The highlights at the park on 31 December will include dazzling firework shows, live entertainment and extended opening hours throughout the resort.

At Disney's Epcot centre, visitors will be able to enjoy two special versions of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, a laser light show featuring flames and fountains orchestrated to an original musical score, at 7:40pm and 11:50pm.

Hollywood Studios will also present two showings of Fantasmic, a display of water animation, lasers and fireworks, at 6:30pm and 8:30pm.

Partygoers can head to Mickey's Sorcerer's Hat, which will host live performances by the park band Mulch, Sweat and Shears and a DJ.

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced the launch of DanceDanceRevolution: Disney Grooves for the Nintendo Wii. The title is being developed by Bemani, the original pioneers of the video game music genre that brought to market the hit sensation DanceDanceRevolution Hottest Party! The latest installment, combines the popular rhythm-dancing phenomenon with classic Disney songs and characters creating a "must-have" for fans of DanceDanceRevolution, Disney and the Wii.

DanceDanceRevolution: Disney Grooves features some of the most popular Disney characters of all-time including Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald and Daisy along with enhanced graphics and 40 favorite Disney tunes. Players will have to complete dance challenges in order to unlock more and more music. For a more personalized experience DanceDanceRevolution: Disney Grooves will allow players to customize their very own Mii's with special Disney costumes in its Dressing Room mode.

Additional exclusive modes that will extend the game beyond the standard DanceDanceRevolution® format include a Groove World where players achieve goals to unlock cool new costumes stages and songs. Workout Mode, Training Mode and Advanced Mode will challenge the physical limits of experienced players. The game will also feature a My Studio mode that enables players to take pictures of their customized characters, or strike a pose with classic Disney characters.

O'Grady accepted the award along with Alan North, Executive Sales Director WDSMP UK, and beating out international offices throughout Europe, Latin America, Asia and emerging markets (including Russia, India and China).

"I am very proud to accept the award on behalf of the Irish team," said Martin, "and I am delighted that our hard work, diligence and excellent results have been recognized internationally"

"This is a great recognition, not just for Martin O'Grady, but for the Irish office generally" said Trish Long, Vice President and General Manager, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Ireland.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Ireland markets, distributes and releases movies from the various Walt Disney owned studios, including Disney, Touchstone Pictures, Pixar, and Miramax, as well as international and national acquisitions. Its most recent release was the critically acclaimed 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas', which was adapted from the best-selling novel by Irish Author John Boyne and has taken over $1.5 Million in Ireland alone in its first twenty-five days. The next release is 'High School Musical 3: Senior Year' on 22nd Oct.

Disney had been trading at a 20%-to-60% premium to its entertainment industry peers, in part because of what Reif Cohen described as "the highest-quality name" in Hollywood -- something CEO Bob Iger touts as the "Disney difference." Indeed, Reif Cohen expects Disney to continue to defy economic gravity into its fiscal fourth quarter, reporting estimated operating income growth of 7% over the previous year and a 15% rise in net income per share.

"However, this could be the calm before the storm," she warns.

Disney has been the star performer of the large entertainment-company stocks, despite its reliance on revenue from advertising, theme parks and consumer products. That's a credit to the strong management team and the general perception of the brand and its products, Reif Cohen says.

However, she expects operating income to flatten in fiscal 2009, as unemployment rises and consumer confidence erodes. That is likely to hit theme park attendance. (Disney Channel star Miley Cyrus celebrated her 16th birthday at Disneyland in Anaheim on Sunday to promote the new "Celebration Vacation" campaign that begins in January, in which Disney will offer free admission to park attendees on their birthday.)

"Rising unemployment will be the straw that breaks the camel's back," Reif Cohen writes. "We are hard pressed to believe that attendance will not fall in (fiscal) 2009 -- people who don't have jobs simply do not go to Disney World."

Together with advertising and consumer products, roughly 60% of Disney's revenue is susceptible to an economic downturn, Reif Cohen says. Disney's earnings could even fall next fiscal year, despite the strength of the studio's slate over the next two years.

Harris, who has appeared in Processional before and sometimes appears as if he could sing along, joins the squadron of three-named actors on the list. You can also see Brian Stokes Mitchell, Steven Curtis Chapman and Edward James Olmos. No word if John O'Hurley is going to morph into John Gerald O'Hurley or if Courtney Vance will be Courtney Bernard Vance for the event.

Harris, who stars on the CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother, will suit up as the reader Dec. 1-3. The event runs three times nightly Nov. 28-Dec. 30. Times are 5, 6:45, 8:15 p.m. at the American Gardens Theater in World Showcase.

Disney plots fuzzy renaissance for Muppets

The New York Times - Poor Miss Piggy. Like most aging stars in Hollywood, that prima donna pig, along with most of her Muppet pals, has struggled to find substantial roles. Almost nobody under the age of 30 remembers "Pigs in Space." All everyone wants to talk about is this Hannah Montana person. What's a down-on-her-luck puppet to do?

Walt Disney Co. feels her pain. Since it bought Miss Piggy, Kermit and crew in 2004, executives have struggled to figure out how to put them to work. Efforts in 2005 to rejuvenate the furry creatures created by Jim Henson sputtered as the Muppets got lobbed between corporate divisions, and a new television series — a parody of "America's Next Top Model" called "America's Next Muppet" — died in the planning stages.

Now Disney is giving it another go by revving up the full power of its culture-creating engines. Instead of the take-it-slow approach, this time the Muppets are getting the "Hannah Montana" treatment, being blasted into every pop-culture nook and cranny that the company owns or can dream up. The balcony blowhards Statler and Waldorf would be impressed with the ambitiousness of the plan — even if it does come with equally outsize challenges.

"We think there is a Muppet gene in everybody," said Lylle Breier, a Disney executive who is the new general manager of Muppets Studio.

Disney Channel is presenting new specials in which Muppets interact with "High School Musical" stars and the Jonas Brothers, among other teenage wunderkinder. A stream of comic videos is in production for Disney.com, where a new Muppet channel recently made its debut, and viral videos have been unleashed on YouTube. NBC will broadcast a Christmas special in December, and special skits will arrive on certain ABC DVD releases. (One skit with the working title "Desperate Housepigs" is on a coming "Desperate Housewives" DVD.)

A new feature film, still untitled, is planned for 2010, with more in development. Meanwhile the Muppets will work overtime elsewhere, appearing on a new float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, on "Nightline" interviewing political candidates and on various talk shows. More Muppet-theme attractions are being discussed for Disney theme parks.

And then there is the merchandise. Coming soon: Muppet clothing at Urban Outfitters and Limited Too stores; Muppet-theme items like stuffed animals and tote bags, at Macy's; and a Muppet boutique at the New York flagship of FAO Schwarz.

Disney does not want to create a flash in the pan; it sees the Muppets as a franchise that can sit side by side with, say, Winnie the Pooh. But creating any flash at all is the challenge. With the exception of a guest appearance here and there, the characters have largely been in cold storage for the last three years. And because the Muppets have been without a regular television gig for more than a decade, many children and younger teenagers don't know them.

Breier said recent focus groups indicated that some children could not even identify Kermit and Miss Piggy, much less ancillary characters like Fozzie Bear and Gonzo the Great. The wisecracking, irreverent Muppets (a combination of puppets and marionettes) also don't fit that neatly in the Disney culture, as they differ from most of the company's bedrock characters in two big ways: Kermit and coterie were primarily created to entertain adults, and they live in the real world. Henson was so insistent that they stand apart from his "Sesame Street" creations in personality and tone that he (misleadingly) titled the 1975 pilot that would boost their careers "The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence."

Undeterred, Disney expects the Muppets to expand their fan base beyond nostalgic older generations to the age group between 6 and 12 that has powered "Hannah Montana" and "High School Musical" into international blockbusters. But how do you make 50-year-old puppets, even those as beloved to many people as these, relevant in a "Wall-E" world?

The Muppets are hardly moribund, but they do represent one of the most striking examples of franchise fumbling in Hollywood history.

"The Muppet Show" made its debut as a syndicated series in 1976, introducing the classic characters Disney owns today. (The Muppet characters that populated the inaugural season of "Saturday Night Live" a year earlier were different.) "The Muppet Show" was full of song-and-dance numbers and skits, often featuring absurdist humor, along with backstage antics. Dancing chickens were thrown in for good measure.

Some of the biggest names in entertainment at the time populated each episode. Rudolf Nureyev and Miss Piggy, clad in towels, sat in a sauna and sang "Baby, It's Cold Outside" ; a bejeweled Elton John performed "Crocodile Rock" with Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, the show's house band.

Witty, somewhat subversive dialogue and the hilarious-looking Muppets themselves quickly won audiences over. The show, which ran for five seasons, at one point was syndicated in 100 countries. The ubiquitous franchise spawned hit movies ( "The Muppet Movie" ), hit songs ( "The Rainbow Connection" ), loads of merchandise and, eventually, an animated series called "Muppet Babies."

But those glory days are long gone. After Henson's death from a rare bacterial infection, at 53, in 1990 his five children took control of the company. They set about working on new adventures for the Muppets — but not before dragging them into a nasty court fight with Disney over terms for a Muppet attraction Henson had completed for Walt Disney World. And the franchise's pop-cultural resonance slipped; the last Muppets movie, "Muppets From Space," sputtered at the box office in 1999.

The next year Henson's heirs sold the family business to the German media company EM.TV and Merchandising for about $680 million. But as the German conglomerate slumped under crushing debt and an insider-trading and fraud investigation, the Muppets stagnated further. The Henson children later bought back the classic Muppets and the characters from the HBO series "Fraggle Rock" for $78 million (before selling the classic characters to Disney in 2004 for $75 million); the "Sesame Street" Muppets were sold to Children's Television Workshop. The family continues to operate the Jim Henson Co., which retains ownership of the Fraggles.

But even Disney, skilled in immortalizing the vision of a single man, has struggled to rekindle the Muppet spark. Although Disney estimated three years ago that the Muppets would be generating about $300 million a year in merchandising sales by now, retail analysts say the total for 2008 will be closer to $50 million.

Meanwhile Henson loyalists like the performer and puppeteer Frank Oz publicly criticized aspects of Disney's stewardship. Allowing Miss Piggy to serve as a Pizza Hut pitchwoman in a Super Bowl commercial created a major dust-up among fans, even though Henson himself was overtly commercial. (The piano-playing dog Rowlf was created in 1962 to sell Purina Dog Chow.) And family members have at times been frustrated at what they saw as Disney's lack of focus.

"Have they been a little slow? Perhaps," said Brian Henson, the co-chief executive officer of the Jim Henson Co. "But the most important thing to us is that they are careful. Now, more than ever, we believe they are doing just that."

Dick Cook, chairman of Walt Disney Studios and Breier's boss, attributed the pace to the scale of Disney's plans. "Developing the kind of high-quality entertainment we have planned for the global relaunch of the Muppets takes time," he said.

In early August a motley group of puppeteers, lighting technicians, camera operators and Disney executives gathered on a Hollywood soundstage to work on Miss Piggy's comeback.

She, perched on the arm of Eric Jacobson, who performs the Muppet characters originated by Oz, stared blankly downward. A crew member brushed her hair and plucked a piece of lint from her forehead. "Miss Piggy, are you with us?" asked the director, Bill Barretta.

In the scene at hand, destined for Disney.com, Miss Piggy would demonstrate her workout routine: bend at waist, pick up bonbon from box on floor, eat; repeat. "Kissy, kissy, it's moi," she said after the camera started rolling.

Gently attaching the Muppets to today's touchstone issues — healthy living, the environment — is one way Disney hopes to make them more relevant to the young and the trend conscious. Hence Miss Piggy's donning of workout gear and Kermit's recent appearance on ESPN (yet another Disney outpost) chatting with athletes about being environmentally friendly.

At the same time maintaining the core DNA of the characters is crucial, so as not to alienate an older generation with warm memories from their own childhoods. Miss Piggy, as a result, does not suddenly become a vegan; she communicates about exercise by talking about how she hates to exercise. Kermit does not pontificate on going green; he listens to others talk about it in his humble, unassuming way.

"We want to be very, very careful that whatever we do is in the spirit of the Muppets and that we are enhancing the brand," Cook said.

The new Muppet film, for instance, will be geared to a broad audience, but Disney understands the need to retain an adult sensibility. Cook hired the team behind the raunchy comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," Jason Segel (the writer and star) and Nicholas Stoller (the director), to deliver the script. Leading up to a film rather than starting with one reflects the feeling among studio executives that the film will make a bigger splash if the marketplace is prepped first.

With merchandising partnerships like the one with FAO Schwarz, Disney is also trying to tap into a retailing trend popular with children and teenagers: customization. American Girl Place stores, for instance, give shoppers the opportunity to design dolls to their specifications. FAO Schwarz will do the same for Muppets fans.

At the store's Muppet-theme boutique, customers (for $100) will pick a body shape from various styles and then accessorize it with "a huge variation of Muppet parts," said David Niggli, the president of FAO Schwarz. (Versions will be sold on its Web site, fao.com.) The result will be what Jim Henson referred to as a "hand rod" Muppet: One hand goes inside the head of the puppet and the other holds thin rods connected to the puppet's hands, allowing for gestures.

"Younger consumers expect to be able to immerse themselves in the brands they like, so this idea is spot on," said Samantha Skey, an expert on youth marketing at Alloy Media & Marketing. She added that as far as teenagers and children are concerned, "it's a great way to bring this brand back from the dead."

That resurrection is being planned at Disney's headquarters in Burbank, inside what Breier has called the Muppets' war room. At a recent meeting the Muppets team watched a newly completed video for distribution on YouTube in which Sam, the moralistic eagle, and the rock star Animal, still chained to his drum set, perform "Stars and Stripes Forever" with a chorus of clucking chickens and other Muppets. Everyone in the room laughed.

The viral videos have exploded on YouTube over the last month, giving Breier confidence that her strategy is starting to work. Four YouTube videos had been viewed a total of more than 5 million times according to Disney research.

And some parents are starting to notice that the Muppets are suddenly on the radar screens of their young children.

"I tried getting them to watch DVDs of 'The Muppet Show' probably a year or two ago, and they weren't that interested," said Tom Weber, a New York father of two girls, ages 5 and 9. "But now that Disney is making its marketing push, they seem more aware and into it."

"Of course I have known for more than 40 years now - as every one does - that Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character," Sheikh Mohammed Salah Al-Munajid said in a video he posted on YouTube.

"Thus, what I said was not a fatwa to kill Mickey Mouse nor would any reasonable minded person say such a thing."

In the video, titled "Response to media propaganda about killing Mickey Mouse", Munajid refuted media reports that he had ordered the killing of Mickey in a weekly program he presents on an Arab television network.

A video clip from last month's program was posted on the video-sharing website and circulated among Western media.

Munajid, a prominent lecturer and author, affirmed that the discussion in the program was about the treatment of animals.

"What was mentioned in the video clip was one of the rulings in dealing with harmful animals, such as rodents and scorpions under a broader discussion of the effect of media and characters on the family and children," he explained.

"So, the real issue discussed was harmful rodents and mice, not Mickey."

Verify First

Sheikh Munajid said he was stunned by the fuss the false propaganda on his TV comments generated in the West.

"I find the response it generated surprising and almost amusing due to the way it was presented and ridiculed, as if Mickey Mouse is a living creature," he said in English in the nearly 5-minute clip.

Several Western media outlets had quoted Munajid as saying that the carton character was "an agent of Satan and is steered by him."

The news of his alleged Mickey Mouse death fatwa made headlines in many newspapers around the world.

It also became an issue for debate among TV commentators in many leading American networks like ABC and Fox News.

In the NBC's long-running American Late-Night Show, host Jay Leno mocked and derided what he called an Islamic ruling against Mickey Mouse.

Munajid blamed such controversies on cultural misunderstandings and misinformation.

"People who honestly search for the truth will utilize authentic sources," he stressed.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment - Releasing from the Disney vault at last... and marking the first-ever Disney Classic Animated feature in high definition, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment proudly awakens Walt Disney's original Sleeping Beauty with a spectacular 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition-- on October 7, 2008, only for a limited time. Debuting on 2-Disc Blu-ray Hi-Def and an a 2-Disc Platinum Edition DVD, the highly-anticipated release heralds the beginning of an exciting new era for Disney's "Platinum Edition" series allowing viewers to see more than ever before in an all-new edition that will never be seen again, and launches the all-new Disney BD-Live Network. It provides the chance for viewers to combine some of today's most popular interactive communications platforms - chat, video messages, online interactivity, communal gaming and more – along with their most treasured home entertainment experiences.

The royal debut of Sleeping Beauty on Blu-ray also marks an industry first, as the 2-disc Blu-ray release includes a bonus standard definition DVD of the classic animated film, in the same package. This allows fans of all ages who have anxiously awaited the Platinum Edition DVD release to own the beloved family favorite on standard def DVD while they are preparing to upgrade to spectacular 1080p Hi-def Blu-ray and experience the exciting Disney BD-Live Network.

The must-own home entertainment event of the year--the Blu-ray hi-def debut of Sleeping Beauty is accompanied by the awakening of the timeless classic on a 2-disc DVD, also in a 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition. Both exciting releases are loaded with magnificent all-new bonus features for the whole family that capture the magic, fun and history of one of Walt's greatest achievements.

Restored to dazzle new fans with its pristine picture and sound quality, the final fairy tale to be produced by Walt Disney himself, the Sleeping Beauty Platinum Edition is a spectacular widescreen event that transports viewers to a magical kingdom. Filled with romance, adventure and humor, the beloved animated classic's 50th Anniversary release celebrates the exhaustive work of The Walt Disney Studios Restoration and Preservation team who have successfully mastered the meticulous processes of creating stunning technologically-advanced Hi-Def productions from classic footage created by Walt Disney and his team in the first golden age of animation.

One of the studio's most ambitious undertakings, Walt Disney's original animated Sleeping Beauty features an Academy Award nominated score adapted from the incandescent music of Peter Tchaikovsky. Its breathtaking action sequences and extravagant musical production numbers charm adults and children as they delight at the antics of Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, the bubbly and bumbling fairy godmothers, and cheer the gallant Prince Phillip in his quest to save Princess Aurora.

Mary Costa – Princess Aurora

Mary Costa, internationally acclaimed operatic soprano, was born in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1930. In her early teens, Mary's family relocated to Los Angeles, California, where she completed her high school education and entered the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music to study with the famed maestro, Gaston Usigli. Between 1948 and 1951, she appeared with Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on the Bergen radio show. She also sang with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in concerts at UCLA, and made numerous commercials for Lux Radio Theatre.

In 1952, Ms. Costa was personally chosen by Walt Disney to be the speaking and singing voice of Princess Aurora in the Disney film, "Sleeping Beauty." The Disney classic was seven years in production, during which period Ms. Costa became the female spokesperson, serving alongside William Lundigan and Jack Benny, on CBS's duo, "Climax," and "The Shower of Stars."

In 1958, Mary was called upon to substitute for Elisabeth Schwarzkopf at a gala concert in the Hollywood Bowl, conducted by Carmen Dragon. Because of her glowing reviews from that performance, she was invited to sing the lead in her first fully staged operatic production, "The Bartered Bride," produced by the renowned German producer, Carl Ebert, for the Los Angeles Guild Opera. Ebert later requested that Mary appear at the Glyndebourne Festival, where she made a stunning debut. Following these triumphs, Leonard Bernstein deemed her, "perfect," as the leading lady for his "Candide," which had both a United States tour and a London season. Ms. Costa received great acclaim from critics and public alike, both in the United States and Europe.

Her appearance at the Vancouver Festival in 1959 brought her to the attention of eastern critics, who dubbed her the "new soprano star on the horizon." The San Francisco Opera then engaged Ms. Costa for several operas, and she immediately became a favorite leading soprano with the company. Impresario Sol Hurok signed Mary to an exclusive contract, and remained her manager until his death.

In 1961, Ms. Costa recorded "La Boheme" for RCA Victor from the stage of the Rome Opera House (right). This recording was re-mastered and re-released in 1998, and was awarded the RCA Victor Red Seal CD release of the month. The original recording has been used in music schools across the country as an example of a high standard of artistic singing. Later in 1961, Mary sang her first "Manon" in Cincinnati, followed by an appearance at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden, where she sang in "La Traviata," the opera in which she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera on January 6, 1964.

Ms. Costa's Metropolitan Opera debut received one of the season's greatest ovations and engendered enthusiastic praise from critics. It is considered one of the most outstanding debuts of an American singer in the history of the company. Mary performed a number of leading roles with the Metropolitan in succeeding seasons, including Massenet's "Manon," her favorite role. She was subsequently chosen by Samuel Barber and Gian-Carlo Menotti to recreate the title role of "Vanessa" in a new production of the Barber opera. Jacqueline Kennedy attended the opening night gala production and came backstage to congratulate Mary on the success of the performance.

One of Ms. Costa's favorite remembrances was being chosen by Igor Stravinsky for the role of Anne Trulove in the San Francisco Opera's production of the new work, "The Rake's Progress," which, prior to its opening, included an unforgettable three weeks of private vocal coaching in the Stravinsky home. Also considered a special occasion was the invitation to perform in the world premier of Norman Dello Joio's "Blood Moon," and the Western Hemisphere production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Among Ms. Costa's fondest and most treasured memories, was receiving a personal request from Jacqueline Kennedy to sing for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Service. The President and Mrs. Kennedy had been following the career of the diva for many years, and Ms. Costa had long been an admirer of President and Mrs. Kennedy. The service was telecast throughout the world from the Sports Arena in Los Angeles.

In 1964, Ms. Costa was invited to London to film the BBC's highly acclaimed television productions of "La Traviata," "Faust," and "The Merry Widow." English critics acclaimed her "the definitive Merry Widow," and the productions have since had several annual re-broadcasts throughout the United Kingdom.

Mary's choice to sing at the Bolshoi Opera in 1970, during her first tour of Russia, was "La Traviata" and the Russians loved her. She made such an impact on the audiences that she was asked to extend her two-week trip to thirteen weeks in order for audiences all over Russia to hear her. This was an unprecedented triumph for an American singer.

In 1971 at the request of Leonard Bernstein, Ms. Costa sang the lead in a revival of "Candide," which opened the opera house at the new Kennedy Center in Washington. She performed the role for an extended run. In 1972, Ms. Costa returned to film, and flew to Vienna to star in Andrew L. Stone's feature film, "The Great Waltz" (left), singing the role of the wife of Waltz King, Johann Strauss, Jr., for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe. Her personal flair and natural affinity for Viennese music resulted in many highly acclaimed Viennese concerts across the USA. In 1973, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Hardin-Simmons University.

Prior to his resignation in 1974, President Nixon invited Ms. Costa to the White House for a command performance at a State Reception for the Prime Minister of Singapore.

Ms. Costa impressed television audiences throughout her career with guest appearances on many shows, such as Bing Crosby's Christmas Show on NBC-TV. She also appeared on Frank Sinatra's "Woman of the Year" Timex Special for NBC, where she was honored, along with Juliet Prowse, Lena Horne, and Eleanor Roosevelt, as women of the year. In 1972, Sammy Davis Jr. asked Mary to appear on his first NBC Follies. Among his other guests that evening, were Mickey Rooney and Ernest Borgnine. Mary performed a blues selection with Sammy, backed up by one of her favorite performers, Charlie Parker. Her other television credits include appearances on the Academy Awards, and the shows of Jim Nabors, Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Della Reese, Joey Bishop, George Burns, Don Knotts, Diana Shore, and many others.

Another highlight of Ms. Costa's life was in 1975, when she joined the Metropolitan Opera on its historic tour of Japan, singing "Musetta" in "La Boheme," delighting Japanese audiences. She opened the season at the Metropolitan in 1977, receiving high critical acclaim.

During the beginning of her operatic career, Mary studied voice with the great Metropolitan Opera tenor, Mario Chamlee. Fritz Zweig, famed assistant conductor to the great composer, Richard Strauss helped Mary prepare her recital, concert and operatic repertoire, which included forty-four opera roles.

In 1984, Ms. Costa took a sabbatical from traveling and performing in order to care for her ninety-year old mother, who had begun to need more extensive attention. During this period, Mary became involved with the Palm Beach Opera, donating her time to help judge opera auditions and speak at various local charity benefits on their behalf. She also served the opera in the capacity of a consultant and advisor to aspiring singers.

In 1993, after the passing of her beloved mother at 101 years of age, Mary returned to her hometown of Knoxville, TN, to establish a permanent residence. She immediately became affiliated with the efforts of Childhelp USA, and subsequently was asked to become one of their National Ambassadors, an honor that she graciously accepted. In November of 1993, Mary was chosen as one of the "Women in the Performing Arts," an award presented to her in Washington, DC at the opening of the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Ms. Costa was also given a position as an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Board of the Knoxville Opera Company. In this capacity she has, along with other responsibilities, served as an advisor to the board and a mentor to young performers at the University Of Tennessee School of Music.

In the latter part of the 1990's, Mary divided her time between personal appearances for the Disney Corporation, and a demanding schedule of motivational speaking engagements. In 1998, Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist presented the Tennessee Achievement Award to her for her contribution to the arts and her constant inspiration to young people throughout the country. And in the same year, she was asked by Governor Sundquist to be one of the individuals to choose the music for a Classical CD that is presented to every child born in the state of Tennessee. In 1999, she was the recipient of the coveted Disney Legends Award. Much of her motivational enthusiasm was, and still continues to be, directed toward primary, secondary and college level students. The Disney Corporation has afforded her the opportunity to raise funds on behalf of various charities, including Childhelp USA, Read Across America, and Signal Centers of Chattanooga, all of which benefit children in need.

In 2000, Ms. Costa was selected as the Tennessee Woman of Distinction by the American Lung Association. And in April of 2001, she was one of 38 honorees chosen by the Metropolitan Opera Guild for Distinguished Verdi Performances of the Twentieth and Twenty-first centuries.

In August 2002, Ms. Costa was recognized, along with a panel of other Disney legends and performers, when the newly-digitized Disney classic, "Sleeping Beauty," opened to a large crowd of enthusiastic fans at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles. The distinguished panel was interviewed by an ABC affiliate spokesperson, who asked questions of the panel members about the making of the original movie, and their personal experiences with Walt Disney. Rhett Wickham, a critic who covered the event, wrote, "[The panel] delivered some very articulate and often moving observations on the film. Chief among these was Mary Costa, whose true grace makes it seem for all the world like she has some angelic key-light that follows her."

On February 5, 2003, Ms. Costa was nominated by President George W. Bush to serve on the National Council on the Arts from 2003 through 2006. According to a spokesperson for the National Endowment for the Arts, "The National Council on the Arts advises the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts on agency policies and programs and also reviews funding guidelines and applications for grants. The Council members are chosen for their widely recognized knowledge of the arts, their expertise or profound interest in the arts, and their record of distinguished service or achievement in the arts." Ms. Costa's nomination was confirmed by the U. S. Senate and she was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in April of 2003. In speaking about her new responsibilities with the National Council on the Arts, Mary commented, "Throughout the years, I have had many mentors who helped further my career. Without their assistance, I would not have been able to accomplish numerous goals that were important in my life. I now have the opportunity through the National Council to be a mentor to deserving artists who are seeking to achieve their destiny. This is a wonderful chance for me to return to others a portion of that which was so generously given to me."

In 2004, John Mauceri, noted conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, extended a personal invitation to Mary to perform at the Hollywood Bowl in a musical extravaganza paying tribute to a truly Great American icon, the inimitable Walt Disney. Maestro Mauceri requested that Mary present a narration taken from the 1942 animated film, "Bambi," with background accompaniment of the Edward Plumb orchestral suite provided by the Bowl Orchestra. The concert was performed for sell-out audiences on both August 20 and 21st, and delighted cheering fans of all ages.

On November 2, 2007, Ms. Costa was inducted into the Knoxville Opera Hall of Fame. She launched the inaugural Knoxville Opera season in 1978, starring as Violetta in La Traviata. The following season she appeared in the title role of The Merry Widow. Ms. Costa has remained a crucial advocate for Knoxville Opera at both the state and national level.