The Walt Disney Company Commits $2.5 Million for Hurricane Katrina Relief and Rebuilding Efforts

The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) announced today that it will make a corporate contribution of $2.5 million to the relief and rebuilding efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina. One million dollars will be donated to the American Red Cross for immediate relief efforts, one million dollars will be designated for rebuilding efforts targeted at children's charities, and the remaining $500,000 will be directed towards volunteer centers providing services to the communities affected by the hurricane.

"The devastation in the wake of Hurricane Katrina is simply heartbreaking and our thoughts are with those struggling in the aftermath of this disaster," said Michael Eisner, CEO, and Bob Iger, president, COO and CEO-elect of The Walt Disney Company. "We hope that our donation will aid emergency management teams and organizations in their efforts to provide assistance to those impacted."

Walt Disney Company Katrina Relief Drive

The Walt Disney Company, ABC7, the ABC Radio Family, 790 TalkRadio KABC, 95.5 KLOS, ESPN Radio 710, are collecting donations for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Song and Dance Man

 

Disney Insider - As a lead singer of "Tarzan Rocks," Billy Flanigan is Walt Disney World's resident pop star. In 15 shows a week the boyishly ebullient 44-year-old belts out Phil Collins tunes rock-concert style -- live band, flashy dancers, sultry backup singers, and all. The father of four even has his own fan club.

Q: How did you first come to Walt Disney World?

Flanigan: I auditioned for Disney when I was 22 and a musical theater major at the Boston Conservatory. I got hired as a "Kid of the Kingdom." We were a group of 12 singer/dancers dressed in Mickey T-shirts and red pants. We got to be a little part of history, singing at the opening of Epcot.

Q: How long have you been doing the Tarzan show?

Flanigan: Five years, since the show started.

Q: Does it always go smoothly?

Flanigan: [Laughs] I once forgot the words to an entire song, and tried to cover by mumbling all the way through.

Q: It seems you have your own fans.

Flanigan: I met four women from Michigan who say they're my newfound fan club. They call themselves the Golden Girls.

Q: Got any advice on the best place to sit?

Flanigan: A lot of people think the front row is the best. We sometimes shake hands with people up close. But sitting behind the sound booth gets you a better view of the whole stage. Definitely come 30 minutes ahead to pick your seat.

Q: What other shows have you been in?

Flanigan: I've performed on every stage at Walt Disney World except "Disney's Spirit of Aloha" show at the Polynesian. In the 1990s, I was Ken in Epcot's "Magical World of Barbie" musical. People still recognize me as Ken. As part of a Barbie promotion, I did a video that kids bought for a penny with their Happy Birthday Barbie doll. My son is in college now and meets girls who see my picture on his wall and say, "Your dad is Ken! He's on my Barbie video!"

Q: What are some of your more memorable moments?

Flanigan: Princess Di came to "Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue" with her sons. She was so sweet. We put Prince William in the show doing the muscle pose. The next day, the "Times of London" ran a picture of me and William under the headline "William the Conqueror."

Q: Do you ever plan to retire?

Flanigan: I don't see myself stopping. One day, they'll say, "Billy, you're 82 and you can no longer sing 'Tarzan Rocks.'"

Mickey & Donald flaunt their Hindi in Toon Disney's new campaign

 

Mickey and Donald are learning Hindi and how. Their exam begins from 1 September, which is when Toon Disney will be made available in the Hindi feed apart from the English, Tamil and Telugu feeds that it is currently available in.

Walt Disney Television International (India) has rolled out an extensive 360 degree marketing campaign announcing the same.

From outdoor, internet, radio to trade magazines; no medium has been left untapped. The campaign has been rolled out in 25 metros and mini metros across the country, which include - Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkatta, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Amritsar, Chandigarh and Ludhiana, to name a few.

"The Hindi speaking market in India is the biggest and cannot be ignored. We have rolled out a marketing campaign, which is simple and clutter breaking by using the iconic characters of Disney - Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. The campaign drives homes the message in a unique and entertaining way," says Walt Disney Television International (India) marketing director Tushar Shah.

The campaign has been conceived by Contract Advertising, Disney's creative agency.

Mickey Mouse inflates have also been put up at Phoenix Mills in Mumbai. Apart from this, the company will also be distributing personalised Mickey mugs to the media fraternity with "M Se Mickey" written on one side in Hindi and with the person's name written on the other side, for eg: "P Se Pooja."

This activity will be undertaken on 1 - 2 September, wherein various professionals from the media, ad sales, distribution, advertising agencies, advertisers and cable industry will receive their personalised mugs.

Three radio spots have been created with the adorable Donald Duck trying his best to learn the new language. The radio spots have Donald reciting the Hindi alphabets and also encouraging Daisy Duck to do so. In his unique quacky voice, he seems at pains to learn the alien language but manages just fine in the end.

Speaking on the thought behind the campaign, Contract Advertising account director Ayesha Ghosh says, "The brief given to us was simple and Disney encouraged us to go creative on this one so that the campaign doesn't become just another blind spot. The idea was to attract attention and roll out a communication that works for the brand."

"All the outdoor ads have the popular characters learning Hindi, whereas the three radio spots have Donald in the lead role since his is the most identifiable voice among all the Disney characters," Ghosh adds.

The channels is also planning to roll out TVCs, which will be variations of the radio spots.

Toon Disney and Jetix head for Japan

Toon Disney is launching in Japan later this year, a move which also takes the Jetix brand to the territory. Walt Disney Television International Japan will air the 24-hour channel from the beginning of December.

Toon Disney's arrival in Japan follows that of the Disney channel in November 2003. As well as Disney's catalogue of animated programs, the Toon channel will also carry a Jetix action/adventure block, a feature of its output elsewhere.

Staggered Dining Aboard Disney Cruise Line's Disney Wonder Is Here To Stay

Due to rave reviews from guests, staggered dining will be permanently implemented aboard the Disney Wonder. And that’s not all. Staggered dining will also be tested on the Disney Magic beginning Oct. 29, 2005 through Jan.28, 2006. Guests scheduled on MAIN dining will be assigned a 5:45 p.m., 6:00 p.m. or 6:15 p.m. dining time. Guests scheduled on SECOND dining will be assigned an 8:00 p.m., 8:15 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. dining time. Remember, you can request specific dining times, however, this request cannot be guaranteed.

Disney Festival will celebrate cartooning

 

Marceline, Missouri, hometown of Walt Disney, will host internationally acclaimed cartoonists for Walt Disney's Hometown Toonfest Sept. 16-17. The cartoonists and their fans will celebrate Disney's boyhood in Marceline, the little rail-stop town where Disney lived from 1906-1911.

The Toonfest will recognize the influence that Marceline had on Disney's animated cartoons and toast the accomplishments of today's all-star American cartoonists. Disney returned to pastoral Marceline numerous times during his legendary career for locale and lifestyle research for his films, and for personal renewal.

Marceline, Missouri is located 120 miles northeast of Kansas City. The Toonfest is sponsored in part by Andrews McMeel Universal, a Kansas City-based media company, providing the world with books, calendars, newspaper features, film/TV, online and wireless content and much more.

Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Jim Borgman will lead a contingent of the world's most talented creators of cartoons and entertainment to Marceline's vintage Uptown Theater where they will show and tell audiences what they do and how they do it. Borgman is also co-creator (with Jerry Scott) of the comic strip, "Zits," two-time winner of the National Cartoonists Society Reuben Best Comic Strip Award (1998-99), and the 2000 "Max and Moritz" Medal for Best International Comic Strip. Glenn and Gary McCoy, National Cartoonists Society Reubens Awards winners, and creators of the zany new "Flying McCoys" newspaper panel cartoon, (Glenn also creates editorial cartoons and "The Duplex" comic strip), will join Jim Borgman and more great talents to headline free humorous and informative presentations.

The McCoy brothers, whose banter rivals their cartoons, will be Toonfest theater programs co-masters of ceremonies. Presentations at the Uptown Theater are from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Friday for high school students (including a lunch break), and 12:30 - 5 p.m. Saturday for the general public.

The all-star lineup at the Uptown, from which stage Walt Disney addressed the community and showed his films, continues with Tony Baxter. Baxter began work at Disneyland as a teenage grounds sweeper and rode his successful theme park and ride ideas to the position of Senior Vice President Creative Development, Walt Disney Imagineering. Among Baxter's visions realized in Disney parks worldwide are Euro Disney, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Star Tours, Indiana Jones Adventure and California Soarin'.

Cartoonist Tom Wilson Jr. will draw his naive star, "Ziggy," and share with Toonfest audiences his insight into what makes America's most lovable comics page loser a big winner with millions of readers. The multi-talented Wilson is also president of Ziggy and Friends, Inc., founder of Character Matters, and a creative consultant for Saunders International, a world renowned think tank.

Charles Solomon is an internationally respected animation critic and historian. Among his published books are "Enchanted Drawings: The History of Animation," and "The Walt Disney That Never Was." For Toonfest audiences Solomon will explain the wiles, wills and attractions of Walt Disney film heroines. Solomon has written about cartoon animation for "Rolling Stone" and "The Manchester Guardian," among others, and lectured on the subject at U.C.L.A., School of Visual Arts, Walt Disney Studios and Dream Works Feature Animation.

Award winning caricaturist Tom Richmond wraps up the lineup. Tom began his career drawing caricatures at Six Flags Great America theme park near Chicago, IL and continues to create today for a variety of clients. Tom has had work published in a great number of nationally distributed magazines, books, and comics, and is currently one of the "Usual Gang of Idiots" doing regular movie and TV parody work in MAD Magazine. All Toonfest headliners will be Grand Marshals in a gala parade up and down Main Street USA beginning Saturday morning at 10. Other Saturday events include a cartoon exhibit sponsored by the National Cartoonists Society North Central Chapter at the Masonic Hall. Included will be works by Toonfest headliners and the opportunity to meet them in person. All professional cartoonists are invited to submit their work for exhibition to the Toonfest Office, for arrival by Sept. 9. Cartoons will be returned to creators postage paid.

More activities available for Toonfest attendees include an original cartoons and cartoonists' autographed books auction; the Walt Disney Museum, featuring an outstanding collection of Walt Disney family life in Marceline memorabilia; live entertainment, lots to eat, including apple pie eating contests, crafts booths, the Barnyard Olympics, and a bait casting competition at Ripley Pond.

For more Toonfest information, including events, schedule, how to get there and where to stay; and about submitting cartoons to the Toonfest exhibition, contact a Toonfest Ambassador at toonfest@sbcglobal.net, 660-376-9258, or Walt Disney's Hometown Toonfest, 207 N. Main St. USA, Marceline, MO 64658.

Battle of the Disney divas

They are birds of a feather that flock together. They have the smarts as well as grace and style to get through those awkward teenage years with a little help from their friends and family.

In view of their popularity with the pre-teen set, it is no wonder that Disney Channel stars Lizzie McGuire (Hillary Duff) and Raven (Raven Baxter) have jumped from the small screen to the Game Boy Advance screen once again in a pair of video game sequels. Who would have thunk it but you actually need some gaming skill to play either 'Lizzie McGuire 3: Homecoming Havoc' or 'That's so Raven 2: Supernatural Style'? Both releases are deceptively simple.

In 'Lizzie McGuire 3' you must assist the high school misfit in achieving her dream of becoming homecoming queen. To do so, you must best a host of mini-game challenges in Competition Mode. That's 100 games and 10 dance offs in 10 stages, folks. Yep. Moms and dads, this game will have your kids tied up until doomsday...or shortly thereafter. The mini-games include all the basic skills a novice gamer will need in future. There's button-mashing "rapid tap" challenges, timed tests, games including dodging, aiming and the ever popular bonus round 'Dance Competition' in which you have to press the appropriate direction on the control pad as arrows quickly move across the screen to get Lizzie to set the dance floor on fire. In the bonus rounds, you can earn valuable tokens, points and chances.

'That's so Raven 2: Supernatural Style' doesn't fair as well unfortunately although it is more of an arcade style experience. Raven's predicament this time around is that she needs concert tickets for a date. Instead of purfume to spray those dastardly villains with, this time around Raven can...ummm...throw...cream pies. Go figure, eh? Raven can also "borrow" a wide variety of outfits that give her other powers as well as combining special items to create new accessories too. If you collect enough coins, you can buy clothing and other items in the Raven Store as well as unlock trivia about the television show and mini-games.

Mercifully, neither of these releases are recycled versions of those old school "girl games" (for lack of a better term) which contained nothing too challenging or too threatening for young women to deal with. It is good to see that those embarrassing days are seemingly gone for good. Adios. Goodbye. See yah, later. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

London Biscuits inks pact with Walt Disney for cartoon rights

 

London Biscuits Bhd has signed an agreement with The Walt Disney Co (Hong Kong) for the rights to use cartoon characters for its confectionery packaging.

London Biscuits managing director Datuk Liew Yew Ching said with the agreement, the company would be able to distribute its "more attractive" products with cartoon characters to the Hong Kong market.

The company has been a Disney licensee since 2003 and had, in March this year, extended the licensing to use the Disney packaging in Malaysia and Singapore for another two years.

"This allows the company to further expand its market in the former British colony, which is one of our main export destinations,'' Liew said in a statement.

A signing ceremony was held in Hong Kong on Tuesday between London Biscuits and an official of Walt Disney Co (Asia-Pacific) Ltd.

Liew said the company also wanted to take advantage of the enthusiasm which Hong Kong Disneyland is generating ahead of its opening this September.

The Disney packaging is used on the company's cake and corn products under the Yummies brand range and would be available in Hong Kong next month.

The characters on the confectionery packets are Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Winnie the Pooh.

Disney takes a swing at Country Club legend

Most of us think the Red Sox' legendary win in Game 4 of the 2004 World Series was the Greatest Game Ever Played. But writer/director Mark Frost reminds Bostonians of another local triumph – caddy Francis Ouimet's victory in the 1913 U.S. Open at The Country Club of Brookline.

``I really think Francis Ouimet was the Jackie Robinson of golf, he changed the way the game was not only perceived but the way it was played,'' Frost said of the 20-year-old caddy whose amazing victory over British golfing great Henry Vardon is dramatized in the upcoming Disney flick ``The Greatest Game Ever Played.''

And Frost said he never had any doubt about who should portray the unknown underdog Ouimet. When 19-year-old ``I Robot'' star Shia LaBeouf walked through the door, he knew he had his man.

``We had to find somebody who is relatively unknown, as Francis is a complete unknown,'' explained Frost. ``Shia is perfect because he's not over-exposed and he's different in every movie.''

Casting Ouimet's charismatic caddy, Eddie Lowery, happened in a similar fashion.

``You couldn't make up a character like this little caddy,'' he said. ``We had to find a kid who's like a 50-year-old in a 10-year-old's body.''

And that would be 11-year-old Josh Flitter, a bit player in ``Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.'' As soon as Frost saw him, Josh said, he shouted, ``He's Eddie!''

The barely 4-foot kid actor told the Track that it wasn't just his short stature that he shared with Lowery.

``He was determined to do anything and so am I. He was really like a smart aleck and so am I,'' he said.

``The Greatest Game Ever Played'' opens in theaters Sept. 30.

Katrina's Wrath Hits Hollywood

Hurricane Katrina's assault on the Big Easy is having repercussions in Hollywood.

In the aftermath of the devastating storm that authorities fear left hundreds dead, flooded more than 80 percent of downtown New Orleans, and ravaged the Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama basins has caused several productions in the region to shut down.

Two Disney films were forced to evacuate New Orleans before the hurricane made landfall: Déjà Vu, starring Denzel Washington, and The Guardian, with Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher. The Los Angeles Times reports that the studio hired a charter jet Saturday and flew 70 crew members out of the city and back to Los Angeles before the monster storm slammed into the Gulf coast.

Another film pulling up stakes was Warner Bros.' horror thriller The Reaping, which stars Hilary Swank as a myth debunker investigating signs of the 10 plagues. Little did the two-time Oscar winner know she was about to encounter a natural disaster of biblical proportions.

A studio rep said the cast and crew for the Joel Silver-produced film caught a flight from Baton Rouge to the relative safety of Austin, Texas. While Katrina wreaked havoc on the production schedule, filmmakers are ready to return to Baton Rouge and resume shooting next week--that is, if the basic infrastructure, power, car rentals, clean roads, etc., is back up and running.

"We're anticipating resuming production Tuesday, after the Labor Day holiday. The crew is expected to return to the Baton Rouge location tomorrow," said Warners publicist Stacy Ivers.

Earlier reports that the hurricane washed out some sets there, causing minor damage, were unconfirmed.

Warners and Disney aren't the only one placing a call to their insurance company. The producers of The Last Time, a comedy-drama costarring Michael Keaton and Brendan Fraser, suspended production immediately once mandatory evacuation orders were issued Sunday by New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin.

"While the production has incurred some extra expense as a result of the delay caused by the continuing executive order preventing us from reentering New Orleans, more importantly, we are happy that our cast and crew are safe," says a statement from producer Adam Rosenfelt, president of Element Films, the company overseeing production. Rosenfelt says he hopes to start filming again as soon as possible.

Last year, Hollywood received $67 million in tax breaks from Louisiana to attract film and TV production. But the hurricane's effects are expected to be felt for months. With state officials relocating government offices, the Louisiana and New Orleans film commission offices were not reachable for comment.

Also beating a hasty retreat were the cast and crew of Vampire Bats, a made-for-TV flick for CBS featuring Xena alum Lucy Lawless.

"I turned on the television and saw 'category 5,' " the actress told Entertainment Tonight.

Lawless joined the thousands of evacuees fleeing the below-sea level, bowl-shaped city at the last minute.

"The traffic was going one mile per hour sometimes," she told ET of the mass exodus on local highways. "Then it was two miles per hour, then five. It took nine hours for what should have taken 50-55 minutes."

As of press time, Lawless was holed up with three crew members and their relatives in Baton Rouge without electricity but still able to use the telephone.

It's doubtful however she'll be getting in front of the camera anytime soon.

"Everyone is safe," Vampire Bats producer Frank von Zerneck told the Hollywood Reporter. "But now I'm dealing with things like, are the trucks flooded? Where is the equipment? Everything was boxed up and stored, but now the city is pretty much closed down."

And it will be for months to come, given the submerged state of New Orleans.

The crisis is such that the governor of New Orleans has ordered tens of thousands of people who had sought refuge in New Orleans rescue centers, including the Superdome, to get as far away from the city and region as possible. More than 5,000 National Guard troops and other emergency personnel are conducting 24-hour rescue operations, pulling stranded people to safety, extinguishing gas fires and attempting to stanch the flow of water from breeched levees. Health officials fear the worst could be on the horizon, with water sources polluted, dead bodies exposed and disease-carrying mosquito populations expected to boom.

ABC's New Fall Series

"Commander-in-Chief"

What: Drama about a woman who unexpectedly becomes president — and the men who don't like it.

Where: Tuesday, 9 p.m.

When: Sept. 27

Who: Geena Davis, Donald Sutherland, Kyle Secor, Harry L. Lennix, Ever Carradine, Julie Ann Emery, Andrew James Allen, Caitlin Wachs, Jasmine Anthony.

Why: Successor to the lame-duck "West Wing."

How: Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton dismisses her candidacy for vice president as a campaign stunt, "all done as pure theater." That's cold. Not to mention cruel resistance heaped on Vice President Mackenzie Allen, who now, with the death of the president she ran with, is being pressured to step aside and let someone "more appropriate" claim the Oval Office. Next in line would be Templeton, "an SOB and a liar," the dying prez told her, "but he shares my vision." How will the progressive, independent and indubitably female President Mackenzie fare? And how will her husband, until now her dynamic Chief of Staff, react to serving as the nation's first "First Man"? Secor scores as the loving but hamstrung hubby, Sutherland is a delicious scoundrel as Templeton, and Davis is presidential in this very electable hit.
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"Freddie"

What: Young, successful chef and freewheeling single guy fills his bachelor pad with his sister, sister-in-law, niece and grandmother. Has he cooked his own goose?

Where: Wednesday, 8:30 p.m.

When: Oct. 5

Who: Freddie Prinze, Jr., Jacqueline Obradors, Brian Green, Jenny Gago, Chloe Suazo.

Why: Outsiders invading the happy home is a long-standing sitcom staple. Can't anybody stop it?

How: "When my brother died, I realized I lost contact with everybody I loved. Now that they're all here, I feel like I have a family again," says Freddie. "You're saying it's perfect?" asks pal and fellow bachelor Chris (Green). "No, it's killing me," says Freddie. Cue the laugh track. This show isn't a bit funny. On the other hand, it's comfortable like family; the sort of show that, like it or not, a viewer might admit into his home.
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"Hot Properties"

What: "Designing Women" for a new millennium: Crasser, far less funny and bigger breasts.

Where: Friday, 9:30 p.m.

When: Oct. 7

Who: Gail O'Grady, Nicole Sullivan, Evan Handler, Audra Blaser, Stephen Dunham, Sofia Vergara.

Why: Nature abhors a vacuum, on a network schedule like everywhere else.

How: Four wisecracking women run their real estate business as "matchmakers for people and homes." They also spend a lot of time dishing about men. Among the foursome is the obligatory loser in love (Sullivan) who declares, "I'm not slutty, I'm easy. It's subtle, but there's a difference." And the obligatory red-hot Latina (Vergara) who, reminded that her father and uncles are all cabinet makers, acknowledges, "Yes, I spend my life surrounded by men with wood." This "Properties" is condemned.
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"Invasion"

What: Very extreme makeovers, sci-fi edition — aliens are in our midst, converting us one by one.

Where: Wednesday, 10 p.m.

When: Sept. 21

Who: William Fichtner, Eddie Cibrian, Kari Matchett, Lisa Sheridan, Tyler Labine, Alexis Dziena, Evan Peters, Ariel Gade.

Why: A drama that gives viewers something new to worry about. (Terrorists are so last season!)

How: Set in a small Florida town at the edge of Everglades National Park, this series begins with a torrential storm. But what if the storm weren't a natural disaster, but a diversionary tactic cooked up by alien invaders? And what if the storm-ravaged town fell under the emergency control of a sheriff (Fichtner) who is part of the aliens' takeover plan? Pretty soon a U.S. Park Ranger (Cibrian) gets suspicious, and his wife (Sheridan) happens to be an intrepid TV reporter. But will they uncover the conspiracy in time? And will viewers care, once they uncover this silly mess?
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"Night Stalker"

What: Broken-hearted but iron-willed, a young man looks for creepy answers in the dark.

Where: Thursday, 9 p.m.

When: Sept. 29

Who: Stuart Townsend, Gabrielle Union, Eric Jungmann, Cotter Smith.

Why: The original "Kolchak: The Night Stalker," which ABC aired for just one season in the 1970s, was canceled — but it wouldn't die.

How: "The real stories you won't find printed in any newspaper," Carl Kolchak declares in a mournful voiceover — "stories of strange deaths, endless suffering, horrors we can only pretend to explain, and hidden threads that connect them all." A seasoned crime reporter like Kolchak should know better than indulging in such purple prose. But he's got a mission beyond journalism: his wife was killed 18 months ago in an otherworldly fashion and the FBI likes him for the murder. So naturally Kolchak (Townsend) is obsessed with discovering what really happened. He also needs to solve all the subsequent ghoulish occurrences and crack a cover-up that no one else will acknowledge. All of which suggests this occult suspenser isn't bucking for realism: Here's a reporter who never puts in for overtime.

Walt Disney Resort to Host 23rd Annual Night of Joy

The Magic Kingdom will be hosting some of Christian music’s most recognized and highly acclaimed stars during the 23rd Annual Night of Joy, which will take place Sept. 9-10 at the Walt Disney Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Headliners this year include one of the Gospel Music Association’s most-honored performers, Steven Curtis Chapman, and recent GMA Music Award winners Casting Crowns (Group of the Year), Nicole C. Mullen (Female Vocalist of the Year), and MercyMe (2004 Artist of the Year).

Other big name artists included this year are Matthew West, Mark Schultz, Big Daddy Weave, Vicky Beeching, newsboys, Donnie McClurking, CeCe Winans, Kutless, Tree 63, Superchic[k], Further Seems Forever, Stellar Kart, Kierra “Kiki Sheard,, Audio Adrenaline and tobyMac.

In addition to CCM’s finest, two special acts will be performing at the Night of Joy, including a four-sister group from Washington called Witherspoon and 27 youngsters from Chicago’s Evangel Assembly of God.

Contemporary Christian recording artist Mark Schultz takes time away from touring to goof around in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort

Witherspoon was selected as the overall Grand Prize winners at the GMA Music in the Rockies seminar, which was held from late July to early August, and the Evangel Assembly of God was the overall winners in Kellogg’s Gospel Youth Choir Competition, which finished last week. The Evangel Assembly of God youth Choir will perform at the Night of Joy on stage with Kierra “Kiki” Sheard, who was also a spokesperson for the Kellogg event.

“From time to time we’ve looked to introduce some fresh ideas to the Night of Joy event, a definitely a fresh idea this year is the relationship we have to GMA and to Kellogg,” said Night of Joy spokesperson Dave Herbst.

Another special feature at this year’s Night of Joy will be an “information station” for the upcoming Christmas film release The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

At the station, guests will be able to access exclusive content about the film including the latest updates, behind-the-scenes footage and “sneak peek” movie clips, and a preview of Buena Vista Games console games inspired by the movie.

Other Narnia features offered at Night Of Joy are “The Chronicles of Narnia – Audio Magazine” and an “Official Narnia Passport” (with special information on the movie), both of which will appear as tracks on a complimentary CD given to every Night of Joy guest.

Walt Disney World Resort has presented Night of Joy annually since 1983. More than 100 Christian music artists have performed before a combined audience of more than 800,000 people in the Magic Kingdom.

For more information or to purchase tickets for Night of Joy 2005 call 407/W-DISNEY.

Hong Kong Disneyland opens with wealth of challenges

Fifty years after Disneyland opened in California, heralding America's postwar success, the Walt Disney Co. is betting that China, the world's newest economic giant, will welcome Mickey Mouse to Hong Kong with open arms.

On Sept. 12, after six years of planning and building costs of $1.8 billion, Hong Kong Disneyland will greet the first of the 5.6 million guests it projects in the first year.

The park is a joint venture of the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), which invested $419 million for a 57% stake, and Disney, which invested $316 million for a 43% stake, a government spokesman said. In addition, the Hong Kong government spent $1.75 billion on infrastructure works that would have been carried out in the area for tourism and recreational development regardless of whether Disneyland was built, the spokesman said.

Nestled on a bay against a backdrop of green hills on Lantau Island in the South China Sea, the 310-acre park is 10 minutes by light rail from the international airport and 24 minutes from Hong Kong, a part of the People's Republic of China since 1997, when Britain gave up its colonial rule after 156 years.

Although statistics show 21 million visitors arrived last year in Hong Kong, which abuts Guangdong, mainland China's richest province, industry observers say the cost of admission to Disneyland could scare off many guests from the mainland, where the official average income is less than $1,000 a year.

Adult tickets will start at HKD295 ($37) in the offseason, when a night at the one of the park's two hotels -- the Hollywood Hotel and Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel -- will start at HKD1,000 ($129) and HKD1,600 ($206).

"Disney will do well to keep its price point down in China," said J. Clark Robinson, president of the Alexandria, Va.-based International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, which held its annual Asian Expo in June in Hong Kong.

Tickets at Hong Kong Disneyland, however, are cheaper than those at the parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo, and Stanley Cheung, managing director of the Walt Disney Co. China and a Hong Kong native, said he is not worried about mainland Chinese attendance.

"About one-third of our guests are expected to come from mainland China, primarily from the richer, southern regions such as Guangdong province," Cheung said from his office at Disney China headquarters in Shanghai.

Drawing even a fraction of the mainland's 1.3 billion people to the park is a worthy challenge, even though China's consumers are expected to spend more on entertainment in coming years than other Asians.

U.S. accounting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers sees a 25.2% rise in Chinese entertainment and media spending through 2009, making China the fastest-growth market in Asia. PwC said China's amusement industry will swell an average of 5.7% a year in the same period, leaping to more than $7 billion in 2006 alone.

It's been a long march to Sept. 12 for Disney, which first showed "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" in China in the 1930s. Andy Bird, president of Walt Disney International, said that Hong Kong Disneyland will provide guests with an immersive experience to re-ignite what he calls "the magic that is the Disney storytelling tradition."

"The park will act as a springboard for our other businesses throughout China and the region," he said in an interview from his Los Angeles office.

"Whenever we open a park, we find there's a very good halo effect that is created," he said, noting that a martial arts retelling of "Snow White" called "Snow White and the Seven Monks" is in preproduction.

Still, in some respects, Hong Kong Disneyland is as American as apple pie. It features Main Street U.S.A., Adventureland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland -- four environments that echo the Anaheim originals -- and a staff of 5,000 "cast members," many of whom went to Orlando for training (AB, July).

Yet sensitivity to Chinese culture was important in creating the park. A Chinese menu was developed to complement Disney's traditional Western fare; there are Mandarin-, Cantonese- and English-speaking staff; and a master of the 14th century art of feng shui was consulted on the park's design to make sure it sits harmoniously with the natural environment, Bird said.

To please a different set of beliefs, Disney entered into a partnership with the nearly 70-million strong Communist Youth League. Music and video materials were sent to members, who range in ages from 14-28, in the hope of raising awareness of Mickey Mouse.

In case budding interest in Mickey and pals failed to get Chinese kids to push their parents for tickets to Hong Kong Disneyland, the park chose as its spokesman pop singer Jacky Cheung, a household name in Hong Kong and across much of Asia.

Industry observers say that all the effort that Disney has put into the Hong Kong park was meant to meet the challenge of selling Disney's clean and controlled approach to family entertainment to a small group of newly wealthy Chinese whose nascent tastes are tough to gauge.

"Chinese think of theme parks as places for children only, but Disneyland has the chance to change this misperception," said Ji Xiangqun, deputy general manager of the Suzhou New District Economic Development Group, which runs amusement parks outside Shanghai.

According to Greg Hale, Disney's chief safety officer, all Disney parks succeed in appealing to guests of all ages by upholding the four core tenets of safety, quality, showmanship and efficiency.

"These set expectations high, and now we have to deliver on the promise," Hale said, noting the importance of defining exactly what is expected of each cast member, then making sure everybody, from all levels of management, adheres to those four core behaviors.

"No one will walk past a piece of trash or something that's improper without bending over to pick it up," Hale said.

James Lu, executive director of the Hong Kong Hotels Assn., identified another challenge Disney might face in serving its mainland Chinese guests: "Low-paying guests always ask for more services than high-paying guests, but neither likes to ask for service and then wait."

"That's why we must have ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen," said Lu, noting that Disney might also face a talent shortage as hotels, resorts and amusement parks compete in coming years for educated young employees in the technology and information industries.

Brian Ho, human resources director of Ocean Park, a Disneyland competitor now undergoing a $700 million renovation, noted the same challenge. "Why, when they could be working in air-conditioned offices, would kids want to work outside on a hot Hong Kong day, dealing with mainland tourists?" he asked.

For some, Disney's rigorous culture might also prove too straitjacketed.

Reporter Alexandra Harney wrote in the Financial Times that a free media tour of the new Hong Kong park was "presumably intended to convert cynical journalists to Disney's all-American entertainment philosophy. Instead, it created a slightly uneasy feeling of pervasive control."

"I have been to Walt Disney's first theme park in China, and I can report that it is the scariest place I have been since I visited North Korea a few years ago," she wrote on July 30.

Shanghai surprise?

When the opening-night fireworks have dimmed over Hong Kong Disneyland, the question of a second Disney theme park in China will linger.

In the past several months, Disney's newly appointed CEO, Robert Iger, has traveled several times to Asia, with stops in China, India, Vietnam and Hong Kong. Iger sees the region as one of Disney's main growth opportunities. For about a month, he has been fending off speculation that Shanghai, China's largest city, is the proposed site for a possible second Disneyland in China in the coming years, going so far as to say that it isn't likely to happen before 2010.

"Two Disney parks in China is not market saturation," IAAPA's Robinson said. "Disney changed the face of the industry in the United States in the 1950s and has probably been the most influential around the world ever since."

Disney China managing director Cheung added this about the possibility of Shanghai: "Disney has been engaged in talks over the years with the Chinese government about opening a park in China. The first one is going to be in Hong Kong, and that is the focus of our efforts for now."

Ash to star in Disney film

Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai, who continues to conquer new frontiers outside India with her beauty and talent, adds another milestone to her career.

Aishwarya's International Manager Simone Sheffield told UNI in a communication through e-mail that she has been signed for Disney's ''Rearranged'' which will be directed by Audrey Wells, The rest of the cast is yet to be finalised.

Aishwarya, who is currently in Tunisia for ''The Last Legion''plays Mira, a Byzantine warrior where she co-stars with Sir Ben Kingsley and Colin Firth to restore the Roman Empire.

Even though her fans in India have been critical that she has vanished from Bollywood since ''Devdas'', the former Beauty Queen has as many as 11 projects lined up till 2007.

Aishwarya is currently filming for ''The Last Legion'' in Tunisia. The principal photography for the film started on August five and she joined the shoot from August nine. Next month, the unit will move to Slovakia and the shoot would continue till November.

Director of ''The Last Legion'' Doug Lefler, whose credits include second unit direction on ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘A Simple Plan’, explains that ''The list of requirements for the one major female role in the film, Mira, was long. We needed an actress of rare beauty, with enough screen presence to hold her own against the likes of Colin Firth and Sir Ben Kingsley. Aishwarya was the obvious choice''.

Mr Sheffield further said The Last Legion is a Dino De Laurentiis presentation produced by Martha De Laurentiis and Raffaella De Laurentiis, directed by Doug Lefler. The film is an independently financed film produced in partnership with Quinta Communications’ Tarak Ben Ammar and British co-producers Chris Curling and Phil Robertson of Zephyr Films.

Part fact, part legend, 'The Last Legion' is an epic adventure based on acclaimed author Valerio Massimo Manfredi’s international best-selling 2003 novel of the same name. The film is set against the fall of the Roman Empire in 470 AD and its last emperor, 12-year-old Romulus Augustus (Thomas Sangster).

Over-run with rebellion, Rome is a city on the brink of chaos and destruction. Imprisoned by rebels on the island-fortress of Capri, Romulus, aided by the clever strategies of his teacher Ambrosinus (Sir Ben Kingsley) and the heroic skills of his legionnaire Aurelius (Colin Firth) escape the island.

Despite the turbulent events around them, this small band of Roman soldiers, accompanied by Byzantine warrior Mira (Aishwarya Rai), are determined to continue their mission to restore the Empire. This resolute group sets out on an arduous and dangerous trek for Britannia in search of the Last Legion, in their bid to make one final stand for Rome.

The producers have assembled a stellar cast on this epic film about courage, loyalty and unfailing resolve.

Disney treat for hospital youngsters

Youngsters from Yorkhill Hospital who suffer from leukemia will be among the first to see a spectacular new ice show in Glasgow.

Disney on Ice has donated 20 show tickets to children being treated for life-threatening illnesses at the hospital's Schiehallion Unit. The show, which will run from September 13-18, is expected to attract crowds of more than 50,000 during its six-day run.

Les Hoey, 44, from Wishaw, who helped organise the trip, said: "To see their favourite characters in their home town will be a really great experience." YOUNGSTERS from Yorkhill Hospital who suffer from leukemia will be among the first to see a spectacular new ice show in Glasgow.

Disney on Ice has donated 20 show tickets to children being treated for life-threatening illnesses at the hospital's Schiehallion Unit. The show, which will run from September 13-18, is expected to attract crowds of more than 50,000 during its six-day run.

Les Hoey, 44, from Wishaw, who helped organise the trip, said: "To see their favourite characters in their home town will be a really great experience." YOUNGSTERS from Yorkhill Hospital who suffer from leukemia will be among the first to see a spectacular new ice show in Glasgow.

Disney on Ice has donated 20 show tickets to children being treated for life-threatening illnesses at the hospital's Schiehallion Unit. The show, which will run from September 13-18, is expected to attract crowds of more than 50,000 during its six-day run.

Les Hoey, 44, from Wishaw, who helped organise the trip, said: "To see their favourite characters in their home town will be a really great experience."

Baiting Knight Remains an Easy Sport

ESPN is planning a six-episode reality series, to debut in February, that will feature Bob Knight selecting a Texas Tech student to join the basketball team as a walk-on.

With Knight, you never know what to expect. If there isn't a chair around to throw, he'll find something.

In "Celebrity Fish Talk: Tales of Fishing From an All-Star Cast," host Jerry McKinnis tells author Dave Strege about the time Knight was a guest on his show.

According to McKinnis, after Knight let a largemouth bass slip away and a cameraman quipped, "Eddie Sutton would've caught that fish," Knight glared back at him and picked up a paddle.

"Coach threw it across the little bay at this cameraman," McKinnis said. "That paddle went whizzing through the air."

Trivia time: When was the first $1-million horse race, and who won it?

One viewpoint: Ron Gardenhire, manager of the Minnesota Twins, told Fox Sports radio that he didn't agree with Frank Robinson, manager of the Washington Nationals, that all of Rafael Palmeiro's statistics should be erased because he tested positive for steroids.

Gardenhire, a .232 career hitter in his five seasons with the New York Mets in the 1980s, said, "I could've taken steroids my whole life and never gotten 3,000 hits. I couldn't get 10 hits a month, period."

Exclamation point: Little Leaguer Austin Smith, 13, of Davenport, Iowa, says in an ESPN promo, "My name is Austin Smith, and my favorite player is Rafael Palmeiro, period."

The comment was a spoof of Palmeiro's telling Congress, "I've never used steroids. Period."

On ESPN's "Outside the Lines," Smith, explaining a kid's viewpoint, said, "We kind of make fun of the people who got caught, saying they never knowingly took it. I mean, if you didn't knowingly take it, but you're on it, how do you not know?"

Whatever it takes: Reader David Macaray recalls that former Angel manager Gene Mauch, who died Aug. 8, said of outfielder Gary Pettis' reluctance to choke up on the bat: "You hit major league pitching the way you can, not the way you want to."

Looking back: On this day in 1991, Mike Powell broke Bob Beamon's seemingly unbreakable world record in the long jump with a leap of 29 feet 4 1/2 inches at the world track and field championships in Tokyo. Beamon's record, set at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968, was 29-2 1/2 . Before that, the record was 27-4 3/4 . Powell's jump ended Carl Lewis' 10-year, 65-meet win streak in the event.

Trivia answer: The inaugural Arlington Million at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill., on this day in 1981. The race was won by John Henry, with Bill Shoemaker aboard.

And finally: President Bush threw out the first pitch at a Little League playoff game this month near his Texas ranch.

"Not sure he knew it was Little League," Jay Leno said. "When President Bush reached down and shook hands with players, he said, 'This is proof our steroids policy is working.' "

Kudelski and Disney establish set top box JV

Switzerland's Kudelski (KUD.VX) and Walt Disney (DIS.N) have set up a joint venture to develop and market a video-on-demand system for digital television operators worldwide, the firms said on Wednesday.

The security software group and Walt Disney subsidiary Walt Disney Television International said the set top box system would offer a selection of movie and other television content delivered to its hard drive, as well as the capacity for subscribers to record personal content from existing channels.

The system is designed to run on satellite, cable, terrestrial and IP digital video recorder hardware platforms, the companies said.

The system will not be available in the United States, Canada and Japan.

Website for Disney's Film The Greatest Game Ever Played Opens

Visit the official website for Disney's The Greatest Game Ever Played for more about the true story behind the film, where you can learn about Francis Ouimet’s landmark victory and view images both from the film and the actual 1913 match between Francis Ouimet and Harry Vardon. The site also offers information about advance screening dates and locations. Print out a flyer from the site for a free pass to any of these screenings nationwide. Note that seating is on a first come, first serve, basis. This pass does not guarantee admission.

Protesters allege HK Disney abuses

Protesters allege HK Disney abuses

 

About a dozen people protested on Tuesday at the entrance of Hong Kong Disneyland, handing out flyers about alleged labor abuses by Disney contractors in China.

The demonstrators also held up a banner that read, "exploiting Chinese workers, community caring just talk."

The protest was organized by a watchdog group that recently issued a report alleging that Disney contractors in China pay workers below the minimum wage, demand excessive overtime and cheat labor monitors by faking pay slips.

The factories have denied any abuse. In response to the report, Disney has appointed an auditor to look into the claims, but Tuesday's protesters want the company to also make public its list of contractors so that activists can investigate for themselves.

One of the demonstrators, Argo Yeung, said protesters wanted to raise awareness of the labor conditions at contractors for multinational companies.

"The price of the products made by multinational brands isn't low. It's a big difference compared to what the workers get paid. There's hasn't been discussion of the issue in Hong Kong," Yeung told The Associated Press by phone.

The government, which agreed to shoulder most of the $3.5 billion construction cost, says the park will boost employment and tourism.

Critics say the park's economic benefits are overrated and that officials are focusing too much on it.

A Hong Kong Disneyland spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a reporter's call seeking comment on the protest.

Hong Kong Disneyland is due to open on September 12, but the park has organized previews for various groups.

Disney To Focus On Digital Technology-Driven Business In India

 

What are Walt Disney's plans in India? And what has been it like since Disney set up shop in India eight months ago. Read the interview with The Walt Disney Company (India) Pvt Ltd managing director Rajat Jain.

 
For a question, what could be the Walt Disney Television International (India)'s agenda going to be for the next six months or so, Jain said:

 
"In the coming six months our agenda is to clearly ensure that our creative processes are vibrant and that our programming meets the Indian consumer's tastes and preferences. The second priority is empowerment of kids' viewers that interact with us. That is really important to us and is a part of our brand architecture.

 
Finally, it will be to focus on some of the new aspects of our business, which is the growth of the consumer products and newer digital technology driven business - Internet, wireless etc. That is a very dynamic market is ever changing and clearly there will be opportunities in that space for us in the next six - twelve months.

Two for one Disney on Ice ticket offer

 

The Mail online has teamed up with Disney on Ice to offer readers the chance to take advantage of a two for the price of one offer to see Mickey and Minnie's Magical Journey!

 

This exciting new ice skating spectacular is guaranteed to delight both you and your family as Mickey and Minnie guide you on an unforgettable journey to the fun-filled worlds of Peter Pan, 101 Dalmatians, The Little Mermaid and Lilo & Stitch.

Join them as they embrace 'ohana the family spirit of Hawaii, fly away to the magical world of Never Land, make tracks to London to help Pongo and Perdita find their puppies and escape as Sebastian takes them under the sea.

It's a show the whole family can enjoy together, and a great opportunity for everyone to experience some traditional Disney magic - live on ice.

The two for one ticket offer is available for the following performances:

Glasgow, SECC: Wednesday 14 September-19.30, Thursday 15 September-19.30, Friday 16 September-15.45
Aberdeen, Press & Journal Arena: Thursday 22 September-19.30, Friday 23 September-19.30
Manchester, M.E.N Arena: Wednesday 28 September-19.30, Thursday 29 September-19.30
Nottingham, Nottingham Arena: Thursday 6 October-19.30, Friday 7 October-19.30
Newcastle, Metro Radio Arena: Tuesday 11 October-19.30, Saturday 15 October-19.30, Sunday 16 October-18.30
London, Wembley Show Hall: Wednesday 19 October-19.30, Thursday 20 October-15.45 and 19.30, Friday 21 October-12.00 and 15.45
Birmingham, The NIA: Wednesday 26 October-19.30, Thursday 27 October-16.00 and 20.00, Tuesday 1 November-19.30, Wednesday 2 November-19.30, Thursday 3 November-19.30
Sheffield, Hallam FM Arena: Tuesday 8 November-19.30, Wednesday 9 November-14.00, Thursday 10 November-14.00

There is limited availability so book now!

How to book your two for one tickets

Phone: To book via the phone please call Ticketmaster on 0870 4000 777 and quote 'Daily Mail offer'

Online: Book online with Ticketmaster

Terms & conditions
The offer is valid on all price levels, (£10.50-£22.50) except rinkside, for a selection of shows across the country.
Tickets are subject to a booking fee per ticket (£1.50-£2.25) and a processing fee of £1.25 per transaction.
There is a limit of 4 tickets per transaction.
The offer is valid from 31 August until 30 September 2005.
This offer is subject to availability and cannot be booked in conjunction with any other offer.

My Scene Goes Hollywood on DVD

 

It's "Lights! Camera! Fashion!" for the My Scene gang, Barbie, Madison, Chelsea, Nolee and Delancey, as they get a taste of the glamorous life and star in their first-ever full-length movie, MY SCENE GOES HOLLYWOOD. Based on Mattel's successful My Scene toy line, the highly anticipated direct-to-video animated feature (DVD/VHS) will be distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment and is available August 30, 2005. The MY SCENE GOES HOLLYWOOD DVD/VHS is fashionably priced at $19.99 (DVD and VHS S.R.P.).

Why release movies in theatres?

Someday the phrase "Coming soon to a theatre near you" could be replaced with "Coming soon to a Wal-Mart near you."The tradition of major films debuting first in theatres, then across staggered release "windows,"including pay-per-view, home video, cable and, finally, broadcast TV, is being openly questioned.

Robert Iger, CEO-elect of The Walt Disney Co., recently suggested the day could come when a DVD is released while the movie is still in theatres.

The millions of dollars that studios spend marketing first-run movies would serve double duty promoting the more profitable DVDs, making for a faster and more efficient return on investment.

"Consumers have a lot more authority these days and they know that by using technology they can gain access to content and they want to use the power that they have..."Iger told financial analysts earlier this month. "We can’t stand in the way and we can’t allow tradition to stand in the way of where the consumer can go or wants to go."
"He knows there would be no viable movie theatre industry in that new world — at least not a theatre industry devoted to the entertainment products of Hollywood."

Theatres have already seen profits shrink as movies move more quickly to home video. Studios and theatres split profits in the early weeks of a movie’s run. The theatres split gets larger the longer the movie plays, giving studios an incentive to release films on DVD even earlier. Studios make the majority of their profits from home video sales, with theatrical runs serving as marketing for the DVD.

The gap between a movie’s opening weekend in theatres and its debut on home video has been narrowing from about six months in 1994 to about four months in 2004.

Some studios release their DVDs even sooner. The action sequel "XXX: State of the Union,"which fizzled at the box office, hit video shelves 11 weeks after its theatrical debut. Many studios announce the release date of a movie on home video while the film is still in theatres — a practice that infuriates theatre owners.

Lilo & Stitch 2 Stitch Has A Glitch on DVD

Before all 625 experiments landed in Hawaii, Stitch was enjoying his new "Ohana" with Lilo and Nani. It may have seemed like paradise, but little did they know something strange was about to happen… Stitch has a glitch! Presenting the all-new animated motion picture LILO & STITCH 2 STITCH HAS A GLITCH, available only on Disney DVD and VHS on August 30 from Walt Disney Home Entertainment.

Disney's 'Kim Possible' Code Tod contest winners announced

Disney's Kim Possible Code Tod nationwide contest has come to a close. Walt Disney managing director Ra