to an investment
in an Indian
media company.
|
|
Top
|
Revenue, studio seen down in upcoming Disney results
Reuters - A bleaker outlook for the auto industry and heavy
discounting at its theme parks is sure to weigh on Walt Disney
Co's (DIS.N)
quarterly results, due out on Tuesday.
Analysts also expect the entertainment giant to make further
cost cuts.
"I'm looking for an improvement
in cost structure at the studio," David Miller, managing
director at Caris & Co, said. "The cost structure at the studio
is out of whack with the demand curve for DVD sell-through."
Wall Street expects
second-quarter net earnings to plummet by 31 percent, to 40
cents per share and for revenue to drop 6.5 percent to 8.14
billion, according to Reuters Estimates.
Disney received 43 percent of
its fiscal 2008 revenue from its media networks operations, 30
percent from its parks division, 19 percent from its movie
studios and about 8 percent from its consumer products business.
Miller said he expects to see
operating income remain flat and total revenues drop 5 percent
due mainly to deep discounts at Walt Disney World, implemented
in November to shore up sharply falling hotel bookings.
"If they say the discounting
ends in August, the stock is going to rip," he said.
Although Disney theme parks play
second fiddle in revenue and operating profit, the business is
closely watched by Wall Street as a leading indicator for the
economy and the company, as visitors usually book vacations up
to 12 weeks ahead.
Larry Haverty, manager of the
Gabelli Asset Management media fund, described the advertising
climate as "horrendously bearish" and predicted that Disney and
many other businesses would have to continue discounting for a
year or more.
"I don't think anyone is going
to have a very good revenue experience," Haverty said. "The main
issue for the company is how well they control costs."
Attendance at Disney's domestic
parks was expected to be robust, but most analysts expected per
capita spending by visitors to drop for the third straight
quarter.
Disney Studios faces difficult comparisons to its fiscal 2008
theatrical release schedule, pitting last year's box office hits
"Enchanted" and "National Treasure 3" against the less
profitable "Bolt" and "Bedtime Stories".
In the DVD category, "High
School Musical 3", "Pinocchio" and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua"
faced off against last year's "Enchanted," "Game Plan" and "No
Country for Old Men."
The company also is expected to
take charges in the quarter for job cuts at its theme parks and
ABC and ESPN media networks.
Disney shares traded during its
second quarter between $24.31 and $15.59. On Monday, Disney
shares were trading at 13.2 times estimated 2010 earnings,
compared to a multiple of 11.5 for Time Warner, 9.5 for Viacom
and 12.1 for News Corp (NWSA.O),
according to Reuters Estimates.
Disney shares were trading up
3.65 percent, or 80 cents, at $22.74 on Monday on the New York
Stock Exchange. |
|
Top
|
Options: Preparing
for a Disney Dip
TheStreet - Disney is due to report its second-quarter earnings
results after the market close today. Less than two hours into
the trading day, we had already seen some options activity
suggesting traders are preparing for this report.
According to the Sidewinder report at Option News Network, 5,700
contracts for June 25 calls traded in the first hour. Thanks to
one investor who sold 10,500 calls at 73 cents per contract, by
9:47 A.M. EDT call options volume jumped to nearly 11,000 vs.
current open interest of 1,633. Calls are currently trading at
70 cents, up 7 cents so far today, while the stock has risen 23
cents or about 1% to $23.09.
Analyst estimates do not paint the brightest picture for the
entertainment company, as earnings per share are expected to
drop to about 40 cents a share from 45 cents a share at the end
of the first quarter. At least one investor is pouring June 25
calls into the market to get ready for the expected profit
decline.
In the first quarter, Disney profits dropped more than 32% to
$845 million from $1.25 billion in the same quarter last year.
Despite the expected drop in earnings per share this quarter,
Disney profits will increase to about 49 cents a share in the
third quarter, according to analyst estimates.
Such call-selling activity does not mean run out and sell
your shares, but demonstrates that investors are selling call
options to protect some of the gains they may have collected in
the last couple months. The chief investor boosting June 25 call
volume today could be betting that, even though the stock has
been trending higher, a big rally for Disney is unlikely in the
near future. |
|
Top
|
Nicolas Cage Film Stunt Goes Horribly Wrong, Two Pedestrians
Hurt
Short News - A stunt man filming a car chase in New York City
has crashed his car into a store front in Times Square, injuring
two bystanders. The crash happened early yesterday morning and
was captured on video.
The stunt man was uninjured. Walt Disney Pictures said: "On site
production medics responded immediately and two pedestrians were
taken to the hospital for evaluation." The film in question was
"The Sorcerer's Apprentice."
The statement continued to read: "All safety regulations were
followed and second unit filming will continue as planned." |
|
Top
|
Disney, Orlando International Airport reach deal on Magical
Express shuttle
Orlando Sentinel - Walt Disney World and Orlando International
Airport completed a deal Wednesday to continue the resort's free
passenger and luggage shuttle until at least the end of 2016.
Under the terms of the deal, the airport agreed not to raise the
per-passenger fee of 75 cents it charges the resort for Disney's
Magical Express. The previous contract would have allowed the
airport to raise the fee to as much as $1.50 per passenger under
certain circumstances.
Disney buses ferried slightly less than 2.2 million travelers
from OIA to either its resort hotels or cruise ships in 2008.
That works out to roughly $1.6 million a year in payments to the
airport — compared with about $3.2 million had the passenger fee
doubled.
The previous agreement had been set to expire at the end of
2011. The new pact also gives Disney the option to extend the
agreement until 2021.
Airport leaders have been working to cut costs and raise money —
including making plans to eliminate an undisclosed number of
jobs — as passenger traffic and revenue tumble amid the global
recession.
But Jeff Fuqua, chairman of the Greater Orlando Aviation
Authority, said the agency decided it was better served by not
raising Disney's fee, in return for securing a longer commitment
from the company to operate Magical Express.
Because Disney's Magical Express luggage is processed in a
remote hangar at the airport, the service diverts thousands of
bags every day away from OIA's main luggage-sorting systems and
claim areas. That eases pressure on the airport to spend money
expanding its baggage facilities, Fuqua said.
"What they were looking for was control on costs. What we were
looking for was to relieve ourselves of capital costs — big
costs," Fuqua said.
The airport also agreed to raise the threshold under which it
could have forced Disney to open a second customer check-in
location at the airport's main terminal.
Under the previous deal, OIA could have required Disney to rent
more counter space once Magical Express reached 2.2 million
arriving travelers in any 12-month period; now, it can do so
only once the shuttle service reaches 2.5 million arriving
passengers.
"We're pleased the contract extension will enable us to continue
to operate Disney's Magical Express for many years to come,"
Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said. |
|
Top
|
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey's Big Splash on DVD
 Walt
Disney Studios Home Entertainment - Get ready to ride the waves
with four times the wild and wet fun for your whole family when
MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE: MICKEY'S BIG SPLASH, a bonus filled
compilation of Playhouse Disney's #1 show amongst kids 2-5,
comes to Disney DVD on May 5, 2009.
The fun-filled DVD, perfect for summer vacation fun, features
four episodes and a bonus feature starring the entire Clubhouse
Gang –Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Minnie, Daisy and Pluto- on a
series of exciting adventures including a day of fishing, a
surfing beach party luau and much more. In the new episode
Donald's Ducks, Mickey and Donald rescue ten adorable ducklings
in search of a summertime beach. The Mouseketools are put to
work in Pluto's Bubble Bath when Mickey and Pluto each get stuck
in a Giant Bubble and start floating away from the Clubhouse
eventually ending up back to ground just in time for a fun Tea
and Biscuits Party with their friends. In Mickey Goes Fishing,
Mickey and Pluto search for lunch for Pluto's kitten, Mr.
Pettibone. While in Pete's Beach Blanket Luau, it's the hottest
day of the year and Pete decides to put on a Luau down at the
lake to cool off.
The DVD also features an all-new game called 'Fun In The Sun
with Mickey and the Gang" that includes fun luau party planning
activities and games.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse ranked as the #1 cable series with
kids 2-5 in February 2009, with more than 24 Million unique
viewers – over 42% of preschool kids age 2-5. It features the
iconic characters of Mickey and friends encouraging teamwork and
problem-solving. (Source: Nielsen Media Research, National
Ratings, Live +7, 1/26/09-2/22/09)
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey's Big Splash, is available for
U.S. $19.99 (SRP), Canada $24.99 (SRP) from Walt Disney Home
Entertainment. |
|
Top
|
Enchanted April on DVD
 Walt
Disney Studios Home Entertainment - Two proper Englishwomen find
romance, hope and renewal in the Italian countryside when
Enchanted April makes its highly anticipated DVD debut on May 5,
2009 from Miramax Films. Enchanted April's breathtaking scenery
and charming story make it the perfect movie for anyone who has
ever dreamed of an unhurried sojourn in Italy. The DVD includes
audio commentary by the director and producer.
Josie Lawrence ("Eastenders") and Miranda Richardson (Harry
Potter and the Goblet of Fire) head a stellar ensemble that also
includes Joan Plowright (The Spiderwick Chronicles), Polly
Walker ("Cane"), Alfred Molina (Spiderman 2) and Oscar-winner
Jim Broadbent (Best Supporting Actor, Iris, 2001). Gorgeous
visuals and top-notch acting, directing and writing made
Enchanted April an international hit and earned the film three
1992 Oscar nominations including Best Adapted Screenplay for
screenwriter Peter Barnes, Best Supporting Actress for Plowright
and Best Costume Design for Sheena Napier. In addition, the film
received two Golden Globes, one for Richardson (Best Performance
by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical) and one
for Plowright (Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting
Role) and was nominated for Best Motion Picture, Comedy or
Musical.
In a temporary escape from their drab lives and inattentive
husbands, Lottie Wilkins (Josie Lawrence) and Rose Arbuthnot
(Miranda Richardson) rent a magnificent villa on the Italian
Riviera. To be able to afford a month of this luxury, they must
share expenses with two unlikely companions – Mrs. Fisher (Joan
Plowright), a crusty widow living in the past and Caroline
Dester (Polly Walker), a charming, but bored aristocrat. The
mismatched housemates find that the spectacular villa and lush
Italian setting hold a special magic that soon sparks
friendships and reminds the women of ways to live and love that
have long eluded them. Gorgeously photographed and superbly
acted, Enchanted April is like taking a little mini-trip to a
sunny Italian paradise.
Enchanted April on DVD is priced at $29.99 (US) SRP.
|
|
Top
|
October
Road Season 2 on DVD
 Walt
Disney Studios Home Entertainment - The residents of a small
town come to terms with lost love, regret and redemption in
October Road Season 2, coming to DVD on May 5, 2009 from Walt
Disney Studios Home Entertainment. Fans of this heart-warming
hour-long drama can own a special three-disc set, complete with
all 13 second season episodes, plus a never-seen series wrap-up
created exclusively for DVD, that addresses the show's
unresolved storylines, such as the fate of Nick and Hannah's
unrequited relationship, the identity of Sam's father, and what
the future holds for the citizens of Knight's Ridge.
October Road Season 2 stars Bryan Greenberg (Bride Wars, One
Tree Hill, Odette Yustman (The Unborn, Cloverfield), Laura
Prepon (Thats 70s Show) and Geoff Stults (The Break-Up, Wedding
Crashers) in a captivating and touching look at the challenges
of going home again. The series is executive produced by Josh
Appelbaum, Andre V Nemec and Scott Rosenberg, who also serve as
executive producers of the ABC hit series, Life on Mars.
The last time writer Nick Garrett (Bryan Greenberg) left his
hometown of Knights Ridge, he promised his high school
girlfriend, Hannah Daniels (Laura Prepon), he would be back in
six weeks. Ten years later, he finally returns to and discovers
life in the Ridge has moved on without him. Hannah is a single
mom, raising a bright and articulate nine-year-old son, Sam, and
dating Nick¡¦s high school nemesis, and the men Nick once
thought of as his closest friends have grown older, and even
grown up. In the complete second season of this acclaimed ABC
television series, Nick stays on in Knight¡¦s Ridge to repair
his relationships with family and friends, explore his budding
romance with Aubrey (Odette Yustman), and satisfy his suspicion
that Hannahs son Sam may be his son. October Road Season 2 also
includes an unprecedented series wrap-up created exclusively for
DVD release. |
|
Top
|
Imagination Movers Warehouse Mouse Edition on DVD
 Walt
Disney Studios Home Entertainment - IMAGINATION MOVERS Warehouse
Mouse Edition Playhouse Disney's hit music-filled TV series
starring New Orleans' favorite alternative rock band for
preschoolers, comes to Disney DVD for the first time ever on May
5, 2009.
The TV series features the blue-suited IMAGINATION MOVERS –
Rich, Scott, Dave and Smittyas everyday guy brain-stormers
working hard to solve "idea emergencies" in their Idea
Warehouse, a place of infinite inspiration. The series
introduces preschoolers to the Movers' energetic rock and roll
style of music while emphasizing creative problem solving
skills. Through music and storytelling, the Movers encourage
kids to exercise their bodies and brains with their motto –
"Reach high, think big work hard, have fun!".
In each episode of IMAGINATION MOVERS Warehouse Mouse
Edition, the Movers, along with their friendly neighbor Nina and
sidekick Warehouse Mouse, identify an "idea emergency" and then
brainstorm problem-solving techniques, test out possible
solutions and by the end of each episode, have used teamwork to
solve the problem. IMAGINATION MOVERS, Warehouse Mouse Edition
features four episodes and an exclusive bonus episode of the
upcoming animated Playhouse Disney series Special Agent Oso.
IMAGINATION MOVERS premiered on Playhouse Disney in September
2008, with new episodes continuing to roll out into 2009. The
series has been picked up for a second season, which will begin
production in the spring. The quartet has won multiple national
music awards and were named a Parenting Pick by Parenting
Magazine. Most recently, the Movers and the TV series were
honored with an award for Outstanding Kids Entertainment by the
Common Sense Media Awards, which honors nationally recognized
individuals and organization that have made a profound impact in
the world of kids and family media. The Movers' Walt Disney
Records release, "Juice Box Heroes," was selected by iTunes as a
2008 Top 10 pick in the children's music genre. |
|
Top
|
A
not-so-magical Disney vacation
MSNBC - Q:
I need your help with a Disney vacation that turned out to be a
disaster. My family of four joined my sister's family and our
mother at Walt Disney World recently. Even though we were on the
same reservation — called a "Grand Gathering" by Disney — one of
our rooms was far away from us, down the hall at the Wilderness
Lodge.
Initially, we couldn't get into the
Magic Kingdom because our travel agent ordered the wrong tickets
by mistake.
From there, things went from bad to
worse. Our monorail broke down, making us late for a character
breakfast. We had multiple problems with our dining plan, which
forced us to spend hours trying to figure out the bill and
leading to several embarrassing situations. The dining plan was
apparently new and Disney was horribly unprepared to deal with
gratuities.
All of this was complicated by
problems with our hotel-issued room and park cards, which did
not work multiple times at either park entrances or park
restaurants.
And then there were the lines. We
arrived at EPCOT, hoping to ride on Soarin', only to find a
five-hour wait for a FastPass. I expected more, and left very
disappointed. I wrote a letter to Disney, but haven't received
so much as an acknowledgment after eight months. — Troy Pelias,
Dallas
A: Disney should have
answered your letter. But I think I know why it didn't. Your
initial complaint (the one I published is less than half the
length of the one you sent) read like a laundry list. Companies
tend to ignore those because they conclude the customer is just
a whiner.
Only, you weren't. You had several
legitimate problems, including receiving the wrong tickets and
having a dining plan that fizzled. I think the other problems
should have been left out of your letter, because they probably
lessened the effectiveness of your grievance.
For example, the room assignment problems should have been
handled while you were at the Wilderness Lodge, not afterward.
Think about it — there's not much Disney can do about the
inconvenience of being separated after your vacation is over.
Similarly, the long wait at Soarin' could have been addressed by
showing up at the park's opening, when the lines are at their
shortest, or vacationing during the off-peak season.
And the broken down monorail? That
happens. Disney shouldn't be expected to compensate you for a
technical problem.
Had you narrowed your complaints
down to the two or most significant problems and offered a way
for Disney to make things right, I believe this would have
turned out differently. Your complaint would have been taken
more seriously, and you probably wouldn't have been subjected to
an eight-month wait.
Even so, Disney was a little quick
to dismiss your initial letter. A review of its promotional
material for "Grand Gatherings" (defined as a group of eight
people or more) sets a high bar for customer service. It
promises a "one-of-a-kind" experience that's "even more
magical." Among the special benefits: a dedicated team of "Grand
Gathering Travel Planners" that will handle every detail of your
itinerary.
That's not what happened to you.
I contacted Disney on your behalf.
A representative called you to apologize for your
less-than-magical experience. Disney refunded the $1,030 you
spent on park passes and sent you a $100 gift card that can be
used on your next visit. |
|
Top
|
|
Disney Bounces
Their Boob Screeners
TMZ - If you
happen to be an exhibitionist, the Happiest Place on Earth just
got a little happier -- 'cause Disney is dropping their last
line of defense against roller-coaster boobie flashers.
It's all over rides like Splash Mountain -- aka Flash Mountain
-- where some people would whip out certain body parts in the
hopes that the park camera would catch the nudity ... and then
display the naked shot on the photo preview screens for all to
see.
Disney had created "image screening positions" to prevent the
XXX shots from going public. But now, execs have told the OC
Register the screeners have been "redeployed" -- and that they
no longer need to monitor the rides because "actual
inappropriate behaviors by guests are rare."
But before you run out and bare all, Disney claims they're still
going to patrol the park for flashers ... and anyone who tries
to turn the place into their own adult Fantasyland will still
get a taste of Mickey's size 24.
For the record, Donald still doesn't wear pants. |
|
Top
|
|
McG Denies Casting Dwayne Johnson For "20,000 Leagues Under The
Sea"
AHN - Director McG is denying
reports that he has cast former wrestler Dwayne Johnson in his
new film "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."
It was recently reported that "The Scorpion King" has signed
onto the "Terminator Salvation" helmer's upcoming Disney
project.
However, he denied ever talking to the wrestler-turned-actor
about the remake project.
McG told SciFiWire.com in a phone interview, "I don't know
where that came from. I've never spoken to Dwayne Johnson. You
can be the first to report that I have no idea where that came
from. I wish him every success, but I never spoke to Dwayne
about this."
When pressed about the ongoing reports that say the "Race to
Witch Mountain" star has been cast in the film, the director
replied, "I've never spoken to Dwayne Johnson about this. I like
him. He's great. He's a wonderful human being and an excellent
screen presence, but we have not spoken about the '20,000
Leagues Under the Sea.' Not a word."
McG, however, already has someone in mind to star in the film
as Captain Nemo. |
|
Top
|
|
'Jonas'
fails to match 'Hannah Montana's' numbers
Los Angeles Times -
Are the Jonas Brothers poised to take the place of the Disney
Channel's "Hannah Montana"? It's too soon to tell.
A solid 4 million viewers watched the 8 p.m. premiere of the
network's new series, "Jonas," which topped kids and tween
rankings Saturday, but didn't come close to delivering the
audience watching new episodes of "Hannah Montana."
A Disney Channel news release boasted that the "Monkees"-style
comedy starring the pop trio edged out the competition --
Nickelodeon's "Fairly OddParents: Wishology, Part 2," the second
night of Nick's three-part original movie -- in the kids 6 to 11
and tweens 9 to 14 categories.
"Jonas" drew 1.6 million in both kids and tweens, giving the
network its best numbers in the time period in the last eight
months, according to figures from Nielsen Media Research.
So the Jonas Brothers are big. But can they be Miley Cyrus big,
dominating the realms of music, film and TV? It doesn't look
good so far:
"Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience" did not cross the
$20-million mark at the box office, while "Hannah Montana/Miley
Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" grossed $65 million.
("The Hannah Montana Movie," currently in theaters, has already
grossed more than $70 million.)
And here's a sobering fact: "Jonas" is Disney Channel's
lowest-rated live-action series premiere among kids 6 to 11
since 2005's "Life With Derek."
The show's debut numbers fall far behind those for a recent new
episode of "Hannah Montana," which scored 4.8 million viewers on
April 19, and "Jonas" drew fewer overall viewers (4 million
versus 4.1 million) and kids (1.6 million versus 1.8 million)
than the February premiere of Disney's other new series, "Sonny
With a Chance."
"Jonas" was the Disney Channel's first-ever Saturday premiere
for a series, part of a strategy to open up the night to
original programming. |
|
Top
|
|
Monday
May 4, 2009 |
Earnings
Preview: Disney 2Q seen down
Disney lifts Wyndham
exchange
The Rock in
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Wish upon a star
Discounts fill Disney's parks, but can they boost earnings?
Disneyland announces 3-day summer ticket offer - $99
Hugh Jackman Moving Over to Disney with Ghostopolis
Class project
gets Disney eco award |
|
Earnings
Preview: Disney 2Q seen down
AP - Family entertainment giant, The Walt Disney Co., is
scheduled to report its second-quarter earnings for the three
months through March on Tuesday. The following is a summary of
key developments and analyst opinion related to the period.
OVERVIEW: Disney moved to bolster its presence on the
Internet while paring costs at its U.S. theme parks over the
quarter.
In late March, the company announced it was partnering with
Google Inc.'s YouTube to put short-form video from ABC and
ESPN on the site.
Last month, it bolstered its Internet strategy by adding
older Disney movies and newer ABC and Disney Channel shows
to Hulu.com, while joining founders NBC Universal and News
Corp. by taking an equity stake.
But the economy had hurt visitation and spending at its
theme parks. Despite offering discounts on hotel rooms at
its U.S. resorts, the company said in early April it had
laid off about 1,900 back-office positions, or 11 percent of
salaried employees in the division.
In February, Disney said it would distribute and market six
live-action movies a year made by Steven Spielberg's
DreamWorks SKG production company after a similar agreement
between DreamWorks and Universal Pictures fell apart. The
five-year deal begins in 2010.
BY THE NUMBERS: Analysts, on average, expect Disney to post
a 30 percent decline in earnings per share to 40 cents, with
revenue down 6 percent to $8.15 billion.
ANALYST TAKE: Cowen & Co. analyst Doug Creutz trimmed his
fiscal year outlook on the company in late April due to a
weakening advertising market, but left his second-quarter
forecast in place.
Creutz took the full-year earnings outlook down to $1.75 per
share from $1.82 per share, while leaving his revenue
prediction roughly unchanged at $36.53 billion.
He expects second-quarter earnings of 41 cents per share on
$8.46 billion in revenue.
He said in a research note that the full-year downgrade
accounts for the "continued challenging local television and
cable network advertising trends, and some incremental
anticipated weakness at the parks and resorts segment."
WHAT'S AHEAD: Disney subsidiary Pixar Animation Studios is
set to debut its newest feature, "Up," at the Cannes Film
Festival in France on May 13. It is set for domestic release
May 29.
STOCK PERFORMANCE: Disney shares fell 20 percent over the
quarter, closing at $18.16 on March 31, down from $22.69 on
Dec. 31.
|
|
Top
|
Disney lifts Wyndham exchange
Orlando Sentinel - The addition of the
Walt Disney Co.'s time-share division to Wyndham Worldwide
Corp.'s global exchange business both helped and hurt
Wyndham during the first quarter.
Back in December, Celebration-based Disney Vacation Club and
Wyndham announced a multiyear contract under which Wyndham
subsidiary Group RCI replaced Interval International as the
exclusive exchange provider for Disney. The pact gives
Disney Vacation Club members access to non-Disney time
shares that also trade through RCI, while also allowing
owners of those time shares to trade into Disney resorts.
Last week, during their first-quarter earnings call, Wyndham
executives said the deal with Disney Vacation Club added
more than 135,000 families to Group RCI's member base.
Without the Disney deal, they said, Group RCI's membership
growth would have been essentially flat during the first
three months of the year compared with the same point a year
ago.
But they also noted that the Disney deal required some
start-up costs. Group RCI's overall annual-dues and exchange
revenue fell 7 percent during the quarter, to $127 million.
"We're spending quite a bit of money making sure they're
fully integrated into our system and that we have a seamless
operation with them," Stephen Holmes, Wyndham's chairman and
chief executive officer, said during the conference call
with analysts. "So we're dedicating some additional
resources to that new relationship that we just brought in."
|
|
Top
|
The Rock in
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
TheInsider - Wait a second, Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson is making
a Disney movie? No way! Continuing his relationship with the
media giant, Dwayne has taken the safest career move one can
take, and that’s sticking with Disney for as long as they’ll
hire him. I’m sure he’s treated good, gets big fat paychecks,
gets to ride Space Mountain without having to wait in line and
always has new family projects to work on since he abandoned the
action genre. Or did he? According to Production Weekly he’s set
to star in McG’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. An interesting
casting choice, isn’t it? Question is if writer Justin Marks
(Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li) can write a halfway
decent story. |
|
Top
|
Wish upon a star
Smart Business - Ever since Walt Disney opened the park in 1955,
Disneyland has been known as "The Happiest Place on Earth." So
it's fair to say the bar is set quite high for Disneyland's
president, Ed Grier.
"We don't get to have a bad day," Grier says. "Certainly we
are not perfect, and we do make mistakes, but that is the
approach we take. We don't want to have a bad day. We want
to have a great day every day for our guests. It's important
on that day, but it's more important because we want them to
keep coming back."
As president of the Disneyland Resort, Grier is in
charge of the operation of two theme parks, three
hotels, and the Downtown Disney shopping, dining and
entertainment district.
The historic Disneyland Park is the flagship of the
resort, drawing nearly 15 million visitors annually.
It's the second-most-visited theme park in the
world, behind only Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom
in Florida. Disney's California Adventure theme park
— also a part of the resort — adds several million
more visitors each year. Each one of those visitors
expects his or her Disneyland experience to live up
to Walt Disney's promise.
Grier says the keys to providing that
world-class service are gathering information,
sticking to a plan and asking employees to
contribute to the organization's success.
With a work force of 20,000 employees spread
throughout the 510-acre resort, that's no
easy task.
With so many moving parts to consider,
keeping everything running smoothly is
difficult. But Grier and his management
team gather copious amounts of
information to anticipate any potential
bumps in the road and take action to
prevent the problem before it occurs.
"The planning aspect is the toughest
part of it," he says. "If we plan
well and we train our cast well,
then we will be successful. Because
of our training and anticipation and
knowing our guests, we set ourselves
up for success.
"It sounds daunting, but because
we have the organization set up
so we have information flowing
back and forth, it makes it,
never easy, but certainly we
understand what track we're on
and how well we're doing."
In order to craft an
effective strategic business
plan for the resort, Grier
needs to collect as much
information as he can. The
resort's managers constantly
measure their respective
area's performance. Every
detail must be meticulously
reported.
"If you are one of my
leaders who runs a big
line of business, say
food and beverage, that
leader will know how
well the operation did
the night before," Grier
says. "Did they achieve
their financial goals,
did they achieve their
efficiency goals, did
they achieve their guest
service metrics?"
Hotel managers know
how many guests to
expect on any given
day and how many
hotel rooms are
occupied that day,
depending on the
time of year. Some
of the guest service
metrics Disneyland
staff record may
seem like sweating
the small stuff, but
knowing your
business inside and
out makes strategic
planning much
easier. Those little
things also can make
the difference
between a one-time
guest and a repeat
customer.
For instance,
Disneyland
restaurant staff
measures how
long it takes to
seat guests once
they have
arrived at the
location. In
another example
of the personal
touch that
Disneyland
strives to
provide, if a
customer made a
reservation or
used a credit
card, restaurant
staff is
supposed to call
the guest by
name.
"We build in
interactions
with our
guest and
cast," he
says. "It
becomes
second
nature for
our cast
members. It
means a lot
to our
guests that
when they
come here
that we can
really take
care of
them, and
they really
have a
one-on-one
experience.
You would
say that
would be
difficult to
do with
millions of
visitors,
but that is
really what
is so
important
for us — to
have these
immersive
personal
experiences
with the
guests and
our cast and
the
environment
we create
here."
Guests
who are
visiting
Disneyland
on their
birthday
can go
to the
guest
relations
department
and be
given a
special
birthday
button.
The
button
tips off
Disney
employees
throughout
the
resort,
and the
birthday
boy or
girl
will
hear,
"Happy
birthday;
we're
glad
you're
here,"
quite
often.
It's
another
example
of the
customer
service
that has
helped
Disneyland
maintain
its
status
as an
American
landmark
for more
than 50
years.
"We
put
those
service
standards
into
place,
and
it
becomes
the
way
our
cast
members
operate,"
he
says.
"All
of
those
little
details
add
up
to
make
a
huge
difference
for
your
guest
experience
here.
It
comes
from
small
things,
like
interaction
with
the
cast
members
or
seeing
one
of
our
spectacular
fireworks
shows.
All
of
those
things
are
cumulative
in
effect."
Stick to the plan
Success at Disneyland wouldn't happen without an astounding amount of planning that happens behind the scenes. In order for the resort's day-to-day operations to run smoothly, everyone must adhere to the plan.
"It's a 24-hour operation," Grier says. "It's analogous to running a small city. We have to make sure the park is ready to go the next day, so we have a third-shift operation. We have more than 900 unique positions, from engineers to bakers to characters to the president of the resort. We have a lot of different moving parts out there. The attention to detail is vital for us to make sure the millions of visitors that come here every year have a wonderful experience."
Disneyland's staff uses theatrical terminology to emphasize that a visit to the park is intended to be similar to witnessing a performance. For example, employees are referred to as "cast members." Each cast member's job is called a "role" and each role has a script to follow. Cast members must follow their script, which is a strict code of conduct and Disney-approved phrases they may use while at work.
"We go out there and we tell them, 'What is your job?' Grier says. "'Your job is to create happiness and make dreams come true.' OK, how do you do that? It doesn't matter what your role is, whether you're someone at the front gate making sure our guests get the right ticket media that they need to enjoy their stay or if you're in custodial making sure the park is clean."
Every morning when the resort's employees arrive at work, they will have planning sessions with their direct leaders. The managers will talk to their reporting employees about the plan for the day and prepare them for some of the particular nuances of the day's work. Grier says this daily primer helps keep the resort's departments running like a well-oiled machine. But reinforcing the importance of sticking to the plan isn't the only benefit of these sessions — they help develop the bond between manager and employee.
"They get to know each other that way," he says. "It is vitally important for them to have that relationship with their cast members. We want them to have an understanding relationship — to treat them like an individual."
Ask employees to contribute
Grier says you have to show employees that they are valued members of the organization. At Disneyland, that is done by treating every employee as an individual whose opinions and ideas are respected.
Grier gives employees the opportunity to voice ideas and concerns at "blue-sky sessions." These meetings are designed to foster innovative thoughts without limits.
"Creativity comes from every aspect of the organization," he says. "In those sessions, we allow for creative thinking. It's almost anything goes; any idea is a great idea. And it may spark something we've never thought of before. We really embrace that thinking of ideas can come from any place, big or small."
But beyond formal meetings, Disney's leaders try to make an effort to be approachable at all times, which encourages employees to provide feedback from their perspective. He blocks off time on his weekly calendar to spend in the parks. By making yourself more approachable, you create an open relationship with your employees, increasing the chance that they will feel comfortable enough with you to give you their honest opinion.
"For me, it's a very open relationship I have with them," Grier says. "I am very honest with them. I trust them, and I want them to trust me. Constant feedback is important. I don't want them to hesitate to tell me anything, even if it's bad news. So that's the environment I try to create for them. That way, I'm never surprised and they're never surprised."
The people in direct contact with the customers often can provide you with vital insights to make your organization better.
"Our front-line cast members, as we call them — they are out there every day," he says. "They know the operations best. Many times our staff members have ideas on the operations because they see it every day. So they can tell us about it. Our leaders who are out there know the operation best, so we rely on what they tell us on how we can make improvements. My leaders are very honest with me about what's working and what's not."
Whether it's through a phone call, e-mail or office visit, Grier says his employees can contact him anytime.
"Certainly we all have busy schedules," he says. "But if they need time, I make time for them. I make time for them; they'll make time for me."
Once Grier has listened to the feedback, he compares it to the resort's goals and priorities. For instance, if Grier receives a suggestion on how to improve efficiency in a particular section of the organization and the resort's metrics show that it needs to improve efficiency in that very area, then that suggestion moves to the top of the pile.
Although it is the oldest, the Disneyland Resort is still the second-largest jewel of Walt Disney Co.'s Parks and Resorts segment, which earned revenue of $11.5 billion in 2008 — an increase of 8 percent, or $878 million, from 2007. But if Grier wants to see the results of his work, he doesn't have to look at a financial report — he can just look out his window.
"I can see Space Mountain, I can see our parade captains getting ready for the parade, warming up, I can see hotels from here, I can see the monorail going," he says. "All the things that we put into place, all that planning, I can see it. And if I want to, I can walk out my door and actually experience the product. It's powerful. When I say, 'Here's a new parade we created,' I can see it. 'Here's a new attraction,' I can see it being built. You can really see all of that hard work and planning, not just from me. From our leadership team down to the cast members, you can see it come to life every day."
|
|
Top
|
Discounts fill Disney's parks, but can they boost earnings?
Orlando Sentinel - A little after lunch on a recent afternoon in Disney's Hollywood Studios, after the spring-break travel rush and amid the global recession, the line to ride Toy Story Mania! was still 80 minutes long, and every restaurant in the park was booked full for dinner.
But the crowd was not nearly as lucrative as it looked. Many were people such as Robert Fitzcharles, of Lancaster, Pa., who was spending seven nights at Disney's Pop Century Resort — but paying only for four.
"If there hadn't been a discount, I wouldn't have come," Fitzcharles, 58, said.
Fitzcharles and the scores of vacationers like him who have visited Walt Disney World this year underscore the trade-off Disney's theme parks are making as they battle the worst economy in at least a generation. Steep discounts — primarily on hotel rooms, but also on tickets, food and merchandise — have helped Disney prop up attendance despite the downturn. But they have also eroded the company's ability to make money off those crowds.
The effect of that strategy will become clearer Tuesday when the Walt Disney Co. reports its earnings for the first three months of 2009, which is the second quarter of its fiscal year. Wall Street is widely expecting only a modest decline in attendance — but a far steeper drop in revenue.
Analysts at Goldman Sachs, for instance, predict that combined attendance at Disney World and Disneyland fell just 4 percent during the quarter from the same period a year ago, compared with a decline of about 20 percent at Universal's U.S. theme parks during a similar period. (This year's attendance comparisons are hurt by the shift of the busy Easter travel period from March in 2008 to April in 2009.) But the same analysts predict that Disney's hotel revenue — which accounts for about one-fifth of all sales rung up at Disney's domestic resorts, according to one estimate — plunged 27 percent for the quarter.
Disney would not discuss the impact of its discount strategy in any detail last week. But at a conference in March, Disney Co. Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said he was pleased with the results, and he has said the company is willing to accept lower profit margins if that keeps its theme-park turnstiles clicking — and keeps exposing consumers to Disney's world-famous brands. Valuing brand exposure
"I can't tell you how many times I get calls from people saying they were just at our parks and it was the most crowded they've ever seen it, or there certainly were a lot of people there. ... And that's important, because the word-of-mouth aspect of that business is really valuable to us," Iger said.
"Maintaining circulation has long-term benefits, and that's what we've tried to do."
Disney has rolled out a wide range of promotions in recent months. The best-known is the buy-four-get-three-free hotel package, which Disney once offered for the first six months of the year, then extended through mid-August. Others have included two-day resident passes for $99, room-only rate discounts, and dining promotions. Disney even threw in $200 gift cards for guests who booked the buy-four-get-three-free deal for vacations during most of its fiscal second quarter.
More discounts are on the way: Disney is offering free dining to guests who book Disney World vacations for most nights between Aug. 16 and Oct. 3. That's nearly twice as long a promotional period as the free-dining promotion offered at about the same time last year, according to Pali Capital Inc., a New York-based investment firm.
Delaying other troubles
Some question how long the strategy can sustain Disney's parks. The discounts have helped buoy attendance in part by pulling some people's vacations forward on the calendar — that is, by persuading people who were planning to come later in 2009 or in 2010 to travel now, to get the best prices.
That's why Melanie Hilliard, a 33-year-old mother of two from Pittsburgh, was at Hollywood Studios last week.
"We were going to come in November ... but I was afraid if I waited, it would have been more expensive," said Hilliard, who was on the buy-four-get-three-free plan at Disney's Port Orleans Resort.
But pulling vacations forward will make it more difficult for Disney to keep attendance up as the year progresses — especially if the economy does not rebound. Pali Capital analyst Richard Greenfield said he expects Disney's parks will continue to struggle financially into 2010.
"We believe Disney is setting itself up for a tough comparison, with it becoming increasingly inevitable that attendance will fall again" next year, Greenfield wrote in a recent blog post. "It's hard to imagine what the next step up in promotional offers will be (seven days for [the] price of three days?)."
Discounts have other downsides. For example, some park employees have said privately that the deals are drawing tourists who are far less devoted to the Disney brand than the resort's regular audience — and far less interested in buying products such as Disney time shares.
Then again, the hotel promotions have helped Disney continue its push to keep guests on resort property for the entire duration of their vacations, especially when combined with features such as its free airport-shuttle-and-luggage service and the Disney Dining Plan. Several stock analysts think Disney has been able to use the economic downturn to gain market share from rivals Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando.
Mark Wienkes, an analyst at Goldman Sachs, called Disney's discounts "a very thoughtful, coherent long-term strategy."
Although Wienkes said the discounts will result in "significant [profit] margin erosion" at Disney's U.S. parks this year, he said that is preferable to holding the line on prices at the expense of having fewer people in the parks.
"To the extent that you can sustain the brand — maintain the experience and keep the brand alive — then I would choose that," he said.
Have a front-row seat
The Walt Disney Co. will report its second-quarter earnings shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday. The company will broadcast online its earnings conference call at 4:30 p.m.; you can listen in at disney.com/investors.
|
|
Top
|
For $99, guests can purchase a three-day Summer Fun pass. The pass works for both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure, and must be used within a 45-day period.
"I know that the economy can be challenging, but that means there are some great travel deals out there to be found," said Emily Kaufman, a travel reporter who identifies herself as a "travel mom."
"If you're paying full price for something this summer, you are not doing your homework," she said.
The tickets will be offered from June 1 to August 23.
In addition to being sold at the resort's ticket booths, the tickets can also be purchased in various retail centers and grocery stores. Visit disneyland.com for more information.
|
|
Top
|
Hugh Jackman Moving Over to Disney with Ghostopolis
First Showing - After a successful $87 million opening weekend for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Disney has announced tonight that Hugh Jackman will star in their adaptation of another upcoming graphic novel called Ghostopolis. Written by Doug TenNapel, the story centers on a man who works for the government's Supernatural Immigration Task Force - his job is to send ghosts who have escaped into our world back to Ghostopolis. When a living boy accidentally is sent to the other side, the agent must team with a female ghost (and a former flame) to bring him back. With Disney developing, expect this to be family friendly.
No director or writer has been attached to the project yet, however, Jackman himself is producing through his own company Seed Productions, which means it's definitely something he's happy to be involved in. I'm not personally familiar with Doug TenNapel, however, his other graphic novels are in high demand in Hollywood, including Tommysaurus Rex, Creature Tech, and Monster Zoo (which are all in development at other studios). My feeling is that they're quite kid friendly, which is why this is a good fit forDisney. I can't help but wonder if this could turn out to be this generation's Casper (remember that movie?). Maybe?
|
|
Top
|
Class project gets Disney eco award
Bizjournals - An Apopka Elementary School’s fifth-grade class project aimed at eliminating plastic shopping bags won the 2009 Disney’s Environmentality Challenge.
The students in teacher Scott Ralph’s class conducted a campaign to warn of the environmental hazards of plastic grocery bags and raised funds for 800 canvas bags that they gave to local shoppers.
The annual statewide competition honors fifth graders who demonstrate a significant commitment to conservation.
Now in its 11th year, Disney’s Environmentality Challenge is a partnership between Walt Disney World and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Since its inception, more than 120,000 fifth-grade students throughout Florida have participated in the program.
|
|
Top
|
|
Sunday
May 3, 2009 |
He Was Promotable, After
All
A
Hannah Montana Banana? Disney's Brand Goes Healthy
A South Seas
Vacation in Central Florida
Disney’s
The Lion King Opens at Mandalay Bay |
|
He Was
Promotable, After All
New York Times - This interview with
Robert Iger, C.E.O. of
Disney, was conducted and condensed by Adam
Bryant.
Q. What is the
most important leadership lesson you have learned?
A. What I’ve
really learned over time is that optimism is a very, very
important part of leadership. However, you need a dose of
realism with it. People don’t like to follow pessimists. I’d say
that I’ve also learned, in general, to be more patient. I’ve
learned to be more focused. I’ve learned to listen better and
manage reaction time better. What I mean by that is not
overreacting to things that are said to me, because sometimes
it’s easy to do that.
Q.
Tell me about your best and worst
bosses.
A. I’ve worked for
some great leaders. Roone Arledge was a consummate
perfectionist. He drove everybody to levels of perfection or to
come as close as possible to it. You exhausted every possibility
there was to make something great or make something better.
Tom Murphy and Dan Burke taught me the importance of trust
and managing people. You could learn from them but you also had
the opportunity to go out and take those learnings and actually
apply them on your own. There was a decentralized approach to
the way they ran the company.
Michael Eisner brought me into different types of creativity.
I had been mostly a television executive and he taught me about
creativity on almost every level, in every direction, from
theme-park attractions to stage plays.
My first boss at ABC told me I wasn’t promotable, so I’d have
to put him in the category of “bad boss.” Clearly he had poor
judgment.
Q.
How did you react to that?
A. Well, when
you’re 23 years old and you’re told you’re not promotable,
there’s something kind of surprising to you about that,
particularly when you’ve just embarked on a career and you have
hopes for yourself — not necessarily high hopes, but I had
hopes. I’d say it was just shocking. I don’t remember even being
able to react, but I found another job very quickly,
fortunately, within the company. It’s obviously a profound
moment in your career. And the moment remains pretty vivid in my
mind.
Q.
Did you change anything about the way
you presented yourself?
A. Well, it’s a
long time ago. Of course, at 23 you think you know everything
about yourself. But looking back, now that I’m 58, I don’t know
whether it was conscious or not, but I must have believed in
myself enough so that I didn’t really let it get to me. And I
was so lucky to have had another opportunity presented to me
right away. Had that not been the case, I might have reacted
very differently.
But I rose above it very quickly, and there was a lesson in
that. I think it toughened me up a little bit more. It made me a
little bit more cautious, maybe a little bit more, just
generally, wary about people. I talked earlier about the need to
be an optimist. It challenges your optimism a little bit,
particularly when you’re just starting out in your career.
Q.
Do you recall an insight that put your
career on a different trajectory?
A. Well, as you’d
expect in a 35-year career, there are twists and turns along the
way. I started off wanting very much to be a newscaster. I began
as a weatherman and I learned very quickly I wasn’t very good at
it. I’d say the first lesson I learned is, if you’re not good at
one thing, try something else. Don’t stick with something you’re
not good at unless you think you could turn yourself into
someone who’s good at that.
Q.
What career advice do you give to
people?
A. When you
navigate the sometimes tricky waters of a big corporation,
there’s a need to be really patient. When it comes to managing a
career, patience is extremely important because people set goals
for themselves that often are unrealistic. It’s great to do that
because you want to be ambitious, but you don’t have control of
a lot of circumstances.
And when you set these goals and they’re not met, the reasons
are beyond your control, it creates impatience and you then make
career decisions out of impatience. That’s a big mistake. One of
my bosses once said that just when you think nothing’s going to
change, everything changes. And you reach a point where you’re
not sure any opportunity is going to present itself, and the
next day you come in and you’re — boom — smacked in the face
with some huge new opportunity you didn’t even predict was going
to occur. That happened to me a number of times.
Q.
When you talk to your managers about
leadership, what do you tell them?
A. Most
of it is by example. But when I get a chance to preach a bit,
which I do to some extent, I talk about the importance of
patience. I talk about the need to be direct with your people. I
talk frequently about the need to be accessible — very important
for a leader. You’ve got to get out there, and I exhort everyone
who works for me to do just that.
Q.
How do you stay in touch with people
throughout the company?
A. It takes a lot
of getting around. You have to see people, and not get too
involved in too many extracurricular activities and all the
other gravitational pulls that exist in the business world. When
you meet people face to face, you’ve got to project an
accessibility — that you can get on an elevator and actually
have a conversation with someone or go to an employee cafeteria
and talk with people, or stroll a floor of a building and
connect with people. I make it part of my schedule to do that.
I was in Orlando recently, where we have over 60,000 people.
I couldn’t touch every one of them, but many of them knew I was
there, because I was out seeing people and getting around, and
that’s a good thing. One, you show you care. Two, it gives you
an ability to hear people. But I wouldn’t hear them if I stayed
at Burbank in my office all the time.
Q.
Let’s talk about hiring. How do you do
it?
A. Carefully. I
try to get to know someone, and I obviously use references as an
important guide as well.
Warren Buffett, who was the
largest shareholder of Capital Cities/ABC and someone I am
fortunate to have both known and learned from, is fond of
saying, “When you hire someone, you look for brains, energy and
integrity, and if they don’t have the third, integrity, you
better watch out, because the first two will kill you.”
And so you obviously want to hire someone who’s smart and you
want to hire someone who has energy, because that’s required in
many of these jobs. But integrity is the most important factor.
So getting to know them, getting under their skin to the extent
possible, becomes important. And I also look for qualities in
people beyond that. I love curiosity, particularly in our
business — being curious about the world, but also being curious
about your business, new business models, new technology.
Q.
Give me some examples of questions that
you would ask to get to know somebody?
A. I don’t have
any tricks. I try to learn more about a person, what he does
outside of work, his family, what their interests are — someone
with too many interests is usually faking it. But you can
quickly determine whether they’ve got a couple of interests, or
one in particular that they’re really passionate about. Passion
suggests some level of curiosity, by the way, too.
I try to determine whether someone is interested in new
technology, because technology is changing our businesses right
before our eyes, particularly consumer behavior. And if you’re
not curious about technology and its potential impact on your
life, then you’ll have no clue what its impact might be on
someone else’s life.
I don’t discount nervousness, because everyone should be a
little nervous when they’re interviewed, particularly if a job
is important. But I like someone who’s got an ability to look me
in the eye and communicate effectively, even if they don’t know
me.
Q.
What are some things you do to manage
your time effectively?
A. Well, I get up
very early and I get to work early. I get up at 4:30 every
morning. I like the quiet time. It’s a time I can recharge my
batteries a bit. I exercise and I clear my head and I catch up
on the world. I read papers. I look at e-mail. I surf the Web. I
watch a little TV, all at the same time. I call it my quiet time
but I’m already multitasking. I love listening to music, so I’ll
do that in the morning, too, when I’m exercising and watching
the news.
I also have to be focused throughout the day. The comedian
Dennis Miller once talked about men using remote-controlled
devices, and he called them ferrets on double espressos. I try
not to be a ferret on a double espresso. You need to look
someone in the eye and listen to what they’re talking about and
focus on the subject at hand. I admit that I fray a little bit
around the edges. It’s just a balance.
Q.
Are you a gadget person?
A. Have been all
my life. I love gadgets. I’m an iPhone guy. I know that Steve
Jobs is our largest shareholder, but I was an iPod and iTunes
user before that. I also don’t like too many things in my
pockets. I don’t like carrying things around, and the
three-in-one — I have my music, I have my telephone and I have
my e-mail all in one gadget that fits in my pocket. That’s sheer
beauty, and that’s perfection for me.
Q.
Your favorite app when you want to
decompress?
A. I play
Scrabble. I like word games. |
|
Top
|
A
Hannah Montana Banana? Disney's Brand Goes Healthy
 Washington
Post - When the cartoon Popeye the Sailor Man emerged in
the United States in the 1920s, sales of his signature food,
spinach, rose by one-third. Today, Disney is hoping that Zac
Efron can do the same for avocados. And Mickey Mouse for eggs.
And Tinker Bell for corn on the cob.
Disney's practice of licensing its characters for placement
on children's food products is not new, but its strategy is.
Whereas cereal boxes and fast-food bags used to be prime
real estate for company-to-kid marketing, alarming rates of
childhood obesity caused Disney to think twice about
aligning its name with sugary or fatty foods. So over the
past few years, Disney has gradually distanced itself from
junk food. It ended its McDonald's Happy Meal contract in
2006 and has been expanding its association with healthier
foods since then. The result: an abundance of Disney-branded
healthy stuff, including fruits, vegetables and dairy
products.
This explains the advent of Disney-branded eggs, which
landed on store shelves in Florida and New York in late
March. The outside packaging of the egg carton brandishes
Mickey's smiling mug and the message: "Good source of
Protein." Each eggshell has been stamped with the face of a
different Disney character -- from Tigger to Buzz Lightyear.
Skeptics may doubt that any parent would pay more for
branded eggs or that kids would eat them just because of a
cartoon endorsement. But, however silly it may seem, if the
past is any indicator, these eggs will be golden for Disney.
Disney health-food promotions began in 2006 with an
experimental idea. Licensed characters would appear on basic
fruits like apples on the only spot available: the
thumbnail-sized stickers. It worked out, magically, in fact.
Growers were happy to partner with the well-known brand if
it meant selling more produce, and Disney rebranded the act
of marketing its movies to hungry children as "corporate
social responsibility." Quite clever.
The backlash Disney had felt from tempting kids with
french fries was replaced by a pat on the back for
advertising on oranges. Now, there are more than 250
offerings in the Disney Garden line, at least one of which
is available in 18 of the top 20 mass and grocery retailers
in the United States. Sales grew 70 percent in 2008 over the
previous year, thanks to expanding offerings.
One such product is the High School Musical avocado. When
Disney stamps a product with a popular character, such as
tween sensation Zac Efron, it "can't help but benefit from
the nag factor," says Lance Gatewood, the vice president of
Disney Consumer Products' Food, Health & Beauty, North
American division. And, when kids are begging their parents
for something nutritious, like an avocado, he explains, it's
hard to say no. Parents are happy, growers are happy,
grocers are happy, kids are happy and healthy, and, oh yeah,
Disney is pleased, too. It turns out that seasonal fruits
can be the perfect promotional platform for a film. Last
summer's avocado season coincided conveniently with the fall
release of High School Musical 3. Besides the promotional
boost, Disney earns back royalties on units sold. And,
because of the Disney appeal, more units tend to sell.
Sometimes it's a lot more: Bagged-apple sales went up 47
percent during a High School Musical promotion at
Winn-Dixie.
Other companies have followed suit. Discovery Kids
announced a similar produce-marketing initiative a year
after Disney's, and Viacom's Nickelodeon vowed to end
licensing of its characters on unhealthy foods by early
2009. Not only are other media companies discovering the
potential of the health-food market, but they're
increasingly under siege for associating with unhealthy
foods. Last summer, a Federal Trade Commission report made a
sweeping call for all entertainment companies to "limit the
licensing of their characters to healthier foods and
beverages that are marketed to children."
But do we really want to extend the already ubiquitous
marketing of kid culture to food? "If we think about
children's well-being, the best thing we could do is to stop
marketing any food to them and let parents make choices
about what their children eat without being undermined by
advertising," says Susan Linn, director of the Campaign for
a Commercial-Free Childhood.
Somehow, though, that kind of criticism seems unlikely to
slow Disney down. It is currently expanding its line of
whole-wheat-breaded Mickey Mouse-shaped chicken nuggets to
national wholesale giant Costco, as well as beefing up
licensing offerings with Campbell's soup. According to
Gatewood, the food segment of the Disney Consumer Products
Group predicts double-digit percentage growth relative to
last year, whereas other merchandising units will likely
decline.
As the world's top licensor, Disney profits from lending
its characters to tons of outlets, from T-shirt makers to
toy manufacturers. But the supermarket is one of very few
thriving economic sectors these days; while parents are
spending fewer discretionary dollars on playthings and extra
clothes for their kids, most aren't cutting back on basic
groceries. Families are reportedly dining out less and
stocking up at the supermarket instead. And now a slew of
cartoon characters are fortuitously there to greet them in
nearly every aisle. |
|
Top
|
A South
Seas Vacation in Central Florida
 Suite101
- Tropical breezes, white sand beaches, and island
hospitality are just some of the attributes that have guests
returning to the Polynesian Resort year after year. This
resort, along with the Contemporary, were the first to open
with the Magic Kingdom back in October 1971. In 2005 the
resort underwent an extensive refurbishment, one longhouse
at a time. The Polynesian is only two monorail stops away
from the Magic Kingdom and its proximity to the park offers
nice views of Cinderella Castle. Nighttime fireworks can be
seen from the beach as well as the Electrical Water Pageant
that takes place on Seven Seas Lagoon. The Transportation
and Ticket Center (TTC) is a short walk away and serves as
the transfer to Epcot monorail.
The Rooms
The Polynesian has eleven longhouses that house the guest
rooms, which are the largest out of the Deluxe resorts.
Rooms feature two queen beds and a daybed and were
completely refurbished in 2005 adding a elegant, modern feel
to the design. Views vary between the longhouses. For garden
views: Aotearoa, Hawaii (club level only), Rarotonga, are
the better longhouses. For views of the Magic Kingdom the
Tahihi longhouse is the best choice.
Amenities
- Extra Magic Hour benefit
- Alarm Clock
- Safe
- Refrigerator
- Coffee maker
- Hair dryer
- Iron and ironing board
- Pack 'n Play playards
- Wi-Fi Internet (for a fee)
- Newspaper delivery
Transportation
The Magic Kingdom is just a monorail or boat ride away.
To get to Epcot, take a short stroll over to the TTC and
transfer to the Epcot monorail. Buses take guests to Disney
Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon
Lagoon, and Downtown Disney.
Places To
Eat
'Ohana: Located on the second floor of the Great
Ceremonial House, this restaurant features Polynesian
cuisine served family-style. Instead of sitting near the
window, take a seat near the open fire pit to watch meals
being cooked. Mornings offer a family-style character
breakfast with Lilo and Stitch as well as other Disney
friends.
Kona Cafe: The unmistakable scent of coffee and
pastries welcomes guests stepping off the monorail. But this
eatery offers more than delectable sweets. Here, Pan-Asian
cuisine such as Teriyaki beef salad, stir-fried noodles, and
a Polynesian plate lunch are served in a casual environment.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served.
Captain Cook's Snack Company: Recently
renovated, this 24 hour snack spot offers up breakfast
(until 10:30am) lunch, and dinner items. Refillable mugs can
also be found here.
Spirit of Aloha Luau: This dinner show features
traditional Polynesian music, dance, and food.
Pineapple-coconut bread, Polynesian rice, and barbecued pork
ribs are just some of the items on the family-style menu.
The show is every Tuesday through Saturday at 5:15 and 8:00
p.m. Seating is category based with Category 1 being closest
to the stage. Here is a seating and price chart.
Where to
Wet Your Whistle
Tambu Lounge: Delicious appetizers and
refreshing island beverages can be found at this spot in the
Great Ceremonial House.
Barefoot Pool Bar: Enjoy a Captain's Mai Tai by
the Nanea Volcano pool. Non-alcoholic drinks are available
as well.
Recreation
The Polynesian Resort has two pools and three beaches.
Also guests at the resort have access to the Grand
Floridian's spa and health club. Moana Mickey's Arcade, open
24 hours, has both classic and new arcade games. Watercraft
rentals and specialty cruises can be found at Mikala Canoe
Club Marina.
Disney's Polynesian Resort is located at 1600 Seven Seas
Dr. Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
|
|
Top
|
Disney’s The Lion King Opens at Mandalay Bay
Travel News Gazette -
Disney Theatrical
Productions and Mandalay Bay have announced the
award-winning Broadway phenomenon THE LION KING coming to
the Mandalay Bay Theatre May 15, 2009, with preview
performances beginning May 5, 2009.
Disney
Theatrical Productions and Mandalay Bay have announced the
award-winning Broadway phenomenon THE LION KING coming to
the Mandalay Bay Theatre, Las Vegas - May 15, 2009, with
preview performances beginning May 5, 2009.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Main Back
News |
