The second piece of bad news is really just more of the same: another day of extremely high roadside pollution reported by RTHK radio this morning. A Hong Kong tourism official interviewed on the radio tried to put a brave face on things saying the problem—which he presumably thinks is only temporary-will go away soon. That's little consolation for anyone visiting Hong Kong at the moment, where the average stay is just a few days. "The blight of air pollution is a tax on the whole tourism industry as it affects tourists during their visit and leaves a negative impression of the city that will affect their desire to return," says Joanne Ooi, CEO of Clean Air Network, an environmental advocacy group focusing exclusively on air pollution in Hong Kong. "Reduced visibility leads to strong association with less developed cities like Mumbai that leaves a black mark on Hong Kong's image."

Equally important perhaps is that Hong Kong's air quality leads to unfavorable comparisons with its regional rival Singapore which has has long benefited from its reputation as the cleanest and safest metropolis in Southeast Asia. More recently the Singapore government has made a big push to improve the city's tourism attractions by hosting the Formula One race and allowing casinos to open their doors next year. Another selling point for Singapore: a Universal Studios theme park is also set to open in early 2010. Though smaller than Hong Kong Disneyland, its proximity to Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand will give it an advantage over Hong Kong.

But Shanghai is clearly the bigger threat to Hong Kong. Here's what Parita Chitakasem, research manager at Euromonitor International in Singapore, who specializes in theme parks, had to say to me in an email. "Disneyland Shanghai will have two big features which will make it more attractive than its Hong Kong counterpart: although it is still early days, Disneyland in Shanghai will probably offer a much better experience for your money than Disneyland in Hong Kong – initial plans show that Shanghai's Disneyland will be six times bigger compared to the current size of Hong Kong Disneyland, which is very small (only 16 attractions). Also, for visitors from mainland China, it will be much easier to travel to Disneyland in Shanghai, as there are no visa/cross border concerns to take care of."

The hybrid parade-show combines two of my favorite experiences at Disneyland: atmospheric street talent often found tucked in a corner of New Orleans Square and the spectacle of a huge cast aboard the Mark Twain for the Fantasmic finale. Throughout the show, a pre-selected group of 20 theme park visitors ride with the performers on board the riverboat — taking part in the show.

In all, the "Jubilee" cast sings and dances to six jazz-, blues- and zydeco-influenced songs (two of them twice). The entourage parades in and out to "Down in New Orleans" while "Gonna Take You There" serves as the traveling riverboat music. Once the ship reaches the bend in Rivers of America, the sailing stage pauses for four songs: "Almost There" (sung by Princess Tiana), "When I'm Human" (performed by Louis the singing alligator), "Friends on the Other Side" (sung by the evil voodoo magician Dr. Facilier) and "Dig a Little Deeper" (the group finale).

By far, my favorite part of "Jubilee" is the second line –- the traditional Jazz funeral dance style popular in Louisiana. The performers — banging tambourines, twirling parasols and tossing beads — dance and sing in a more organic fashion than the typical Disneyland parade. And from a storytelling standpoint, the meandering procession fits perfectly in New Orleans Square.

The inspection, ordered by a court in Meaux, outside Paris, follows a report by anti-racism campaign group SOS Racisme, accusing Euro Disney of discriminating against people who were not white when recruiting "cast members" for its Disneyland Paris resort.

"We can confirm that on the morning of Wednesday, November 4, a bailiff visited the site of Disneyland Paris to inspect personnel documents and the Disneyland Paris recruitment site," the Disneyland Paris spokesman said.

"Following these inspections, the bailiff declared that he had found no document or file of an ethnic or racial character," he said, adding that the resort did not select staff on the basis of their racial or ethnic origin.

In the report issued on Wednesday, SOS Racisme detailed a series of practices which it said discriminated against people of African, Caribbean or Arab origin looking for work at Disneyland Paris.

The company's policies, according to the group, were based on the assumption that as most of the customers were white Europeans, most of the staff should be of the same origin.

The report also named several other bodies including companies and public housing organizations in a broad attack on what it said was the widespread practice of "ethnic filtering" in selection for jobs and housing.

SOS Racisme also said that on the Disneyland Paris recruitment website, the resort required candidates to choose a nationality from a drop-down menu that included sub-categories of French people.

The menu included several of France's overseas territories like Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean and La Reunion in the Indian Ocean as if they were separate nationalities.

People from those islands, of whom the majority are black, are full French citizens.

The Disneyland Paris spokesman rejected the charges, saying that the company noted the geographical origin of staff as part of a standard annual report companies drew up on staff issues like living conditions, training, pay and social charges.

"The elements noted in the SOS Racisme report...can be quite easily explained once they are put in context," he said, adding that
staff from overseas territories were identified because they were covered by special travel cost regulations.

Elsewhere, Hong Kong Tourism Board chairman James Tien Pei-chun admitted that competition from the Shanghai theme park will hurt visitor numbers to Hong Kong, although just by how much is anyone's guess.

Tien told RTHK that of the 1.6 million mainlanders visiting Disneyland each year, half of them come from Guangdong.

He believes the territory will retain this core group of visitors, but fears losing those who come here from further afield.

Tien said the HK$3.6 billion Disneyland expansion, which is set to begin by the end of the year and be completed the same year the Shanghai park is due to open, should help attract visitors.

Disneyland marketing director Frederick Chan Kwok-yu said local, overseas and mainland visitors each account for one-third of patrons.

Chan said the theme park will continue to explore the Asia-Pacific market and come up with tailor-made programs that cater for specific tastes. Meanwhile, there will be the added competition of Universal Studios Singapore, which is due to open next year.

"Tourist attractions open in different parts of the world every year. We don't think there is one that can attract all the visitors," Chan said.

He insists the China market is big enough for two parks from the international entertainment giant.

Each Disney park will aim to provide spinoff benefits to the other.

Chan said, as a result, Disneyland is not considering a reduction in admission fees.

Expansion plans are on course, and he is upbeat that special events designed for the different holiday seasons will boost the appeal
of the Lantau attraction.

The upcoming 45-day festive special, A Sparkling Christmas - A Winter Wonderland, which runs from November 20 to January 3, will be of particular appeal to visitors from southern China and Southeast Asia because they rarely see snow and have little experience of the Western holiday tradition.

Jin, 72, said the local government already told her that she and her husband will have to relocate from their native Qigan Village in
the Pudong district so Disney can build its newest theme park. Jin wasn’t told how much the government will pay for her 30-
square-meter (323-square-foot) house and its backyard vegetable patch, she said.

“My husband and I are very worried,” Jin said. “We don’t want to move because our meager income is not enough for us to live in the city, where everything costs more.”

Disney, the world’s largest media company, won government approval to build its first theme park in mainland China, its fourth outside the U.S. The Magic Kingdom-style park will be built in three phases covering 11 square kilometers (2,718 acres),
according to Shanghai Securities News, and force about 5,000 families in Chuansha county to relocate, villagers said.

The park will cost about 25 billion yuan ($3.66 billion) to build and is scheduled to open in 2014, the state-run newspaper said yesterday.

‘Crazy’ Market

“We understand that the local government is offering resettlement packages to local residents,” Disney spokeswoman Alannah
Hall-Smith said in an e-mail. “The local government is also offering other forms of assistance to local residents, and Disney and
our Chinese partners will strive to support these local efforts.”

The proposed park already is pushing up property prices in the district, which is about 27 kilometers (17 miles) east of Shanghai’s Lujiazui financial center.

A Nov. 4 auction of a 56,570-square-meter plot in Chuansha country attracted 17 bidders and sold to a Fujian province developer for 1.19 billion yuan, compared with the minimum asking price of 326.8 million yuan, the state-owned Xinhua News Agency said.

The average price for new apartments in Chuansha jumped to 16,000 yuan per square meter from 13,000 yuan a month ago, said Yang Jun, an agent at Centaline Property Agency Ltd.

“The market just went crazy,” he said. “We expect the prices to jump to at least 20,000 yuan in a few months. A Disneyland --
that’s the best you could ask for as a neighbor.”

Olympic Relocations

Residential prices in 70 Chinese cities climbed 2.8 percent in September, the fastest pace in a year, as record lending and 4 trillion yuan in stimulus spending spur a recovery in the world’s fastest-growing major economy. New home prices in Shanghai averaged 16,780 yuan per square meter in October, according to Shanghai Uwin Real Estate Information Services Co.

China has a history of relocating people -- with compensation and without -- for redevelopment and construction projects.

Beijing’s government said last year it used market-based valuations to pay an average of 700,000 yuan compensation to each household relocated for the building of venues for the 2008 Olympic Games. The local government moved 6,037 households, with about 14,901 residents, between 2001 and 2004.

Many of Beijing’s centuries-old narrow lanes, or hutongs, were demolished before the Games, and their residents were sent to far-flung suburbs or new towns around the city.

‘We Have to Move’

Farmers in Hubei province relocated because of the Three Gorges Dam project received 6,000 yuan in compensation per
household, the state-run Global Times reported Sept. 30. The dam, set to become the world’s biggest hydroelectric power
station when fully operational by 2012, forced the relocation of 1.27 million people by June 30, the government said.

Ge Gengdi, 65, of Zhaohang village in Pudong, operates a small neighborhood store with her husband and makes about 350 yuan
of profit a day. She has lived in the village for 39 years, and her family of eight shares a 300-square-meter house.

“The government’s agenda is always on top of farmers’, and I know we should support it instead of grudging,” Ge said, standing amid shelves of soap, bottled water and cooking oil. “Happy or not happy isn’t important anymore. The decision is made and we have to move.”

An official at the Chuansha county planning department, who declined to provide her name, said Nov. 4 that relocation will start soon. Shanghai government spokesman Chen Qiwei declined to comment yesterday.

The resettlement involves 4 million square meters of land, the state-run China Daily said Nov. 4.

‘Ruined’ Life

Qigan, at the center of Chuansha, covers 3 square kilometers and has 2,555 people, according to the local government. Zhaohang covers 5.3 square kilometers and has 3,820 people.

Ge said she lost 2 mu or about 0.33 acre, to the government for redevelopment last year. The government didn’t specify what the land would be used for, she said.

“All I care now is how much compensation we will end up getting after layers and layers of government officials get their share,” the retired farmer said.

Chen Xiwen, director of the State Council’s Office of Central Rural Work Leading Group, said in February that China’s
government must protect the economic interests of farmers or face increasing protests as millions of jobless workers return to
the countryside from cities.

Premier Wen Jiabao has made boosting incomes among farmers a priority, promoting rural loans and raising public works
spending to double their earnings by 2020. The average per capita income in the countryside was 4,716 yuan in 2008, about a
third of that for city dwellers, according to government statistics.

Jin said she and her husband grow vegetables and fruit to save money. Her fellow villagers say they will get 32 square meters of
living space each in their new homes.

“There seems to be some evidence that there are actually delays in language acquisition by children who use these videos,“
said Dr. Michael Rich, of the Center on Media and Child Health at Children’s Hospital Boston.

That research fueled the fire of a group called the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.

It threatened Disney, the parent company of “Baby Einstein,“ with a class-action lawsuit for what it called “implied claims
that their videos are educational.“

“You don’t even have to say, ‘This is educational for your child.‘ You can imply it, and in fact, the very title of these products
implies that it’s going to make your baby like Einstein,“ Rich said.

A statement on the “Baby Einstein” Web site said the company makes no “educational” claims, but has expanded a policy to
offer full refunds on DVDs.

Parents can get their money back, but not their time. Doctors said some parents use the DVDs more for electronic baby-
sitting than education.

“‘Baby Einstein’ is in no way the enemy,“ said Chris Byrne of TimeToPlayMag.com.

Toy marketing experts say one of Baby Einstein’s biggest messages has been to encourage parents to interact with their
children while using the products.

“A lot of times when parents are encountering marketing, they look at it and they project their own hopes and desires onto
the marketing—even if it’s not what the marketing message was,“ Byrne said.

Each household can return up to four “Baby Einstein” DVDs purchased between June 5, 2004, and Sept. 5, 2009. The
company will refund $15.99 for each DVD.

The official Xinhua news agency cited Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng as telling a media briefing on Sunday that the city would hold a news briefing soon to reveal the latest developments concerning the proposed park.

"This project will surely go forward, but first it must be approved by the central government," said the government source on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

"They will seek to clarify the situation with this upcoming news conference," he said.

Rumors have swirled in Chinese media in the last two weeks that Shanghai could soon announce final plans to build a park with Walt Disney Co (DIS.N), possibly to coincide with a planned trip to the city later this month by U.S. President Barack Obama.

"The project is still in the planning stages and most of the details aren't mature yet," he said, adding that the city had decided on a site in Shanghai's Pudong New Area for the project but was determining who the local business partners would be.

Shares of property developers with holdings in Pudong advanced on Monday. Shanghai Lujiazui Development (600663.SS) was
up 8.8 percent as of 0628 GMT and Xiamen Prosolar (600193.SS) was up 6.81 percent. The broader Shanghai market .SSEC
was up 2.37 percent.

In China, approval for massive projects on the scale of Disney can be a long, opaque process that can drag on for years, with officials sometimes providing early indications before a final decision is formally announced to the public.

Disney has been trying to build a park for years in Shanghai, in an on-again-off-again effort as it tries for a bigger footprint in a fast-growing China market where success has eluded most Western media companies.

Disney is interested in Shanghai not only for the city's large population, but also for the many major cities, including the likes of Suzhou, Nanjing and Hangzhou, located within easy driving distance.

Media reports have placed the cost of the park around $3.6 billion.

Disney already has operations in Hong Kong, where its fifth resort was built in 2005.

Analysts said a Disney agreement could be a feel-good bilateral story, highlighting U.S. cultural influence and an investment that
does not entail U.S. job losses in the manufacturing sector.

BusinessWire - Disney Consumer Products (DCP) today released its “Most Wanted Holiday Toys List,” featuring its Disney
Dozen Deals - toys that bring Disney’s rich storytelling heritage home for the holidays for less than $25, plus six standouts for the most discerning gift-givers. Already garnering top honors and awards from media and organizations including FunFare, FamilyFun, iParenting and the National Association of Parenting Publications, Disney toys will delight boys and girls of all ages and bring to life the magic of its beloved characters and storylines for a cheerful holiday season.

The Most Wanted Holiday Toys list is inspired by the latest entertainment content including the upcoming theatrical release of The Princess and the Frog, Disney’s enchanting 2D animated film which introduces the newest Disney Princess character, Tiana;
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure, the second installment in the popular Disney Fairies series now available on Disney Blu-ray
and DVD; the Disney-Pixar Toy Story Definitive collection which replicates Andy’s favorites friends featured in the film, all the way down to the scale size and packaging; the Cars and Cars Toons die-cast line, which has sold more than 140 million cars to date
gets a new twist with lenticular eyes and a neon light up feature; plus the popular Playhouse Disney preschool series on Disney Channel Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Handy Manny.

Disney’s Most Wanted Holiday Toys are now available at national retailers, Disney Store and DisneyStore.com.

PRESCHOOL:

Handy Manny Flicker The Flashlight, SRP $14.99 at national retailers. Introducing Manny's 8th tool, the newest member of his toolbox, Flicker the flashlight! This is a real working flashlight. Pull the blue cap to extend him or snake the light into hard to get to places. Press the side button to turn on and off the light and press his mouth button to hear phrases! You can also project an image on the wall of a wrench to use it as a call to action for Manny to come save the day.

Mickey’s Mouse-ke-TAG, SRP: $24.99 at national retailers. Mickey's Mouse-ke-TAG is an active learning toy for preschoolers that promotes mental and physical exercise. Players listen as Goofy calls out descriptions of different Disney character targets; kids can run to tag them.

Minnie Mouse Cupcake Set, SRP: $19.50 at Disney Store and DisneyStore.com exclusive. Now every child can be a chef as they bake delicious pretend cupcakes that are always perfect. The Minnie Cupcake set comes with more than a dozen items. Included are pretend eggs, a bowl, a spatula, a cupcake tin, pretend cupcakes, measuring spoons, frosting and a measuring cup. Ages 3+.

BOYS:

Disney-Pixar Cars Vehicles (Lenticular eyes, Die Cast), SRP: $3.99 at national retailers. Highly collectible and fun to play with too, this line of die cast character cars feature new "lenticular" moving eyes!

Disney-Pixar Cars Neon Light-Up Die Cast Disney Cars 2-Pack, SRP: $16.50, a Disney Store and DisneyStore.com exclusive. Blaze a trail in neon with the Neon Light-Up Die Cast Cars 2-packs in assorted characters. Activate neon lights with on-off switch at bottom of car.

Disney-Pixar Cars Toons Vehicles (Die Cast), SRP: $4.99 - $7.99 at national retailers. This new line of die cast character cars features characters from the Cars Toons animated shorts, all-new stories created and illustrated by the Disney-Pixar team. The shorts debuted on Disney Channel last fall and were such a hit that Disney will release additional shorts ongoing.

Disney-Pixar Toy Story Buddy Packs, SRP: $6.99 at national retailers. Kids can re-create their favorite Toy Story movie scenes or make up their own adventures with these fun, stylized figures that are ready for action. Kids can choose from 26 different 2-packs or collect them all.

Disney-Pixar Toy Story Basic Action Figures, SRP: $9.99 at national retailers, Disney Store and DisneyStore.com. Packed with all the personality and fun of the Toy Story characters, these fully articulated 6-inch action figures feature up to 11 different character/poses that kids can collect.

GIRLS:

Disney Fairies Tink’s Balloon Playset, SRP: $19.99 at national retailers. Re-enact scenes from the new film in the super popular Disney Fairies DVD series, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure with Tink's Transforming Balloon playset. Turn the top of the
balloon and watch as it opens to reveal a playset inside.

Disney Fairies Secret Jewelry Box, SRP: $14.99 - $16.99 at national retailers. Flower shaped jewelry box opens to reveal lots of jewelry and fun play. Includes two 2" dolls that attach to the jewelry pieces. The dolls spin at the top of the playset, like a real jewelry box. Several drawers and compartments store the play pieces and the entire set folds up for portability. Includes necklace, bracelet, earrings, ring and dolls.

Disney Princess: The Princess and the Frog Princess Tiana Cooking Set, SRP: $19.50 a Disney Store and DisneyStore.com exclusive. Now we're cooking! Heart-shaped, light green and lavender, our Tiana Cooking Set is a precious 10-piece set that's perfect for a little New Orleans style fun in the kitchen.

Disney Princess Tiana Classic Doll, SRP: $16.50 a Disney Store and DisneyStore.com exclusive. This amazingly affordable Tiana doll shines in a gorgeous green dress adorned with rhinestones, layers of tulle and glitter. The special doll comes with a frog figurine (not shown) to add to the fun and allows girls to act out favorite scenes from the movie.

Disney Princess Tiana Just One Kiss Doll, SRP: $24.99 at national retailers, winner of FunFare Magazine’s “Holiday Hot Dozen.” Just like in the story, beautiful Tiana wears her sparkly blue ball gown and comes with her frog Prince Naveen on her hand. When girls bring the frog up to Tiana for a kiss, they can play out the magical scene. When Tiana finally agrees to kiss the prince, her dress lights up with firefly lights and makes magical sounds.

THE SIX DISNEY STANDOUTS:

Disney Pix Twist Digital Still Camera, SRP: $59.99, at national retailers. An evolution in the popular line of Disney Pix digital cameras, the new Disney Pix Twist lets kids take endless pictures of friends and twist the body of the camera to take close up shots of themselves. Features 5 MP and 16 MB internal memory. Styles: Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers, Princess Petals (non-character) and Wizards of Waverly Place.

Disney Princess Tiana Deluxe Costume, SRP: $89.50, a Disney Store and DisneyStore.com exclusive. A glittering yellow and green dream, the Deluxe Tiana Costume is perfect for an everyday waltz around her blue bayou. Flower petal-shaped layers of tulle and satin skirt make this Princess and the Frog costume darling for dress-up. The special attention to detail and fine fabric make this a stunning must-have that will endure many play sessions.

Disney-Pixar Toy Story Definitive Collection, SRP: $16.99 - $79.99, at national retailers, Disney Store and DisneyStore.com, winner of FunFare Magazine’s “Holiday All Stars” and NAPPA Honors Award. This deluxe replica line features the most “film accurate” Toy Story characters ever, delivered in packaging exactly as Andy received them in the films, plus each includes a certificate of authenticity. For example, the 12” highly detailed deluxe replica of everyone’s favorite Space Ranger is the most film accurate Buzz Lightyear ever produced. Sheriff Woody, RC Remote Control Car, Rex, Bucket O’Soldiers, and 3-Pack Space Aliens are also available.

Disney-Pixar Toy Story - Ultimate Buzz Lightyear robot, SRP: $149.99, at national retailers and DisneyStore.com, winner NAPPA Honors Award. This 16" robot responds to six voice commands; say "You're A Toy!" to switch his space ranger personality to a toy character for a whole new set of different responses. Powered by seven motors, this Ultimate Buzz Lightyear walks, talks, turns, blinks, salutes, fires his laser and answers his communicator. More than 100 phrases in Buzz Lightyear’s original voice and cool SFX.

Handy Manny’s Repair Shop, SRP: $99.99, at national retailers and DisneyStore.com, winner of FamilyFun magazine’s Toy Of The Year “Top 30” Award. Welcome to Handy Manny's repair shop where kids have over 20 projects to choose from to build and fix things just like Manny does on the show. Kids grab your blueprints, choose a project and slide it into the diagnostic center. Next, Manny will walk you through the steps and show you how to do the project. Includes over 40 parts to do the projects; there is also
a power saw and a power drill that you can use to do the projects and you can fix them when they break down. It also comes with
2 of Manny's tools. This is the ultimate Manny item!

About Disney Consumer Products

OCRegister - After becoming legally blind at age 30, Brenda Woodrum missed seeing the details of one of her favorite Disneyland rides, Pirates of the Caribbean.

So, Woodrum teared up when she heard a description of cannons shooting from pirate ships on the ride using a new listening device that just became available at Disney parks.

“It was really an emotional experience,” said Woodrum, 47, of Fullerton. “I remembered what was there, but sometimes I’d ride it and not know what was there. I had kind of a sense of loss.”

Starting Sunday, Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure for the first time began offering hand-held devices that give audio descriptions of scenes in 19 attractions for visually impaired guests.
Disney parks are believed to be the first ones to offer such a service, Disney officials said. Knott’s Berry Farm does not have a similar service.
Five devices are available at each Disney park, said Mark Jones, manager of Disney domestic services for guests with disabilities. Guests must give a $100 refundable deposit to use the “audio-description service” devices. In March, Walt Disney World parks began providing the service, now available at 30 locations.

Upon entering an attraction, the devices trigger emitters within the ride that begin the audio description. It’s designed so that guests should have to do no more than adjust the volume, Jones said.

On the pirates ride, the audio description begins as soon as guests walk in the building and enter the queue.

As the ride starts, the narrator talks about sparkling fireflies, lily pads and a man smoking a pipe. He warns that the boat will plunge down a waterfall. Later, the narrator continues to describe the liquor pouring down a bony frame of a pirate skeleton, Captain Jack Sparrow popping up, a “stout” lady up for sale and the mayor dunking in a well.

The explanation pauses for songs and audio from the story plot.

As a member of a Disney group for disabled employees, Woodrum, a reservation sales agent for Walt Disney Travel Co., gave input about the devices as Disney developed them. The group is called CastABLE.

Woodrum first tried out the devices last year, eventually trying them out on six rides. She gave feedback on the timing of some of the descriptions, but otherwise, she enjoyed them right away.

“It’s an incredible experience,” said Woodrum, who visits Disney parks about once a month. “There’s so much detail there. You get full immersion into the attraction.”

The number of Disneyland Resort guests who have used the devices so far was unavailable Monday.

Disney first hoped to buy already existing devices, Jones said. But when officials couldn’t find what they wanted, Disney engineers designed them in house. They hired an outside manufacturer, Softeq, to put them together. WGBH, a PBS producer, provided the audio content, Jones said. Officials declined to release the cost of the product.

Disney hopes to add the service to other attractions in the future, possibly starting with shows.

Attractions with the service at Disneyland:

• Enchanted Tiki Room
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Alice in Wonderland
• it’s a small world
• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
• Snow White’s Scary Adventures
• Storybook Land Canal Boats
• Disneyland Railroad
• Haunted Mansion
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
• “Honey I Shrunk the Audience” movie

Attractions with the service at Disney’s California Adeventure:

• It’s Tough to be a Bug!
• Turtle Talk with Crush
• Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue!
• Muppet*Vision 3D

Earlier this month, Disney slashed 70% of Miramax's workforce, to 20 people, reduced the number of movies it will now release to just three a year and folded much of its key marketing and distribution operations into its own studio. Battsek was noticeably absent attending the London Flm Festival while most of his team was being pink-slipped.

Now, by the end of January, Disney will shut down Miramax's New York headquarters and its Los Angeles office and maintain a small dedicated staff at its Burbank lot.

Battsek, who was hand-picked to run Miramax four years ago by then-Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook (who also recently was ousted) had a weak track record as of late with such misses as "The Boys Are Back," Mike Judge's "Extract" and "Cheri" starring Michelle Pfeiffer.

"With the change in direction at Miramax, we have reached a mutual agreement with Daniel Battsek that he will leave his post as president, effective January 2010," Disney's new movie chairman Rich Ross said in a statement.

Battsek had worked for the Disney organization for 18 years, mostly in the studio's international operation in London.

Everything else is gone: the New York office, the slate of films which has dwindled to a handful of forgettable titles. Even Daniel Battsek is history.

Why hang on to a name that means little?

It’s been four years since indie film bad boys Harvey and Bob Weinstein got divorced from The Walt Disney Company, leaving with no library, little cash – and without the name of the company that was named after their parents, Miriam and Max.

It was a final act of spite by an embittered then-CEO, Michael Eisner. At the time, Eisner’s deputy Robert Iger encouraged his boss to let the Weinstein brothers take the name, at least.

Eisner, in an ungenerous mood, refused. He let them take 'Dimension' instead.

Instead, the Weinsteins started their own independent film label, waiting until the very last minute to come up with a name – for a
long time everyone thought it was going to be “Newco.” They ended up with the equally unsatisfying ‘Weinstein Company.’

This is a subject of discussion down in Tribeca these days since Disney has cut the division's workforce by 70 percent down to 20 people earlier this month, and plans to shutter Miramax's New York headquarters by the end of the year. Miramax plans on
releasing only three titles per year going forward.

Individuals close to the Weinsteins confirm that Harvey and his brother would like to ask Iger if he’d consider giving up the name, since the major studio seems to care so little about it.

The Weinsteins still consider the decision a slight, and are particularly sensitive since their mother is alive and non-appreciative of Disney’s position.They founded the company in 1979, and sold it to Disney in 1993.

If Disney allowed the brothers to buy the name, one Weinstein executive said on condition of anonymity, they would change the name of TWC back to Miramax.

“We’d even be happy to manage the library,” said the executive.

So – what’s up Mickey Mouse? Ready to bury the hatchet? Hey, even Paramount let DreamWorks take the name when they left.

Gamble will oversee development of new animated shorts and series for children, tweens and families on Disney Channel, Disney
XD and other platforms. He also will be charged with recruiting new artists, directors and writers.

A native of Vancouver, Canada, Gamble comes to the job from Classic Media, where he was VP production and creative. Gamble has been working in animation since 1997, starting out at Mainframe Entertainment in Canada and later working for Nerd Corps. He has worked on such series as Reboot, Max Steel, Storm Hawks and the most recent version of George of the Jungle.

“We're excited to gain the insights of someone as uniquely talented and experienced as Kevin,” says Eric Coleman, senior VP of original series at Disney Television Animation. “I know that his creative spirit, production skills and strong relationships in the animation community will help us break new ground and continue the legacy of Disney.”

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment - Walt Disney Home Entertainment is proud to release Zorro, one of the most popular television shows in history on DVD November 3, 2009. The latest addition to the celebrated Walt Disney Treasures, Zorro, makes its fully restored black & white DVD debut. All 78 episodes of the timeless classic will be included on two new six-disc sets--making up the ninth installment of the popular Walt Disney Treasures, and for the first time, will be housed in collectible black, numbered unique tin cases.

From 1957 to 1959, Disney's Zorro was one of the most popular series on television starring Guy Williams, Henry Calvin, and Gene Sheldon. The show helped transform the literary character Don Diego de la Vega into the ultimate iconic, beloved swashbuckling masked hero of the time. The adventures of Zorro and his trusty steed Tornado have captivated audiences since their inception, gaining new audiences when it was re-aired on the Disney Channel in 1983 and re-colorizing the episodes in the 1990s. After the series conclusion, the Zorro adventures lived on from 1960 to 1961 on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color in the form of a four-episode anthology series of hour-long Zorro specials, all of which are also included in Walt Disney Treasures Wave IX.

In this full-length adventure, a huge snowstorm leaves Mickey, Minnie and many other friends stranded leading Mickey and his guests at the House of Mouse to whip up an impromptu party that includes instilling a "Humbug"-quacking Donald Duck with the holiday spirit. Everyone shares their home movies and even grumpy Donald starts to smile when they realize the "Best Christmas of All" is the one you share with friends and family.

Disney Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse, which debuted in 2001, stars more than 35 Disney characters including Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Bambi, Dumbo, The Lion King and more.

Net income declined to $20.4 million, or 26 cents a share, from $50.6 million, or 64 cents, a year earlier, the New York- based company said today in a statement. Analysts projected 24 cents, according to the average of 16 estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Marvel said film revenue declined $65 million in the quarter compared to the same period last year and merchandising licensing sales related to the “Iron Man” and “The Incredible Hulk” movies also declined. Total sales fell 42 percent to $105.7 million, topping the $93.4 million average of 14 analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Marvel rose 7 cents to $50.08 at 9:50 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares had gained 63 percent this year before today.

Theme Park Rangers - Friends and colleagues gathered Monday night to celebrate the life of Bruce Bowes, a noted and beloved local sound technician who worked at our area theme parks and for local theater companies, as well.

The child was riding with her father in their personal golf cart around 10:30 p.m. Saturday when the cart overturned. The driver, Charles Wickt, 37, of Big Pine Key, told officers that he swerved to avoid another cart that was driving toward them without lights, Orange County Sheriff’s Office reports show.

When the cart turned over the girl was thrown from the passenger seat and pinned. She suffered injuries to her neck, head and face, reports show. She was flown to Arnold Palmer Hospital where she was rushed into surgery. She was listed in stable condition.