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| MickeyXtreme's News Archive November 4-10 2007 | ||
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Saturday November 10, 2007 | ||
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Disney Sued Over Segway
Ban The Mickey Mouse MBA It's a Small Boat After All... ABC's 'Super Soap Weekend' Kicks Off At Disney Anaheim's Housing Debate May Cool Off MerchantCircle Scores $10M 'All My Children' star 'comes home' to Walt Disney World for Super Soap Weekend Disney's 2007 AAA Club of the Year Winners Announced | ||
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Disney Sued Over Segway
Ban Central Florida News - Three disabled people have filed a lawsuit against Walt Disney World, saying they need the electric scooters to get around. Disney, as well as Sea World, have banned Segways from their parks, saying they create a safety hazard for guests. Both theme parks said they meet
the needs of disabled guests with wheelchairs and conventional
motorized scooters. | ||
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The Mickey Mouse MBA Slate - Compared with war correspondents, business reporters have it easy. Sure, we cope with tough challenges: relentless cold-call pitches from clueless public-relations executives (for the record, I don't cover the textile industry in New Zealand), the impenetrable thicket of jargon on conference calls, and interviews with CEOs whose hours long monologues make Fidel Castro seem reticent. Over the years, your correspondent has endured cross-country flights in coach, spent sleepless nights in four-star hotels where room service stopped at 11 p.m., and trekked to conference rooms all over Manhattan. I've just returned from what is likely to be the most harrowing investigative jaunt of my career, a four-day slog through teeming streets filled with screaming children. For half a week I subsisted on unhealthy, borderline inedible fare and endured the torture of loud, repetitious music and unbridled sincerity. | ||
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It's a small boat after
all... United Press International - Representatives for California's Disneyland deny that heavy-set visitors are the reason why the "It's a Small World" attraction needs an overhaul. The theme park is closing the 41-year-old ride in January so it can be revamped, The Los Angeles Times reported Friday. Al Lutz -- whose Web site, MiceAge, first reported the refurbishment plans -- claims the work is necessary because the boats can't handle the weight they've been carrying. He said the extra pounds frequently bring the ride to a standstill. "If these boats get stuck ... they have to send someone back in there to lighten the load on the boat," said Lutz, who has been on the ride when a guest or two were asked to hop out. To remedy the situation -- and possibly to avoid embarrassing its guests -- Disneyland plans to make the water channel deeper and design more buoyant boats, Lutz said. "The only thing that's true is that we are going down in January and it's for 10 months and it's to replace the flumes," Disneyland Resort spokesman Bob Tucker told the Times. | ||
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ABC's
'Super Soap Weekend' Kicks Off At Disney Local10 - The 12th annual "ABC Super Soap Weekend" will be held Nov. 10 and 11 at the Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Throughout the weekend, fans
have the opportunity to meet favorite stars from "All My
Children," "One Life to Live" and "General Hospital." Celebrity
Motorcades, Star Conversations and the Wide World of Soaps Live
put fans in the action. "We're talking 75,000 people in a weekend. It is flattering for all of us daytime soap stars," said de los Reyes. This year there will be over 30 ABC Daytime stars attending as well as many new first timers. Among the first-timers is The View's Sherri Shepherd, who will host special shows with Susan Lucci (Erica on "All My Children") and Erika Slezak (Viki on "One Life To Live". Plus, there will be a special appearance by the stars from SOAPnet's General Hospital: Night Shift. "I know my favorite thing to do
is to meet my fans," said de los Reyes. And that is one of the
truly spectacular things about "Super Soap." At special
locations throughout the park, stars will be signing autographs
and talking to fans. Reyes is used to fans wanting to meet Antonio Vega rather than Kamar de los Reyes. "We're in their living rooms five times a week. They feel like they kind of have the inside track on who we are. They get to know the character Antonio Vega. And, yes, there are some fans who definitely have a hard time separating the two. But that tells me I'm doing my job," he said. Reyes said his road to "One Life To Live" has been a phenomenal journey. He actually met his wife on the show. He's married to former "OTL" co-star Sherri Saum. In 2005, he had the opportunity to make a film called "Love and Suicide." Shot on location in Havana, Cuba, Reyes portrays Tomas, a New Yorker who travels to Cuba with the intention of taking his life but ends up falling in love and rediscover his heritage. "Going to my father's house in Cuba was amazing. That was a suggestion that I had made to the director and it ended up changing the direction of the film. When we arrived, I knocked on the door and announced myself, there was an emotional exchange. We wanted to capture that on film, so we did that again. In that second, the movie became about this man's journey in search of his roots and everything he felt like he was missing," said de los Reyes. De los Reyes is of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent. "My father had a passion for his country. Once I stepped foot in Cuba, I knew what he meant. I have goosebumps even talking to you about it," he said. Today, the actor is focused on "One Life To Live" and getting a new storyline off the ground. "I want fans to have fun watching and do work that I'm proud of," he said. | ||
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Anaheim's housing
debate may cool off LATimes - In announcing her withdrawal of support for a controversial housing project near Disneyland this week, Lucille Kring hopes her reversal will bring a little peace and tranquility to a city that has endured nearly a year of turmoil. After all, it was Kring's tiebreaking vote seven months ago that sparked a ballot initiative and escalated what had been a civil discussion about the future of the Resort District into a near civil war in Orange County's second-largest city. "Everybody has been so focused on this one issue," Kring said. "We need to focus on the good stuff that goes on here. I think the people need a rest and we need to calm down a little bit." Kring said her switch was prompted by news that the deal between housing project developer SunCal Cos. and owners of a 26 acre-parcel near Disneyland had fallen through. SunCal had planned to build 1,500 homes -- some of them for low-income families -- in an area designated for resort development. The housing project sparked a fierce debate between business leaders, who felt the area should be reserved for money-spending tourists, and housing advocates, who said the city had a pressing obligation to provide affordable housing. The issue attracted national media attention, spawned three lawsuits, three ballot measures, threats of a recall and regular City Hall protests. Mayor Curt Pringle and Councilman Harry Sidhu, along with Kring, will make up a council majority which can overturn the zoning decision that had allowed the housing project to move forward and bring an anticlimactic end to the issue when it appears on the Nov. 27 agenda. "I think it's hard to have a battle if you only have one side," Pringle said. "We've had two very active sides for a long time. But if in fact SunCal steps away, I don't see the folks on that side having the momentum to carry it forward." Although plans for the massive residential project at Katella Avenue and Haster Street, and the referendum that challenged its zoning, are all but dead, Disney and its supporters are pushing forward with a June ballot initiative to control the future of the neighborhood around its amusement parks. Officials with Save Our Anaheim Resort District, a Disney-funded coalition of business and community leaders, say housing does not belong in the 2.2-square-mile district, which was created in 1994 specifically for tourist uses. Group leaders have touted a study that shows the district covers less than 5% of Anaheim's land but generates 54% of the city's general fund revenue. "We want to ensure the future of the Resort District as it is today," said Annette McCluskey, a coalition spokeswoman. "It's been hugely successful. Why mess with success?" If Disney gets its way, the Anaheim City Council will be stripped of its basic power to make or approve zoning changes in the district. Any such changes -- housing for resort workers, for instance -- would have to be put before a citywide vote. Pringle said he would lobby his colleagues to adopt the initiative outright, saving taxpayers some $250,000 in election costs. Two projects that could be affected by that initiative are a planned 449-unit condo high-rise complex and a plan that includes a 75-room boutique hotel and 191 condominium units on the site of a closed Toys R Us. David DiRienzo, the high-rise project's developer, said the debate over housing in the Resort District is far from over. "This issue was not about one project or one developer," he said. "This is about individual property owners, small and large, who should have the right to pursue the best use for their property. That's what being a property owner in America is all about." Another group of residents, who also oppose Disney's aim, say they are not going away either. Leaders of a coalition of Anaheim business owners and residents said Friday they would continue to pursue a ballot initiative to give voters control over Disney's planned third theme park. "We're rethinking our target goal of getting on the ballot in June, but we're going forward," said Diane Singer, the group's chairwoman. "There's a lot of people who believe Disney has too much influence in the city. It makes a lot of us uncomfortable that big business is meddling in local government." Another unresolved issue involves SunCal's lawsuit against the Frank Family Partnership, landowners of the 26-acre parcel now occupied by two mobile home parks. SunCal alleges the Frank Family defaulted on a $46-million arrangement to sell them the land and conspired with unnamed third parties to kill the deal. "This is not ending quietly," said SunCal attorney Skip Miller of the Los Angeles-based firm, Miller Barondess LLP. "There's litigation ongoing and there are still the same issues there always were. There should there be affordable housing on that site. Affordable housing is a matter of statewide concern and it's not going away, even if this particular project does." Days after filing its lawsuit, SunCal informed the city it would no longer pursue the zoning amendment that allowed for its housing project and that it would stop paying legal fees to fight a Disney lawsuit against the city that attempted to block the project "What's the point of throwing good money after bad?" said Miller, who added his client has already invested $10 million in the project. "There's a lot of uncertainty. We're not paying any more money until the dust settles." | ||
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MerchantCircle Scores $10M
Red Herring - Los Altos, California-based MerchantCircle, which provides search engine marketing and optimization, allows businesses to aggregate reviews and directory listings from across the web in one place, pushing itself as a way to help small business owners "manage their online reputation." Unfortunate for MerchantCircle, its own online reputation may be the one in need of an overhaul. MerchantCircle, analyst said, has resorted to misleading potential customers by using automated telephone calls suggesting their business had a bad online review. When business owners, prompted by the call, went to MerchantCircle to view the supposed bad review, they discovered they first had to register. After realizing how difficult it is to penetrate the small business community, it "decided to scare them," said Peter Krasilovsky, program director at Kelsey Group, a researcher that studies local business trends. "A bad review is a small business's greatest fear." Mr. Krasilovsky was surprised MerchantCircle was able to survive due diligence, attract IAC, and retain its original investors. New financing partners IAC and Square 1 Bank were joined by return backers Rustic Canyon Partners, Scale Venture Partners, and Steamboat Ventures (the venture capital arm of Walt Disney), bringing the ten-person startup's total funding to about $14 million. MerchantCircle representative Kevin Leu declined to comment on whether the startup was still engaged in the telemarketing campaign. The startup said it would use the money to acquire local assets and properties that will bring more customers to local business owners. Chairman Ben Smith declined to specify what those assets would be. Mr. Smith, however, said the company's one goal is to "bring 5 million merchants online." He believes small business owners are getting "screwed by the yellow pages" by sinking their budgets into ineffective and overpriced ads. MerchantCircle aims to connect local businesses with consumers by providing businesses with search engine optimization and search engine marketing. Its free service allows merchants to create a customized page with photos, blogs, newsletters, and coupons. Much like a Facebook for small businesses, merchants can also link to other businesses, trade tips through a merchant forum, and sign up for a news feed to stay up-to-date on local site activity. MerchantCircle claims to have attracted 250,000 local merchants in seventeen months, but Mr. Krasilovsky suspects many of those users were duped into registering. Mr. Krasilovsky said that over fifty people have written him to complain about the misleading phone calls. Because MerchantCircle does not list a current phone number or email address on its site, people are looking for a place to vent, he said. When asked to comment on the telemarketing backlash, Mr. Smith said that the online comments make him "feel more popular." In their drive to bring merchants online, "We've had sixty-seven crazy ideas … and five that really work," he said. Mr. Krasilovsky and Smith agree on one thing: small businesses are vastly underserved online. Small businesses "don't know how to get people to their web sites," Mr. Krasilovsky said. In addition to the yellow page directories—Yellowpages.com, SuperPages.com, Yellow Book—and newspapers, a variety of search engine optimization and search engine marketing specialists are going after a piece the $120 billion local ad business. ReachLocal, based in Woodland Hills, California, recently snagged over $50 million in funding. MerchantCircle offers sponsor listings and sells two sets of monthly premium services to small businesses. The one package includes one ad per month on a major search engine such as Google or Yahoo. For a higher fee, businesses can create up to four rotating ads per month as well as pay for ads on major newspaper sites and 411 phone directory calls. The ultimate question is whether MerchantCircle can overcome its own negative buzz. "The first version of Windows was awful and people kept on using it," Krasilovsky said. | ||
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'All My Children' star 'comes home' to Walt Disney World for
Super Soap Weekend Orlando Sentinel - For actress Alicia Minshew, working the ABC Super Soap Weekend is familiar ground. Long before she landed the role of Kendall Hart Slater on All My Children, she was a regular at Walt Disney World. "I really do feel like I'm coming home," says Minshew, who was born in Plantation and went to high school in Stuart. Her father drove her and her sisters to Central Florida "every single year," she says. "Some of my best childhood memories are going to Disney World. It truly is a big part of my growing up," Minshew says. The first attraction she remembers riding is "the flying Dumbos" -- a k a Magic Kingdom's Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride -- at Magic Kingdom. "They used to seem so big to me," Minshew says. It's the very grown-up world of daytime drama bringing her to Super Soap Saturday and Sunday at Disney-MGM Studios. Dozens of performers and thousands of fans gather for autographs, motorcades, Q&As and other interactions. Soap actors know their followers as a dedicated bunch. Making public appearances is common. "Super Soap is the biggest, most-intense one," Minshew says. She attributes this to the large number of actors participating. In addition to All My Children, the event includes cast members of One Life to Live, General Hospital and its SoapNet spinoff General Hospital: Night Shift. Sherri Shepherd of The View also will be there. Super Soap is a marathon meet-and-greet exercise for the actors. Minshew joined the AMC cast in 2002 (she plays the eldest daughter of Susan Lucci's character, Erica Kane) and has become a Super Soap staple. The hectic pace makes the second day of the weekend more challenging, she says, but she uses fan enthusiasm to bolster her. "I feed off their energy," she says. "It's high, high energy on both ends." Minshew's dad is a minister, and her interest in performing was nurtured during church activities. She wants to take voice and dance lessons again in New York. "I'm trying to return to it. It's been in the back of my mind." That could pay off one year -- not this year, she insists -- at the "street jam" that ends each day of Super Soap Weekend. Minshew's co-star Melissa Claire Egan (who plays Annie Lavery) is scheduled to perform. She's a Super Soap first-timer. "Rest up, eat well, take your vitamins," Minshew advised Egan. "But it's fun." How to see the stars Full disclosure: I've been an All My Children devotee since before Cliff ever married Nina, so Super Soap is a treat for me. Here are ways to enhance your experience. *Disney rolls out FastPass tickets for the stars' autograph sessions, but they go quickly and early. You can try for a standby line, but don't be optimistic. I have never hankered to be in the stars' immediate air space, anyway, and the lines are arranged so that you can get pretty close -- near enough for a decent photo -- while they sign away with ticketholders. *When trying to catch actors' attention for a photo, call out their real names, not the characters'. It's bad form. *Planning ahead works. Schedules sorted by date, performer or show, plus a park map of autograph locations, are available at abc .com (click on Daytime, then on Super Soap Weekend icon). *It will be crowded both days, but that can also be a good thing for ride lovers. Many folks are there only for the soap stars, not Tower of Terror. | ||
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Disney's 2007 AAA Club of the Year Winners Announced
AAA - Several AAA Clubs were recently recognized by Disney Parks for exceptional results in 2007. AAA Mid-Atlantic, AAA Carolinas and AAA Shelby County each received Disney's 2007 Club of the Year Award last week at AAA's Travel Conference in Ft. Lauderdale. Each year Disney Destinations recognizes the top AAA clubs based on highest percent increase in total revenue for Disney Cruise Line Vacations sales and AAA Vacations sales for the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. AAA clubs also are recognized for successful marketing campaigns, as well as success in Disney's ticket sales program. In addition, a special award was given to AAA Auto Club South, recognizing the club for selling the most Adventures by Disney vacations – Disney's new foray into the guided tour business. Disney's 2007 AAA Club of the Year overall winners receive a special trophy; a special Disney event for all travel and auto counselor staff and a 2007 Club of the Year pin for all travel agents and auto travel counselors. "The Disney AAA Club of the Year program provides Disney Destinations an opportunity to recognize the outstanding sales and marketing initiatives of AAA clubs throughout the country as they continue to raise the bar," said Ed Fouché, CTC, senior vice president Travel Industry Sales and Marketing, Disney Destinations. The category winners are: Several clubs received recognition for their accomplishments in specific categories. AAA Western & Central New York was recognized in the Best Marketing Plan, Follow-through and Success category, based on overall marketing campaigns including advertisements and direct mail, and promotional efforts. Disney made particular note of the club's Disney Month initiatives that generated substantial marketing exposure for Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and Disney Cruise Line. AAA Oklahoma recognized for the highest percentage increase in Walt Disney World multi-day ticket sales over prior year. And, AAA Mid-Atlantic was recognized in the highest percentage increase in Disneyland Resort multi-day ticket sales over prior year. "AAA clubs sell Disney travel products with confidence, knowing that every package, cruise and ticket they sell represents a commitment to quality and service from two trusted brands," said Douglas Bower, AAA Travel Vice President. "The AAA Club of the Year Award is a great way to recognize clubs for their outstanding support of the AAA Disney Alliance." Disney Destinations has recognized outstanding AAA clubs nationwide with Disney's AAA Club of the Year program since 1995. As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 50 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. | ||
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Friday November 9, 2007 | ||
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Disney Sees FY08 Capex $250 Million-$350 Million Higher Than
FY07 Changes to the Disney Dining Experience card ordering process Disneyland weighs renovations to 'It's a Small World' Disney Channels Around the World to Premiere "Phineas and Ferb" Disney the American dreamer | ||
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Disney Sees FY08 Capex $250 Million-$350 Million Higher Than
FY07 Dow Jones - Disney said in a conference call that most of the increase will be devoted to digital offerings of its television and film businesses. Disney's other focus is investment in its theme parks business, particularly plans to overhaul its California Adventure theme park. | ||
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Changes to the Disney Dining Experience card ordering process
Disney News -
"As 2008 quickly approaches, you will begin to see some exciting
new developments for the Disney Dining Experience Membership
Program. You asked and we listened! Effective November 11, 2007,
you will no longer have to wait 3 – 6 weeks to receive your
permanent membership card(s). | ||
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Disneyland weighs renovations to 'It's a Small World' Orlando Sentinel - The annoyingly catchy song at Disneyland's "It's a Small World" attraction reminds riders that "the oceans are wide." Whether they're deep enough is another story. Forty-one years after the whimsical ride debuted at the Anaheim park, Disneyland plans to shutter the attraction in January to give it a much-needed face-lift -- and deal with the delicate problem of bottoming-out boats. Heavier-than-anticipated loads have been causing the boats to come to a standstill in two different spots, allowing for an extra-long gander at the Canadian Mounties and the Scandinavian geese. "If these boats get stuck . . . they have to send someone back in there to lighten the load on the boat," said Lutz, who has been on the ride when a guest or two was asked to disembark. "They've even built a platform next to that curve because they've had so many problems." Disneyland plans to add an inch of depth to the water channel and design more-buoyant boats, Lutz said. Perhaps in an effort to protect visitors' egos, the park insists that fat tourists aren't to blame. The boats get stuck because "layers and layers" of fiberglass have built up where maintenance teams have patched and re-patched problem areas, said Disneyland Resort spokesman Bob Tucker. "The only thing that's true is that we are going down in January and it's for 10 months and it's to replace the flumes," Tucker said. But Disneyland is well aware of America's expanding waistlines. In recent years, the park has redesigned many of its costumes and started stocking them in larger sizes to accommodate ever-expanding waistlines. Adult men and women are about 25 pounds heavier than they were in 1960, and 65% are considered overweight, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The average weight for men jumped from 166 pounds in 1960 to 191 pounds in 2002; women average 164 pounds instead of 140. Of course, this is a world of fantasy and the perfect place to forget about that diet for a few hours. So when somebody gets booted from the boat, Lutz said, Disneyland ride operators make sure the guests don't leave disappointed: They hand them a food ticket. Churro, anyone? | ||
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Disney Channels Around the World to Premiere "Phineas and Ferb"
All American Patriots - Disney Channel will premiere its original animated series "Phineas and Ferb," an imaginative comedy from noted animation producers Dan Povenmire ("Family Guy") and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh ("The Simpsons"), in a month-long global programming event entitled Phineas and Ferb-ruary, beginning FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1 (8:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel. Produced by Walt Disney Television Animation, the series will air every night (8:00 p.m.) throughout February on Disney Channel U.S. and will premiere day and date on all 27 Disney Channels. "Phineas and Ferb" will also be featured in a Leap Year marathon on February 29 (3:30-8:18 p.m. ET/PT). (Editors please note: images are available at www.DisneyChannelmedianet.com.) The highly-anticipated "Phineas and Ferb" was seen in two preview telecasts and delivered impressive ratings. In the coveted post-"High School Musical 2" timeslot in August, it delivered 10.8 million total viewers and 4.2 million Kids 6-11, Disney Channel's second-largest audience of all time in those measurements. It also delivered 4.2 million Tweens 9-14, tying "Hannah Montana" as the second-most-watched telecast in that demographic. The second sneak peek of "Phineas and Ferb" in September delivered 3.3 million total viewers. Produced in traditional 2D animation from an artists' storyboard, the series introduces great characters, stories and music and a relatable theme of resourceful stepbrothers, Phineas and Ferb, who dream the impossible dream and somehow, make those dreams come true But, to the chagrin of their older sister Candace, the boys manage to clean it all up before their parents get home. Each comedic episode has many levels of sophistication and a broad array of original songs that extend the humor. As the series unfolds, Phineas and his stepbrother Ferb build a backyard beach complete with surf competition, create a new season -- one with both sun and snow -- called "swinter" and assemble a theme park-sized roller coaster, all just outside their back door. Throughout the escapades, they're accompanied by Perry the Platypus, their seemingly mindless family pet. But unbeknownst to everyone, including Phineas and Ferb, Perry is also Agent P, a suave secret operative who faces off with the ridiculously evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz. Starring as the voice cast are: Vincent Martella ("Everybody Hates Chris") as Phineas, Thomas Sangster ("Nanny McPhee") as Ferb, Ashley Tisdale ("The Suite Life of Zack & Cody," "High School Musical" and "High School Musical 2") as Candace, Caroline Rhea ("Sabrina, the Teenage Witch") as mom Linda, Richard O'Brien (creator of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show") as dad Lawrence, Mitchel Musso ("Hannah Montana") as Jeremy and Dee Bradley Baker ("American Dad!") as Perry the Platypus. The creators and executive producers are Dan Povenmire ("Family Guy") and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh ("The Simpsons"). Povenmire is also the voice of Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Marsh is the voice of Major Monogram. Zac Moncrief and Dan Povenmire are directors and Danny Jacob is the composer. The series is a production of Walt Disney Television Animation. It carries a TV-G parental guideline. 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 94 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on 27 Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney-ABC Television Group. | ||
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Disney the American dreamer Nation Multimedia - Neal Gabler has written the definitive biography of Walt Disney. Appropriately subtitled "The Triumph of the American Imagination", this big, serious, scholarly, yet vividly written book is the product of prodigious research. The 850-page text concludes with 165 pages of notes. As a Hollywood historian, Gabler comes well equipped for his task. His two previous books are "An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood" and "Life the Movie: How Entertainment Conquered Reality". Here he takes on the protean genius who gave the world Mickey Mouse, Snow White and his ultimate triumph, Disneyland. Walt Disney was a complex man and, to his credit, Gabler presents a complex portrait. The narrative generally gallops along in the wake of this ever-restless showman. Disney's childhood was both idyllic and Dickensian. He grew up on a farm near the perfect small town of Marceline, Missouri, which he would idealise as the "Main Street" of Disneyland. After moving to Kansas City, he dropped out of school, lied about his age and escaped to France as a WWI ambulance driver. Returning to Kansas City he set himself up as an animator, went bankrupt and fled to Los Angeles to join his older brother Roy, who would run the business side of the Walt Disney Studio. His big breakthrough was the first soundtrack cartoon, "Steamboat Willy", starring Mickey Mouse. Mickey's creator was plainspoken, plain-dressed - favouring sweaters and a slouch hat - generous and genial to his staff, all of who addressed him as Walt. He was a man of simple tastes, a faithful husband to his wife and doting father to two daughters. But he had always been unknowable, and the older he got, the more imperious he became with his staff until they all feared him. "If you want to know the real secret of Walt's success," Gabler quotes long-time Disney animator Ward Kimball as saying, "it's that he never tried to make money. He was always trying to make something that he would have fun with or be proud of." He reached his artistic apogee during the Great Depression. "An American everyman, he lived the American experience and seemed to embody it in his doggedness, idealism, informality and lack of affectation, perhaps above all in his sudden rise from poverty and anonymity to the summit of success ... The synchronicity between Disney and America would become his brand. "[This] was especially tight in the anxiety-ridden depression America of the 1930s, when his films seemed to capture and then soothe the national malaise. Virtually everyone interpreted 'Three Little Pigs' as a depression allegory, and many others saw in Mickey Mouse's pluck an intrepid American spirit." Then came a winter night in 1934, when Disney got up on stage before 50 writers and animators and for the next three hours acted out the story of Snow White, assuming all the many characters' voices and mannerisms. He announced they were going to make the world's first animated feature film. "That performance lasted us three years," one animator claimed. "Whenever we'd get stuck, we'd remember how Walt did it that night." "Snow White" turned into a technological marvel of inspired improvisation and backbreaking work. On its release in 1937, it was a critical and popular triumph, and was followed by "Pinocchio", "Dumbo", "Bambi" and "Fantasia", Disney's collaboration with composer Leopold Stokowski. Gabler maintains that the studio was Disney's refuge from the real world; that he was indeed Snow White, with his hardworking staff as the seven dwarfs. If so, that world was abruptly shattered in 1941 by a strike led by animator Art Babbit, a communist and bitter personal enemy of Disney. World War II also cut off the overseas revenue needed for expensive animation movies. After the war, Disney seemed to lose interest in the studio, devoting himself to an obsessive interest in model trains. But Disney bounced back in 1954 with his foray into television with the "Mickey Mouse Club" and "Disneyland", which he hosted himself to tie in with the giant amusement park he was building in Anaheim, California. This was to be his new refuge. On Disneyland's opening day in 1955, Disney surveyed the crowds from the balcony of his apartment atop the firehouse on Main Street. He was grinning widely, a tear streaming down his cheek. "I have never seen a happier man," observed his daughter Diane. His studio by now was producing mostly dreck, but there were exceptions: "Cinderella", "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", "The Lady and The Tramp" and "Mary Poppins". Gabler sums up: "He was a Horatio Alger hero whose life demonstrated social mobility. He was a na๏ve artist whose work demonstrated a Jamesian unpretentiousness and common sense. He was a visionary whose plans demonstrated the breath of American imagination and the power of American will. And however he behaved privately, he was publicly a modest, affable and decent man whose image demonstrated America's own decency and generosity of spirit." James Eckardt's eighth book, "Singapore Girl", published by Monsoon Books, is on sale at Kinokuniya, Bookazine and Asia Books. | ||
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Thursday November 8, 2007 | ||
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Disney
profit climbs on strong cable results AP - Net profit rose 12 percent at The Walt Disney Co. in the fourth quarter, led by growth at its ESPN cable channel, more visitors at theme parks, and increased sales of consumer products, the media conglomerate reported Thursday. Disney reported net income of $877 million, or 44 cents per share for the quarter ended Sept. 29, compared with $782 million, or 36 cents per share. Excluding a one time charge, the company reported earnings of 42 cents a share. Revenue grew to $8.93 billion from $8.65 billion in the same period last year. Analysts at Thomson Financial had anticipated earnings of 41 cents per share on revenue of $8.98 billion. "We've delivered another year of outstanding financial results, powered by across-the-board creative strength," Robert Iger, Disney's president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. The only lagger in the quarter was Disney's film studio, which saw a 21 percent decrease in operating profit and a 24 percent drop in revenue. The studio suffered from unfavorable comparisons with last year's fourth quarter, which included revenue from "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." Disney barely moved in after hours trading. | ||
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Creditors suspend terms of Hong Kong Disney loan Reuters - The Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) has reached an agreement with creditors of its Hong Kong Disneyland joint venture to remove the debt covenants on a $293 million commercial loan for a year while it tries to boost attendance at the resort, Chief Financial Officer Tom Staggs said on Thursday. Disney has said it will continue to invest in the park, which has missed its attendance goals for two years running, and Staggs said the company will forgo royalties for "a couple of years" as part of that investment. | ||
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PRWeb - One of the most iconic
images of the central Florida theme parks is the giant
Spaceship Earth sphere in Epcot, Walt Disney World. Spaceship
Earth has formed the center piece of Epcot since the park
opened in 1982, and the time-travel attraction concealed
inside the giant globe draws hundreds of thousands of visitors
each year.
With an extended closure for refurbishment now under way, prompting gossip about the nature and scale of the changes being made, DoingFlorida (www.DoingFlorida.com) has been monitoring the facts behind the speculation, to bring the real story to Epcot fans. During the summer DoingFlorida was contacted by concerned fans who were surprised to learn that Spaceship Earth would be closed for refurbishment throughout the park's 25th anniversary celebrations in October this year, remaining closed to visitors from the beginning of the summer through to 13th November. As if this wasn't enough, Disney has now announced that the refurbishment will take longer than expected, and the attraction will not re-open until 18th February 2008. So now the busy Christmas period will also be affected. Spaceship Earth is not only the signature attraction at Epcot, it is also a highly effective one - because of its continuous loading/unloading arrangement it can handle an incredible 2,400 guests per hour. The loss of this capacity over the holidays will inevitably cause greater pressure in other parts of the park, and it seems unlikely that Disney would choose to schedule the closure over this period. There is also confusion about the refurbishment plans. Numerous sources are quoting Disney employees as saying that the attraction was always planned to re-open in early 2008, so nothing has changed. However the official Disney calendar was still showing the November re-open date up until just a few weeks ago. Some have speculated that this may have been to allow the anniversary celebrations to pass by before revealing the true extent of the closure, but it seems unlikely that Disney would deal with communications in this way. But while the timing and length of the delay may be surprising, and a little confusing, details are now emerging that suggest the changes and improvements to the ride will be significant and will more than compensate for the delay. Disney have revealed that the Spaceship Earth 're-imagination' is being overseen by one of the imagineers involved in the original creation 25 years ago. Bob Zalk worked on the attraction as one of his first projects in 1982 and now, as Senior Show Producer, he finds himself leading the team which is taking the attraction into its second quarter-century. As you may expect, the refurbishment will include new lighting effects, costumes and set decoration, but Disney has also revealed they have created an entirely new 'story' to blend the classic scenes with new ones, and - significantly - added a special interactive aspect to the finale. On reaching the top of the 165-foot diameter Spaceship Earth dome, the new, interactive touch screens on the 'time machine' vehicle invite travelers to create their own visions of the future and then to see themselves in that future. This is a major change, and there is some speculation that this implementation of new technology may be the reason for the extended delay. Another change is the re-working of the on-ride narration which will also be accompanied by a completely new musical score. The new score will be composed by Bruce Broughton, who has created music for many other major Disney attractions and films. On leaving the time machine, travelers can explore a new interactive area packed with new exhibits. But before fans start to panic that the spirit of the attraction may be lost -- relax -- Disney has confirmed that the things that everyone loved about Spaceship Earth will remain. The smell of Rome burning and the 'snoring monk' will be in place when the attraction re-opens in February. So it seems that despite the mixed messages the delay will be well worthwhile, and the new attraction will no doubt be very popular with both new and returning visitors. Following the recent removal of the giant 'Mickey arm and wand' and the return to the original palm trees around the Spaceship Earth area, the changes are perhaps more significant, and will have greater impact, than many fans were originally expecting. With some Disney imagineers now quoted as saying that the re-open date was always planned for February, maybe it's time to forget the confusion and focus on the new, improved attraction. Official updates on the progress of the refurbishment have been few and far between, but DoingFlorida's daily news service will continue to dig behind the various reports and gossip, to give visitors the inside track on the changes. | ||
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Yak and Yeti opening
details
Disney News - The Yak & Yeti Restaurant is
scheduled to open on a walk up basis only starting 11/14.
Reservations can be made starting DECEMBER 3, 2007 for
arrivals JANUARY 4, 2008 and beyond. | ||
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Disney’s World of Color water show promises to amaze
Los Angeles Times - It’s nearly impossible to imagine Disney’s World of Color water show without drawing comparisons to two obvious forerunners: Disneyland’s Fantasmic and the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas. What’s enticing is Disney’s boast that the new California Adventure nighttime spectacle will blow away both predecessors. Opening in 2009 as part of California Adventure’s $1.1-billion makeover, the 18-minute World of Color will feature an array of dancing fountains, movie projections and lighting effects all tied to the original Sherman Brothers musical score from the 1960s television show that included “Wonderful” in the title. The Bellagio comparison is no coincidence, since the same water wizards who created the Las Vegas Strip sensation have been drafted to surpass their accomplishment in Anaheim (lest Disney fans call World of Color a second-rate Fantasmic). Unlike Fantasmic, World of Color will feature no boats, performers or — most important — fireworks (lest visitors recall the ill-fated LuminAria water show whose smoke and ash choked and irritated the eyes of viewers along the shores of Paradise Pier in 2001). What viewers will see promises to impress: walls of water that take the shape of virtually every recognizable Disney character and sky-rocketing fountains that shoot so high they’ll obscure the 16-story Ferris Wheel (set to receive a Mickey Mouse makeover by then). To accommodate the expected crowds, a 9,000-person shoreline amphitheater will be built into Paradise Bay that will also host live music concerts and movie premieres, according to Blue Sky Disney. A rooftop viewing platform also will be added to the adjacent Grand Californian Hotel for VIP guests. Diners will be able to watch the show from the waterside Ariel’s Grotto restaurant, which will be re-themed as the meet-and-greet Princess Palace, according to Disney artist concept sketches. | ||
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Spectrum
tops view, does deal with Disney
Reuters - Rayovac battery maker Spectrum Brands Inc (SPC.N) posted a better-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday and signed a three-year deal with Walt Disney Co (DIS.N), sending shares up 18 percent. Chief Executive Kent Hussey said on a conference call he expects the company, which also makes Remington shavers and Tetra pet products, to be hurt by a slowdown in consumer spending, just like every other consumer products company, but that it is more insulated than some of its peers, since its batteries cost less. The company said it signed a deal with Walt Disney Co making it the exclusive supplier of batteries to all Disney parks and giving it the right to use Disney characters in marketing and promotions. Spectrum said that excluding items it earned 23 cents per share in fiscal fourth quarter ended Sept. 30. Analysts on average were expecting 5 cents per share, according to Reuters Estimates. On a net basis, Spectrum posted a loss of $333.0 million, or $6.60 per share, compared with a loss of $439.4 million, or $8.88 per share, a year earlier, when it took a massive charge to write down trade names and goodwill. Net sales rose 13 percent to $548.2 million due to sales volume increases and the impact of the weak dollar, which boosts the value of international sales when they are converted back to U.S. dollars for inclusion on the company's income statement. Spectrum shares were up 73 cents at $4.75 on the New York Stock Exchange in late morning trade. | ||
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Striking
TV writer-producers picket Disney
Reuters - More than 125 striking executive producers from shows including "Ugly Betty," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Lost" protested at the gates of Walt Disney Studios in Burbank as the Writers Guild of America's strike entered its third day. "Every day the producers don't give us a fair and decent deal is a wasted day in Hollywood," "Ugly Betty" creator Silvio Horta said. Wearing a T-shirt reading "Wasted Days" written in the famous Disney font, Horta and fellow "Betty" executive producer Marco Pennette said it was important for all show runners to get together and be seen supporting the strike, which began Monday after contract talks broke down over payment for DVDs and digital downloads. "For the sake of the show, we worked on the scripts up to the deadline," Pennette said. "And for the sake of the actors, they can shoot something. But we chose to not cross the line." Among the show runners: "SVU's" Neal Baer, "Entourage's" Doug Ellin, Carlton Cuse of "Lost," veteran producer John Wells ("ER"), and "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry. "Today is very much about showing solidarity among show runners," said Cherry. As more shows begin to close up shop, Cherry said he expects to see more Screen Actors Guild members turn out at the picket lines. Next week, Cherry said, there will be special pickets featuring actors, and on Friday, the "entire guild membership" is supposed to show up at 20th Century Fox studios. Following the march, the show runners gathered at the Smoke House Restaurant in Burbank for a lunch that was paid for by a talent agency. Eyewitness reported that discussions between moderates and militants escalated into a heated debate over the guild's bargaining strategy as well as the spectrum of producing duties showrunners could perform during a strike. No punches were thrown, though the verbal barbs were said to be sharp and unusually multi syllabic. According to sources, the debate later moved to the WGA headquarters in Los Angeles. | ||
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Mickey, Pooh coming to recruit students at WMU
WMU News - Western Michigan University students have the opportunity to learn about a one-of-a-kind education and work program for the "Magic Kingdom" on Monday, Nov. 12, on the WMU campus. Representatives from the Walt Disney World College Program will be on hand at 5 p.m. in Room 208 of the Bernhard Center to provide information about the real world of make believe and becoming a Disney "cast member." The free event is sponsored by the Walt Disney World College Program Alumni Association WMU chapter, which was established in 1996 to provide networking opportunities as well as to promote the development of the Walt Disney World College Program at WMU. Disney representatives began recruiting at WMU in 1993. The program offers a paid spring semester internship at the amusement park near Orlando, Fla., that consists of three components: living, learning and working experience. Students live on the Disney complex in apartments and participate in the program with approximately 7,000 other students from around the world each semester. The learning aspect, called the Walt Disney World College Program Educational Curriculum, involves core business classes, elective seminars and self-directed study opportunities. Core business classes focus on the Disney culture, situational leadership, communication, the business world and cultural change. The seminars include lectures, interactive case studies and individual and group activities. The electives allow students to personalize their learning experience and provide networking opportunities with professionals from various departments and disciplines within the Walt Disney World Resort. The work experience places students in positions at various theme parks, resorts and other Disney operations. Students serve as "cast members" in areas such as merchandising, transportation, attractions, food services, custodial services, lifeguarding and hospitality. | ||
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Euro Disney FY net loss halves as sales jump 12 pct CNNMoney - Euro Disney SCA said its net loss more than halved to 41.6 mln eur in its year to September from 88.6 mln the previous year as revenues at its Disneyland (NYSE:DCQ) (NYSE:DIS) Paris resort jumped 12 pct to 1.220 bln eur. The company swung to an operating profit of 50.8 mln eur from a loss of 2.4 mln in the prior year. Euro Disney said it will implement a previously-approved 1-for-100 reverse share split on Dec 3. The higher sales reflected volume growth in theme park attendance and in hotel occupancy, the company said. Theme park revenues increased 14 pct to 658.6 mln eur, primarily due to a 1.7 mln rise in visitor numbers to 14.5 mln people. Hotels and Disney Village turnover climbed 17 pct to 483.0 mln eur, driven by a 10 pct rise in average spending per room and an increase of 5.8 percentage points in the hotel occupancy rate, Euro Disney said. Real estate revenues plunged by 10.1 mln eur to 19.3 mln, due to lower activity during the financial year, the company said. Costs and expenses expanded 7 pct because of additional labor and other direct costs incurred to support the increased resort activity, labor rate inflation and bigger marketing expenses. 'In 2008, we will continue to execute our growth strategy and remain focused on driving this business toward profitability,' Karl Holz, the chairman, said in a statement. | ||
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StarVest Partners Participates in Latest Round of Funding in
Passenger Business Wire - StarVest Partners, a venture capital firm that is funding and building the next generation of technology-enabled business services companies, today announced its participation in an $8.3 million series B financing round in Think Passenger, Inc. (dba "Passenger"), the Los-Angeles-based technology leader in on-demand customer collaboration. StarVest participated with previous investor Shelter Capital Partners and new investor Steamboat Ventures, the venture capital arm of The Walt Disney Company. Passenger, which has now raised $13 million in venture capital financing, will use the funding to expand its sales operations and evolve its market-leading on-demand technology platform. Passenger combines cutting-edge social media, community building and collaboration technologies to enable companies to collaborate with customers within private online communities. Based on current Web 2.0 technologies, Passenger enables brand marketers to create private and secure communities to generate and refine new product ideas, gain contextual insight and drive customer advocacy like never before. The company's advanced analytics engine allows companies of all sizes to collect, synthesize and distill real world conversations into actionable business decisions. Today's announcement marks StarVest's eighth investment in a Software-as-a-Service company since 1999 and underscores the firm's laser focus on high-growth technology-enabled business services. Many industry analysts predict the social media market could reach $2 billion by 2012 as Fortune 1000 companies turn to this technology to manage ongoing conversations with their customers. "We have long maintained that the technology-enabled business services sector will continue to offer innovative products for customers while generating significant returns for investors," said Larry Bettino, general partner, StarVest Partners. "Passenger's differentiated technology and proven success with customers fits perfectly into our investment strategy and we look forward to helping them expand their customer base while continuing to build their brand." The tremendous growth and success of consumer-based social communities such as MySpace and Facebook has encouraged marketers to use the power of social media to build lucrative online communities of customers. Passenger has emerged as a leader in this sector, winning customer installations at more than a dozen large, brand-centric global companies. StarVest has followed the Software-as-a-Service model for years and counts as portfolio companies iCrossing, now the largest privately held digital marketing services company, and NetSuite, the on-demand business applications provider founded by Larry Ellison that recently filed for an Initial Public Offering. "StarVest has been instrumental in our efforts to grow our business, adding tremendous value at the start of our relationship with introductions to several important customers and partners," said Andrew Leary, co-founder and CEO of Passenger. "With the infusion of additional capital we can now significantly broaden our marketing and sales operations while expanding our technology platform in our bid to become the definitive social media provider to Fortune 1000 companies that want to harness the power of online communities to strengthen their brand and deepen their market penetration." | ||
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Empire State Building and Sardi's to Honor Disney's Lion King Playbill - As Disney's The Lion King approaches its tenth anniversary on Broadway — Sunday, Nov. 11 at the Minskoff Theatre — both the Empire State Building and the Manhattan restaurant Sardi's will honor the Tony-winning musical. On Friday, Nov. 9 the Empire State Building will be lit in Lion King yellow to recognize the show's tenth anniversary. Tshidi Manye, who currently plays Rafiki in the family-friendly musical, will appear in costume to throw the ceremonial switch at the landmark building. She will be joined by several of her cast members as well as Lion King associate producers Aubrey Lynch II and Anne Quart. Manye will also be on hand Nov. 9 when Sardi's unveils a Rafiki caricature, which will hang on the walls of the world-famous restaurant. Rafiki will join Beauty and the Beast's Beast and The Phantom of the Opera's Phantom as the only other Broadway musical characters to be immortalized on the walls of the restaurant. The Lion King originally opened at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre Nov. 13, 1997. Directed by Julie Taymor — who became the first woman to ever receive a Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical — The Lion King has become an international hit with productions playing all around the globe. In fact, the Elton John-Tim Rice musical has won over 30 major awards. Those include six Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical; eight Drama Desk Awards; six Outer Critics Circle Awards; two Sir Laurence Oliviers; the Evening Standard Award for Best Theatrical Event; and three Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards. For more information visit www.DisneyOnBroadway.com | ||
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Disneyland Resort Salutes Heroes of Wildfires With Free,
Three-Day Admission
Disney News - Following The Walt Disney Company's recent announcement that it is donating $2 million to fire relief efforts, Disneyland Resort officials today expressed appreciation for the heroic efforts of the emergency workers battling the Southern California wildfires and announced a special opportunity to honor their service to the community. "Disney's Wildfire Heroes Salute," running Nov. 13, 2007, through Feb. 28, 2008, offers Southern California firefighters, law enforcement and rescue personnel a chance to enjoy complimentary, three-day "Park Hopper" admission into Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure parks, plus special admission discounts for their family members and friends. "We are committed to making a difference in our community," said Ed Grier, president of The Disneyland Resort. "We hope this special offer makes a difference in the lives of the thousands of women and men who have worked the front lines of the horrific fires in Southern California by providing them an opportunity to relax with their friends and families. All Disneyland Resort Cast Members salute their bravery and honor their heroics." Through "Disney's Wildfire Heroes Salute," emergency personnel with valid identification can each receive one complimentary three-day Park Hopper ticket valid for admission to both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure through Feb. 28, 2008. Additionally during this period, firefighters, law enforcement and rescue workers may make a one-time purchase of up to five additional three-day Park Hopper tickets at a special price of $56 each. "Disney's Wildfire Heroes Salute" is offered Nov. 13, 2007 through Feb. 28, 2008 except for block-out dates of Nov. 22-25; Dec. 8-9; Dec. 25 to Jan. 6, 2008; and Feb. 15-17, 2008. Tickets may be purchased only at Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Emergency workers must purchase tickets in person and show valid fire, law enforcement or rescue personnel identification. Information regarding "Disney's Wildfire Heroes Salute," is available at www.disneyland.com/heroor by calling (714) 781-7290. Theme Park Offer Details:
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Wednesday November 7, 2007 | ||
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Disney World
hotels land on 'green' list
Become an International Treasure Hunter -- Online Bruce Gordon, Veteran Disney Imagineer, Prolific Disney Author and Distinguished Historian, Dies at Age 56 New Series of Photography from Annie Leibovitz for Disney Walt Disney Starts Legal Action Following Hoax In Argentina | ||
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Disney World
hotels land on 'green' list bizjournals - Walt Disney World's Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground earned spots on the Florida Green Lodging Program. The locations are the 45th and 46th to receive the state
designation. Gov. Charlie Crist signed an executive order in July requiring that state agencies and departments hold conferences at hotels with the Florida Green Lodging Program. Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground have made changes to help conserve water and energy, reduce waste and improve indoor air quality. The hotels are using low-flow toilets and fixtures, energy-efficient lighting, environmentally preferable cleaners and recycling office paper. Disney World is under the Disney Parks & Resorts unit of the Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS). | ||
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Become an International Treasure Hunter -- Online The Disney Insider - The glitter of coins and precious metals ... the thrill of discovery ... the lure of becoming rich overnight. It's no wonder so many of us daydream about finding hidden treasure. And it's one of the reasons why "National Treasure" was such a hit -- it's a fantasy come true in wonderful detail. But can those dreams ever come true? If you are determined enough to seek out opportunity, and have a huge helping of luck, they just might.  And
now, a new treasure hunt is underway -- one that will let you
travel around the world without ever leaving your computer. The
World's Biggest Treasure Hunt is a 10-week online experience at
Disney.com/NationalTreasure, where Guests can play a variety of
online games reflecting the worldwide adventures of "National
Treasure: Book of Secrets," in theaters on December 21. Every week, a new location is launched with new movie content. The first city was London, and a new location has been added in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Georgia, where real treasure was recovered for this game. If you go to either location, you can play two different games -- one adventure game and one puzzle game. If you play either game, you are registered to win $50,000 in actual treasure. If you play a game in every new city, you are also entered to win the grand prize of a Mercedes-Benz filled with real treasure, which "Entertainment Tonight" is planning on announcing on the movie's opening day. Explains Jim Gallagher, president of domestic marketing for Walt Disney Pictures, "We wanted to give away prizes unlike anybody else could, because 'National Treasure: Book of Secrets' is an adventure unlike any other. So we partnered with Odyssey Marine Exploration -- a shipwreck recovery company. They discovered a Civil War-era shipwreck called the S.S. Republic in 2003, and they recovered over 50,000 coins and 14,000 artifacts from the site. All the prizes we're giving away are bits of treasure from the shipwreck -- except the Mercedes, of course! You can see some of the treasure online at the Web site." The prizes are unique, and so are the games. Jim tells us that the balance of adventure and puzzles in the online games was created to reflect the fun and excitement of the films. "One of the things I think is great about National Treasure, and one of the reasons the first movie worked so well, is that you have to think while you watch it. It's a very clever movie, and throughout it you are not only trying to solve clues, but you are also going through a gigantic adventure," he says. "So it was really important to us that the game represent both of those elements of the movie." The games may test players' wits, but you don't need to be a genius to win the prize drawings, Jim assures us. "The great news is that -- win, lose, or draw -- if you play the game you get an entry into the weekly treasure prize drawing, and also an entry into the grand-prize drawing for the Mercedes filled with treasure. The only real strategy is to show up and play!" When "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" opens in theaters on December 21, will you be the lucky one pulling up in a brand-new Mercedes to enjoy the show? The only way to make it possible is to accept the call to adventure -- play. | ||
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Bruce Gordon, Veteran Disney Imagineer, Prolific Disney Author
and Distinguised Historian, Dies at Age 56 Bruce Gordon, a former Disney Imagineer who spent 25 years working in a variety of top creative capacities for the Disney theme parks and authored/co-authored definitive books on a wide range of Disney subjects and legends, passed away suddenly at his home in Glendale, California on November 6th. The cause of death has yet to be determined. He was 56 years old. Gordon wrote and designed books about the Disney theme parks (Disneyland: The Nickel Tour, The Art of Disneyland, Disneyland: Then, Now and Forever, Walt Disney World: Then, Now and Forever, The Art of Walt Disney World), and such famous Disney figures as the Sherman Brothers (Walt’s Time), Peter Ellenshaw (Ellenshaw Under Glass), and Herb Ryman (A Brush with Disney). Since leaving his post as project director at Walt Disney Imagineering in 2005, he had been serving as show producer and creative consultant for The Walt Disney Family Museum, which will be housed in San Francisco’s Presidio area. Commenting on Gordon’s passing, Academy Award-winning composer/songwriter Richard Sherman said, “Bruce had an amazing and inventively creative mind. He had a warm and generous heart. He marched to his own drummer with an unswerving desire to achieve excellence. He was my great and very dear friend and I will miss him forever; many will.” Diane Disney Miller, daughter of Walt Disney, added, “All of us who have been working with Bruce on the Walt Disney Family Museum are devastated by his sudden death. When we conceived the idea of the museum, Bruce was at the top of our list of people we wished to engage to work with us. Bruce had a deep understanding and appreciation of my father as a man, not simply a brand, or icon. Brilliant, inventive, creative, Bruce understood the value of entertainment, of playfulness. He knew the story we wanted to tell so well, and he had strong ideas about how to tell it. As ‘show producer,’ he was always a passionate voice for the things he considered vital to the story. He himself was vital to our project. His fingerprints are all over our museum, and they always will be.” Tony Baxter, creative vice president at Imagineering, noted “Bruce’s talent in fabricating the amazing show for Epcot’s ‘Journey Into Imagination’ stood out so dramatically from all other efforts being done back in the early 80’s. It was destiny that he would become my instant creative partner in conceiving and producing attractions that continue to delight guests around the world. He was a true renaissance artist, accomplished in every area of creativity, with the practical ‘know how’ to make complex Disney dreams a reality. His talent and friendship will never be replaced.” Gordon began his career as a model designer at Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) in 1980, and went on to lend his talents and passion to the creation of numerous Disney theme park attractions around the world. He made major contributions to such popular attractions as Splash Mountain (for which he was credited as show producer), Tarzan’s Treehouse, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Most recently, he helped to develop the concept for the “Finding Nemo” Submarine Voyage, which opened at Disneyland earlier this year. Among his earliest assignments for WDI, Gordon produced show set pieces for a number of Epcot attractions and was also a member of the installation team for “Journey Into Imagination” in Future World. At Disneyland, he assumed the same responsibility for New Fantasyland, which opened in 1983. Born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Gordon grew up in Palo Alto and Fullerton, California. He went to Disneyland often as a child, and built countless models of the famous landmark in his parents’ garage. One particularly ambitious project involved actual water from the “Jungle Cruise” that he smuggled out of Disneyland in a milk carton. Gordon was a lifelong collector of Disneyana and sought vintage Disneyland memorabilia at swap meets, conventions, and collectible shops. In addition to the numerous books that he authored and designed on the history of Disney theme parks, he was also a frequent editor and contributor to various Disney employee publications, and wrote feature articles on the subject for national magazines. He also appeared frequently as a speaker at Disneyana conventions, often paired with his initial co-author, the late David Mumford. Over the past two years, besides working on The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, Gordon worked closely with acclaimed songwriter Richard Sherman (and collaborator Milt Larsen) writing the book for an ambitious new musical themed to the early days of Broadway called “Pazazz!” He is also credited as co-producer on “The Boys,” a feature length documentary about the Sherman Brothers that is currently being directed by Gregg Sherman (son of Richard) and Jeff Sherman (son of Robert). He had also recently completed co-authoring and designing a biography on famed Disneyland “Golden Horseshoe” performer Wally Boag. Entitled The Clown Prince of Disneyland, the book will be published in 2008. Gordon is survived by his father, Walter E. Gordon of Placentia, California, and his sister, Nancy M. Gordon of Washington D. C. A memorial service is scheduled for Monday November 12th at 2:00 pm at Forest Lawn - Glendale in the Church of the Recessional (1712 S. Glendale Ave. Glendale, 91205). | ||
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New Series of Photography from Annie Leibovitz for Disney Framed through the lens of renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz, more stars are playing out their fantasies, living out their Disney dreams.
They join Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella, Beyoncé as "Alice in Wonderland" twirling in a teacup and David Beckham atop a steed as Prince Phillip from "Sleeping Beauty" in a 14-page insert appearing later this year in several Condé Nast publications. Johansson, Beyoncé and Beckham also starred in the first flight of Leibovitz images last January. The new photographs, placing stars in classic Disney fairy tale settings, continue the "Disney Dream Portrait Series" of celebrity images produced by Leibovitz as Disney Parks announces an extension, through 2008, of its "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration.
"It's thrilling to have an opportunity to re-create the characters we all loved as children," Leibovitz says. "The stories are real to my own children now, and their belief inspires me." Dreamlike images in a year of dreams was a natural, added Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. "Putting celebrities right inside their fantasies reinforces the power of dreams, where anything is possible," he said. "Disney's 'Year of a Million Dreams' is about the imaginations and dreams that are inside us all. Through the lens of Annie Leibovitz, these dreams and fantasies come alive. It's the perfect fit." For Weisz, slipping on the familiar hair band and dress of Snow White was a dream come true. Her finished image, "Where You're the Fairest of Them All," is a soft, sylvan scene in which she is surrounded by forest friends.
Federer traded his tennis racket for a regal sword, posing on a rock as the gallant King Arthur. The finished photo, entitled "Where You're Always King of the Court," shows Federer, red cape flowing, beside a roiling sea. In another photo, Breslin as Fira (from the "Disney Fairies" series) reposes on a giant leaf while the wand-waving Julie Andrews as the Blue Fairy of "Pinocchio" showers her with pixie dust. "Where the Magic Begins," reads the photo. The special insert will be unveiled in the December editions of Cookie, Condé Nast Traveler, Details, Glamour, GQ, Men's Vogue, New Yorker, Self, Vanity Fair, Vogue and W. On Oct. 1, Disney announced its "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration would be extended throughout 2008 at Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The celebration is filled with new attractions and entertainment plus more "dream-come-true" moments for guests than ever before. For information about "The Year of a Million Dreams" celebration, visit www.disneyparks.com. | ||
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Dow Jones Newswires - Walt Disney
Co. bought ads in Argentine newspapers Tuesday to deny recent
local press reports saying that it would open a theme park in
Argentina in partnership with Emile Maxim St. Patrick Higgins,
against whom it started legal action.
Higgins had advertised the upcoming event with billboards in San Pedro, the location chosen for the alleged launch of "Walt Disney Mundo." The company's local unit, Walt Disney Co. Argentina SA, said it isn't planning to open any theme parks in Argentina or any other Latin American countries. It said it never had any relationship with Higgins and that it decided to take legal action against him and any others responsible for the false announcement. The California-based entertainment company said hoaxes like this undermine the public's confidence by generating false expectations linked to the company's name. | ||
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Sleeping Beauty’s
Winter Castle
Disney News - New enchantment arrives in Disneyland as the holiday season finds “Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle” covered in freshly fallen snow. With its exciting new look, the Castle will serve as a shimmering centerpiece for a daytime holiday celebration, and as a snow-capped stage for the new music, lighting and special effects that will precede the legendary “Believe ... in Holiday Magic” nighttime fireworks spectacular.
By day, “Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle” will be a sparkling Disneyland landmark and photo location for holiday visitors from around the world. As evening arrives, the Castle will undergo a transformation as special lighting effects and a new musical score take guests on a journey that dramatizes a young child’s dream for snow! This magical spell will
build to the highlight of the evening: the fireworks
spectacular, “Believe ... in Holiday Magic,” which will take
guests on a journey of sights and sounds of the season and
will end with a touching rendition of “White Christmas” and
one of Disneyland’s most beloved holiday traditions: a
climactic snowfall that swirls down on Main Street, U.S.A.,
small world mall and New Orleans Square. To top it all off,
the beautiful blanket of snow on the Castle will begin to
shimmer like never before! | ||
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Disney
Probes Labor Abuse Claim in China Hong Kong-based labor activists allege hundreds of workers at the Tianyu Toys factory in the southern Chinese city of Dongguan worked up to 16 hours a day with two days off a month. "During the peak season, before Christmas, workers at the factory start at 8 a.m. and don't finish until midnight," Jenny Chan, an activist with the Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior, told The Associated Press. The group said it had carried out an undercover survey of the factory and that employees had spoken of forced overtime and illegal pay levels. The factory owner denied staff were being mistreated. Alannah Goss, spokeswoman for Walt Disney Co. (Asia Pacific) Ltd., confirmed that Tianyu Toys supplied goods to some of its licensees. She said a team of auditors had been sent to the factory to investigate the claims and that they would report back within the coming days. "Whenever we hear of these allegations, we take them very seriously," she said. The activist group has previously accused factories in southern China that create goods for Disney and other global brands of overworking laborers and skimping on pay and benefits. | ||
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'Dancing With the Stars' Marie Osmond's Father Dies
George Osmond, father of Donny and Marie Osmond and patriarch
to the family's singing group, The Osmond Brothers, died
Tuesday. He was 90. | ||
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Disney
responds to passport confusion
CNW Group - Canadians' confusion about passport regulations for travel to the U.S. could mean canceled trips or long delays at the border. Yesterday, results from a survey conducted by Harris/Decima for Disney Parks (Canada) found many Canadians were unaware of passport requirements to enter the U.S. by land or sea. To help demystify the confusion, Disney Parks (Canada) has created a 'Disney's Passport to Dreams' online micro site at www.disneyparks.ca to clarify current passport requirements for Canadian travelers. It provides helpful tips for obtaining a Canadian passport and offers a FREE passport photo at CAA locations for the first 10,000 people who download the coupon. "Our priority is to ensure that Canadians planning to travel to the U.S. are not confused or misinformed about travel requirements, so they can enter the country without delay," said Bruno Jauernig, Vice President of Marketing, Walt Disney World Resort. "We want to make sure Canadians who decide to make spontaneous shopping trips across the border or week-long vacations to Florida, don't have their travel plans interrupted by carrying the incorrect identification. While there is uncertainty over exactly when Canadians will require a passport to drive to the U.S., we encourage everyone to go out and get a passport if they have not already done so." The Harris/Decima teleVox Weekly Omnibus is a randomly dialed survey of 1000 Canadian adults (18 plus). Data collection for this study was conducted October 25th through October 29th 2007. Results are accurate to +/- 3.1% 19 times out of 20. A Disney representative is available to discuss the survey results and Passport to Dreams. | ||
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An early look at
Disney's 'Enchanted'
Los Angeles Times - Those longing for Walt Disney to return to the classic animated style of yore are in luck – in a way. The studio’s “Enchanted,” due in theaters Nov. 21, is a throwback to Disney animated features “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Cinderella” and “Sleeping Beauty.” “Enchanted’s” opening 10 minutes, in fact, play-out like a long-lost 1940s animated film, complete with old-school, 2-D-style animation. And then its main character, the Snow White-like Giselle, played by Amy Adams, is transported to modern-day Manhattan, where cute and cuddly forest critters are replaced by dancing, computer-animated roaches. The fairy tale, directed by Kevin Lima (“Tarzan,” “102 Dalmatians”) is part homage to traditional Disney musicals, with references to everything from “Sleeping Beauty” to “The Little Mermaid” to “Beauty and the Beast,” in addition to a re-imagining of the classic, princess-finds-her-prince yarn. Banished to New York by the jealous Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon), who pulls the ol’ poison apple trick to reek revenge, Adams give a star-making performance as Giselle, playing the character’s naivety straight. But as Giselle awaits the inevitable rescue by her Prince Edward (James Marsden), she’s forced to come of age away from her magic kingdom, and learns from handsome divorce lawyer Robert Phillip (Patrick Dempsey) that adult relationships aren’t always the happily-ever-after cliché. But for all its modern twists, “Enchanted” fits firmly in the traditional Disney model. The film’s charm and innocence is an unabashed nod to a pre-“Shrek,” pre-“Alladin” era of irony and edginess. “It’ll be nice if people feel nostalgia for 2-D animation,” says Steven Schwartz, who wrote lyrics for five original songs with composer Alan Menken. The pair collaborated on 1996's “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and 1995's “Pocahontas,” which won Oscars for Best Song and Best Original Score, and Menken has composed music for such Disney classics as “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast,” among others. “Enchanted” presented the Schwartz and Menken with distinct challenges. The pair were directed to reference Disney favorites. In fact, “Enchanted’s” “Happy Working Song,” for instance, takes inspiration from “Snow White’s” “Whistle While You Work.” Yet, the writers had to be careful not to bombard the audience with plot-distracting allusions. Additionally, as the musical moves to the non-animated world of New York, audiences will need to believe that Giselle’s way with a tune can get the denizens of Central Park dancing. Here, Menken and Schwartz discuss the songs of “Enchanted,” and share clips of two of the film's non-animated numbers, “Happy Working Song” and “That’s How You Know,” for your viewing pleasure. Talk about your objective in writing and composing the songs for "Enchanted," as they’re filled with references to past Disney films. Stephen: We were trying to channel, I guess, classic Disney, and push it just a step further. We were trying to walk the line of both being an affectionate homage, but also poking a bit of fun at it. As one moves through the film, the music gets increasingly modern. Certainly for the beginning, with [opening song] "True Love’s Kiss," we looked at three Disney movies and how they were musicalized – "Snow White," "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty." Alan: To start in the film in the Walt era, there was really this hyper innocence, this hyper escape. That made for the best possible contrast for when Giselle ends up in Times Square. Because we begin with this whole world where we exaggeratedly break into song, it gives us a real opportunity for the audience to go, 'We get it. We get the joke. We get the conceit and we’re with you.' Did you have to check yourself, as in did you ever feel you were mimicking something from the past too much? Alan: No. The whole conceit of this musical just made going right into those styles dead-on the perfect way to approach it. It was the situations in the film that would turn the songs on an angle, but musically, I went straight at it. Let’s look at a song like 'That’s How You Know,' which is Giselle's big number in Central Park. How much of a song like this is written visually, as it’s really about her going through the park and bringing her world to New York. Stephen: That was a song where we wanted to have a little fun with ourselves. There are references to "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl," some of Alan’s stuff from "The Little Mermaid." Alan: I wanted to go for a salsa riff at the top. I certainly didn’t want to ape those other songs. I just wanted the flavor of New York somehow. Stephen: We wanted a moment where she inappropriately broke into song, but then it sort of infected -- if you will -- the world around her … I wanted to ask what would happen if one of these people just broke into song. In real life, people would be looking at you like you’re crazy. I thought that would be fun. Since this film gave you opportunities to look back at other Disney films, was there anything in particular you wanted to dig up? Stephen: Deliberate is the wrong word, but we were very clear about from whence we were taking inspiration from what songs. The prince riding on his horse in the forest in the beginning, and hearing the voice in the distance is directly from "Sleeping Beauty," and that was very conscious. Also, there’s a song, "So Close," that refers to "Beauty and the Beast," and this is something I find very funny, and this is very ‘in.’ The camera moves in the original animated "Beauty and the Beast" were the first time in animation that they imitated live-action camera moves, and now in this live-action version, we’re imitating the imitation of those camera moves. There’s all sorts of geeky type of references like that for Disney geeks like me. I wanted to ask you about 'Happy Working Song,' particularly what Amy brings to that. This is the first time she attempts to sing in Manhattan, and she sort of powers her way through it, even though the vermin of Manhattan are completely foreign to her. She's going to muscle through it no matter what. Stephen: Exactly. And that song – full marks to Kevin Lima. When I came onto the project, that moment was there in the script, and that was one of the things that made me want to do the movie. What is wonderful about Amy's performance is that she understood the tone. She understood how to become that character, as if Snow White were brought into our world. And she does this all without commenting on it. She’s extremely charming and endearing, but she never once looks as if she’s trying to be funny. The film gets very contemporary as it builds to a grand, fantasy finale, with Giselle even going shopping in Manhattan. Alan: There was a lot of discussion about that sequence. At one point, we wrote a Queen Narissa song. We wanted to maybe have Narissa enter with a song called 'Nobody Gets in My Way.' Stephen: I still would have liked to. I still think we should have done something for her … We were going to do like ["West Side Story's" pre-climax number] "Tonight’s Quintet." As the film gets more modern, did you worry that it would be jarring for viewers, especially after beginning as an animated movie? Stephen: The hope is that people will get what we’re doing. Giselle moves through time. She starts out as a 1940s animated girl, and becomes a 2007 contemporary woman. One hopes that people will understand that. If that journey isn’t landing, or people are thrown out of the movie, then we haven’t been successful. | ||
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A whole new
world
The Star - Flying brooms, levitating princesses and a fairy godmother with more than a few tricks up her sleeve ... this Disney Live! production will bowl you over. Going for The Disney Live! presents Mickey's Magic Show, I learnt one thing – no matter how old you are, you never outgrow Disney! When the stage production rolled into the Penang International Sports Arena (PISA) last Saturday, I found myself laughing, cheering, clapping and, yes, gawking like a six-year-old again. The US$7mil (RM24.5mil) stage show has everything one expects of a Disney production: appearances by the "who's who" of Disneyland (from Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy, to the beautiful Cinderella, Belle, Princess Jasmine, Ariel and ever-radiant Snow White!), sleek choreography, jaw-dropping illusions, memorable music, fantastic costumes, and of course, a touch of magic! Illusionists Brad Ross and Alex Gonzales were a hoot. The "you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it" double sawing act (they both saw two girls in half at the same time) is excellent, but what makes the guys great is how they play off each other so well. Mind you, the illusions are no child's play. They are the brainchild of Jim Steinmeyer – the man behind industry legends like Siegfried & Roy, David Copperfield and Lance Burton. The act in which Brad levitates both himself and Princess Jasmine (yes, Aladdin's gal pal) was just amazing. True .... everyone has seen levitations at one time or another but hey, this is something else. With the a cappella version of A Whole New World playing in the background, the entire stage was transformed into a magnificent star-lit sky. The kids will love the act in which Mickey levitates Minnie against a backdrop of "flying" brooms but for me, everything just came together perfectly in the Princess Jasmine act. It is obvious that no expense has been spared for this production because the sets and props are lavish. To say that The Disney Live! presents Mickey's Magic Show is fantastic doesn't do justice to it. The experience is like eating rojak. You have all these wonderful ingredients thrown together and while each has a unique taste, they blend together beautifully and leave you longing for more. So after one-and-a-half-hours of reliving my childhood, I decide to catch up with Disney Live! regional marketing director (South-East Asia and India) Eric Gravelle. I was curious about the response to the production since the merry bunch has performed in 35 American cities and several Asian countries, including Japan and Thailand, before coming to Malaysia. "Honestly, everywhere we go the response has been tremendous. After Malaysia, we are heading to Singapore and probably India," Gravelle says, adding that by the time the global tour is over, they would have performed in more than 50 cities around the world. "Disney productions transcend cultures and languages. Even if you did not grow up watching the Disney characters, you would still enjoy the show because it is a quality production. "Unlike Disney on Ice, Disney Live! is an interactive stage show so audiences have a chance to participate in the act," he says. At the end of the day, whether it is a rock concert or a wholesome family show like Mickey's Magic Show, I believe that the best review won't be found on the pages of an article but from the expressions of those who attended the show. And judging from the hundreds of toothy grins and excited cheers, I'd have to say – double thumbs-up for Mickey and crew! The Disney Live! presents Mickey's Magic Show will be staged at the Putra Indoor Arena, Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur from tomorrow to Saturday. Tickets are priced at RM55, RM155 and RM225 (excluding RM3 Ticket Fees). For more information, call 03-74933010/77115000 or browse disneylive.com. | ||
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Disney Mobile Announces Holiday Titles For Europe
Games On Deck - Disney Mobile Studios, part of The Walt Disney Internet Group EMEA, has announced the line-up of mobile games for the European market during the holiday season, including Hudson titles Lode Runner and Bomberman along with Disney franchises such as Cars. The full list of releases includes:
The line up of games is tobegin to launch across all major operator networks in Europe from November 2007. Sunil Gunderia, Managing Director and VP Mobile EMEA, Disney Mobile Studios commented, "We are delighted to bring such a strong line-up to market this Xmas, reflecting our in house creativity and the strong franchises that Disney can bring to market." | ||
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Actress lands dream Disney role
BBC News - An actress from the Scottish Borders has burst onto the global stage - with a cast of brightly-colored rabbits. Polly Frame, from Galashiels, landed the role of Pinky Pinkerton in the new Playhouse Disney program, Bunnytown, which was launched at the weekend. It is a major change of direction for the 31-year-old who has mostly worked in theatre or television drama. However, her new role is likely to make her a familiar face to children in more than 70 countries worldwide. She came through a series of auditions to clinch the role as a pink-clad sports reporter. 'Serious stuff' "I went up for an audition and read the scripts which were hilarious," she told the BBC Scotland news website. "I thought - this is bonkers, it is great!" Ms Frame is currently appearing in a production of Macbeth in London. She has also made a number of television appearances but nothing quite like her role in Bunnytown. "I have done a lot of theatre and bits of television but it has always been serious stuff," she said. So donning a blonde wig and a pink mini-skirt is quite out of the ordinary. She is one of just three human roles in the programs which boasts producers who also worked with the man behind the Muppets, Jim Henson. Playhouse Disney bills the series as a "music-filled, humor-filled puppet variety show". The Scots actress said it was great fun playing her outlandish part. "Polly Pinkerton is a sports commentator," she explained. "She has this sports arena where they do the silliest races you could possibly imagine." Major breakthrough Sometimes the residents on Bunnytown sneak across to Peopletown to see what the humans are up to. The new part is a major breakthrough for the young actress who was born in Edinburgh but moved to the Borders soon after. After a brief stay in Melrose, the family moved to Galashiels where her parents - Sandy and Susan - still live. However, after spells at the Burgh Primary School and Galashiels Academy, Polly moved to London to pursue her career in acting. Thanks to her new part she is likely to become well-known to millions of children - as well as their parents and grandparents - around the world. | ||
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Tour of Disney's Secrets
ABC30 - Ever wonder what Walt Disney's Apartment was like? Girl opens door. This is going to be coming towards you. So that's kind of the trip your guests take. Yes it is, upon entering the restaurant. And may I show you one of our dining rooms? Oh yes, please." A feeling of elegance, the decor is actually captures the first empire, the early Napoleon era, 19th century era. Walt Disney had a vision. He wanted a very special place where he could entertain his visiting dignitaries, a place that would have a serene atmosphere accompanied by gourmet food. So on June 15th, 1967 Club 33 opened its doors for the very first time. This is actually known to us the Disney room. Initially when we opened it was called the trophy room and the reason for that is when the club first opened we had on display many of Walt's personal trophy collections. They were gifts given to him by friends and family members. In fact, if you look right over here, you'll see a butterfly collection. That's actually Lillian Disney's personal butterfly collection. Jeannie, I've heard something interesting about the chandeliers. What's the secret on that. Actually, if you take a peak inside each of the chandeliers, you will see a hidden microphone. Now in the far corner above the entryway is a vulture. It's not just any vulture. It's our very own animatronic vulture. Walt's concept was if you were a guest back then dining sitting directly under one of the chandeliers, the animatronic vulture would have conversed with you, which you can imagine would be pretty entertaining. Walt Disney's Apartment Tour You are up in Walt's apartment, and it's more like a sitting room than it would be a regular apartment. What you see on the left and right there are actually hide-a-beds. He lived and breathed Disneyland. Yes, he did. So this was a little spot. It was a hideaway. They could see the light and knew that Walt was in residence. So that light is left on to remind us of Walt's spirit. In the very beginning, he could walk around and people wouldn't recognize them. But later, they did, so he could get away from the crowds here, he could entertain the family, and this was the only place he could have invited guests up. But as you can see it's very small. Is this furnished the way they had it? It's duplicated to the most extent. Lillian was into antiques and it was the Victorian-aged style she liked. That's why you see all these antiques and things around. Both of the Edison gramophone here and the music box on the far side, those are original gifts from Walt to Lillian. Does the public really get to see this? No, and the majority of the cast members do not get to come up here either. No, it's really special. | ||
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Tuesday November 6, 2007 | ||
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Earnings Preview: Walt
Disney AP - Entertainment conglomerate The Walt Disney Co. reports its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on Nov. 8. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst commentary for the period ended Sept. 30. OVERVIEW: Disney scored a hit during the quarter, as the Pixar computer-animated movie "Ratatouille" -- which reached theaters just before the period began -- garnered strong reviews and become one of the top-grossing movies in Pixar history. So far, the movie has brought in about $577 million, according to industry sources. In television, Disney's ABC network had two continuing hits with "Dancing with the Stars" and "Grey's Anatomy," and its new "Pushing Daisies" fared well at the outset of the fall season, but "Cavemen," its spinoff of the popular Geico Insurance commercials, fell flat, along with most of the new offerings from competing networks. Disney ended its family cell phone service in late September, saying it was having trouble getting large retailers to sell the phone. Disney also said in September that U.S. theme park attendance was not being hurt by broader economic conditions. Disney completed two small acquisitions in the quarter. In July, Disney Interactive Studios, an interactive entertainment affiliate acquired video game studio, Junction Point Studios, for an undisclosed sum. The unit, based in Austin, Texas, is led by Warren Spector, an industry veteran. On Aug. 1, Disney said it completed the buyout of Club Penguin, an online "virtual world" for children. BY THE NUMBERS: Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expect a profit of 41 cents per share on $9 billion revenue for the quarter. ANALYST TAKE: Deutsche Bank analyst Doug Mitchelson said, "Strong performance from cable networks, consumer products and domestic parks will be partially offset by decreases in broadcast, studio entertainment and international parks." The analyst, who rates the stock at "Buy," with a price target of $42 per share, said shares will rise due to Disney's high profile, strong brands and successful products. He expects a profit of 40 cents per share for the quarter. Mitchelson believes Disney will report earnings growth of more than 10 percent per year for the next few years. "For fiscal 2008, we expect broad strength will continue, with the only major challenges being the U.S. economic slowdown and tough comparisons in syndication and film," he said. WHAT'S AHEAD: The Writers Guild of America went on strike Monday, seeking higher pay on DVD sales and royalties for Internet re-airings of movies and TV shows. The first shows stopped by the strike are late-night talk shows like ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Scripted shows are not expected to be halted unless the strike lasts into 2008, but the negotiations will also affect the contracts of the Screen Actors Guild and Directors Guild of America, which expire in June. STOCK PERFORMANCE: A Dow Jones industrial average component, Disney shares rose 25 cents during the quarter, finishing at $34.39. Shares are up about 2 percent year to date. | ||
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Golden
ticket: StubHub inks deal with ESPN.com bizjournals - The self-proclaimed "worldwide leader in sports" is teaming up with a leading company in the ticket-resale market as links to StubHub will now be available on ESPN.com. The agreement, announced Tuesday, will see StubHub branding, links and promotions across ESPN.com allowing customers to search for tickets to sporting events on the ESPN Web site. One new feature is a custom StubHub "TicketCenter" on every major sport index page where users can buy tickets for any team. "Our goal is to make ESPN.com the most complete online sports destination and that includes finding tickets to the events themselves. StubHub gives us the ability to offer a great service to fans, conveniently and securely," John Kosner, senior vice president and general manager of ESPN Digital Media said in a statement. The deal is the latest major deal for StubHub, which was named the "Official Ticket Marketplace" of MLB.com, the official site of Major League Baseball, earlier this summer. Stubhub is a subsidiary of eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY). ESPN is a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS). | ||
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Disney/Pixar's
Ratatouille on DVD Buena Vista Home Entertainment - From the award-winning team that thrilled audiences with Cars and The Incredibles comes the best-reviewed film of the year! Disney/Pixar's Ratatouille is an incredible adventure with something for everyone. It is the perfect recipe of comedy, heartfelt storytelling, and breathtaking animation. Experience Paris from the unique perspective of a rat named Remy, who dares to dream the impossible dream of becoming a gourmet chef in a five-star French restaurant. Bubbling over with bonus features, including an original animated short starring Remy and his brother, Emile, deleted scenes, and much more, Ratatouille is a treat you'll want to enjoy again and again on DVD and Blu-ray Hi Def November 6, 2007.
The film's protagonist is a rat named Remy (Patton Oswalt) who dares to dream the impossible dream of becoming a gourmet chef in a five-star French restaurant. Undeterred by the obvious problem of trying to make it in the world's most rodent-phobic profession, not to mention his family's urgings to be satisfied with the usual trash-heap lifestyle, Remy's fantasies are filled with flambés and sautés. When circumstances literally drop Remy into the Parisian restaurant made famous by his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau (Brad Garrett), Remy finds the one thing he needs, a friend to believe in him: the restaurant's shy, outcast garbage boy named Linguini (Lou Romano). Remy and Linguini form the most improbable partnership that will turn Paris upside down, leading them both on an incredible journey of comical twists, emotional turns and the most unlikely of triumphs, which they could never have imagined without each other. Disney/Pixar presents RATATOUILLE, written and directed by Brad Bird, the film is produced by Brad Lewis and executive produced by John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton. Bringing to life a wide-ranging roster of memorable characters is a voice cast that includes popular stand-up comedian Patton Oswalt, Golden Globe Award winner Brian Dennehy, Emmy Award winner Brad Garrett, comic star and Emmy nominee Janeane Garafalo, Academy Award nominee Ian Holm (1981 Nominee for Best Supporting Actor) and the legendary 8-time Academy Award nominee Peter O'Toole (1962 Nominee for Best Actor, 2007 Nominee for Best Actor). | ||
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Pixar Short
Films Collection Vol.1 on DVD Buena
Vista Home Entertainment - For the first time ever, 13 Pixar
Animation Studios short films that transformed animation are
available together when The Pixar Short Films Collection Vol. 1
comes to DVD and high definition only on Disney Blu-ray on
November 6. Three Academy Award winners and five additional
nominees are included in this must-have anthology of animated
wonders. Pixar's revolutionary animation, unforgettable music
and original characters light up the screen.
Viewers go behind the scenes in never before seen bonus material with top creative minds including John Lasseter, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Pixar, and much more! Viewers of all ages, from serious animation buffs to people who just love to laugh, will delight as familiar faces from Pixar classics like Cars, Monsters, Inc. and The Incredibles join a host of unique and wonderful characters in these groundbreaking short films coming to DVD and high definition Disney Blu-ray from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. The Adventures of André & Wally B. – From the legendary Lucas Films, a delightful look at the lightning-fast in-flight antics of a mischievous bumble bee (Wally B.) and his even faster-moving target (André).Luxo Jr. - A baby lamp finds a ball to play with and it's all fun and games until the ball bursts. Just when the elder Luxo thinks his kid will settle down for a bit, Luxo Jr. finds another ball – ten times larger. Tin Toy - Babies are hardly monster-like, unless you're a toy. After escaping a drooling baby, Tinny realizes that he wants to be played with after all. But in the amount of time it takes him to discover this, the baby's attention moves on to other things only an infant could find interesting. (1988 Academy Award® Winner for Best Animated Short Film) Red's Dream - Life as the sole sale item in the clearance corner of Eben's Bikes can get lonely. So Red, a unicycle, dreams up a clown owner and his own juggling act that steals the show. But all too soon, the applause turns into the sound of rainfall, as reality rushes back. Red must resign himself to sitting in the corner and await his fate. Knick Knack – Life on a shelf as a snowman trapped in a snow-globe blizzard can become wearing, especially when you're surrounded by knickknacks from sunnier locales. When the jaded snowman finally breaks free of his glass home, his vacation plans are cut short. (Music by Bobby McFerrin) Geri's Game – An aging codger named Geri plays a daylong game of chess in the park against himself. Somehow, he begins losing to his livelier opponent. But just when the game's nearly over, Geri manages to turn the tables. (1997 Academy Award Winner for Best Animated Short Film) For The Birds -One by one, a flock of small birds perches on a telephone wire. Sitting close together has problems enough, and then comes along a large dopey bird who tries to join them. The birds of a feather can't help but make fun of him – and the clique mentality proves embarrassing in the end. (2001 Academy Award® Winner for Best Animated Short Film) Mike's New Car - When Mike shows off his new car to his Monsters, Inc. co-star Sulley, everything that can go wrong does, and they are left with only their own two feet for transportation. (2002 Academy Award Nominee for Best Animated Short Film) Boundin' – On a high mountain plain lives a lamb with a wool coat of such remarkable sheen that he breaks into high-steppin' dance. But there comes a day when he loses his lustrous coat and, along with it, his pride. It takes a wise jackalope – a horn-adorned rabbit – to teach the moping lamb that woolly or not, it's what's inside that'll help him rebound from life's troubles.(2003 Academy Award Nominee for Best Animated Short Film) Jack-Jack Attack – When babysitter Kari McKean tries to entertain Jack-Jack Parr (of The Incredibles) with some "brainy baby" music, she triggers an unusual reaction. Mater and the Ghostlight – Cars favorite Mater is "haunted" by a mysterious blue light that teaches him not to play pranks on the other cars in Radiator Springs. One Man Band - One Man Band tells the humorously captivating tale of a peasant girl who, with one coin to make a wish at a piazza fountain, encounters two competing street musicians who'd prefer the coin find its way into their tip jars. As the rivalry crescendos, the two overly eager performers vie to win the little girl's attention. (2005 Academy Award Nominee for Best Animated Short Film) Lifted - A young alien student bungles his first lesson in elementary abduction as an increasingly weary instructor looks on. (2006 Academy Award Nominee for Best Animated Short Film) | ||
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Light Testing at
Magic Kingdom Castle Disney
News - If you have been at Magic Kingdom lately you would have
noticed string lights that were hung entirely around the
Cinderella Castle. You really can not see them from far away,
but as you get closer to the castle you will begin to notice the
lights as seen on the photo to the right. The photo on the left
shows the light on during the evening being tested. | ||
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Disney's 'The Lion King' Celebrates 10th Anniversary on Broadway
Sunday, November 11 PRNewswire - Disney's THE LION KING celebrates its 10th Anniversary on Broadway Sunday, November 11 with a gala performance at the Minskoff Theatre. Since its Broadway opening on November 13, 1997 (preview performances began October 15, 1997), THE LION KING has been seen by 45 million people worldwide. In addition to New York City where the show has remained among the top 5 selling shows on Broadway for 10 years, the curtain of THE LION KING currently rises seven more times every night all over the world in London, Hamburg, Tokyo, Johannesburg, Paris, and two touring companies throughout the United States. "THE LION KING has touched lives all over the world, and we are thrilled to celebrate this milestone," said Thomas Schumacher, Producer, Disney Theatrical Group. "When my former producing partner, Peter Schneider and I first talked about bringing THE LION KING to the stage, we knew Julie Taymor was the only person for the job. Not only did Julie make THE LION KING a Broadway and theatrical phenomenon, she went on to make Broadway history herself as the first woman to ever win a Tony Award for directing a musical. Ten spectacular years later, THE LION KING continues to be a show we are so immensely proud of. Not only does it open the hearts and minds of everyone who sees it, it has had an enormous impact on the communities it reaches. Peter and I thank all the many, many people who have been associated with THE LION KING over the last decade and we look forward to many more years on Broadway and cities across the globe". MilestonesBROADWAY November 13, 1997 -- THE LION KING opened on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Over seven million theatergoers have seen the Broadway production to date. BROADWAY June 1, 1998 -- THE LION KING receives six 1998 Tony® Awards including Best Musical. Director Julie Taymor became the first woman in Broadway history to win the Tony® Award for Best Director of a Musical. TOKYO December 20, 1998 -- THE LION KING opens its first international production in Tokyo at the Shiki Haru Theatre (Theatre de Printemps). It is currently the longest-running show in Tokyo history, seen by over 3 million people. LONDON October 19, 1999 -- THE LION KING opens in London at the Lyceum Theatre. There have been 3,400 performances over the last seven years to date. It has been seen by over 6.5 million people. BROADWAY February 24, 1999 -- THE LION KING receives the 1998 GRAMMY® Award for Best Musical Show Album. The album would go on to reach Platinum status (over 1 million albums sold). LOS ANGELES October 19, 2000 -- THE LION KING opens in Los Angeles at the Pantages Theatre. Initially scheduled for a nine month run, it was extended three times and played for 27 months, drawing more than 2 million people. THE LION KING remains the longest running production ever to play at the Pantages Theatre. In 2006, THE LION KING returned to the Pantages for another successful engagement. US TOURS April 27, 2002 -- THE LION KING kicks off its first national tour in Denver. US TOURS May 3, 2003 -- THE LION KING kicks off its second national tour in Chicago. Each domestic touring company of THE LION KING continues to sell out 7-10 markets a year and has been seen by more than 8 million people to date. BROADWAY June 13, 2006 -- THE LION KING moves the Broadway production from the New Amsterdam Theatre to the Minskoff Theatre in the heart of Times Square. The entire move took only 9 days. CHINA July 18, 2006 -- THE LION KING opens an English-language production in Shanghai. The limited engagement marked an historic event for THE LION KING, having played 101 performances at Shanghai's Grand Theatre. It became the longest-running Broadway show to be presented in Shanghai. JOHANNESBURG June 6, 2007 -- THE LION KING celebrates 10 triumphant years on Broadway with a special anniversary production in Johannesburg, South Africa, the cultural inspiration for the show. The South African production of THE LION KING is made up entirely of South African performers. Around the world, THE LION KING has featured nearly 100 South African actors in its productions. PARIS October 4, 2007 -- THE LION KING opens in France with 'Le Roi Lion,' its first French-language production at Le Mogador Theatre in Paris. BROADWAY November 13, 2007 -- THE LION KING celebrates 10 years on Broadway! | ||
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More money for Mickey
The Standard - Mickey Mouse and his mates at Hong Kong Disneyland look set for another massive cash handout - courtesy of the taxpayer. The Standard has learned that the government has softened its stance on the theme park's second-phase expansion. It is considering providing a lifeline to the theme park, where visitor numbers and sales have fallen short of projections. Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Frederick Ma Si- hang told The Standard the government would be inclined to inject funds for expansion so that it could continue to be a drawcard for visitors. "I don't want to hear visitors saying they are seeing the same things they saw last year and lose interest in Disneyland," Ma said. But he would not say how much capital the government would commit. This is the first time the government has indicated its willingness to support the theme park, which Disney has stated may require extra financing. Former secretary for economic development and labour Stephen In Shu- kwan previously made it clear the government had no intention of injecting funds. Ma, in his earlier capacity as secretary for financial services and treasury, also suggested the government might sell its stake in the company that operates the theme park. Ma's latest comments follow remarks by Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, who said early last month in a briefing following his policy address that he had asked the financial secretary to clarify the government's role and its level of participation as a shareholder in managing government- held assets, including Disneyland. Also in mid-October, Ma and Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun- wah convened a cross-sector committee to review how the city can improve its attractions and outline strategies. Since opening in 2005, the theme park has been climbing a financial mountain. In May, Walt Disney said it would not be able to draw on a US$294 million (HK$2.28 billion) revolving credit facility, and may require alternative financing to meet operating and development needs. Reporting that second-quarter earnings to the end of March rose 27 percent, Disney said guest spending, attendance and operating income at the Hong Kong theme park was lower. Overall, revenue from parks and resorts rose 9 percent to US$2.4 billion while operating income rose 19 percent to US$254 million. Ma said the people of Hong Kong have complained that "Disneyland is small." He said no one will disagree it needs to expanded and that the government should inject funds in that event. The park belongs to the people of Hong Kong as the government holds a 57 percent stake, Ma said. The government has invested HK$25 billion. "I think nobody would like to see our stake being diluted, Ma said, adding he remained confident lawmakers will approve additional financing. Ma also attempted to defend the scale of the theme park at the beginning. "If I were to open a restaurant, I wouldn't start by having 100,000 square meters right away, as I wouldn't know how business would be like in the beginning." Ma said he is trying to view the development of the theme park from an objective perspective, noting that he was not a party to the original decision to build Hong Kong Disneyland. "Allan Zeman [Ocean Park chairman] once said what we show visitors are real animals, while what Disneyland shows are only cartoon characters. We need people to dress up as those characters, and hiring cost is an issue," Ma said. He added that on average visitors stay just three days in Hong Kong, with one day usually spent at Disneyland, unlike visitors to California, where people stay about a week, spending three days in Disneyland. "You can only blame the government if it does not have any plan for further development, but that is not the case," Ma said. Meanwhile, Ma said he hopes Ngong Ping 360 cable car rides will be ready by Christmas. "I have confidence in MTR management, they have never let the people of Hong Kong down." | ||
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Podcasting is the New Wave of Vacation Planning for Disney
Cruise Line Earthtimes - In a cruise industry first, Disney Cruise Line is reaching out to perspective guests through podcasts that offer a new way to get customized information about family-friendly Disney cruise vacations. Hosted by family travel expert Emily Kaufman, the podcast episodes showcase the unique experiences Disney offers on a cruise vacation, providing guests in-depth, portable information on specific areas of Disney Cruise Line. In each episode, Kaufman, also known as The Travel Mom, offers tips for parents looking to take a cruise vacation. "The podcasts immerse guests in the Disney Cruise Line experience, bringing to life the way we cater to the specific needs of kids, adults, and the entire family," said Joe Rand, Director of Marketing for Disney Cruise Line. "Each episode is three to five minutes long, making it easy for on-the- go parents to learn more about specific areas of the Disney cruise vacation experience." Emily Kaufman narrates the podcasts with expert advice for not only a Disney Cruise, but also for family vacations in general. Her expertise in family travel makes her a great fit for the official Disney Cruise Line podcast. "I'm extremely pleased to partner with Disney Cruise Line on this podcast series and hope parents considering a cruise vacation find them to be a valuable resource," explained Kaufman. "As the mother of two, I truly believe that Disney Cruise Line is a great getaway for families. I have taken both my teenagers and my toddler nieces on a Disney Cruise, and have seen first hand that they offer something for every age." Interested guests can find all of the videos on http://www.disneycruise.com/. In addition to watching episodes on the website or downloading them directly to their computer or video iPod, guests also have the ability to share episodes with friends and family via email. To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a Disney Cruise Line vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit http://www.disneycruise.com/ or call Disney Cruise Line at (888) DCL-2500. Travel agents can call Disney Cruise Line at (888) 325-2500 or visit http://www.disneytravelagents.com/. | ||
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Disney's latest TV: The ears have it
 CNET -
Disney has long had the reputation of being the ultimate
control freak when it comes to its brand, which is no mean
feat considering the endless stream of its products worldwide.
In TVs alone this year, for instance, the Magic Kingdom has
released themed models for everything from Pirates of the
Caribbean to High School Musical.But if branding is so important, then why not go straight to the source? That's what the company has done in Japan with the release of a 20-inch HDTV that features The Mouse himself, complete with a pair of his trademark four-fingered gloves embossed on the frame just below the LCD screen. Manufactured by Uniden, according to Akihabara News, the TV goes for about $782 on the Japanese market. It's about time Mickey showed that he had a pair--of ears, that is. | ||
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Monday November 5, 2007 | ||
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ESPN to
offer programming through Xbox Live bizjournals - ESPN and Microsoft Corp. are teaming up to offer on-demand ESPN programming on Xbox 360 systems through Xbox Live. Users will be able to access full-length college football and basketball games, as well as other ESPN programming, such as the World Series of Poker and the X Games. Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT) Xbox Live currently offers more than 3,200 hours of entertainment content from more than 30 studios and networks,and is the only online service offering downloadable movies and TV shows in high definition. ESPN is based in Bristol, Conn., and is a division of Burbank's Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS). | ||
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Disney star Shia LaBeouf arrested at Chicago Walgreens Chicago Tribune - A 21-year-old actor who garnered fame on the Disney Channel was arrested downtown early this morning after allegedly refusing to leave a Walgreens. Shia LaBeouf, who starred in "Disturbia" and "Transformers," and stars in the upcoming Indiana Jones sequel, was arrested about 2:25 a.m. at the store at 757 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago police spokesman Marcel Bright said. A security guard summoned police after LaBeouf refused several commands to leave the store, Bright said. The guard signed a complaint against the actor, who was cited on a misdemeanor count of trespassing. LaBeouf, a California resident, was taken to the Near North police district and posted bail about 7 a.m., Bright said His next court date is Nov. 28. LaBeouf starred on the Disney Channel's "Even Stevens." | ||
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Hollywood writers start strike after talks collapse Reuters - Some 12,000 screenwriters went on strike against the U.S. film and television industry on Monday after the collapse of last-ditch contract negotiations aimed at preserving nearly 20 years of Hollywood labor peace. Ten hours of bargaining presided over by a federal mediator failed to close a deal before a strike deadline set last Friday by the Writers Guild of America, which has sought a greater share of DVD and Internet revenues for its members. The initial impact of a strike for most of the public will be felt on television. Popular late-night talk shows such as NBC's "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" and CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman," which are produced on a day-to-day basis and depend on a steady supply of topical jokes and sketches, were expected to go into immediate reruns. Prime-time comedies such as the CBS hit "Two and a Half Men" and Kelsey Grammar's new Fox sitcom "Back to You" also are expected to be knocked out of production because they depend on a substantial amount of last-minute script rewrites. The effect on movies will be less obvious since the major studios' screenplay pipeline is well-stocked through 2008. Even as talks in Los Angeles had dragged on late on Sunday, the union's East Coast branch declared it was going ahead with the walkout at 12:01 a.m. EST, and the larger West Coast contingent joined the work stoppage three hours later. The first picket lines went up outside General Electric Co.'s (NYSE:GE) NBC television headquarters at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. "I'm a member of the guild and I am here to support my fellow guild members," said actress and "Saturday Night Live" veteran Tina Fey, who currently stars on, writes and produces the NBC sitcom "30 Rock," a parody of the TV industry. "This strike affects the show in which I work. We put our pens down yesterday, and we will not write until negotiations resume," she said. Picketing outside NBC Studios in Burbank, California, "Tonight Show" head writer Joe Meceiros said, "There will be no 'Tonight Show' tonight." "I'm disappointed the corporations didn't come to the table any more seriously than they did," he said. "None of us wanted a strike. We were driven to this. I'm fighting for the future of every writer." NO NEW TALKS SCHEDULED WGA picket lines were planned at more than a dozen sites around Los Angeles, including Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS)'s studios, Time Warner Inc's <TWX.N Warner Bros Studios, Viacom Inc's (NYSE:VIA-B) Paramount Pictures Studio, CBS Corp's (NYSE:CBS-A) CBS Television City, and News Corp's (Other OTC:NWSAF.PK) Fox Studios. A spokesman for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the bargaining arm of the studios, said no new talks were scheduled. The last major Hollywood strike, a Writers Guild walkout in 1988, ran for 22 weeks, delayed the start of the fall TV season and cost the industry an estimated $500 million. Los Angeles economist Jack Kyser said a similar strike now could result in at least $1 billion in economic losses. The union says the overall compensation package it sought would cost $220 million over three years, a fraction of the $24.4 billion in revenues generated by U.S. DVD sales and rentals last year alone, according to accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. Negotiations, which began in July, deadlocked over writers' demands for an increase in "residual" fees they earn when their film and TV work gets reused in DVDs and Internet downloads. They also sought new fees on original material written for the Internet, cell phones and other digital formats. The union said it ultimately withdrew its demand for higher DVD residuals, an issue that studios last week described as a "complete roadblock to any further progress." But the WGA said producers refused to budge on Internet compensation. AMPTP president Nick Counter said the studios sought to forestall a strike while both sides were still bargaining. "When we asked if they would 'stop the clock' for the purpose of delaying the strike to allow negotiations to continue, they refused," he said. | ||
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Alamo, Disney renew
alliance bizjournals - Alamo Rent A Car said Friday it has renewed its alliance with Walt Disney Parks & Resorts under an extended marketing agreement. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. The agreement, which runs
through 2011, also extends Alamo's position as the official
rental car supplier for Walt Disney Travel Co. Inc., one of the
country's largest tour operators, specializing in Disney
vacation packages to Southern California and Central Florida. Alamo -- which has more than 150 kiosks at 60 U.S. airports, and is on-site at the Disney Car Care Center in Orlando -- will continue to promote the alliance using television and online advertising, at its rental facilities and on its Web site. Alamo also will maintain its outbound call-transfer program designed to connect Alamo customers to Disney for multiday theme park ticket sales. "Alamo's leadership in serving the leisure market makes this a natural alliance and one that we are pleased to extend," says George Aguel, senior vice president of alliance development for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Walt Disney Parks & Resorts encompasses 11 theme parks at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Resort Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. It is a division of Burbank's Walt Disney Co. | ||
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Fastweb,
Walt Disney sign video-on-demand deal CNNMoney - Fastweb (OOTC:FSWBF) SpA and Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) (NYSE:DCQ) Television Italia signed an agreement to launch Disney Channel On Demand, which enables to obtain on demand, via IPTV, video material for children, according to a joint statement. The service starts today. | ||
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Ames claims
third win at Disney World Sports Network - Stephen Ames closed with a four-under 68 Sunday to fend off Tim Clark and win the Children's Miracle Network Classic by a single stroke.
"It means a lot," said Ames of the win, which came with a new swing. "The swing is becoming more natural now, where I can get up and feel the shots I want to hit. It's nice to be back in the winner's circle again." Clark, who has earned the most career money without a win on the PGA Tour, fired a 66 to take second at minus-16. Scott Verplank had the lead after a birdie on the seventh, but he bogeyed two of the last three holes to shoot 71, which dropped him into a share of third at 14-under-par 274. He was joined there by Robert Gamez and Tag Ridings. After two days of playing with amateur partners and rotating over the Magnolia and Palm Courses at the Walt Disney World Resort, the field played the final two rounds on the Magnolia Course. Ames posted his first birdie on the par-three sixth to join Verplank in the lead at minus-14. Verplank moved ahead with a birdie on the seventh, but Ames two-putted for birdie at the par-five 10th to regain a share of the lead. The 43-year-old Ames three-putted for bogey at 11. All of a sudden, he was now tied for second with Clark. Clark, playing three groups ahead of the leaders, ran off four straight birdies from the ninth to jump to 14-under. He grabbed a share of the lead with Verplank thanks to a birdie on the 14th. Ames joined them atop the leaderboard with an 11-foot birdie putt on the 13th. Clark knocked in a four-foot birdie putt on 16 to briefly take the lead at minus-16. Moments later, both Ames and Verplank birdied the 14th to forge a three-way tie for the top spot on the leaderboard. Clark parred his two holes to end there. Ames drained a nine-footer for birdie at 15 to cap a run of three straight birdies. That streak got him into the lead at 17-under. Verplank, who was going for his second win of the year, stumbled down the stretch. He three-putted for bogey on 16, then missed the green at the last and could not save par from there to end three back. Ames played safe the final three holes. He two-putted for par on 16 and 17. At the last, Ames found a bunker with his approach. He blasted out to three feet and kicked that putt in for the win. "The second shot wasn't quite what I planned, but the bunker shot turned out perfectly," said Ames of his 18th hole. "It was a grind coming down (the stretch) obviously. Unfortunately, Scott made a bogey coming in there and the only person to beat was Tim, who was finished already. "Of course with the lengthening of these last three holes, they have become very tough. The way I finished with three pars, I'm quite happy the way with that." Bryce Molder closed with a four-under 68 to share sixth place at 13-under-par 275. He was joined there by Justin Leonard and Jeffrey Overton. J.B. Holmes was joined in ninth place at minus-12 by J.P. Hayes, Heath Slocum and Nick Watney. The big race other than winning the tournament was to move into the top 125 on the money list. Holmes, who is exempt next year thanks to his win at the '06 FBR Open, moved to 118th from the 126th position. Kevin Stadler entered the week 127th, but by finishing tied for 15th at minus-10 he moved to 124th on the money list. "I felt pretty good out there on the course. As soon as I was done, I was like 'Okay, what do I do now, there's no holes left'" said Stadler, who had to wait to make sure he got into the top 125 on the money list. "I hit it solid all day. I was really happy with how I hit it all day." Mathias Gronberg, entered the week 124th and finished 125th on the money list so he earned the final PGA Tour card for next year via the money list. He had a long climb to that spot as he started the Fall Series outside the top 150. That meant two players dropped out of the top 125. One was Ben Curtis, who is exempt through 2008 thanks to his win at the 2003 British Open. The other player to drop out was Ted Purdy, who was 125th entering the event, but was done in by missing the cut. | ||
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Hanes has most of
Disney covered Orlando Sentinel - Walt Disney World's new 10-year deal with clothing maker Hanesbrands Inc. means that many of the T-shirts and sweatshirts made by other companies will start disappearing from Disney gift shops, as Hanes shirts start moving in. Curiously, the deal, which makes Hanes the giant resort's official T-shirt vendor, was announced at the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith attraction -- one of the few places where Hanes will have to share the shelves with other T-shirt companies. The reason: The rock band Aerosmith, which is another sponsor of the ride, has its own T-shirt deals, and they're not all with Hanes. | ||
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Hong Kong government considers fund injection for Disneyland
expansion MarketWatch - The Hong Kong government said Monday it is considering an injection of funds to expand Hong Kong Disneyland, a turnaround from earlier statements that it wouldn't spend any more on the unprofitable park.
"We are now in a very preliminary
stage of discussion with Walt Disney on financing options to
meet future operational and development needs, and the
injection of funds by the government is one possible option,"
a spokeswoman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau
said.
Hong Kong Disneyland, in which
the city's government owns 57% to Walt Disney Co.'s
(DIS)
4:43%, has suffered widening losses this year on a fall in attendance and spending by visitors.
The Hong Kong government been
under intense pressure from lawmakers who say it has invested
too much on a commercial project that hasn't performed to
expectations.
In 2006, the park missed its
first-year target of 5.6 million visitors by a margin of
400,000. The park has declined to provide data for its second
year of operation, though local media reports say the
attendance figures were lower than in the previous year.
The government invested US$417
million to build the park, on top of US$1.74 billion it spent
on infrastructure, which included land reclamation. Disney
paid US$314 million for its smaller stake in the venture.
The apparent softening in the
government's position comes as the park faces the threat that
banks will withhold future funding, as it has twice missed
performance targets set by its lenders. The targets are linked
to a US$293 million commercial loan.
In August, Disney said the park
wouldn't likely meet the lenders' targets by Sept. 30, the end
of its fiscal year. It said the company is looking to increase
its investment in the park to increase funding.
Disneyland spokeswoman Glendy Chu
said Monday Disney and the government are in discussions about
plans to expand the park.
However, she said Disney "doesn't
consider it appropriate to discuss the details prematurely. We
believe that the shareholders would come up with a plan which
is in the interest of the long-term development of the
resort."
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Gobble, Gobble
Theme Park Rangers - If you're dining out for Thanksgiving, why not consider one of the area theme parks?
The Liberty Tree Tavern in the
Magic Kingdom is a fun place to have a Thanksgiving feast,
we discovered a couple years ago. All the traditional dishes
are served at “Goofy's Liberate Your Appetite Character
Dinner” while Goofy (of course), Minnie, Pluto and Chip &
Dale circulate in their historical outfits.
The food was decent, and I was certainly thankful I didn’t have to prepare any of it. Liberty Tree's Colonial theme is well-executed both in the décor and the staff’s demeanor. Families are summoned by name and state of origin and then escorted to one of six rooms. Waitresses wear bonnets, which my son, who was 3 at the time, had never before seen. He was confused about why the women were wearing shower caps while serving dinner.
Unfortunately, with
Thanksgiving just three weeks away, you will be hard-pressed
to easily get a reservation for a Disney World table-service
restaurant. All is not lost, though. I was told by an
operator that families often double-book and then decide
where to dine once they arrive on Disney property.
So, call back daily to check for cancellations. Consider offbeat times at the choice restaurants. Try a restaurant that you wouldn’t think would serve a bird on Nov. 22. That same operator told me every Disney restaurant will offer a traditional Thanksgiving feast (and some will also offer their signature dishes). If none of those strategies work and you have your heart set on celebrating Thanksgiving at Disney, grab a turkey leg and join the crowds for a parade. | ||
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Snow White 70th
Anniversary Event
DLR News - Join us as we "ear-mark" a momentous milestone in Disney history, as we pay tribute to the 70th Anniversary, of our first full-length animated feature Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs! November 16, 2007 The Following Panelists Will Participate in the Panel Discussion as part of the Poisoned Apple Package. ~ Don Hahn (Disney Producer) - Moderator ~ ~ Marge Champion (Animation Model for Snow White) ~ ~ Roy E. Disney ~ ~ Glen Keane (Disney Director / Animator) ~ ~ John Lasseter (Chief Creative Officer Pixar and Disney Animation) ~ ~ Leonard Maltin (Film Historian) ~ ~ Lella Smith (Creative Director of Animation Research Library) The Following Event Packages Will Be Offered: POISONED APPLE--$150 - Entry into Disney's California Adventure® Park (on 11/16/07 after 2 PM for event only) - Snow White's Soiree (Hors d'oeuvres, Dessert and Signature Drink) - Premiere Viewing of the new "The Fairest One of All" Exhibit - Panel Discussion with Pixar Executive Vice President, John Lasseter and other illustrious experts, moderated by Disney Animator and Producer, Don Hahn - Reserved Seating for the Special Screening in Disney's California Adventure® Park of Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Opportunity to pre-purchase Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 70th Anniversary. Themed Merchandise via Random Selection Process - Artist Signing Opportunity to Dave Avanzino, David Bird, Elisabete Gomes, Robert Olszewski, Yakovetic - Commemorative Keepsakes Tickets for the POISONED APPLE Event Package are $150 per person. Limited to availability. No discounts will be offered in conjunction with this package. Separate admission is required to enter Disneyland® Resort theme parks prior to the event. MAGIC MIRROR--$25 - Entry into Disney's California Adventure® Park (on 11/16/07 after 5 PM for event only) - Special Screening in Disney's California Adventure® Park of Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Commemorative Keepsake Tickets for the MAGIC MIRROR Event Package are $25 per person. Limited to availability. No discounts will be offered in conjunction with this package. Separate admission is required to enter Disneyland® Resort theme parks prior to the event. Tickets Are Available Now! Poisoned Apple Guests will have the opportunity to preview the new exhibit "The Fairest One Of All" featuring original animation art created during the making of Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Exhibit opens to the public on November 17, 2007 -Event Registration- Please be prepared to provide photo identification in order to register. Guests may not register and/or pick up Random Selection Process merchandise for another event Guest. -Parking (All Packages)- Parking is not included in the event package. However, in order to make your stay with us more enjoyable we recommend that you park in the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure located on Disneyland Drive at a rate of $11.00 per vehicle. "Fairest One Of All" Exhibit Information In celebration of the 70th Anniversary of Walt Disney's classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs the Disneyland Resort will premiere "The Fairest One of All," a never-before-seen collection of more than 100 pieces of priceless animation treasures used in the creation of the film. For a limited time, this first-of-its-kind exhibit can be seen exclusively at the Disneyland Resort. Animation Elements Represented: ~Storyboard ~Original Concept art ~Inspirational sketches for layouts characters and locations ~Layouts ~Backgrounds ~Cells ~Never before seen story gags Featured Artists: ~Ferdinand Horvath ~Joe Grant ~Eric Larson ~Art Babbitt ~Maurice Noble ~Ken O'Connor ~Milt Kahl Unusual or interesting pieces: Several alternate versions of characters in development; Snow White as a blonde, a red head? Evil Queen resembling Bette Davis and Katherine Hepburn? | ||
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Disney Imagineer
WOTV, MI - Students in the fourth grade at Page Elementary School in Middleville were recently inspired by a special guest from the Walt Disney Company. Kristen Wheeler is an “Imagineer” with Walt Disney Company and she works in visual communications. From the time she was a little girl she always dreamed of working at Disney. “When I was seven or eight years old I was at Disney at the animation studios and saw them working on Beauty and the Beast,” said Kristen. “I told my mom that I wanted to do that someday.” Kristen shared an art project with the students and encouraged them to dream big. “Someday if I have the chance, I’d love to work at Disney,” said one of the students. “I dream of designing the roller coasters at Disney,” said another one of the students. If you dream it, you can do it! | ||
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Hannah
Montana's one singer, two superstars Los Angeles Times - HANNAH MONTANA mania swept into Southern California over the weekend, where it will burn unchecked until Thursday. She'll be in L.A. Wednesday when the Disney Channel superstar is scheduled to reprise her Honda Center performance at Staples Center downtown. On Saturday evening in Anaheim, the young experimental artist took the stage and spent about 90 minutes exploring the increasingly complicated relationship between television and reality. Her performance was split into two halves: In the first she portrayed a blond-haired pop star, while in the second she appeared a typical 14-year-old girl whose double life as the blond-haired pop star is a secret to all but her closest friends. The entire show operated at a frenzied fever pitch, but its David Cronenberg-like climax came right before the encore, when the regular girl sang a duet with her famous alter ego, who'd disappeared from the stage but now reappeared on the screen of a giant video monitor. Which of us is more real, the artist seemed to be asking the audience, about half of which consisted of perplexed-looking adults obviously confounded by the performer's sophisticated interrogation of our current media moment. A sea of colorfully attired 10-year-old girls, the other half of the crowd, appeared more comfortable with the presentation. They're familiar with this artist's cutting-edge oeuvre. They watch her TV show and buy her albums and visit her website daily. And, anyway, what's reality? Shortly after going on sale (and nearly instantaneously selling out) in August, tickets to shows on Montana's 54-date "Best of Both Worlds" tour became the objects of furious Internet auctions. In some reported cases, consumers bought tickets for over 20 times their face value. At deadline, two fourth-row seats for Wednesday's show were available on StubHub, EBay's ticket-resale site, for $1,945 apiece. Inside the Honda Center, Audrey Lamar of Temecula said she had less trouble buying tickets to see the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney than she did attempting to purchase two Hannah Montana tickets for her and her 10-year-old daughter, Emily. "I tried to get them through Ticketmaster as soon as they went on sale, but they weren't available," Lamar said. She sent a last-ditch e-mail to Disney pleading her case and was amazed to receive a response Friday promising a pair of floor seats. So was Hannah worth the hysteria? Depends who's answering. In the case of the screaming tweens evidently involved in a collaborative effort to create a sound audible in outer space, the answer was yes. Or, more accurately, YYYYEEEESSSS!!!! To her fans, Hannah (who's played on the Disney Channel series by Miley Cyrus, the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus), represents an ideal alloy of everygirl charm and larger-than-life charisma. In "Just Like You," a tune from her first album as Hannah Montana, Cyrus sings, "I'm a lucky girl whose dreams came true / But underneath it all I'm just like you." That idea rang somewhat true during Saturday's show, where Cyrus sang, danced and changed costumes like a pro, yet didn't bother to conceal the physical effort required to give such a performance: Her image ballooned to enormous dimensions on the Jumbotron at center stage, Cyrus sweated, had to catch her breath and glugged water from a bottle. She even admitted to feeling a little under the weather, which she said meant the audience would have to give more than usual to keep the show moving. Try to imagine Beyoncé voluntarily chipping away at her own superstar authority. Of course, to anyone not already in thrall to the wonder of Cyrus-as-Montana, the singer's likable humility translated to a slight reduction in the wow factor that can make an arena production feel like something more special than a club gig in an airplane hangar. Saturday's show included plenty of eye-popping details. When your fans clamber to catch little squares of colored paper blasted out of a confetti gun, you know you're doing something right. But Cyrus' performance didn't always live up to the spectacle swirling around her. That was a product of undeveloped technical prowess but also of indistinct personality. Because we already have so many ideas about who and what a pop star is, Cyrus' Hannah character doesn't really need to work to define herself beyond the image presented on her CD covers. We know that a wild hairdo means we're in the presence of someone who loves to have fun. But who is Miley? On her TV show, Cyrus utilizes television's simulacrum of reality to depict a version of herself that's lifelike enough to make you care about her. In reality, though, without the aid of a script to establish helpful plot points, she seemed unsure of how to communicate something about herself to her audience. As she mentioned countless times during the show, Cyrus loves her fans and she's grateful for their support. And most of her songs, though they're brilliant genre exercises full of invention and spirit, rarely offered more than vague inspirational sound bites: Hey, nobody's perfect! Hey, life's what you make it! Hey, who said I can't be Superman?! But what else? Perhaps the kind of human complexity that seemed to be missing from Saturday's show isn't what Montana's millions are interested in. The squeals of approval that greeted every one of her moves certainly suggested that her fans got their (parents') money's worth. Yet with its appealingly bizarre dual-persona setup, "Best of Both Worlds" isn't just a simple tween-pop road show. Cyrus deserves more from herself. | ||
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Disney comes unstuck Sydney Morning Herald - American kids are officially too fat, and we have the Disney company's word for that. Disneyland in California has announced it will close its most popular ride, It's A Small World, for renovations due to increased wear and tear caused by super-sized riders. The ride features small boats that wend their way along canals while small robots sing in several languages. But since the ride opened in 1964 the average American has become 11 kilograms heavier, and now the boats in the ride are scraping the bottom and stopping midstream, causing extensive delays. Employees have tried to remedy this, by "discreetly" leaving empty seats on boats carrying bigger riders, but back ups have persisted. The canals will be made deeper and boats will be replaced with more buoyant models. | ||
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Developer
raises $700,000 to fight Disney The Orange County Register - Developer SunCal has put more than $700,000 into a campaign to fight efforts to stop its planned housing complex near Disneyland. The Committee to Defend and Protect Anaheim, which is funded by SunCal, reported raising $300,000 from July 1 to Sept. 30, bringing the total up to $701,756, according to a statement filed Thursday. The amount falls below the $1.7 million that Disney has raised in its campaign to deter SunCal's plans for a plot by Disney property. Another buyer is in negotiations to buy the plot, where SunCal wanted to build the homes. SunCal and the property owner are in a legal battle over the purchase contract. | ||
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Disney
eyeing theme park site in Malaysia Reuters - Walt Disney Co is looking to build a theme park on a 500-acre (202-hectare) site in southern Malaysia, a business weekly reported on Saturday. Citing unnamed sources, the Edge said the theme park, to be located in Bardar Nusajaya in the Iskandar development zone, would be ready six years after a deal was signed, according to early proposals. The proposed Disneyland theme park and resort is slated to be bigger than Hong Kong Disneyland and about the size of Tokyo Disney Resort, it said. The government unveiled a $105 billion blueprint late last year to transform the southern tip of Johor state, which neighbors Singapore, into a regional economic zone for industry, logistics, trade and leisure. Although the talks with Disney are progressing fast, discussions with other theme park operators, including Warner Bros Entertainment and MGM, have not ceased, the Edge said. "However, a deal with Walt Disney looks most promising as it has expressed its seriousness and has come out with specifications on its requirements," it quoted a source as saying. If the talks with Disney are successful, a deal is expected to be signed by the middle of next year, it added. Malaysia's state-controlled UEM World is developing Bandar Nusajaya, a township in southwest Johor. The 2,200 square km (850 sq miles) Iskandar zone has so far clinched at least $6 billion in investments, including a $4.7 billion maritime park proposed by Dubai World and Malaysia's infrastructure-to-energy group MMC Bhd. | ||
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Vanessa Hudgens Signs on for Disney's High School Musical 3 Digital Media Wire - Recent rumors suggested otherwise, but according to a source close to to the deal, Vanessa Hudgens will return for Disney’s High School Musical 3, with a “substantial raise.” “Vanessa is locked for the movie,” the source told Us Magazine. “She is very happy that the deal is done.” The controversy surrounding Hudgens centered on a nude photo which she apparently had taken and emailed.
People Magazine reported that
Hudgens had a history of emailing her provocative photos, having
once sent them to Nickelodeon’s Drake Bell. Jill Fritzo, Bell’s
representative, apparently denies that her client had ever
received the photos. It’s a bold (and new) step for Disney, in many ways. The Hudgens photo scandal placed her in the public’s eye alongside other Hollywood vixens like Paris, Lindsay, and Kim Kardashian. But in choosing to renew Hudgens HSM deal – and for more money – Disney clearly believes the fans (and more importantly, the parents of those fans) have been unaffected by the situation. | ||
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Theme parks dressed up in holiday best
Tickets for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party are $47.95 for adults and $40.95 for children 3-9 years old (under 3 years old are admitted free). The party is generally sold out by the evening of the event, so advance purchase is a good idea. Disney-MGM (this park will be called Disney Hollywood Studios beginning Jan. 1) offers the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights from Nov. 12 to Jan. 6. The light show, in the Studios' Backlot section, boasts millions of lights, animated light displays and "snow flurries." The Hollywood Holly-Day Parade is presented every day. It, and the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights, is included with park admission ($71 adults, $60 children). Epcot presents "Holidays Around the World" from Nov. 23 to Dec. 30. This event presents Christmas legends of various countries, including Los Tres Reyes Magos (The Three Magi) in the Mexico pavilion and Pere Noel in the French pavilion. The park is decorated with towering trees, poinsettias and lights. There is a synchronized light show, "The Lights of Winter," and every evening there is a Christmas tree lighting ceremony with Mickey and friends featuring music and storytelling. A special event in Epcot is the nightly Candlelight Processional, featuring celebrity narrators and a massed choir and orchestra. It is featured nightly at the America Gardens Theatre and it's included in admission to Epcot ($71, adults; $60, children). At the Animal Kingdom Park, Mickey and his gang celebrate the season with Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade presented from Nov. 12 to Jan. 6. At Camp Minnie-Mickey, visitors can meet and greet the Disney characters dressed in their holiday finery and enjoy caroling at Santa Goofy's Holiday Village, which is decorated with Christmas trees and features live entertainment. | ||
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Tigers' Robertson, Mickey Mouse to lead Thanksgiving Parade
The 81st annual parade begins at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 22 and runs 1.5 miles along Woodward Avenue between Mack and Congress. This year's theme is Hats Off Detroit. "America's Thanksgiving Parade marks a tradition that the entire city shares on that special day," Matthew P. Cullen, chairman of The Michigan Thanksgiving Parade Foundation said in a press release. "We are proud and excited to bring to the millions of spectators a celebration that honors Detroit's yesterday, today and tomorrow." Other celebrities participating include singer Paula DeAnda and actresses Michelle Ray Smith, of "Guiding Light," and Chloe Greenfield of "ER". Santa Claus will also be on hand. | ||
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| Back News |
Actress
Rachel Weisz is Snow White, tennis star Roger Federer is King
Arthur from "The Sword in the Stone" and actress Julie Andrews
is the Blue Fairy from "Pinocchio" with actress Abigail Breslin
as Fira from "Disney Fairies" in a new wave of celebrity images
celebrating "The Year of a Million Dreams" at Disney Parks.
Elaborate
sets and costuming went into the transformation of Weisz,
Andrews, Breslin and Federer. Soundstages morphed into
pixie-dusted spectacles as Leibovitz clicked away. 
"I
think you always want to be Snow White, it's every little girl's
dream," Weisz said.
The
Castle will create a magical sense of wintertime enchantment
throughout the holidays at Disneyland, adding to the many
delights that traditionally welcome guests when Disneyland and
Disney’s California Adventure parks are transformed into
dazzling holiday wonderlands.
The
Resort’s annual holiday parade, “A Christmas Fantasy,” will be
presented November 16 through January 6 on Main Street, U.S.A.
This ever-popular procession depicts an enchanting collection
of holiday scenes, music and a cast of Disney characters and
performers in Yuletide vignettes. Toy soldiers march in
cadence, friendly snowmen dance and Santa waves from a soaring
sleigh as his reindeer prance below.
From
Academy Award-winning director Brad Bird (The Incredibles) and
the amazing storytellers at Pixar Animation Studios (Finding
Nemo, Cars) comes RATATOUILLE, this year's most original comedy
about one of the most unlikely friendship's imaginable.
Ames
completed the championship at 17-under-par 271. He collected
$828,000 for his third tour win.