Disney News - For the first time ever, Disney Cruise Line will offer Alaskan cruises during a four-month season of seven-night sailings aboard the Disney Wonder in summer 2011. Combining the natural wonder and adventurous spirit of Alaska with the unparalleled, family-friendly experience provided by Disney Cruise Line, the Disney Wonder will depart out of Vancouver, B.C., calling on popular ports such as Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.

Before and after the 2011 summer season in Alaska, the Disney Wonder will sail seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises from the Port of Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta.

In response to guest demand, the Disney Magic will once again return to the Mediterranean in 2011 with 10- and 11-night cruises sailing out of Barcelona. In addition to popular ports in Italy, France and Spain, the Disney Magic will visit Tunis in northern Africa and the island nation of Malta.

“We’re excited to offer this incredible choice of itineraries for 2011, with cruise vacation options for every family – whether that’s outdoor adventure in Alaska, the beauty and culture of Europe, folklore and pageantry of Mexico or tropical fun in the Caribbean,” said Disney Cruise Line President Karl Holz. “The unique advantage of Disney Cruise Line is that we offer a customized ship experience that brings families together, while still catering to the personalized vacation needs of every guest who sails with us.”

Disney Cruise Line also will offer a number of repositioning cruises and special sailings in 2011, including a 15-night Panama Canal crossing, two 14-night transatlantic voyages, a five- and six-night cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver, and Vancouver to Los Angeles, with first-ever stops in San Francisco and Victoria, B.C., and 10- and 11-night holiday sailings to the Mexican Riviera and the eastern Caribbean.

Guests will be able to book Disney Wonder and Disney Magic itineraries for the 2011 season beginning Sept. 28, 2009.

Disney Wonder 2011 Schedule

Departing out of Vancouver, the Disney Wonder will sail a total of 18 seven-night cruises to Alaska for the 2011 summer season, calling on Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan.

As part of the new Alaska itinerary, Disney Cruise Line guests will be able to experience breathtaking natural vistas, an abundance of wildlife and the rich history and customs of Alaska’s native culture. On their Alaskan adventure, guests may catch a glimpse of a brown bear, bald eagle or humpback whale, and explore magnificent glaciers and fjords in Juneau. In Ketchikan, guests can fish for some of the largest wild salmon in the world and learn about local culture through hand-carved totem poles. In Skagway, Disney Cruise Line guests can traverse panoramic landscapes by railway, or pan for gold like miners from the famous Klondike gold rush.

The first-ever Disney cruise to Alaska will depart on May 3 with the last cruise of the season scheduled for Aug. 30. Rates for the seven-night Alaskan itinerary start at $939 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.

To prepare for the Alaska sailings, a brand-new venue called Outlook Café will be added to the Disney Wonder during dry dock in October. Located high atop deck 10, the 2,500-square-foot Outlook Café is a stylish retreat for guests to relax and enjoy a beverage or cocktail as they peer out through floor-to-ceiling, curved glass windows at breathtaking vistas. The design of Outlook Café is sophisticated with contemporary Art Deco inspiration. An elegant spiral staircase connects Outlook Café with the existing Cove Café one deck below. The 65-seat lounge has a granite-topped cocktail bar with comfortable seating throughout the space, all providing picture-perfect views of the surrounding landscapes.

Book-ending the 2011 summer season in Alaska, the Disney Wonder will sail seven-night itineraries to the Mexican Riviera. Rates for the seven-night Mexican Riviera itinerary start at $639 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.

Prior to repositioning to Alaska, the Disney Wonder will sail a special 10-night Mexican Riviera voyage, including a stop at Manzanillo.

Disney Magic 2011 Schedule

Departing out of Barcelona, the Disney Magic will sail 10- and 11-night Mediterranean itineraries for the 2011 summer season – a total of 10 sailings starting on May 28. Once again, guests will be able to explore the culture and beauty of Italy, France and Spain, with a family-friendly experience only Disney can deliver. This itinerary also includes visits to Tunis in northern Africa, the island nation of Malta, and Ajaccio, Corsica, an island oasis off the southern coast of France. 

Rates for the 10- and 11-night Mediterranean cruises start at $1,739 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.

For the majority of 2011, the Disney Magic will sail out of Port Canaveral on seven-night Caribbean itineraries – alternating eastern (St. Maarten and St. Thomas) and western (Key West, Grand Cayman and Cozumel). Both itineraries include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

A leader in the family cruise segment, Disney Cruise Line delivers a vacation experience that every member of the family feels was created especially for them.

The new 10-week edition of the talent search introduces five artists age 12 to 17 vying for a singles record deal with Disney Music Group. The first singer will be featured Sept. 23 as part of the daily feature.

Radio Disney says listeners will be able to watch and vote for their favorite at RadioDisney.com. The singers are also being showcased in Disney Channel promotional spots hosted by Tiffany Thornton of the TV series "Sonny With a Chance."

Central Florida Businesses Celebrates Diversity and Inclusion during Awards Ceremony at Walt Disney World Resort

Disney News - The National Association of Women Business Owners recognized two of the region’s top law enforcement officers for their efforts to promote diversity and inclusion during an awards ceremony at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club.

Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings and Orlando Police Chief Val Demings received the Mary Ann Goloversic Luminary Award as part of the 4th Annual Beacon Awards which recognize Central Florida organizations and individuals for celebrating the diversity of our community by promoting inclusion in the workforce.

The inaugural Mary Ann Goloversic Luminary Award was presented to the law enforcement couple because of their significant contributions in helping to make the Central Florida community a better place. Named after retired Walt Disney World leader Mary Ann Goloversic, who worked for more than 35 at Disney and helped open doors of opportunity for women and minorities, the Luminary Award is Beacon's highest honor.

Several other organizations were also honored during the evening event, including the Disney Entrepreneur Center, the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando.

LATimes - Johnny Depp, arguably the biggest movie star in the world, surprised the audience of Walt Disney Co.'s D23 Expo in Anaheim by sailing on stage in his famous pirate regalia.

As 5,000 fans jumped to their feet, the star emerged in full character, with his bleary ballet of the forever besotted Jack Sparrow.

Cracking wise about rum he also said he'd like a little snack -- that nice frog named Kermit who had been on stage earlier and "probably tastes like chicken."

Disney executive Dick Cook played the straight man for the short presentation and it was the least he could do: The "Pirates" franchise has pulled in more than $1 billion in domestic box-office alone and Depp is also on tap for a fourth, "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" in 2011. Depp is also starring "Alice in Wonderland" and "The Lone Ranger" for the Mouse House.

As soon as you complete your first cruise you automatically become a Silver Castaway member. With each additional
Disney cruise you take, you'll progress toward becoming a Gold or Platinum Castaway member, and enjoy additional
benefits once you've completed 5 and 10 cruises.

Check out the full details of all the great Castaway Club benefits.

Onboard benefits for the new program will begin aboard Disney Magic on October 3, 2009, and aboard Disney Wonder
 on October 18, 2009

Marketwire - Levi & Korsinsky announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed in New York state court challenging the proposed acquisition of Marvel Entertainment, Inc. ("Marvel" or the "Company") (NYSE:MVL). The complaint arises out of the announcement by Marvel stating that it had entered into a definitive merger agreement with Walt Disney Co. ("Walt Disney") (NYSE:DIS). Under the terms of the agreement, Marvel shareholders would receive a total of $30 per share in cash plus approximately 0.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share they own for a total transaction value of approximately $4 billion. The transaction values Marvel shares at approximately $50 per share, based on the $26.84 closing price of Walt Disney stock the day prior to the announcement. The complaint alleges that the consideration offered is inadequate because it is less than the intrinsic value of the Company.

For fiscal year 2008, Marvel has reported revenues of $676 million and net income of $205 million, as compared to revenues of $485 million and income of $139 million for fiscal year 2007.

The companies expect to consummate the transaction before the end of 2009, subject to customary closing conditions, including all necessary regulatory and stockholder approvals.

If you own common stock in Marvel and wish to obtain additional information, please contact us at the number listed below or visit http://www.zlk.com/mvl1.html.

Commenting on the announcement, Cook said, "Guillermo is a brilliant and visionary filmmaker, and we're excited to be launching this new label with him. His knowledge and appreciation for Disney films, along with his penchant for creating worlds of fantasy, presented a great opportunity for us to explore a whole new genre of filmmaking for moviegoers of all ages. We have admired Guillermo's imaginative approach to filmmaking for some time, and now we're proud to be working with him to create films full of imaginative delights and lots of thrills at the same time."

Del Toro added, "As a director, I love to take audiences into fantastic new worlds and provide them with some anxious moments in the process. It is part of the Disney canon to create thrilling, unforgettable moments and villains in all their classic films. It is my privilege for DDY to continue in this tradition. To partner up with The Walt Disney Studios, with the support of Dick Cook and John Lasseter, is to belong to a storytelling partnership that I admire deeply. It is a true honor. I look forward to coming up with fresh and original stories that will take Disney films in a whole new direction. The emphasis is on fun, and we have some great ideas already on the storyboards."

PRNewswire - The Walt Disney Studios has made a deal with Apple Corps Ltd. to develop a new 3D performance capture adaptation of the 1968 hit animated film "Yellow Submarine" to be written and directed by Robert Zemeckis, it was announced today at the D23 Expo by Dick Cook, chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. The film will be created by ImageMovers Digital, Disney's state-of-the-art performance capture animation studio operated in conjunction with Zemeckis and his partners, Jack Rapke and Steve Starkey, who will serve as producers on the project.

For this fantastic new voyage to Pepperland, Zemeckis will incorporate the 16 Beatles songs and recordings from the original motion picture licensed from Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC and EMI-Capitol Records, respectively. The songs include "All Together Now," "All You Need Is Love," "Eleanor Rigby," "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "With A Little Help From My Friends" while combining his unique vision and style to bring this dazzling tale to life.

In making the announcement, Cook said, "This is truly an inspired collaboration, and a wonderful opportunity to revisit one of the most imaginative and memorable musical fantasies of all time. To be working with the amazing folks at Apple Corps, and to have Bob helming the sub is truly as good as it gets. With all those incredible Beatles songs and imagery, the spectacular vision of Bob and his pioneering team at ImageMovers Digital, and a classic adventure full of wit and action, we're sure that moviegoers are going to have a great time on this latest trip to Pepperland."

Zemeckis said, "'Yellow Submarine' is one of the greatest fantasy films of all time, and making this new 3D performance capture movie is a dream come true for me. With the latest advances in technology, we will be able to take moviegoers on a voyage unlike any other, and bring new excitement and dimension to Pepperland and the various sea worlds they encounter. I'm thrilled to be working with the good folks at Apple Corps and our partners at Disney on this epic retelling of one of my all time favorite films."

Jeff Jones, CEO, Apple Corps Ltd., said, "With The Beatles and Walt Disney Studios, we have a partnership between two of the best loved creative entities in the world. We're very excited about the magical fantasy that will result from this collaboration. The marriage of the music of The Beatles with the talent and technical wizardry of Robert Zemeckis and ImageMovers Digital should produce something very special. We look forward to working with Bob and his team on realising his new vision for 'Yellow Submarine'".

The original motion picture (released in the U.S. on November 13, 1968) based on the music of The Beatles was directed by George Dunning and featured the inspired art direction and design of Heinz Edelmann. The movie is set in Pepperland, an undersea paradise inhabited by music lovers who live in peace and harmony and are protected by Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. That is... until they are threatened by the music hating Blue Meanies. It's up to John, Paul, George and Ringo to set off on a magical adventure in their yellow submarine and bring music and harmony back to Pepperland.

About The Walt Disney Studios

The Walt Disney Studios is a unit of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) and produces and distributes motion pictures under the following banners: Walt Disney Pictures (which include live-action movies, animated feature films from Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios) as well as Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures and Miramax Films. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International serves as the Studio's international distribution arm. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment distributes Disney and other film titles to the rental and sell-through home entertainment markets. Disney Theatrical Group is among the world's most successful commercial theatre enterprises producing or licensing live entertainment events that reach a global annual audience of more than 20 million people in more than 40 countries, and the Disney Music Group distributes original music and motion picture soundtracks under its three record labels: Walt Disney Records, Hollywood Records and Lyric Street Records.

About Apple Corps. Ltd.

Beginning with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on October 6, the Diamond Collection comprises an additional 13 of Disney's most treasured titles, including: Beauty and the Beast; Fantasia and Fantasia 2000; The Lion King; Bambi; Cinderella; Lady and the Tramp; The Little Mermaid; Peter Pan; The Jungle Book; 101 Dalmatians; Sleeping Beauty; and Pinocchio.

"Walt Disney's gift of telling captivating and engaging stories was matched only by his passion for presenting them in the most spectacular way," commented The Walt Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook. "We are proud to continue his pursuit of excellence with 'The Diamond Collection,' which brings the films that are the foundation of our Company to audiences of all ages across the globe."

As part of the new Diamond Collection criteria, each film will be thoroughly restored to the highest level of picture and sound, feature groundbreaking, state-of-the-art immersive bonus content, and include unprecedented levels of interactivity, personalization and customization only made possible by Blu-ray technology. The Disney Diamond Collection will represent a major transformation of the home entertainment industry providing families with more engaging, entertaining experiences than any other format.

Bob Chapek, President of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment adds, "Because today's family rooms are more technologically-advanced and consumer expectations are higher than ever, we are excited to announce the launch of the Diamond Collection. We believe that the collection offers consumers the opportunity to enjoy these timeless classics like never before, and underlines Disney's commitment to continue to bring the best quality product and immersive experiences in to the home."

Kicking off the new worldwide collection in October will be Walt Disney's first full-length animated feature film, the one that started it all, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Two titles will be selected each year, including Beauty and the Beast and Fantasia in 2010, as Blu-ray Diamond editions, each title will be released from the Disney vault for a limited time.

The new Diamond Collection takes full advantage of the newest breakthroughs in film restoration to exhibit these movies in Blu-ray Hi-Def, ensuring each film is digitally enhanced from their original negatives providing for the first time ever a pristine 1080p picture and Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound.

WDSHE is updating each Diamond Collection disc to contain newly branded features that offer a more immersive, user-friendly experience that will keep families entertained for hours. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 'Diamond' treatment includes:

Hyperion Studios, a 'Backstage Disney' feature, which allows audiences to be digitally transported to 1937 to discover first-hand
the Hyperion Studios, the original studio Walt Disney himself built and where Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was conceived and developed. Viewers will virtually walk the halls of this historic landmark experiencing life at Hyperion Studios back in the 1930's.
This "Backstage Disney" feature contains newly dimensionalized archival photos, animator recordings, archival transcripts and rare footage of Walt himself revealing how Disney's gifted filmmakers crafted the very first animated feature.

The Magic Mirror offers 'Smart Navigation', using the latest in Blu-ray technology, the iconic Magic Mirror guides the audience through the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition features with ease serving as the "host" for an incredibly immersive experience. The Mirror will recognize viewing patterns, knows where the audience has left off and will even suggest where to navigate next. This marks the first use of artificial intelligence in a Disney Blu-ray release and provides viewers the control to personally create a customized Snow White experience.

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall is one of 'Disney's Family Play' features, through BD-Live, this mirror can find the secret princess inside each viewer with a series of questions, then create for them a personal message from their favorite princess who will call them on the telephone. Additional Family Play features include, What Do You See? an interactive game, where players must untangle scrambled images and Jewel Jumble a game where jewels from the Dwarfs' mine must be put in order to win the game.

About Disney's New Blu-ray Diamond Collection:

The new Blu-ray Diamond Collection represents The Walt Disney Studio's most prestigious animated classics. The Blu-ray Diamond Edition Discs will be comprised of 14 of Walt Disney's most treasured animated classic titles to be released through 2016. These titles represent the highest level of picture and sound, feature groundbreaking, state-of-the-art immersive bonus content, and include unprecedented levels of interactivity, personalization and customization, only made possible by Blu-ray technology.

About Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

But on closer inspection the four-day event is as much about the past as it is the future. The D23 Expo -- the name is a reference to 1923, the year Walt Disney founded the studio -- is a major moment in the archival life of the entertainment giant that holds on to its heritage with more intensity than any of its Hollywood rivals.

A "lost" Mickey Mouse cartoon from the 1950s will be screened publicly for the first time on Friday while the bejeweled storybook from the opening live-action sequence of the 1959 classic "Sleeping Beauty"  will be on display, as will Fess Parker's coonskin cap from "Davy Crockett" and dozens of never-seen-before props, costumes and art pieces representing every decade of Disney film.

There will also be screenings of vintage films with appearances by creators and cast (Tommy Kirk, for instance, will be on hand for
a Friday night screening of "The Shaggy Dog," while Mary Costa, the voice of Princess Aurora, will be on hand for the "Sleeping Beauty" screening on Saturday) and panels that dig deep into company history. How deep? In addition to a Friday presentation
about animation cel preservation by chemist Ron Stark, there will be an in-depth panel discussion of the historical repercussions of studio founder Walt Disney's trip to South America in 1941 (which is the subject of the upcoming documentary  "Walt and El Grupo").

"This is a major celebration of the heritage of Disney; there will be things that the true fans -- the ones who know the history and love it -- have never had the chance to see and hear," said Dave Bossert, creative director of special projects for Disney Animation Studios.

 The Expo might be viewed as Disney's in-house version of Comic-Con International, the pop-culture event in San Diego that has become a powerful promotional opportunity for movie studios and television networks to reach out directly to thousands of hard-core fans. Winning over those fans has become especially important these days with Twitter, You Tube, Facebook and other digital-age opinion amplifiers. Disney officials have declined to comment on crowd expectations, but Charles Ahlers, president of the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau, has cited 30,000 to 40,000 as the anticipated crowd for the event at the venerable Anaheim Convention Center. The D23 Expo is $37 a day (or less with multi-day passes) -- for programming that runs from 10 a.m. past 11 p.m.

The event will have some high-interest presentations, such as director Tim Burton's appearance promoting "Alice in Wonderland,"
a program devoted to upcoming Pixar projects and the first public screening of major footage from "The Princess and the Frog."  
There are far more than films at the event, however, with a 20,000-square-foot trading floor for collectibles, appearances by television stars from Disney-owned ABC and promotions for Disney cruises, theme parks, music, etc.

Still, a considerable amount of the stage time and real estate at the event is devoted to history. Bossert will be on stage on Friday afternoon for one of the key moments -- a screening of Disney animation rarities such as "Stop That Tank," an instructional video made decades ago for the Canadian military that was "once classified and now is just this fascinating artifact," and "Winged
Scourge," an educational video about malaria that is a bit shocking to behold now.

"Some of the techniques it presents are a bit startling now  -- such as dumping a layer of oil on top of the water supply to kill mosquito larvae, or using insecticides that are outlawed now," Bossert said.

Empire - Just when you thought that Toy Story 3 couldn’t get any more exciting: enter Timothy Dalton!

The former 007, Hot Fuzz star and all-round nice guy, will be lending his voice to the Disney/Pixar threequel, Disney president John Lasseter announced today at a London-based Disney Animation Showcase.

Dalton will voice Mr. Pricklepants, a hedgehog toy with thespian tendencies. How he fits into the story, we’re not sure (could he be the story’s villain?), but if Dalton is allowed to keep his accent, he will be the first Brit to grace the Toy Story franchise, unless you count Andi Peters’ cameo in Toy Story 2. But we don’t. We really, really don’t. And neither should you.

Lasseter also gave us a sneak peek at a sequence from the film and the as-yet unreleased trailer. The clip showed Andy packing
from college, and emptying all his toys into a black bin bag for storage in the attic. He hesitates over Woody and Buzz, finally putting Woody in the box of things to take for college. But all the toys are panicked - especially Woody, who's worried for his friends.
When Andy is distracted by his little sister and leaves the garbage bag on the landing instead of upstairs in the attic, his mother takes
it out to the kerb - and a frantic Woody has to save his friends from a rapidly approaching bin lorry.

Disney announced today that it has begun production on the first Pooh feature film in decades, due for release in spring 2011. Writers have gone back to the original AA Milne books and, specifically, five unfilmed Pooh stories to be knitted together for the new film.

John Lasseter, Disney-Pixar's chief creative officer, said: "Winnie the Pooh has already been one of my favourite characters. Everyone always thinks Winnie the Pooh is for little kids but I screened original prints of the two Disney films and what's interesting was how they made a theatre full of adults laugh so hysterically."

Lasseter said they would be staying faithful to previous films by having watercolour backgrounds and Burny Mattinson, who previously worked on Pooh films, would be lead story artist.

The news broke in London in front of Disney staff and journalists and there was a definite old-school style as Lasseter announced Disney-Pixar's upcoming slate. The first 30 minutes of Disney's first hand-drawn animation for five years, The Princess and the Frog, was the finale of the presentation.

Lasseter also said Disney would be tackling one of the few non-Disneyed fairytale princesses – Rapunzel. But this one will be muchmore about girl power – far more kick-ass than Cinderella ever was. Her 70ft-long hair would not, said Lasseter, be just "a passive object of beauty". It would be a central part of the film and viewers can expect to see her using it as Indiana Jones would use his whip.

And of course the majority of what Disney-Pixar produces will be computer-animated and 3D. Toy Story 3 will tell the story of Andy – this may make you feel old – as he is about to leave for college and he has to bag up all his old toys.

The episode revolves around Miley (Miley Cyrus) and Lilly (Emily Osment) reacting to the knowledge that Oliver (Mitchel Musso) has been diagnosed with Type I diabetes. The pair then turn into food police at a sweet 16 party, to keep Oliver away from certain foods.

Eventually, Oliver puts them at ease: together they - and he - can work through the challenge of diabetes. The segment ends with a feel-good message.

Last November, Disney officials said the content of the episode was reviewed during the scriptwriting process for accuracy and approved, and scheduled to air that month.

Disney had made a big deal about promoting the show and had Nick Jonas, who also has diabetes, star in a public service announcement to air with the show.

But Disney programmers found out there were issues with the content after viewers saw an early version available through video on demand and mobile platforms.

It was pulled without notice.

Indeed, when regular viewers tuned in for the show on the Disney Channel, it wasn't there.

Since then, producers and Disney have reviewed the episode with the the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Afterward, they rewrote and re-edited several scenes.

At an investors conference in Marina del Rey, Calif., Staggs said Disny has been pleased so far with its decision to join the joint venture behind Hulu, which includes big media counterparts News Corp. (NWSA, NWS) and General Electric Corp.'s (GE) NBC Universal.

In joining Hulu, Disney is ceding some control over the online distribution of its ABC television and other programming in exchange for an equity stake, marking a shift in the digital strategy of the entertainment giant.

On the subject of online video subscription service, a strategy being pursued by the cable industry in an effort to preserve its dual-revenue-stream business model online, Staggs said to the extent it makes more content available to consumers, it's a good thing.

Disney owns both cable networks, like ESPN and The Disney Channel, and broadcast networks, which have been more aggressive in putting programming online because they have no substantial subscription revenue from pay-TV providers to preserve. Thus far, the company has been noncommittal on the prospect of participating in the cable industry's push towards an online subscription model that would make cable programming available on the web for pay-TV customers who can confirm their subscription through an online authentication process - a concept known as "TV Everywhere."

Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger has expressed concerns about a consumer backlash in response to putting content online behind subscription walls, given the proliferation of free, ad-supported entertainment and news content that's currently online for free.

"We wouldn't want to see authentication used as a means of denying access to certain people to certain types of content," said Staggs.

BuisnessWire - With the school year in full swing, educators will have a new environmental science learning tool to draw from as they develop their curriculums. Disney today announced the nationwide launch of Disney’s Planet Challenge, a project-based environmental competition for 4^th – 6^th grade classrooms that will empower students to make a difference in school, at home and in their local communities. With more than 15 years experience running highly-acclaimed classroom environmental competitions in regional markets including California and Florida (as “Disney’s Environmentality Challenge®”), Disney developed the new Disney’s Planet Challenge in response to growing demand across all 50 states. Program collaborations with the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the K-12 Alliance and state and federal government agencies ensure academic and environmental excellence. Participation in the program is free, and enrollment is open today at disney.com/planetchallenge.

“Disney’s environmental legacy is carried forward today in our ambitious environmental goals that not only focus on how we operate our businesses, but on how we inspire others to learn about the planet and take action as well,” said The Walt Disney Company’s senior executive vice president and chief financial officer, Tom Staggs, who oversees the company’s environmental efforts. “Disney’s Planet Challenge is an excellent example of how our unique connection to children can give us the opportunity to inspire a new generation of environmental stewards.”

To ensure Disney’s Planet Challenge promotes excellence in science education and adheres to the specific educational standards of each state, Disney is collaborating with NSTA and the K-12 Alliance. Disney has also worked closely with the U.S. and California Environmental Protection Agencies, U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife and the California Department of Education to achieve the highest in environmental standards.

“Educators are always looking for fresh, interesting ways to motivate their students,” said Dr. Francis Eberle, executive director of NSTA. “Disney’s Planet Challenge is a motivational tool for educators that not only promotes science learning, but also promotes critical thinking, teamwork and environmental responsibility. We are pleased to be collaborating with Disney and we look forward to bringing Disney’s Planet Challenge to our vast network of teachers nationwide."

For the project, students are asked to identify an environmental issue in their local community and come up with a solution that they manage and document from start to finish. Past examples range from implementing campus-wide water conservation programs and electronics recycling drives to protecting local habitats. Classrooms will develop a portfolio that will be evaluated on environmental-relevance, student learning, changes in practices and attitudes, community involvement, lasting benefits to students, school and/or community and originality.

“From a curricular perspective, the program extends beyond science, covering social studies, civics and writing,” said Sylvia Rodriguez, the 2008 5^th grade teacher of the winning Disney’s Environmentality Challenge class in California. “The benefits also go beyond school; the students and even the parents develop a real sense of community.”

The Disney’s Planet Challenge web site provides tailored lesson plans customized to reflect the curriculum standards of each state for each grade level (grades 4-6). Teachers can easily find and download relevant lessons to help them link their class project to their state standards. The web site also includes a range of multimedia features that allow students to tap into their digital creativity and create an online portfolio by uploading class work, videos, photos, charts, news articles and other documents. Classrooms that choose to maintain digital portfolios have the environmentally friendly option for a paperless submission via the web site.

National, regional and state winners will receive an array of Disney prizes including a class celebration at Disneyland® for the national grand prize champion. The winning class will also have a chance to meet a Disney Channel star and the class and its winning project may be featured on the Disney Channel. Other prizes include thousands of dollars in classroom grants, class screenings of the next Disneynature film, Oceans, and more. Additionally, winning teachers will receive a one year NSTA membership. The grand-prize winning educator will also receive an expense paid trip to the national 2011 NSTA conference where he or she will be recognized at the NSTA awards banquet. For more information, visit Disney.com/planetchallenge.

Disney continues to grow its portfolio of environmentally inspirational programs. Earlier this year, Disney launched “Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green” (Disney.com/projectgreen) to inspire kids outside of the classroom. The campaign features Disney’s top talent including Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato and asks young people to band together and take simple actions in their daily lives to help the planet. Participating kids get to help Disney decide how to donate more than $1 million to environmental charities over the next year.

About The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, interactive media and consumer products. Disney is a Dow 30 company with revenues of nearly $38 billion in its most recent fiscal year.

About NSTA

When, where and how: Marvel characters in Disney theme parks

Los Angeles Times - I’ve heard the same refrain for the last week or so: How will Disney ever incorporate the dark and edgy Marvel comic book characters into its family-friendly fairy tale theme parks?

While at first glance the task seems daunting, upon further reflection the opportunities appear endless. It’s certainly not a question of “if” but rather “when, where and how.”

It’s been fun to imagine the juxtaposition of Marvel’s assassins, terrorists, serial killers and vigilantes mixing on Main Street USA with Disney’s princesses, fairies and army of anthropomorphic animals. But Marvel also has a deep bench of heroes and villains in its 5,000-character catalog that would blend seamlessly into Disney’s theme parks.

The early contenders will almost certainly come from the ranks of Marvel’s past films (”Spider-Man,” “X-Men,” “Hulk,” “Iron Man,” “Fantastic Four”) and upcoming releases (”Thor,” “Captain America,” “Avengers,” “Silver Surfer,” “Ant Man”). There’s even a few minor characters that would fit perfectly in specific Disney attractions and themed lands.

Disney’s done it before with “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “The Muppets,” “Winnie the Pooh,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” and even Aerosmith.

And while Disneyland might not be the ideal match for Marvel characters, the superheroes fit like a skin-tight spandex suit in Disney’s “studio” theme parks.

So, keeping in mind that Mickey and Spidey have only been in-laws for less than a fortnight, lets take an unofficial and speculative look at how the marriage of Marvel and Disney might play out in the company’s theme parks around the world:

Merchandise
* T-shirts, plush dolls and toys represent the easiest first step and would serve as a gentle introduction of the Marvel brand into the theme parks and adjacent Downtown Disney shopping districts.

Pali Research analyst Richard Greenfield wrote today that Disney -- which sells DVDs to Redbox through third-party distributors -- is seeking "a significantly different arrangement" with the kiosk operator for the November release of Pixar Animation's film "Up." Greenfield described these terms as "far less favorable" and may cause Redbox to purchase "Up" outside of Disney's retailer program.

This would align Disney with the three major studios (Universal, Fox and Warner Bros.) that have sought to impose at least a 28-day waiting period on Redbox, to protect sales of newly released DVDs.

Disney declined to comment about Greenfield's report. 

During its most recent quarterly earnings call with analysts, Disney President and Chief Executive Bob Iger acknowledged the recession is hurting DVD sales and that there has been an accompanying rise in digital and physical movie rentals over the last three quarters. The convenience and value of $1 DVD rentals is compelling for cost-conscious consumers -- and Iger predicted that business will continue to grow.

But Iger portrayed Redbox as not a threat to Disney, because of the entertainment giant's strategy of making family films that people are more likely to buy than rent.

AP - Class is officially in session for Tony Danza in Philadelphia.

The former "Who's the Boss?" and "Taxi" star is filming an A&E reality show called "Teach."

He's co-teaching an English class of 26 sophomores at Northeast High School with a credentialed teacher.

Danza spoke to parents at the school his first day Tuesday, reassuring them that he's qualified to teach because he's in the process of becoming certified and has spent months preparing.

He writes on his blog that he was scared his first day. He decorated his room with motivational sayings, including one that said: "No moaning, no groaning."

Bruschi announced his retirement last week after 13 seasons in which he won three Super Bowls. Disney-owned ESPN says Tuesday that he will provide NFL analysis on its new local sports Web site, ESPNBoston.com, along with various programs on its TV and radio stations.

When: Sept. 10-13

Expo seen drawing 10,000 fans

Die-hard fans of Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) gather this week in California for the company's first-ever fan exposition and what Disney hopes will be a show of the durability of its brands in a tough time.

Disney executives are likely to face fan queries about what the planned acquisition of Marvel Entertainment Inc (MVL.N), announced last week, would mean for its movie, theme park, toy and TV offerings in coming years.

The event at the Anaheim Convention Center, adjacent to Disneyland, is one of the few put on by a corporation, rather than its fans, to celebrate its history and products.

The Sept. 10-13 event, called D23 Expo in a nod to the year Walt Disney founded his animation company, is expected to draw about 10,000 fans from all over the world for what Disney billed as unprecedented access to its archives as well as glimpses of upcoming films, TV shows, park rides and toys.

The Expo has been more than a year in the making, spurred by repeated pleas by Disney fans to Chief Executive Bob Iger -- often at the company's annual meetings.

"When Bob became CEO (in 2005) we almost immediately started getting feedback ... that they wanted to know why there wasn't an official fan club in our 85-year history," Steven Clark, head of D23 Expo, said in an interview. "It made sense to him and he said: 'What can we do?'"

Iger unveiled the Expo and a new website featuring news and a blog about the company, retrospectives and a collectibles store at this year's annual meeting in Oakland, California.

Top Disney executives, including Iger and the heads of the company's four main divisions, are taking the event seriously and plan glitzy presentations with celebrity guest stars.

"Every business unit at this company jumped on the bandwagon immediately. They saw the value in it," Clark said.

Disney wants the Expo to be "the ultimate fan experience" -- at $37 per day. "Our fans are our biggest evangelists," Clark said. "They have made Disney a part of their lives. They live it, they breathe it and they tell people about it."

In addition to meet-and-greets with casts of Disney Channel and ABC television shows and Disney film stars, the company is making its Imagineers and other behind-the-scenes creative talent, and even a Disney family member, available at panel discussions and signings.

Among the celebs slated to attend are "Cougar Town" star Courtney Cox, "Aladdin" actor Robin Williams, "Hank" star Kelsey Grammer and "FlashForward" star Joseph Fiennes.
With its trademark showmanship, Disney is keeping the lid on some big surprises that will "boggle the mind," Clark said.

Disney will screen chunks of upcoming films, including "The Princess and the Frog," "Prince of Persia," Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" and 3D versions of the "Toy Story" films. The studio will also show oldies like "Sleeping Beauty," "Darby O'Gill and the Little People" and "The Shaggy Dog."

Fans also get up-close looks, too, at fall TV shows from Disney's ABC network such as "Modern Family" and "Eastwick," as well as casts of Disney Channel hits "Wizards of Waverly Place" and "Hannah Montana."

Salted among Hollywood glamour will be pitches for Disney products: "A Day in the Life of an Adventures By Disney Guide" and "Sailing to New Horizons: Disney Cruise Lines" and the Baby Einstein World of Discovery.

Key to many Disneyana collectors will be a temporary "museum" of archival treasures -- many of which have not been seen since they appeared in classic Disney films.

"What we hope they take away from it is a greater love of all things Disney," Clark said. "They love what Disney stands for: the quality of the creative content, the escapism."

It appears that the Marvel Movie Universe just grew (or shrunk, depending on your point of view.) According to a recent blurb by Entertainment Weekly, the long-awaited superhero solo film starring Henry Pym or Ant-Man (among other aliases), perhaps the most unsung of the Avengers founding members, will indeed be moving forward. Shaun of the Dead director, Edgar Wright has already been attached to direct. (Which has been known for some time, now.) The statement by EW that has created this firestorm across the news sites read: "Pixar is said to already be eyeballing an Ant-Man movie."

"Woah, woah, WOAH, did we just read Pixar?!"

Yes, you did. This, perhaps, is the first real "post-Marvel buyout" bit of news. However, don't let Disney/Pixar's production involvement fool you, as it seems unlikely that Disney and Pixar would go down the whole Incredibles route with a strictly animated feature. Seeing as this Ant-Man film is slated for 2012, around the time that hype-machine behind The Avengers will be in full effect, it would be inconceivable that this film would deviate from the live-action format shared by its peer films, which are also tied into The Avengers. This will likely be a live-action film, which will showcase Pixar's digital animation for Ant-Man's various size transformations. (This seems to be the general consensus among news writers.)

Meanwhile, it still has not been confirmed as to WHERE we will see the debut of Henry Pym in the Marvel Movie Universe. There was speculation that Pym and future/ex wife Janet van Dyne (aka The Wasp) would have a low-key appearance as scientists of some kind in Iron Man 2. (Which, considering the assembling of the Avengers has already been teased in IM1, would make sense.) However, there have also been contrary rumors implying that even up to The Avengers film itself, we would go "Pym-less." If such a notion were to be true, it may lend credence to the idea that Pixar was moving forward with a strictly animated feature. (I sincerely hope that is NOT the case.)

Regardless of whatever format in which this film will ultimately be, most indicators (confirmed by ScreenRant's informative write-up) seem to make clear that this will be a less serious kind of superhero film. In essence, it will be a comedy, but not a genre parody like Edgar Wright's previous films. Also, the solo film will not likely feature any other Avengers members. (Although the presence of The Wasp seems critical, so it will be interesting to see how that holds.) 

While EW's "eyeballing" comment may have been a playful pun whose punchline we do not yet know, it also has a ring of truth. This one has been in the developmental rumor mills for a while at this point, and to be honest, up until now, I really didn't see it happening at all. Now that it seems to be a reality, I'm pretty excited for a live-action Ant-Man.

Telluride Film Festival: An inside look at Disney animation

Los Angeles Times - Most everyone who follows the movie business knows that between 1984 and 1994 the Walt Disney Co. relaunched its animation business and rode the success of movies such as “The Lion King” and “Beauty and the Beast” to establish a creative and financial monopoly. The Telluride Film Festival documentary “Waking Sleeping Beauty” offers an insiders’ account not only of the soup-to-nuts animation overhaul, but also the private battles — most famously, between Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg — that led to the dream team’s breakup and the end of Disney animation’s domination.

While can’t-miss Pixar Animation Studios is clearly the prevailing creative and commercial leader in animation these days, what Disney accomplished in that 10-year span is perhaps even more remarkable, particularly given the division’s preceding slump. As “Waking Sleeping Beauty” reminds us, just as Eisner and Katzenberg were joining Disney to turn the ailing studio around, Disney’s animated “The Black Cauldron” was beaten at the box office by “The Care Bears Movie.” As badly as the Disney animated films were performing, morale inside the unit was possibly even worse — there was little leadership, and the animators were eventually kicked off Disney’s Burbank lot, to shabby offices in Glendale.

Katzenberg was up for the challenge, and pushed the animators harder than they’d ever been driven — calling staff meetings before the sun was up, and insisting that filmmakers work weekends. Despite (or perhaps because of) his incessant prodding, the studio rather quickly turned itself around. But the professional and personal price was high: Katzenberg, who ran the studio; Eisner, Disney’s chairman; and vice-chairman Roy Disney all clashed, particularly over who deserved (and claimed) credit for the turnaround. When Disney president Frank Wells died in 1994, the studio lost its peacekeeper, and the internal squabbling soon boiled over. Before long, Katzenberg would help form DreamWorks, which helped topple Disney off the animation mountaintop.

“Waking Sleeping Beauty” was made by Don Hahn and Peter Schneider, who are scarcely anthropologists stumbling across an interesting uprising. Hahn, who directed and produced the film, produced “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King,” while Schneider, who produced the movie, was the animation president during its resurrection. The documentary also was financed and will be distributed by Disney next April. 

The filmmakers insist — and the resulting movie proves — that they didn’t tread lightly. There’s a scene in “Waking Sleeping Beauty” where you find out that Katzenberg wanted to kill the signature song, “Part of Your World,” from “The Little Mermaid.” One animator calls Katzenberg a “maniac” (maybe he’ll consider it a compliment), Schneider lashes out at the staff over a spoof memo, animators consider “The Lion King” a potential flop, Eisner says he “didn’t care about credit” (far less believable than a singing Jamaican crab) and the original concept for “Beauty and the Beast” didn’t include songs.

If there’s one thing that broke the company apart, the movie suggests, it’s that they succeeded too well.

“We were hyper aware of not making a puff piece,” Hahn says. Adds Schneider: “And we don’t think it is.”

Bedknobs & Broomsticks: Enchanted Musical Edition on DVD

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment - Experience the extraordinary animation, enchanting music and Academy Award-winning special effects (1971: Best Effects, Special Visual Effects) of Disney's beloved classic BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS -- now fully restored and remastered in the Enchanted Musical Edition with dazzling new bonus features.

They were rewarded for their work creating a new generation of childhood memories populated with Nemo, Woody and Sulley. It is the first time in festival history that the award honors not just one filmmaker but an entire studio.

Pixar, founded in 1986 and based in northern California, pioneered digital computer animation and has made 10 feature films to date, four of which have won Oscars since the animation category was introduced in 2001.

"We really set out to deeply entertain an audience, not just children but adults as well," Lasseter told reporters Sunday.

Lasseter said he was "tremendously honored" that the festival chose to give the award to the team of five Pixar directors, including Brad Bird ("Ratatouille" and "The Incredibles"), Pete Docter ("Up" and "Monsters Inc."), Andrew Stanton ("Finding Nemo" and "Wall-E"), and Lee Unkrich ("Toy Story 3"). Lasseter directed the first two "Toy Story" movies and "Cars."

"Filmmaking and animation is one of the most collaborative art forms there is in the world, and it is never more collaborative than it is at Pixar," Lasseter said.

Lasseter posed with life-size Carl and Russell, the stars of Pixar's latest runaway hit "Up" on a red carpet imprinted with the Italian logos for Pixar's hits, "The Incredibles," "Up," "Finding Nemo" and the upcoming "Toy Story 3," before receiving the Golden Lion from George Lucas, who helped launch Pixar.

"I think anybody else when they sell a company and the company goes on to be very successful, they would feel like they missed out," Lasseter said. "George Lucas is so proud of us and we are so thankful to him. He is a true visionary."

To mark the occasion, the festival premiered 3D versions of "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2," which are set for theatrical release in the U.S. later in the fall. Children given a rare invite to the festival usually reserved for adults grabbed up free kites and posed next to a life-size model of Woody made out of Legos. Some came dressed as scouts, in homage to Russell.

Pixar merged with Disney three years ago, making Lasseter chief creative for both Pixar and Disney animation, where he is reintroducing hand-drawn animation.

"I felt like if there is a studio in the world who should be doing the highest quality hand-drawn animation, it is the studio that started it all, Disney," Lasseter said.

A few minutes of the first project, "The Princess and the Frog," was screening Sunday evening at Venice, marking the first time it will be seen outside of Pixar, Lasseter said.

An upcoming Pixar film breaks the studio mold of male characters as the central protagonist after its successful string of beloved male figures, from Nemo to Woody to Lightning McQueen. Lasseter said "The Bear and the Bow" is Pixar's first fairy tale, a mother-daughter story set in Scotland and directed by filmmaker Brenda Chapman.

BuisnessWire - LEGO models of Woody and Buzz Lightyear were unveiled by Disney Consumer Products as part of a dedicated Toy Story-themed family area at the 66^th Venice Film Festival. Constructed from 13,600 LEGO bricks in 150 hours, this was the global unveiling of the Woody model. The Buzz Lightyear model, seen for the first time in Europe, was constructed from 40,000 LEGO bricks in 250 hours by 3 Master Builders.

At the Festival, John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, as well as Brad Bird, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich of Pixar Animation Studios were awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.

PRESS BACKGROUND:

Backed by new content and company-wide initiatives, Toy Story is primed for long-term growth opportunities, setting the perfect stage for merchandising and retail programs worldwide. The classic film franchise returns with the re-release of the first two movies in 3D, a third new movie next summer and a spectacular array of new merchandise – from light up apparel and home décor to innovative toy lines such as the motor-powered Ultimate Buzz Lightyear robot, which responds to 25 voice commands, as well as an assortment of collectible figures and food, stationery and party items.

Earlier this year, the LEGO Group and Disney Consumer Products announced a multi-year licensing agreement resulting in the development of LEGO^® and LEGO DUPLO^® products for three franchises – Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story and Cars, and Prince of Persia – all scheduled to launch in 2010.

ABOUT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS:

Disney Consumer Products and affiliates (DCP) is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) that extends the Disney brand to merchandise ranging from apparel, toys, home décor and books and magazines to foods and beverages, stationery, electronics and fine art. For more information, please visit disneyconsumerproducts.com.

ABOUT LEGO GROUP:

But the Walt Disney Co. itself has never provided a central gathering place like the one set for this week.

“D23 is an unprecedented way we opened doors to Disney to fans in a way they can’t get through any other venue,” said Steven Clark, the head of D23.

The concept for a Disney fan club came up about two years ago after Bob Iger, Disney’s president, kept receiving e-mails and letters asking for more connection to Disney. Even though other fan clubs exist, Iger wanted to give fans the opportunity to link directly with Disney.

In March, Disney officials came up with D23 – a club named after D for Disney and 23 for 1923, the year that Walt Disney arrived in California to begin his company.

“When you look at the other Web sites and clubs that exist, we certainly aren’t pretending to be a replacement for them,” Clark said. “When you look at the Disney fan environment … there’s such a deep, voracious appetite for all things Disney. I think it would be foolish to think there’s a sole voice of Disney fandom. It’s a great option and great offering for fans.”

The expo is offering something for everyone.

For reality T.V. watchers, Donny Osmond will perform a dance routine before his debut on “Dancing with the Stars.” For Disney Channel-inspired tweens, the “Wizards of Waverly Place” cast will sign autographs and answer questions. For animation fans, Toy Story 1 and 2 in 3D will premiere and Toy Story 3 scenes will be shown.

For fashionistas, Disney will unveil the first sketch of a Princess Tiana-inspired wedding gown and present Disney fashion shows. For kids, LEGO master builders will construct a life-size mural of Disney characters. For conspiracy theorists, a “Lost” University will take a peek behind the T.V. show.

Disney promises to break news about theme parks.

D23 member Eric Chu, 39, of Morgan Hill has monitored the buzz on Twitter and social networking sites. He plans to fly down later this week to attend the expo mostly because he is a fan of theme parks and has a fascination with the business’ marketing.

He’s most interested in the live auction and panels about theme parks, including ones with ride creators and Roy Disney, the grand nephew of Walt Disney. Chu, who used to work at Disney stores, said he thinks it’s a good idea.

“Because they know they have such a huge fan base, it would be an opportunity lost if they didn’t (have a club and expo),” Chu said. “All it does is encourage synergy.”

Disney and convention officials are unsure how many people will show up to the event.

Initial projections showed between 30,000 and 40,000 people could attend the expo, said Charles Ahlers, president of Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau. But Disney officials would only say that they expect tens of thousands people and declined to release how many have signed up so far.

Registrants are coming from all 50 states and several countries, including Australia and Japan, Clark said.

Al Lutz, editor of MiceAge, a Disney watchdog blog, said early sign-ups were falling short of initial predictions.

Regardless, convention planners expect that many will come for the day from the local region.

About a week and a half before the expo, Bill O’Connell, who owns four Disney-area hotels, said bookings were up slightly – about 10 percent higher than the previous year at the same time.

“Anything Disney does certainly helps with attendance and hotel occupancy, but this appears to be a little soft,” O’Connell said.

Disney already has committed to holding another expo in Anaheim. But the company isn’t sure when that might be – whether it will
be an annual event or every five or so years. Disney tentatively is holding dates for next year, Ahlers said.

The expo opens Thursday through Sunday at 9 a.m. to the public. The floor closes at 5 p.m. each day. Events last until midnight.