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| MickeyXtreme's News Archive September 2-8 2007 | ||
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Saturday September, 8 2007 | ||
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Disney backs star after her apology for nude photo Reuters - Vanessa Hudgens, the star of the wholesome, made-for-kids TV movie hit "High School Musical," apologized on Friday for a nude photo of her on the Web and Walt Disney Co. said it was sticking by the performer. Some parents of her young fans voiced dismay over the photo, which shows Hudgens, 18, smiling and standing naked directly in front of the camera. "I want to apologize to my fans, whose support and trust means the world to me," Hudgens said in a statement issued about a day after the photo surfaced. "I am embarrassed over this situation and regret having ever taken these photos. I am thankful for the support of my family and friends." In a statement, Disney (DIS.N) said it hoped Hudgens had learned a valuable lesson. "Vanessa has apologized for what was obviously a lapse in judgment." A Disney representative said the photo would not affect its decision to cast Hudgens in the third film of the "High School Musical" franchise and that negotiations for the cast and creative team were continuing. Earlier on Friday, a representative for Hudgens confirmed the image was of Hudgens but said it "was taken privately." "It is a personal matter and it is unfortunate that this has become public," the representative said in a statement. Hudgens has starred in "High School Musical" and "High School Musical 2" as Gabriella, the sweet, innocent science geek whose romance with athlete Troy, played by Zac Efron, is chronicled in the two hugely popular made-for-television movies on the squeaky-clean Disney Channel. Hudgens and Efron, who date in real life, were so chaste on screen they did not even kiss until the end of the second film, a climactic moment marked by fireworks going off behind them. The two movies form the cornerstone of one of Disney's most lucrative franchises for preteen girls and a third is planned for release to theaters next year. The second film debuts on Disney Channels in other countries this weekend. 'VERY PRIVATE PERSON' In a Teen magazine interview released earlier this week, Hudgens described herself as "a very private person" with "very good morals" who enjoyed serving as a role model. "I've been brought up with very good morals and I'm not going to go out and do something I don't want other kids to do," she said in the article. But some parents of young fans were outraged by the photo, saying it tarnished Hudgens' image. "She's damaged," Renee Rollins-Greenberg, a Los Angeles mother of two, told Reuters. "She's got this teeny-bop audience, young preteens and younger, who are admiring her and thinking she's this wonderful, pure innocent person. Eighteen is awfully young for this kind of display." "I'm devastated because I have an 8-year-old for which I now have to have an explanation," said another Los Angeles-area mother, Rosie Konkel. "She's always looked at this character as a very smart and proper young lady." "High School Musical 2" debuted on Disney Channel last month to a record audience of 17.2 million viewers to become the most-watched individual program in cable TV history. The show's soundtrack debuted at No. 1 on national album sales charts, where it has remained for the past three weeks, selling nearly 1.2 million copies. | ||
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Hannah
Montana Concert Brings Joy, Outrage
Local 6 - One of the most popular people on TV is coming to Oklahoma City, but Hannah Montana's December concert has thus far been a sore spot for some parents. Many parents have e-mailed KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City, asking why they cannot get tickets, why ticket brokers are the only ones with tickets and why they are charging into the thousands of dollars for tickets. However, the general manager of the Ford Center, where the Dec. 2 concert will take place, said the situation is the result of capitalism -- at its best or worst, depending on perspective. That doesn't do much to cheer up 7-year-old Willow Spivey. She won't get to see her favorite performer when she comes to Oklahoma City. "I'm saving the change," she said. However, there is nowhere near enough money in Willow's bank account for even a nosebleed seat. "I thought surely there would be some tickets online, and I never thought they would cost $140 to $3,000," said Tami Spivey, Willow's mother. That's the going rate for tickets, some of which have face values of less than $60. Brokers with oklahomatickets.com said the demand for Hannah Montana is truly unique. Montana, who is actually Miley Cyrus, daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, is a hit character on the Disney Channel. Miley Cyrus will perform one set as herself and another as her alter-ego on the tour. Because of the popularity of everything Hannah Montana these days, they said, the price the company has to pay to get tickets doesn't leave much room for marking them up. They said they work at a minimal profit. "I'm going to be very sad if I don't go," Willow said. Experts said there are several factors that make it difficult to get tickets at face value. Because of the Internet, hot tickets can be sold by the thousands in literally an instant. Concert officials said there were less than 12,000 seats available for this show, and there were 300 people in line waiting for the box office to open the first day of the sale. Authorities said selling tickets for more than face value is illegal in Oklahoma City but not in the rest of the state. People who have tickets can do what they please with them outside of the Oklahoma City limits. | ||
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Going to Disney
at USC TheStreet - Cramer believes that many people wrongly think of Disney (DIS) as a "new media company." However, Disney is arguably the "only global brand" in the movie business. Cramer welcomed Disney President and CEO Bob Iger onto the program. Cramer said Disney "should be so much higher than it is now for so many reasons." Beyond its 28% growth in operating income in 2006, Cramer likes that Disney repurchased $5.2 billion of its stock in the first nine months of 2007. Iger attributes Disney's success to a combination of strong management and high quality. But Iger emphasized that Disney realizes its audience is more likely to spend more time in front of a computer than a television. Iger spoke about Disney's acquisition of Club Penguin, a social networking site for children. He said the Internet is a "powerful space we have to occupy." | ||
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Disney cruise ship back in Brevard Orlando Sentinel - The Disney Magic, one of the Disney Cruise Line's two ships, has returned to Port Canaveral after a summer of sailing the Mediterranean.
The 2,700-passenger ship returned
to Brevard County from Barcelona on Saturday and immediately
began a fall schedule of seven-night eastern and western
Caribbean cruises. The Magic had been in Europe since May,
marking the first time Disney's fledgling cruise line ventured
into the increasingly lucrative European market.
Disney has some sailing to do this fall to live up to the terms of its contract with the Canaveral Port Authority. The agreement includes a provision requiring Disney's ships to make 150 calls each year in Brevard in order to maintain exclusive use of the nearly $30 million cruise terminal Canaveral built for Disney. Port figures show the Disney Magic and Wonder made 108 stops through the first half of the year. | ||
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Photo File, Inc. Launches Disney Gold Records Collection
Photo File, Inc. - Photo File, Inc., the leader in licensed sports photography, will debut limited edition framed, 24KT gold-plated records commemorating classic Disney soundtracks at Decor Expo, the world's largest decorative art and framing tradeshow, in Atlanta on September 7. The line will rollout at retailers nationwide with a suggested retail price of $249 each. The collection will feature timeless classics including The Lion King, Fantasia, Sleeping Beauty, A Child's Garden of Verses, and a special tribute titled The Princesses, a celebration of four of the most beloved Disney Princess films of all time: The Little Mermaid, Snow White, Cinderella, and Beauty and The Beast. "The soundtracks to the Disney movies are as celebrated and timeless as the movies themselves," said Photo File President Keith Holden. "We're honored that The Walt Disney Company has granted us the license to produce these beautiful collectibles for Disney fans." For more information contact Photo File at (914) 375-6000. | ||
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Sunil Shahani to Head Affiliate Relations for Walt Disney
MoneyControl - Walt Disney Television International- India (WDTVI) announced Sunil Shahani as the Head of Affiliate Relations for Disney Channel, Jetix and Hungama TV. The announcement was made today by Antoine Villeneuve, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Walt Disney Television India. Sunil Shahani takes on the affiliate relations role in addition to his current assignment as Head of Finance for the Walt Disney Company (India). He will work closely with WDTVI-I distribution partner, Star India to manage all aspects of cable & satellite distribution and network development in the country. Commenting on the appointment, Antoine Villeneuve, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, The Walt Disney Television International India Private Limited said, "We are glad to announce Sunil's extended role in the company to further strengthening our TV business in India. We are confident that his expertise and acumen will propel our business efforts in this immensely exciting market." | ||
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Friday September, 7 2007 | ||
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'High School'
Star Says Nude Pic Is Real TMZ.com - The wholesome image of Vanessa Hudgens, star of the made-for-kids TV movie hit "High School Musical," was under fire on Friday because of a nude photo circulating on the Internet, creating a new publicity challenge for the Walt Disney Co. A representative for actress Vanessa Hudgens confirmed on Friday that the image is of the 18-year-old performer. The picture shows her smiling and standing naked directly in front of the camera in what appears to be a bathroom. "This was a photo which was taken privately," Hudgens' representative said in a statement. "It is a personal matter and it is unfortunate that this has become public." A Disney representative had no comment about whether the appearance of the photo would affect the company's decision to cast Hudgens in the third film of the "High School Musical" franchise. Hudgens has starred in "High School Musical" and "High School Musical 2" as Gabriella, the sweet, innocent science geek whose romance with athlete Troy, played by Zac Efron, is chronicled in the two hugely popular made-for-television movies on the squeaky-clean Disney Channel. Hudgens and Efron, who actually date in real life, were so chaste on screen that they did not even kiss until the end of the second film, a climactic moment marked by fireworks going off behind them. The two movies form the cornerstone of one of Disney's most lucrative franchises for pre-teen girls and a third is planned for release to theaters next year. The second film debuts on Disney Channels in other countries starting this weekend. Some parents of young fans were outraged by the photo, saying it tarnished Hudgens' image. "She's damaged," Renee Rollins-Greenberg, a Los Angeles mother of two, told Reuters. "She's got this teeny-bop audience, young pre-teens and younger, who are admiring her and thinking she's this wonderful, pure innocent person. Eighteen is awfully young for this kind of display." "I'm devastated because I have an 8-year-old for which I now have to have an explanation," said another Los Angeles-area mother, Rosie Konkel. "She's always looked at this character as a very smart and proper young lady." "High School Musical 2" debuted on Disney Channel on August 17 to a record-shattering audience of 17.2 million viewers to become the most-watched individual program in cable TV history. The show's soundtrack debuted at No. 1 on national album sales charts, where it has remained for the past three weeks, selling nearly 1.2 million copies. | ||
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From
Frontierland to your front yard
Los Angeles Times - Here's an interesting fact: Only 100 feet divides Adventureland from Frontierland. While one land drips with banyans and bromeliads, the other sizzles with cactus and sage. It's within this great divide that perceptive visitors can find their own garden inspiration -- one of many masterfully conceived mini-landscapes at Disneyland whose design just might work at home. That's right. Now that the summertime crowds are starting to ebb, put on the mouse ears and head to Anaheim. Aptly named horticulturist Karen Hedges, who oversees the day-to-day upkeep and artistry of the park's gardens, provided a behind-the-scenes tour one recent morning, before the gates opened to the public. What she and her gang of nearly 150 gardeners pull off every day is nothing short of Herculean. "It's 6 a.m., and we just got through laying 10,000 square feet of new sod," she notes cheerfully, adding that her crew deadheads the gardens of Disneyland, California Adventure, Downtown Disney and three Disney hotels every day. Sure, most visitors don't come for the landscape design, but take a look at that garden separating the entrances to Adventureland and Frontierland, and you'll see a fantastic example of color usage, plant juxtapositions and water-wise design. There beside a duck pond grows a deep spray of ruddy yellow rudbeckias, tawny yarrows, gaillardias, salvias, sunflowers and swaying golden fountain grasses. The sunset hues set a romantic tone, a Wild West where men crack bullwhips and madams snap garters. Some of these flowers are hot-weather annuals, whereas the grasses and sages will hold up for years to come. In fact, using visually dynamic perennials as the bones of a garden is a classic design technique. Annual flowers can be shucked in and out as the seasons change (and they do change here, occasionally). Designing a garden with perennials first, annuals second, results in a landscape that's almost always beautiful, easier to maintain and, because you'll buy fewer plants as time goes by, kinder to your wallet. The plants in this part of Disneyland are all distinctively shaped. Each one has a slightly different leaf and sends its own message to the eye. If you live in a Spanish-style bungalow or a California Craftsman, take a close look, me 'earties, because the vibrant and expertly blended colors here are perfect for pirating. NATURALLY, there's more. This is Disneyland. Virtually every ride in the park comes with its own landscape look, a design that creatively overcomes the challenges of its space. Perhaps you live in an apartment or condo, your only garden the hodgepodge selection of pots on a balcony or patio. A jaunt over to New Orleans Square provides some fine examples. Throughout the narrow alleyways of the square are dozens upon dozens of beautifully rendered pots. Spilling and coiling from these urns are densely packed collections of begonias, variegated plectranthus, English ivies, coleus of all colors, azaleas, fuchsias and caladiums. Each pot is a garden in its own right, abiding by a basic rule of landscape design: something spiky, something round, something dazzling, something subtle. Taken as a whole, no single pot is more dominant than another. Together, they speckle the dour, aged colors of New Orleans Square with bright, jazzy hues. The trick to these pots is threefold: They've been stuffed full with fairly mature plants, they rely on the contours and colors of foliage rather than flowers to make their statement, and they grow simultaneously upward and downward, away from the confines of the pot. There are more ideas to borrow over in Tomorrowland. As in all parts of the park, here Hedges' crews perform the daily magic of "color call-outs," deciding which annual flowers need to be replaced and what "instant landscaping" might be required. But it's the people with Disney's Imagineering unit who come up with the grand, big-picture ideas. Imagineer Tony Baxter is credited with dreaming up Tomorrowland's edible landscape, and if you've ever wondered how a hedgerow of clipped kumquats might look in your yard, this is where you'd find out. Stroll past Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and you'll see espaliered apples, cute rows of peppers, sheared rosemary, lavender and semolina. Another twist and turn in the path reveals strawberries, artichokes, dwarf pomegranates and a perfectly sculpted persimmon tree. "It took some time to figure out the best combinations in the edible gardens," Hedges says. "Tomato plants, as any gardener knows, are not usually very ornamental. So we've substituted red peppers into Tony's designs." Again, long-lived plants establish the structure of the garden, and annuals provide outbursts of colors and variations in plant dimensions. It's immensely useful to see an edible landscape in a finished form. Too often these gardens are photographed in bite-size pieces. In Tomorrowland, gardeners can appreciate the idea as a whole and more readily see how easily these plants can be incorporated at home. The clean, French lines of the edible landscapes are also worth noting -- something one doesn't often see in Southern California vegetable gardens. EVEN Disneyland gardens that are a bit themey and theatrical have ideas worth borrowing. The gothic garden of the Haunted Mansion takes advantage of new hybrid colors available for familiar plants. Here, just inside the moss-green wrought-iron fencing, low-growing heucheras sport leaves in unusual shades that could be best described as dried Grey Poupon mustard and day-old lox. They bob above dark tufts of black mondo grass. Ground covers of black ajuga and vermilion ipomoea trail around headstones. Small weeping mulberries, contorted willows and shimmering coprosma serve as the garden's midsize plants, while dappled sunlight falls through classic Southern magnolia trees arched overhead. The Haunted Mansion's garden may be one of the most cleverly planted arrangements you will see. If you were to swap the colors of the plants -- say, trade the washed-out heucheras for ones in vibrant Cabernet colors, switch the ajugas to variegated pinks and greens, and change the ipomeas to purple and pinks -- you would have created a garden that was traditionally beautiful. The color palette that visitors see here does create a forlorn sense of decay, but the shapes and combinations of leaf and branch are what make this garden worth studying. The list of such lessons here is long. There are the tropical gardens in Adventureland, perfect for a poolside landscape. Around the darker rides in Fantasyland, you'll find wonderfully coifed boxwood hedges and thick plantings of traditional European annual flowers. Expansive succulent gardens emulate underwater seascapes near Ariel's Grotto and the new Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. Nicely crafted gardens featuring California native plants await in Downtown Disney. As Hedges' morning tour stops at the animal topiaries crafted along the banks of It's a Small World, one of the lead landscape gardeners, Mike Buhrmester, pauses to report that the blue lobelia he had been planting is rife with hookworm. Hedges immediately asks which grower supplied the plants, and she and Buhrmester quickly figure out how to stretch their resources and still make the garden Disney-worthy. It takes all of a minute for them to devise a solution. That, she says, is her wisest secret for creating a wonderful landscape. "We just try our best," she says, leading the way to the next garden on the map. "It always seems to work out." In other words, relax. Don't fuss. Have fun. That is the golden garden rule. | ||
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Disney's The Little Mermaid Sells Out 7-Week Pre-Broadway
Engagement at the Denver Center PRNewswire - With its final performance this Sunday, September 9 -- after four weeks of previews and nearly three weeks of performances -- Disney's pre-Broadway engagement of THE LITTLE MERMAID has sold out every ticket made available to the public in its run at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. With nearly 95,000 seats sold in 47 performances, this pre-Broadway engagement has been one of the most highly attended events in DCPA history and the most successful out-of-town tryout for Disney Theatrical Productions ever. "The Denver Center for the Performing Arts is delighted to have had the pre-Broadway engagement of THE LITTLE MERMAID here in the gorgeous new Ellie Caulkins Opera House," said Randy Weeks, President and Executive Director of Denver Center Attractions. "This was the highlight of our year and we have been overwhelmed by the tremendous support and amazing response our audiences have shown. We greatly value our relationship with Disney Theatrical Productions, and have been honored to have this fantastic cast and crew here in Denver." Noted by local critics to be "a lavish production" with "moments of glimmering magic" (Rocky Mountain News) and called an "intoxicating spectacle" (The Denver Post), Mermaid has delighted scores of Denver theatre-goers. Making her Broadway debut as Ariel, Sierra Boggess (coincidentally a Denver native), was lauded by Denver critics as having an "ethereal voice" and "the spunk and sparkle of a girl capable of saving both herself and the prince" (Rocky Mountain News). Denver Post critic John Moore said of the actress, "Bet on it: This kid's gonna be a big Broadway star." Moore also noted, "The casting is impeccable...Boggess and Scott could be destined for Tony Award nominations." "THE LITTLE MERMAID represents the quintessential Disney theatrical experience, and this imaginative, ambitious, and entertaining production brings a whole new level of excitement and audience involvement to this timeless tale," said Dick Cook, chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. "We're thrilled by the audience response to the previews and performances in Denver, and feel strongly that the show is going to be a favorite with audiences on Broadway for a long time starting this fall. Thomas Schumacher and his team have done an incredible job bringing THE LITTLE MERMAID to the stage, and we're extremely proud of this latest milestone. It's clear from the Denver engagement that this production delivers all the magic, charm, and memorable music, and that the show met or exceeded even the highest expectations." Ellie Caulkins, the namesake for THE LITTLE MERMAID's theatre home in Denver, commented, "I am so pleased that the City of Denver was able to create a beautiful opera house at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, a fantastic venue where audiences might experience a piece of history like this, as well as opera and ballet. On a personal note, I am thrilled that I had the opportunity to see this amazing production four times! I loved it all!" Jack Finlaw, Director of Denver's Division of Theatres and Arenas, added, "I am elated that THE LITTLE MERMAID made its pre-Broadway premiere at our Ellie Caulkins Opera House. As the first Broadway musical to play the new opera house, this was a history-making engagement and a source of great pride that the entire City of Denver can share in. I hope the Denver run was just the beginning of a very successful engagement for THE LITTLE MERMAID, as well as the first of many future projects that involve a partnership between Disney Theatricals, Denver Center Attractions and the Ellie." Featuring the Oscar-winning score and music from the beloved 1989 film, eight-time Academy Award® winner Alan Menken has written eleven new songs with lyricist Glenn Slater that blend seamlessly with those originally written with Howard Ashman. The book for the new musical is by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award® -winning playwright Doug Wright. Led by director Francesca Zambello, THE LITTLE MERMAID's visionary team of artists includes Olivier Award winner Stephen Mear (choreography), George Tsypin (scenic design), Tatiana Noginova (costume design), Tony Award® winner Natasha Katz (lighting design), John Shivers (sound design), Angelina Avallone (make-up design) and David Brian Brown (hair design). THE LITTLE MERMAID, based on the Disney film and the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, takes place in a magical kingdom beneath the sea, where a beautiful young mermaid named Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. But first, she'll have to defy her father, the king of the sea, escape the clutches of an evil sea witch and convince a prince that she's the girl with the perfect voice. The pre-Broadway cast features Sierra Boggess as 'Ariel,' Sean Palmer as 'Prince Eric,' Norm Lewis as 'King Triton,' Tituss Burgess as 'Sebastian,' Eddie Korbich as 'Scuttle,' Jonathan Freeman as 'Grimsby,' Derrick Baskin as 'Jetsam,' Tyler Maynard as 'Flotsam,' Cody Hanford and J.J. Singleton as 'Flounder,' and Sherie Rene Scott as 'Ursula.' Broadway previews of THE LITTLE MERMAID will begin at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street) on November 3, 2007, with an official opening on December 6, 2007. Visit http://www.DisneyOnBroadway.com for more information. Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID has been part of Denver Center Attractions' 2007 season, which is generously sponsored by United Airlines. Media sponsorship is provided by The Denver Post, CBS 4, KOSI radio, Colorado Homes & Lifestyles magazine and Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Denver Center Attractions is supported in part by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts presents and produces live theatre with Broadway touring shows, cabaret productions and a professional theatre company. The DCPA is the site of training schools for actors, a voice research laboratory and unique rental facilities. Denver Center Attractions is a preferred stop on the Broadway touring circuit and has launched many national touring premieres. Center Attractions also produces cabaret shows. The Tony Award-winning Denver Center Theatre Company is the largest professional theatre company between Chicago and the West Coast. It produces traditional and contemporary drama and world premieres. For more information, please visit http://www.denvercenter.org. | ||
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Disney opts to
axe ABC1 Digital Spy - ABC1, the general US entertainment channel from Disney, is to close down next month. Speculation that the channel would be pulled from Disney's lineup of UK channels started earlier this week on the Digital Spy forums after edits to various articles on Wikipedia indicated that ABC1's demise was imminent. One forum member spotted a page edit that indicated advertisers had been informed that the station would be closing in October, which has now been confirmed. ABC1 broadcasts from 6am to 6pm on digital terrestrial TV but 24 hours a day on other platforms. John Hardie, Walt Disney TV's executive VP and managing director in Europe, the Middle East and Africa told Broadcast that ABC1's "inability to get access to a Freeview primetime spectrum" and a corporate decision to "focus on the Disney brand" resulted in a decision "that it was best to move on." At this stage it has not been confirmed what will happen with the slot occupied by ABC1 on Freeview, although discussion and speculation is already underway. The channel launched on September 27, 2004, initially only on Freeview. It later gained carriage on Telewest, NTL, and, in 2005, Sky. | ||
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HSM2 to
Premiere on Global Disney Channels World Screen News - Disney Channel’s High School Musical 2, whose U.S. premiere last month became the most-watched cable telecast in history, will roll out on Disney Channels around the world beginning this weekend. The global rollout of High School Musical 2 will begin with Disney Channels in Southeast Asia and Korea on Sunday, September 9. Meanwhile, Disney Channel in the U.K. will debut the sequel on Friday September 21, with channels in Australia/New Zealand and Germany set to air the program a day later on Saturday, September 22. Disney Channels in Mexico and Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela and Caribbean will premiere High School Musical 2 on Sunday, September 23, followed by Taiwan on Monday, September 24, and France on Tuesday, September 25. The sequel will resume its European rollout on Saturday, September 29 in Italy, Portugal and Spain. On Friday, October 5, the sequel will premiere in Scandinavia, Turkey, South Africa, Poland, and the Middle East. Two days later, on Sunday, October 7, Brazil will debut the sequel, followed by the Japanese premiere on Saturday, October 13. Finally, India will air the sequel on Sunday, December 9. The U.S. premiere of High School Musical 2 last month notched up 17.2 million viewers, becoming the most-watched individual program in cable TV history. High School Musical 2 broadcast premiere dates on free-to-air networks will be announced shortly. | ||
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Disney Investigating Reported Framing Issues on 'POTC' Blu-ray High-Def DVD Digest - The discovery of apparent framing issues on Disney's Blu-ray release of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' has caused a mini-firestorm among early adopters online, and now the studio says it's looking into the problem. 'The Curse of
the Black Pearl' first hit stores this past May, as one of the
most highly-anticipated Blu-ray releases on the format thus far,
and it earned high marks from most reviewers (including our own
Peter Bracke). The story first gained traction early last week when an eagle-eyed AVS Forum member named Denner posted a series of side-by-side comparisons of the same scenes on both the Blu-ray and the standard-def DVD versions of 'Curse of the Black Pearl.' The screen captures present stark and compelling evidence that numerous sections of the high-def version are noticeably mis-framed, resulting in such glaring crops as the one captured below, as posted by master AVS screencapper Xylon: Since its original posting last week, Denner's AVS Forum thread has been viewed over 25,000 times, and has spawned several popular "companion threads" both at AVS and elsewhere. We contacted Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment about the apparent issue, and were told that they are now aware of the potential problem with 'The Curse of the Black Pearl' Blu-ray release and are investigating the matter, but have no official statement at this time. Needless to say, we'll keep you posted as soon as any official word comes in from the studio. | ||
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Disney
Dogs barks onto mobile Pocket Gamer - Normally, news of yet another mobile doggy game wouldn't be worth exciting about. There are lots available, including some cracking ones, and short of signing an official Nintendogs license, it's hard to see how any publisher can freshen up the genre. Living Mobile wouldn't agree, though: it's got parent company Disney's brands to fall back on. And so, it's taken the eminently sensible step of developing a dog game featuring Pluto, with a cameo appearance from Mickey Mouse thrown in for good measure. There are actually four dogs to care for in Disney Dogs. Besides Pluto, you have his playmates Butch, Fifi and Dinah. You don't just act as these dogs' owner, either: the twist is that you can take control of them directly. The game features nine mini-games to play, in 19 variations (we're not quite sure what that means, mind – perhaps different locations). We weren't keen at all on Living Mobile's first virtual dog game, My Little Dogs, but with Disney Dogs sure to find a big audience of young mobile gamers, hopefully it's a league apart quality-wise. Click 'Track It!' to find out when we review the game. Oh, and we'd like a Disney Ducks game next, please, Living Mobile. If only so we can see just how cruelly we can treat Huey, Dewey and Louie. | ||
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Disney
Cancels First Night Of Machine Head Tour 411mania - In an active of metal un coolness, Walt Live Nation stepped in to help the band, though, moving the show to nearby Pomona at the Glasshouse. Ticket holders for the House of Machine Head's most recent album is The Blackening, released in March of 2007 and a 411 staff favorite. The BT Tour is set to run through mid-October. | ||
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Disney artist in town
9NEWS - It's a story that seems straight out of Walt Disney. And actually, it is.
James Coleman is in Denver for
an exhibition of his work. Now a full time landscape
painter, James got his start working for Walt Disney in the
mailroom back in 1969.
He quickly found his artistic niche at Walt Disney Studios becoming a background animation specialist. James spent 22 years at Disney, serving as the supervisor of the background department for many of those years. He helped bring to life classics like Winnie the Pooh, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast. You can meet James and view his artwork from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday. The gallery is at 315 Detroit Street. | ||
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Thursday September, 6 2007 | ||
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Making the Haunts Even
Happier The Disney Insider - That old, creepy, uninhabited mansion -- you know, the one where you sometimes hear mysterious sounds and see eerie apparitions? I think something's going on up there. Ever since June, I seem to hear weird noises in the dead of night ... noises suspiciously like hammering and sawing. But none of the 999 permanent residents seem to be leaving the joint. Is it possible that that place is going to get even SPOOKIER? That's right -- in case you haven't heard the news through the ghoulish grapevine, the Magic Kingdom Park's venerable Haunted Mansion is getting a facelift. New details are being added to reward sharp-eyed spook hunters, and some high-tech magic is being put to use to create old-fashioned thrills. Kathy Rogers, Senior Show Producer for the attraction, told us what to expect if you dare to venture through the doors of this most beloved attraction, which is slated to reopen this month. "For several months, our team has been "illusioneering," making the invisible, visible," explains Kathy. "For example, a previously unseen wing of the Mansion has been revealed for the first time. Observant Guests will see more of the 999 happy haunts cavorting on a seemingly endless staircase leading to secret realms. Watch closely and you'll see evidence of these residents -- their glowing footprints, candles going out -- is it the wind or did someone blow them out? It's for you to decide. Other haunts reveal themselves in the mansion's infamous Corridor of Doors -- don't blink or you'll miss the clues!" The Haunted Mansion is one of the Disney Theme Park attractions that have inspired legions of passionate fans. The last thing anyone wanted to do was to change the experience in a way that would disappoint Guests, and Kathy and her team were acutely aware of the necessity to "strengthen the story, and not change it." So in many cases they expanded on the lore that already existed -- as in Kathy's own favorite addition: "In the attic the long, sad tale of Constance on her wedding days finally comes to light. For almost 40 years, our Guests have come face to face with Constance the bride. Now it's time for them to meet her and her grooms face to face -- all five of them! They all loved Constance," she laughs. "In fact, you could say they lost their heads over her." In addition to adding to the story, the Imagineers are taking advantage of some technological advances since the Mansion first saw the light of day. You won't be overwhelmed with high-tech bells and whistles that disturb the eerie atmosphere, but, Kathy promises, "Imagineers constantly look for new ways to combine compelling stories with new technologies. As we've worked to enhance Haunted Mansion, we've added a few surprises that may make the ghosts seem a little closer than before." So whether it's your first visit to the Mansion or your hundredth, when Guests are allowed to enter that elegant but eerie house again, keep your eyes peeled. You never know when you'll stumble across the evidence of a haunt you haven't encountered before! And remember -- there's always room for one more. | ||
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Disney Settled
Salmonella Lawsuit Orlando Sentinel - Walt Disney World and several produce and insurance companies have settled a lawsuit that emerged from a 2002 salmonella outbreak at the giant resort. Disney and the other companies did not disclose the terms. Likewise, Disney and the Boston woman who filed a suit against Disney and the produce companies in 2004 also settled last spring, while keeping the details of the deal secret. The case, now closed, originated after April Lynn Smith, now 25 years old, and at least 140 other people reportedly got sick after eating diced, fresh tomatoes at various Disney World restaurants during the summer of 2002. They contracted salmonella javiana. Most of the people didn't fall ill until after they returned home, to 32 different states, so it took several weeks for state health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to discover and trace the outbreak. As soon as the CDC and the Florida Department of Health determined the source, Disney pulled all of the suspected produce. Smith sued. Disney then sued the produce and insurance companies. Salmonella causes temporary food-poisoning symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever, which usually go away in a few days. Smith complained of symptoms that had her "in complete distress" for 12 days and in a weakened condition for several months. A Disney spokeswoman would not comment on the settlements. Attorneys of record in the case for Safeco Insurance Co. of America, American States Insurance Co., Fruit Dynamics and Collier County Produce did not respond to requests for comment. Smith also did not respond to a message requesting comment. In the suits, Disney and the produce companies denied they had caused the outbreak. According to a CDC report, the outbreak occurred June 25-29, 2002. Of particular concern, the U.S. Transplant Games were under way at Disney, involving a national athletic competition of recipients with donated organs. | ||
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Warner
shows to appear on ABC broadband player Reuters - The Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) ABC television network and Warner Bros announced an experimental deal on Thursday for four Warner-produced ABC shows to appear on ABC's Web-based broadband media player. ABC already makes several shows from its own production arm, ABC Studios, available for free to viewers on the ad- supported broadband player. The network will sell ads and keep the revenue for the Warner shows, "Big Shots," "Men in Trees," "Notes from the Underbelly" and "Pushing Daisies," which all appear on ABC. In the second year of the agreement, Warner holds the rights to stream the previous year's shows to an unlimited number of Web outlets and may sell digital downloads and DVD box sets of those shows. The episodes will carry ABC branding and will promote the network. As with the ABC-produced shows, the Warner episodes will appear on abc.com the day after their broadcast premieres and will be available for online viewing for up to four weeks. Warner Bros is a unit of Time Warner Inc (TWX.N). | ||
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An
enchanted afternoon with a legendary fairy
Record Net - The woman Disney animators modeled Tinker Bell after flitted into town Tuesday for a private tour of Pixie Woods. I caught up with her at the giraffe slide. Margaret Kerry, 78, is a pixilated 5-foot-2 and still has many of the perky moves that won her the role as "reference model" for Tinker Bell in Disney's 1953 "Peter Pan." She also uses the expression "Good golly." "I am enchanted; that is the only word," Kerry gushed of the children's park. "There are enchanted places on the face of the Earth, and this is one of them." Kerry was heading home to Glendale after signing autographs for Tinker Bell's many fans at the California State Fair. "I'm so fortunate," Kerry said. "They come up full of warmth and love and caring and tell me what Tinker Bell means to them. I'm so lucky." Brawny men roll up sleeves and ask her to sign Tink tattoos. One woman retreated to a tattoo parlor so that Kerry's signature could be inked on her arm beside her tattoo of the 31/2-inch sprite Kerry helped to create in 1953. Born Peggy Lynch in Los Angeles, Kerry took ballet from age 4, acquiring the poise, body shape and mime's control of motion that later helped her characterize a mute fairy. Becoming a child actress, she played an unnamed brat in the "Our Gang" comedy shorts, a teenager in the movie "If You Knew Susie" and a daughter in one of the first TV family sitcoms, "The Charlie Ruggles Show." But the break for which she is best known came in '53, when her agent arranged an audition with the legendary Marc Davis at Disney's Burbank studios. One of the famed "nine old men" of Disney, Davis created unforgettable characters such as Thumper, Cinderella and Cruella De Vil. He also designed Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion rides. Davis had sketches of Tinker Bell, but no animating soul. The night before auditions, Kerry practiced making a pantomime breakfast to an instrumental record. "So when they put me in front of the camera in my little bathing suit, then it was up to me to give her personality. I played her as a 12-year-old girl who was seeing life for the first time." Saying this, Kerry broke into the scene in which Tinker Bell, seeing her first-ever mirror, preens and fusses. Sure enough, there was Tink, just as Davis captured her on film over a half-century ago. "And they said, 'Would it be convenient for you to come to work next Tuesday?' " Kerry remembered. They worked in a near-empty sound stage. Davis filmed Kerry and projected her giant shadow on the wall. Giving directions, he often whipped off a sketch of Tinker Bell so swiftly, Kerry recalled, "I thought, 'Good golly! He's a genius.' " Walt Disney stopped by once. "He was just as charming and nice as he could be" - although word was Disney could be "Bear Country" when stressed. Tinker Bell became a bigger star than expected through a quirk, Kerry said. Disney execs, afraid Disneyland would bomb, prevailed upon Walt Disney not to use major stars such as Mickey Mouse in the park. That way, if Disneyland went bankrupt, they could still make money off Mickey cartoons. Disney promoted Tinker Bell to mascot. Tink became "hostess" for Disney's various TV shows. She still flies over the Disneyland castle every night during fireworks. "That's why I'm so tired every night," Kerry quipped. In later life, Kerry became a voice - and lips - on the "Clutch Cargo" cartoon series. Today she hosts a religious radio show in Los Angeles and does appearances. She'll be at the Manteca Pumpkin Fair on Oct. 6 and 7. A PR person for the fair sits on Pixie Woods' board, hence the visit. Kerry looks forward to Tink's comeback in a new Disney animated feature film, "Tinker Bell," scheduled for release in 2008. "She is recognized in Outer Mongolia," Kerry said of her alter ego. "I think that's astounding. And when her new movie comes out, it's going to be right back up top." | ||
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Train Ride or Time Travel? Disney's narrow-gauge steam trains
still chug around park The Ledger - Fred Stewart was looking down the tracks for his train to come into the station. An eight-year veteran of the Walt Disney World railroad, he was waiting to begin his shift.
Stewart was dressed in a matching
striped hat and overalls, plus a denim shirt and a red
handkerchief tied around his neck completed his work clothes. Disney's No. 2 Engine is the
Lilly Belle, named for Walt Disney's wife of 41 years. They met
when she applied for a job as an inker at the original Disney
Brothers Studio. This engine is called a Mogul because it has
only two wheels up front and six driving wheels. | ||
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Jumbo photo album takes the world record today in Orlando
Orlando Sentinel - A giant book that stands 12 feet tall and 9.5 feet wide is making history this morning at Disney's Contemporary Resort in Orlando. It's not one for reading, however -- it's for photographs. Boasting a new Guinness World Record as the largest photo album, the book is being celebrated at the Scrappers Dream Vacation convention at the resort this weekend. Its official presentation was to take place today at 10:30 a.m., but the book will be on display throughout the weekend for scrappers to add their own photos and embellishments to the record-holder. Dodge is sponsoring the large scrapbook, which represents the $2.6 billion-a-year scrap booking industry. | ||
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ABC's `The View'
Finds Newest Member AP - Actress Sherri Shepherd will be introduced next week as a new cast member on "The View," giving ABC's daytime chat show its first full cast since before Rosie O'Donnell came and went. The show's creator, Barbara Walters, said Wednesday that she would reveal the new cast member on Monday. That will be Shepherd, said a person close to the show who spoke on condition of anonymity. Shepherd is no stranger to "The View." She was a guest host more than a dozen times, many of them this summer as she tried out for a cast slot left empty since Star Jones Reynolds left last summer. She appears in the upcoming film "Who's Your Caddy." Her lengthy resume includes roles on "Pauly Shore Is Dead" and "The Jamie Foxx Show." She even played God once on the CBS show "Joan of Arcadia," although it's doubtful her new colleagues will give her the same voice of authority. Published reports had Walters set to appoint Shepherd in late July, around the time Whoopi Goldberg was selected as the show's new moderator. But the announcement was delayed, perhaps a sign that hardball negotiations were taking place. Meanwhile, preliminary Nielsen Media Research ratings found that 3.4 million people watched Goldberg's debut on Tuesday. That's one million shy of O'Donnell's audience for her first show last September. O'Donnell's stormy tenure on "The View" lasted less than a year. Goldberg created headlines of her own her first day by defending NFL star Michael Vick in his dog fighting case. Goldberg said that where Vick came from in the South, dogfighting isn't unusual. On her "Wake Up With Whoopi" radio show heard on New York's WKTU-FM on Wednesday, Goldberg said she wanted to make clear she didn't condone Vick's actions. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback admitted he provided money for a dog fighting ring that operated on his property and helped kill six to eight pit bulls. "I do not think what Michael Vick was smart," she said. "I am thrilled that the cops took care of it.' ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co. | ||
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Download This: YouTube Phenom Has a Big Secret The Wall Street Journal - A 24-year-old singer and guitarist named Marié Digby has been hailed as proof that the Internet is transforming the world of entertainment. What her legions of fans don't realize, however, is that Ms. Digby's career demonstrates something else: that traditional media conglomerates are going to new lengths to take advantage of the Internet's ability to generate word-of-mouth buzz. Ms. Digby's simple, homemade music videos of her performing popular songs have been viewed more than 2.3 million times on YouTube. Her acoustic-guitar rendition of the R&B hit "Umbrella" has been featured on MTV's program "The Hills" and is played regularly on radio stations in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Portland, Ore. Capping the frenzy, a press release last week from Walt Disney Co.'s Hollywood Records label declared: "Breakthrough YouTube Phenomenon Marié Digby Signs With Hollywood Records." What the release failed to mention is that Hollywood Records signed Ms. Digby in 2005, 18 months before she became a YouTube phenomenon. Hollywood Records helped devise her Internet strategy, consulted with her on the type of songs she chose to post, and distributed a high-quality studio recording of "Umbrella" to iTunes and radio stations. In an Aug. 16 blog posting on her MySpace page, Ms. Digby wrote: "I NEVER in a million years thought that doing my little video of Umbrella in my living room would lead to this . tv shows, itunes, etc !!!" Ms. Digby's MySpace and YouTube pages don't mention Hollywood Records. Until last week, a box marked "Type of Label" on her MySpace Music page said, "None." After inquiries from The Wall Street Journal, the entry was changed to "Major," though the label still is not named. The artist and her label say there's nothing untoward about the campaign. In interviews, Ms. Digby and executives at the company describe her three-month string of successes as part of a lengthy process of laying the groundwork for the upcoming release of her debut album. Ms. Digby says she doesn't mention her record label on her Web sites because "I didn't feel like it was something that was going to make people like me." Feigning Amateur Status Ms. Digby certainly isn't the first professional to feign amateur status on YouTube. Last year, "LonelyGirl15" was revealed to be a 19-year-old actress, working with filmmakers represented by the Creative Artists Agency. The fact that a big company supported Ms. Digby's ruse reflects how dearly media giants want in on the viral revolution that's changing how young consumers learn about new entertainment -- even if it means a tiny bit of sleight-of-hand. It also reflects how difficult it is for new recording artists to get noticed now that young fans are paying more attention to Web sites such as Google Inc.'s YouTube and News Corp.'s MySpace than to traditional media like commercial radio. "There are significant challenges in breaking new artists now, but there are also amazing opportunities," says Ken Bunt, Hollywood Records' senior vice president for marketing who helped devise Ms. Digby's campaign. "People get so mired in the difficulties they don't say, 'What opportunities does online present?' This is a great example of an opportunity." Though all involved say that Hollywood Records' role in her online rise has been limited, label executives say they did nothing to discourage Ms. Digby from conveying the impression that she had stumbled into the spotlight. Ms. Digby says she chose the songs. Hollywood Records bought the Apple Inc. laptop computer and software that Ms. Digby -- who lives with her parents in Los Angeles's upscale Brentwood neighborhood -- used to post her YouTube videos. Her version of "Umbrella" that is being sold at Apple's iTunes Store is a high-quality studio recording made in June by Hollywood Records, which also made it available to radio stations. Ms. Digby, whose exotic looks reflect her Japanese and Irish heritage, began writing songs as a high-school student and set off in search of a music career during her freshman year at the University of California, Berkeley. She says she found herself flying back to Los Angeles almost every week to play solo gigs at open-microphone nights at clubs. At age 19, she left Berkeley and concentrated full-time on music. While Ms. Digby won regular bookings at nightclubs, things didn't begin to click until a chance encounter with Barry Krost, a music manager whose past clients have included Cat Stevens. He took her on as a client and in early 2005 secured her a publishing deal with Rondor Music, a publisher that is part of Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group. In late 2005, Ron Moss, Rondor's executive vice president, connected Ms. Digby to a Hollywood Records executive named Allison Hamamura, who was immediately taken with the singer. Before the year was out, Hollywood Records had signed Ms. Digby. Since then, the label has worked with the singer on her debut album of original songs. The album was produced by Tom Rothrock, who also recorded a recent hit record by British singer James Blunt. Once the album was completed late last year, Ms. Digby and her label began looking for ways to gain visibility. "I was coming out of nowhere," Ms. Digby says. "I wanted to find a way to get some exposure." That's when the idea of posting simple videos of cover songs came up. "No one's going to be searching for Marié Digby, because no one knows who she is," Mr. Bunt, the Hollywood Records senior vice president, reasoned. So she posted covers of hits by Nelly Furtado and Maroon 5, among others, so that users searching for those artists' songs would stumble on hers instead. Her version of Rihanna's "Umbrella" proved a nearly instant hit. The Lucky Nobody As Ms. Digby's star rose, other media outlets played along. When Los Angeles adult-contemporary station KYSR-FM, which calls itself "Star 98.7," interviewed Ms. Digby in July, she and the disc jockey discussed her surprising success. "We kind of found her on YouTube," the DJ, known as Valentine, said. Playing the lucky nobody, Ms. Digby said: "I'm usually the listener calling in, you know, just hoping that I'm going to be the one to get that last ticket to the Star Lounge with [pop star] John Mayer!" The station's programming executives now acknowledge they had booked Ms. Digby's appearance through Hollywood Records, and were soon collaborating with the label to sell "Umbrella" as a single on iTunes. "We did discover this artist through YouTube," says KYSR Program Director Charese Fruge. The DJ couldn't be reached for comment. "I don't think we need a television show to find talent in America," crowed NBC late-night talk show host Carson Daly, introducing a performance by Ms. Digby last month. "We have the Internet." Mr. Daly's music booker, Diana Miller, says she booked the singer through Hollywood Records' public-relations department. At the show's taping, Ms. Digby gave a backstage interview that was posted online by NBC. "I just did this YouTube video two months ago and never, ever imagined that it would actually get me on TV or radio or anything like that," she said. "I just did it in my living room and it blew up first on YouTube and then I guess it got to Star 98.7 and then Carson Daly found me so that's why I'm here." Most of Ms. Digby's new fans seem pleased to believe that they discovered an underground sensation. A YouTube user posting a message in response to a cover of Linkin Park's "What I've Done" wrote, "you truely have talent! get urself out there...if u really wanted im positive u could land some sick record deals!! id buy a CD 4 sure!" At a concert last week at a Los Angeles nightclub called the Hotel Cafe, Ms. Digby played to a sold-out crowd of young fans. Even with the club's handful of tables reserved for Hollywood Records executives and their guests, Ms. Digby continued to play the ingénue. Introducing "Umbrella," Ms. Digby told the audience: "I just turned on my little iMovie, and here I am!" | ||
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Flower and Garden Festival 2008 dates Disney News - The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival is extended once again, running from March 19th 2008 through to June 1st 2008. | ||
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Iger's ESPN Sports Contracts Squeeze Profit at Disney
Bloomberg - ESPN, the cable television network that has driven profit growth at Walt Disney Co. much of this decade, may produce smaller gains in coming years, crimping the stock price of the second-largest media company. Professional football, baseball, basketball and auto racing contracts that take effect by October 2009 will boost expenses by $1.02 billion a year, just as agreements with cable operators Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Cable Inc. limit subscriber-fee increases to an annual average of 7 percent, estimates UBS Securities analyst Michael Morris in New York. Disney's cable networks, the source of 46 percent of the company's operating earnings last year, will see profit growth slow by 4 percentage points in fiscal 2008 from the year ending this month, Morris estimates. That will lop off $160 million at a time when broadcasting and theme parks at Burbank, California- based Disney also generate smaller increases, and film studio earnings drop 19 percent, he estimates. ``Disney is entering a period of slower growth,'' Morris, who rates the shares ``neutral'' and doesn't own any, said in an interview. ``ESPN is at the center of that equation.'' Ten of Disney's 12 biggest institutional shareholders have reduced their stakes, filings from June show. Disney shares have gained 1.8 percent this year, following a 42 percent rise in Robert Iger's first 15 months as chief executive officer. They rose 37 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $34.41 at 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading, and are 5.2 percent below a six-year high of $36.30 set May 23. Boosting Revenue ``The only way the company can continue to crank is if they continue to basically have a lock on the sports market at ESPN,'' said Richard Steinberg, whose Steinberg Global Asset Management in Boca Raton, Florida, sold more than half the 36,000 shares it held at the start of this year. He forecasts the stock won't surpass $36 for the next year. Iger, 56, is betting ESPN can boost revenue by expanding advertising online and on channels such as ESPN2, and by selling premium Internet services. Iger declined to comment. New sports contracts include rights to beam games to digital devices such as cell phones, said George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and co-chairman of Disney Media Networks. ``We are getting tremendous value for these investments,'' Bodenheimer said in an interview. ``Our ability to maximize these agreements has never been greater.'' ESPN Impact ESPN, the most-watched sports network, makes up about 70 percent of Disney's cable-unit operating income, Morris estimates. Profit at the unit, including Disney Channel and ABC Family, will climb 15 percent to $4.08 billion next year, following this year's 19 percent rise, he estimates. Networks run by the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and News Corp.'s Big Ten give ESPN more competition. Comcast, in Philadelphia, Time Warner Cable in New York and satellite provider DirecTV Group Inc. in El Segundo, California, have added sports programs. ESPN collects as much as $3.25 per subscriber in monthly affiliate fees, the highest in cable, compared with about $2 for News Corp.'s Fox Sports, said researcher Paul Kagan in Carmel, California. The fees make up roughly two-thirds of ESPN's revenue, and rose 10 percent to 20 percent annually before the recent contracts, he estimates. Digital Growth Disney's investments in the Internet and in video games won't pay off fast enough to make up for cable and film, Morris said. Net income may increase 2.9 percent to $4.23 billion in 2008 from a projected $4.11 billion excluding a gain from asset sales this year, Banc of America Securities analyst Jonathan Jacoby wrote in an Aug. 2 research note. He is based in New York and rates the shares ``neutral.'' ``Iger's mettle increasingly will be tested in the years ahead,'' said Standard & Poor's analyst Tuna Amobi in New York, who has a ``strong buy'' rating and praises the CEO for buying Pixar and adapting to distribution changes. Disney repurchased $5.2 billion of its stock in the first nine months this year. An additional $2.5 billion in buybacks through 2008 will boost earnings by 8 cents a share, Morris estimates. The company agreed to pay $1.1 billion a year for eight years of Monday night NFL games on ESPN starting last season, up from $550 million a year on Disney's ABC, which had the rotating Super Bowl. ESPN is 20 percent owned by Hearst Corp. Annual outlays of $293.5 million for baseball, up from $141.8 million, and $270 million starting this season for NASCAR are raising programming costs, Morris said. Both deals cover eight years. Pro hockey, baseball playoffs, PGA golf and Sunday NFL games that cost $600 million a year have been dropped. An eight-year NBA agreement in June will increase ESPN's cost to carry games by $97 million annually to $496.9 million beginning in October 2008, Morris estimates. On an Aug. 1 conference call, Iger was asked about the potential for increasing profit margins at Disney units. ``It will be hard to grow their margins over the long term, even though ESPN will continue to deliver significant growth for the company,'' Iger said. ``They are coming off, as you know, a relatively high base.'' | ||
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ESPN
The Weekend dates for 2008 The dates for the 2008 ESPN The Weekend are Feb. 29th 2008 - March 2nd 2008, at Disney's Hollywood Studios. | ||
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Radio Disney
Names New Programming VP Streaming Magazine - Children's radio network Radio Disney has named Ray De La Garza to the post of Vice President of Programming. In this capacity, De La Garza will oversee all aspects of Radio Disney programming. He will be based at Radio Disney’s Burbank, California, offices. De La Garza was most recently Vice President/General Manager of KMXE-AM/Los Angeles. His background also includes stints as Chief Operating Officer for Radiovisa Corporation and Senior Vice President, Programming for Premiere Radio Networks. While at Premiere Radio Networks, De La Garza was directly in charge of The Jim Rome Show, Carson Daly Most Requested, Rick Dees Weekly Top 40, Rick Dees in the Morning, Hollywood Confidential with Leeza Gibbons and many other nationally syndicated programs. | ||
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Walt Disney World Resort is Looking for a Few Good Moms Earthtimes - Calling all moms: Is a trip to Walt Disney World Resort your idea of the perfect family vacation? Do you know where to find the one and only campfire marshmallow roast at Walt Disney World Resort? Have you ever been to one of the resort's baby care centers to change and feed your little one? Or maybe you and your family have visited so often that others have said you could write a book filled with travel tips? If so, Disney wants to hear from you. As part of "The Year of a Million Dreams," Disney announced today the launch of a nationwide search for moms who have mastered the art of planning a Walt Disney World vacation. Twelve finalists will be selected to serve on the first-ever online Walt Disney World Moms Panel. Those 12 parents who have a passion for the Walt Disney World vacation experience will have the opportunity to share their vast knowledge of the resort and personal secrets of success with other families who are considering this magical vacation experience. In exchange, the 12 panelists will receive a 6-day/5-night vacation to the Florida resort for themselves and three other guests. "Through our consumer research we know that there are aspects of a Walt Disney World vacation that can be challenging to the primary vacation planner, most often that means mom," said Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World Resort. "We could not think of a better way to provide vacation planning advice than to create an online forum. This will assist guests who are looking for real and reliable vacation recommendations that fit their family's travel needs." The Walt Disney World Moms Panel will be found online at http://www.disneyworldmoms.com/ and feature content provided by the panel. It will also offer guests the opportunity to pose specific questions and have them answered by the panelists. The site, which goes live in January 2008, will host valuable park insights and vacation planning tools for those parents planning a Walt Disney World vacation. Are you right for the panel? Disney realizes that the person who serves the "mom" role differs from family to family. Whether you pride yourself on knowing insider tips and insights for vacationing at Walt Disney World Resort, or are popular among friends and family for planning fabulous vacations on a budget, you may be right for the panel. From Sept. 6 through Oct. 5, 2007, interested applicants can visit http://www.disneyworldmoms.com/ and in 300 words or less in answering three questions, explain why they should be considered for the Walt Disney World Moms Panel. Disney will select 12 panelists with children of various ages. "For families interested in taking a Walt Disney World vacation, the interactive site will feature a wealth of helpful planning information, expert tips and advice about various topics related to visiting the Walt Disney World Resort," said Crofton. For more information on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel search, please visit http://www.disneyworldmoms.com/. About the Walt Disney World Moms Panel Disney is conducting a nationwide search for parents who have mastered the art of planning a Walt Disney World vacation. From Sept. 6, 2007, through Oct. 5, 2007, interested guests can apply to be one of 12 people who will be selected to serve on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel. The Walt Disney World Moms Panel is an online forum where guests can get insider tips and insights from parents who have a passion for the Walt Disney World vacation experience. Set to launch in January 2008, the Walt Disney World Moms Panel will allow guests to pose questions and have them answered by the panelists, as well as gain access to other valuable park insights and vacation planning tools. For more information, visit http://www.disneyworldmoms.com/. | ||
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How to
realize a Discount Disney Vacation PR-GB - A Disney vacation is at the top of the list for many families with children. Disney vacations are also a great way to enjoy friends. While there will be a great deal of fun for the entire family and friends, a Disney vacation can be rather financially stressful at the same time. Without proper financial planning, a Disney vacation will sink families finances very quickly. To achieved a discounted Disney vacation, one must have a strategy. There are seven areas to be considered when planning a discount Disney vacation, and each of these areas should be considered individually. - Time of Year Choose to go during the least expensive times and avoid the major tourist seasons. If you can avoid those busy times, you will most likely find better deals on travel and accommodations. This, of course, depends very much on your schedule and if you have children. Those with children will have to take the schedule of school terms, etc. - Traveling Saving money on getting there is a top priority. Taking a flight is the most convenient and common means of transportation for those living far away. To reduce your expenses and save a little more on traveling expenses, you might want to consider driving to Orlando or Anaheim if at all possible. Packing everything into a rented minivan along with the kids can save you several hundred dollars alone even taking into account high gas prices. - Accommodations Around the Disney resort area, your lodging choices are numerous. You can stay on-site at Disney Hotels and still get some pretty good discounts. Or if you wish to stay off-site, there are hotel rooms, villas and timeshares just minutes from the Disney area. Staying off-site may help to cut cost but is time consuming as you will have to travel back and forth from the parks and your hotel. There is also the parking costs which can multiple by the days you intend to spend at Disney theme park. - Ticketing Like accommodations, Disney ticketing options are just as numerous. If you want to get the best deal, do not purchase at the front gates. Saving money on admission tickets is one of the keys to get a discount Disney vacation as the costs are multiplied by the number of people in your group. The best money saving strategy is to purchase Disney Park Hopper passes at a discount BEFORE you arrive in Orlando. - Food The price, variety, and quality of food at Disney can be overwhelming. Without proper budgeting and planning, the total costs of meals can balloon out of your budget. Plan your budget, and by keeping your budget in mind, you can avoid overspending on meals. - Scheduling As this may be your a once in a lifetime experience, you must make the most out of your Disney vacation and investment. Do not try to do or see all things. Plan what you want to see and when to do it. You may wish to consider a discount Disney vacation package that offers a good deal. - Souvenirs You may be able to find discounted items in your own town so purchase souvenirs ahead of time because souvenirs can be very expensive inside the park. A discount Disney vacation is possible if you know your budget and plan well in advance. Start planning now and you will find that your discount Disney vacation can be just as enjoyable and fun! | ||
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Disney
Internship Info Session Sept. 18 Concordia College - Are you looking for a unique opportunity that can open doors to your future and offer the experience of a lifetime? Attend the info session 6 p.m., Tues., Sept. 18 at UND Memorial Union-Lecture Bowl and discover why the Disney College Program Internship is an experience you just can't miss. Open to all majors and all academic levels. Print online application and bring to presentation. Viewing presentation is required prior to interview. To prepare, go to disneycollegeprogram.com. | ||
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Wednesday September, 5 2007 | ||
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Walt Disney World adds 3 more hotels to Fla. Green Lodging
program Bizjournals - Walt Disney World's Contemporary, Old Key West and Saratoga Springs Resorts were designated Tuesday by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection as the 34th, 35th and 36th Florida hotels in its Florida Green Lodging Program. The program is a voluntary state initiative that provides the hotel industry with technical assistance and encourages it to adopt cost-saving "green" practices that reduce waste and conserve natural resources. Among the measures taken by the three Disney (NYSE: DIS) hotels are a formal communication program between staff and guests, promoting environmental education and public feedback. In addition, the hotels conserve water through towel and linen reuse programs and low-flow toilets, faucets and other fixtures, and conserve energy with programmable thermostats, indoor and outdoor lighting sensors, a computerized energy management system and high energy-efficient lighting. Waste is reduced by recycling office paper, newspaper, aluminum and steel cans and corrugated cardboard, purchasing products with 30 percent post consumer content and instituting policies such as bulk purchasing and reduced packaging. Indoor air quality is improved by utilizing high quality air-conditioning filters, using environmentally preferable cleaners and following a preventative maintenance schedule for all air-conditioning systems. The state program was launched in March 2004. It establishes environmental guidelines for hotels and motels to conserve natural resources and prevent pollution. As a reward for designation, the state recommends facilities within the Green Lodging Program to companies and trade organizations seeking environmentally conscious lodging and convention facilities. The state says more than 80 Florida hotels in are currently in the review and inspection process. | ||
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Hong Kong Disneyland opens New Ticketing Booth at the Peak Tower
Asia Travel Tips - Hong Kong Disneyland has opened a new Ticketing Booth at the popular, and newly renovated, Peak Tower on Hong Kong Island. The interactive ticketing booth, exclusive to The Peak, will allow guests to purchase tickets to the Park. Located at the Atrium of the Peak Tower on Level P2, the booth marks the creation of an all new interactive sales channel for guests. While purchasing tickets, guests will also be able to gain further knowledge of the Park and all it has to offer. Josh D' Amaro, Vice President of Sales and Travel Trade Marketing, Hong Kong Disneyland said, "The new ticketing booth provides our guests with one more convenient way to discover the incredible line up of upcoming special events and celebrations. With the soon to begin Haunted Halloween from September 25 until October 31, as well as the Christmas and Chinese New Year celebrations coming up, Hong Kong Disneyland provides new reasons to visit all year round!" Operating until November 21, 2007, regular day, peak day, special day, Halloween evening tickets and all Annual Passes including the newly launched Student Annual Pass will be available for sale at the ticketing booth. For each purchase of a Park ticket at the HKDL Ticketing Booth at the Peak Tower, guests will receive three limited time F&B coupons for a 20% discount at the Plaza Inn, Market House Bakery and Royal Banquet Hall (a same day receipt must be presented from one of the Peak Tower's merchants, exclusive of the Peak Tram and/or Madame Tussauds Hong Kong's receipt). | ||
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Fast Search & Transfer wins search platform deal with Walt
Disney Parks CNNMoney - Fast Search & Transfer ASA said it has won a deal with Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) (NYSE:DCQ) Parks and Resorts Online for the deployment of its Fast Enterprise Search Platform. While no financial details were given, Fast said the deal is based on software license, maintenance fees, and other professional services. Copyright AFX News Limited 2007. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News. | ||
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FAU earns Disney Wildlife award; will use it to aid sea turtles
Boca Raton News - Boca Raton-based Florida Atlantic University recently received a Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund award. The university will use it to help with sea turtle recovery efforts and to increase understanding of these animals through public education. The Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund distributed $1.5 million this year - and has given out more than $11 million since Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park opened. The DWCF funds - which are awarded to non-profit environmental groups and universities - went to 97 programs in 41 countries that are focused on saving animals and habitats. Recipients were chosen from more than 260 applications reviewed by Disney scientists, veterinarians and other animal experts. "Our company has a commitment to the environment that dates back to Walt Disney himself," said Jerry Montgomery, senior vice president of Conservation & Environmental Sustainability for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. "Protecting wildlife and wild places through the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund is a key component of our mission." | ||
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Playhouse
Disney tunes up at Disney-MGM Orlando Sentinel - We're a little slow in mentioning the Playhouse Disney in Concert series. The second of its nine weekends begins tomorrow at Disney-MGM Studios, so we missed the Imagination Movers last weekend. However, the Movers appear on the schedule again Sept. 20-23, if you are so moved.
The shows, aimed at preschoolers,
are 10 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 1:45 p.m. at Coaster
Courtyard Concert Stage over by Rock 'n' Rollercoaster.
Another thing to note, according to the Disney World site: tickets for the show are first-come, first-serve. Upon entrance to MGM, go to the stage to receive tickets. Disney expects high demand. Lineup after the jump.
Sept. 6-9: The Doodlebops
Sept. 13-16: Playhouse Disney Live! Sept. 20-23: Imagination Movers Sept. 27-30 and Oct. 4-7: Choo-Choo Soul Oct. 11-14: Ralph's World Oct. 18-21: Johnny and the Sprites Oct. 25-28: Dan Zanes and Friends | ||
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Zac Efron's toughest test: Graduating from 'High School
Musical'
Chicago Tribune - Is he the next John Travolta or Johnny Depp, or just another teenage fad, as ephemeral as Hula-Hoops, "Scream," "Dawson's Creek" and Leif Garrett? That's the billion-dollar question hanging over 19-year-old Zac Efron, the pimple-free star of Disney's "High School Musical" juggernaut. Hollywood woke up this past week with a case of whiplash. Sure, everyone with a child -- particularly a girl child -- has had some awareness of High School Musical Mania, generally lumping it in with Hannah Montana-mania, Cheetah Girls-mania and Webkinz-mania, tween phenomenon's that have evoked passionate devotion among their followers. For grown-ups and groovsters, those fads exist in an alternate pop culture universe, profitable for sure but without the global panache of more muscular, older-skewing brands such as "Spider-Man" and "Harry Potter." But the sheer numbers of "High School Musical 2's" opening weekend audience -- 33 million -- has reverberated around town . . . aahhh, if only each of those viewers were paying $10 apiece. And then there are the 5 million or so audience members who've tuned into the first "High School Musical" every one of the 24 times it has aired on the Disney Channel. For better or worse, Efron, he of the swivel hips and evaporating eyebrows, is the breakout star. The guy who just a few weeks ago wouldn't be on any casting director's short list has suddenly zoomed into the rarefied climes of Emile Hirsch and James McAvoy, right behind the king of the 20-year-old set, Shia LaBeouf, star of "Transformers" and Steven Spielberg's designated "It" boy. LaBeouf's asking price is already in the range of $8 million to $10 million. An eclectic cross-section of Hollywood insiders think Efron should get a cool $5 million for "High School Musical 3," the theatrical version of the franchise, which Disney is hoping to make prestrike -- i.e., in the next nine months, before a possible Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild strike shuts down Hollywood. Efron declined to comment for this article, and although contract negotiations still are ongoing, sources say Efron is being offered a salary closer to $3 million, not $5 million, for the follow-up, which focuses on senior year at East High. Whatever the price, he's still perceived as a steal. 'He's the reason' "Because without him, they don't have a movie," says one top talent agent who doesn't work at CAA, home to Efron's management team. "He's the reason why they're going to sell tickets for the opening weekend. That's a bargain even at $5 million, just for DVD sales alone. Plus they owe it to him." "Zac was generally the star of 'High School Musical 2.' He drove the story, and he clearly drove the movie alongside Ashley [Tisdale] and Vanessa [Hudgens]. He's the BMOC. If there is a first among equals, I would say that Zac would be that," says Richard Ross, president of the Disney Channel, though he adds, "It's very much an ensemble. Zac would be the first to say it himself. One of the magical factors is that there is a tremendous relationship among the cast that developed on the first movie and was maintained on the second." Efron, who has a stack of offers on the table, is also slated to do the comedy "Seventeen," for New Line, a kind of spin on "Big" or "Back to the Future," in which a 38-year-old becomes young again and attends his school -- with his own children. "Hairspray" director Adam Shankman, who's producing, developed it specifically for him, and Efron's salary, according to one studio source, is slightly less than $1 million. He is also attached to the remake of "Footloose," which in its previous incarnation featured Kevin Bacon. Another project chasing him is "Bridge and Tunnel," written by Greg Berlanti and to be produced by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal. According to sources, Efron received only about $100,000 for his role as teen idol Link Larkin in "Hairspray," and director Shankman, now his biggest booster, didn't even know who Efron was when he auditioned last February. Shankman and producer Craig Zadan and his producing partner, Neil Meron, credit Efron with bringing in much of the film's repeat business, the tween girls who have driven its box office take to more than $104 million in the United States. "In a land of spectacular young male future-star flameouts, Zac's been a nice surprise for the business and moviegoers," adds producer J.C. Spink, who has made such films as "Monster-in-Law" and TV shows such as the Disney hit "Kyle XY." "Since I got here in '97, celebrity culture has shifted tremendously -- people have gotten to be stars before they've had the chance to act, and the level of flameouts ... " he says with a groan. Enjoy it while ... Indeed, in the last couple of years, Hollywood has embraced and then quickly let go of such talents as Orlando Bloom, Josh Hartnett and Paul Walker. Although Efron might currently grace the cover of Rolling Stone as America's heartthrob, Luke Perry once garnered the cover of Vanity Fair in a photo by Annie Liebowitz. That was before Perry's movie career sputtered out with "8 Seconds." Conquering the 'cute factor' Although there are plenty willing to get into the Zac Efron business, many others wonder whether the quality that draws the teeny-boppers -- the kind of androgynous cute factor -- will be exactly what prevents Efron from broadening his fan base to include boys and men. Almost all great stars appeal to men and women. Others ask more bluntly: Does he have the acting chops to transcend teeny-bopper adulation? Leonardo DiCaprio's teen fan base helped drive "Titanic" to become the highest-grossing film of all time, but the young star had already earned an Academy Award nomination for "What's Eating Gilbert Grape." Johnny Depp had a patron in quirky director Tim Burton, who put him in movies such as "Edward Scissorhands" that allowed him to establish his cool credentials. But Disney's Ross is less convinced that Efron needs to rough up his image with an indie film to expand his audience cred. "History has shown a path where you have to go to this dark place to be able to show that you're an adult actor. That's been the case for a lot of actors. Maybe that's the case for him, but Zac has created such a fan base that people will go many places with him." But for Efron, the teen from Arroyo Grande, Calif., who just two years ago was being driven to auditions by his mother, the moment is now. "He's going up, up, up," says casting director Joseph Middleton, who once cast Efron in a pilot for director Doug Liman. "You're going to have those directors for whom he's going to have to prove himself. He may not be offered the part, but he will have the opportunity to read for the part, and he's a really good actor." | ||
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Desperate Housewives: The Complete Third Season, The Dirty
Laundry Edition on DVD
Walt Disney Home Entertainment - The Women of Wisteria Lane liven up the fall when Season 3 of one of television's biggest series—Desperate Housewives: The Complete Third Season, The Dirty Laundry Edition comes to DVD on September 4, 2007 from Buena Vista Home Entertainment. The complete third season of this 2007 Emmy nominated show is paired with insider bonus features giving viewers at home unprecedented access to their favorite show and making this DVD set perfect for viewers looking to complete their collections or catch up before the season four premieres. The new season begins Sunday, September 30 (9:00 p.m. EST) on the ABC Television Network.
In season three, get the dish on Susan's new love Ian (Dougray Scott), Bree's unsettling marriage to Orson (Kyle MacLachlan), and surprising wedding proposals. Desperate Housewives: The Complete Third Season, The Dirty Laundry Edition includes all 23 one-hour episodes of the hit show on six-disc DVD with hours of "sudsy" extras including "Here Comes the Bride", a behind the scenes look at the season three finale, "Amas de Casa Desesperadas", in which viewers can meet the lovely Latinas of Wisteria Lane, "Cherry Picked", a collection of creator Marc Cherry's favorite scenes, plus unaired storylines, deleted scenes, and bloopers/outtakes. A first for ABC TV on DVD, Desperate Housewives: The Complete Third Season, The Dirty Laundry Edition also includes a Spanish audio track. | ||
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New
Poster for Disney’s Enchanted Product
Reviews - The new poster has been released for Disney’s upcoming
live-action/animated tale Enchanted. It looks really evil, which
is a new thing for Disney.The film is set in an animated fairy tale world, where a young girl meets and falls in love with the handsome Prince of her dreams. The news of the romance makes it’s way to the Prince’s mother, the Evil Queen and boy is she not happy about it! The Evil Queen uses her black magic to send the girl hurtling out of the animated world into the one place in the universe where there is no true love: Modern Day Manhattan. The now-real girl has to survive in New York City and find her way back to her true love. | ||
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Disney
gives UCF group money to study oysters Orlando Sentinel - The University of Central Florida Research foundation has received one of the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund awards to study oyster restoration. Disney recently give $1.5 million to projects as diverse as protecting Florida's dolphins to studying elephants and bees in Kenya. UCF's environmental group will use the money to help quantify oyster recruitment and formation of dead zones, and to educate about oyster restoration. | ||
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Disney
Files Patent for Wireless FastPasses Disney News - A patent filed on August 30, 2007 indicates that Disney is creating an electronic FastPass system that would integrate with a user’s mobile device using Short Messaging Service (SMS/text messaging). The message would also have promotional information about the attraction. Guests would then take their mobile device to use it as entry into the FastPass queue leaving out the paper tickets. Additionally, the system could be used to offer coupons to merchandise at the attraction, food discounts, additional FastPasses, and event schedules. An additional entry in the patent discusses about allowing guests to use their television and remote in their hotel room to get a FastPass prior to their visit to a park. | ||
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Walt
Disney Studios Taking Blu-ray Disc on Tour DailyGame - As the Blu-ray versus HD-DVD fight continues to unfold, Walt Disney Studios is showing America quite clearly where it stands: staunchly behind Sony's Blu-ray Disc format. In fact, the company is taking its Blu-ray movies -- including some not yet released, such as Cars and Meet the Robinsons -- to shopping malls across the country on what looks to be a pretty impressive "Magical Tour." Disney's Magical Blu-ray Tour technically began on August 17, but the tour has only stopped at a few cities and still has plenty more to visit on its 18-mall tour that runs through December 23. Each stop isn't comprised of just talking heads, though; the tour features first-look opportunities such as previews of Disney/Pixar's Cars and Disney's Meet the Robinsons and live demonstrations where consumers can play the interactive "Liar's Dice" game from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. Each stop along the tour includes six to 14 interactive stations (depending on the size of the mall) and a special mini theater that hosts hourly live presentations on Blu-ray technology. Guests who stop by the tour in each market can register to win a Blu-ray home entertainment package comprised of a Blu-ray player and a library of Disney Blu-ray Discs. So just where is the tour on the way next? Glad you asked:
DailyGame is headed to the Portland, OR, tour on Sept. 14, and we'll have a full hands-on report from the scene. To date, Disney has released on Blu-ray Disc Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, The Guardian and The Prestige, among others. | ||
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Tuesday September, 4 2007 | ||
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Honda's new generation ASIMO robot goes to Disneyland Disney News - A new version of Honda's popular humanoid robot, ASIMO, is now appearing in its very own stage show at Disneyland in California. Twenty years in the making, the first generation ASIMO has undergone numerous improvements and has even appeared as a spokesperson for Honda, featuring in a series of television advertisements in the UK. The latest enhancements to ASIMO (which is short for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) include the ability to run at four miles per hour and increased artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities for improved human interaction. The advanced AI capabilities allow this latest version ASIMO to interact with a live host in a 15-minute science show at the Honda ASIMO Theater inside the Innoventions attraction. Innoventions is located in Tomorrowland at the Disneyland park and offers hands-on experience of current technologies. Opened in 2005, the Honda ASIMO Theatre is the only permanent installation of ASIMO and the stage show, Say 'Hello' to Honda's ASIMO takes place several times each day. Visitors to Disneyland gain insight into the not-too-distant future when humanoid robots will assist humans in their homes. The demonstration shows how ASIMO would operate in a modern home environment by using all of its unique technological capabilities. ASIMO is truly a feat of robotic design with the ability to run, walk, climb stairs and take direction from a person. And this is one busy robot. In addition to the TV advertising campaign, ASIMO has attended such as activities as the launch of a Honda Science Scholarship at the Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia and the 100th Anniversary celebrations of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy races. Dubbed, the "world's most advanced humanoid robot", ASIMO is still in development and testing phase and not yet ready for commercial release. Its current role is largely that of promoter and educator. Honda demonstrates ASIMO around the world to encourage and inspire young students to study the sciences. And for the future? It is anticipated that ASIMO will act as a servile companion to those most in need of physical assistance. It might also perform dangerous tasks such as fighting fires or cleaning up toxic spills, in place of humans that currently undertake these duties. | ||
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Disney broadens
world-travel options Orlando Sentinel - Walt Disney Co. has broadened its strategy by offering more vacation opportunities of its own throughout the world. Adventures by Disney, the company's 2-year-old and rapidly expanding package-vacation program, will add eight more locations next year, including trips to Peru, China, Australia -- and Southern California, the company announced last week. The trips include Disney-arranged stays, Disney-arranged tours and Disney-arranged entertainment at Disney-selected hotels and stops. The program is viewed as a way to extend Disney's reputation for reliable, controlled, family experiences beyond its theme parks. The trips generally are not cheap: The new, 13-day, 12-night China vacations, for example, range in price from $3,599 to $5,399 a person, not including round-trip air fare. Some others start at around $2,000 a person. Other new destinations include the California coast, Hollywood and Disneyland; Australia, France, Spain, Germany and Peru. Ypartnership deal Ypartnership, a locally based travel marketing-and-research company, is one of two businesses chosen as marketing and advertising agency of record for the Myrtle Beach, S.C., Chamber of Commerce. Ypartnership and Brandon Advertising of Myrtle Beach will work with the chamber and the Myrtle Beach Marketing Cooperative to increase people's awareness of the Myrtle Beach area. The two companies will create a marketing campaign. Time-share construction Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the Orlando-based time-share unit of the Wyndham Worldwide hospitality company, has begun construction of a 98-unit resort in Washington state. The resort, called WorldMark Long Beach, will open in the fall of 2008. The oceanfront property will contain one-, two- and three-bedroom units and four three-bedroom suites. It is located on 4 acres, with swimming pools, a spa, a fitness room and a lounge. Wyndham Vacation Ownership has developed or acquired 140 resorts in North America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific. It has more than 800,000 owners and 16,000 employees worldwide. Return of Haunted Mansion One popular Walt Disney World ride, the Haunted Mansion, is returning from rehabilitation as others, including Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, are going under the wrench. The Haunted Mansion, in Magic Kingdom, has been closed since June 6 so Walt Disney Imagineering can update the 36-year-old ride, adding new ghosts and improved audio and visual effects. It should reopen next week, tentatively Sept. 13. When it reopens, the humor-based ghost house will feature a new ghost bride with five groomsmen, a new Madame Leota sighting and a few other changes. The story line will not change, said Kathy Rogers, show producer for Walt Disney Imagineering. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, the Aerosmith-themed roller coaster at Disney-MGM Studios, will be closed for about a month starting Tuesday for routine maintenance plus completion of some minor changes in the singles queue line. It's tentatively slated to reopen Oct. 4. New air routes to fly Orlando fliers are getting a couple of new air routes to choose from. JetBlue Airways will begin flying daily and nonstop between Orlando International Airport and Burlington, Vt., on Jan. 10, while AirTran Airways will begin flying daily and nonstop between OIA and Raleigh-Durham, N.C., on Feb. 14. | ||
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Pixar Smells a Rat in Disney's Marketing Department Contactmusic - Although Disney/Pixar's Ratatouille crossed the $200-million mark at the domestic box office over the weekend, some Pixar executives are blaming Disney's marketing staff for failing to create a promotional campaign for the movie that would have pushed it into the top-five for the year, as Toy Story was in 1995 (No. 1); A Bug's Life was in 1998 (No. 4); Toy Story 2 was in 1999 (No. 3); Monsters, Inc. was in 2001 (No. 4); Finding Nemo was in 2003 (No. 2); The Incredibles was in 2004 (No. 5); and Cars was in 2006 (No. 3). According to Disney watcher Jim Hill, Ratatouille currently ranks eighth at the domestic box office and might wind up out of the top ten entirely by the end of the year. As a result, he says, Pixar execs are now overseeing the marketing campaign for the upcoming WALL-E, something that has apparently infuriated the Disney marketing staff. Hill quotes one unnamed studio insider as saying that Ratatouille "was a very difficult picture to sell during an incredibly competitive summer. ... They're now being complete bastards about the WALL-E trailer, insisting that only they know the proper way to promote their next picture. ... But that's okay. Let them call the shots on WALL-E's marketing campaign. Next year, they'll be the ones who'll be taking the fall when that Andrew Stanton film doesn't measure up to expectations." | ||
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Shuttle Crew to be Honored at Walt Disney World NASA - The seven space shuttle Endeavour astronauts who returned to Earth Aug. 21 will be honored in a day of ceremonies at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Sept. 10. The Endeavour crew will be available for local and satellite interviews from Walt Disney World beginning at 6 a.m. EDT. Interested media should contact Nicole Zamecnik at 407-560-3525 by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 6. To make arrangements to cover the day's activities, contact Keith Wheeler at 407-566-5317. The schedule of events includes: 6-9:45 a.m. - Media interviews with the crew members 10-10:15 a.m. - Plaque Dedication - Mission: SPACE, Epcot 10:30-11 a.m. - Media interview opportunity, Mission: SPACE, Epcot 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. - Education session, Base21 Siemens VIP Center, Epcot 1:30-2:15 p.m. - Astronauts answer questions from park guests, Mission: SPACE, Epcot 2:45-3:15 p.m. - Crew members serve as honorary grand marshals of the Magic Kingdom's afternoon parade, Main Street, U.S.A., Magic Kingdom. The 11:15 a.m. NASA education session will include students from the Oak Ridge High School Aviation and Aerospace Academy Magnet Program in Orlando, Fla., the Osceola High School Aviation Academy in Kissimmee, Fla., and Orlando-area fourth- and fifth-graders. It will be webcast live on NASA's Web site and at: http://www.disneyworld.com/nasa Video highlights will be fed via satellite by Walt Disney World from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. EDT and from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m. EDT Sept. 10 on C-Band Analog (36Mhz): Galaxy 26, Transponder 11, Downlink: 3920 V, Audio: standard 6.2/6.8. The Endeavour crew members are Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charlie Hobaugh and mission specialists Tracy Caldwell, Rick Mastracchio, Barbara R. Morgan, Alvin Drew and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dave Williams. For the webcast and more information about NASA and agency programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov | ||
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U.S.C. Grad Student Carlos Carballo Crosses Finish Line First In
The Disneyland Half Marathon Disney News - Carlos Carballo, 24, of Cathedral City, Calif., posted a time of 1:10:07 to lead the field of more than 13,000 registered runners to victory in the Disneyland Half Marathon. The Half Marathon, affectionately dubbed "The Happiest Race on Earth," took participants on a 13.1-mile landmark-filled route through the two Disneyland Resort theme parks – Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure – and the streets of Anaheim to the finish line in the Downtown Disney District. Some runners stopped mid-race to pose with Mickey Mouse and his pals for photos commemorating both the race and Disney Parks' ongoing Year of a Million Dreams celebration. Half Marathon race finishers earned a special commemorative medal depicting Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland. After crossing the finish line, Carballo, a graduate student at University of Southern California, said, "I love this course, and there were a lot of firsts for me. It was the first time I'd been in Disney's California Adventure, and the first time I'd been in Angel Stadium. Being in the parks sort of takes you away from the pain of the race." Carballo came in just three minutes ahead of Jeff Huxhold, 28, of Reno, Nev., who finished second with a time of 1:14:09. Suzy Schumacher, 38, of Phoenix, Ariz., was the women's Half Marathon champion with a time of 1:24:07. "It's a different way to see the parks," she said. "I thought they'd be empty, but the workers were all incredibly loud and supportive!" The women's second place finisher was Kim Mueller, 31, of San Diego, Calif., with a time of 1:26:35. Jeff Ambos, 45, of Cottonwood, Ariz., earned a notable Masters Division (age 40+) win in the Half Marathon with a time of 1:14:52 and a fourth place overall ranking. For the second year in a row, Christie Dubach, 45, of Atascadero, Calif., was the top women's Half Marathon Masters finisher. Her time this year was 1:35:39. Also repeating for a second year was Troy Davis, 32, of Queen Creek, Ariz., who finished first in the Half Marathon wheelchair division. His time this year was 1:10:35. The Disneyland Half Marathon, hosted by the Disneyland Resort and the City of Anaheim, and presented by Kaiser Permanente, is part of the second annual Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend. The events throughout the weekend attracted more than 18,000 participants from 49 states and 13 countries, an increase of 3,000 from last year. The Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend provided a full weekend of activities for the whole family, including the Family Fun Run 5K and Kids' Races, which took place on Sunday. This year's 5K, titled "The Great Ratatouille Race," was themed to the recently-released Disney?Pixar hit film Ratatouille. Along the route, adults, teens and tweens encountered their favorite characters from the movie, including Remy and Emile, and passed a specially-constructed Disneyland Resort version of the Arc de Triomphe. Even little runners (8 and under) joined in the weekend running fun with 100, 200 and 400-Yard Dashes. For more information and to view complete searchable race results visit www.disneylandhalfmarathon.com. | ||
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Bradenton dedication of new Disney-inspired stamps is set Bradenton Herald - Disney and post office officials plan to dedicate a series of Disney-inspired stamps featuring Dumbo and friends at the South Florida Museum on Sept. 14, the United State Postal Service announced today. "Seven beloved Disney characters make their magical appearance on the Art of Disney: Magic postage stamps," a Postal Service news release said. From 9 a.m. to noon at the downtown museum, 201 10th Street West, Disney characters Dumbo, Timothy Mouse, Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Mickey Mouse as "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," Aladdin and Genie will entertain the public. The news release said the characters will appear magically on the stamps. Retired artist Al Konetzni, who is described by the Postal Service as a Walt Disney legend, will be on hand to sign autographs. The public is invited to bring cameras, have their picture taken with Konetzni. He will donate framed pictures of his work to raise money for Child Protection Center. Also present will be the postmaster of Bradenton, Joseph R. Gerace, and the director of Child Protection Center, Dr. Hal Hedley. The stamps are the fourth in a series of the Disney-inspired stamps to be published. Dedication of the new stamp series is set for 10:30 a.m. on that Friday. | ||
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Disney gung-ho about
Bollywood NDTV - Disney is in for a Bollywood flavor and as it gets ready to launch its Hollywood blockbusters in India, it is quickly sealing deals. The latest one being with the Shankar Ehsaan Loy trio for its Hollywood chartbuster 'High School Musical'. "The creativity in India is great. We definitely wanted a Bollywood touch to 'High School Musical'," said Rich Ross, President, Disney Channel Worldwide. Disney has recently tied up with Yash Raj Films for its animation movie 'Road Side Romeo'. Also on the cards are plans to produce movies out of India and the third in its famous American sequal – 'Cheeta Girls' will be produced right here. Sources say that with strategic 14.9 per cent equity holding in UTV, many more movie projects are in the pipeline to be jointly undertaken. "We do Mickey Mouse Club House. We have outlive action business here and we are bringing movies for production here," said Ross. Indian aesthetic is the thing that attracts color and sound exciting things about India, which is inspiring Disney Channel original movies. For the $36 billion media and entertainment conglomerate Walt Disney, India is an emerging market that has clocked a total of $600 million over the last one year and with plans to produce movies directly out of India, the global giant's interface has just begun. | ||
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CP Renews
Disney Pact, Asks Nasdaq for Time GlobeSt - Facing a two-front battle, Children’s Place Retail Stores Inc. has signed an amendment to a reconstruction agreement with the Walt Disney Co. regarding its running of the Disney Store chain, and at the same time has asked the Board of Directors of the Nasdaq Stock Market to grant additional time to file financial reports. The Disney document will allow CP to continue the operation, and agreed renovation, of the Mickey Mouse-themed stores. For the Nasdaq situation, CP asked if it could have until today to file reports, though the board could de-list the company’s shares. As reported last week regarding the company’s dismal second quarter results, CP has defaulted on agreements and deadlines to remodel Disney stores, reportedly for about $175 million. The company officials said it would not be able to hit targets of remodeling nine stores by the end of the year, and 67 more stores by January 2009. In total, CP had promised it would remodel 234 stores by 2011. The company officials blamed circumstances beyond their control, such as store landlord permission disputes, for the missed deadlines. Now, the new agreement allows CP
to only have to remodel seven stores by the end of the year and
49 more by January 2009, but adds two more stores that the
company must refurbish by 2011. Also, Disney also won
concessions such as the relocation of its flagship store in
Manhattan, and giving the Orlando-based company the ability to
sell its merchandise to stores that cater to adults, though CP
will still have the exclusive children-only store sales. The
company owns and operates 883 CP stores and 328 Disney stores in
North America. During their Q2 conference call, CP officials said they would neither name the accused during the review nor explain the dalliance, but said that the two executives will not lose their jobs. “The company remains committed to becoming current in its periodic reporting as soon as practicable,” said officials in Friday’s statement. A spokesman could not be reached for comment. | ||
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Monday September, 3 2007 | ||
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More Disney
vacations -- elsewhere Walt Disney World Parking Fees Increase Changes at O' Canada, elsewhere at Epcot Countdown to Christmas begins for Disney warehouse Anaheim Resort Transit Service from Anaheim Amtrak Station to Begin on October 1st. ABC's Buzzworthy Lineup Free Disney dining with Florida specialist Travel City Direct | ||
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More Disney
vacations -- elsewhere Orlando Sentinel - Walt Disney Co. widening its strategy to compete with vacations at other locations worldwide -- by offering more vacations itself to other locations worldwide.
Adventures By Disney, the
company's two-year-old and rapidly-expanding package-vacation
program, has added eight more locations for 2008, including
trips to China, Australia -- and Disneyland, the company
announced earlier this month.
Those eight trips include Disney-arranged stays, Disney-arranged tours and Disney-arranged entertainment at Disney-selected hotels and stops, a way to offer Disney's reputation for reliable, controlled, family experiences to places where reliability might be someone's priority. They're generally not cheap though. The new, 13-day, 12-night China vacations, for example, range in price from $3,599 to $5,399 per person, depending on the tourist's age and the season, not including airfare to and from. Some of the prices for shorter, domestic trips begin around $2,000 per person. The other new Adventures include a trip up the coast of California; a backstage tour trip of Hollywood and Disneyland; an Australian tour; a "Flavors of France" tour; a tour of Spain; the castles of Germany and the Incan cities and valleys of Peru.
Some of the previous Adventures
that will continue into 2008 include trips around Southwest
U.S. splendors such as the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley; a
"Spirit of America" trip through East Coast cities; and trips
to Wyoming, Costa Rica, Austria, Ireland, England and Italy.
No word yet of any Disney efforts to go after Orlando's top vacation rival: Las Vegas. | ||
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Walt
Disney World Parking Fees Increase
Effective Saturday, September 1,
2007, Walt Disney World raised prices on parking by $1 in each
parking category. | ||
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Changes at O' Canada, elsewhere at Epcot
Theme Park Rangers - The new
and improved O' Canada film debuted over the
weekend at Epcot's Canada pavilion. It's not totally new,
but new footage was shot for the CircleVision 360 production
and blended with the old offering. But it's definitely
improved. Canadians have been ready for a new version for
some time, deeming the old one as outdated, stereotypical
and heavy on the lumberjack.
The most obvious change is the addition of Martin Short as narrator and comic relief. He banters with the previous "invisible narrator" and infuses the attraction with theme-park humor. As province-hop across Canada, he advises us to "Keep your hands at feet within the country at all times." The feature also begins by almost mocking the previous tenant. All nine screens show blizzard conditions as we are told -- tongue in cheek -- that Canada is all snow, all the time.
Stops along the way: Horseshoe
Falls at Niagara, high tide in New Brunswick, Ottawa, Nova
Scotia, Moose Jaw, Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto
(now with SkyDome!), Quebec City and Cirque du Soleil in
Montreal.
The great outdoors and great outdoorsmen are spotlighted as well. It's all interspersed with bits by our host. Martin Short in tropical shirt. Martin Short in hockey gear, Martin Short curling ("Sweeeep!) , Martin Short at the rodeo, Martin Short making a Fast Pass joke. Entertainers are presented as a major export, and giant mug shots of Matthew Perry, Mike Myers, Catherine O'Hara, Keanu Reeves, k.d. lang, um, Martin Short and others. This is followed by the "normal" people of Canada and Canadian Idol winner Ava Avila singing the song from the past, complete with sunsets and French. The real stars are the photography (I'm a sucker for the 360) and the Canadian vistas. Plus, I was happy to see that the circle of Royal Canadian Mounted Police made the cut from old to new versions. It ends back in Niagara -- full circle, get it? It's a definite improvement -- more organized, tighter, funnier, more cosmopolitan and not a lumberjack in sight. (If you'd like to judge for yourself, I found both old and new O' Canada on YouTube.) OTHER CHANGES Wow, there's a lot of walls up now touting the "future Epcot." It feels like more than usual, and that also feels like a downer. What am I missing? Here's the ones I saw over the weekend, without really hunting for them, either: Spaceship Earth, next to Art of Disney, on the bridge to World Showcase, near the Rose & Crown, on the bridge into France, on the lagoon in Italy and Italy's restaurant area, an area by Figment's Place, between The Land and The Living Seas, the area where the wand-dismantling crane stood plus two rounds of Innoventions "in progress." That's not counting the ones with signs that say they're prepping for the upcoming Food & Wine Festival (near the McDonald's shortcut, France and between German and the Outpost). PARKING PRICE UP This weekend was also the first trip that I've noticed an increase in parking fees: Now $11. My pet peeve just got 10 percent more peevier. | ||
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Countdown to Christmas begins for Disney warehouse
Spartanburg Herald Journal - Joe Hanna built a resume that included working for Fortune 100 companies. The money and benefits were good, but there was one catch. None of Hanna's jobs was what he was looking for. He found happiness in a huge warehouse in Jonesville. "The Disney Company is the one I've always wanted to work for," Hanna said. "It's entertainment. When I've been to seminars with about 134 different companies in the past, we would introduce ourselves and go on to the next person. When I introduce myself and say that I work for Disney, heads turn and everybody wants to talk about my business. It's also that the company brings with it loyalty and brand recognition." Hanna is the director general manager of the Disney Distribution Center. It is a receiving, packing and shipping center for everything Disney. Toys, electronics, clothes, housewares and furniture pass through the warehouse. The company employs about 160 workers in the summer months but that swells by an additional 500 from September through December to fulfill holiday orders. Hanna said the seasonal additions aren't hard to find because most have worked for Disney before and will bring family and friends to work. The holiday ramp up means full-time employees will be shifted to supervisory roles. "When you bring that many people in, they need some supervision," Hanna said. "It gives an opportunity for employees to practice leadership skills." "That number of additional employees will affect the labor force statistics in Union County and its surrounding areas in Woodruff and Laurens," said Stephen Gardner, labor force spokesperson for the S.C. Employment Security Commission in Columbia. "Historically, Union County trends down beginning in September through December," said Gardner. Union's unemployment rate was 9.0 percent as of July statistics. In 2005 Union County dropped from 10.9 percent to 10.0 percent during September through December. Last year it dropped from 10.3 percent to 9.9 percent, according to SCESC. The newest addition to the Jonesville location is the call center that had been outsourced to Overland Park, Kan. "It's an opportunity to have the entire operation under the same roof," Hanna said. And it adds an additional 60 employees from one of the most depressed job markets in the state. Union County, with a population of 29,000, tied for 11th in the July statistics, with 12,500 people working. "We don't know if there will be any layoffs during this time (fourth quarter), and some people may elect to go right to work instead of filing for unemployment," Gardner said. "Some people of that 500, maybe about 100, will take a second job to earn some extra money during this time." Hanna said having the call center on location means the search for a product can be immediate. "We will jump through hoops to make our guests happy," Hanna said. "I look at the stocks every day, and it is a reminder that we can't become stagnant." As orders are wrapped in Disney tissue and paper, boxed and shipped. Hanna said the company added UPS earlier this summer as its main shipper. "We can already tell the difference because of fewer complaints we're getting, and the delivery time has improved." Employees are known as "cast members" and customers as "guests." "It's all about being part of our vocabulary," Hanna said. "We consider them as extended family, and we spend a lot of time together." Hanna said buyers order a certain amount of merchandise, and it's shipped shipped to the facility. "If they project a big amount of the items they will sell is hot, they will buy a lot, and we will have a lot of that merchandise. If, for some reason, it doesn't sell, then it becomes storage or we move it into our outlet store." But Hanna said he recognizes a hit product by instinct. "I would probably buy that. And you know, I probably will!" Hanna said most of the pressure he feels is getting the order out on time. "I'm not saying the castmates' job is all easy. But it is demanding. I believe you can still break a sweat and have fun." Hanna knows all about breaking a sweat. He began working in the cotton fields at the age of 6. | ||
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Anaheim Resort Transit Service from Anaheim Amtrak Station to
Begin on October 1st. Anaheim Transportation Network - Anaheim Resort Transit (ART) will begin service from the Anaheim Amtrak station to The Disneyland Resort and Anaheim Resort hotels beginning Oct. 1, 2007. The shuttle service will be provided hourly meeting all southbound and northbound Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains. A schedule will be posted on the ART website www.rideart.org starting early September. The service is being initiated based upon the requested needs of the Anaheim Resort Hotels as well as past inquiries made by visitors to The Anaheim Resort according to Diana Kotler, Executive Director for ART. "We feel this is a logical expansion of our service within The Anaheim Resort District as guests can go directly from the train to The Disneyland Resort Esplanade and, then, either visit the Resort's Parks or transfer buses to one of our many participating hotels for check-in." The cost to visitors for the service is minimal - $3 for adults and children 10 and under are free. Beginning January 8, 2008, children 10 years and under will be charged $1. A ticket vending kiosk will be available at the station to purchase ART passes. "We are delighted to have this association with Amtrak," continued Kotler. "This adds a much needed dimension to our service of providing guests with comfortable and easily accessible transportation to and within The Anaheim Resort District. "The Anaheim Amtrak Station is one of the busiest in the nation," said Brian Hart, Amtrak's Director of Field Marketing-West. "Amtrak is delighted to have such a convenient service for our passengers at the station's front door." The station is adjacent to Angel Stadium parking lot, located at 2150 East Katella Avenue. The Anaheim Resort Transit transports 3 million guests annually between 52 local hotels and the Disneyland Resort entertainment complex. A total of 32 buses and trolleys make up the ART fleet. ART was begun in May 2002. | ||
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ABC's Buzzworthy Lineup Forbes - If online buzz counted in the Neilsons, ABC could declare victory now and go home. Between forensic fairytale Pushing Daisies and Grey's Anatomy spin-off Private Practice, the Walt Disney-owned network has the upcoming season's two most anticipated shows, according to Toronto-based buzz tracker BrandIntel. To determine just how much--and what kind of--online chatter is surrounding these and other shows on the broadcast networks' fall schedules, the market-research firm combed upward of 56 million sites, including blogs, discussion forums and a slew of social networking sites, for TV-centric discussion. The company's report says Daisies, a quirky drama from Men in Black's Barry Sonnenfeld and Heroes' Bryan Fuller, is among the most-discussed freshman shows, dominating 8.8% of that TV-related talk. And even more promising, much of that chatter is focused on the show's "highly original content" and "vibrant previews." Private Practice, which follows Grey's character Addison Montgomery to a Los Angeles wellness clinic, has even more people talking, with 9.4% of the discussion share. But those numbers should be discounted a bit since they're often focused on the show's pedigreed cast rather than its content. Worse, the show's early-summer re-casting and re-shoots had some Web users expressing concern about the program's quality. Which other new shows have Webheads talking? -- Bionic Woman, NBC's high-profile remake of the 1970s drama, has dominated nearly 20% of TV-focused Web chatter. But much of that discussion is focused on the recent hiring of Grey's Anatomy cast-off Isaiah Washington, rather than the merits of the show. -- Chuck, a geek-dramedy from The O.C.'s Josh Schwartz on General Electric-owned NBC, is occupying 6.2% of those online discussions--a big step up from his other show, CW's Gossip Girl. -- Dirty Sexy Money, ABC's drama about an idealistic lawyer hired by a filthy-rich, and hardly moral, family, is scoring positive chatter--and lots of it (4.7%, to be exact). One explanation is the show's all-star cast, which includes Peter Krause, Donald Sutherland and William Baldwin. -- Back to You, a Kelsey Grammar multi-camera comedy on News Corp.'s Fox, has big stars to buzz about. With little competition in the comedy genre, 4.1% of the discussion is focused on this could-be hit. The least-anticipated show for fall? ABC's Cavemen. The early buzz surrounding the show ripped from Geico Insurance spots has worn off, and any discussion now is focused on its marketing rather than its content. Though no doubt interesting to viewers, BrandIntel sells this data to media buyers, studios and television networks. The latter, which the firm declined to identify, can use the information to better both their marketing campaigns and programming selections. Caveat emptor: Last year's report pegged NBC's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip as the most talked about new show. | ||
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Free Disney dining with Florida specialist Travel City Direct
Easier - Travel City Direct, the UK’s leading Florida specialist is giving free dining at Walt Disney World for all its customers booking select Disney holidays*. Those looking to book a once in a lifetime family holiday to Disney can take advantage of Disney Holidays in 2008 from just £599 per person, as well as free meals at Walt Disney World for the family the entire length of their stay. Bookings made between now and 6th November 2007 for arrivals between 10 August and 27th September 2008 will enjoy a free Disney Dining Plan. The offer is applicable to all those booking selected Disney Hotels whilst purchasing their Disney ticket at the same time. The offer allows each person two meals (including a non-alcoholic drink) and a snack per day of their stay at a choice of more than 100 selected restaurants. Included in the meals is a daily allowance of one table service main meal with dessert and a non-alcoholic drink, which could include a character meal; one quick-service main meal including dessert and a non-alcoholic drink, as well as one snack or soft drink per day. The offer makes it easy for families to book in 3 easy steps; choosing your Disney Resort Hotel, choosing your Disney ticket and then enjoying free dining. What’s more, unlike most travel offers, the Disney Dining offer is valid over the children’s summer holiday next year. In addition to the free dining offer, Travel City Direct offers some of the most competitive prices available for Disney Holidays to Florida. A 14 night holiday including return flights, onboard meals and drinks, 14 nights accommodation at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort as well as car hire costs from only £599 per person. Ticket prices start from only £168 for a 7 day Disney Ticket, whilst a 14 day ticket costs only £10 more. To take advantage of Travel City Direct’s free Disney Dining Plan, for more information, visit Travelcitydirect.com. * Offer based on bookings made at all Disney Moderate and Deluxe Resorts, but excludes Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, when purchased with a Disney length of stay theme park ticket. Minimum Stay is 5 nights. | ||
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Sunday September, 2 2007 | ||
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Disney wants more guests checking bags at its hotels Orlando Sentinel - A little more than two years after its launch, Walt Disney World's first-of-its-kind, free airport shuttle has proved wildly popular with customers, ferrying 150,000 tourists a month between Orlando International Airport and hotels within the sprawling resort. But fewer than half of those riders check their bags with Disney before leaving the resort for their flight home, a practice Disney executives want to boost in hopes of freeing up customers to spend more time -- and money -- on company property. "That's something we're focused on growing," said Michelle Bentubo, director of Disney's Magical Express. Disney expects to carry about 1.8 million riders on its Magical Express buses during the company's current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. But only about 800,000 of those passengers will also have made use of the airline-check-in option, which allows them to obtain boarding passes and drop off their bags while still at their hotel. The next time those customers see their bags is when they pick them up at their home airport. The check-in service should get a boost next week, when US Airways, the fifth-busiest carrier at OIA, joins the ranks of airlines that allow their passengers to use it. The Arizona-based airline says it plans to do so beginning Wednesday. With US Airways on board, the number of airlines participating in Disney's remote baggage check in will have doubled since the company launched Magical Express in May 2005. It will also include eight of the top nine carriers at OIA. But no airline is as important as the one that still isn't among them: Southwest Airlines carried nearly one-fifth of all the travelers who passed through OIA in 2006, making it Orlando's leading carrier. Representatives for Disney and the company it contracts with to run its check-in service, Orlando-based Bags Inc., say they are still working on an agreement with Texas-based Southwest. An airline spokeswoman said it hopes to join by early 2008. Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz said much of the holdup stems from difficulties in ensuring that the two companies' reservation systems are compatible. "We just haven't had the technology in place . . . for our system to talk to Disney's," Mainz said. Signing up airlines isn't the only hurdle Disney's baggage option faces. For one, the check-in service isn't available yet to international travelers, who account for 6 percent to 9 percent of Magical Express riders, Disney's Bentubo said. Craig Mateer, president of Bags Inc., said his company has been granted approval from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to begin processing travelers on international flights. Now it's a matter of working through security details and other logistics with the airlines. The goal, Mateer said, is to begin offering the service to at least some international travelers before the end of the year. "It should be coming out shortly," Mateer said. Disney's contract with the airport also requires it to drop Magical Express passengers off at least two hours, on average, before their departures. So the resort only offers the remote check-in option to passengers whose flights take off at 8 a.m. or later. That cuts out almost 15 percent of travelers, Bentubo said. The company is studying whether it can open its registration desks earlier or check in early-morning passengers the night before their flights. Disney hotel guests arriving in Orlando can have their luggage shipped directly to the resort, regardless of airline, because the check-in procedures at their home airports aren't affected. And guests who can't, or don't want to, use Disney's remote check in when heading home are still permitted to ride Magical Express -- each bus has space to stow baggage. But getting more customers to take advantage of the baggage-check-in option is good business for Disney. Travelers on a late-afternoon flight, for instance, are more likely to spend their final morning in a Disney theme park if they don't have to worry about storing their luggage for the day or getting to the airport early enough to trudge through check-in lines in the terminal. The baggage option also allows Disney to control more of their customers' vacations. "That's so big with them, to have [guests] . . . under Disney's care the whole way," said Jerry Aldrich, president of Orlando-based Amusement Industry Consulting. "Because they feel their care is better. And if you get a better experience, your chances are better of coming back." Disney officials acknowledge the baggage service's boost to their bottom line. But they point out that the airport also benefits when more people use the service, because it means fewer people standing in line at ticket counters and less luggage clogging conveyor belts in OIA's main terminal. Even now, Disney is handling about 5,000 bags a day. That's luggage that gets processed inside a hangar that Disney subleases from Delta Air Lines, instead of inside the main terminal. As Disney handles more of its own luggage, it will free up more terminal capacity for non-Disney travelers, said Chris Schmidt, a deputy executive director at OIA. "We're as anxious as Disney is to increase that," he said. | ||
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Disney Princess Enchanted Tales - Follow Your Dreams DVD Talk - Having hit marketing paydirt years ago by repackaging several animated Disney heroines together under the joint label Disney Princesses, Disney continues to cater to their heretofore neglected market - young girls - with a series of DVDs promoting this incredibly lucrative line of products. Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams shouldn't ever be considered anything other than a "product;" it's designed solely to appeal to a certain demographic, utilizing characters that are proven to move units at the retail stores. And while Disney animation purists will sniff at such crass reproduction - particularly here in Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams, where Princess Aurora from Walt's masterpiece, Sleeping Beauty, is given her first direct-to-DVD sequel - it's important to remember that within all that "art" that old uncle Walt was pouring out, he also basically invented the entire cross-marketing technique that rules animation and feature films today, and which spawns product like Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams. And just because Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams is a "product" and certainly not a work of "art," doesn't mean it's not worthwhile or enjoyable in its own right. Taking the central motif of "following your dreams," Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams features two Disney Princesses - Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty and Jasmine from Aladdin - and in two short, 24-minute featurettes, teaches young viewers the power of perseverance. Hard, honest work is emphasized in each story, with suspicion and distrust (particularly in Aurora's story) meted out to anything that smacks of taking the easy way out of your responsibilities. In the first story, Princess Aurora is left in charge of the castle when her father King Stefan, her fiancé Prince Philip, and his father King Hubert, all leave for a two-day conference of kings. Worried that she may find running the kingdom a daunting challenge, fairy Merryweather leaves her wand with Aurora, just in case she needs a little magic. Soon, Aurora finds the demands of running an entire kingdom overwhelming, and despite her own admonishments to herself not to use Merryweather's magic, she does, and finds she can't control the magic unleashed by the contrary, dense wand. In Jasmine's story, Jasmine rebels against the menial royal duties she's required to execute by her father, the Sultan (such as opening rug shops and hosting camel shows). Asking the Sultan for a meaningful and important job, she's offered the chance to become a teacher - a challenge she finds overwhelming when the children proved to be unruly. A further crisis comes up when her father's beloved horse, Sahara, goes missing (thanks to fig-happy monkey, Apu), and it's up to Jasmine to not only find the horse, but ride him back home (something that has never happened before; Sahara would only allow Jasmine's mother to ride him). It's hard to knock Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams because it's bright and colorful and over quickly, and the little girls who watch it will no doubt love it. And even though I positively loathe "important" messages attached to children's entertainment (not because of the message itself, but usually because such messages are so artlessly slathered onto the product), I admire what's being said in Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams. This isn't Bratz territory. This is still the old Disney work ethic that Walt helped instilled in so many of us during his incredible career. In Aurora's story, magic (and by implication, just wishing away your life) is definitely something not to be relied on; only hard work and perseverance will let you accomplish your goals. That's a great message for young girls to hear at this stage in their development. Aurora recognizes that her cutting corners (she used magic to help a poor farmer, causing chaos in the castle, including gigantic chickens and green pigs) was a mistake, and she fesses up to her laxity. That's refreshing, to say the least, in these days of "hands-off" responsibilities. Jasmine's story, while less meaningful and more action-oriented as far as the theme of perseverance goes (it comes in the form of her not giving up the search for Sahara), is valuable in showing Jasmine's determination not to be just a "peacock princes." She doesn't just want to be an attractive ornament used by her father to make people feel good. She wants to be of use to her people - another important message young girls should believe in and practice. Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams certainly isn't perfect. I found the songs instantly forgettable (although I can guarantee that my five-year-old daughter will have them memorized within the week), and the animation, such as it is, is fairly flat and uninteresting (particularly when you compare the look of Aurora's story with its original, spectacular 70mm inspiration from 1959). But seriously, your young children won't mind the limited animation, and most of Disney's classic animated features and shorts are available on disc, so you can always show the little tykes how Disney used to do it. Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams isn't "art," but it's serviceable entertainment for young girls, and you can't beat its messages of hard work, personal responsibility, and worthwhile, meaningful service in aid of others. The Video: The Audio: The Extras: Final Thoughts: | ||
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Teenage Kicks:
Disney's Musical Wonder Sky News - A new kids' film is set to become a global phenomenon despite not being released in cinemas. High School Musical 2, which premieres tonight, will only be shown on cable television, but given the success of the original film which was also made for TV, it's expected to be watched by millions, and make millions of pounds in the process. The film follows the lives of six friends as they sing and dance their way through the summer holidays and builds on a hugely successful formula. Last year's smash hit has already been seen by some 200 million people around the world. Disney Channel UK's Managing Director says the secret to its success is in its simplicity. "The music is amazing," says Rob Gilby. "For kids, especially pre-teen kids, music is a key part of their lives, and the music's fantastic with the show so the kids are obviously connecting with that. "Secondly, it's built off a set of values that are very relevant to their lives, expressing themselves, following their dreams and learning to deal with those issues as they're growing up. It's kind of like they have lipstick in one hand and a teddy bear in the other." Crucially, they also have the pocket money. Devoted fans have helped turn High School Musical into a remarkable financial success, with chart-topping DVDs and albums on both sides of the Atlantic, and extra merchandising bringing in $100 million dollars for Disney worldwide. "There is something that Disney has known about better than anybody for generations which is pester power," says Daniel Rosenthal, from International Film Guide. "Disney will see the extraordinary profits to be made from the merchandising, the soundtrack albums and so on, and the other studios will take notice." High School Musical 2 premieres on The Disney Channel on Friday 21st September at 6pm. While Disney bosses are keeping this film for their own channel, there is already a third film in the pipeline which will be aimed at a cinema audience. The film's producers are clearly confident that the "tween" market is where the money's at. | ||
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Disney may have eye
on Clone Wars TV Squad - Citing information from "animation insiders," Animation Magazine is reporting that Disney may have its sights set on securing broadcast rights to Clone Wars, the CGI-animated cartoon series based on George Lucas' Star Wars universe (the series would take place between episodes Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith). The series' debut has been set at fall 2008 for some time now, but no official announcement has been made as to which network or cable station would air the series. Rumor has it that both FOX and HBO would also like to broadcast the series. If the Disney rumors turn out to be true, Clone Wars wouldn't be the only project between Disney and Lucasfilm. The two entities have already worked together on the Star Tours ride, with a revamped version (Star Tours 2.0) launching soon. You can see a sneak preview of Clone Wars on the Star Wars site. As I've said before --and it pains me, because I grew up with Star Wars and will be a fan until the day I croak-- I don't quite see the point of this cartoon. I wanted to like it, but the "human" characters are far too stiff. But that's the problem, isn't it? Clone Wars is supposed to be dark and moody, so they can't make it too cartoony. However, computer-animation hasn't quite reached a level in which human characters can be rendered realistically, so we're left with little more than expressionless, animated action figures. This problem is actually alluded to in the Animation Magazine article as something supervising director Dave Filoni wants to avoid, but I can't help but feel that Lucas is facing the same issues he did when the original Star Wars trilogy was released in the late '70s and early '80s: it's an idea too big for the technology available to him. One need only look at the chronology of Pixar's films to see how vastly computer animation has improved over the years, but I don't think it's where it needs to be for something like this. I say this not to be dismissive or pessimistic, but because I really, really want to be wrong in my assumption. | ||
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Radio Disney Puts
Kids in ‘Control’ San Fernando Valley Business Journal - The motto for Radio Disney is “Your Music, Your Way,” and according to Senior Vice President and General Manager Jill Casagrande that’s exactly what the pre-teen and teen listening audience gets. “They know they are in control,” said Casagrande, who took on her position just over a year ago after spending 20 years in television, including at the Disney Channel. Casagrande oversees the programming and marketing for the entire radio network, made up of 42 stations across the country. Radio Disney is also streamed online. Like other business units within the media conglomerate, Radio Disney places an emphasis on promoting Disney branded music and performers – songs from the hit cable show “High School Musical 2” are in heavy rotation and Miley Cyrus of “Hannah Montana” took part in a DJ “takeover.” But the programming does extend into non-Disney artists considered appropriate for the target audience of 6 years old to 14 years old. “They value the fact we respect their taste and not being a mouthpiece for Disney projects,” Casagrande said. Q: Describe the role Radio Disney has within the larger Disney corporation. A: Radio within the context of the bigger organization is the point of entry for music for kids and families. When we launched initially there was a gap in the market in terms of people targeting kids. Just as Disney Channel fulfilled a real need with kids television there was a need in the radio landscape to be filled with a kid audience. When you think of the equities of the Disney brand certainly music is one of the core values and one of thing that resonates with people. Q: What were the challenges for you going from television to radio? A: The difference in the mediums for us is that the Disney Channel is very story driven. This platform is day-to-day music. Going from a story environment to a music environment is a little bit different. There are remarkably similarities and given the role Disney Channel has played in recent years in breaking new pop stars it really fit together quite nicely. From a life of watching “Lizzie McGuire” grow and “Hannah Montana” grow coming here to the radio business was a natural outgrowth. Q: Another story in this special report looks at whether music still matters on the radio. Obviously that’s the case at Radio Disney? A: Music plays a big role in how kids identify themselves, how they build out their personality and how they relate to one another. They can relate to their parents; they can start a conversation with them. Music is one of the early topics that kids really take up. You can have with a 10 year old a really deeply meaningful conversation about Hannah Montana. The role that music plays in their lives is so significant. Q: Is the music the station plays only from Disney artists? A: We play all labels but the challenge is making sure it fits within the brand definition. For example in terms of today’s pop charts we’re playing Rihanna, who is really quite popular with our audience; we play “Umbrella” and a couple of her older songs. We do play outside artists but the reality is not all of them record lyrics that are appropriate for us. For our audience, they go far deeper than the music. They get deeply into the artist. There may be a Black Eyed Peas song that’s okay but then you have to look at Black Eyed Peas as artists and ask are they okay. We face that challenge a lot with artists so we have to do a deeper dive beyond just the appropriateness of the song but it’s also what does the artist stand for. Q: How important is it to have the online component? A: It’s really important. For example, in most markets we are on the AM dial so when you are sitting in your room the signal may not come in as well. So when you get there you can listen to it online. Let’s face it, in today’s media world kids are Internet savvy and you have to be there. Q: Can you say anything about new programming? A: It’s really driven by the artists that we have. The DJ takeovers is a relatively new thing, which we’re finding is really fun and compelling. We have one coming up with the Cheetah Girls, who are internal artists, and with Keke Palmer. It really drives our call volume up. It’s really, as in traditional radio, pretty consistent. We’ll evolve over time and it’s consistent with what you would hear on other radio stations only for a different age group. | ||
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