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| MickeyXtreme's News Archive October 7-13 2007 | ||
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Saturday October, 13 2007 | ||
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No Segways,
theme parks tell disabled When James Nappier, a petty officer in the Navy Reserve, first rode his new Segway scooter out into his Loxahatchee neighborhood, he felt emotions that were rare since he got home from Iraq. On the two-wheeled, electric scooter, he could get around easily. That felt like personal freedom. Standing on the upright vehicle, he could look neighbors in the eyes, not the belt buckles. That felt like equality. "It's been a godsend, because I can get out and get around on it," said Nappier, 49, who suffered leg- and arm-nerve damage in a May 2004 mortar attack in Ramadi, Iraq. "I try to take it all the places here I can." But he can't take it everywhere. Disney and SeaWorld Orlando won't allow visitors to use Segways, citing safety concerns. "We're not turning people away," Disney World spokeswoman Kim Prunty said. "We're turning away a particular form of transportation." Earlier this year, Epcot officials wouldn't let Nappier enter on his Segway, forcing him to reluctantly use a wheelchair pushed by his wife, Lacey. Segway advocates plan to turn up the heat in efforts to get Disney and SeaWorld to allow Segways as wheelchair alternatives. Much of the push is coming from an organization called Disability Rights Advocates for Technology, or DRAFT, which raises money to donate Segways to disabled U.S. military veterans and pushes for their acceptance. Many people who use prosthetics, and people who have spinal or neurological conditions that affect walking more than standing -- such as multiple sclerosis -- find Segways offer more mobility and dignity than wheelchairs, said DRAFT co-founder Jerry Kerr, 52. Kerr, who suffered spinal-cord injuries in an accident and uses a Segway, estimates that at least 5,000 disabled people have purchased Segways to get around, up from a few hundred that he estimated three years ago. Introduced in 2001, Segways weren't designed to be mobility devices for people with such disabilities. That doesn't mean they cannot be used by people with disabilities or allowed as alternatives to wheelchairs, though it does mean the $5,000-plus cost is not normally eligible for insurance or state or federal assistance. Disney runs paid, guided Segway tours of Epcot and the Fort Wilderness campground for customers, and has put many of its employees on Segways. But Disney officials said they see serious safety concerns if potentially untrained visitors are riding Segways on the same crowded walkways as toddlers, elderly persons and people with sight, hearing, mental or mobility disabilities. They say they are also concerned about the speed of Segways, which can go 12.5 mph, much faster than most -- though not all -- motorized wheelchairs, and about some safety aspects, such as what happens if the batteries run out (Segways can fall down). "Our concern has continued to be the safety of all our guests and cast members," said Prunty, the Disney spokeswoman. SeaWorld spokeswoman Becca Bides offered similar concerns and added that SeaWorld is lined with winding, sometimes thin paths and walkways of varying grades and construction, which may be ill-designed for Segways. Universal Orlando permits disabled riders on Segways on a case-by-case basis, though Universal officials would not talk about the matter. Segway Inc. takes issue with challenges to its safety. But the company also recognizes the rights of individual businesses to decide whether to allow them, spokeswoman Carla Vallone said. "I don't know what their specific concerns are," Vallone said of Disney and SeaWorld. "What I can tell you is that more than four independent agencies' studies . . . all have been neutral or positive, saying it has performed very well." Those included a Federal Highway Administration study, published in 2004, that measured characteristics for 14 personal vehicles competing with bicycles, ranging from in-line skates to Segways and included standard wheelchairs and motorized wheelchairs. In many key factors -- notably, visibility to others, turning radius, deceleration, braking distance, size and riders' sight lines -- the Segway rated best or second-best among the 14. Among agencies that have agreed to allow Segways as mobility devices are the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of Transportation, for public buses, trains, stations and airports. After running a pilot program in malls in Houston and Nashville, Tenn., Simon Property Group, the nation's largest mall operator, and part-owner of Florida Mall and Seminole Towne Center, decided this summer to allow disabled riders to use Segways in its malls. Billie Scott, a spokeswoman for Simon Property Group, said the company is requiring disabled Segway users to register and accept a list of rules and regulations before they can come in. "It was our own experience with Segways that really won us over," she said. "We began deploying them, on a limited basis at first, with security staff. Now a very large proportion of our malls have units who use Segways." | ||
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Disney & A Pear Tree Hartford Courant - Deep inside the laboratories of Epcot's The Land pavilion in Orlando, Fla.- beyond the world-record tomato tree or the Mickey Mouse-shaped pumpkins - a tiny part of one of Walt Disney's dreams is being kept alive in petri dishes. Visitors' only brush with science there might involve the theme park's programs to grow lettuce in water or to shape vegetables like Mickey Mouse. Yet more complex, far-less-known, potentially more practical and possibly controversial work has been going on side by side with those show projects for years. In some of those tiny dishes, within microbiology laboratories walled off from the public, one of Epcot's primary missions is being cultivated specimen by specimen, cell by cell, gene by gene. It's real, high-tech science. Scientists there, working for Disney and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Research Service, are trying to alter nature's design for the pear tree on a molecular level. Funded by and operating as a branch laboratory for a research project underway at a federal agriculture laboratory in Kearneysville, W.Va., the Epcot scientists want to create a new rootstock for pear trees that would stunt the growth of the trees, making them shorter and easier to grow and harvest, and therefore more productive and more commercially attractive. And they are doing so by genetically altering the cells of pear-tree rootstock specimens. "It's more than just a show," said Frederick L. Petitt, Walt Disney World's director of Epcot science. "This is pretty long-term research." But unlike most Epcot research - such as projects involving pest management or dolphin communication - it risks powerful controversy. Genetic engineering of crops draws a high level of public suspicion and has harsh critics who deride the products as "Frankenfoods." While the pear-tree work should not affect the genetic makeup of the pears, earlier projects at Epcot have had the goal of designing better food. "I wouldn't think Disney would touch this project with a 10-foot Cinderella wand, but Disney isn't your grandfather's cartoon company anymore," said Nancy Allen, an activist with the Green Party. Her group is part of an environmental coalition campaigning against the creation of genetically engineered trees (though not specifically the Epcot work), arguing that genetic engineering must be slowed so the consequences can be studied more carefully. "There just is no way to know what is going to happen in the long term, even for the growers," said Anne Petermann, co-director of the Global Justice Ecology Project. Project director Ralph Scorza of the U.S. Agriculture Research Service said he thinks such critics overlook the extreme care taken in the research - and its potential benefits. That's one reason Epcot's labs were recruited. "It does give us a chance to talk to people about the whole process, and about the safety of it, and the oversight," Scorza said. One of Walt Disney's original plans for Epcot - which didn't open until 16 years after his death - was that it would be a center of cutting-edge science and technology. Walt Disney's vision was to build a full-fledged city, called the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, or EPCOT for short. Throughout today's version of Epcot, visitors are treated to "shows" of interesting but often old and relatively simple technology. There is nothing simple about the pear-tree project. "That laboratory in Epcot could just as well be a laboratory down the hall," Scorza said, talking recently by phone from his Kearneysville office." People are doing the work that we need them to do for our program. It's not made for show. It's real research that we're doing. It's very important for the program. But also, we think, it has a story to tell." | ||
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Former Tustin resident chosen as Disney Ambassador finalist
The Orange County Register - A former Hewes Middle School student could be the next spokesperson for all 60,000 Disney cast members. Tameka Chianti Newman, 28, is one of nine finalists in the running to be the 2008 Ambassador, a position which entails attending cast member recognition ceremonies, grand openings, marketing events, special promotions, media interviews and hosting dignitaries at the Walt Disney World Resort. "I just wanted to make sure that everyone in Tustin knew I'm so honored by their support and excited by the opportunity," she said. Newman was born in Seattle, Washington, then moved to upstate New York for her father's job before settling in the Lemon Heights area of Tustin at the age of nine. She attended Hewes Middle School before going on to Cornelia Connelly High School in Anaheim. One of Newman's first jobs was working in the entertainment department at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. She left Tustin at 18 to attend St. John's University in New York where she majored in television film production and creative writing. "Growing up in Orange County, you're just in the shadows of Hollywood," Newman said. "I was always around the entertainment industry and wanted to learn more about it." Through Disney's college recruitment program, Newman secured a job after graduation in 2001 as a tour guide in the Great Movie ride at MGM Studios. She has gone on to be involved in several departments including stage management, labor operations and production coordination. Currently, she is working as a college recruiter for Walt Disney World—the same position which helped secure her job with Disney in 2001. Newman applied for the Ambassador position Aug. 1 and was selected as a finalist out of more than 120 applicants. "What I most look forward to as an Ambassador would be getting to meet our cast members (and) look at the wonderful things they've done over the year," she said. The tradition of naming a Disney Ambassador began during the 10th anniversary of Disneyland, when Walt himself was overwhelmed with many requests for media interviews. He selected the first Ambassador in 1964, and the tradition has continued since. There are Ambassadors at each Disney Park around the world who participate in activities together throughout the year. "I always knew Disney would have a place somewhere in my career," Newman said. "Now that I learned so much after going through this process, I know that I'll definitely stay with Disney; there are so many opportunities with me here." Two official ambassadors will be chosen Friday. | ||
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At 150,
Anaheim's in a positively negative mood Los Angeles Times - Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle accentuated the positives at a recent council meeting that took note of the city's 150th birthday: more than $1 million had been raised for the Tiger Woods Learning Center, a new museum was opening in the revitalized downtown district, and the reigning Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks were opening their season. But before Pringle could begin to brag, he had to preside over yet another contentious and sometimes ugly City Council meeting at which a longtime resident threatened to work to recall three of the five council members, another called two-term Councilman Bob Hernandez a moron, and housing advocates lamented the city's "deepening crisis of working poverty." The dark cloud hanging over Anaheim's sesquicentennial celebration -- and the city in general -- comes in the form of a bitter dispute over a 1,500-unit condo and apartment project proposed by developer SunCal Cos. in the Resort District. The council voted 3 to 2 in April to approve a zoning change that would allow the residential use. The issue has pitted Disney, tourist officials and their allies against developers, housing advocates, low-wage workers and some religious leaders who argue that the city, and the tourist district in particular, have a pressing need for low-cost housing. In the last year, the dispute has spawned two lawsuits, three ballot measures and threats of a recall during a time when the city celebrated 150 years by, among other events, having a float in the Tournament of Roses Parade, dedicating a history walk in downtown and burying a time capsule to be opened in 2057. "It's disrupted the city and divided it," said former Councilman Frank Feldhaus. "With the two sides going at it, it is rather embarrassing. We had hoped both sides would come up with a compromise." Pringle has sided with Disney, which has steadfastly attempted to protect the land surrounding its two parks from new residential development, saying the two uses are incompatible. Pringle said he had tried twice to forge a settlement, offering a compromise plan six months ago and meeting recently with Councilwoman Lucille Kring, a proponent of the housing project. "Yes, it would be great if it were all over," Pringle said. "But I don't see others interested in doing that." If anything, the battle over housing in the resort district seems to be escalating. A Disney-backed referendum that is already on the June ballot could be joined by a second Disney-supported initiative that was certified for the ballot Wednesday, and a competing initiative -- backed by SunCal -- appears to have the three council votes needed to qualify for the ballot. The SunCal initiative, which would give voters zoning control over the 53-acre parcel where Disney's third theme park is planned, has created a stir. Some members of the coalition driving the Disney initiatives have contended the rival ballot measure was cooked up by its supporters -- Kring, Lorri Galloway and Hernandez -- in a "backroom deal." Some advocate recalling the three council members. "I'm pushing for a recall of all of you as fast as possible!" shouted Steve Goodyear, 54, whose emotional plea received an ovation in council chambers. "We voted for you, not SunCal. We will recall you, and we will replace you." Feldhaus, who endorsed Kring in 2006, said he would be inclined to support a recall. "She had me convinced she was for business and the police and fire departments," he said. "It seems like she's turned around 180 degrees." Hernandez, who spent five minutes of Tuesday's meeting fending off personal attacks, said he had never seen his community in such an uproar. "It's unfortunate it's gotten down to name-calling," he said. "There's a lot of anxiety and misinformation out there, and that fuels anger." One city activist is appealing for calm. "I personally don't appreciate all the innuendoes and mudslinging against these three council members," said Ed Perez, a former Anaheim planning commissioner. "These people have given us balanced budgets, a lot of amenities and worthwhile projects. "As a community, we've got to be cohesive. I want leadership to step up and tell us everything is going to be OK." Amin David, who heads Los Amigos of Orange County, a Latino advocacy group, said he wished he could celebrate Anaheim's 150th anniversary, but the lack of attention given to low-cost housing hasn't left him in a partying mood. "We are not party to the party," he said. "It appears the city wants to cast us aside and hush us up. It is ironic, and it comes with a great degree of bitterness, that people are celebrating now." In Anaheim, the housing debate has become a taboo topic in some circles. "We've made a pact with a couple friends not to talk about it at breakfast," David said, "Because things could get very ugly if we did bring it up. It's better not to go there." Meanwhile, Pringle said he would continue doing the job he was elected to do, in hopes that the Disney-SunCal spat doesn't dampen the spirit of the city that's home to the Happiest Place on Earth. | ||
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Students in
Disney dream Lancashire Evening Post - Two catwalk queens are getting in the groove for a fairytale trip to Disneyland.  But
instead of enjoying the sights, they will be among the
star-studded cast providing them.Siobhan Powell and Charlotte Holden have landed a season of work at Disneyland Paris. They are both final year students on the professional dancers and teachers of dance course at Preston College in Fulwood. They auditioned for parts and beat off tough competition from hundreds of other hopefuls from England to play Disney characters for the Christmas and New Year season. Siobhan, 19, said: "I have been chosen to play Princess Jasmine, which means that I will be dancing at the ball and in the parade." Charlotte, 18, added: "I am playing either Chip or Dale, or maybe both if they need me to." | ||
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Disney Wilderness Preserve Reintroduces Endangered Bird
The Nature Conservancy - Nature Conservancy scientists released five pairs of federally endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers at The Disney Wilderness Preserve at dawn today in a carefully orchestrated and highly regulated effort to reestablish a population of the endangered bird in central Florida. Nature Conservancy scientists anticipate that The Disney Wilderness Preserve’s successfully restored longleaf pine habitat will offer the red-cockaded woodpecker the particular environment it needs to recolonize here. Red-cockaded woodpeckers, which once thrived in the old-growth forests of central Florida, prefer longleaf pine trees—specifically mature pines with heartrot. The loose core makes it easier to bore their nesting cavities into the trunks. However, for these first birds, the Conservancy science team installed man-made cavities into the trees ahead of time to provide the new birds with immediate shelter. The Disney Wilderness Preserve is a 12,000-acre sanctuary of natural communities that sustains 17 endangered and threatened species. Located just south of Orlando at the headwaters of the Everglades ecosystem, the preserve is bordered by two large swamp systems and two lakes — Lake Russell and Lake Hatchineha. The Conservancy has owned, managed and worked on restoring the preserve since 1992. In an innovative approach to mitigation, the preserve was established through the cooperative actions of The Walt Disney Company, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, The Nature Conservancy and several public agencies. “We’ve been working toward this day for 15 years. It’s great,” said Monica Folk, the lead scientist on the project. Folk and others traveled to Apalachicola National Forest to capture the 10 juveniles and fed them every 45 minutes prior to placing them in cavities last night. The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. With funding from the voter approved Florida Forever program and our generous donors the Conservancy has helped protect more than 1.2 million acres in Florida since 1961. | ||
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Disney Offers Education Weekend to 100 Students
WLTX 19 - Walt Disney World Resort has announced that they are accepting nominations for an enrichment event weekend for 100 of the nation's best high schoolers. Disney is calling the weekend its first ever Disney's Dreamers Academy. The weekend is scheduled for Jan. 17-20, 2008. Disney officials are asking educators, parents and community members to nominate high school students they feel deserve a chance to learn in Florida. Officials say the company is searching for teens, grades 9-12, from across the nation to give them the opportunity to go as far as their dreams and their imaginations will take them. During the Disney’s Dreamers Academy program, promoters say the students will be immersed in creative, nonconventional careers at Walt Disney World. The Disney’s Dreamers Academy nomination process runs through October 15, 2007. Walt Disney World has partnered with radio personality Steve Harvey to create the program. Officials say Disney’s Dreamers Academy is designed for students who show promise, but may need a little motivation, and share the power to dream. “Disney’s Dreamers Academy is very important to me because it’s about the education of our young people who are oftentimes slighted, and don’t have the chance to be exposed to a variety of job skills and job sets and meet with people in the fields they’re interested in,” said Steve Harvey. “We want to give our young achievers the tools to become overachievers, to take their dreams stratospheric.” The participants will be selected from among the students nominated by their parents, legal guardians, their school, churches, social organizations, youth programs, or even themselves. Participants in the program must be enrolled in high school. A select panel of judges including Steve Harvey, key community leaders, Disney representatives and educators will choose the 100 finalists. Nomination forms and more details about Disney’s Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey can be found on www.steveharvey.com/disneysdreamersacademy. Selected students will be treated to complete immersion in career development. Officials say sessions will include interactive workshops, motivational talks with sports and entertainment celebrities, and discussions led by Disney cast members and executives sharing their blueprint for success. Workshop topics will feature everything from business to architecture and engineering, animation to set design, show production to culinary arts, to learning the business behind sports. There also will be free time to enjoy the Walt Disney World’s famous theme parks and recreation. “This is about taking youth with potential and opening doors for them, helping them to realize their dreams,” said Xiomara Wiley, Vice President of Multicultural Marketing, Disney Parks and Resorts. | ||
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Disney
Channel Recruits Special Agent Oso
Animation Magazine - Disney Channel is producing a new animated series titled Special Agent Oso to air during its preschool block, Playhouse Disney. The show will feature the voice of Academy Award-nominee Sean Astin from the Lord of the Rings trilogy as the voice of a teddy bear named Oso, a bumbling, lovable, special agent-in-training who enlists the help of viewers at home to complete his missions. Special Agent Oso pays homage to the James Bond and Pink Panther films Oso does his best to serve U.N.I.Q.U.E. (United Network for Investigating Quite Usual Events), an international organization of stuffed animals charged with helping kids accomplish everyday tasks such as mailing a letter, cleaning their rooms and learning how to use the library. Young viewers will learn to use their observational skills and cognitive abilities to organize and break down everyday tasks in three easy steps, just as Oso does on his assignments. Each half-hour episode will consist of two 11-minute adventures featuring such Bond-like titles as “Gold Feather,” “Live and Let Ride,” “A View to a Book” and “Carousel Royale.” At the beginning of each story, the unseen Mister Dos provides Oso with an assignment and checklist. In addition to getting help form viewers at home, Oso relies on special vehicles, gadgets and his computerized sidekick, Paw Pilot, a paw-shaped communication device featuring the face and voice of a cheerful, bubbly girl. Created and exec produced by Ford Riley (The Land Before Time, Higglytown Heroes), the Walt Disney Television Animation production blends digital cut-out, 3D, Photoshop and Flash animation. The show is directed and co-exec produced by Jamie Mitchell (The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The Little Mermaid, Hey) Astin, who made his feature film debut in Steven Spielberg’s The Goonies, is no stranger to animation. He lent his voice to Craig Bartlett’s 2004 Cartoon Network telepic Party Wagon, as well as the direct-to-video feature Balto lII: Wings of Change and the English-language version of M6 films’ 2006 French animated feature Asterix and the Vikings. He also voiced a role in the Disney video game Kingdom Hearts and previously worked with Riley on an episode of Higglytown Heroes. Joining him in the Oso cast is Phill Lewis (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) as Special Agent Wolfie, a senior agent and master of disguise who often assists Oso on his missions. | ||
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COD grad guides
Playhouse Disney
The Courier News - The characters from four shows on the Disney Channel's popular Playhouse Disney program block for preschoolers arrive at the Rosemont Theatre Oct. 12-14 for six shows. And for the person overseeing the action, the stop will offer a brief visit near her home. Playhouse Disney Live! performance director Jessica Ferris, who hails from Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, moved to the suburbs with her parents, took lessons at the DuPage Dance Academy, graduated from Elmhurst High School and then from the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. Her college internship for a degree in travel and tourism is how she eventually wound up with the tour. "I went to the Walt Disney World program and wound up working for them for 11 years. That led to my job with the Feld Entertainment side of the business, which takes the shows on tour," Ferris said. Before Playhouse Disney, Ferris' Disney days included 18 months working in Tokyo and a stint on a cruise ship. Now she directs a cast of 14 and crew of 10 on a nine-month whirlwind tour, which is set to hit 70 cities. Ferris explained that the plot of the show involves Mickey Mouse inviting characters from the TV shows to a music party he is hosting. Thus, segments in the 75-minute piece are devoted to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Handy Manny and My Friends Tigger & Pooh before the grand finale with all attending the soiree. The show is interactive in that children are encouraged to do Mickey's Hot Dog Dance, to sing along and to help the cast of Little Einsteins blast off, Ferris said. "They are led through the experiences by the performers," she noted. Ferris said she is looking forward to seeing her parents who still live in Elmhurst and her sister and brother-in-law who live in Warrenville. She looks forward to entertaining the young audience, too. "I love that we take the characters on the road," Ferris said. "This gives people who don't have a chance to get to the theme parks a chance to see them. And for many kids, this will be their first theatrical experience." | ||
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Disney Forges
Latin American Ties
Animation World Network - Disney-ABC International Television Latin America has inked a number of deals involving both traditional and web-based operators, reports C21 MEDIA. Venezuelan network Venevision has signed a two-year agreement for a range of programming, including TV series, films from Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone, and Hollywood Pictures, and TV movies. Venevision's executive president Miguel Dvorak explained, "For many decades, generations grew up tuning in to Disneylandia every Sunday on Venevision. The quality and calibre as well as Disney's ample catalogue of content will allow us to increase our lead in our country and please the vast audience of our channel." In addition, leading Internet company Terra has struck a deal with Disney-ABC International TV Lat Am to take Disney titles for its web TV service. Internet users throughout Latin America will have free access via the Terra TV website to a range of Disney-branded and non-branded content. Diego Lerner, president of The Walt Disney Company Latin America, emphasized the significance of the deal and said it was consistent with the group's strategy to make its content available on both traditional and new digital platforms. | ||
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Friday October, 12 2007 | ||
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Disney to Sell
Mickey-Themed Veggies AP - A unit of The Walt Disney Co. plans to begin selling a new line of fruits and vegetables this fall with a bit of sales help from Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy. Disney Consumer Products said
Friday it would use the popularity of its theme park characters
to appeal to children and launch a line of products called
Disney Garden, to be sold in the produce aisle of stores
nationwide including Winn Dixie, Albertsons, and Price Shopper. The move comes as the food industry faces more pressure to curb its marketing of junk food to children, including the use of popular cartoon characters in advertising and packaging. Disney said a year ago that it would restrict its use of advertising targeting children. It is one of a dozen companies that had made a pledge before a Federal Trade Commission hearing in July that put more pressure on the companies to help curb the growing child obesity problem through more responsible marketing. Disney has previously sold fruits with character stickers on the packaging as well as frozen pizza and hamburger patties made in the shape of Mickey Mouse's head. | ||
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Disney Channel hopes 'Wizards' will bring it more ratings magic Orlando Sentinel - Looking to expand on its Hannah Montana success, Disney Channel is dabbling in magic with its newest sitcom tonight. Wizards of Waverly Place mixes spells, special effects, child actors and a fondness for vintage sitcoms such as Bewitched.  "Kids
have always enjoyed traditional, live-action comedies featuring
other kids," said Ed Martin, editor of the television industry
Web site JackMyers.com. "Disney is giving kids what the
broadcasters used to give them."The networks' viewer ship has declined as they ignored family sitcoms. Disney Channel is succeeding with shows similar to those that went out of favor years ago, such as Leave It to Beaver and Full House. For more than eight years, Disney Channel has been the No. 1 cable channel in prime time with tweens ages 9 to 14. For more than two years, the channel has been tops in prime with kids ages 6 to 11. In the third quarter of this year, Disney Channel was the most-watched cable channel in prime time. High School Musical 2 contributed to that strong showing. But the channel's ongoing health depends on sitcoms, such as Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. During the third quarter, Hannah Montana was the most popular cable series with kids 6 to 11 and 9 to 14. Wizards, which debuts at 9:30 tonight, is Disney Channel's most important project since High School Musical 2. The series focuses on a father who trains his daughter and two sons in magic. But Disney Channel wasn't trying to ride the Harry Potter wave, said Adam Bonnett, senior vice president of original programming at Disney Channel. "You develop shows from childhood," Bonnett said. "I loved Bewitched. That was a huge inspiration for Wizards. Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie were bigger inspirations than Harry Potter." If Hannah Montana floats the fantasy of being a pop star, Wizards counters with another potent idea. "What kid wouldn't want to have magical powers to navigate the difficult times of being a teen?" Bonnett said. Martin predicts Wizards will be a hit. "It fits right into the Disney Channel mold of fantasy wish fulfillment," he said. To enact those fantasies, Disney Channel grooms young performers much like the old movie studios created stars. The crucial cast member in Wizards is Selena Gomez, who plays Alex. Disney discovered Gomez when she was 12 during a national casting search in Austin, Texas. She has appeared on Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. She made three pilots for the channel. At 15, she understands the channel's appeal as a viewer and as a friend of Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus. "I love being with Miley and watching the kids' faces," Gomez said. "I was one of those kids. Lizzie McGuire was my idol," she says, referring to one character that put Disney Channel on the map. For now, the channel's emphasis is on Wizards only as a show, not a product line. "Once we know the audience has connected, then it makes sense to think about extensions," Bonnett said. "We look at ratings and talk to kids on a monthly basis through focus groups. It doesn't make sense to come out with products unless people love the show." Bonnett said he is not expecting another Hannah Montana with Wizards. "Hannah Montana is more than a show right now. It's a phenomenon," Bonnett said. "We're not in the business of launching phenomena. Our goal is to launch a hit show." | ||
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Disney part-timers
win pay boost Orlando Sentinel - Part-time Walt Disney World employees have been granted the same pay scales as their full-time colleagues under a new labor contract that was recently negotiated. The three-year contract between the Service Trades Council and Walt Disney World, ratified by the union and approved by the company several weeks ago, contains improved pay scales and new benefits for approximately 8,000 Disney part-timers, whose jobs range from driving buses and preparing food to operating theme-park attractions. The new part-timers' pact took effect Sept. 30 and will run through Sept. 2, 2010. The workers are all represented by the same six unions, coordinated by the Service Trades Council, that negotiated a three-year pact for more than 21,000 full-time Disney World workers this past spring. The part-timers' contract was endorsed by all six unions and approved by 96 percent of their voting members, Service Trades Council President Morty Miller said Thursday. "One of the great victories was that part-timers will now receive the same rate of pay as full-timers, based on job classifications and years of service," Miller said. "Previously, there were separate pay scales." As a result, many part-time workers got raises starting Sept. 30 -- some of as much as a couple of dollars an hour -- to match their full-time colleagues, Miller said. Disney World spokeswoman Kim Prunty said the company, too, wanted to align the wage scales, which was one reason negotiations went so smoothly. The contract will also, for the first time, provide part-timers with extra pay for working some holidays. "Our goals were similar, and I think that at the end of the day we reached an agreement that meets the needs of our cast members and our company," Prunty said. The unions involved include two Unite Here locals; the Teamsters; the Transportation Communications International Union; the United Food and Commercial Workers; and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts. Other Disney jobs covered by both pacts include monorail and watercraft operators, lifeguards, vacation planners, hotel housekeepers, parking-lot attendants, food and beverage servers, stagehands and costumed Disney-character actors. The Service Trades Council full-timers' contract was ratified last spring, after extended and sometimes contentious negotiations. Prunty said the hard work that went into those talks laid a nice foundation for the part-timers' discussions -- another reason, she said, that they went smoothly. | ||
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Disney
Winnie-the-Pooh Play Sets Recalled BabyTV - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. Name of Product: Disney Deluxe Winnie-the-Pooh 23-Piece Play Sets Units: About 49,000 Importer: J.C. Penney, of Plano, Texas Hazard: Surface paints on the play sets contain excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard. Incidents/Injuries: None reported. Description: The recalled play set consists of 23 pieces including: either a white or black baby doll and assorted Winnie-the-Pooh themed items such as a diaper bag, blanket, playpen, highchair, swing, stroller, and carrying bags. Sold through: The J.C. Penney catalog, Web site and outlet stores nationwide from August 2005 through August 2007 for about $40. Manufactured in: China Remedy: Consumers should take the recalled play set away from young children immediately and return it to any J.C. Penney store for a full refund. Consumer Contact: For further information, contact J.C. Penney toll-free at (888) 333-6063 anytime, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.jcp.com | ||
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Disney-ABC Announce Sixth Annual Actors Showcase
All American Patriots - Disney-ABC Television Group Casting Presents Its Sixth New York Actors Showcase 11 Actors to Perform for Industry and Network Executives on October 22 Thursday, October 11, 2007 -- As part of its continuing effort to find and develop culturally and ethnically diverse talent and actors with disabilities, the Disney-ABC Television Group's Casting Project will hold its latest showcase featuring 11 promising actors. The showcase, the sixth one to be held in New York, will take place at the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University, 3 Spruce Street between Park Row and Gold Street, on MONDAY, OCTOBER 22. Spearheaded by Executive Vice President of Casting Keli Lee, Vice President of Casting Ayo Davis, Executive Director of Casting Randi Chugerman, Manager of Casting Geoffrey Soffer and the New York and Los Angeles casting departments, the showcase is produced in partnership with AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Guild), SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and Actors' Equity. "We believe in creating opportunities for untapped talent," Ms. Lee said. "We are proud to once again move forward with our sixth show in New York showcasing these talented actors from varied cultural and ethnic backgrounds." Eleven actors were selected from among more than 600 candidates who auditioned in New York. Many of the actors selected were submitted through American Indian Community House, Asian American Arts Alliance, Frank Silvera's Writer's Workshop, HOLA, Negro Ensemble Company, New Federal Theatre, Non-Traditional Casting Project, as well as other NY theater organizations, Theatre schools, AFTRA, SAG, Actors' Equity and outreach from ABC affiliate stations. The showcase is not open to the public. Casting directors, talent agents and other industry professionals will view a series of one-act vignettes performed by the actors and directed by Ted Sluberski and Marci Phillips. The talented actors to be featured are Utkarsh Ambudkar, Jessica Jade Andres, Christine Corpuz, Alexander Emmet, Vedant Gokhale, Kia Joy Goodwin, Carmen M. Herlihy, Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Roslyn Ruff and David Villalobos. The Disney-ABC Television Group's commitment to discovering and nurturing diverse talent is exemplified through many different programs, including the Casting Project, the Disney-ABC Writing Fellowship, Disney-ABC Creative Development Program, the Disney-ABC/DGA Directing Fellowship, ABC Studios Production Associates Program and The Emma Bowen Minority Internship Program. | ||
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Perks of
Staying at A Disney World Resort
About - Where to stay, when visiting Walt Disney World? Orlando has so many choices, from luxury resorts that welcome kids, to the one-and-only Nickelodeon Suites by Holiday Inn (with onsite waterparks), to budget-minded family-friendly hotels. But there are many who will only stay "in the World". The Disney World resorts -- Luxury, Moderate, and Value-- all meet a high standard, and have the Disney ambiance; and all -- even Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground-- confer a great set of perks. Free shuttle from the airport, Extra Magic Hours in the theme parks. All the Disney World Resorts have plenty to offer, and bestow the same perks (listed below). The Luxury Resorts are extraordinary: Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, for example, is a stunning property, often appears in lists of Top Resorts, and is surely the only resort in North America to have a savanna, with zebras and giraffes. Special family activities, on-site nature guides, Kids Club, concierge level, and spa are also part of the scene at the Luxury Resorts. The Moderate priced resorts tend to have large recreational properties. Port Orleans- Riverside, for example, has a playground, river with kayaking, bike rental, surrey-bikes, five pools including themed pool with bridge and slide. Value-priced Resorts are just that, great value: busy places with fun themed decor. And last but definitely not least: the giant Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground offers cabins and also the most economical way to stay on-property at Disney World. All the resorts have lifeguarded pools; many resorts have fine dining restaurants, and/or restaurants with character meals. Perks of Staying at a Disney Resort: Disney's Magical Express Disney's Magical Express - shuttle to/from the airport (free, indefinitely). Luggage delivery and on-property flight check-in, too. Convenience Getting to the
Theme Parks Extra Magic Hours Assured entrance to the theme
parks Package Delivery Dining Option | ||
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Magic
Kingdom's Main St. Cinema Now Closed
Disney News - The Main Street Cinema Closed Monday at the Magic Kingdom to make way for the return of the Art of Disney. No word yet on when the opening will take place.  | ||
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New chef at
Jiko Animal Kingdom Resort
Theme Park Rangers - Can you be a chef at an Italian restaurant if you’ve never been to Italy? Can you cook a respectable beef Bourguignon if you’ve never been to Burgundy? Can you bake a perfect moon pie if…well, never mind about that one.
Brian Piasecki will have to do
his best to recreate the foods of South Africa without the
benefit of ever having been there – at least for the next
several months. Piasecki was recently named to replace
Annette Grecchi Gray as executive chef at Disney’s Animal
Kingdom Lodge. That puts him in charge of Jiko – The Cooking
Place, the hotel’s top restaurant, which features the
cuisines of South Africa, a country Piasecki has never
visited.
So what is he
doing to learn the nuances of S.A. food?
For now he’s relying on the
kindness of strangers, including South African cooks
visiting the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival and
cultural representatives employed at the resort, to offer
tips on technique. The cultural representatives are similar
to the hourly workers who are employed in the various Epcot
pavilions from around the world.
And Piasecki says that for now he isn’t planning on making any big changes in the menu, although he says he’ll experiment with new toppings for the popular flatbreads served at the restaurant. Piasecki started working at Disney in 1991 at Coral Reef under chef John Clark. Before moving to South Africa, or at least the restaurant that serves its food, he was executive chef at Le Cellier, the steakhouse in the Canada pavilion at Epcot. And by the end of March, Piasecki hopes to have made a trip to South Africa and do a little onsite research. I’m willing to give a benefit of a doubt and say that it’s possible for someone who has never been to South Africa to cook its food, as long as it’s OK for someone who has never been there to critique that food. | ||
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Jedi Training Academy Now Open at Disney's MGM Studios
Touring - The Jedi Training Academy next to the entrance to Star Tours at Disney-MGM Studios has completed its transition to a permanent stage. The show now occurs several times daily with many a young Jedi chosen to battle it out against the dark forces. Check out the times guide for the daily show schedule. | ||
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ABC's 'Murder
Club': Femme Fatalities
The first thing to know about "Women's Murder Club," ABC's newest entry into the crowded crime-procedural genre, is that it's as much a chick-bonding show as a murder-solving one. Which is good and bad, depending on what you're looking for to fill the television dead zone that is Friday nights. Based on the characters in a series by author James Patterson -- whose "Murder Club" books have numbers in their titles, as in "1st to Die," "2nd Chance," etc. -- the show centers on four women whose jobs happen to bring them together around dead bodies a lot of the time. As Lt. Lindsay Boxer, a homicide detective, Angie Harmon is the show's centerpiece, the latest of television's tough chicks with tousled, sexy hair and dysfunctional personal lives. She wears skinny jeans and somehow manages to run after the bad guy despite three-inch heels on her trendy ankle boots. The three other members of the "club" are Laura Harris as deputy district attorney Jill Bernhardt, Paula Newsome as medical examiner Claire Washburn and Aubrey Dollar as crime reporter Cindy Thomas. Harris is annoying with her boyfriend angst and barely seems to do any lawyering (oh, and she throws up at crime scenes), Washburn is warm and motherly, and Dollar is the overly aggressive, hyperactive young one who does things in pursuit of stories that would get her fired from any reputable newspaper. Together they manage to solve crimes and squeeze in plenty of discussion about their bad boyfriends or annoying exes, even if it means doing so over a corpse. Realism, in other words, is not the show's strong suit; pretty much all of it (the detecting, the lawyering, the examining and the reporting) can be described as "lite." Fans of the "CSI" and "Law & Order" franchises should not be hanging onto their seats, waiting for cool forensics or complicated legal plot twists. (Case in point: In the pilot, a breakthrough moment at an autopsy comes when Washburn reveals that a workaholic, career-obsessed, unmarried female murder victim had what is referred to as "not your mama's bikini wax." Which, in this world, is rock-solid proof that she had a secret man in her life.) For those pining for some rapid-fire girl talk, though, the show does have its moments, particularly given that Harmon -- best known previously as one of the many buttoned-up deputy district attorneys on "Law & Order" -- really loosens up. Absent from a regular gig on television the past six years (she married football star Jason Sehorn and had two kids), Harmon shines as the relationship-challenged cop who ruined her marriage because she was so fixated on a still-unsolved serial killer case. What remains to be seen is how fans of the books react to the re-imagining of their beloved characters in television form. (The nitpickers are sure to complain that Boxer is blond in the books. Live with it! Even Patterson thinks Harmon is ideal for the role.) The show essentially adopts the names, personalities and careers of Patterson's creations, but not his plotlines, which tend to serial killers, who don't necessarily come around every week. Up against NBC's critical darling "Friday Night Lights" and CBS's new supernatural drama, "Moonlight," "Murder Club's" combination of two different television genres -- and its hiring of two women, Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, to adapt Patterson's work -- makes it clear that ABC is hoping to capture the Friday night female demographic. (The show is a lead-in for the Anne Heche vehicle "Men in Trees.") Patterson is involved, but only as a producer. Suffice it to say, his mysteries don't usually turn on the contours of a bikini wax. Women's Murder Club (one hour) premieres tonight at 9 on Channel 7. | ||
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Quorum Productions TV Show Designing Spaces Helps Parents Use
Disney Imagination For Room Renovations
Business Wire - Families looking to add something special to the décor of their children’s bedrooms will learn from the experts as Designing Spaces shows parents with children of any age how to bring Disney imagination into the design, décor and fashion of their children’s bedrooms. With the help of Disney, Designing Spaces will discuss renovation ideas that fit the little boy or girl of any age. Décor possibilities incorporating Disney characters from the Disney*Pixar film Cars and Disney Princess will be featured as Lisa Donahey of Disney Consumer Products discusses the opportunities of bringing Disney imagination into the look and feel of children’s rooms. Tune in on October 19th at 7:00 am on the WE network or October 20th at 7:00 am on TLC. To see Disney’s previous segment on decorating an infant’s nursery, visit http://disney.go.com/disneyhome.com and click on the link for Designing Spaces. “Bringing Disney characters into your child’s room allows them to relive cherished memories time and time again,” said Lisa Donahey, manager of marketing and synergy at Disney Consumer Products. “We’ve developed an entire line of home furnishings based on popular Disney movies that children have strong connections to and that encourage integrity, honor, friendship and discovery. These themes and décor possibilities will ensure that no matter what development stage your children are in, they can have a bedroom that reflects their individual tastes.” Designing Spaces, produced by Quorum Productions, is a half hour informative series inspiring viewers to make every space count and instructing them on the smartest ways to make their homes more beautiful and functional. From advice on large scale renovations to small modifications, simple tips on making everyday tasks easier to decorating on a budget, this is the one show that provides you with all the comprehensive information you’ll need, presented in a fun, easy-to-follow format. Designing Spaces is seen Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings on TLC and on the Women’s Entertainment Network between 7:00 & 10:00 am. Quorum Productions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of O2 Media Inc., is a Florida-based production company that is nationally renowned for creating award-winning educational programming. Their shows are geared towards disseminating innovative ideas and practical solutions to everyday challenges. Guests on Designing Spaces have included representatives from companies such as Intel, AT&T, HP, Martha Stewart, Chase Bank, Sara Lee, Prudential Real Estate, Celebrity Cruise Lines and many others. For additional information about getting your company’s stories on Designing Spaces, contact: Lysa Liemer, Executive Vice President of Programming, at: www.designingspaces.tv or call 954-571-5221. | ||
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On
Polish TV, Desperate Wives Sound Like Guys
The Wall Street Journal - When Walt Disney Co. brought the hit ABC TV series "Desperate Housewives" to Poland, producers found just the right local actor to do the voices of the show's sexy, tempestuous female stars: Andrzej Matul, a 59-year-old guy with a deep voice and a flat delivery. Mr. Matul is a lektor. In Poland, American shows aren't dubbed by actors mimicking the original, English-speaking actors. A lektor, the Polish term for voice-over artist, simply reads all the dialogue in Polish. While the lektor drones on, viewers hear the original English soundtrack faintly in the background. The approach is popular in Poland, where viewers still feel comfortable with a style deeply rooted in the country's communist past. Lektors, traditionally men with husky voices, pride themselves on their utterly emotionless delivery, a craft honed through thousands of hours in recording studios. Fans appreciate the timbre of their voices, often tempered by years of cigarette smoking. Jan Wilkans, 49, who got his first lektoring job narrating a pirated version of the movie "Dead Poets Society," says he has his own rule: "Interpretation, yes; expression, no." Lektoring is also popular among American TV distributors. It offers them a low-budget way to get their programming into a market with a young population and strong economy. As a result, lektoring is booming, just when it should be dying out as viewers all over the world are coming to expect higher production values. About 45 foreign channels started up in Poland in the past five years, including the Discovery Channel, ESPN and HBO Polska. Last week, the British Broadcasting Corp. said it is starting three channels with lektored programming in Poland. The Disney Channel began broadcasting in December. On the main networks there are often more than eight hours a day of lektors reading in Polish what is being said in English and other languages. "It doesn't seem right to Westerners," says Costa Kotsianis, managing director of Hippeis Media Ltd., which translates shows throughout Europe from its headquarters in London. "But the very good lektors can record a whole show in one take. It saves a lot of money." One little problem is that Polish words are generally longer than English words, and they're rich in consonants. A lektor can't fall behind the action and he needs to read in a steady, slow, low voice. So, the dialogue is simplified. In "Desperate Housewives," for example, a seven-word apology from prim Bree Van De Kamp to her husband at his hospital bedside becomes three, with Mr. Matul saying, "Mam wyrzuty sumienia." ("I have pangs of remorse.") When Mr. Wilkans did his bit for the popular Australian police drama, "Blue Heelers," at HBO's studios in central Warsaw one afternoon recently, translator Olga Latek cut out some of the back and forth because Mr. Wilkans speaks so slowly. "Lektors don't like too much text," Ms. Latek said. Lektoring began during the Cold War, when few Western shows were on Polish TV. When the Berlin Wall fell and TV imports became more common, conventional dubbing became popular in other former communist countries but never caught on in Poland. In 2001, French network Canal Plus used six different voices for the main characters on the hit TV sitcom "Friends" to see whether high-quality dubbing would attract more viewers in Poland. The experiment bombed, and the network quickly reverted to lektors. "We had a lot of phone calls" from unhappy viewers, says a Canal Plus spokeswoman, Marta Jozwiak. "It just didn't work." Disney's research found even Polish children like lektoring. But the broadcaster plans to gradually start dubbing shows on the Polish Disney channel, believing children will prefer a variety of voices once they get used to them. "We are confident we can introduce a greater level of dubbing over time, but we can't just rush in," says Robert Gilby, managing director of the Disney Channel in the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and Emerging Markets, which includes Poland. When Disney's hit teenage movie, "High School Musical," appeared on Poland's main network in December, all parts were read by a man in deadpan. Some younger lektors such as Daniel Zaluski, 31, want to make lektoring more entertaining. "When Arnold Schwarzenegger is killing people, I like to modulate the tone," he says. But lektors must be sparing with the dramatics. One of Warsaw's main voice-over studios, Start International Polska Sp. Z.o.o., has hired six new lektors in recent months, but lektors who sound like they're acting aren't invited back, says studio chief Malgorzata Kazmierska. "It's the most horrible thing when [a lektor] starts to play the emotion," she says. About 100 lektors are working today in Poland, up from just a handful a decade ago. They also do announcing and read commercials. The work doesn't require special training, though most lektors have radio or TV experience. Few speak English fluently, and the studios rely on freelance translators to churn out scripts. The voice-over people rarely have time to read the scripts before they record them, though. When Warsaw limousine driver Pavel Szulc watches TV, he says he recognizes his two favorite lektors, Tomasz Knapik and Maciej Gudowski. "My wife and I just like the quality of their voices," he says. As the boom in imported TV is creating more work, Discovery's History Channel uses a sound studio in a two-room apartment opposite Warsaw's main cemetery for some of its lektoring. The studio is run by 27-year-old Konrad Ganzke, who sleeps in a bed next to the padded sound booth. An influx of young lektors has upset veterans, who feel the newcomers don't really understand the secret of lektoring: speaking so smoothly that viewers forget that Paris Hilton sounds like a Polish Johnny Cash. "A good lektor is better than an actor -- a lektor can read anything," says Krystyna Czubowna, 53, who has been a lektor for 22 years and is one of the best-known women in Poland. "The new people come from the street and just start reading. They are very limited in what they can do." Sun Poland Studios in Warsaw operates 10 or 12 hours a day. Lektors sit around a small kitchen drinking coffee while they wait for their recording sessions to start. Mr. Zaluski, the Warsaw lektor, says he often doesn't remember the shows' names or plots because he reads so many scripts. One afternoon at Sun Poland, Mr. Zaluski sat in a soundproof room, wearing large headphones so he could hear the original English soundtrack, and recorded a documentary on the fashion designer Christian Dior. Sound engineer Kuba Szumowski, 25 years old, worked a bank of computer screens and a pair of speakers, mixing Mr. Zaluski's session. In 34 minutes of taping, Mr. Zaluski made just nine mistakes, mainly stumbling over words. The engineer marked the mistakes on the computer for correction later. His 10-hour days are exhausting, Mr. Zaluski says, but generally not as tough as the time he taped nine episodes of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in one day. | ||
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Thursday October, 11 2007 | ||
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Disney
steps up vigilance against sex predators
Orlando Sentinel - This is news that Central Florida's largest employer could do without: In the past 16 months, 10 Walt Disney World employees have been charged with sex offenses involving children or teens. The latest is theme-park worker Michael T. Bott Jr., 27, who was arrested on felony charges Friday after chatting online to set up a meeting for sex with a police officer posing as a 14-year-old girl, according to police. For Disney, this is a PR horror story. Like many companies, Disney conducts background checks with electronic fingerprints on all new hires and checks their references. Disney says it also runs employees' names through the sexual-offender database every year. But there's no foolproof way to screen job candidates for their darkest and most disturbing secrets, and none of the crimes occurred on Disney property. "We can't control what our cast members do in their personal time," Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez told me. No one would expect an employer to be accountable for workers' off hours. Not only would that trample on privacy and civil rights, it's just plain impossible. Still, when 10 arrests involving crimes on children occur among employees of the global leader in children's entertainment, the company has no choice but to take action. That's why Disney, often held up as a model for employment and customer-service practices worldwide, now has the opportunity to turn itself into a leader when it comes to combating child-sex crimes. Clearly, the company recognizes it has a problem. In recent months, Disney has quietly reached out to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI to help the agencies develop standards among Fortune 50 companies when it comes to dealing with these crimes, Suarez said. And she said the company is increasing its internal security measures that monitor employees' Internet usage and other activity, though she said she couldn't go into detail for security reasons. "This is not just our issue," Suarez said. "It's a communitywide issue. It's a social issue impacting the whole country." No doubt, Disney is not alone. A heightened awareness of sex crimes in Florida, highlighted by recent cases in which young children were killed, has led to stepped-up law enforcement and more arrests, especially among those who troll the Internet for victims. John Finnigan, a labor and employment attorney in Maitland, says he has been called on more frequently in the past two to three years to advise companies in which sex offenders have been unearthed. "Prior to that time, it was not an issue," Finnigan told me. "Florida is being aggressive with cyber sting operations." For its part, Disney has fired or suspended all of those who have been arrested, including seven so far this year who were charged with felonies ranging from possession of child pornography to sexual battery involving a child, and three last year. The number of arrests is small in the context of Disney's 60,000 employees. "Overwhelmingly, the majority of our cast are law-abiding citizens who make magic for our guests every day," Suarez said. But people entrust their children to the company on a daily basis and they deserve reassurance that the people they encounter there are trustworthy in return. Disney is used to being on the world's stage, only now it's for a reason for which it certainly wouldn't mind giving up the spotlight. | ||
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Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas in Disney Digital 3D Pegasus News - A holiday tradition continues this Halloween when Tim Burton's classic, "The Nightmare Before Christmas," makes a return to the big screen in stunning Disney Digital 3D. Audiences will get closer than ever to Halloweentown's beloved Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington, as he attempts to take over the Christmas holiday. Against the advice of Sally, a lonely rag doll who has feelings for him, Jack enlists three mischievous trick-or-treaters--Lock, Shock and Barrel--to help him kidnap Santa Claus. Jack eventually realizes his mistake but has to contend with the evil Oogie Boogie before he can make things right and restore the Christmas holiday. Fueled by an unforgettable Grammy nominated soundtrack, Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas," combines the Oscar nominated artistry of stop-motion animation with state-of-the-art digital technology to create a unique and entertaining movie-going experience that has become annual holiday event for the entire family. | ||
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Disney-ABC Television Group's Anne Sweeney to Be Inducted into
the Cable Hall of Fame Disney News - Television veteran Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney-ABC Television Group, will be inducted into The Cable Center's Cable Hall of Fame on Thursday, October 11, in recognition of her 26+ years of exceptional and ground-breaking work in the cable industry and for her continued dedication to the advancement of the industry's ideals and objectives Other Cable Hall of Fame Class of 2007 inductees include Glenn Britt, chairman and CEO, Time Warner Cable, Inc.; Jim Chiddix, former CEO, OpenTV, Corp. and former CTO, Time Warner Cable; Doug Dittrick, president and CEO, Douglas Communications Corporation II; Bob Wright, chairman, NBC Universal; vice chairman and executive officer, General Electric; and Barbara York, senior vice president, Industry Affairs, National Cable & Telecommunications Association. Since 1998, 59 men and women have been honored as members of The Cable Hall of Fame. "It is a great privilege to welcome Anne Sweeney into The Cable Hall of Fame," said Larry Satkowiak, president and CEO of The Cable Center. "As one of the most highly regarded and influential members of the cable community, she is truly deserving of this honor." The inductees will be feted at The Cable Hall of Fame Celebration during Cable Days -- two days of industry events to honor the cable telecommunications industry in Denver, Colorado, October 10-11, 2007. On Thursday, October 11, the gala event will begin with a cocktail reception at The Cable Center's Daniels Great Hall, followed by dinner and the induction ceremony at the University of Denver's Magness arena. Tom Bergeron, the Emmy Award-winning host of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" and "America's Funniest Home Videos," will act as the evening's master of ceremonies. "Anne and I go way back to the days when FX had a lower case 'f'," said Bergeron. "It's great to see my friend now in the upper echelons of the business, and I'm looking forward to being part of the Hall of Fame festivities." As co-chair, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney-ABC Television Group, Ms. Sweeney is responsible for The Walt Disney Company's entertainment and news television properties globally. She oversees the ABC Television Network, Disney Channel's worldwide portfolio of kids' channels, ABC Family and SOAPnet, as well as television production and syndication divisions ABC Studios, Disney-ABC Domestic Television and Disney-ABC International Television. She also manages the Radio Disney Network, in addition to the Company's equity interest in Lifetime Entertainment Services and A&E Television Networks. From October 2000 to April 2004, Ms. Sweeney served as president of ABC Cable Networks Group and Disney Channel Worldwide. Under her leadership, Disney Channel more than quintupled its subscriber base with its mix of original series and movies and acquired programming. It is now available on basic cable in more than 94 million homes in the United States. Ms. Sweeney joined The Walt Disney Company in February 1996 as president of Disney Channel and executive vice president of Disney/ABC Cable Networks. Previously she was chairman and CEO of FX Networks, Inc., since 1993. During her tenure, she presided over the launch of two basic cable networks, FX, an entertainment network representing the most successful basic cable launch in history, and FXM: Movies from Fox, Hollywood's first studio-based movie network. Before joining Fox, Ms. Sweeney spent 12 years at Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite in various executive positions, most recently as senior vice president of Program Enterprises. Among many accomplishments, she oversaw Nickelodeon's international expansion, including launching the channel in the United Kingdom, resulting in a joint venture with British Sky Broadcasting. Active in organizations both within and outside the television industry, Ms. Sweeney is a board member of Lifetime Television, the Paley Center for Media (formerly the Museum of TV & Radio), the Special Olympics and an honorary chair of Cable Positive. Since assuming her current role as co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president, Disney-ABC Television Group in 2004, Ms. Sweeney has repeatedly been named the "Most Powerful Woman in Entertainment" by The Hollywood Reporter, one of the "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" by Fortune and one of "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women" by Forbes. In May 2006 and July 2007, respectively, she was recognized by the Producers Guild of America and the Imagen Foundation with their President's Citations for efforts on behalf of diversity across the Disney-ABC Television Group. She was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable "Hall of Fame" in 2005, and was a recipient of the 2004 Muse Award from New York Women in Film & Television. Ms. Sweeney has been honored repeatedly by Women in Cable & Telecommunications -- as Executive of the Year in 1994, Woman of the Year in 1997, and in 1998 as the recipient of the Advocate Leader Award from WICT's Southern California chapter. In 1995 she received the prestigious STAR Award from American Women in Radio and Television. She was inducted into the American Advertising Federation's Advertising Hall of Achievement in 1996. In 2002 she received Women in Film's esteemed Lucy Award, and has been awarded the Cable Television Public Affairs Association's President's Award. Ms. Sweeney earned a BA degree from The College of New Rochelle and an Ed. M. degree from Harvard University. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband, attorney Philip Miller, and their two children. | ||
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Disney-backed zoning measure clears a hurdle Los Angeles Times - A Disney-backed ballot initiative that would essentially strip the Anaheim City Council of the authority to make any land-use decision in the city's Resort District was certified Wednesday by the Orange County registrar of voters. A Disney-funded coalition turned in more than 31,000 signatures in August for an initiative that would give voters the opportunity to block housing projects in the tourist district, a move that would give Disney an added layer of protection by letting voters -- not elected city leaders -- determine the fate of such projects. Anaheim City Clerk Linda Nguyen said that the registrar had certified 19,788 signatures -- or 15% of Anaheim's voters, enough to place the initiative on the ballot. The group driving the initiative -- Saving Our Anaheim Resort -- claims more than 4,600 members. The initiative is among several in Anaheim that were spurred by a developer's proposal to build 1,500 homes, including low-cost units, near a site that Disney has long planned as a third amusement park. Coalition officials say housing does not belong in the 2.2-square-mile Resort District, which was created in 1994 specifically for tourist uses. Group leaders tout a study that shows the district covers less than 5% of Anaheim's land but generates 54% of the city's general fund revenue. "Without this initiative, the citizens of Anaheim will have their precious asset at risk," said Todd Ament, the coalition's co-chair and president of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce. "We don't think it's wise to leave it in the hands of three people on council. It's important to protect the long-term health of the resort." The City Council will decide Oct. 23 whether to adopt the ordinance, place it on the ballot or continue the matter. Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle, who campaigned for the initiative, said it was a necessary measure. "This resort plan was put in place over 10 years ago, and if you divert from that plan, I think it's an important-enough decision to ask the voters." he said. "To get this amount of signatures to put something new on the ballot shows a keen level of awareness of the voters on this issue." If the initiative is on the June ballot, it will join a Disney-backed referendum that asks voters to overturn the council's decision to permit the Resort District housing development. The housing issue has become a flash point in the city, dividing business interests that support Disney and housing advocates and some religious leaders who argue that the city -- and the tourist district in particular -- have a pressing need for low-cost housing for workers. The two Disney-sponsored ballot measures could join a developer-backed measure -- the Anaheim Voter Empowerment Initiative. That measure would give voters zoning control over the 53-acre parcel where the third theme park is planned. Last month, the council directed staff to begin a process that would put the initiative on the ballot. "We fully support the citizens' right to vote on all development in the commercial recreation area, including property owned by the Disney Corp.," said Frank Elfend, a consultant to SunCal Cos., the developer of the controversial housing project. If the empowerment measure wins council approval, it would save supporters the time and expense of gathering about 14,000 signatures to get it on the ballot. | ||
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Disney Legends 20th Anniversary 2007 obe-mediaone
- It’s always a distinct honor and a great pleasure to attend
the yearly Disney Legends’ ceremony. In addition to each year’s
new inductees, the ceremony itself is attended by dozens of
previous Legends honorees. The audience is a veritable who’s who
of Disney greats, and just having the opportunity to talk with
some of these folks is, well, like being a kid again, meeting a
childhood idol for the first time.This year’s ceremony was an especially joyful one for everyone at o-meon. Two gentlemen who have been great friends to this site by giving generously of their time and politely listening to and answering every off-the-wall question we’ve ever had were among this year’s Disney Legends. They are Disney archivist Dave Smith and artist, animator, and cartoonist Floyd Norman. While we congratulate all the 2007 Disney Legends honorees, it was with a sense of satisfaction and a great deal of pride that we watched as these two men received an honor that, in our opinion, they each so deeply deserve. Dave and Floyd weren’t the only two new Disney Legends making their friends beam with pride.
Iger also presented Lucille Martin, Walt Disney’s last personal secretary, with her Disney Legends award. After Walt’s death, she stayed with the company for a year to help close his office. She went on to work for Disney’s son-in-law Ron Miller, who became president of the company in 1980 and CEO in 1983. After Miller was forced out, Martin was asked to stay on in Michael Eisner’s office. Martin’s acceptance was the most touching and heartfelt of the day. Several times during her remarks, she was moved to tears and was comforted by Iger, who good-naturedly remarked that he was the first Disney CEO she hadn’t worked for, and that perhaps she should come back to take care of him.
Dick Cook, Chairman of Walt Disney Pictures, presented the last Disney Legend award for 2007 to composer Randy Newman for his years of work scoring Disney/Pixar films. Newman is currently working on the score for Disney’s return to the hand-drawn animated feature film The Princess and the Frog. It was, however, his live performance of his hit song “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story that brought this year’s Disney Legends’ ceremony to a rousing conclusion. Also honored this year were: Carl Bongirno - Imagineering Marge Champion - Animation Dick Huemer - Animation Ron Logan - Parks and Resorts Bob Schiffer - Film Production | ||
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Disney
Announces Independent Mobile Site Marketing Vox News - The Walt Disney Internet Group is launching a, ad-supported mobile version of Disney.com, allowing users to access content in the entire Disney universe for free, including movies, TV shows, live events, music, and its famous theme parks. The site builds on the company's multi-platform efforts allowing users access to Disney virtual worlds, site content on-the-go, and even Disney's offline divisions. The site can be accessed by entering Disney.com into a cell phone browser or by texting "Disney" to 247639 (Disney), making the site available without the aid of a carrier deck. Disney has become the latest to announce a mobile site independent of carrier decks. Universal announced its independent foray onto the mobile scene in Sepetember. The site comes on the heels of Disney retiring its MVNO venture, Disney Mobile, a service geared toward kids and parents. | ||
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Walt Disney's design being used for new Disneyland 'Dream Suite' Designers and construction crews are completing the project, which Walt Disney dreamed up in the 1960s and designed with the help of illustrator Dorothea Redmond and Oscar-winning set decorator Emile Kuri. Theme park guests will be able to win an overnight stay in the suite next year as part of the continuation of Disney's Year of A Million Dreams program. The two bedroom, two-bath, 2,600-square-foot apartment will be hidden away in the New Orleans Square area and include an open-air patio. Disney wanted to use the living quarters for himself and his family, as well as for visiting dignitaries and other important guests. He died before the work could be completed, however, and the space became offices before being converted into The Disney Gallery in 1987 | ||
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Disney
walks line with digital kids, parents That's the tough question for Paul Yanover, executive vice president and managing director of Disney Online, which runs Disney.com and the newly acquired virtual world Club Penguin. Yanover spoke here Wednesday at the Virtual Worlds conference and admitted that growing Disney's Internet properties is a work in progress. After all, one of the world's most popular brands for children ended up buying newcomer virtual world Club Penguin for $350 million this summer. "It's a new space for us to figure out," Yanover said. On the Internet, the company is focused on three things: fun, safety and integrity, Yanover said. That means that Disney's sites must be engaging and safe for kids, but they also must hold to an established story line consistent with the company's brand and delivering on parents' expectations. For example, Yanover joked that he'd have a hard time putting up a digital billboard in Disney's upcoming Pirates of the Carribean virtual world. That's why Disney Online veers toward structured environments built around a story or game, and the company will continue on that path, he said. But down the road it plans to explore offerings that give kids more control over their experience. It's already dabbled in that area. In January, Disney Online allowed kids to create their own fairy, and run a Web site around the animation. Three million kids participated. Still, a parent in the audience asked that Disney offer tools to kid members of Club Penguin so that they could build things in the virtual world. Yanover said he liked the idea, but hinted later that it might take some time to bring in that functionality. "We're a polished content company. But we're moving down the spectrum of participation and user-created additions," he said. | ||
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ESPN to Show Gipp's
Body Exhumed AP - The body of George Gipp, the Notre Dame football player who inspired the rallying cry "Win one for the Gipper," was exhumed recently for DNA testing in his Upper Peninsula hometown. The test was sought by the Gipp family and met legal requirements, Houghton County Medical Examiner Dr. Dawn Nulf said Wednesday, although it angered some relatives who live in the area where Gipp was born and raised. Nulf declined comment about why the request was made. An ESPN crew filmed the exhumation for an upcoming story, but a spokesman said the network played no role in arranging it. Gipp's remains were taken Oct. 4 from Lake View Cemetery near the village of Laurium, about 550 miles northwest of Detroit, where he was buried in 1920 after dying from pneumonia and a strep infection during his senior year at Notre Dame. They were returned to the grave the same day, Nulf said. Gipp was a prolific runner, passer and kicker who was Notre Dame's first All-America selection. He scored 83 touchdowns and held the school career rushing record for more than 50 years. But he's best known for the deathbed exhortation attributed to him years later by coach Knute Rockne. During a pregame pep talk, Rockne inspired his underdog Fighting Irish with the story of a dying Gipp urging the team to "win one for the Gipper." The phrase became a political slogan for Ronald Reagan, who portrayed Gipp in the 1940 movie "Knute Rockne, All American." Gipp remains a local hero in the adjacent villages of Laurium and Calumet, the center of a bustling copper mining industry when he was born in 1895. Calumet High School presents a George Gipp Award to its top male athlete each year. Nulf said she was contacted a couple of months ago by a family representative seeking the DNA test. She determined a court order was not required for the body to be exhumed. Instead, the family presented an affidavit that was approved by the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department. Nulf declined to identify the relative but referred a reporter to Mike Bynum, a sports author who has researched Gipp and attended the exhumation. Bynum said it was requested by Rick Frueh, whose grandmother was one of Gipp's sisters. "This is a very sensitive family matter," said Bynum, of Birmingham, Ala., who described himself as a close friend of Gipp's closest living relatives. He said they did not want to comment but would issue a statement in the future. ESPN was notified about the exhumation and sent a crew because the network is working on a broader story about Gipp for its newsmagazine program "E:60," which will make its debut Oct. 16, spokesman Josh Krulewitz said. The Gipp piece has not been scheduled for broadcast, he said. ESPN is owned by The Walt Disney Co. The exhumation and DNA testing "were not something we orchestrated or were responsible for in any way," Krulewitz said. Ron Gipp, a distant cousin of George Gipp who lives in Laurium, told The Daily Mining Gazette of Houghton he watched the exhumation and described it as a "a desecration." "It's absolutely ridiculous and uncalled for," Karl Gipp, another distant cousin who lives in Skanee, told the Gazette. Nulf said she sympathized with relatives who were unhappy. "I completely appreciate the sensitive nature of all this, but all the appropriate paperwork was filed," she said. | ||
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Czech Telefonica Unit To Air Walt Disney Films On O2 TV
CNNMoney - Telefonica O2 CR AS (BAATELEC.PR), a Czech unit of Apart from regular cable television broadcasting, O2 TV also sells access to its pay-per-view online movie database. It expects to offer some 40 movies by Walt Disney each year, distributed by the U.S. film company's television distributor Disney-ABC International Television, the company said in a statement. Since its launch last fall,
the Czech Telefonica gained more than 50,000 clients for the
O2 TV service. The company aims to triple the O2 TV customer
base to 150,000 users by Telefonica O2 CR has the total of 2.3 million residential fixed-lines, of which 85% are ready for its broadband services, required for its O2 TV offering. While T-O2 is posting fast growth in the Czech market for pay television, the company still has just about 4% of the paid-TV sector. Cable operators UPC Ceska Republika AS and Karneval Media SRO, which merged last summer, currently have more than 800,000 Czech pay-TV customers. UPC, the Czech unit of At | ||
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Wednesday October, 10 2007 | ||
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Man With OCD Plans To Sue Disney After Allegedly Being Fired WFtv - A Lake County man, living with obsessive compulsive disorder, is getting ready to file a lawsuit against Walt Disney World. He says the theme park didn't allow him to take short breaks to help him deal with the disorder and then fired him, but Disney officials told Eyewitness News a very different story Wednesday. Disney said it takes such matters very seriously. In fact, the company even has its own doctors to help determine what accommodations to give employees. But Jay DiMaio says he wasn't offered help, he was fired and now he's suing. Jay will wash his hands three times in a single visit to the bathroom. In his bedroom, there's a certain order."Everything has to have a place," he said. Jay has obsessive compulsive disorder and suffers anxiety attacks."The best way to describe OCD is 'hell,'" he said. With medication, therapy and frequent breaks, Jay is able to hold a job, at least that's what he thought. He says Disney wouldn't allow him to take the breaks he needs to control his disability and they fired him."She told me, 'Look, we have to terminate you,'" he said. Jay said his supervisors even refused to look at his doctor's note that spells out the accommodations he needs."I said, 'Will you at least read the letter from my doctor and make some concessions?' And she said, 'No, we are Disney, there are certain rules and we can't make any concessions,'" he said. But Disney says Jay isn't telling the truth. They released the following statement: "It is our practice to address employment matters directly and confidentially with our employees, but given that he has chosen to mischaracterized the facts, we can tell you he was hired, resigned, rehired and resigned again. He has been offered multiple roles which he declined and his status remains available for rehire."But Jay maintains he was treated unfairly. "I personally feel, if the founder of Disney, Walt, were still alive today, he would not let this happen," he said.Jay said he has hired an attorney to get back pay, his job back and prevent it from happening again. | ||
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Disney-led housing measure qualifies for ballot Orange County Register - Signatures were verified for a ballot initiative that would require voter approval of housing projects in the Disneyland area, the City Clerk said today. A Disney-led group spearheaded the initiative as one way to try to halt a SunCal proposal to build about 1,500 homes across from Disney property, where a theme park might go. The group, called Save Our Anaheim Resort, already got a similar measure on the June ballot. City Clerk Linda Nguyen said at least 15 percent of registered voters signed petitions for the newest initiative, which means it will qualify for the ballot. | ||
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Pet Comic in Disney
Adventures
Newsflash - A while back it was reported that comic artist Roger Langridge was working on a Muppet comic strip for Disney Adventures Magazine. The strip was going to debut in December; however shortly after work began on the comic Disney announced that the entire magazine would be shutting down after the November 2007 issue. One of Langridge's Muppet comics has been released just before Disney Adventures shut their doors. The full-page comic spread features a somewhat poetic look at comedy act of the legendary Fozzie Bear. The Muppet strip can be found in the final issue of Disney Adventures (cover date "November 2007") which is on newsstands now. So you’ll want to be sure to check out the latest, and last, issue of Disney Adventures and enjoy Langridges's artful and endearing interpretation of the Muppet characters. Langridge had stated that he had completed three Muppet strips (a "Pigs in Space" adventure, an "At the Dance" scene and the Fozzie Bear comedy act) prior to the magazine, and the comics, getting the axe. It’s unknown if the public will ever get to see the remaining two strips, but I'll be sure to keep you updated if anything surfaces. | ||
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Disney Releases ''Ten Most Wanted'' Holiday Gift List for Kids
and Tweens BUSINESS WIRE - Disney is kicking off the holiday shopping season with "Disney's Ten Most Wanted" gifts for kids and tweens, featuring toys and electronics designed to entertain, foster imaginative play, encourage creativity and bring out their inner pop star. Early feedback from retailers, toy experts and parents indicates that gifts inspired by hit entertainment brands, including Disney Princess, Disney Channel's Little Einsteins, Hannah Montana and High School Musical and Disney/Pixar's Cars, will be popular sellers this year. "Disney is about the stories, the magic and the wonderful characters that come to life and entertain, over and over again," said Jessica Dunne, executive vice president of Global Toys for Disney Consumer Products. "Our hot holiday list is filled with great gift ideas that let kids do what they love - imagine and play with Disney storylines and characters in new and interesting ways." Topping some of the major holiday gift lists in the nation such as "Toy Wishes," Redbook's "The Toy Insider" and Toys R Us' "Hot Toy List," the following items are now available at toy stores, mass retailers and DisneyShopping.com. DISNEY'S "TEN MOST WANTED" HOLIDAY GIFT LIST Top Toys Disney Princess Tea Time With Me Belle - Have a fancy tea party with Disney Little Princess Belle and her friends, Mrs. Potts and Chip. The 15-inch Tea Time with Me Little Belle is an interactive doll that can "have Tea" with little girls, converse, and sing a song by responding to the little girl's actions. Little Belle even lifts her cup in tandem with the child. A great item for role play (SRP $39.99; for ages 3-5). Little Einsteins Pat Pat Rocket - Preschoolers can go on a thrilling musical adventure as they fly or roll the Rocket to hear various classical music songs: the Rocket begins to start up as the child pats along; fly the Rocket up or down to make the music louder "crescendo" or lower "diminuendo!"; roll the Rocket quickly or slowly to make the music play faster, "Allegro" or slower, "Adagio!" The Rocket also includes character recognition for all four characters, Leo, Annie, Quincy and June (SRP $39.99; for ages 3-5, available now at Target). Disney Princess Enchanted Tales Deluxe Princess Castle - This palatial castle is fit for fairytale and real-life princesses alike and is the first Disney Princess castle designed to accommodate 11" fashion dolls. The castle is pink with gold architectural detailing; there is a balcony, turrets, and an elevator that spins 360 degrees while playing music. Three stories of magical adventure is filled with luxurious princess furniture; the castle unfolds and opens up to reveal many play areas including bedrooms, dining area, bathroom, sitting room and foyer. Each room has different features such as fold down bed with canopy and cabinet underneath, shelves, vanity and sink, window seats, etc. Sound features include musical doorbell with Princess voice welcoming you in, elevator music activated when elevator moves, and chiming grandfather clock with a princess voice that announces time for a tea party (SRP $99.99; for ages 3-6). Hannah Montana Singing Doll & Pop Star Stage (sold separately) - Girls can channel their inner "Hannah Montana" fantasy with this 11.5-inch fashion doll that sings "Best of Both Worlds" and comes with a "Live In Love" bracelet, microphone, brush and collectible poster. When the microphone is lifted to her mouth, the doll sings one of Hannah Montana's chart-topping tunes! Dressed in authentic Hannah Montana fashions, these dolls rock out in style! The Hannah Montana Pop Star Stage is designed for use with the doll and features a lighted runway, guitar, audience sound effects and microphone stand. It includes hook-ups for iPod® and MP3 players and a real working microphone (SRP $19.99 for the doll; $59.99 for the play set/stage; for ages 6+). Disney/Pixar's CARS Mega Mack Playtown - Inspired by the hit Disney/Pixar film, Cars, this giant 24" Mack Truck is a talking vehicle that is easily transportable and conveniently pops open to reveal three movie adventure sets inside. The three-position car launcher sends Lightning McQueen flying into the fun action features in each play area. Lightning McQueen, Doc Hudson and Bessie vehicles included (SRP $39.99; ages 4+). Top Youth Electronics Disney Flix Video Cam - Kids can make their own movies or recreate their favorite Disney films. The Disney Flix Video Cam features a 1.5-inch color TFT flip view screen and 640 x 480 VGA resolution. It comes packaged with High School Musical Disney Director software, which includes storyboards, sound effects, character voices and more (SRP $99.99; ages 6+). Additional Disney Director software (SRP $14.99 each) is also available and features Cinderella and Pirates of the Caribbean. Available now at Best Buy, Target, Toys R Us and at DisneyShopping.com. Hannah Montana Guitars - Girls can make their Hannah Montana dreams come true with new acoustic and electric guitars designed by Disney and manufactured by Washburn Guitars known for its superior craftsmanship. These are no-compromise, real instruments cut at 3/4 size designed specifically for younger players' needs and customized with purple hues, butterflies and a fun, hip vibe (SRP $99- $149.99 depending on model; ages 6+, available at Toys R Us). Also available is a Hannah Montana amplifier that doubles as an iPod-compatible speaker dock (SRP $69.99). Disney iPod Compatible Speakers - Disney iPod compatible speakers are 'Made for iPod' compliant and use Apple's 30-pin connector. The High School Musical model resembles a bright red school locker with a faux combination lock on the front; the Hannah Montana model is purple and silver with a character silhouette. Both also feature radio and alarm clock functionality and features (SRP $59.99; ages 6+, available at Best Buy, Target and Wal-Mart and Toys R Us). Disney Pix Max Digital Camera - This fully functional digital camera features a 1.5-inch color LCD screen, 4x digital zoom, 3.0 mega pixel resolution, built-in auto flash and 32MB of storage (expandable to 2 GB via SD memory card slot). Disney Pix photo editing software lets kids create awesome photos and graphics with their favorite Disney characters and backgrounds. Designs include Silver Stars, Pirates of the Caribbean, High School Musical and Enchanted (SRP $ 99.99; ages 6+, available at Best Buy, Circuit City, Toys 'R' Us, Wal-Mart and DisneyShopping.com). Disney Digital Flat panel LCD TVs /Monitors - Feature four sleek designs, including High School Musical, Hannah Montana, Disney Princess and Pirates of the Caribbean. Ideal for kids' and tweens' rooms, the TVs feature a 15-inch screen, Sharp LCD panels, digital operation and the ability to receive digital television. The resolution is 1024 x 768 and aspect ratio is 4:3, each model features a VGA connector for use as a computer monitor (SRP $299.99; ages 6+, available at Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Limited Too and DisneyShopping.com). (Editor's note: high resolution images are available for download at www.disneyconsumerproducts.com - enter the "Press Room" and select from the "Disney Electronics" or "Disney Toys" digital press kits. No password required) ABOUT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS: Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) that extends the Disney brand to merchandise ranging from apparel, toys, home decor and books and magazines to interactive games, food and beverages, stationery, electronics and animation art. This is accomplished through the work of DCP's various lines of business: Disney Toys, Disney Apparel, Disney Food, Health & Beauty, Disney Home, Disney Stationery, Disney Publishing, Disney Interactive Studios, Baby Einstein, and www.disneyshopping.com. The Disney Store, which debuted in 1987, also falls under DCP, through stores currently owned and operated by unaffiliated third parties under licensing agreements in North America and Japan, and wholly-owned stores in Europe. For more information, please visit www.disneyconsumerproducts.com. Apple and iPod are trademarks of Apple Computer Inc., registered in the United States and other countries. | ||
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The Pixar Story
The Hollywood Reporter - The "overnight" success of Pixar Animation Studios has seemed like such a smooth rocket, going further and further into the frontier of computer animation with each new film, that Leslie Iwerks' documentary about that ride, "The Pixar Story," is a jolting reminder of what a risky business venture it truly was. An unstable combination of sheer determination, unending struggle, initial failures and gut instinct, it took an almost karmic combination of talent and fortuitous events to get that baby off the ground. Many, many people participated, but the film rightly zeroes in on John Lasseter, Ed Catmull and their entrepreneurial godfather and backer, Steve Jobs, who all but willed the Pixar success into reality. Having the run of the studios' archival footage, going back to before Pixar existed, and unparalleled access to just about everybody she needed to interview, Iwerks -- who previously made "The Hand Behind the Mouse," a docu about her famous animator grandfather Ub Iwerks -- delivers an incisive and often inspiring story of a group of super talents for whom failure was not an option. After its world premiere at the Mill Valley Film Festival, Iwerks says she means to qualify the film for Oscar consideration. She then hopes to secure a theatrical release. But its real value will undoubtedly be as a DVD with expanded footage of the interviews and behind-the-scenes peeks that didn't make it into the 86-minute feature. This film will be an invaluable resource for film and animation historians, as well as multitudes of Pixar fans, from here to infinity and beyond. Iwerks counts herself among those fans. So her portrait, narrated by Stacy Keach, is admiring, not journalistic. Even so, the most hard-bitten investigator would be hard pressed not experience wonder at such a rousing story. Computer animation has been around long before Pixar. Animators in Europe and North America were experimenting with this combination of art and science in shorts dating back to the '70s. Yet there was often a lack of warmth in the designs and representing humans, even cartoony ones, was a challenge. Features were out of the question. Lasseter and Catmull were among the first to see the future so clearly. Lasseter came out of Cal Arts with training in Disney animation. He worked at Disneyland in Anaheim and eventually landed a job in Disney's Burbank studios. When "TRON" (1982), one of the first features to mix computer generated action with live-action, came out of Walt Disney Pictures, Lasseter pushed for and got a unit that experimented with 3D animation. But such as the fear of the computer -- a fear that somehow the computer would replace humans rather than becoming a new tool for animators -- that Lasseter was actually fired by Disney when he completed his project. He joined the computer division of Lucasfilms where he met Catmull, a computer scientist trained at the University of Utah, who helped develop digital image compositing technology. In 1986, Jobs bought Lucasfilms' digital division and founded Pixar with Lasseter and Catmull as his key men. After losing $1 million a year for five years, Jobs needed to see a return on his investment. So Pixar put "Toy Story," the first feature-length computer animated film ever, into production. "Some of us had never even worked on a movie," Lasseter notes. Initially, Disney, which was to release "Toy Story," imposed its ideas on the production to disastrous results. The first trial reel was awful, Roy Disney recalls. Only when Pixar animators tore up those notes and went with gut instincts did the production take off. The worldwide gross of $350 million by "Toy Story" (1995) lead Jobs to Wall Street where he raised $132 million through an IPO. That put Pixar on a firm footing and lead to a string of hits. The company has never experienced either a critical or boxoffice failure although the film makes clear that "Toy Story 2," which had to start all over with nine months to go, was a close call. What has made each film successful, Lasseter insists, is "not the idea but the people." The Pixar staff, working with new directors hired either from within the company, such as Andrew Stanton and Pete Docter, or in the case of Brad Bird from outside, has been up to the challenge to stretch the digital envelop as each new story drives the need for innovation. After Disney, under its new chief executive Bob Iger, acquired Pixar in January 2006, Lasseter and Catmull were put in charge of reinvigorating the Burbank studio. They have given directors more creative control of their projects and will return to traditional animation techniques instead of relying solely computer animation, a reversal of a decision made by former CEO Michael Eisner only to do digital animation. The film with its talking heads interviews does pile on the techy talk pretty heavily at times. But Iwerks more than makes up for this with home movies by the various Pixar pixies at work and play -- it often is hard to tell the difference -- and even Lasseter's own Student Academy Award-winning shorts. And the many interviewees from Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Billy Crystal to George Lucas and Pixar animators do extremely lucid jobs of explaining that technology in terms of the artistic impact on each film. It took Iwerks six years to make this film since the Pixar story kept evolving even as she worked. One suspects a sequel, were she so inclined, might be even more fascinating. | ||
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Another Year of Dreams to Come!
The Disney Insider - 2007 has seen families entering a fairy-tale realm within the Magic Kingdom to spend a night living like princes and princesses. It's found Guests throughout the Disney Parks gifted with surprises big and small as part of the Disney Dreams Giveaway - from custom trading pins to cruises to Europe, from a DREAM FASTPASS badge that cuts the wait time for some of the most popular Disney attractions to a personal chat with a Disney Princess. This year has truly seen the magic of Disney come alive for Guests at Disney Parks as never before. Well, 2007 is winding to a close in a few short months - but happily, the dreams will keep coming true! The Walt Disney Company has announced that The Year of a Million Dreams will continue through 2008, with all-new dreams to be granted (as well as many continuing favorites) as part of the new 2008 Disney Dreams Giveaway*. Faron Kelley of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts told us what's coming: "We have some great surprises, including the roll out of wonderful new attractions and entertainment in both California and Florida, and a million new dream prizes that will be awarded across both Resorts." These new prizes include a very special new experience at Disneyland that is resurrecting one of Walt Disney's own dreams for the Park. Faron is "global project development director" - and, as he explains it, "Basically, that means I'm the celebration guy!" And he says that the new plans have been in the works for about half a year, although they've been kept tightly under wraps until now. "After the six months for The Year of a Million Dreams, we said 'This is really something that's just too good to take away.' We wanted to give a longer chance to more of our Guests to experience it," he explains. "Some dream prizes will be brought back by popular demand, such as the one-of-a-kind Mickey Mouse ears, which have been redesigned a little bit; the Dream FASTPASS badge, which has been wildly popular item; and the limited-edition pin and lanyard set, also redesigned for the celebration. We'll also continue with $500 shopping sprees, some fun dining experiences, and with the one-night stay in the Cinderella Castle suite. One prize that is not returning, however, will be replaced by something that is sure to have Disney fans buzzing. "We're not going to be continuing the Mickey suite in California, because we have a brand-new surprise that's coming in - the development of the Disneyland Dream Suite, which will give Guests on most nights the opportunity to stay overnight inside Disneyland Park," Faron reveals. "The Disneyland Dream Suite is being built specifically for The Year of a Million Dreams. It's going to be in what was once the Gallery in New Orleans Square. That space, amazingly enough, was originally intended by Walt to be an apartment for family and friends. Walt had his own apartment on Main Street, but he wanted a larger space where family and friends could stay when they visited the Park. It was never brought to fruition, but working with Walt Disney Imagineering we found the original plans that Walt Disney himself had commissioned, and those renderings are being used as inspiration for the development of the Disneyland Dream Suite!" In addition to the prizes, The Year of a Million Dreams will see some exciting new attractions and entertainment at both Resorts in 2008. Look for "Toy Story Mania!, an amazing new attraction opening this summer at Disney-MGM Studios in Florida and Disney's California Adventure. It's a ride-through Toy Story competition inspired by Disney*Pixar's 'Toy Story' films," Faron explains. "It has some wonderful effects - in addition to keeping score for you as you interact with the attraction, it's done in 3D so you wear 3D glasses as you ride through using your spring-action shooter as you aim at targets, It's a very immersive experience for the entire family." Also, in spring 2008, look for Block Party Bash to leave Disney's California Adventure and make its way across the country to Disney-MGM Studios. The new Pixar Play! Parade will open at Disney's California Adventure. At both Disney-MGM Studios and Disney's California Adventure, Playhouse-Disney Live on Stage! will have a whole new cast of characters and a new show beginning in the spring. Isn't a year normally 365 days? Sure - but for the dream-makers at Disney, anything is possible, and with the new prizes and surprises coming your way, we're betting that Guests will not be complaining about this two-year-long Year of far more than a Million Dreams. | ||
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'The Magic of Disney Fine Art Exhibition' Showcases Disney
Classic Film Moments PR Web - Sanders CC in Ogden, Utah is pleased to announce "The Magic of Disney Fine Art Exhibition." This exciting new exhibit features Artists Trevor Carlton, Tricia Buchanan-Bensen, James Coleman, Mike Kupka, Harrison Ellenshaw and Peter Ellenshaw, among others. The exhibit showcases over 30 of your favorite Disney Classic Film moments such as Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Kermit the Frog, Peter Pan, Mickey Mouse, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mary Poppins and much more. In addition to the exhibit, over 250 limited-edition Disney Fine Art Giclee's on canvases are available for purchase on a new website and virtual gallery at www.sanderscc.com. The website will be showcasing work from the artists listed below: John Alvin, Toby Bluth, Tricia Buchanan-Bensen, James Coleman, Dick Duerrstein, Harrison & Peter Ellenshaw, Michael & Inessa Garmash, Manny Hernandez, Mike Kungl, Mike Kupka, Allison Lefcort, Stephen Reis, Tim Rogerson, John Rowe, Jim Salvati, Jim Warren and Trevor Carlton. Quantities are limited and limited-editions vary in size. About Sanders CC -- established in 1960, it is Northern Utah's leader in Numismatic Coins and Collectibles. They carry a wide selection of US Coins, including the US Presidential Coin Program, and World Coins. The Managing Director of Sanders CC is KC Sanders; KC has a long history working for the Walt Disney Company. He worked in the Disney Specialized Businesses area for over five years, creating Disney Fine Art Exhibitions at the Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, and Disneyland Paris Resort. He is bringing his knowledge, expertise and passion back to Utah to showcase the magic of Disney for the community. | ||
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ESPN to Air Early
Rounds of Masters AP - The first two rounds of the Masters are moving to ESPN. The network will televise the Thursday and Friday action when the tournament tees off in April, Augusta National chairman Billy Payne announced Wednesday. "With the worldwide reach of ESPN, and their demonstrated leadership in new media, we think ESPN is uniquely positioned to showcase the Masters and golf to new audiences," Payne said in a news release. USA had aired the first two rounds since 1982. "The Masters and USA Network enjoyed a wonderful 26-year relationship," NBC Universal Sports and Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol said in a statement. "We wish them all the best." NBC Universal is 80 percent owned by General Electric Co. A Spanish-language broadcast of the first two rounds, carried by ESPN Deportes, will be available in the U.S. for the first time. ESPN, which is owned by The Walt Disney Co., has televised the Masters internationally since 1993. "We think our new worldwide initiative is important," Payne said. "The other major golf organizations have rightly identified a need to accelerate the growth of golf throughout the world." The schedule of coverage will remain the same. The first two rounds will be televised live from 4-7 p.m. EDT each day, with a replay aired from 8-11 p.m. Mike Tirico will host the ESPN telecasts. The 2008 Masters will be April 7-13. | ||
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Walt Disney
reviews its pan-Euro account BrandRepublic - Walt Disney has launched a pan-European review of its £100m media planning and buying account, currently held by Carat. Aegis-owned Carat has held the account for 14 years. The UK portion of the business is worth £15m. A spokesman for Walt Disney said the review was part of a best practice, procurement-led process across all of its business units. The review follows a similar process being undertaken in other marketing agency sectors. Carat is expected to repitch for the account, the spokeswoman added. The Walt Disney account includes Disney Channels, Disney Stores, Buena Vista Games and the Disneyland resort in Paris. | ||
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Disney
download rapped for cost and clarity Out-Law - Disney broke Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) rules on truthfulness and pricing and was told to change its advertising. The ASA also told the company to make sure that parental consent was given for expensive game downloads. Disney advertised two sets of games available for download to mobile phones. A complaint was made to the ASA that the cost of the games was not made clear and that the advertising was irresponsible because it appealed to children who could download the games without adult permission. The company argued that the signs advertised mobile internet links not to the games themselves, but to sites which explained what the games were and that they cost £5. It also said that the brochure which contained the ads was aimed at parents, not children. "We considered that it was unclear that the ads were simply an invitation to find out more about the games and that the charge mentioned in the ad was for an initial text message only," said the ASA ruling. "We concluded that the ads should have either included the full cost of downloading the games, or explained clearly that the cost referred to in the ads was the cost of gathering information about the games and a further charge would apply to get the games on your phone." Disney told the ASA that the advertising was designed for adults. It said that the wording of phrases such as 'Indulge your little princess with her own special carriage this Christmas' or '…costumes and accessories for your little pirate' made it clear that the brochure was for adults. The ASA did not accept Disney's argument. "It was available in store and its distribution was therefore not restricted to adults only and because some of its content spoke directly to children, the brochure was, at least in part, addressed to or targeted at children," said the ASA ruling. "Given that, and because the games were complex and costly products, we concluded that adult permission should have been obtained before children were committed to purchasing them," it said. Disney was told to include the full cost of games in future advertising and to find a way to make sure that adult permission was granted before children were able to purchase such costly games. | ||
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The 'Disney
Effect' on Bears New Jersey Herald - In film, he can appear as a dancing, friendly and bumbling friend — voice supplied by Phil Harris — or a bad comedian whose best friend is a frog. There was also the time he was somewhat closer to character, a dim-witted individual, carrying a club with a hankering for rabbit stew. Most people's views, and concepts, of bears is what they see in "Baloo," from "Jungle Book," "Fozzie," from the "Muppets" or "Br'er Bear," from "Song of the South." There is the real, live animal seen in Gentle Ben, or Grizzly Adams and, of course, more true-to-life short features, like "Bear Country" of the 1950s, that introduced many to the natural world. But real bears don't stand on stage and get a custard pie thrown in their face. They won't cuddle up at night under the covers. And, except those trained for zoo or circus acts, bears don't dance a jig or wrestle with the human television star. "We have them in zoos and images of them around us," said Margaret J. King, director of Cultural Studies & Analysis in Philadelphia. "We make art objects out of nature. It's a very primitive and cultural thing." King is among those who have written about what is being called the "Disney effect" — how Disney films, whether animated, live action or "nature documentaries" have influenced not just filmmaking, but public attitudes toward animals and the environment. Anthromorphism is the clinical term to describe how humans ascribe human-like qualities to other species. "Bears are large game and competitors," she said of the long cultural fascination humans have had with bears. "They also stand on their rear legs, bipedalism, and look like us." Put in the middle of a New Jersey political fight, bears are being made into an image by both sides. Is the elevation of bear to near-human status, based on true feelings or political leanings? People grew up cuddling "Teddy" or hugging Winnie the Pooh, whose only bad habit was trying to steal honey, so "cute" and "timid" are words easily ascribed to black bears by those against hunting. They take pictures of bears eating from a human's hand or "playing" in a hammock. In the wild, young animals practice skills they will need as adults. They chase their mother's tail; roughhouse with each other, mocking a "kill" or fight for a chance to mate. Is it really play and do they even know what "play" is? Janet Pizar, director of the Bear Education And Resource Group, said recently that, having won a court battle over the bear hunt, the next move would be "to outlaw the killing of our bears." Then, she said, all hunting would be next. On the other side, some have described bears "waiting in ambush" as if the individual animals could read a timetable or calendar and know that the garbageman only comes Tuesday mornings. "It's only a matter of time until someone gets killed," goes the mantra. They point to self-proclaimed bear "expert" Timothy Tredwell who studied Alaskan grizzlies for more than a dozen years. He was killed and eaten by the bears. In reality, naturalists say bears are creatures whose nature is to find something to eat. They have a place in the natural world and it's not on our cultural pedestal. King, whose business "decodes how consumers determine value in products, concepts and ideas," said the bear's place in our world "is very evolutionary" and based on our cultural background. The ancient Greeks named two constellations after bears, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Eskimos revere the polar bear, but it doesn't stop them from taking one in a hunt if they can. Other Native Americans also worshiped the bear and lived beside them. Today, King said, more than 90 percent of our day is spend inside, in optimum conditions that we have created for ourselves. "We don't like exposure to nature," she said. "We have evolved in nature to have as little to do with Nature as possible. We have taken nature and stylized it." "There are a million misconceptions about bears," said Gary Alt, a noted wildlife biologist who ran Pennsylvania's bear management and deer management plans until his resignation three years ago. "People generally fall into two categories — they want to cuddle them or kill them." Alt said the black bear population across the country is growing tremendously. In California where he now lives, the bear population has doubled to an estimated 32,000 since 1982. In New York the bear population is still expanding and this year the state is reverting to a previous policy of opening the bear hunt in the Catskills on the same day the deer hunting season begins, effectively expanding the season by a week over the past few years. In the 1990 hunt, 77 bear were taken in the Catskill area. During the 2005 hunt, there were nearly 500 bear killed in the Catskills and last year, the state said 365 bears were killed. While some point to those numbers and note that even with hunting, bear numbers are increasing — an argument not to have a hunt — Alt said a well-managed hunt is not meant to decrease any population, but to provide a balance. "If you really want to drop the population, you just say, 'Go get 'em!' Bears are more easy to overhunt than deer," he said. In a healthy deer herd, does can begin to breed at about six months and have offspring each year. Bears don't start to breed until three years of age and have cubs every two years. Jamie O'Boyle, senior analyst at Cultural Studies & Analysis said that while "both bears ("teddy") and deer ("Bambi") are big stars in our cultural Pantheon of anthropomorphized nature, bears trump deer because they are more like us. We can see a clumsy, more clownish, and therefore harmless, version of ourselves." And there is an additional element — perceived rarity. "There is a simple equation in marketing, perception of rarity = higher value," he said. "End result; we instinctively lean towards encouraging bears but controlling the deer." Alt said being the most densely human populated state, "New Jersey is at the frontier at human-wildlife confrontation and what to do about it." This great experiment, he said, is tipped in the bears favor for now, but the balance will swing quickly towards bear population control. "When it starts will just be getting the right bears doing the wrong things," he said. "It will require some sort of injuries. That will be the spark to set off the gas, then it'll blow. "New jersey is ripe and ready for it," Alt said. "New Jersey will test the waters as to how far you can push this." | ||
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Disney Store is Halloween Headquarters for the Entire Family!
CNNMoney - Disney Store's (Nasdaq:PLCE) 2007 line of high-quality Halloween costumes features a full array of popular character costumes including new lavish interpretations of Disney Princess styles, plus matching costumes for mom, dad and the children based on Disney's movies Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. At the top of the Disney Store costume popularity list is Cinderella, offered in two styles that will make any girl ready to go to the ball! "Our new deluxe Cinderella costume is couture role play. It is so extravagant in materials and details that little girls will be immediately transformed into the character," said Ivy Ross, Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, Disney Store. "These amazing pieces are not just for Halloween but will support the important play pattern of imaginative role play year round." Created exclusively by Disney Store designers, Disney Store's Deluxe Cinderella costume is a dream come true and one of the season's top sellers. The metallic brocade bodice tapers into a five-layer toile skirt embellished with glitter flocking, while details of pearls, jewels and an antiqued cameo finish the dress. And the quality construction means the dress won't turn to rags after midnight. Disney Store's costumes encourage kids to immerse themselves in the stories of their favorite Disney characters, such as the wildly popular classic character costumes for infants and toddlers, available in Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck. Mickey and Donald costumes are made of buttery soft, plush and include hooded bodysuits, mittens and booties. Disney Store's Minnie Mouse costume is an adorable red polka dot dress and a soft headband of Minnie's signature ears. New to the Disney Store's character assortment for 2007, Disney's Alice In Wonderland costume will allow every little girl to look her best, whether for a tea party or an audience with the queen. Based on the actual clothing Alice wears in the classic 1951 film, the costume features glitter-flocked icons, foiled sequins, and an attached apron. A wig, headband and shoes are available separately. Other new features, such as sparkling lights and fun sound effects enhance the costumes' ability to transport children to the reaches of their imagination and add a layer of safety on dark nights. Creating dress up magic, the new styles are high quality, durable, and so comfortable that kids will want to wear them throughout the year. For Girls No matter what Disney princess they want to be, little girls will jump for joy when they see the extra detailing and special embellishments on this year's line of Disney Princess costumes, including Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Snow White, Mulan, Belle, and Sleeping Beauty. Deluxe Jasmine is constructed of an iridescent two-tone fabric that shimmers like a mirage by moonlight. The glittered mesh neckline gives the suggestion of an off-the-shoulder look, while jeweled accents glitter, tassels sway and bells tinkle with every movement. Deluxe Tinker Bell costume is a spring green bodysuit with silver embroidery and rhinestones. Multiple layers of sparkly chiffon petals create a sprightly skirt and boughs of ribbons and flowers adorn the waist- and necklines. Coordinating wings blink with multi-colored flashing lights, making sure this fairy will not go unnoticed. Additional accessories include musical light-up wands, matching light-up shoes for added visibility, jeweled crowns and more. Girls' costumes are available in sizes XXS-L. The deluxe costumes are available in XS-L. For Boys Popular with boys this season, Disney Store's new red racing suit with sounds and light-up features based on the Disney/Pixar movie Cars, helps boys portray themselves as champion race car drivers. Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Jack Sparrow costume will be a sure hit this fall. The hat with attached wig will transform any boy into Captain Jack Sparrow. Accessory Weapons Set includes a light-up sword and musket both with sounds to complete this high-seas fantasy. If boys are looking to travel to infinity and beyond, or just around the neighborhood for the night, Toy Story's Woody and Buzz Lightyear costumes are ready for any adventure, with exciting details like light-up goggles, gloves and wings for Buzz and a faux cowhide vest, brass-looking badge and cowboy hat for Woody. The boys' collection also includes costumes from the perennial favorite Walt Disney's Peter Pan. Boys can choose to never grow up and fly away to Never Land with this year's Peter Pan costume (SRP $39.50) which includes a knife set with sound, or they can choose to be Peter Pan's arch-nemesis, pirate Captain Hook with separately sold hat and sword set with sounds. From new animated films to classic favorites, Disney Store is the destination for authentic plush character costumes. Cook up the fun as Disney/Pixar's Ratatouille hero, Remy, or his hungry sidekick, Emile. In celebration of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment's release of Walt Disney's The Jungle Book 40th Anniversary 2-Disc Platinum Edition DVD, Disney Store will offer the "bare necessities" in plush costumes: Shere Khan and Baloo. These plush costumes are suited for girls as well. Boys' costumes range from sizes XXS-L. For the Family To celebrate the success of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, a family set of costumes is available for the first time ever this year. Inspired with the oriental flair of Singapore, the Elizabeth Swann design will make mom and daughter enchanting, while the Jack Sparrow costume magically transforms wearers into the swaggering and witty pirate lord of the Caribbean Sea. Accessories include a crown, headdress and shoes for the Elizabeth Swann costume and a pirate accessory set, along with a hat/wig for the Jack Sparrow costume. Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas costumes are also available for the first time. Fathers and sons can turn themselves into Jack Skellington -- the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town and mothers can turn into the rag doll Sally. The stripes on Jack's costume glow, as well as the nose on the Zero dog costume, making this trio a ghoulish sight on dark nights. And when you come back from your Halloween haunts, there's a whole assortment of scarifying home decor items: cookie jars, candy dishes, candleholders, plates and mugs. Availability Shop early for the best selection. To find the nearest store location in the United States and Canada, please call 800-757-5933. About Disney Store North America Disney originated the themed retail environment when it opened the first Disney Store in Glendale, California in 1987. Disney Store currently operates over 300 locations in the United States and Canada that offer immediate access to exclusive Disney Store products. Disney Store North America is owned, and under license operated, by a subsidiary of The Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc., a leading specialty retailer of apparel and accessories for children. | ||
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Tuesday October, 9 2007 | ||
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Inside INdiana Business -
Gaining further recognition that its signature award is
steadily becoming a mark of quality for consumers, Heartland
Truly Moving Pictures has finalized a marketing alliance with
the Walt Disney Company and Best Buy for a regional promotion
of Disney titles which have received the Heartland Truly
Moving Picture Award. The promotion will offer a consumer
discount on sixteen DVD titles, and will run in nine
Midwestern states from October 14 until supplies last,
concurrent with this year’s Heartland Film Festival.
Among the animated and live-action movies are classic films such as Cinderella, Peter Pan, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Jungle Book, Old Yeller and The Little Mermaid; more recent children’s hits including Toy Story, Toy Story 2, A Bug’s Life, Cars, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Ice Princess and Bridge to Terabithia; as well as adult-oriented fare such as Remember the Titans, Miracle and Glory Road. The Truly Moving Pictures promotion will be highlighted in Best Buy stores through special displays that will also feature the Truly Moving Picture Award Web address (www.TrulyMovingPictures.org) as well as the dates of the 2007 Heartland Film Festival, which takes place in Indianapolis from October 18-26. The promotion will run in participating Best Buy stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. “We are pleased to partner with two major national retail brands, Disney and Best Buy, in helping audiences to identify high-quality entertainment that they can purchase with confidence,” stated David Slaughter, Vice President and COO of Heartland Truly Moving Pictures. Jeffrey L. Sparks, president and CEO of Heartland Truly Moving Pictures further stated, “It is gratifying that Disney views the Truly Moving Picture Award not as just another industry honor, but as an imprint more akin to a category in itself that serves consumers and movie-goers.” Heartland Truly Moving Pictures, a non-profit organization, seeks to recognize and honor filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by expressing hope and emphasizing the best of the human spirit. Its flagship event, the Heartland Film Festival®, launched in 1991 and runs each October in Indianapolis, screening independent films from around the world. Each year, the Festival awards $200,000 in cash prizes and presents its Crystal Heart Awards to the top-judged submissions. Heartland has awarded more than $1.8 million to support filmmakers during the last 16 years. The organization’s Truly Moving Picture Award was created to honor films released theatrically that align with Heartland’s mission. By bestowing a watermark to honored films, the award allows studios and distributors to inform audiences of a film’s uplifting message and appeal. Heartland is also dedicated to its relationship with the National Collaboration for Youth and its expanding F.I.L.M., “Finding Inspiration in Literature and Movies,” project. For more information, visit www.TrulyMovingPictures.org. | ||
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Teppan Edo and Tokyo Dining OPEN
 Touring
- After what felt like forever, the Teppan Edo and Tokyo
Dining restaurants have opened at the Japan Pavilion. Teppan
Edo has kept a menu very similar to its predecessor the
Mitsukoshi Teppanyaki. Tokyo Dining offers some new choices,
though it does offer many of the tempura (battered and fried)
choices of Tempura Kiku which is replaces. It has also
absorbed the diverse sushi selection of now extinct Matsu No
Ma Lounge whose space it expanded into. Fun note: A children's
meal at Tokyo Dining comes in a big serving dish shaped like a
bullet train. The interior of both restaurants is refreshed and has a look of contemporary Japan. Very sleek lines, dark hard woods, and rich colors are arranged in a very zen sort of style. | ||
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Disney
raises curtain on musical movie sales
C21 Media - The sequel to Emmy winner High School Musical has notched up sales to terrestrial broadcasters in more than 40 countries outside the US, Disney-ABC International Television announced. High School Musical 2, part of the Disney Channel Original Movie franchise, has been licensed to terrestrial FTA broadcasters including the BBC (UK), RTI (Italy), ProSieben (Germany), M6 (France), RTE (Ireland), Channel 1 (Russia), SABC (South Africa), CCTV6 (China) Seven Network (Australia), TVNZ (New Zealand) and Studio 23 (Philippines). More key market sales announcements are expected over the next few months. The sequel's US premiere last August broke Disney Channel records as the most-watched cable broadcast ever, clocking over 17 million viewers. Around four in 10 kids age 6-11 and one in 10 adults watched it over its premiere weekend, also helping the DisneyChannel.com website to become the US's top kids entertainment website in August. To date, High School Musical 2 has reached over 55 million unique viewers worldwide, according to Disney-ABC International Television. Its UK premiere on Disney Channel was the channel's top broadcast of all time, and one of the UK's top five kids movies across all channels. It has set ratings similar records in Italy, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, and continues to premiere on international Disney Channels elsewhere throughout 2007. The show's September 29 premiere on international free TV, on Holland's Net 5, achieved a 20.5% share of kids (6-12) – up by 600% on the channel's audience average for the slot. High School Musical's cast, direction and production talent returned for the sequel, including director Kenny Ortega, choreographers Charles Klapow and Bonnie Story, exec producers Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush, and producer Don Schain. Director of photography is Daniel Aranyó. | ||
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DisneySea blends Disney imagination and Japanese style
CNET - For some Americans visiting Japan, Tokyo Disney would be the resort of last resort, but for our family, we decided that spending our first two days and nights there would be a good way to motivate our 8-year old to tackle the 11-hour jet lag head-on. The resort is made up of two parks, Disneyland, which is a near-exact replica of the California original, and DisneySea, a unique park that opened in 2001. I have read that DisneySea was a design originally considered and rejected for an additional park in California, but to me DisneySea melds perfectly with Japanese style. It is amazing to see what can be done with current technology and design--going well beyond the 1960's "magic" used to create Disneyland. Instead of Sleeping Beauty's castle, there is an erupting volcano anchoring the center of the park, containing one of the best rides I have ever been on. Journey to the Center of the Earth is a combination themed attraction/roller coaster that culminates in a simulated free-fall shot "up and out" of the volcano. The rides are impressive, but what strikes me most about DisneySea is its commitment to delivering a complete experience. The park features seven themed lands, including a Mediterranean Harbor, a Jules-Verne themed Mysterious Island, the South American Lost River Delta, and the futuristic Port Discovery. Within each land, the design is carried out fully through every detail, from rides to buildings. As you transition from land to land, even the ambient music changes at the same moment as the visual landscape. One place in DisneySea completely stymied my ability to separate illusion from reality. Looking at this seawall, I could not tell you what was behind it. I knew we were near the actual sea, but were we that close to Tokyo Bay? I didn't think so, but even climbing the highest point in Port Discovery I could not tell for sure. | ||
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Disney reviews £150m pan-European media business
Marketing Week - Walt Disney Studios is reviewing its European media planning and buying business for the first time in 16 years. It is understood that incumbent agency Carat are repitching. It is understood that the review is in early stages and that it has sent a brief out to agencies. It is thought that it will cover its European Studio division, including its film and DVD business, and the Disney Channel. It is not thought that it includes its theme park division. The division distributes motion pictures under a number of companies such as Walt Disney Pictures, including Pixar Animation, Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films. Buena Visa International handle the studio’s distribution arm. This year, its films have included Pirates of the Carribean: At the World’s End and Ratatouille. | ||
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Disney
DVD's boost Heartland Film Festival
Indianapolis Star - Disney and Best Buy are partnering with Heartland Film Festival to bring more exposure to the 16-year-old Indianapolis festival, which runs Oct. 18-26. Starting Sunday, Best Buy stores in nine Midwest states will display special point-of-sale kiosks with 16 Disney DVD's that have received the “Truly Moving Picture” designation from Heartland. The titles, which will be discounted, include Disney classics “Cinderella” and “Peter Pan,” as well as more recent films such as “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” and “Remember the Titans.” Heartland President and CEO Jeffrey L. Sparks called it an “exciting opportunity,” adding that the display will be in 80 to 90 stores in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin and South Dakota. The promotion will continue until supplies are exhausted. Truly Moving Picture is a special award given outside the regular festival to movies that meet Heartland’s mission of recognizing filmmakers “whose work explores the human journey by expressing hope and emphasizing the best of the human spirit.” | ||
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Kajeet targeting
Disney subscribers
RCRNews - Tween-focused mobile
virtual network operator kajeet Inc. is trying to snap up
customers who must leave lame-duck MVNO Disney Mobile, which
is slated to be shut down at the end of December. | ||
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Cathay Pacific to offer package deals to Hong Kong Disneyland
AME Info - The promotion allows traveling parties of four, who fly with Cathay Pacific and stay at one of the two Hong Kong Disneyland Hotels, to receive the fourth person's package free. Package deals will include return tickets, a one night's garden view room stay in either the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel or the Disney's Hollywood Hotel, single day Disneyland park entry tickets per passenger, transfers from Hong Kong International Airport to the Disney Hotel by coach, and transfers from the Disney Hotel to Hong Kong International Airport. Other exciting adds-on includes Disney's Disney Magical 'FASTPASS', valid for one of the Park's three most popular attractions. Hong Kong Disneyland Park tickets in this package will be automatically upgraded to 'Stay and Play for 2 Days' tickets, allowing guests to visit the Park on two consecutive days during their stay at either of the two Disney hotels. The package also offers hotel guests an early check-in and a late checkout options. 'We are delighted to run for the first time in the UAE this exciting promotion featuring Hong Kong Disneyland, one of Hong Kong's top tourist attractions,' said Cathay Pacific Country Manager for UAE and Oman Henry Chan. 'Cathay Pacific is committed to offering more benefits and value-added services where we can and we believe this great-value promotion will be a big attraction to many of our passengers,' Chan added. Hong Kong, one of the most diverse and vibrant cities in Asia, has become a hot spot for shopping and entertainment over the years. Since its opening in 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland has been added on to Hong Kong's list of favorite tourist attractions. The past few years have seen excellent growth of the number of tourists traveling between the Middle East, particularly Dubai and Hong Kong. The company reported recently a 23.5% growth in the number of visitors to Hong Kong from the UAE. Cathay Pacific links Dubai through Hong Kong to 150 destinations worldwide. Last year, the airline re-aligned its passenger flight schedule and now offers 10 non-stop flights between Dubai and Hong Kong per week with options of early evening departures and midnight departures. The airline also operates 4 weekly flights from Dubai to Hong Kong via Mumbai and Bangkok. Cathay Pacific Airways in November this year will mark 30 years of services in the UAE. | ||
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Johnny Kapahala Back On Board on DVD
Buena Vista Home Entertainment - A championship surfer and snowboarder tests himself in a new and extreme arena when JOHNNY KAPAHALA: BACK ON BOARD debuts on Disney DVD on October 9, 2007. Brandon Baker (CAMPUS CONFIDENTIAL) reprises his role as Johnny in the sequel to the hit Disney Channel Original Movie JOHNNY TSUNAMI. When Johnny and his parents return to Hawaii for his grandfather's wedding, he finds himself facing two unfamiliar challenges. As he throws himself into the dangerous sport of dirtboarding he also has to help navigate the tricky terrain of family change. The cast of JOHNNY KAPAHALA: BACK ON BOARD also features JOHNNY TSUNAMI stars Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa (MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA) as Grandpa, Mary Page Keller (NIP/TUCK) as Johnny's mother Melanie and Yuji Okumoto (BIG MAMA'S HOUSE 2) as his father, Pete.
JOHNNY KAPAHALA: BACK ON BOARD premiered on Disney Channel on June 8, 2007 and was directed by Eric Bross (VAMPIRE BATS and MARTHA BEHIND BARS) and written by Max Enscoe and Annie deYoung (RETURN TO HALLOWEENTOWN), and Ann Knapp and Douglas Sloan (JOHNNY TSUNAMI). Available on October 9, 2007, JOHNNY KAPAHALA: BACK ON BOARD is priced at U.S. $26.99 (SRP) and Canada $29.99 (SRP) from Walt Disney Home Entertainment. | ||
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Hannah
Montana Life's What You Make It on DVD
Buena Vista Home Entertainment - A new compilation of Disney Channel's popular comedy series HANNAH MONTANA will debut on DVD October 9, 2007. HANNAH MONTANA: LIFE'S WHAT YOU MAKE IT stars Miley Cyrus as Miley Stewart, a high school freshman with a glamorous alter ego: Her Malibu classmates think the transfer student from Tennessee is just another 14-year-old girl, but when school's out, she's Hannah Montana, international pop superstar! Although she loves traveling the world, selling out concerts and hanging with celebrities, Miley also yearns to have a normal teen life.
The HANNAH MONTANA: LIFE'S WHAT YOU MAKE IT DVD is filled with exciting bonus features, including "Backstage Pass," a look at "The Secrets of Hannah Montana." Miley as Hannah shares the hush-hush aspects of her secret life as a pop star, going behind the scenes with a tour of Hannah's private tour bus and a peek inside her closet at the fabulous wardrobe that transforms an everyday student into an international musical phenomenon. In new interviews, co-stars Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso spill the beans about Hannah and her alter ego Miley, and Billy Ray Cyrus makes leaves no doubt that talent runs in the family with a brand new music video. HANNAH MONTANA is #1 in its time period against all basic cable networks for households and its target demo, kids 6-14. The show's Season 2 Premiere on April 23, 2007 was the highest ever on any kid-targeted cable network over the past seven years with girls 6-11 (13.9 rating) and tween girls 9-14 (14.9 rating). Girls 8-12 named HANNAH MONTANA a TV Favorite, Favorite TV Rerun and Newest TV Show You're Watching/Hearing About. Star Miley Cyrus was identified as a Favorite Actress, Favorite Music Performer, and "a person I'd most like to meet." (Source: Zandl Hotsheet, Feb 2007) Available on October 9, 2007, HANNAH MONTANA LIFE'S WHAT YOU MAKE IT is priced at U.S. $19.99 (SRP) and Canada $24.99 (SRP) from Walt Disney Home Entertainment. | ||
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Hands-on with Disney Flix video Cam for Kids
Yahoo! Tech - There is no shortage of electronics in Disney's fall lineup of toys as the holiday toy season swings into action. Among the offerings are the Mix Max 2.0, a personal video and music player with a 2.8-inch screen. Movies can be downloaded from a Disney web site or played via $20 Disney Max Clips containing individual Disney movies. A 2.0 change to the $130 player is that it plays Java games, too.
Also new is the Disney Flix Video Cam, a pint-sized video camera with accompanying editing software for the PC that allows young kids and younger 'tweens to try their hand at filmmaking. We've been playing with it for the past few weeks, and here's our take. It's a camera definitely made for small hands and sharp eyes. It is simple enough to use—once you get the software loaded on your PC and play around with the features. Young kids will definitely need a parent's help to get going. Not a bad thing, but the navigation and controls could be more intuitive and instructive for first-time video editors. The big draw of this camera is the High School Musical software that comes with it, allowing kids to recreate scenes with audio direction from the crazy-popular Disney movie, and add and delete scenes and stills from the original movie using a storyboard. Similar software for Pirates of the Caribbean and Cinderella is available for $14.99 each. Did I mention it's small? It's 3-x-2-x-1 inches, with a 1.5-inch screen and a 1.3-megapixel camera for still shots. Video quality is okay, not great. It comes with a small, flexible tripod to help kids film themselves. It runs on two AA batteries, and has an internal memory of 128MB, which can be expanded to 1GB with an SD card. It's designed for kids ages 6 to 10, but it seemed too young for my 10-year-old, even though she liked High School Musical. Depending on the ages and the level of interest in video and editing of your children, the $100 may be better spent on an inexpensive video cam that will allow them to experiment with filmmaking and basic editing. Of course, that means Troy, Gabriella, and the whole High School Musical crew will be nowhere to be found. | ||
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Monday October, 8 2007 | ||
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Disney's
travel club cannot sell in Hawaii
Star Bulletin - The Walt Disney Co., which announced plans this week to develop a hotel and time-share resort at Ko Olina, cannot sell memberships in its own time-share club here. The snag is the unintended consequence of a corporate decision years ago not to complete the state paperwork required to conduct local sales. Hawaii residents legally may buy memberships in the Disney Vacation Club, but -- for now at least -- must fly to the mainland to do so. Residents from all other states, except Nebraska, can make those purchases from the convenience of home. Disney spokeswoman Lisa Haines told the Star-Bulletin yesterday the company will complete the necessary application well before sales start on its Ko Olina project, which is expected to break ground next year and open in 2011. "Clearly the game has changed," she said. | ||
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Attendance not sole indicator of HK Disneyland performance
Xinhua - Attendance should not be taken as the sole indicator of Hong Kong Disneyland's performance, an official of the theme park has said in an interview with Xinhua. The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort "comprises various operations" and "many are the factors essential to our success," said Wayne Leung, a specialist of the theme park's Publicity Department. She added that the park planned to enhance guest experience by improving its products and services and diversifying its offers. The performance of the resort as a whole could be helped too, said Leung. The project, a joint venture between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the Walt Disney Company, has been facing criticism for its unwillingness to announce attendance figures, which local media reports said could be lower than expected. The park saw many visitors but were not crowded in the several days since Oct. 1, when a seven-day National Day holiday began in the mainland. Tourists queuing at the park generally waited for less than 10 minutes for each of the attractions. Disneyland said it received good guest satisfaction ratings on its ongoing Haunted Halloween event, which the visitors can experience during the National Day holiday. The park was one of the smallest among Disneyland theme parks around the world. The Hong Kong Disneyland, which first opened in September 2005, added three new attractions in 2006 and one in this year. Another major new attraction, "it's a small world," is scheduled to open in the first half of 2008. "The scope and pace of any future expansion will be decided based on market demand, guest feedback and other considerations," Leung said, adding the introduction of new attractions was only one of the ways to boost guest experience. "We will continue to explore other enhancement plans such as improvement on existing attractions and creation of special events, " she said, "the understanding that Hong Kong Disneyland will keep up the momentum of developing the park to enrich guest experience has been well established." | ||
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At the other
Disney: The Flying Fish Cafe LAist - Disneyland in Anaheim may have the exclusive and secret Club 33, but your chances of experiencing it is slim -- you've got to have the money, the "in" and the location (above the Blue Bayou, look for the door with the number 33 on it, then knock, someone might open it up... and yes, when we ate there, it was damn good). That's why Disney World in the "other" Orange County is much better for fine dining with the mouse. EPCOT is more for the adults in many ways. For example, through November 11th is the International Food & Wine Festival featuring cuisine samplers from over 25 countries, each specifically paired with a wine or beer from the respective country. Additionally, next to EPCOT is the Boardwalk, a faux lake surrounded by hotels and a boardwalk village with a massive ESPN sports bar (so sad about the Cubs), restaurants and clubs. The best restaurant is the Flying Fish Cafe, where you sometimes need to reserve a table a near eight months in advance (Disney recommends 180 days). The reason this place is so popular: it's wildy creative. Just look at this soup: Aged Sherry and Brandy-laced Maryland She-Crab Crema. What the hell is that? It's blue crab, horseradish, Spanish chorizo and fines herb beignets and basil-infused olive oil. For something a little more simple to start off with, try the Young Arugula, Asian Pear & Candied Walnut salad that comes topped with flower petals and a creamy Gorgonzola crostini. Main entrées still stay exotic: toasted pumpkin seed-crusted Barramundi, oak-grilled wild Alaskan King Salmon and citrus/schezuan peppercorn-spiced Yellowfin Tuna Loin are just some of the choices. Non-fish eaters and vegetarians can still enjoy dinner too. Pork chops (native pepperberry and maple-glazed), char crusted New York strip steaks and pasta accommodations are available. Maybe the best part of the menu is the daily quote about food. Last night's from W.C. Fields: "A woman once drove me to drink and I never had the decency to thank her." Flying Fish is no cheap fare. Main dishes run for $30 a plate and starters in the teens. However, a true foodie at Disney World can't go wrong with a place where you can go into blind-folded, point at something on the menu and be uber-satisfied at what comes out. | ||
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"Ratatouille" a tasty treat at foreign box office Reuters - A delectable opening in Germany helped "Ratatouille" take the top spot at the international box office, with estimated weekend ticket sales of $19.7 million from 30 markets. The Disney/Pixar cartoon about a Parisian rat with a discerning palette cooked up $12.2 million in Germany. "Ratatouille" was "like a vacuum cleaner in Germany," said David Kornblum, vp international sales and distribution at Disney. The film also bowed at No. 1 in Austria and German-speaking Switzerland. The foreign total stands at $247 million, powered by a $59 million contribution from France. Next up for Remy and pals is a Friday opening in the U.K., Italy on October 17, and October 19 bows in China, Sweden, Poland and Finland. In second place for the weekend was "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry," which grossed $6.7 million from 38 markets to take its international total to $48.2 million. The Adam Sandler comedy was a distant No. 2 in Germany with $2.2 million, taking its 11-day total to $6.9 million. The No. 3 slot was shared by incumbent champ "The Bourne Ultimatum" and new arrival "The Heartbreak Kid," each of which earned about $5.7 million. "Bourne" did its business in 37 territories, bringing its international total to $172 million. Top totals include Britain ($46.5 million), Australia ($17 million) and Germany ($13.9 million). Meanwhile, "Heartbreak" opened
in four territories, led by Britain with $2.5 million. The Ben
Stiller comedy opened at No. 2 in North America with a
disappointing $14 million. | ||
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Disney segues into
Segway trips Orlando Sentinel - Walt Disney World now is offering "Segway" hiking through its Fort Wilderness camping area. Disney, which has been testing Segway trips along its Fort Wilderness trails for about a year, announced the formal start of its "Wilderness Back Trail Adventures." For $85 per person, a visitor can take a two-hour tour of the Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground in tours offered twice a day on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Segways are self-balancing, two-wheeled electric vehicles. Riders must be at least 16 years old. Disney also offers Segway training at tours at Epcot. More information is available through Disney's reservations line, 407-939-8687. Homes for rent Central Florida could well be the vacation-home rental capital of North America. Next spring, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and an events management company, MSE Management, plan to hold an exhibition in Atlanta that focuses on the fast-growing business. The vacation-home rental concept was born in Europe and British tourists introduced the lodging alternative to Central Florida. There are now 20,000 to 25,000 vacation homes in the region, enough to give the conventional lodging industry some stiff competition. The Vacation Home Expo, scheduled for April 11-13 next year at Cobb Galleria, will provide information on the vacation-home industry, focusing on condos, villas and houses that are rented for short durations. Crofton is keynote speaker Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton will be the keynote speaker at the International Association of Parks and Attractions annual convention at the Orange County Convention Center next month. Crofton will speak about the future of the Disney theme park experience at the association's general managers and owners breakfast on Nov. 14 at 8:30 a.m. The IAAPA Attractions Expo 2007 begins Nov. 12 and ends Nov. 16. Closed for repairs Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has closed at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom for refurbishment through Oct. 24. The closure joins those at Epcot for Spaceship Earth, which has been closed since summer for a long-term update, and the Wonders of Life Pavilion, which closed indefinitely in January. Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park is scheduled to close Oct. 28 for its annual winter refurbishment. | ||
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"Hannah Montana" Life's What You Make It DVD Review
Ultimate Disney - With Hilary Duff and Raven Symoné bringing in big bucks with hit tween-targeted TV shows on one hand and radio-friendly pop albums on the other, it was only a matter of time before the Disney Channel sought a singular venue in which its actor/singers could double up their talents and, accordingly, Disney's profit potential. "Hannah Montana" debuted in March of 2006, just two months after the record-breaking premiere of High School Musical, a result of the network's new focus on television-music synergy. The show opened to near-immediate success and has evolved into a phenomenon amongst not only teens but the recording industry at large. As is often the case with such sensations, however, the fuss is unmerited.
Miley Cyrus is the daughter of real-life has-been country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, who plays her father on the TV show as well, though there he is known as Robbie Ray Stewart, a fictional has-been country singer. Miley Cyrus plays Miley Stewart, an otherwise normal girl who enjoys celebrity status under the stage name Hannah Montana, which is the very same stage name that Miley Cyrus uses in real life too. Where does Cyrus end and Montana begin? I suspect that Miss Miley herself doesn't have a clue but the show continues to mirror reality by centering on this very tension. Miley Stewart's primary goal is to live a normal life in spite of her immense fame, yet even though her closest friends and family know of her double life and seek to protect it, that seldom works out as planned. Conflicting schedules, hounding press, and celebrity romance frequently cause trouble for Miley, who relies on her father (who doubles as her manager), brother, and best buds to help her keep her secret in the hopes of finding balance. Though not original, the premise is an interesting one, having obvious potential on the Disney Channel, where things like psychic ability, permanent hotel residency, and time travel are the norm. On paper, I have no problem with "Hannah Montana"... unless that paper is an actual script. The show's leap from moderately interesting to primarily annoying is the product of overexertion in the comedy department. Broad humor and broad acting produce a forced feeling that communicates a desperate ineptitude at making an audience laugh. Given that comedy is the series' foremost goal (well, if you look past money-making), that's a real problem. Miley Cyrus is likeable enough, but only an average singer and not a particularly good actress. Emily Osment (real-life sis of The Sixth Sense's Haley Joel) plays Hannah's best friend on the show, Lilly Truscott. Osment is both funnier and less annoying than her top-billed co-star but by no means a saving grace. As for Billy Ray, well, I'd rather listen to "Achy Breaky Heart" ad infinitum than endure his acting. I'd take him any day, however, over Jason Earles. Though his real age is the subject of rampant Internet speculation, Earles plays Miley's older, high school junior brother, Jackson. With a heavy country accent and no shortage of juvenile lines or stupid antics, the loud and obnoxious Jackson sums up everything that's wrong with "Hannah Montana". While he's fortunately relegated to "B" storylines and one-liners, his segments alone are enough to send me reaching for the remote. The show isn't completely
unwatchable. In addition to the younger Cyrus' aforementioned
likeability, the serious occasionally musters a clever pun. The
opportunity for wit (a generous term in this setting) arises
when the show parodies real-life or adopts a sense of self-referentiality.
In these moments, the series is at its best. Unfortunately,
they're too infrequent and too far from brilliant to justify
sitting through the rest. The coolest thing about "Hannah Montana" is that the episode names are all spins on popular song titles. The four that are included on this DVD are listed below, along with a brief summary of each. "Achy Jakey
Heart, Part One" (22:32) (Originally aired June 24, 2007) "Achy Jakey Heart, Part Two"
(22:32) (Originally aired June 24, 2007) "I Am Hannah, Hear Me Croak"
(22:32) (Originally aired April 27, 2007) "I Want You to Want Me... To Go
to Florida" (22:32) (Originally aired July 21, 2007) The show is presented in its original 1.33:1 fullscreen. To no fault of the DVD itself, the production on "Hannah Montana" doesn't render a very pleasing picture. Recorded on digital video, the show is plenty colorful but excessively bright. Oftentimes blurry and visually loud, the presentation just looks cheap on the whole and betrays any sense of realism. It's not so bad as to make the episodes painful to view (though the content might be), but the quality could certainly use improvement. Audio comes by way of a Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround Sound track, which provides 3.1 more
channels than the standard network broadcasts do. That extra
sound doesn't change much but the occasional rear channel sound
effect, widened laugh track, and theme song all benefit. "Backstage Pass: The Secrets of Hannah Montana" (5:32) is a featurette that pieces together interviews with several of the main and recurring cast members. The interviewees discuss the secrets kept by the characters, the actors themselves, and the backstage crew that dress the cast and convert Miley the brunette into Hannah the blonde. The main menu is heavily animated, showing off an impressive amount of activity as stills and video from various episodes literally take the stage at a Hannah Montana concert. An instrumental version of the theme song plays along with the cheers of a fan-filled crowd. Submenus are accompanied by music well but are merely still screens. Each of the four episodes can be selected individually or played all together with the push of one button. Additionally, each episode is divided into around four chapters for easy scene access. The disc is equipped with Disney's FastPlay, meaning the main menu will never show up unless you make use of the "menu" button on your remote. Inside the white keepcase is a collection of ads, a Magic Code for the Disney Movie Rewards program, and an episode selection card. The disc opens with previews for 101 Dalmatians: Platinum Edition, Enchanted, High School Musical 2, and Wish Gone Amiss. From the dedicated menu, one can also see previews for Cinderella II: Dreams Come True - Special Edition, The Aristocats: Special Edition, Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board, the Disney Channel's new "Wizards of Waverly Place", Snow Buddies, and the Disney Movie Rewards program. CLOSING THOUGHTS "Hannah Montana" is not a great show. It's not even a good one. Marred by a failure to be funny, it's difficult to make it through an episode without groaning or sighing. The third DVD devoted entirely to the series presents a measly four episodes which are about as good (or bad) as any other "Hannah Montana" that I've seen. Accompanying them is a coupling of worthwhile but typical extras. Like the disc's title says, life is what you make it, so go out and do something better with your time and money than waste it on "Hannah Montana". | ||
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Lion
King leaps onto French stage BBC News - It's perhaps a surprising choice for a country which has almost no history of musical theatre and which tends to look down a little on sing-along shows. But The Lion King, the blockbusting Disney stage musical, opened at the Mogador theatre in Paris this week as Le Roi Lion. The last musical to be tried out in Paris's Mogador theatre was Les Miserables - but despite being home-grown, it failed to take root with the French public and ran for just eight months. Le Roi Lion, however, has been greeted by standing ovations on each of its six preview nights, and Stephane Laporte, who adapted the stage show and translated the lyrics into French, was confident before the curtain went up in Paris on Thursday that this American coming of age musical would have its French audiences hooked. "I think the French are getting accustomed to the idea that it's possible to have theatre that sings," he told the BBC. "It's something we used to do in the Twenties and lost track of. So I hope its going to be the start of something new. "We've adapted the show a bit for the French audience - where there's a Charleston dance for example, we've put in a cancan. The French audience appreciate seeing a bit of their own culture in the show!" | ||
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Disney-ABC dubs content into
Hindi C21Media - Disney-ABC International Television is making its animated content available on a general entertainment service voiced in Hindi for the first time, in a deal struck with Indian channel Star Plus. The company made the announcement to coincide with India Day, held in Cannes today. In the first of two separate deals, its Disney Platinum Collection classic animated titles will be made available on basic cable channel Star Plus dubbed into Hindi for the first time, using local Bollywood talent to voice characters. The agreement kicked off with The Incredibles on October 1, with Superstar Shah Rukh Khan providing the voice of Mr Incredible, and Khan's son, Aryan Khan, that of Dash. Among other Disney movies planned for the service are Toy Story, Tarzan, Finding Nemo and Jungle Book. This latest agreement extends Disney's existing relationship with Star, which already airs Disney's live-action TV series, including Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty and Lost. In a separate agreement with Sony Network's entertainment channel SAB, Disney will also now make Desperate Housewives, Lost and Alias available in Hindi for the first time, with Lost launching on SAB on October 12. Disney already distributes current and library feature films from Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films libraries in five languages in India (Tamil, Telegu, Malayalam, Hindi and English), available on Zee Studio, Filmy, Max, Sun's network of channels and Star Gold. Disney-ABC International Television recently expanded its team in India by appointing Swati Shetty as director to drive the TV distribution business across all platforms. "We believe in the potential of TV in India and it's an important part of our global business strategy," said Greg Johnson, VP of sales at Disney-ABC International Television (Asia Pacific). Johnson added that the company intends to continue finding new locally relevant and tailored ways for people to connect with its content. For now, Disney-ABC International Television remains the first and only US studio to license the latest Hollywood blockbusters on pay-per-view/near-video-on-demand platforms in India. Dish TV will also be launching ABC News Now, the first ABC News Now 24/7 channel outside the US, on its DTH platform later this year, pending regulatory approval. | ||
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Sunday October, 7 2007 | ||
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Disney's
`Game Plan' Repeats as No. 1 Film
Bloomberg - Walt Disney Co.'s ``The Game Plan'' was the No. 1 film in U.S. and Canadian theaters for a second straight weekend, pulling in $16.3 million in receipts. The movie beat the debut of Viacom Inc.'s ``The Heartbreak Kid,'' which opened in second place with $14 million, box-office tracker Media By Numbers LLC said today in a statement. ``The Game Plan,'' which stars Dwayne ``The Rock'' Johnson as a quarterback who discovers he's a father, has had $42.8 million in ticket sales since its debut Sept. 28. The film, directed by Andy Fickman, opened to poor reviews from critics, who have given only 22 positive reviews out of 73 tracked on RottenTomatoes.com. Second place's ``Heartbreak Kid,'' from the DreamWorks unit of Viacom's Paramount Pictures, stars Ben Stiller as a bachelor who is goaded into a quick marriage by relatives who feel he has been single too long. He falls for another woman, played by Michelle Monaghan, while his bride recuperates from sunburn in their hotel room. The 1972 ``Heartbreak Kid,'' which playwright Neil Simon adapted from a short story, starred Charles Grodin as the unfaithful husband and Cybill Shepherd as his new love interest. ``The Kingdom,'' from General Electric Co.'s Universal Pictures, dropped to third place from second with $9.3 million. The film stars Jamie Foxx as the leader of an FBI squad investigating the terrorist bombing of an American compound in Saudi Arabia. `The Seeker' ``Resident Evil: Extinction'' from Sony Corp. fell to fourth place from third with sales of $4.3 million. The film is the third chapter in the series about a post-apocalyptic world in which an evil corporation that unleashed a deadly virus tries to track down the survivors. ``The Seeker: The Dark is Rising,'' opened in fifth place with $3.7 million. The other new release, ``Feel the Noise,'' was seventh with $3.4 million. In sixth through 10th places, respectively, were ``Good Luck Chuck, from Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. with $3.5 million; ``Feel the Noise''; ``3:10 to Yuma,'' from Lions Gate, with $3.04 million; ``The Brave One,'' from Warner Bros., with $2.26 million; and ``Mr. Woodcock,'' from New Line, with $2.03 million. Sales for the top 12 films fell 35 percent this weekend to $65.7 million from the year-earlier period, according to Encino, California-based Media By Numbers. Year-to-date ticket sales have risen 6.7 percent to $7.45 billion, while attendance is up 2 percent. | ||
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At
Disney World, Richard Petty meets Cinderella Pittsburgh Post Gazette - Richard Petty, meet Cinderella. The king of stockcar racing is suddenly hanging with the queen of fairytale endings, and I'm suspended somewhere between them in a limbo land of hot laps, cool blue satin and anything my heart desires. Disney World is all about fantasy, of course, but I'm suddenly whip lashed between tearing around the track and dressing for the ball. I'll spend my afternoon at the Richard Petty Driving Experience and my evening, thanks to my lucky friend Susan and Disney's Year of a Million Dreams, under Cinderella's turreted roof. At the Richard Petty Driving Experience, hot rod passengers and drivers hug the mile-long tri-oval at Walt Disney World Speedway. Petty, stockcar's all-time leading driver with 200 wins and seven season championships, is the inspiration to zip up a Nomex racing suit and pull on a helmet in the blistering Florida sun. I'm going to ride shotgun with one of the track hot dogs, taking eight laps riding high on the straightaways and low on the curves. The crew picks out a giant white helmet that squeezes my head, leaving just a little horseshoe opening for the face. My cheeks puff out -- well, since this is Disney -- like Chip 'n' Dale's. Time to pretzel myself in through the window, ready to be latched into my adult-size kiddie seat. Derek the Driver asks if I'm ready, and with a nod, we're accelerating out of pit lane for real laps on a real NASCAR track. It's frustrating that there's only concrete and chain link fence, no little trees to blur by so I can appreciate our 122 mph top speed. No screaming fans, either, and I'm absolutely convinced that Derek and I deserve them. But after eight laps, I do have the satisfaction of a genuine checkered flag semaphoring over my head. All the way back to pit lane, I imagine paparazzi racing out to snap our photos and grab a quote. A hunky model will bring me my trophy and all of Disney World will lie at my feet. Hey, a girl can dream, can't she? She certainly can, if she's spending the evening not just dining at Cinderella's Royal Table, but sleeping in Cinderella's Castle, too. Forget our prowess on the race track -- the real championship moves come in racing back to the hotel, scrubbing off NASCAR grit and slipping into silk and sequins to meet the Princess of the Evening. That, of course, would normally be Cinderella herself, all blue satin gown, headband and white evening gloves. But tonight she's sharing center stage with my friend Susan, who won the night in the castle suite and asked five of her girlfriends to come along. In a heartbeat, we're the Sinderella Six. One of our concierges, Steve Skobel, unlocks the unassuming Gothic-gabled door in the breezeway beneath the castle. First, a tiny foyer, just princess-size, with a grandfather clock whose hands never quite reach midnight. Then it's up the elevator to our private Brigadoon -- ours for less than 24 hours. We tumble out of the elevator into another small vestibule, lined with original cells from the "Cinderella" film. One panel, disguising a hidden door, is curious for its oversized filigree key. "What's this?" the Sinderella Six wonder. "That's the Key to the World." Does it get any better? But we're not even in Cinderella's suite yet. Once again, the door inches back silently and we have our first glimpse of true princesshood. Cinderella's own movie is playing on the flat-screen TV atop the stone chimney breast. Below, a little make-believe fire sizzles, and on the fireback, miniature fiber-optic fireworks pop out of the blackness. That's it, I'm sold. Yet this is the merest appetizer to the Sinderella feast. Tapestries hang between carved stone pillars and stained-glass panes. Intrusions of modern life -- mini-fridge, digital clock -- are hidden behind wood and brocade. It seems that Cinderella herself has left the chocolates on our beds, with little cards hoping our dreams come true. But there's no dreaming yet, because we want to march down Main Street with the hoi polloi and see our castle backlit by fireworks. It's all we can do to keep from nudging every tank-topped tourist and telling them, "Hey, that's our castle!" Our trio of concierges remind us we can call anyone anywhere in the world free, and they're on duty all night to fulfill our slightest whim. For the Sinderellas? It's caramel corn at 3 a.m. Before the Sinderellas crashed, after 4, the princesses ordered coffee and fresh scones to sweeten their brutal 7 a.m. wake-up call. In between, we filled Cinderella's whirlpool and soaked all 12 royal feet -- while the Sinderellas' battery-powered Mickey Mouse ears twinkled in the twilight. I have an obscenely early flight, so I can't wait for coffee and scones. I slip out of the room, soon after the last Sinderella finally crashes. I click a quick mental snapshot of them, curled up sleeping like the little girls they once were, with dreams of Cinderella, Fairy Godmothers and Prince Charmings dancing in their dreams. Richard Petty's not even in the race. Disney parks
The program features a new online catalog to showcase various freebies and privileges, http://DisneyParks.com/DreamCatalog. Cast members at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., and Walt Disney World near Orlando randomly choose the lucky winners from among visitors. You can also mail in an entry form in the hopes of being chosen, with some restrictions on entry eligibility; details at http://disneyparks.com/2008rules. | ||
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Garmin Nuvi 350 stolen in Disney World TMC Net - I'm down in Disney World with my wife, daughter, and mother-in-law and a Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS was stolen at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon. Although the road signage is great around Disney, I was using a Garmin Nuvi 350 portable GPS to get around. I wasn't using the suction cup since it leaves a ring on the window which indicates to thieves you either have a radar detector or GPS. Either can fetch a pretty penny on eBay. Anyway, normally I carry the Nuvi with me into the parks since I don't trust leaving it in the vehicle. It's also handy for mapping where you left your vehicle for a quick getaway. However, since we were going to a water park and would be leaving our stuff basically on a lounge chair out in the open, I figured leaving the GPS in the vehicle was safer. I was smart enough not to leave the GPS unit on the dashboard, which is basically saying "come steal me". However, I didn't put it into the glove box or under the seat. I just stuffed it into the cup holder which obscured it somewhat. I was in a GMC Envoy, a pretty big car with tinted back windows, so I figured it was obscured enough by the cup holder. Only a thief walking the parking lot and peering into vehicles would see it. Disney security drives around as well, so I didn't think twice about not hiding the GPS under the seat. I should mention this entire week has been very hot and humid. I believe when we went to the water park it was over 95 degrees and with the humidity they said it feels like 104 degrees, so when I left Typhoon Lagoon, I just wanted to get in the car, blast the A/C and go without having to reach under the seat. The cup holder was easier... Long story short, we came back to the rental vehicle to see the driver-side window smashed and the Garmin Nuvi 350 missing. They left the stroller and baby seat. Hey, at least they were thoughtful thieves! Apparently Disney security had left the parking lot for an hour due to an injury in the water park. Probably right when they broke the window. Amazingly, no one was around to hear smashing glass in a packed parking lot. I can live with the $375 loss and the inconvenience of having to drive BACK to the airport to get a new rental car. But to think that perhaps someone saw something and did nothing is a bit annoying. If you wondering if I had rental car insurance @$9/day, no I did not. However, it's possible my Platinum Visa card will cover the damage to the window and the stolen GPS. I filed a claim online (they won't do it over the phone) and am crossing my fingers... And to the thief who stole the GPS, I've already forgiven you. You obviously must have a tough life in order to steal. It must have taken great courage to have to bust a window knowing you would be leaving sharp glass shards all over a baby's car seat. But hey, at least you didn't steal from a baby. You did leave the $300 baby car seat. I hope you get top dollar wherever you sell the Garmin Nuvi 350. I just hope it's to put food on your table and not drugs into your system or to pad your Playstation gaming library. I'll just consider this part of my yearly charity to the poor. Too bad I can't write this off on my taxes. On a more positive note, I scored 147,400 points on Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, a new record (for me anyway) and I'm still having a blast on my vacation even with my GPS gadget misfortune. | ||
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Disney Gets Its Way With Lawmakers InjuryBoard - A recent bill passed in the legislature that was designed to help consumers, actually could have scared away many retailers from offering coupons and RUINED CHRISTMAS. The original bill was intended to forbid expiration dates on gift certificates and gift cards so that consumers would actually receive what they paid for. However, Disney hired 14 lobbyists (at a cost of $40,000-$90,000) to get an exception put in that would allow certificates for amusement parks that are sold as part of a package to have expiration dates. This would be most common in an employer giving free tickets to its employees. Retailers, however, became scared that issuing coupons with expiration dates of less than a year would be illegal. Their solution? To not offer coupons at all. However, lawmakers saved the Christmas shopping season this week when they clarified language in the bill. Hmmm...I thought it was the Grinch who almost stole Christmas, not Mickey Mouse. We have discussed in past blogs how Disney World and the other big theme parks in Florida, including Universal Studions, and Sea World have lobbied for legislation to get special exemptions from state ride regulations and special exemptions from reporting injuries on rides. Just remember, the State of Florida has more information about the number of ride injuries sustained at a County Fair than they do at the big theme parks. | ||
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New Canuck film dazzles Disney World
Canoe.ca - Cowboy hats and maple syrup mingled with mouse ears and wild rides yesterday as Disney World's Epcot Center unveiled its new tribute to Canada. Inside the Canada pavilion at the world-renowned resort, the Canadian Tourism Commission and Disney gave the Great White North a makeover in the form of a new 360-degree film showcasing the nation's premier attractions. And the film, narrated by Hamilton comedian Martin Short, doesn't skimp on Western flavour. Between aerial shots of Niagara Falls, the Bay of Fundy and Ottawa's Rideau Canal, the Calgary Stampede and the city's skyline play starring roles in the new film. "There's a fair chunk about the Calgary Stampede so I'm excited about that," said George Brookman, president of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. Brookman's crew came ready for the event with a chuckwagon, the Stampede queens and princesses, hoop dancers and, of course, some pancakes. "They see us coming with our white hats and they know Calgary's here," he said. The film, played inside the pavilion on a 360-degree screen replaces the dated flick that was shot 30 years ago. The new film showcases a more modern Canada from coast-to-coast-to-coast, says Michele McKenzie, president of the Canadian Tourism Commission. "This is a wonderful improvement over the previous film," she said. "The old one didn't do the job that's needed to inspire people to travel to Canada." McKenzie said potential tourists view Canada as picturesque postcard of grizzly bears and mountains, but can't often picture themselves amid the rugged wilderness. "For many tourists, Canada is one of the top five places they want to travel in their lifetime," she said. "But they have a hard time thinking about what to do if they come to Canada. Our intention is to help people put themselves in the picture." Disney had creative control of the project, and the 14-minute film touches on the bulk of Canada's landmarks. Alberta Associate Minister of Tourism Cindy Ady says despite the fact there is nothing specifically depicting Edmonton, the film will draw visitors to Alberta. "You can't buy this kind of publicity," she said. "The goal is to get people to Alberta and once they're here, they'll move around the province." The film will be played countless times each day at the Canada pavilion. There are 10.6 million visitors to Epcot each year. | ||
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| Back News |
Walt
Disney Company CEO Bob Iger was obviously filled with joy and
pride as he presented his former boss, mentor and friend Tom
Murphy—the former chairman and chief executive of Capital Cities
ABC, before selling it to the Disney Company—with a Disney
Legends award. He was again overcome with emotion as he
posthumously inducted colleague, friend, and the former
president of ABC News Roone Arledge into the ranks of Disney
Legends.
The
biggest surprise among the list of this year’s Disney Legend
honorees was that of artist and animator Art Babbitt. Babbitt,
whose numerous contributions to Disney animation include turning
Dippy Dog into Goofy, the Wicked Queen in Snow White,
and Geppetto in Pinocchio, is best known among
animation and Disney fans for having earned Walt Disney’s ire
for resigning his post as head of the Disney studio union in
1941. Later that year, after joining the Screen Cartoonist’s
Guild, Babbitt went on to lead the divisive strike against
Disney. That strike forever changed the course of animation,
both within the Disney Studio and the industry as a whole.
The
DVD is bursting with extreme bonus features that open a door
into the exciting world of dirtboarding. "Angle On: Board
Stunts" goes behind the scenes with expert dirtboarder and
movie stunt coordinator Akoni Kama. The in-depth featurette
allows viewers to become virtual stunt coordinators and select
from a variety of different movie angle shots of dirtboard
stunts. "The Dirt on Dirtboarding" is a look inside the
extreme sport, with a "glossary" of dirtboarding terms and
visual demonstrations of some breathtaking stunts. Cast
interviews and music videos from the Jonas Brothers and
T-squad complete the DVD's bonus offerings. 
HANNAH
MONTANA: LIFE'S WHAT YOU MAKE IT finds Miley/Hannah starting
high school, needing some independence from her family and
dealing with typical teenage insecurities. Emily Osment (Spy
Kids 2), Mitchel Musso (Walker Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire)
and Jason Earles (American Pie Presents Band Camp) play her
best friends and Miley's real life dad and country music
legend Billy Ray Cyrus plays her father and manager Robby.
There
are digital cameras, ranging in size and price from $20, $50,
and $80, all PC-compatible for downloading photos, all with
several Disney-themed designs. And 15-inch LCD TVs ($249-$299)
framed by Disney themes (High School Musical locker,
Hannah Montana stage) are new this year. 
Disney
is extending its "Year of a Million Dreams" program through
2008, after granting wishes large and small to a million park
visitors since the giveaways began in the fall of 2006.