Disney Characters Go Postal 

Sinkhole opens near Disneyland 

Roy Disney targets 2 small caps 

ABC Pulls ‘Neighborhood‘ Reality Series 

Part 5: Walt Disney World with Cerebral Palsy 

Disneyland Closes Ride After Guest Gets Sick 

Ratings have ABC dancing 

One Voice's Media Center Communicator to Showcase at INNOVENTIONS at Epcot 

Prolific producers move to NBC from Disney 

Jossen Upped At ABC-Disney

Disney Characters Go Postal

 

Mickey Mouse, Snow White and a few other Disney characters are going postal.

The U.S. Postal Service and Disney will release four new stamps featuring eight beloved characters Thursday.

The series, titled "The Art Of Disney: Celebration," marks the theme park's 50th anniversary.

Stamps will be available at Disney theme parks and on the U.S. Postal Service's Web site at www.usps.gov.

Sinkhole opens near Disneyland

A broken water main caused a minor sinkhole today under a street, cutting water service to about 100 residents for about six hours, officials said.

Anaheim Fire Department officials closed about one block of Cerritos Avenue, between Hampstead Street and South Ninth Street, about 9 a.m. They turned the problem over to public-works officials after finding no safety hazard, fire department spokeswoman Maria Sabol said.

Repairs to the pipe and pavement were expected to take until about 6 p.m., she said. Residents of several adjacent apartment buildings were without water until 3 p.m.

The area is about three blocks west of the Disneyland Hotel.

Roy Disney targets 2 small caps

 

When people think of Disney, they think of amusement parks, Mickey Mouse and Princesses.

However, the Disney family lately has been carving out a new brand for itself: hedge fund activist. The Shamrock Activist Value Fund, started in 1978 by Roy Disney and his longtime associate Stanley Gold, launched its most recent activist battle on Disney itself when it launched a campaign to oust CEO Michael Eisner. This battle is well-documented in the book by James Stewart, "DisneyWar."

Investing in two small caps

In the past two months, Shamrock, dusting itself off from its Disney battles, has taken two new positions. In one of them, it stepped up the heat a little last week with an updated 13D filing. The two small-cap companies, iPass and Intrado, have several features in common that could point to a unified philosophy behind Shamrock's investing:

• Both have consistent cash flows. Revenue and profits have gone up each year in the past three years for both companies.
• Both have great balance sheets. IPass is sitting on $158 million in cash and has no debt, and Intrado is sitting on $40 million in cash and has only $4 million in debt.
• Both have low and inconsistent returns on equity, suggesting that cash used on outside ventures is not being used productively.
• Both companies have single-digit ratios when looking at enterprise value divided by cash flow from operations. IPass has an enterprise value (market cap minus net cash) of $219 million, and cash flow from operations over the past 12 months was $35 million. Intrado has an enterprise value of $213 million with cash flow generated from operations of $27 million.

Both companies are also peripherally in the wireless space. Intrado provides outsourced emergency calling services. For instance, if you have a phone from Cingular Wireless and dial 911, then your call is being handled by Intrado, which routes you to the appropriate public safety agency, providing all your ID and number information.

IPass provides the software the enables enterprises to enable mobile workers to connect up wirelessly to corporate databases.

Room to grow

Both companies also operate in growing areas. Each year more workers are going wireless, because of outsourcing, increasingly mobile salesforces or just work conditions that allow people to work outside the office, benefiting iPass. Intrado, because of FCC rules requiring phone companies to meet certain 911 standards, has become increasingly in demand to help VoIP, wireless, CLECs and other carriers meet the FCC standards.

In May, Shamrock filed that it owns 4.5 million iPass shares at an average price of $5.30, costing it about $27 million. The stock is now at $5.96. Shamrock has yet to make a statement about its holdings, though the family did make the investment from its activist fund as opposed to from other hedge funds it manages.

With Intrado, Shamrock first filed a 13D on May 26, saying it owned a little more than 1 million shares, or about 6.2% of the company, at an average price of around $12.50. The stock is now at $14.

On June 26, Shamrock filed another 13D, detailing its concerns and suggestions for the company and also suggesting that the company has not been responsive. Specifically, it says:

"In May, I contacted George Heinrichs to request that he arrange an introductory meeting for me with the Lead Director of Intrado. Subsequent to that request, Shamrock filed a Schedule 13D disclosing our 6.2% interest in the Company. Eventually, the requested meeting was arranged for June 23rd in Longmont. Unfortunately, at the last minute, you cancelled, and now have agreed to meet with us on July 27th."

And then later:

"I am taking the liberty of sending a copy of this letter directly to your fellow Directors because it appears that my prior correspondence with George was not forwarded to them as requested."

Extracting more value

As is common with activist letters, they provide great insight into extracting more value from a company. Shamrock's main concern with Intrado is that although customers and revenue are steady, return on equity has not been doing well; this indicates that there is a better use of money. Among the suggestions, Shamrock advocates including a diagnostic review to assess the success of all of its initiatives.

Specifically:

"The primary areas of focus for this review would be a detailed and thorough assessment of historical financial performance, including profitability of major project initiatives and capital allocation decisions. It has been our experience that, with the assistance of management, such a review could be completed within 60 to 90 days and at a modest cost.

Second, these statements suggest that the company might not need all of the cash on the balance sheet, since the customers are all long-term, and cash is being steadily generated."

Specifically:

"Because the Company has a solid customer base, steady and recurring subscription revenues and very little debt, it appears to us that the Board ought to consider returning to shareholders a significant amount of the Company's excess cash balances. We believe an overly capitalized balance sheet often results in sub-optimal capital allocation decisions. Write-offs and losses associated with the commercial database initiative (CDB), Palladium and the BMD wireless acquisition, that collectively total approximately $30mm, represent specific examples justifying our concerns."

And finally, these statements suggest that company compensation, particularly option grants, be tied to performance.

"I like both of these holdings by Shamrock and think we can have an interesting summer in front of us if these battles heat up, particularly on Intrado."

Please note that due to factors including low market capitalization and/or insufficient public float, we consider iPass and Intrado to be small-cap stocks. You should be aware that such stocks are subject to more risk than stocks of larger companies, including greater volatility, lower liquidity and less publicly available information, and that postings such as this one can have an effect on their stock prices.

ABC Pulls ‘Neighborhood‘ Reality Series

Under pressure from civil rights groups, ABC Television yesterday canceled plans to broadcast a reality show that let the white suburban families living on a Texas cul-de-sac decide which of seven families - including one black, one Asian, one Hispanic and one gay couple - would move into their community.

The show, "Welcome to the Neighborhood," was to be a summer replacement for the top-rated "Desperate Housewives," which is set on a fictional cul-de-sac, Wisteria Lane, where no one can keep her nose out of anyone else's business.

The one-hour reality show, developed by MGM and the producers behind such shows as "Extreme Makeover" and "The Road to Stardom With Missy Elliot," was to have begun a six-episode run on July 10 at 9 p.m.

In the shows - all of them have been completed - seven diverse families seek votes from three white families in a development called Circle C Ranch, outside Austin. The white families, through a series of interviews, competitions and social interactions, award a 3,300-square-foot, four-bedroom, 2½-bathroom home to the winner - a neighbor, the families say, who will fit in with the community's mostly Christian and Republican values.

Critics of "Welcome to the Neighborhood," which ABC had promoted heavily, said it violated the letter and certainly the spirit of fair housing laws by allowing factors like religion to be a consideration in awarding the house.

A statement released by ABC yesterday said that the intention was to show "the transformative process that takes place when people are forced to confront preconceived notions of what makes a good neighbor, and we believe the series delivers exactly that."

"However," the statement continued, "the fact that true change only happens over time made the episodic nature of this series challenging and given the sensitivity of the subject matter in early episodes we have decided not to air the series at this time."

An earlier ABC press release promoting the show said in part: "Will the resident neighbors be able to see past their own ideals and accept all of the families as people instead of stereotypes? Eventually some eyes and hearts open up, opinions change and a community is transformed."

In the first two episodes, some members of the voting families are seen making disparaging remarks about the gay family (two white men with a black child), questioning whether a Korean family was foreign-born and rejecting a white family who practiced Wicca, a pagan religion. One family was to be rejected each week until the last remaining family won the house.

"The show directly violated the federal Fair Housing Act by rejecting families because of their race, color, national origin or the presence of children," said Shanna Smith, president and chief executive of the National Fair Housing Alliance, consisting of more than 100 private nonprofit housing agencies across the country.

The Washington-based alliance led a campaign asking housing agencies and civil rights groups to urge ABC not to broadcast the show. Ms. Smith said she had also been in talks with network executives.

"I'm elated," Ms. Smith said of the cancellation. "There'll be no copycat shows by the other networks. Also, ABC understands there are civil rights issues and understands the implications."

Some alliance members contended that even though the families willingly entered the competition and were seeking to win a house rather than purchase it, the law stipulates that characteristics like race or religion cannot be considered, even in giving away property. The members also said they worried that the program sent a message that bigotry was tolerable.

As for the show, "It's hilarious and had me in stitches," said John C. Brittain, chief counsel for the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonprofit civil rights organization. "If it weren't so discriminatory, it would be great."

As an example, Mr. Brittain cited as discriminatory a remark by one person on the show who said the Wiccan family would not be selected because of their religion. "I'm a member of the A.C.L.U., too, so I'm loath to come down on entertainment shows," Mr. Brittain said. "I wouldn't mind it too much if it were "M*A*S*H" or Archie Bunker. But this is real."

Part 5: Walt Disney World with Cerebral Palsy

MGM is a fun park in Disney World. Find out the accommodations for someone with cerebral palsy.

Israel and I had a feeling that MGM was going to be our least favorite of all four parks. With CP, I have a pretty big startle reflex so I tend to jump at loud noises. MGM has a lot of shows that make you jump.

Our Favorites:

The Great American Movie Ride - Israel went on this ride himself because I went on it a previous year. It's on the loud side with a shoot out scene and unexpected things happen. I went shopping when he was on the ride. He liked it.

Mama's Restaurant - We ate here for lunch and had fun! The decor resembles a 50's style family house. When you're seated, they tell you to set the table. The food was delicious. They remind you to eat your vegetables.

Star Tours - This ride is very enjoyable. You need to transfer from your wheelchair on to a seat. They have a 3 point seatbelt if you ask for it. It's not that rocky or loud.

Muppet 3D Movie - Very fun and funny with a lot of 3D effects.

Disneyland Closes Ride After Guest Gets Sick

The Matterhorn Bobsleds ride at Disneyland was temporarily closed after a 62-year-old woman visiting from Peru was hospitalized after exiting the attraction, park officials said Tuesday.

Disneyland officials said they notified the state's Division of Occupational Safety and Health and shut down the ride about 6:15 p.m. Monday, after the woman complained of nausea and dizziness. The Matterhorn, one of the park's most recognizable and popular attractions, was reopened at 4 p.m. Tuesday after state safety officials inspected the ride and spoke with the woman's doctor.

The woman's doctor said her illness was not related to the ride, said Dean Fryer, a spokesman for the safety agency. "The statement correlated with what our inspection concluded, that there was nothing wrong with the ride."

The woman asked first-aid attendants at the park if she could lie down after exiting the ride, said Maria Sabol, a spokeswoman with the Anaheim Fire Department. When her condition did not improve an hour later, she was taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana, where she was reported in serious condition.

Anaheim Police Sgt. Rick Martinez said the unidentified woman had an existing medical condition.

On June 13, a 4-year-old boy died at Walt Disney World in Florida after going on a ride that subjects the body to strong acceleration forces. The cause of death is being.

Ratings have ABC dancing

The dance floor glitters with the refracted light from the sparkles and spangles decorating the women's gowns and surrounding set.

The studio audience "oohs" and "aahs" as the competitors (couples include a celebrity and a professional dancer) prance and posture, swoop and glide, shimmy and shake. And when the music stops, either groans or shouts of glee greet the decisions of three judges sitting just offstage.

Live from Hollywood, it's "Dancing With the Stars," ABC's battle of the ballroom - and a hit, debuting a few weeks ago at No. 1 and holding.

Going "live" has been vital to the success of the Wednesday night show (9 p.m., KABC/7), says co-producer Conrad Green.

"There's not really anywhere to hide. If they fall ... they fall ... it definitely ups the stakes," Green says. "If you know you can't retake something ... it really keeps everyone on their toes."

Green was talking the morning after "General Hospital" star Kelly Monaco's bodice strap had snapped, forcing her to complete her samba while struggling to hold her scanty green outfit in place.

Actually, there's a brief delay in the transmission of "Dancing With the Stars" - as with many other live telecasts since Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" - so nothing, uh, unseemly is in danger of being revealed on nationwide TV.

But the studio audience of 300 - dressed for the cocktail hour, yet advised to behave like they were watching a sporting event - gasped and leaned forward expectantly when the mishap occurred.

Monaco's carry-on-regardless aplomb earned her kudos from the judges. When their scores were combined with viewers' votes from the previous week, she and pro partner Alec Mazo survived the cut.

So on tonight's round five, they'll have to best John O'Hurley (J. Peterman of "Seinfeld") who's paired with professional choreographer Charlotte Jorgensen, and Joey McIntyre (of New Kids on the Block fame), whose pro partner is Ashly DelGrosso.

On this night, model Rachel Hunter went the way of previous celebrity losers Trista ("Bachelorette") Sutter and former heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield - her eyes glistening with tears when she got the boot.

The show is derived from a BBC production in Britain, where ballroom dancing has long been a prime-time mainstay. Although a big success there and in many parts of the world, the concept wasn't an easy sell to an American network.

The set design on the Television City soundstage is almost identical to the British version, with the audience on three sides of a dance floor, a staircase for grand entrances, a raised podium for the three judges and an orchestra. No fewer than 10 cameras cover the action.

Green believes celebrities, whose prize is merely "a little trophy," respond to the challenge because it fulfills their secret dreams.

Judging by the emotion in the celebrities' eyes as they await the voting verdicts, it's clear they're hooked.

"John O'Hurley's quite an easygoing, bright, funny, relaxed guy most of the time, but when you say, 'Your fox-trot is going to be judged, and if you're not good enough you are going home,' he works like fury," says Green, noting the stars have been spending 20 to 30 hours each week learning the routines.

Last week, ultra-elegant in white tie and tails, after twirling with Jorgensen through a Viennese waltz to the tune of "I Got You, Babe," O'Hurley said participating in the competition has "helped me take myself a little less seriously."

Attracting 15.5 million viewers last week, the show is a hit in all key demographics.

John Cassese, whose Dance Doctor Studio in Santa Monica has been used by McIntyre, has also seen an upturn in interest, especially with the young.

"A No. 1 hit show like this influences people to want to participate in this romantic physical activity that is exercise and fun and improves social skills at the same time," says Cassese.

"Nothing is more beautiful than seeing two people dancing together - it's like a relationship filled with respect and trust," says Jorgensen, who, besides teaching O'Hurley his moves, also tutored Richard Gere for the movie "Shall We Dance."

"I'm not surprised the show's a success. The format is so good. It's more like a variety show, not like a reality show," says Len Goodman, the veteran British judge.

He tries to keep his criticism balanced - encouraging the stars, because they are amateurs trying their hardest, but also "hopefully giving the audience some guidance" on how the dances should really be performed.

One Voice's Media Center Communicator to Showcase at INNOVENTIONS at Epcot

One Voice Technologies, Inc. , developer of 4th Generation voice solutions for the Telecom and Interactive Multimedia markets, announced today that starting this summer its Media Center Communicator(TM) will be featured at the House of Innoventions exhibit located in the INNOVENTIONS attraction at Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista.

Located in the heart of Epcot, INNOVENTIONS is a unique attraction filled with hands-on, interactive exhibits. Guests discover how science and technology can simplify and enhance their lives today and in the future. This interactive playground allows guests to experience innovative and exciting products and services and understand how new technology will change the way we live. The House of Innoventions showcases the newest trends in household technology from some of the world's finest companies. It provides guests a view of the future -- today! This "house" spotlights an array of labor-saving, technologically advanced and ecologically sound devices.

Prolific producers move to NBC from Disney

Disney-owned Touchstone Television has lost the prolific producing team of Mike Tollin and Brian Robbins to NBC Universal TV Studio.

Robbins told Daily Variety he and his partner enjoyed their 2-year run at Touchstone, but after working with NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly on "Inconceivable," they were looking forward to working at a studio aligned with NBC.

"It was a great experience, and there`s a lot of opportunity for us at NBC," Robbins said. "We think there`s a lot of room for us to grow there."

The men will have five series on the Big Six networks next season, including "Inconceivable" and an ABC midseason for the Jane Curtin-Fred Savage comedy "Crumbs." They also have a return with Warner Brother TV drama hits "Smallville," "One Tree Hill" and the comedy "What I Like About You," will also return in the fall.

Jossen Upped At ABC-Disney

Television veteran Barry Jossen, who has restructured production and played an integral role in Touchstone Television’s resurgence this past season, has been named executive vice president of production for the ABC-Disney TV production unit.

Bye-Bye Handstamps!

 

Walt Disney World Theme Parks will no longer use handstamps for same day re-admission and Park Hopper privileges.

If Guests plan to re-enter or visit another Theme Park on the same day, they will be asked to present their valid ticket or Resort ID with ticket entitlements and utilize the Ticket Tag system.

The Ticket Tag system uses a special reader to match each ticket with the specific Guest who owns that ticket. These Ticket Tag system properties will be added to all remaining "pre-Magic Your Way " tickets, including, but not limited to, Park Hopper and Park Hopper PLUS Tickets. Guests with "pre-Magic Your Way " tickets should sign their existing tickets (even though there is no preprinted signature line) should they encounter a challenge with re-entry.

Walt Disney World Water Parks, Downtown Disney Pleasure Island, DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park and Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex will continue to use handstamps as part of their established admission procedures.

Magic on the Waves

 

Disney Insider - The Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro is graced with a new landmark these days. Pass over the Vincent Thomas Bridge spanning the harbor entrance, and below you'll see a large, graceful, red-black-and-white vessel with two towering smokestacks and the art deco silhouette of cruise ships from the golden age of transatlantic crossings.

 

Also, Mickey ears.

The ship is the Disney Magic. Far from her home port of Port Canaveral, Florida, the 83,000-ton vessel is sojourning on the West Coast for the summer of 2005, cruising the Pacific to three Mexican ports of call. It's all part of The Happiest Homecoming on Earth, Disneyland's 18-month birthday party - and indeed, most of the passengers we saw embarking wore golden Mickey ears, the signature headgear of Disneyland's 50th anniversary celebration.

The Disney Insider went on board the Magic and got the grand tour - including a seat for the Magic's newest stage show, "Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story." We also got the behind-the-scenes story from Jim Urry, Director of Entertainment for Disney Cruise Line, on what it takes to mount a Broadway-style stage show - and shipboard fireworks! - at sea.

"The Disney Cruise Line is the only one that launches fireworks from the ships, while at sea," Jim tells us. "It was a huge safety and logistics challenge - it took about nine months to figure out how to do it and give a show we were happy with. But Disney is the largest consumer of pyrotechnics in the world, and we have a lot of experience making the experience amazing AND safe; we just had to discover how to do it on sea."

Another place Disney Magic passengers will see pyrotechnics is on stage, right in the heart of the ship, in the Walt Disney Theatre. This 977-seat venue, lavishly decorated in velvet and carved wood, is the home of "Twice Charmed," a brand-new original stage show created especially for the Magic. In it, pyro effects, spectacular lighting and levitation, innovative projected animation, and Broadway-caliber original songs combine to tell the story of Cinderella and her prince losing their happily ever after ... and finding it again.

Nineteen cast members, some of them Broadway veterans, appear in this and four other Disney shows during each weeklong voyage, says Jim. And all five shows use the same stage, but have entirely different sets and costuming - requiring a daily shuffle to dress the stage anew. All of this must take place within the limited confines of the ship’s staging area - and it must take place on a moving vessel, in fair sea conditions or foul.

"Safety is absolutely paramount to us. The more elaborate and exciting you want to be, the more challenging it is to find the technical equipment to let you do that on a ship," Jim explains. Fortunately, "We’ve got great partners throughout the Walt Disney Company to help us find answers to those challenges."

Leaving the Walt Disney Theatre, we were given the grand tour of the ship. The theatrical performances were far from the only Disney touches we spotted - from the Disney-themed kids’ clubs to a Mickey-shaped wading pool and even Minnie Mouse worked into the wrought-iron railings, the Magic is a Disney vessel, through and through. Even the deck chairs are in the classic Mickey colors - red, white, black, and yellow - and embellished with Mickey’s silhouette.

We were struck, however, by the extremely grown-up amenities onboard. The soaring multilevel atrium that passengers enter when they board the ship looks like a setting for an Agatha Christie tale of glamour and intrigue, and from the adults-only gourmet restaurant Palo to a deck boasting a whole "street" of adults-only nightclubs, the Disney Magic is not just for the kiddies. The ship abounds in architectural detail rendered in rich materials - crushed stone, marble, precious woods, and artisanal glass light fixtures. Grown-ups can avail themselves of a spa, a gym, and even an adults-only swimming pool. And "Twice Charmed" was created to appeal to adults as much as to kids, with clever humor, spectacular stage effects, and Broadway-style song and dance numbers.

We were also amazed at the sheer scale of the ship. Each "deck" (or level - if the ship were a building, they would be stories) we toured was huge, and public areas like nightclubs, restaurants, and dining rooms were generously sized. Peeking over the railing of the pool deck to the harbor waters far below was a vertiginous experience. This is a ship on a grand scale -- with 10 decks in all, it's taller than a 15-story building.

On August 20, the Disney Magic will embark on a two-week cruise through the Panama Canal, back to her home waters and her usual Caribbean ports of call. And the Port of Los Angeles will have lost a smidgen of pixie dust.

HK Disneyland Booking Made Easy 

Theme park fans can book Hong Kong Disneyland admission tickets in Shenzhen through two local travel agencies. Shenzhen Port China Service Co. Ltd. and Shenzhen Tourism (Group) Corporation are the sole authorized agencies for booking Disneyland tickets.

Online booking service will launch July 1 on Disneyland's website, www.hongkongdisneyland.com. A MasterCard or Visa credit card is required.

'Tarzan,' the Musical, Swings to Broadway

"Tarzan," the musical, will swing on Broadway next spring. A lavish stage version _ with a cast of 34 _ will open in 2006 at a theater to be announced, Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical Productions, said Wednesday.

The musical, with a score by Phil Collins, is based on the 1999 Disney animated film which featured the voice of Tony Goldwyn as Tarzan and the voice of Minnie Driver as Jane. No casting has been announced for the Broadway version.

"Tarzan" will be directed by Bob Crowley, who will also design the show's sets and costumes. Crowley is best known for his sets and costume designs for Disney's "Aida" and the 1994 Lincoln Center Theater revival of "Carousel."

David Henry Hwang, author of "M. Butterfly," will adapt the movie screenplay, which is based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' novel, "Tarzan of the Apes."

Choreography will be by Australian choreographer Meryl Tankard and the show's flying and climbing design by Pichon Baldinu, who worked on the long-running off-Broadway success "De La Guarda."

Keep Your Foul Paws Off Aslan Will Disney butcher "The Chronicles of Narnia"?

 

Let's just all say it together in one big happy slightly jaded frequently disappointed Hollywood-bitchslapped chorus: I hope they don't freakin' ruin "Narnia."

Here it is the big Hollywood movie adaptation of the first chapter (well, technically the second) of the "Chronicles of Narnia," perhaps the greatest series of children's fantasy/lit books ever and yes that includes your precious but strangely soulless Harry Potter, sweetheart. There is little authentic magic there. Sorry, true.

To my mind and the minds of I'm guessing about a billion others, Narnia, despite claims that C.S. Lewis somehow wove his beloved Christian themes into the narrative, remains foremost a source of true, coolly pagan, magical childhood power and if you need proof of this you clearly did not read the books when you were nine and you did not find yourself trekking through your parent's house immediately afterward, searching the basement and poking into their closets and praying to the great god Aslan that you would find a secret doorway leading somewhere other than your mom's private stash of Vicodin.

The good news: If the poster is any indication, the Hollywoodized Narnia looks stylish and beautiful and mystical indeed, and they appropriately focused on Aslan the Jesus -- er, lion, and the crazy-assed White Witch, who will be played in the movie by the eternally ethereal and wondrously strange Tilda Swinton, which is a very good sign indeed. I mean, it could have been, you know, Nicole Kidman. Or Hilary Duff. Shudder.

But while the Narnia series is merely, on one level, a children's empowerment fable, it's also one of the most imaginative and potent inner landscapes ever created in children's lit and therefore you hope it's not all decimated and bleached out and diluted by The Bad News, which is that it's being produced and marketed by that ultimate destroyer of nuance and subtlety, Disney.

Yes, Disney. The megacorporate kiss of death when it comes to making intricate, carefully wrought, wickedly imaginative films that don't dumb down the allegories and simplify the good/evil dichotomies and make the characters all wacky or super-cutesy or dopey or completely over-the-top ridiculous or snarlingly obnoxious like Karl Rove in a lizard suit.

Disney. A company that now relies almost exclusively on exaggerated, insufferable celebrity voice-overs and slave-labor animation and cheeseball, saccharine, direct-to-DVD family-fare flicks most of which you can right now be very grateful you've never heard of.

Disney. A company that now seems hell-bent on defiling all of its handmade animated classics by churning out a churm of mediocre sweatshop sequels to their finest works. Witness: "Cinderella II: Dreams Come True." Or "102 Dalmatians." Or "Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure" or "The Jungle Book II." Not to mention unwatchable filmic swill like "Rapunzel Unbraided" or "The Santa Clause 3" or "Mulan II" or "The Princess Diaries II" or -- all right, that's enough. It's sort of like being punched in the imaginative gut, isn't it?

More bad news: The first "Narnia" episode (I'm assuming Disney will adapt all seven books, if this one hits big) is directed by Andrew Adamson, a guy who has directed exactly two movies prior to tackling one of the most beloved children's books of all time, and they both have the word "Shrek" in the title. Oh, and they were animated. And full of boogers and fart jokes and burping and smart-assed talking animals and were hugely overrated and did I mention they were animated? And that "Narnia" isn't?

Oh, and "Narnia" is being largely funded and produced by billionaire hyper-Christian Walden Media honcho and Republican ideologue Philip Anschutz, a meta-sanctimonious guy who is hell bent on saving us all from the naughty and the salacious by force-feeding more good healthy Christian values to all of America and is now a good time to mention that they plan to market "Narnia" as "Passion of the Christ... for kids"?

The dark clouds of doom, they doth gather.

Perhaps there should be a moratorium. Perhaps we the weakened, hopeless people should pass a law that dictates that, if a kid's book is particularly successful and effective and powerful, if it has depth and reach and touches upon universal truths, if it defines more than one generation of kids and makes them believe in something other than Xboxes or angry paternal war-sucking Gods or pulverized, blood-drenched Jesuses or cute little Hallmark cherub angels, it is strictly off limits to Hollywood (which, thankfully, exempts New Zealand-based Peter Jackson).

And this is doubly true if said book is so deeply burned into your psyche and so much a part of your soul's childhood wiring that if you ever hear that they're discussing making it into a movie featuring voice-over work by Chris Rock or David Spade, someone needs to be shot.

Or, barring a moratorium, let us now hope that, if any of the remaining Great Kids Books do get mauled by Hollywood, that the films fail so miserably, sink so quickly and with such a resounding thud, that the magic and legend of the book are somehow preserved, unstained and intact. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. "The Cat in the Hat" might be forever tainted by the gross fecal matter Hollywood dumped all over it. They really should be ashamed.

What's the official percentage of great children's/fantasy lit that has successfully made the transition to the big screen? Six percent? Three? And most of that belongs to "The Lord of the Rings" and maybe "James and the Giant Peach" and "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"? Did you see how badly they mauled Ursula K. LeGuin's "Earthsea" trilogy on TV? How about Tom Hanks creeping out all children everywhere in "The Polar Express"? Zombie CGI mannequins on blotter acid, is what it was. Someone stop them.

Thankfully, there still exists a large number of astounding and life-altering kids' books from which Big Hollywood has yet to attempt to suck the enchanted joy. "The Phantom Tollbooth." "Island of the Blue Dolphins." "Where the Red Fern Grows." "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler." "The BFG." There are, mercifully, plenty more, along with plenty of lesser-known, "minor" literary hits Hollywood will likely avoid simply due to matters of economics and viability. And for that, we can all be grateful.

(Side note: I had "Charlotte's Web" on the list above, but, as it turns out, that sweet little book is right now being made into a big-budget Hollywood celeb-fest, with none other than Dakota Fanning as Fern and all the cute animals voiced by everyone from Steve Buscemi to André 3000 to Cedric the Entertainer to even Oprah Winfrey herself. And the voice of Charlotte the spider? Julia Roberts. Let us now prepare to cringe and recoil).

But oh, Narnia. I hope it is a towering, magical success, despite the annoying Aslan-as-Jesus insinuations. I hope it reaches new heights of power and beauty heretofore unimagined in fantasy cinema. I hope it makes the books shine even more.

But I have this sinking feeling. We shall have to see. The thing doesn't open until Christmas, a big holiday marketing spectacle doubtlessly slopped over by heaps of tacky product tie-ins and Burger King action figures and Aslan the lion stuck in a commercial with those obnoxious talking M&Ms.

Oh, man. I hope they didn't ruin it. They probably ruined it. Do you think they ruined it?

Woman Hospitalized After Ride At Disneyland

The Matterhorn at Disneyland reopened Tuesday after a woman who rode the bobsled ride was hospitalized.

 

The woman said Monday night that she felt sick after the ride. The 62-year-old woman remained hospitalized Tuesday night in critical condition.

"She did go over to guest First Aid and asked if she could lie down," said Maria Sabol of the Anaheim Fire Department. "She did for a while. When nurses determined that her condition was not improving, they did call our medic (who) is at the park." The woman's doctor said she had high blood pressure and had not taken her medication.

State inspectors were investigating Tuesday morning. Authorities said they were unable to find anything wrong with the ride.

The ride's bobsleds travel about 18 mph through turns on a mountain-like structure.

Disney dodges bullet with 'Roger Rabbit' verdict

 

The Walt Disney Co. must pay "Roger Rabbit" creator Gary Wolf at least $180,000 in underreported royalties, but the media giant prevailed on the larger issue of whether gross receipts must include the value of promotional deals.

The 15-week jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court could leave Wolf with as much as $400,000 in damages but not the $8 million he had sought by claiming that his 5% royalty extended to the noncash value of promotional tie-ins with McDonald's and other outlets.

The case was closely watched in the entertainment industry because it could have profoundly altered the traditional notion that noncash promotional deals do not count toward gross receipts.

Attorneys in the case declined comment on the verdict, which was returned late Monday.

Before the trial, attorneys for Disney, led by Marty Katz of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, had turned back another claim that could have proved even more precedent-setting: that Disney owed Wolf a "fiduciary duty" over the reporting and payment of royalties, which could have made Disney liable for punitive damages in addition to any alleged underpayment.

A separate appeals court ruling allowed Wolf to go to trial over the contract's definition of "gross receipts" and its reference to both cash paid to Disney and "all other considerations." Wolf believed the latter includes the cross-promotion deals worth at least $100 million.

Wolf created Roger Rabbit and related characters in a 1981 novel and then licensed the merchandising, motion picture/television and other rights to Disney two years later. The novel was turned into the hit 1988 film "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," which won four    Academy Awards and has grossed $330 million worldwide.

The agreement was modified in 1989 after a dispute over auditing rights, the use of the characters at theme parks and other issues.

As the trial got under way in March, Wolf's attorneys, including J. Larson Jaenicke and Michael Garfinkel of Rintala Smoot Jaenicke & Rees, also claimed that Disney underreported "Roger Rabbit"-related sales made by Disney and certain third parties. Jaenicke told jurors that the trial was about "self-serving, catch-me-if-you-can Hollywood accounting."

Disney, in turn, said it had committed an accounting error by overpaying Wolf an estimated $500,000-$1 million, which the company wanted back.

In the end, the jury found in favor of Disney's interpretation of gross receipts as meaning monies and things that are converted to money.

The plaintiffs hoped to take a second stab at the issue by claiming a breach of implied covenant, where even if Disney hadn't technically violated the agreement, it had violated the spirit of it. The judge dismissed that claim, a move the plaintiffs now plan to appeal.

The court separately dismissed Wolf's claim that he be paid a 5% royalty when his character was licensed to a manufacturer and again on the retail sales of those products at Disney's parks and stores. The court said Wolf was entitled to only one payment, that involving the original license.

On the accounting claims, which involved nearly $50 million in transactions, Wolf won $180,000 plus another potential $220,000 that was withheld by Disney because of its alleged overpayment.

NRC 2005 Disney Park Promotion Ends Thursday

 

Auto Remarketing's 2005 National Remarketing Conference and Used Car Expo will end its super summer promotion this Thursday, June 30, said Ron Smith, publisher and conference producer. Everyone registered by this Thursday receives a free Disney Park Pass with the registration, Smith said.

The 2005 National Remarketing Conference will be held Oct. 26-28 at Disney's Contemporary Resort in Florida.

"We are excited to give away the park passes as a special thank you to everyone registered early," Smith said.

"We encourage attendees to take advantage of everything the 2005 National Remarketing Conference has to offer," he continued. "There will be the outstanding education and networking opportunities our conferences are known for, and there's also the advantage of being in the heart of Disney World," Smith said.

The conference will feature Mary McDowell, president of CitiFinancial Auto, as the keynote speaker. Other top companies represented in the agenda include GE Remarketing, AmeriCredit, DaimlerChrysler, Credit Acceptance, J.D. Power and Associates, Intellichoice, Carfax, American Auto Exchange, Sonic Automotive and more.

Registrations received by Sept. 15 are eligible for early registration discounts. To register or receive more information about the conference, visit www.autoremarketingconferences.com.

ABC to broadcast Live 8 concert special

ABC television has locked up U.S. broadcast rights for the upcoming worldwide series of Live 8concerts for African debt relief, with plans to air two hours of highlights from the shows in prime time, the network said on Tuesday.

The Walt Disney Co.-owned network licensed TV rights to the Live 8 performances from America Online, a unit of Time Warner Inc., which also owns North American and European Internet rights to the shows, an AOL spokesman said.

AOL plans to stream six of the eight concerts simultaneously on the Web, free of charge, making the event one of the most ambitious tests of live online entertainment, organizers said.

The shows also will be archived and made available on demand for about six weeks after the concerts in Philadelphia, London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Toronto, Tokyo and South Africa.

The concerts, organized by Irish rocker Bob Geld of, are intended to raise awareness of poverty in Africa and to press world leaders at the Group of Eight summit of the world‘s richest nations to increase humanitarian aid and ease Third World debt.

Highlights for ABC‘s two-hour special, airing July 2, will include performances by Paul McCartney, U2 and the chart-topping British rock band Coldplay, the network said.

The Live 8 extravaganza will be aired in about 160countries in all, reaching an estimated 5.9 billion potential television viewers, organizers said.

"It‘s the biggest entertainment event in television history," said Kevin Wall, an executive producer of the Live 8broadcast.

Disney Casting Locals for New Movie

It was a make-or-break day for local athletes hoping to be chosen as football players for the Vince Papale movie being shot locally.

Two-hundred movie hopefuls are enduring speed and agility drills in northeast Philadelphia, hoping to be picked.

It looks like an authentic NFL combine. It's a combine alright, a combination of athletes and actors.

It's the dreams of all the guys who have made the cut to the second round of auditions. They wanna be drafted as players in a movie about a local football legend Vince Papale, a walk-on to the 1976 Philadelphia Eagles.

Mark Wahlberg: "The 30-year-old guy, kid from the neighborhood... looking for that shot at big time opportunity. And this guy Dick Vermile from UCLA comes to in town and he gives me the opportunity and the rest is history. You'll see about it in the movie."

Mark Wahlberg is going to play Vince. As far as the rest of the squad, that's up to sports coordinator Mark Ellis.

Keita Crespina/North Philadelphia: "I'm definitely qualified..."

Final casting is set for later this week. With this continued heat, you'd almost have to be invincible to get a role in the Disney movie "Invincible" due out in the Fall 2006.

Oriental Land boss rewarded kin / Disney operator bought 760 mil. yen goods from president's brother

Oriental Land Co. bought nearly 760 million yen in food and other goods over three years for its Disney theme parks from a company run by the president's brother and nephew, The Yomiuri Shimbun learned Monday.

The purchase orders were placed with food wholesaler Maruka Corp., whose chief executive officer is the brother of Toshio Kagami, president of OLC, operator of both the Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea theme parks.

Kagami reportedly introduced Maruka to his company, with transactions beginning in 1998 and lasting until March. Originally, annual purchases were believed to amount to about 3 million yen, but by last fiscal year, the amount had ballooned to 290 million yen.

Maruka was founded in January 1994, and is dominated by Kagami's family--his nephew is the company's president, and one other executive and an auditor also are relatives.

Kagami worked as an auditor or board member for the three companies that funded Maruka. He quit all of the posts in March 1994.

According to OLC, in early 1998, Kagami introduced Maruka to the person in charge of procuring goods for the theme parks. In March of the same year, the company began supplying OLC with fruit confectionary.

Later, the transactions expanded and included popcorn containers and coffee, among other items.

OLC said purchases from Maruka totaled about 3 million yen in fiscal 1998. However, recent years show a different story, with sales by the wholesaler to OLC reaching about 290 million yen in fiscal 2002, 180 million yen in fiscal 2003 and 290 million yen in fiscal 2004, totaling about 790 million yen over the three-year period.

The management company said it awarded contracts after obtaining estimates from several businesses. "When President Kagami introduced Maruka to OLC, he told the person in charge of procurement to thoroughly check that the products were up to being sold as Disney products without considering his connection to the company," the company said. "Beyond that, the president had no involvement in the sales whatsoever."

Maruka Corp., meanwhile, defended the business relationship, saying: "We have never once asked Mr. Kagami to put in a word for us or anything else. There have even been times when we were turned down by OLC. We participated in the bidding process as a completely independent company."

"Executives are supposed to be faithful to their companies, but in this case, they went against the spirit of the Commercial Code," said Hiroshi Okumura, former Chuo University commerce professor and economic critic. "Furthermore, OLC is a listed company, making it all that much worse. The management should really be careful to avoid business practices that could be seen as murky."

Lights, Camera, Action

Disneyland Paris - The film crew is still rushing all over the resort to film material for the new, upcoming souvenir DVD of the Disneyland Resort Paris. Last Saturday the crew was seen all over Adventure Isle, and yesterday, June 28, it descended upon the Walt Disney Studios from 8.00 am till 8.30 pm. As can be seen from the shooting schedule for that day it can be expected that the new DVD will heavily feature the Disney characters presenting the resort. Most of the scenes in the Studios will feature Donald as director, including one scene which shows im drivin around in his golf / director's car outside Studio 1. As scenes featuring him at the entrance and the exit of numerous attractions are listed, it can be assumed that the finalized DVD will feature clips from inside the attraction that will be sandwiched in between the exterior shoots featuring Donald. Note that the shooting in the Studios also featured Chip'n'Chap in what is described as a "Blues Brothers" costume on the Armadillo next to Armageddon. No information yet when the release of the new DVD can be expected.

Narnia Helps End Disney Boycott

Plenty of the actors and crew involved in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe have expressed their longtime admiration of C.S. Lewis's books and their happiness to be involved in a major movie production based on those stories. Not so for Tilda Swinton, however. The actress who plays the White Witch in the upcoming Narnia film had only a passing familiarity with the books before landing the part of the story's main villain.

"It seems to me the world is divided between those who know that book really well and those who don't, and I had just never read it," explained Swinton in an interview with the Highlands & Islands Arts Journal. "I don't know how that happened. I was aware that it is a kind of talisman for so many people, but I only read it when they asked me to do the film, so I came to it completely fresh at that point."

Swinton acquainted herself with the book, however, and quickly became impressed with the fidelity with which the producers had adapted the original story. "This film establishes [the background of World War Two] right from the start – this is a group of children who are sent away to a parent-less place, and find this land behind the back of a wardrobe where they can actually make a difference. I found it moving that the film placed that so iconically at the beginning, and that gave me confidence that it was going to be a responsible adaptation, which I think it will."

Once production began, Swinton was able to dive right into the role of the Witch – a character she felt would be thoroughly cold and evil. "The White Witch is not even a human – she is the essence of all evil. It is quite a task to think about what is really incomprehensible to small children, and it occurred to me that what they find most difficult is not anger, because children get angry all the time – it is coldness. We built it around that idea, really. She creates coldness everywhere, a kind of perennial winter, and that was the starting point and also the ending point of my work."

The rest of the interview, in which Swinton also discusses her parts in Constantine and Young Adam, can be read at the HI-Arts website.

In related Narnia news, Disney is finding that The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has done wonders for the studio's relations with American religious groups. A boycott of all Disney products, supported by the American Family Association, Colorado-based Focus on the Family, and the 16-million-member Southern Baptist Convention, has been in effect since 1996; and while the Mouse has done little or nothing to change its policies and business operations, the aforementioned groups quietly dropped the boycott this year in order to promote the Narnia film to their members.

The AFA cites Disney's upcoming CEO switch as one reason, as well as the supposed split between Disney and Miramax – though the Miramax studio is in fact remaining under Disney's ownership. The article is likely referring to Harvey & Bob Weinstein's split from Miramax, moving on to create The Weinstein Company and taking many of the more controversial films with them. However, Disney's backing of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is undoubtedly the most important reason for the change of heart. It seems like a weak excuse, but an understandable one; after all, boycotts are only easy so long as you don't mind foregoing a company's product.

In the meantime, Disney will continue with a multi-pronged marketing approach, de-emphasizing the religious aspects of Lewis's story in promotions aimed at mainstream audiences and sci-fi/fantasy enthusiasts.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe opens in theaters this December.

Schools pool student talent for Disney tale

Just as love transforms a monster into a prince, a troupe of summer fine arts workshop students will transport audience members to a world of magic in a land where good triumphs over evil and love conquers all, when they perform Disney's famous "Beauty and the Beast" this weekend.

About 100 students from Central and North Brevard County are participating in this year's North County production, said Maureen Fallon, production coordinator, and a teacher at West Shore Junior/Senior High School in Melbourne.

Showtime is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Merritt Island High School auditorium.

The Summer Fine Arts Theatre Workshop is a cooperative effort between the Brevard County Public Schools and Brevard Community College. Students work under the direction of staff members from the Brevard District schools and BCC.

"It's open to any student in the school district," Fallon said, noting that students receive credit for their participation. "Usually, shows chosen are big Broadway productions. Last year, we did 'Music Man.' "

The crew of professionals and their cadre of willing students had only about six weeks to put the entire production together, said Kevin Buck, director, and a teacher at Cocoa Beach Junior/Senior High School.

"The kids are having a great time. Some of them never before have been part of a production. Some of them are doing something they normally wouldn't do," Buck said.

"They're learning other aspects of theater. The fun thing about it is getting to work with other professionals in the field, and working with kids who enjoy what they're doing."

While this marks some students' theatrical debut -- whether on-stage, building sets, providing music or in other backstage roles -- others have participated in the summer workshops in the past.

"I've done this for the past two years, and I've loved it every time," said Rob Yoho, an incoming senior at Titusville High who plays the role of Cogsworth and who plans to become a director.

Although she has had roles in other productions, this marks the first time Jackie Friere, who will be a senior at Cocoa Beach Junior/Senior High this fall, will take a starring role as Belle, she said.

"I love the story, love the show," she said. "I'm excited. It's my first actual title lead."

Joshua S. Johnson, who will graduate from Merritt Island High next summer, plays villain Gaston, who hopes to win Belle's heart and hand in marriage.

In real life, however, Joshua is torn between a career in psychology and physics, he said.

"It's a lot of fun. You get to work with different groups of people," said Joshua. "Everybody works for the better cause -- for the good of the show."

The elaborate sets, including eerie woods, elegant castle and cozy cottage, were designed by freelance set designer Bonnie Sprung of Altamonte Springs.

"This is my seventh year, my seventh (Summer Fine Arts workshop) show," she said.

Other professional staff members include: Michael Coppola, Astronaut High, vocal and music director; Steve Rossi, Merritt Island High, technical director; James Bishop, BCC, orchestra director; Sarah Lundy, of Star Dance Academy in Port St. John, choreographer; Rebecca Charvet and Maurissa Sanfilippo, costume designers; and Steve Portz of Space Coast Junior/Senior High, master carpenter.

Merritt Island High student Logan Denninghoff plays the beast, while classmate Holly McFarland takes on the role of Mrs. Potts.

Alexander Browne, Astronaut High, plays Lumiere; Andrew Glasnovich, a 2005 graduate of Astronaut High who now attends Stetson University, plays Maurice; while Matthew Hagerman of Merritt Island High, is Lefou.

Erin Johnson of Merritt Island High plays Babette; Merritt Island High graduate and Florida State University student Joanna Bauernfeind tackles the role of Madame de la Grande Bouche; and 2005 Cocoa Beach Junior/Senior High graduate and current BCC student Bryce Niehaus plays Monsieur D'Arque.

Brittany Arroyo of Space Coast Junior/Senior High, Beth Gill of Astronaut High and Jenny Perna of Merritt Island High play the three silly girls.

The curtain will rise on the Central Brevard Summer Fine Arts Workshop's production of "Beauty and the Beast" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets cost $8 for rear mezzanine, and $10 for orchestra and front mezzanine. They are available at Merritt Island High's performing arts center ticket office or by calling the school at 454-1000.

No Disney for you

Carl Clements, 36, wanted to spend his honeymoon at Disney World in Orlando, but as a registered sex offender he needed a judge to sign off on the trip.

That didn't happen.

"He can pick some other place. No self-respecting adult should go to Disney World on their honeymoon," Circuit Judge Peter Dubensky said in court last week.

Dubensky said there are plenty of local spots to celebrate a marriage. He offered a few suggestions: Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Siesta Key.

But those places aren't exactly Disney World, especially with red tide causing dead fish to roll up on the shoreline throughout the area.

A median length for grass

There's nothing fun about watching grass grow. Ben Newman's grass is growing, and it's no fun for him.

Newman, Sarasota County's roads manager, has seen grass growing higher and higher on some medians since May, when a contract to mow some state-owned roads expired.

County workers have taken over, but they don't have the proper mowers to cut grass on medians.

Residents have complained to officials for weeks. Much of the long grass was cut Tuesday after the county signed a new contract.

It's all part of a consolidation of grass-cutting contracts. The county also plans to change the mowing cycle -- instead of being mowed twice a month, the grass will have a maximum length, set forth in the contracts.

"We want the grass to be four and a half inches high, no more than five, no less than four," said Tom Maroney of the Sarasota County public works department.

Inspectors will put a grass-measuring system into place: it's a specially manufactured measuring stick, stuck into the ground.

From the archive

Red tide has long been a problem in the area. In the summer of 1971, Venice area beaches had a major outbreak that continued to be a problem.

That year's outbreak of red tide wasn't the worst case in memory of longtime citizens.

"This is the second worst we've seen since we have been here, since 1958," said Frank M. Liddle of Venice.

Liddle said that an outbreak of red tide seven or eight years ago was so severe that dead fish were stacked 3 feet high at the Harbor Lights mobile home sites, where he lived.

Venice City Clerk Steven Albee suggested that the worst outbreak was in 1947.

Pinellas County Commissioner John Chestnut petitioned the state Board of Health and U.S. Army engineers for help on Aug. 25, 1947.

Lau to Perform in Disneyland Opening

It was heard that other than Disneyland ambassador Jacky Cheung as the finale performer, other singers that will be performing includes Kelly Chen, Eason Chan, Twins, Joey Wong, Nicholas Tse, Wang Lihong, Jolin Tsai and others, even heavenly king Andy Lau and international star Coco Lee had expressed their interest in the event, so does Hacken Lee and Leo Ku also express their interest.

For the opening ceremony of Hong Kong's Disneyland, they also care less of the sensitive date of 911 to hold their gala show.

It's heard that the organiser has been strict in picking their performers as they require top and healthy image artistes, those singers whom performed will have the chance to record a Disney compilation album.

According to sources from a record company staff, almost all high officers of record companies take initiative to approach Disneyland for their artistes to perform for free, however Disney stress that they rather opt for quality than quantity as they reject several record companies' offer, meanwhile some record companies does not give up and hope to move them with their sincerity.

ABC News, Disney Online and ESPN.com Providing Extensive Line-up of Podcast Content via the New iTunes Podcast Directory

ABC News, Disney Online and ESPN.com, all part of The Walt Disney Company, today announced their extensive line-up of free audio Podcast content is available via the iTunes Podcast Directory, one of the largest directories of Podcast content in the world. Starting today, users can subscribe to this content among other Podcasts, and iTunes will automatically check to see when there are new episodes, download them into fans' computers and automatically put them on users' iPods.

"ABC News is proud to be the recognized news provider for iTunes and to offer podcast highlights that appeal to an increasingly on-the-go news audience," said David Westin, president, ABC News. "Podcasting is an additional way ABC News is embracing on demand technologies to deliver news anytime, anywhere and on any device."

"We're thrilled to offer this wonderful content from ABC News, Disney Online and ESPN via the iTunes Podcast Directory and look forward to seeing more great content from The Walt Disney Company soon," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of Applications. "With iTunes 4.9, Apple is taking Podcasting mainstream by building everything users need to discover, subscribe, manage and listen to Podcasts right into iTunes."

ABC News podcast content includes:

• The AfterNote - an afternoon edition of ABC News' highly-acclaimed political newsletter, The Note
• Nightline - daily highlights of ABC News' award-winning program
• Showbiz Report - daily scoop in celebrity and entertainment news
• ABC News Shuffle - the best mix of news headlines, behind-the-scenes information and news winners and losers
• ABC News Exclusiva (English and Spanish) - news wrap-up on topics relevant to the Hispanic community

"This relationship with Apple creates an exciting new platform for us to distribute our content and bring the magic of Disney Online to our guests even when they're off-line," stated Ken Goldstein, executive vice president and managing director of Disney Online. "Podcasts empower consumers to conveniently control their content, listening to what they want, whenever and wherever they want. We believe distribution with iTunes, coupled with the strong popularity of iPods, will allow us to create even more enriching and accessible entertainment experiences."

Disney Online current podcast line-up includes:

• Disney Insider - exclusive inside scoop on Disney events, attractions, movies and innovations
• Gears Behind the Ears - behind-the-scenes look at beloved Disney properties including characters, movies, parks, TV shows and more
• Last Minute Book Reports - witty and fun narration of classic novels for kids

Added John Kosner, senior vice president, ESPN New Media, "Sports fans have always been eager adopters when it comes to new ways of receiving the sports information they want, and iTunes is another great example of ESPN making sure they can get it."

ESPN.com will soon expand its podcast offerings, which currently include:

• ESPN Radio Daily - daily excerpts from Mike & Mike in the Morning, Dan Patrick, Colin Cowherd, Eric Kuselias and more radio commentaries
• ESPN.com Mix - regular rotation featuring, among others, Eric Karabell on fantasy games; commentary from Howie Schwab, Dan Shanoff, Gene Wojciechowski; a selection of Page 2 writers, Voice of the Fan, the Pulse and more

Additional podcast content from The Walt Disney Company will launch on iTunes in July, including:

Movies.com

Ebert and Roeper movie reviews

The Muppets - "Statler and Waldorf from the Balcony"

Radio Disney - Music News

Local content from ABC owned television stations

SOAPnet - the original 'micro' series "One Minute Soap"

Walt Disney Parks & Resorts - Insider information on Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, including behind the scenes information and news
regarding special events. 

Sotheby's to Auction 75 Specially Designed Mickey Statues as Finale to Mickey Mouse's 75th Anniversary Celebration

On September 27, 2005, Sotheby's and The Walt Disney Company  will conclude the celebration of Mickey Mouse's 75th anniversary by auctioning 75 uniquely-designed statues of Mickey, an icon of American popular culture beloved for more than three generations. The statues, which have toured the country since Mickey's 75th anniversary on November 18, 2003, are part of a special tribute entitled "Celebrate Mickey: 75 InspEARations." Each statue, individually-decorated by notable Disney legends, artists, actors, musicians or athletes, is 6-feet-tall and weighs more than 700 pounds. The proceeds of the sale of each Mickey statue will benefit 50 deserving charities, designated by the artist of each statue. A catalogue containing all 75 Mickey statues will be available for purchase and will be accompanied by a limited-edition "Tuxedo" Mickey pin for collectors for the first 5,000 orders placed. Fifteen of the 75 statues will be featured in locations throughout New York City in August -- the New Amsterdam Theatre and World of Disney, among others. The full exhibition will take place from September 20th through 26th in Sotheby's 3rd floor galleries and is free and open to the public. The statues will be sold without reserve, and the sale is expected bring in excess of $1 million.

When the statues began their cross-country tour in November 2003, Disney Chief Executive Officer Michael Eisner said: "No other single character has remained in the limelight like Mickey, no other single character has been at the definitive forefront of a global entertainment company, no other single character has such timeless, ageless appeal or has engaged the hearts of so many. Chances are, if you talk to a 4-year-old or a 70-year-old anywhere in the world, they consider Mickey a special friend."

Lee Dunbar, director of Sotheby's Collectibles department, said: "Sotheby's and Disney have a long-standing relationship, and we are thrilled to have been selected to conduct this special auction of 75 inspired visions of Mickey Mouse in a sale that will benefit a host of worthy charitable organizations."

Among the participants in this milestone event are:

• Ben Affleck designed "Home Run Hero" for The Jimmy Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• Andre Agassi designed "Love All" for the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation
• Jerry Bruckheimer designed "Slapstick Mouse" for the Ilitch Charities for Children
• Jamie Lee Curtis designed "The Original Mouse Pad" for the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation
• Ellen DeGeneres designed "Ellenland" for the Children's Action Network
• Long-time Disney animation artist Andreas Deja designed "Fruits of the Mouse" for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America
• Annette Funicello designed "Always My Angel" for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Southern California Chapter
• James Gandolfini designed "Funny Bones" for the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation
• Tom Hanks designed "Space Mouse" for the James Birrell Neuroblastoma Research Fund
• Sir Elton John designed "Music Royalty" for the Elton John AIDS Foundation
• Shaquille O'Neal designed "Dunk Mouse" for the Real Model Foundation
• Kelly Ripa designed "Big City Mouse" for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
• John Travolta designed "Jet Setter" for the Hollywood Education and Literacy Project

Each artist's statue is a genuine work of art, and while some of the individuals offered creative inspiration, others, such as Peter and Harrison Ellenshaw, Rosie O'Donnell, Mear One, Raven, David Willardson and Wyland, chose to personally paint their Mickey statue. Otherwise, TivoliToo, a Minnesota-based design and sculpting studio, transformed the remaining statues for each artist.

While much of the proceeds will be donated to Make-a-Wish Foundation of America, 49 other charities will benefit from the sale, including the Boys and Girls Club of America, the Children's Miracle Network, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation. Disney was able to bring "Celebrate Mickey: 75 InspEARations" to fruition with the help of The Coca-Cola Company, the primary tour sponsor. The Home Depot® provided "Disney Color by Behr" paint and other supplies to bring the statues to life; Suddath Relocation Systems, an agent for United Van Lines, transported the statues to each destination; and Kodak offered digital photographs in each city via its EasyShare system.

The Catalogue

The catalogue can be pre-purchased now by logging on to www.sothebys.com or by calling (888) 752 0002. The price for the catalogue is $41 including shipping and handling.

Registering to Bid

Registration is required to bid in Sotheby's auctions. You can register easily in person at our New York headquarters any time before the sale, or via fax when you submit an absentee bid form. Please call the Bid Department at (212) 606 7414 for further information.

Placing Bids

There are four ways to bid in this sale:

• Place bids in the room by attending the auction and raising your paddle (issued upon registration).
• Bid over the telephone through a Sotheby's representative, who is in the salesroom and conveys your bid to the auctioneer.
• Enter Absentee bids. An Absentee (or Order) bid can be placed by filling out a form and returning it to Sotheby's bid department via fax or mail. The form indicates the highest amount you would like to bid for an item or items. (The auctioneer will submit bids on your behalf, never bidding more than necessary to secure the lot and never more than the amount you specify.) Absentee bid forms are printed in the back of each catalogue and are available at Sotheby's offices and on www.sothebys.com.
• Bid through the Internet using real-time and absentee bidding at ebayliveauctions.com. You can register there to place bids through eBay's Live Auctions tool. Note that online registration only enables you to bid online.

For more information on the charity auction, visit www.sothebys.com/mickey.

For a complete list of statues, artists and charities associated with this auction, or to download high-resolution images of the statues, visit www.disneyconsumerproducts.com.

*Estimates do not include buyer's premium.

ESPN Great Outdoor Games Roll Into Walt Disney World July 7-10 

From log rolling and the hot saw to dog jumping and All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) racing, the ESPN Great Outdoor Games VI promises to bring outdoor excitement to Central Florida and Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, July 7-10. Many of the world's most talented outdoor athletes -- and animals -- will compete in the ultimate championship for outdoor sports.

The Great Outdoor Games moved to Central Florida after successful events in Lake Placid, N.Y., Reno, Nev., and Madison, Wis. The sixth annual Games will showcase target sports, timber events and sporting dogs. ATV skills competitions will also be introduced for the first time, while fishing will not be part of this year's event.

With the exception of the rifle and shotgun target-sport events, all Great Outdoor Games events during the four days will be held at Disney's Wide World of Sports. Rifle and shotgun events will be contested at the Tenoroc Range in Lakeland, Fla.

The Games will be broadcast July 13-17 on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports. For more information on the ESPN Great Outdoor Games, guests may visit espn.com/outdoors.

THQ Announces Disney's Cinderella Magical Dreams For Game Boy Advance Across Europe And Australia

THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced that Disney's Cinderella Magical Dreams, licensed by Buena Vista Games, will be available for the Game Boy^® Advance this September across Europe and Australia. This will coincide with the launch of the DVD Platinum edition of Disney's Cinderella this autumn.

"Cinderella is an exciting property with universal awareness among children and parents." said Ian Curran, senior vice president of European publishing, THQ. "It will be released alongside the DVD launch of Cinderella and I'm sure that boys and girls alike will have yet another great Disney gaming experience."

About Disney's Cinderella Magical Dreams on Game Boy Advance:

Cinderella's dreams come true in Disney Interactive's latest release, Cinderella: Magical Dreams for the Game Boy Advance. Players will relive highlights of the classic Cinderella story in this enchanting action-platform, side-scrolling game. Cinderella: Magical Dreams includes a variety of gameplay styles, so that the action can be adapted to the storyline. Throughout the game, players can help Cinderella get ready for the Royal Ball, watch as the mice go on a dangerous quest to find material to make Cinderella's dress, solve the Fairy Godmother's Bubble Arcade Puzzler, and ballroom dance the night away with Cinderella and the handsome Prince. When the clock strikes Midnight, Cinderella must flee the ball and the King's royal guards, as they chase her back to her chateau in an action-packed race against time.

For more information on THQ's Disney's Cinderella Magical Dreams and the rest of THQ's 2005 product lineup, please visit www.thq.com.

About Buena Vista Games

Buena Vista Games, Inc. (BVG) is the interactive entertainment arm of The Walt Disney Company. The division publishes, markets and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games and interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses properties and works directly with third-party interactive game publishers to bring products for all ages to market. For more information, please log on to www.buenavistagames.com http://www.buenavistagames.com

About THQ

THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) is a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software. The company develops its products for all popular game systems, personal computers and wireless devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, THQ sells product through its global network of offices located in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Korea and Australia. More information about THQ and its products may be found at www.thq.com and www.thqwireless.com. THQ, THQ Wireless and their respective logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc.

Game Boy Advance is a trademark or registered trademark of Nintendo Of America Inc.

Disney channel to go to schools to promote shows

The Disney Channel will tour select schools in Gujarat from Wednesday to promote a special television programme package meant for children.

"We are taking our programmes physically to schools," Hema Govindan, marketing and communication head of Walt Disney Television International (India), told reporters Tuesday.

The channel will visit three schools each in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat to promote `Playhouse Disney', a four-hour programming block targeted at children between the ages of two and five years.

`Playhouse Disney', telecast on the channel between 10.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. on weekdays and from 8.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. on weekends, includes various shows of animation, puppetry and live action.

"The shows have an entertaining and educational format. `Stanley', for example, is a half-an-hour imaginative and interactive programme that invites pre-schoolers to help solve daily problems that confront a boy named Stanley," said Nachiket Pantvaidya, the channel's head of programming and production.

"The high learning value of `Playhouse Disney' is based on the Whole Child Curriculum, a syllabus developed in consultation with global and Indian early-childhood advisors," he added.

The programming philosophy is also high on the traditional Disney characteristics - storytelling, dramatic play, song and music.

Apart from shows featuring internationally popular characters, the programme also includes four locally produced segments with Indian hosts.

Jury says Disney owes author some royalties

 

Disney Is Expected to Appoint Miramax Chief

 

Walt Disney Co. is expected to soon name Daniel Battsek, who runs the British arm of its international movie operation, as the new head of Miramax Film Corp., three executives familiar with the situation said.

Battsek, who plans to relocate from London to New York, has been the favorite to take over the specialty film company from founders Bob and Harvey Weinstein.

 

In March it was announced that the Weinstein brothers would be leaving the Disney fold after a long, acrimonious relationship.

They sold Miramax to Disney 12 years ago and are being forced to leave behind the company they named after their parents, Miriam and Max.

The Weinsteins, who have already launched a new production company, are technically under contract to Disney until the end of September.

Under its settlement arrangement with the Weinsteins, Disney agreed not to announce Miramax's new management until July, the executives close to the situation said.

Disney declined to comment on Battsek's expected appointment.

Battsek would report to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook.

Battsek, whose mandate would be to help reestablish Miramax as a cost-conscious specialty film label, has worked for Disney's Buena Vista International operation in London for more than a decade.

Battsek has overseen Disney and Miramax releases in Britain and Ireland, and handled such local British productions for Disney as "Calendar Girls" and "High Heels and Low Lifes."

Previously, Battsek worked for independent film company Palace Pictures, a producer of one of Miramax's early breakout hits, "The Crying Game."

Charity tickets at Hong Kong Disneyland sell out

 

Customers on Tuesday snapped up tickets for a charity day at Hong Kong Disneyland within hours of their sales on the Internet, Disney officials said.

All tickets for the charity day set for Sept. 4 were sold out within the first three hours of their online sales Tuesday, Disney said in a statement. It didn't say how many tickets were sold.

The charity day lets visitors see the Hong Kong theme park eight days before its official opening on Sept. 12.

"The response from the public to the ticket sales has been overwhelming and demonstrates tremendous support for both the local community and for Hong Kong Disneyland," said Hong Kong Disneyland Group Managing Director Don Robinson.

He said all the ticket proceeds will be donated to local charity group, the Community Chest, which raises money for social welfare agencies.

The theme park, built on reclaimed land on the outlying Lantau island, is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the Hong Kong government.

Hong Kong taxpayers are footing the bulk of the $3.5 billion construction bill for Hong Kong Disneyland, and critics question whether the government got a good deal. Officials have said the park will boost employment and tourism.

The California Supreme Court's Ruling on the "Indiana Jones" Ride

Last week, the California Supreme Court decided that the "Indiana Jones" amusement park ride at Disneyland was like a city bus. It therefore held that Disneyland owed the duty of "utmost care" of a common carrier to the passengers on the ride.

As I will argue below, the majority opinion in the case is a telling example of bad common law reasoning.

The Facts of the Case, the Plaintiff's Allegations, and Disney's Position.

The case, Johana Gomez, as administrator v. The Walt Disney Company, et. al., began with a tragedy.

In June, 2000, twenty-three-year-old Cristina Moreno traveled from Spain to California on her honeymoon and visited Disneyland. After riding the Indiana Jones ride, she felt ill.

Due to a hemorrhage in her brain, Moreno then required multiple brain surgeries. Nonetheless, she died in September, 2000.

Her estate sued Disneyland, alleging that the Indiana Jones ride "shakes and whipsaws riders with such fury that many passengers are forced to seek first aid and in some cases hospitalization." The complaint alleged that Moreno's injury was "similar to what happens in 'shaken-baby syndrome.'" Its theory was that the ride either caused, or exacerbated, Moreno's hemorrhage.

Moreno's attorney, Barry Novack, had settled two previous suits against Disney, brought on behalf of individuals who claimed they had suffered brain injuries on the Indiana Jones ride.

Disney has vigorously denied that there is anything wrong with the Indiana Jones ride.

The California Supreme Court Deems the Ride A "Common Carrier"

Moreno's suit was based on a number of causes of action: premises liability, products liability, unfair business practices, and claims based on California Civil Code Sections 2100 and 2101 -- which relate to the special duties of "common carriers" to their passengers.

These last claims seem to have most rankled Disneyland. It asked for these claims to be dismissed by the trial court. And the trial court did dismiss the claims.

However, the Court of Appeals reversed the trial court holding. Disney then appealed, but last week, the Supreme Court of California rejected Disney's appeal. That means that the "common carrier" claims will stand.

The Difference the "Common Carrier" Label Makes

What difference does the "common carrier" label make? A great deal of difference, it turns out.

Even without the "common carrier" statutes, Disney could be held liable for the Indiana Jones ride if it were negligently operated or defectively designed. But these terms have a very specific meaning in California tort law. And it is not clear that Moreno's lawyer will be able to prove either negligence or design defect.

To win a suit in negligence, Novack would have to show that Disney failed to exercise reasonable care in the operation of the ride, and that this failure caused Moreno's injuries. This kind of case is always difficult to win because it requires the plaintiff to establish what the standard of care was in the industry, in addition to showing that the defendant breached that standard.

What about the design defect claim? California would require Moreno to show that there was some reasonable alternative design to the Indiana Jones ride's current configuration, in order to establish that it was defectively designed. This too, might be difficult to prove.

Why "Common Carrier" Claims Are Seen As Easier for Plaintiffs to Prove

Suits under Sections 2100 and 2101 are viewed, in California, as much easier for a plaintiff to win. That's because these statutes impose a duty of heightened care on the defendant.

Section 2100 requires common carriers to exercise a "duty of "utmost care and diligence." Meanwhile, Section 2101 holds common carriers strictly liable for losses or injuries which result from a vehicle provided by a common carrier that is not "safe and fit for transportation."

Did the Ride Provide Transportation to the Public? And Was Moreno a "Passenger"?

Disney denied that it was a common carrier, and argued that, therefore, these two statutes did not apply.

Disney argued that it was not providing transportation to the "public," in the sense that a common carrier does. It also argued that Moreno not a "passenger," as the term is used within the meaning of the law of common carriers.

But a majority of the California Supreme Court disagreed. It deemed the jeep used by Disney in the Indiana Jones ride a vehicle that carries passengers. And it remarked that "there is an unbroken line of authority in California classifying recreational rides as common carriers."

The Court also noted the broad application of the "common carrier" statutes - which have been previously interpreted to apply to mule trains that offered rides to tourists; a scenic railway at an amusement park; a Disneyland stagecoach ride; and the boat in Disneyland's "Pirates of the Caribbean."

Under the statutes, the Court noted, the word "vehicle," too was also broad - applying to, for instance, escalators, elevators, and chairlifts.

The Dissenters' Point: Pay Attention to Legislative Intent

The dissent -- written by Justice Chin and joined by two other justices -- criticized the majority for failing to look at the legislative intent behind Sections 2100 and 2101, which were adopted by the California legislature in 1872.

Justice Chin argued that evidence from the other code sections that were passed at the time -- as well as contemporaneous materials such as treatises -- indicate that the legislature wanted to impose the heightened common carrier duty on businesses that offered transportation services to the public, such as railways, ferries, and commercial stagecoaches.

In contrast, Chin argued, the legislature never intended to reach businesses that were, instead, offering entertainment services - such as amusement parks -- that happened to utilize transportation devices such as railways, ferries, and stagecoaches.

Chen made a strong legislative intent argument, but his contentions flew in the face of the many California precedents that had already, in the past, interpreted the statutes to apply to entertainment services. These precedents simply did not comport with the principle he articulated: that a vehicle employed by a common carrier should be identified according to the purpose it use. For example, in what sense is the primary purpose of a chairlift "transportation," as opposed to "entertainment"?

Another Strong Argument for the Dissent: The Rationale for the "Common Carrier" Duty

Legislative intent wasn't the only strong argument for Chin's position; statutory purpose also supported his point of view. Indeed, looking to the reasons why, in general, the duty of "utmost care" has been imposed on common carriers strongly supports Chin's point of view.

Common carriers were once viewed as performing a function "infected with the public interest." Indeed, these carriers were vital: In the late Eighteenth and early Nineteenth Centuries -- when the rules heightening the duties of common carriers were first developed -- the general public was highly dependent on a handful of carriage, ferry, and rail lines not only for its own transportation, but also for that of the goods it needed.

For similar reasons, we still find buses, freight trains, cargo ships, and trucks to be vital to our lives: We still depend on them. But amusement parks hardly perform the same role. No wonder, then, that the majority of state courts that have had to decide whether to apply the common carrier doctrine to amusement parks have declined to do so.

The Difference Between Real Jeeps, and Amusement Park Jeeps

In the end, Gomez teaches us a lesson about the dangers of formalism - here, about saying "a jeep is a jeep is a jeep."

The jeep in the Indiana Jones ride was not, in fact, just like a passenger car in a scenic train ride, or the carriage used in Disneyland. In each of these cases, the vehicle in question had an identical twin that was covered by the "common carrier" statutes.

A train operates the same regardless of whether it is taking passengers to work or around a large canyon. The same can be said of a horse-drawn carriage--its operation is identical regardless of whether it is hauling workers or children.

Not so, however, with the jeep. The jeep in the Indiana Jones ride has not real-world doppelganger. It isn't a real jeep. It is not supposed to move like other jeeps--indeed, it is designed deliberately so that it behaves like no vehicle in which the passenger has (hopefully) ever been a passenger.

In fact, if you think about it, that is exactly why someone at Disneyland would get into the jeep. A ride that utilized a jeep that drove like a regular jeep would be lame.

"Common Carriers" Should Be Defined By Function, Not Appearance

Once we view the "vehicle" in the Gomez case from the perspective of how it functions, not what it resembles, it is easy to see why its function is different from the function served by the vehicles covered by the "common carrier" statutes.

True "common carriers" have to take the utmost care to insure that the vehicles they provide function exactly as expected. That is the way they can - and must -- minimize the risks imposed upon the public, the members of which are (it is presumed) at the mercy of those who own and operate the transportation network that they have little choice but to use.

The opposite is true of a ride which is designed to be thrilling precisely because it is unpredictable and shocking. It is one thing to say that a ride like that should be reasonably safe--which is a matter for negligence law. It is another thing to say that, because what it does is of vital importance to the public, that it should be operated with the utmost safety.

Given the nature of the Indiana Jones ride, it is hard to know how Disney could satisfy that standard of "utmost safety"--other than trying to make the ride reasonably safe, or simply giving up and watering the experience of the ride down, so that it loses any attraction: Should it expected to render the ride lame, in order to render it legal?

And more importantly, it is not clear why entertainment is so important to society that a standard of heightened duty is justified.

Chicken Little on Dolby Digital Cinema

 

Disney once again leads the film industry by introducing Disney Digital 3D(TM), a brand new, state-of-the-art technology providing the first true three-dimensional digital experience in movie theatres, with the highly anticipated movie Chicken Little to be released on November 4, 2005. In collaboration with Disney, Dolby Laboratories plans to install its Dolby Digital Cinema systems in approximately 100 specially-selected, high-profile theatres in 25 top markets that will present the 3D film. Visual effects giant Industrial Light & Magic (a Lucasfilm Ltd. company) will render the movie in 3D so it can be played on Dolby Digital Cinema servers at selected theatres. This joint effort will create the next leap forward in the evolution of motion picture entertainment, bringing animation to life.

This historic debut of an entirely new release format will further define, refine, and elevate the film art form and marks the first time a major motion picture studio (Disney) has fully embraced a digital deployment plan. Disney selected Dolby Digital Cinema, a state-of-the-art digital cinema presentation system, to debut Chicken Little's brand new proprietary CG animation process. Dolby's technology, combined with Industrial Light & Magic's newly invented method of creating digital 3D imagery, provides the first feature motion picture presented in true digital 3D. Viewers of Chicken Little will experience this revolutionary format with the use of special 3D glasses offering greater clarity and more comfort than conventional 3D glasses.

Commenting on the announcement, Dick Cook, chairman, The Walt Disney Studios, said, "Disney Digital 3D is a truly groundbreaking technology that combines the latest innovations of science and art, and we are proud to be a part of filmmaking history. Our proprietary, state-of-the-art CG animation process used to make Chicken Little and future animation projects will finally allow moviegoers to experience true digital three-dimensional entertainment in theatres." Cook continued, "Walt Disney pioneered many technological breakthroughs and set an uncompromising goal for his Studio to constantly push the envelope to offer a superior movie going experience. We are very proud to add this animation milestone to the long list of technological breakthroughs for the studio, and we are especially thrilled to work with entertainment technology leader Dolby in this exciting launch. Likewise, we are proud to have the wizards at Industrial Light & Magic to help deliver the movie in 3D."

"Disney and Dolby's commitment to digital cinema paves the way for a large scale digital cinema deployment," said Tim Partridge, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Professional Division, Dolby Laboratories. "Dolby is a trusted brand for providing technologies that dramatically improve the moviegoing experience, and Disney has a fantastic reputation for delivering incredible movies to audiences worldwide. This is a great collaboration between both companies to launch Chicken Little on Dolby Digital Cinema."

ILM President Chrissie England said, "The digital 3D release of Chicken Little is a very exciting chapter in Hollywood history as it marks the next generation of moviemaking. We are delighted to participate with Disney in setting a new benchmark for the future. We are pleased that Chicken Little is the first animated movie to use our new process using Disney's actual 3D models, animation, and camera data. This process allows us to provide a richer, more nuanced viewing experience for moviegoers than any existing postproduction techniques. We feel audiences will embrace this experience as the new standard in animated features."

Disney loves money and Jesus

It looks like Disney is hiring some Christian marketing firms to help boost interest in the upcoming The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe based on C.S. Lewis' beloved allegorical tales. Disney has often shied away from religion, and Christianity especially, but the success of Passion of the Christ and the realization that Christians enjoy spending money like everyone else have all caused Disney to change focus. Disney has been under fire in the past for what many considered "non-Christian" business practices, such as giving benefits to gay couples, but I don't see this as a change of heart. Christians have money, and Disney has a feature film steeped in Christianity. It's not difficult to figure out the math.

Stars compete for HK Disneyland concert

Hong Kong singers are in fierce competition for a chance to perform at the opening concert for Hong Kong Disneyland.

The stars have been included on the performance list are Kelly Chan, Andy Lau, Eason Chan, Joey Rong and Jolin Tsai.

Veter an singer Jacky Cheung, as the ambassador for Disney, will be the last performer at the concert.

To mark the opening of Disneyland in Hong Kong, Disney has invited all A-list singers in Hong Kong to perform and make a record from their concert.

From September 12th, the theme park and hotels will be open to the public.

It Pays to Be an RV-Friendly Business

 

Mickey Mouse, motor oil, and motor sports all have something in common. They are products of major businesses from North America that cater to the RV industry and RVers know it.

Still the fastest growing travel segment on the continent, RVing is attracting families, baby boomers, retirees, tailgaters, outdoor enthusiasts and travelers of all kinds. As they take to the roads to explore America, stay in one of more than 8,000 commercial campgrounds or at a major motor speedway for the races, they all share a desire for comfort and convenience.

The world's largest membership organization of recreational vehicle (RV) owners, the Good Sam Club, has selected its 2005 Welcome Mat Award winners and they represent what the nearly 1 million members voted as the most RV-friendly businesses. Winners will be honored at an award dinner in Redmond, Oregon, at the Great North American RV Rally, July 11-14.

Four-time winner Cracker Barrel Old Country Store caters to RVers with special parking and easy access from the highway. "We appreciate RVers and work hard to accommodate them with quality food and friendly service," said Rip Coggins, representative for Cracker Barrel at the first three events. "We'll be at the award's ceremony again this year because we're honored to receive this recognition. It shows the RV community appreciates how our employees make their visits to Cracker Barrel a special time in their travels."

Fort Wilderness Campground and Walt Disney World in Florida have been named winners since the Welcome Mat Awards began in 2002. The popular campground and tourist attraction have consistently scored high marks with Good Sam Club members.

Daytona Motor Speedway scored its third consecutive win this year and will be the site of The Rally in 2006 hosted by the Good Sam Club, Camping World President's Club, Coast to Coast Resorts, Woodall's and MotorHome and Trailer Life magazines.

The Good Sam Club began 39 years ago when a group of RV owners put Good Samaritan bumper stickers on their rigs so fellow members would know they could get help on the road. From this small Club it grew to nearly 1 million members. In the early days, Good Sam members spread the word at RV parks and other Club events. Soon everyone wanted to know how to get a Good Sam "smiling face" decal.

Today, the goal remains the same as from those days: to make RVing safer and more enjoyable, and save members money through Club-endorsed benefits and services. They still have fun, stop to help one another and meet their responsibilities to the environment, the highways and the park system through national clean up and volunteer programs.

John Fiedler, voice of Piglet, dies at 80
Disney Radio Talk Gets Louder
American Seafoods reels in Disney licensing deal
Children Can Build Their Own 'My Little Pony' at Downtown Disney 

A halfhearted stab at Caeser's Rome 

Aerial Orioles jump to Disney World

Sunshine Seasons Gets a Menu Makeover 

Central Plaza getting ready for 'Wishes'

Spectacular Scenes Surround Audiences in Canadian Film 

Mouse House has a vision for 'Invisible'

Children Can Build Their Own 'My Little Pony' at Downtown Disney

 

My Little Pony is back in a big way and capturing the imaginations of a new generation. One of the most popular toys of the 1980s, the newest edition of the beloved Hasbro toy is now featured at Walt Disney World Resort at the Once Upon a Toy store at Downtown Disney.

The 16,000-foot retail playground is home to a new build-your-own My Little Pony area, where guests of all ages can customize and accessorize ponies with crowns, brushes, jewelry and exclusive Disney accessories. The giant kiosk also includes interactive, video touch-screens designed just for little hands. Guests purchase as many accessories as they can stuff in one sizable box.

In addition to My Little Pony, Once Upon a Toy offers new Disney and Hasbro toy brands including a build-your-own Mr. Potato Head area, special Disney theme park editions of traditional Hasbro games including Monopoly and Clue, and a galaxy of "Star Wars" action figures, games and collectibles from George Lucas' popular sci-fi saga.

A halfhearted stab at Caeser's Rome

When in Rome, ABC can't do as the ancient Romans did.

The current furor over television indecency obviously limits Empire, a lavish drama about the power struggle after Julius Caesar's assassination. The program uses quick, flashy editing to suggest gladiatorial violence and orgiastic hanky-panky.

Yet the six-hour miniseries, starting Tuesday, feels limited in other, more profound ways. The story, a liberal mix of history and fiction, takes adventurous leaps that strain credulity. The main fiction is Tyrannus (Jonathan Cake), a gladiator whose presence evokes the Oscar-winning, and far-superior, Gladiator.

The political intrigue unfolds in a muddled manner as practiced by these mostly tepid figures. Oh, for some of the juicy viciousness that permeated I, Claudius, the landmark miniseries about Roman emperors. The Empire characters still seem to have on their training wheels when it comes to portraying nastiness.

It's 44 B.C., and Tyrannus' brilliance as a fighter prompts Caesar (Colm Feore) to enlist the gladiator as bodyguard. Tyrannus stumbles on the job when kidnappers take his son. Tyrannus goes after them, leaving the boss at the mercy of stab-happy senators.

The dying ruler asks Tyrannus to protect his chosen heir, 18-year-old nephew Octavius (Santiago Cabrera).

"Teach him how to fight, my friend," Caesar pleads. "Teach him how to rule."

Empire becomes the far-fetched travels of mismatched companions. Harsh he-man Tyrannus and boyish brat Octavius go on the run, overcome dire predicaments and sort out the intrigue. Hundreds of cops and cowboys have moseyed down a similar trail.

Tyrannus displays lightning reflexes and daunting stamina. Octavius graduates from sullen playboy to eloquent politician. The two actors tackle their heroic chores with gusto, but Empire reduces history to a trite action movie.

The writing and acting render the duo's foes less formidable than they should be. Brutus (James Frain) comes off as a fearful mama's boy. Cassius (Michael Maloney) emerges as a tiresome prig. Mark Antony (Vincent Regan) is a burly sleaze, not someone to command his countrymen's attention.

On the plus side, Fiona Shaw enjoys herself as Fulvia, Antony's ambitious, crafty wife. Dennis Haysbert, the former president on 24, puts in a forceful appearance as Magonius, a Roman general. Emily Blunt is touching as Camane, a vestal virgin who supports Octavius. If she seems too good to be true, that's because she's fictional as well.

Empire looks good even when it doesn't sound authentic. The Italian countryside receives a tourism-boosting showcase, and the miniseries rolls out first-class costumes and sets.

The best way to approach Empire is as a lavish warm-up to other programs. Cake, who suffers as Tyrannus, displays a more roguish style as a fertility-clinic doctor in Inconceivable, an NBC drama for fall.

HBO will unveil its own take on Julius Caesar in Rome, a 12-episode fall drama. On premium cable, that program will not have to worry about tidying up the nudity, mayhem and scheming.

On ABC, the road to Rome is paved with Hollywood clichés, and Empire hits most of them.

Aerial Orioles jump to Disney World

Four members of the Avon Aerial Orioles jump rope team competed at the National Jump Rope Contest June 24 and 25 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

Erin O'Connell, a 2005 graduate; Mitchel Floyd, a junior; Nicole Berryman, a sophomore; and Kerry O'Connell, a freshman, qualified to participate by placing fourth or higher in several events at the regional jump rope contest in April.

All four jumpers competed in speed events on June 24, while Erin O'Connell, Floyd, and Berryman performed a double dutch routine in free-style competition on June 25.

Participants and their families stayed on Disney property during the event and had access to the park.

Both Erin O'Connell and Floyd have competed at the national level one other time.

The Avon Aerial Orioles, who perform at many local events, are coached by Beth Floyd and Jo Ann Berryman.

Sunshine Seasons Gets a Menu Makeover

Hungry Walt Disney World guests at the new Soarin' attraction have a brand-new venue for dining in The Land pavilion at Epcot. Sunshine Seasons, in the giant atrium of the pavilion, has a new look and a new "fast casual" menu.

Four shops offer a diverse selection of fresh eats, explained Chef Michael LaDuke, executive chef for Epcot. "We're taking fast-casual cuisine to the next level," he said. "There is no fried food or pizza, no burgers -- everything is prepared as you watch. It's designed to excite the senses."

The décor has been re-imagined, with -- fittingly for The Land -- colors and textures inspired by nature and Earth's natural environments. The center of the space is an abstract representation of sky with blue background and long golden sweeps of sunshine. Five balloons are suspended in the atrium, four to represent the four seasons, the fifth balloon in the center representing Earth. Large green abstract tree trunks reach up the building's columns.

Wood-Fired Grill Shop

Wood-fired grills and rotisseries are center stage with fresh vegetables inspired by autumn. Hearty, earthy flavors include rotisserie chicken on wild green tabbouleh with tzatziki (cucumber-yogurt sauce) and grilled flatbread; rotisserie beef chimichurri with wild green tabbouleh and grilled flatbread, and wood-grilled Atlantic salmon with mashed potatoes and kalamata olive pesto.

Sandwich Shop

Made-to-order sandwiches are served on artisan breads inspired by baking traditions of the winter months. Sandwich choices include grilled vegetable Cuban, Black Forest ham and salami grinder with arugula on ciabatta, and smoked turkey and Munster on Asiago foccacia with spring greens.

Asian Shop

Wrapped around a 6-foot-long Mongolian barbecue and wok station, this area serves noodle bowls and stir-fries inspired by crisp, spicy flavors of summertime. Dishes are light, healthy and flavorful, like spicy Mongolian stir-fry beef with Asian vegetables; tofu noodle bowl with lime ginger broth, and a garlic-chile noodle bowl with chicken.

Soup/Salad Shop

Inspired by the abundance of growth and the celebration of the spring, fresh salads are prepared on stage. Distinct flavor combinations include seared tuna on mixed greens with sesame rice-wine vinaigrette; roasted beet and goat cheese salad with cilantro-lime vinaigrette, and grilled chicken and rocket salad with pumpkin seed vinaigrette.

"You will smell the grill and the wood, see the vibrant salads and fresh pastries, hear the sizzle of the wok -- the senses are all engaged," said LaDuke.

The logo consists of the title and a half-relief of Jimminy Cricket who presents the fireworks spectacular together with the Blue Fairy. The blue background is done with colored gravel (or similar material) just as the golden fireworks sprinkled over it. A rather stylish center piece that due to its limited height will allow guests to see the castle behind it even if standing right in front of the logo. A great setup for photos, too. Hopefully not too many guests will try to climb on it to get a better view of the parades and fireworks though.

Spectacular Scenes Surround Audiences in Canadian Film

Walt Disney World audiences see Canada from coast to coast in a 17-minute motion picture presented in CircleVision 360 as a major feature in Epcot World Showcase.

Highlights of the film titled "O Canada" focus on spectacular scenery and the people of many regions. Forty thousand Canadian snow geese are seen rising in a honking mass along the St. Lawrence Seaway. And Disney cameras ride a buckboard through the middle of the Calgary Stampede.

More than two years in production, the motion picture took the Disney Studios' film crew into all 12 Canadian provinces -- from harbors at Lunenberg, Nova Scotia, and Vancouver, British Columbia, across snow-crested mountains to Kaskawulsh Glacier in the Yukon Territory and Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula in the Northwest Territories.

During research and scouting for the project, producers found a variety of scenery and a mixture of ethnic backgrounds as broad as in the United States. This became the underlying theme of the film.

A crew of six -- armed with a 600-pound camera pod fitted with nine 35mm cameras positioned to capture a 360-degree panorama -- shot for nearly two years. When they finished, they had cranked more than a quarter million feet of film through the cameras. The presentation is projected onto nine screens encircling viewers in the Canada CircleVision 360 theater.

The shooting took place in bits and pieces -- when events were happening, and when the weather cooperated.

Weather was often a paramount concern, as the Disney crew mounted its complex set of cameras beneath helicopters for low-altitude flights and lowered it from the bomb bay of a B-25 for other aerial shooting. The unit was also mounted on toboggans, dog sleds, racing chuckwagons, dollies, flatbed trucks, and various ships and boats including the proud schooner Bluenose II.

Though they avoided blustery weather, the crew encountered bitter cold. During shooting from a dolly at skate level in the midst of an ice hockey game, equipment was subjected to temperatures of 24 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (-31 degrees C). On a helicopter shot above Quebec City, the wind-chill factor measured minus 50 Fahrenheit (-60 degrees C).

To succeed under such conditions, the crew used electric heaters to warm the cameras, shot for brief periods, and rewarmed the cameras.

The true-to-life adventures being filmed produced another set of adventures for the crew. For instance, Disney cameras joined a helicopter roundup of an estimated 5,000 reindeer on Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula, at the outer limits of the Northwest Territories.

Some of the wildest flying of the production, it was back and forth, sideways -- everything but upside down. The crew got its footage of the reindeer, part of a privately owned herd of some 15,000 head.

Twenty-five hundred miles southeast, on the St. Lawrence Seaway, the crew had hours for a coffee break awaiting the arrival of the Greater Canadian Snow Geese. They holed up in a marshy blind at 4 a.m. one chilly autumn morning ... and waited. Three hours later, silence was broken by the "honk-honk-honk" ... of a single goose. He circled the field and flew away.

The crew held its ground, however ... then a few more advance-guard birds came ... and left. Finally, the waiting game paid off.

Approximately 40,000 birds, on a migratory stopover, surrounded the CircleVision cameras ... and then they were back in flight, creating a din of flapping wings and honking calls.

Other scenes capture the pomp of national parades and pageants, the quiet beauty of a choir procession in Montreal's Notre Dame Cathedral, the Canadian Rockies in Alberta and the soft glow of a midnight sun above Mackenzie River Delta in the Northwest Territories.

Paul Winchell, voice of Tigger, dies in Calif. 

Hong Kong Disneyland Announces Ticketing Plan Designed to Maximize Accessibility and Convenience 

ABC Family Premieres New Episode Of 'Wildfire' 

Epcot Annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival 2005 

The Ward Kimball Debuts at Disneyland 

Disney Applies Feng Shui to Hong Kong Park 

Disney sets course for Hawaii

Disney French Connection just a Eurostar ride away

Hong Kong Disneyland Announces Ticketing Plan Designed to Maximize Accessibility and Convenience

 

As it prepares for its grand opening on September 12, Hong Kong Disneyland today announced details of its five ticket purchasing channels for local and overseas guests. This new plan makes it easy for guests to experience the magic - and it may be only a mouse click away.

Online Ticket Purchases

• Hong Kong Disneyland is partnering with CityLine, the leading ticket sales agent in Hong Kong, to provide a safe, secure and easy online ticketing process.
• Starting July 1, 2005, guests can purchase park tickets online for visits starting on September 12, 2005, the official opening day. There is no additional charge to purchase tickets online.
• Online ticket sales will be made available starting from July 1: - From July 1 to September 12, guests can purchase tickets for the first three months of operation. - Hong Kong Disneyland will continue to evaluate the ticket booking system and will add availability in the future.
• A guest may purchase online a maximum of 10 tickets for any given day, per credit card.
• The credit card holder must be present at the park gates to redeem tickets on the day of visit. In order to redeem their tickets, guests must present the same credit card they used for the online purchase.
• Tickets will be date stamped and valid only on the date stamped on the ticket.
• Guests will be able to pick up their online purchased tickets at two locations at the Main Gate to Hong Kong Disneyland: - AutoMagic ticket machines - Any one of the 24 ticket windows located at the main entrance of the Park.
• Guests should consult their banks about the online credit card purchase procedure as different banks may have different practices such as pre-registration or requirement for a pin number.

Booking a Disney Hotel Room and Tickets

• Guests who book a room at either of the two Hong Kong Disneyland hotels can also purchase park tickets at the same time up to the number of people staying in the room (generally maximum of 4 tickets per room). Guests can book rooms by calling 852-1830-830 or through selected travel agents.

Booking Through a Travel Agent

• Guests from Mainland China and international countries can book tickets through select local travel agents as part of a travel package.
• Travel agents can call 852-1830-8000 when booking 25 or more tickets and use the website if booking below 25 tickets.

Group Sales

• Starting July 1, large groups that wish to purchase 25 or more tickets (e.g. business meetings, conventions or family reunions) will be able to do so by calling the Hong Kong Disneyland Group Sales Office at 852-1830-830.

At the Gate Ticket Sales

• Guests will also be able to purchase tickets from the Main Gate ticket windows on the day of their visit, based on availability.
• Guests can check ticket availability at the gate one day in advance of their visit by going to the Hong Kong Disneyland website or calling 852-1830-830.

Hong Kong Disneyland group managing director Don Robinson said, "Our plan is designed to deliver the most convenient, efficient and accessible means of purchasing tickets for all local and overseas guests. Based on experience with our other parks, this ticketing plan is the best mechanism to balance demand with capacity requirements. Our strategy will ensure that everyone has access to Hong Kong Disneyland and that their experience is as magical as possible."

About Hong Kong Disneyland

Hong Kong Disneyland will offer a full-day, one-of-a-kind family entertainment experience to guests and feature Disney's most popular rides and attractions. During their stay at Hong Kong Disneyland, families will be able to visit Main Street, U.S.A. and three theme lands - Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Adventureland.

Guests will experience Disney's signature entertainment, complete with rides, fireworks, parades, Broadway-style shows and a 3-D movie. They also will meet Disney's beloved characters and enjoy a variety of dining and shopping experiences.

ABC Family Premieres New Episode Of 'Wildfire'

ABC Family premieres a new episode of the original series WILDFIRE. "Mothers" airs Monday, July 11 (8:00 – 9:00 PM ET/PT).

In "Mothers" Barb, Kris's mom, shows up at Raintree Ranch for a surprise visit, but when Jean's engagement ring is stolen, Kris immediately accuses her mother of the theft.

Jean decides to deal with the financial troubles of the ranch by selling her engagement ring. Barb, Kris's mother, unexpectedly shows up and the Ritter's extend an invitation for her to stay. Todd Ritter develops a crush on Kris and Dani becomes involved with Bobby (a young bookie played by Jason London). Jean discovers her ring is missing, and Kris blames her mother (who has relapsed into substance abuse). Kris pushes her mother to leave, only to later realize that Matt took the ring. Junior helps Kris find Barb at the bus station, and confesses that he understands Kris's pain as his mother left years ago as well. Kris and Barb share a special moment before deciding that Kris should stay with her new family while Barb moves on with her own life.

WILDFIRE is ABC Family's first scripted drama, and had the highest series premiere in the history of the channel. A drama set in the world of horse racing, one-hour episodes air Mondays (8:00 – 9:00 PM ET/PT). The series, produced by Lions Gate Television in association with Piller² and The Segan Company, centers on the struggles of a teenage girl (gifted newcomer Genevieve Cortese) to turn her life around. The film also stars veteran actor Dennis Weaver ("McCloud"), Nana Visitor ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"), Greg Serano ("Kingpin") and Micah Alberti ("All My Children").

Epcot Annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival 2005

Walt Disney World guests can immerse themselves in cultural experiences from around the globe or sip to learn at a wine seminar. They can expand their culinary repertoire at one of many cooking demonstrations or drop by the Specialty Beer Garden. The opportunities are many when Future World and World Showcase overflow with first-rate food, wine and beer experiences during the six-week-long Epcot International Food and Wine Festival Sept. 30 through Nov. 13.

Each year, the festival features at least 20 international tasting marketplaces and a lineup of winemakers and guest chefs, elegant dinners, wine schools, tastings and pairings.

In recent years, the festival around World Showcase Lagoon has grown dramatically, attracting a diverse audience of more than one million each year -- from wine connoisseurs and epicures to droves of wine neophytes eager to boost their wine IQs. In addition, the fest's nightly Eat to the Beat! concert series will feature an even more varied lineup this year, including classic rock, oldies and country performers.

"The festival is our opportunity to showcase not only all the culinary and wine-related talent at Walt Disney World Resort, but also to introduce great celebrity chefs and wine connoisseurs in the industry," said Nora Carey, festival manager. "We strive to provide various levels of experiences that reflect the diverse interests of our guests, from simple marketplace tastings and seminars to extravagant dinners."

More than 100 wineries offer tastings, and guests can sample the marketplace cuisine in tasting portions ranging from $1 to $4.50. Other highlights include:

• The Festival Welcome Center, with a Champagne and Sparkling Wine Bar, commemorative posters and other festival keepsakes.
• Some 250 Disney chefs and guest chefs conducting culinary demonstrations and hosting elegant dinners and tasting events (past guest chefs have included Allen Susser, Dominique Macquet, John Ash, Diego Lozano, Michael Ginor and many others).
• Up to 1,200 wine and beer seminars providing complimentary samplings.
• Elegant dinners, the weekly Party for the Senses grand tasting and other by-reservation-only events.
• Along with the music, dance, acrobatics and avant-garde entertainment showcased at Epcot pavilions, festival guests can enjoy Eat to the Beat! concerts performed three times each evening at America Gardens Theatre.

Entrance to the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, plus wine and beer seminars and cooking demonstrations, is included with regular Epcot admission. Guests can call 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) for information or reservations for special events and programs. By summer, festival details will be posted on the Web site: disneyworld.com.

The Ward Kimball Debuts at Disneyland

On Saturday June 25th, Disneyland's newest locomotive, the Ward Kimball made it's debut to Park guests.

Disney Applies Feng Shui to Hong Kong Park

Walt Disney Co. officials consulted Chinese feng shui experts before building Hong Kong Disneyland, making changes such as tilting the site of the park several degrees and setting up "no fire zones" in kitchens, a company spokeswoman said Sunday.

Feng shui is the Chinese belief that harmonious energy and therefore better fortune can be achieved by the correct positioning of furniture and other objects.

Other feng shui influences include the park's orientation to face water with mountains behind, Hong Kong Disneyland spokeswoman Esther Wong said.

The park's groundbreaking date and opening date of Sept. 12 were also picked after conferring with feng shui specialists, she said.

Feng shui practioners also designated "no fire zones" in the kitchens, to try to keep the five elements of metal, water, wood, fire and earth in balance throughout the amusement park.

Wong said U.S.-based Disney decided to observe feng shui because it wanted to defer to local custom.

"It's cultural considerations," Wong said, noting, "all the food and language in the park must follow the habits and tastes of our consumers and future guests."

Hong Kongers tend to be Westernized, but Hong Kong Disneyland is expected to draw droves of guests from neighboring mainland China as well.

However, Disney's cultural sensitivity drew a backlash recently. The park had planned to serve shark's fin soup, a Chinese delicacy, but dropped the dish after protests from environmentalists who expressed fears about the extinction of sharks.

Hong Kong Disneyland — built on reclaimed land in the outlying Lantau island — is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the Hong Kong government, but local taxpayers are footing most of the construction bill.

Critics have questioned whether the government got a good deal. Officials have said the park will boost employment and tourism.

Disney sets course for Hawaii

If you thought "Lilo & Stitch" was as close to Hawaii as Disney would ever get, think again. A new enterprise called Adventures by Disney, devoted to high-end guided group vacations, is offering trips to Hawaii and is also taking on the Wild West.

Adventures by Disney starts trial runs this summer in Hawaii and Wyoming, at a reduced rate in exchange for feedback from participants. There are no guarantees as to whether the trips will be offered in the future, said Lisa Haines, a spokeswoman for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. "It all really just depends on how the trials go this summer -- and really how guests respond once they are on the trips," she said.

Both trips are eight days and seven nights -- the Hawaii trips begin July 6, 16 and 23, and Aug. 13, 20 and 27, and the Wyoming trips July 10 and 22 and Aug. 14 and 22 -- and feature stops at three spots.

"Escape to Paradise" begins in Oahu, continuing to the Big Island and Kauai. Guides lead tours of Hawaiian attractions like Pearl Harbor and the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Special touches include an opportunity to hand-feed stingrays, tour a volcano with a geologist and attend a luau on a private stretch of beach.

The "Quest for the West" trip begins in Jackson Hole, and the first full day includes an early-morning wildlife walk, rafting, horseback riding and, after dinner, stargazing. Other days include tours of Yellowstone National Park and a scavenger hunt.

Both trips end with a party "full of Disney surprises."

The Hawaii trip starts at $2,099; Wyoming starts at $1,499. Children 16 and younger, $300 less. Information: (877) 728-7282.

Disney French Connection just a Eurostar ride away

My kids think Stanley Park's miniature train ride is awesome: How could Disneyland disappoint?

A three-week vacation to the U.K. had been treat enough for a couple of children from the Sunshine Coast but we'd managed to keep Disneyland Paris a secret right up until the Monday morning we took the train to London's Waterloo Station and the Eurostar Terminal.

Eight-year-old Ryan, who swears he's over his Thomas the Tank Engine phase, had said: "I wish we could go on the Eurostar."

"Supposing we could, where would you like to go?" I'd replied, crouching to his eye-level and inviting him to read the departures timetable.

"Brussels, Paris, Disneyland [long pause here]. . ."

"Are we going to Disneyland?" six-year-old Emma had asked, holding on to her mother for support.

The hugging and tears had barely subsided before we were on the Eurostar, eating breakfast and hurtling through the Kent countryside, the Channel Tunnel and northern France at speeds of up to 300 km/h.

In less than three hours we were at Disney's gates shortly after midday.

Twenty years ago this had been a sugar-beet field. The park opened in 1992 as Euro-Disney, then Disneyland Paris and now Disneyland Resort Paris.

While the names have changed, the park will be familiar to anyone who has visited Florida's Disney World or California's Disneyland. Sleeping Beauty's Castle dominates the landscape, surrounded by four themed lands -- Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Discoveryland.

It's this very familiarity that had once riled critics who argued that Disneyland Paris did not reflect local culture: restaurants did not offer wine, for instance.

Which begs the question, if you wanted French culture, why on earth would you go to Disneyland?

The French appear to have forgiven any cultural faux pas, judging by the crowds during our midweek spring visit.

How else to explain an hour's wait for the tame Dumbo Flying Elephant ride? My wife Leah, who'd opted to watch, brought us crepes filled with melted Nutella (4 euros each -- $6.40 Cdn) to ease the wait in line, if not our budget.

Once on board Dumbo we had to wait while staff ejected a woman clutching a toddler who'd breached a security railing to dodge the queue. A Nutella crepe might just have kept her honest.

It would be the longest wait of our two and a half days at the park, due in part to Fastpass, a clever system available on most of the big rides that allows you to legitimately skip the lineup.

Insert your park-admission ticket into the ride's Fastpass station and it will give you a slot later when you can head straight to the front.

That's how we rode Big Thunder Mountain six times and bypassed lineups at Peter Pan's Flight, an indoor jaunt over London's rooftops to Never-Never Land.

Alas, Space Mountain, which had undergone a radical facelift and reopened April 9, was off-limits since our children didn't quite breach the 1.32-metre minimum height. Yes, there were tears (mainly Daddy's) but Disney is character-building that way.

Like the time the Pirates of the Caribbean ride broke down just after we'd taken our seats following a 20-minute wait in line. Or when Goofy waved goodbye to Emma without signing her autograph book back at our hotel, Disney's Hotel New York.

"Goofy's got to eat lunch some time," I explained.

Over at Disney's other park, Walt Disney Studios, there were no such disappointments. Fewer people meant that characters like Jessie from Toy Story were literally standing around waiting for a hug and to give autographs.

The Animation Courtyard allowed us all to sit down and try our hand at various cartoon techniques, which was a refreshing reminder that the Gameboy generation can still happily occupy themselves with a pencil and paper.

We walked straight on to a studio tram tour that all but scared the crepe out of me in Catastrophe Canyon. We sat helpless in the face of sudden death by incineration, followed by drowning.

The kids loved it.

But not as much as they loved the stunt show "Moteurs, Action!"

"Are they the bad guys?" Emma asked me every five minutes as gun-toting motorcyclists chased sports cars around a tight film set, amid thunderous explosions.

Herbie the Love Bug even made a guest appearance.

With a surprising lack of fuss, the kids did not object to us leaving Disneyland for an afternoon and evening in Paris. "Moteurs, Action!" turned out to be a realistic portrayal of how fast local drivers navigate Paris streets, thankfully without the gunfire.

Riding the Metro wasn't quite as exhilarating as Thunder Mountain but the Eiffel Tower impressed Ryan and Emma.

The Nutella crepes were cheaper, too.

Walt Disney World works to give guests one-of-a-kind vacations 

"Twitches," A Disney Channel Original Movie 

Disney Recording Artist Robie Lester Dies at 75 

Edgy director definitely in the Herbie camp 

NBA Spurs ABC to Thursday Victory 

Disney finds religion for its Chronicles of Narnia 

Teen girls will like Disney's new 'Sadie' 

If you've got the fortitude, we can slip you a Mickey

Walt Disney World works to give guests one-of-a-kind vacations

 

The world of theme parks is a lot different than the one Walt Disney envisioned 50 years ago.

Now, instead of having a communal experience with other vacationers, the accent is on individuality.

Consider it a byproduct of the "me" generation. At Walt Disney World, the No. 1 theme park destination in the world, "we're trying to tailor vacations to our guests' wants and wishes," says Al Weiss, president of the resort.

At Epcot, that means they can talk one-on-one with Crush, the animated turtle from "Finding Nemo," or pet the walking dinosaur Lucky at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

It could also translate into a special viewing platform for the fireworks show "Wishes" at the Magic Kingdom. Or, it could be a chance to hear Mickey Mouse's inside scoop through a stuffed animal called Pal Mickey.

Research showed the Disney folks that guests wanted experiences few got. They also wanted more time to explore and enjoy what the park had to offer.

As a result, Disney has instituted a baggage handling system that lets vacationers check their luggage at home, board the plane, arrive in Orlando, get on a shuttle and avoid baggage claim entirely. The next time they see their suitcases? In their rooms at a Disney World resort.

The company also has vacation planners who draft itineraries for small or large groups, arrange special dinners and provide those "magical" moments everyone can't get.

To make it even more personal, certain attractions are designed to appeal to the sense of smell. In "Mickey's PhilharMagic," a 3-D movie starring the classic Disney characters, they get to sniff apple pie; in the new Epcot ride, "Soarin'," they get the scent of pine trees, orange groves and a cool ocean mist.

"It's all very personal to you," says Kathy Mangum, executive producer/vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering. "We try to give you a multi-sensory experience."

While the once-in-a-lifetime approach helps set Disney apart from its competitors, it also ensures repeat business. If a guest can come to the same place and have different experiences, he or she will view this as a place worth revisiting.

Even movies -- a Disney staple -- have the ability to change from year to year.

Although "Mickey's PhilharMagic" features songs from such hits as "The Little Mermaid" and "The Lion King," Imagineer Eric Jacobson says it's possible to add or subtract elements on a regular basis. "We're designing attractions that can respond to new changes in guest desires."

Enter: "Soarin'." The most successful ride at Disney's California Adventure, "Soarin' Over California" was re-created in the Epcot Land pavilion and relabeled "Soarin'." In it, guests sit in a hang glider of sorts and appear to float over California landmarks. In truth, they're merely elevated over an 80-foot screen. Mangum says those at the top of the three-level glider are about 40 feet off the ground. They feel, though, like they're much higher. Because it's basically a film, "we have the opportunity to change it in the future. But this film is so great it's going to stay that way for a long time."

In the Buzz Lightyear ride in the Magic Kingdom, guests ride through an arcade game and earn points by hitting targets. At Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., the concept is taken a step further -- there, folks at home can log on to a Web site and help relatives earn points while they're riding.

At Epcot, Turtle Talk with Crush represents the latest evolution in animation. Called "real-time" animation, it enables guests to visit with Crush, the turtle from "Finding Nemo." He appears in what seems like a tank, but really it's a huge high-definition computer screen. Thanks to a voice actor behind the screen, he's able to respond to questions and make comments during the "encounter."

"We had to go through two major hurdles," says Mangum. "Once the technology came through where the actor could talk and the lips would move without being manipulated, we knew we could use this technology. Then, we had to have computers that could render fast enough so that Crush would look like Crush. We wouldn't have done it if we couldn't have pulled it off."

The attraction is the first that lets cartoon characters respond to their fans. It won't be the last. Already, Disneyland has "Lilo and Stitch's" Stitch in a phone booth.

"We want to give you an experience you won't get anywhere else," says Brad Rex, vice president of Epcot.

And that's key to Pal Mickey, a stuffed animal that offers jokes, tourist information and "surprises" when he's taken from one park to another. At $65, he's not a cheap date, but he can make lights flash when he passes certain medallions sold in Disney gift shops. At home, he's still full of jokes and information. At the park, he's like a personal tour guide. He can even tell where the lines aren't long.

Add in strolling photographers (who will take your picture just about anywhere, then let you preview them at home on your computer before ordering), extended park hours for resort guests and that no-brainer baggage system and it's clear life at Disney World is personal.

"It's all about getting to know our guests better, who they are and want they want," Weiss says. "We want traditional growth. But we're looking for nontraditional growth, too. Personalization is just one way to get that."

"Twitches," A Disney Channel Original Movie

Production has begun in Toronto on "Twitches," a Disney Channel Original Movie starring Tia and Tamera Mowry ("Sister, Sister") as twin sisters, separated at birth, who mysteriously meet for the first time on their 21st birthday only to discover that they have magical powers. The intriguing mystery is scheduled to premiere in fall 2005 on Disney Channel.

Identical twins, Alex Fielding (Tia Mowry) and Camryn Barnes (Tamera Mowry) are born in Coventry, a magical kingdom, and separated at birth when their father sends them to Earth to protect them from the evil forces of Darkness. Unaware of each others existence, the girls are adopted by two different families and grow up in opposite worlds – Alex in a small one bedroom apartment with a working-class mother while Camryn lives in a mansion and wants for nothing. The two are assigned protectors at birth, Ileana for Alex and Karsh for Camryn, who watch over their every move. Ultimately, it's Ileana and Karsh who bring Alex and Camryn together on their 21st birthday. When the girls reunite, their powers start to come into form and their birth mother Miranda, who thought her precious daughters were dead, can sense they are alive. While Alex and Camryn struggle to accept the truth about their past and the extent of their magic, they set out to find their birth mother to get the answers they are looking for. But when they realize that they are the only ones who can save Coventry, Alex and Camryn unite to fight the evil forces of Darkness that threatens to destroy them.

Starring are Tia Mowry ("Sister, Sister") and Tamera Mowry ("Sister, Sister," "Strong Medicine"), Kristen Wilson ("Dr. Doolittle") as Miranda, Jackie Rosenbaum as Beth Fish, Jessica Greco as Lucinda, Pat Kelly as Karsh, Jennifer Robertson as Ileana and Patrick Fabian as Thantos.

"Twitches" was written by Dan Berendsen (Disney Channel's "Stuck in the Suburbs") and is directed by Stuart Gillard (Disney Channel's "Going to the Mat"). The producer is Kevin Lafferty (Disney Channel's "Cadet Kelly") with Carla Singer serving as executive producer and Joan Carson as co-executive producer. "Twitches" is a production of Broomsticks Productions Ltd. for Disney Channel.

Disney Recording Artist Robie Lester Dies at 75

Grammy-nominated Hollywood singer/actress Robie Lester, singing voice behind Eva Gabor in The AristoCats and The Rescuers who, died Tuesday, June 14, of cancer at St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank at age 75.

Lester helped teach millions of children how to read beginning in 1965 as the “Disneyland Story Reader,” on the record label's 7-inch book and records sets. For seven years following, she told young readers to turn the page “when Tinker Bell rings her little bells.” Between the “little LP's” and full-length albums, Lester recorded more single Disney records than any other performer, playing a variety of roles from Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz to Duchess in The AristoCats, a “Storyteller” album that was nominated for a 1970 Grammy.

In the film version of AristoCats, Lester was the singing voice for Eva Gabor, a task she repeated in 1977 for The Rescuers. Lester was one of Hollywood's most sought-after studio soloists for countless commercials and recordings, including the Spanish vocal in The Sandpiper's hit single, “Guantanamera.” She also played schoolteacher Jessica (who becomes Mrs. Claus) opposite Mickey Rooney in the Rankin/Bass animated special Santa Claus is Comin' to Town.
Lester was born in Megargel, Texas and raised in northern Ontario, Canada.

After a few years in Detroit, she joined the United States Air Corps before attending UCLA with a major in music. In Hollywood, she worked with Henry Mancini and Herb Alpert, recorded for Liberty, Warner Brothers and A&M Records and sang demos for songwriters. Disney tunesmiths Richard and Robert Sherman brought Lester to the attention of Disney's in-house record label.

Lester spent her later years in Fillmore, California, writing novels, fund raising and crusading for animal rights. In the last few years of her life, she was gratified to discover a fan base that had grown up with her work.

Her last voice performance was for the Adventures in Odyssey radio series.

Lester is survived by her husband, producer Geoff Eccleston, daughter Mindy and three grandchildren.

Edgy director definitely in the Herbie camp

Disney ditches shark's fin

 

The score sheet reads Sharks 1, Mickey Mouse 0. In what was seen as a monumental climb down by the directors of the world's magical wonderland, Disney announced Friday it will not be serving the traditional shark's fin soup at its Chinese wedding banquets when the Hong Kong theme park opens September 12.

But in an attempt to salvage its battered reputation in the face of a global call for a Disney boycott, a spokesman said the decision was because the management was ``not able to identify an environmentally sustainable fishing source'' to ensure the fins sold were not products of large-scale butchering of sharks in open seas.

The row was sparked by marine conservationist Brian Darvell, who last month sent a letter to Disney's US-based chief executive, Michael Eisner, strongly objecting the theme park's decision to serve the delicacy.

The letter opened a Pandora's Box, with many green groups, including the WWF, Greenpeace and the US-based conservation group WildAid, all wanting part of the action and threatening to globally boycott Disneyland.

In an attempt to appease its critics, Disney said it would remove shark's fin soup from the menu, but would serve it to customers who requested the dish.

It also said it would source its sharks' fins from ``reliable and responsible suppliers.''

The offer did not appease conservation groups and, by early this week, more than 1,000 people from around the world - including Disney shareholders and scuba divers - had sent e-mails to Disney's board of directors protesting its decision to serve shark's fin soup at its Hong Kong theme park.

In a press release Friday, Disney said it has now decided to remove shark's fin soup from the park altogether.

``After careful consideration and a thorough review process, we were not able to identify an environmental sustainable fishing source, leaving us no alternative except to remove shark's fin soup from our wedding banquet menu,'' the press release said.

A Disney spokeswoman denied the company had bowed to public pressure.

Commenting on the decision, Don Robinson, group managing director of Hong Kong Disneyland, said, ``Striking the right balance between cultural sensitivities and conservation has always been our goal, and we believe this decision is consistent with our ongoing commitment to conservation and responsible consumption practices.''

WWF Hong Kong chief executive officer Eric Bohm described Disneyland's decision as ``wonderful and fantastic.''

Speaking from London, he told The Standard it is a victory of common sense. ``It is a victory for the principle of sustainable consumption. We never felt it was a war against Disney. It is not a war against Chinese culture either,'' he said.

GreenPower chief executive Man Chi-sum welcomed the move, saying ``this is a good start.''

Both Man and Bohm said they will continue their discussions with Disneyland on the issue and on teaching students about sustainable consumption.

WildAid campaigner Victor Wu said, ``This is exactly the positive response every environmentally concerned individuals who have written to Disney was eagerly awaiting

Environmentalists say millions of sharks are killed each year for the traditional Asian delicacy. Fishermen often hack off the fins and dump the sharks back into the water.

In a separate issue, three companies are vying to provide ferry services to Hong Kong Disneyland from Central, according to the Transport Department.

Spokeswoman Grace Yeung said the government will choose one licensee to operate the route next month.

The MTR will open a dedicated line to Disneyland. Yeung said the Disneyland pier will be open to private boats, similar to Queen's Pier.

Busch Gardens beats out Disney on Forbes list

Forbes' "world's best amusement park" rankings for 2005 are out, and Walt Disney Co.'s Florida theme parks are noticeably absent from the list, although California-based Disneyland ranked third, behind Tampa's Busch Gardens.

 

The parks on the list have unique attractions or historic sites and aren't necessarily the ones with the most rides or the highest annual profits, Forbes says.

The top 10 best amusement parks for 2005 included:

Alton Towers in Staffordshire, England Busch Gardens in Tampa Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. Europa Park in Rust, Germany Gardaland in Castelnuovo, Italy Liseberg in Gothenburg, Sweden Lotte World in Seoul, South Korea Port Aventura in Salou, Spain Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J. Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark

Despite not making the Forbes list, Disney (NYSE: DIS) theme parks in the Orlando area are still big business. Estimates from "Amusement Business" magazine show that 14 million people visited the Magic Kingdom, 8.6 million visited Epcot, 7.9 million visited Disney-MGM Studios and 7.3 million visited Animal Kingdom in 2003.

PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates that park guests plunked down more than $20 billion last year on admissions, food, drink and souvenirs. That number is expected to grow by 25 percent by 2008.

More than 100 new attractions have opened or been announced to open in 2005, according to a report by the Alexandria, Va.-based International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.

World Wildlife Fund Praises Disney Decision to Drop Shark Fin Soup from the Menu

Following is a statement by the World Wildlife Fund praising Disney's decision to drop shark fin soup from the menu:

"We applaud Disney for making the right decision to remove shark fin from their menu because of their commitment to conservation and responsible consumption," says Ginette Hemley, Vice President for Species Conservation. "Many shark populations are under attack by man. Despite their fierce reputation, sharks are preyed upon by humans for their meat, teeth and as the ultimate fishing trophy. Disney's action today helps pull sharks from the jaws of yet another threat."

WWF-US has an on-going partnership with Disney's Animal Kingdom to enhance biodiversity education and address sustainable consumption with leaders in education and industry. This decision shows their commitment to ocean conservation and working with the conservation community to protect marine biodiversity.

Muppets move to center stage for Movies.com

 

Curmudgeons don't come much more lovable than Statler and Waldorf, the grumpy old men who offered unsolicited and witty comments on "The Muppet Show." Now the puppet duo is getting a regular spot on http://www.Movies.com to share their inimitable reviews of upcoming films with online fans.

"Statler and Waldorf -- From the Balcony" kicked off Thursday with their remarks on Friday release "Bewitched" and "War of the Worlds," which opens next Wednesday.

Besides words, the puppets also have the "Snooze-O-Meter" for ranking a movie's interest level between nodding off during the opening credits to staying awake through the whole film.

Dan Sherlock, Movies.com. vp, said Statler and Waldorf did a screen test of sorts during the Oscars. User traffic and feedback was so positive that a regular feature was created.

"It strikes a chord of nostalgia with our target audience, 18-34, who remember the Muppets very well," he said. "After all, who could forget Statler and Waldorf?"

Besides the titular stars, each biweekly episode will feature a different Muppet guest star, such as Pepe the King Prawn (who reviews DVDs in the premiere episode), Rowlf the Dog and other favorites.

"We have access to a variety of the Muppet characters, but obviously certain Muppets lend themselves better to this forum, so we'll be gearing it toward those," Sherlock said.

He added that the initiative is "very much a partnership" with the Muppets Holding Co., so that they work together on such things as scripts and characterizations.

Movies.com and the Muppets are operated by the Walt Disney Co.

'Nightline' auditions new looks on air

The future of "Nightline" is airing on Monday nights. ABC News is experimenting with new formats and personalities on Mondays throughout the summer as the network prepares for a "Nightline" without Ted Koppel, who will retire in December.

'Herbie' Stars Discuss Lohan Storm

"Herbie: Fully Loaded" was still in pre-production when "Mean Girls" premiered to surprisingly strong box office, encouraging reviews and a wave of publicity that transformed Lindsay Lohan from a popular kiddie star into a tabloid sensation. Suddenly, shooting began, the story surrounding the film shifted from Disney giving one of its venerable franchises a much-needed oil change, to an allegedly out-of-control teen star and her supposedly wild antics.

"I always felt like I was in the eye of the storm," admits director Angela Robinson, who spent more time concentrating on making her first studio production than on Lohan's extra-curricular activities.

Like everybody else involved, Robinson is all praise when it comes to her star's on-screen output.

"She's really interesting, because her instincts are so good," Robinson says. "A lot of actors prepare and they have these very rigorous things and they want to do a lot of takes. She just comes in, she reads the scene before she does it, she does it and it's perfect. It's so natural and it's such a skill."

Co-star Breckin Meyer, Lohan's "Herbie" brother, agrees.

"She just has 'It,'" Meyer says. "She's got that kind of spark where you just want to watch her and she's accessible and you want to take care of her onscreen."

Meyer has some experience with the media maelstrom that can surround a young actress when they go from unknown to suddenly buzzworthy.

"The thing I was taken aback by was how young she was," Meyer recalls. "You see magazine covers and she's in these designer outfits and 'Mean Girls' had just blow up, so she was this giant rising star. It was kinda like after we did 'Clueless' when Alicia [Silverstone] became this really big phenomenon. But she was just this sweet 17-year-old kid when I met her -- and still is, now that she's 18."

Justin Long made a little film called "Crossroads" with future-"Chaotic" star Britney Spears, and he compares Lohan to the pop tart. That sounds like a bad thing, but Long clearly means it as a compliment.

"They're similar in the sense that they're such huge celebrities and iconic actresses -- or at least celebrities -- that I was disarmed by how down-to-earth and normal they are," Long says.

Perhaps the former "Ed" star is just pleased because weeks of on-set pranking, Lohan never sought revenge, even after a particularly nasty gag involving a lifelike prop rat and a bucket of popcorn.

"She took it out and freaked out and let out this blood-curdling scream like Daryl Hannah in 'Splash' when she says her name and, like, the window's breaking," He laughs. "But then as quickly as it happened, she was laughing about it and there was no retaliation involved."

While Long and Meyer are recognizable supporting players, they both readily admit that they can come and go without the lingering threat of aggressive photographers. Matt Dillon, who plays villainous NASCAR hotshot Trip Murphy, has a little more first-hand experience. Thanks to featured roles in films like "My Bodyguard," "The Outsiders" and "The Flamingo Kid," Dillon was a pin-up idol by the time he turned 20.

"How many 18-year-olds are under that kind of scrutiny? I wasn't in the same way," He says. "Of course, I was a famous actor, but somehow I stayed under the radar, in a way. I was certainly out there living life. I was no angel, believe me."

Dillon continues, "She's a kid. She's doing what she's doing. That's what kids do, they learn."

Disney Patents Anthropomorphic Animal Genome

In an unexpected move that has both the entertainment and scientific communities buzzing, the Walt Disney corporation has received a patent for what it calls a "baseline anthropomorphic animal genome."

"Disney has always blazed new trails in the frontiers of quality anthropomorphized animal entertainment," said Disney CEO Michael Eisner. "With this exciting advance from the Disney Genetic Imagineering team, we are proud to bring Walt Disney's vision of a unique world of entertainment into the twenty first century."

According to the patent, the anthropomorphic genome is a special modification of the human genome which readily permits the creation of variants based on other animals with the insertion of a very small amount of genetic code. Fifteen variants are specifically listed in the patent application, including rodent, waterfowl, and greater and lesser canine (Goofy and Pluto, respectively).

The unusual patent raises serious legal and ethical questions.

"This isn't the first time a genome has been patented, of course. Actually, over three million genome-related patent applications have been filed," said Joshua Gardner, professor of bio-ethics at Carnegie Mellon University. "What is very disturbing about this case is the fact that Disney has apparently managed to patent a range of variations, instead of just one. So, for example, if Warner Brothers were to try and patent a wisecracking anthropomorphic rabbit genome, it's not clear that they'd be permitted to do so."

There is also particular concern from costumed workers at Disneyland, who are concerned that Disney is going to replace them with genetically engineered creatures bred to look like the trademark Disney characters.

"Cast members at Disney World Florida are union members, but not us," said Tori Armstrong, a confidential informant who works the morning shift as Donald Duck at Disneyland. "We're always being told to stop complaining about the heatstroke from wearing these costumes, the poor pay, and so on. They really threw a fit when we asked for holes in the masks so we could poke a sandwich through every now and then. I mean, we're not supposed to take the masks off on duty, what are we supposed to do, starve?"

Surprisingly, there is little concern about the potential societal status of creatures created using the Disney genome.

"The assumption is that anthropomorphic animals would have essentially the same social and political rights as humans," said Gardner. "We seem to have no problem electing rats and snakes to office. Why not a talking mouse?"

Keaton just fine without cape

Sixteen years later, Michael Keaton still can't escape questions about the cape and cowl he wore in 1989 as Batman.

That makes sense right now, given the rebirth of the Dark Knight on the silver screen this summer. But even though it may be his most famous role, Keaton remains nonchalant about the new movie, Batman Begins.

The moviecame out exactly a week before his latest film, Herbie: Fully Loaded. ``I didn't put that together till I came to start doing press'' for Herbie, the 53-year-old actor said. ``... I don't know if it's funny, but it's interesting.''

Keaton portrayed Bruce Wayne/Batman for two films -- Batman and Batman Returns -- then hung up the mask with no regrets and no bitterness. While he liked working with director Tim Burton on the first two films, a lackluster script for Batman Forever made him flee the bat cave and a lucrative payday.

Now, it would seem, Keaton is just content to enjoy life and the financial security that it has brought him.

He only recently began resurfacing on the screen, with First Daughter in 2004 and White Noise this year. Now he's back before the cameras portraying the owner of a NASCAR team in Walt Disney Studio's continuing adventures of a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle with a mind and personality of its own.

As Ray Peyton Sr., he has an unconventional problem with his young daughter (Lindsay Lohan), who has just accepted a producing gig at ESPN: Deep in her heart, she just wants to race like her father and brother. But Ray isn't exactly enthusiastic.

It's the type of role Keaton has grown into at this stage of his career. He has noticed that the scripts his agents receive are featuring him in more of a fatherly light. First Daughter, for example, saw him portraying a U.S. president dealing with his offspring's desires for more freedom.

When the script for Herbie: Fully Loaded came to him, his agents thought he would say no. He surprised them by saying just the opposite.

``I liked it and I thought it was really well written.... Is it a great movie? Probably not,'' he said, answering his own question. ``Is it a bad movie? No, it's not. It just is what it is. So I think about a movie like Herbie and especially from a studio like Disney. It's so classic and it's so ingrained in our culture -- these things have huge longevity.''

His agents were surprised by his interest in Herbie because in recent years, he just hasn't done a lot. Before First Daughter, there was a three-year gap in his filmography. Keaton said the fact that he's so choosy drives his agents nuts.

Why does he turn down so many offers?

``Because most things, you wouldn't do. Most things are not that good. And also I go, `Have I done that?' Or `Would I be any good in that?' There's a role right now that is actually material that I like... but I looked at it and thought, there are 914 guys who can do this as well as I can and about 860 who can do it better than I can.

``... I'm in the mood to work. I just came from a little independent. It'd be nice to do a big studio movie.... But I guess I turn down a lot of things for various reasons. What's the point? It has to have a reason, either from a businessman's point of view or an artistic point of view.''

Keaton came to prominence in 1982 as partymeister Billy Blazejowski in Night Shift, a comedy about a couple of morgue workers who ran a prostitution ring out of their place of business. He followed that surprise hit with other comedies such as Mr. Mom and Gung Ho. He's looking forward to returning to his comedic beginnings.

``I can't find anything that I like or that is really good. I'm developing one now and even that's not flat-out comedy, that's something else.... But I just want something good.... Sometimes I like things that scare me a little bit, push my back, get my back to the wall. I used to kind of require that. Now -- I'm more mature and I'll actually go after it, as opposed to putting myself in a position of going, `Oh (expletive), I don't know if I can do this.' ''

The guy who rocketed to stardom and enjoyed critical acclaim courtesy of films such as Mr. Mom is content these days to be merely cool. And to be frank, he is -- even without the cape and cowl.

Union in new time-buy deal with ABC
VMK Kiosk's popping up at the Parks
Disney World's Treasure Island (a.k.a Discovery Island)
ABC's 'Empire' Brings Ancient Rome to TV
Disney expects 12,000 on park's first day
Disney date
New Original Movie for Disney Channel
Sinoscuba Protests Against Disney
The Mickey Mouse state? 

Lohan bugged by song move

Chicken Little Fun at Disney.com 

Face-to-Face with Disney dubbing artists

Summer travel season is hot

Union in new time-buy deal with ABC

The National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-Communications Workers of America said Thursday that the broadcasts will now be assigned a NABET-CWA crew.

Because Disney (DIS) owns both ESPN and ABC, ESPN frequently buys time on ABC, and a wide variety of sports programs produced by ESPN are shown on ABC.

The new agreement, which begins next month and runs through March 31, 2011, covers these time-buy presentations, as well as programs related to them, such as pre- or post-game shows.

"We believe that this is a significant agreement which should bring a significant amount of work for our members at ABC," said NABET-CWA President John Clark, in a statement.

Clark added that the agreement marked a step forward in the formerly strained relationship between NABET-CWA and ABC.

Disney shares gave back 42 cents to close at $26.27.

ABC's 'Empire' Brings Ancient Rome to TV

 

ABC is gambling that summer viewers might enjoy a Roman holiday, circa 40 B.C.

Disney expects 12,000 on park's first day

 

Hong Kong Disneyland will sell only 12,000 tickets for its opening day, with the majority sold online through the theme park's Web site, Disney executives said Wednesday.

Earlier, Hong Kong officials had said at another media event that the theme park was expected to draw its daily maximum of 30,000 visitors when it opens on Sept. 12. But the park's group managing director, Don Robinson, later said it will be closed to the public that morning for private events.

The theme park, built on reclaimed land on the outlying Lantau island, is a joint venture between the Walt Disney Co. and the Hong Kong government.

Tickets go on sale July 1 on the park's Web site, which is expected to account for at least 70 percent of all sales.

Disney date

Fifty-two youngsters are storming the stage and marching in the parade at EuroDisney in Paris after being specially invited to perform in August.

The group, aged between seven and 21, all belong to Dance for Fun which meets at Hertford Road Community Centre and in Stevenage Old Town.

"We have no exams and no pressure," said Lindsay Walker who runs the group with her mother Doreen.

The trip to EuroDisney is the latest in a long string of successes which includes performances at Sadler's Wells, Her Majesty's Theatre and the Royal Albert Hall in London.

"I am so proud of them," said Lindsay who was once in Dance for Fun herself before taking over the younger members. "I don't know I've got them. When we were at Her Majesty's Theatre they commented on how well behaved the children were."

The group, which includes one 10-year-old boy, will have seven costume changes during their 20-minute routine.

The outfits are being made by Doreen with the help of some of the parents. She started the group 15 years ago for the over 50s but quickly took on youngsters too and now has 300 on the books starting from three years old and going up to 75.

"It's lovely, just dancing for fun is so much better. Parents like it that we don't have any exams. There is so much pressure now," she said.

New Original Movie for Disney Channel

Disney Channel is developing a sequel to The Cheetah Girls, its original movie based on the best-selling book series by Deborah Gregory, for broadcast next summer.

Sinoscuba Protests Against Disney

SinoScuba, Beijing's first professional dive operator, announced today that it joining the protest against Walt Disney Co.'s decision to serve shark's fin soup at its Hong Kong Disneyland theme park.

The Mickey Mouse state?

 

The Walt Disney Company is believed to be again considering a Disneyland-type venture in Queensland.

Sources told The Courier-Mail the State Development Department had been conducting a highly confidential assessment of potential sites of the dimension that a Disney park or resort would need.

Neither Disney nor the State Government would confirm or deny the step.

In fact, the Walt Disney Company was keen to highlight the success of its existing overseas theme park ventures in Paris and Tokyo, which it said had become the number one tourist destinations in both countries.

State Development Minister Tony McGrady, who is in the US, yesterday would not confirm or deny whether he had held talks with the Walt Disney Company or any other US theme park or resort conglomerate.

Sources said the department had been preparing a list of possible sites which included the Brisbane Entertainment Centre site at Boondall or ones near Gold Coast theme parks. They said any proposal to snare a Disney project would meet fierce competition from other states.

Disney itself also would not confirm nor deny any proposal "at this point".

Spokeswoman Michele Nachum, speaking from Burbank, California, said Disney was expanding its business outside the US. It already has international theme parks in Paris and Tokyo and is preparing to open Hong Kong Disneyland in September 2005.

"All I can say at this point is that we are always looking at strategic markets around the world to grow our business," Ms Nachum said.

"We are definitely looking around the world in strategic areas to look at whether we would build, not necessarily always theme parks, but expand our business in a multitude of ways."

This is not the first Disney proposal to be floated in southeast Queensland. In 1997, Disney held talks in the US with then Borbidge government minister Mick Veivers over a possible Bribie Island base.

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said last night the mayors of southeast Queensland would be keen to work on any Disney proposal, but he was against the Boondall wetlands for conservation reasons.

Lohan bugged by song move

According to reports, Lindsay Lohan left the LA premiere of Herbie: Fully Loaded in a right rage after discovering bosses had moved her big song to the closing credits.

Ouch!

"I'm so (angry)," she huffed to Entertainment Tonight. "I was upset when I didn’t hear my song during the race scene, where I originally thought it would be.”

Oh well. The 18-year-old is carrying the Disney flick, so we’re sure she’ll get over it.

While plugging the film on The Late Show With David Letterman, Lohan told the beaver-like chatterbox that she still suffers some discomfort from her recent car accident when a member of the paparazzi hit her.

She also addressed the much-talked issue of her fluctuating weight.

"I just hit puberty," she said. "You grow up, you learn, you eat healthier, you work out and your body's changing."

Lohan also says that she’s keen to escape the public eye for a while: "I will eventually take a break and just live my life and just relax and find something to do. But when I'm not working I don't know what to do with myself!"

Chicken Little Fun at Disney.com

Visit the official website for Disney's upcoming feature Chicken Little. You can select a variety of dance moves for Chicken Little ranging from a break-dance to a hoedown and watch Chicken Little shake his tail feathers. Enter the town of Oakey Oaks to meet the rest of Chicken Little’s friends. In this new section, you can explore Oakey Oaks in a 360-degree environment, and discover fun downloads, trailers, photos and other film info along the way.

LINK

Face-to-Face with Disney dubbing artists

After the success of Disney's show "100 Years of Magic" in Beijing last July, this year Disney on Ice presents a brand new performance, Jungle Adventure.

It's inspired by three of it's most popular animated hits—The Jungle Book, Tarzan and The Lion King.

A press conference entitled "Face to Face with Disney Dubbing Artists" was held in Beijing's Tianqiao Theater on Tuesday afternoon.

Leading voiceover artists attended include Sun Yuebing playing "Mickey", who also lent his voice to Ben Affleck in "Pearl Harbor", "Minnie", voiced by Tang Ye, who also dubbed Scarlet O'Hara in the classic film "Gone with the Wind" and "Goofy", the voice of actor Li Lihong.

The director of the dubbing project, Zhang Yunming says Jungle Adventure deals with the themes of growing up, love and courage.

Many Disney cartoon heroes such as Tarzan and Sinba grow up in the jungle. This shows aims to teach children about love and courage through their favorite cartoon characters. And it's a happy opportunity for adults to share their childhood memories.

Several of Disney's young fans, who want to have a try at dubbing, have been invited to the press conference.

Yang Mingjun, a six-year-old boy, did a voiceover for Mickey along with "Minnie" actress Tang Ye.

Then, the real "Mickey" and "Minnie" actors stood together under flashing lights and performed the show's opening scene, as the onlookers applauded.

They explain that it's the first time either they have acted out their Disney roles at the same time. They recorded the Chinese voiceovers separately in the studio to assure good sound quality.

Last year's show was criticized for being dominated by Taiwan accents. So this time around Disney has specially invited 24 professional Chinese mainland artists to do the dubbing.

The Chinese version of Disney's Jungle Adventure will be staged from August 2nd until August 7th at the Workers' Gymnasium in Beijing.

Summer travel season is hot

The summer travel season in Central Florida is cooking, and the Fourth of July looks to be even hotter, with more travelers than ever hitting the road and jamming airports across the country.

A record 40.3 million Americans will venture 50 miles or more from home this holiday nationwide, up 2.8 percent from last year, AAA predicted Wednesday.

That not only would be the most heavily traveled Fourth of July in history but also would top Thanksgiving, the granddaddy of holiday-travel weekends nationally, said Sandra Hughes, travel vice president for AAA at its headquarters in Heathrow near Lake Mary.

Summer is the busiest time for Central Florida's tourism industry, and the Fourth of July is traditionally a big travel holiday.

Attraction operators said the strong AAA forecast backs what they are seeing and hearing at local parks and hotels.

"June has been fantastic for us," said Trevor Thompson, vice president of operations for SkyVenture, a wind-tunnel skydiving attraction off International Drive in south Orlando.

"Attendance is up 25 percent from our previous record of two years ago. In my mind, we're back," Thompson said.

Rainy weather in early June dampened attendance a bit at SeaWorld Orlando, but the park is "still ahead of last year" in total attendance since Memorial Day, the unofficial summer kickoff, said Joe Couceiro, vice president of marketing.

Couceiro said local hotel bookings look strong for July and early August, supporting AAA's bullish forecast for the Fourth of July.

AAA said stubbornly high gasoline prices don't seem to be deterring people this year, based on the travel association's national survey, and Central Florida hospitality specialists agreed.

"It takes a lot for people to stop traveling," said Tim Hemphill, executive director of the Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando also are enjoying strong summers, fueled in part by advertising for specials and new shows such as Disney's Happiest Celebration on Earth and Universal's launch of its Fear Factor Live attraction.

"The Fourth of July is traditionally strong for us," Universal spokesman Tom Schrodersaid, and this one is shaping up to be a sizzler. "The [AAA] forecast for record travel is really good news," he said.

Weather is always the wild card, especially for highway travel and for water parks such as Water Mania in Kissimmee, said Lisa Murphy, the attraction's spokeswoman. .

"If the weather cooperates, that makes all the difference," Murphy said.

People are still making last-minute travel plans, but more people are beginning to book further in advance to get first-choice hotel accommodations, said Nina Meyer, president of the South Florida chapter of the American Society of Travel Agents.

Meyer said Walt Disney World's new ticket-pricing strategy, launched earlier this year, is definitely prompting longer vacations for many heading to the Disney parks. The flexible pricing makes Disney tickets cheaper on a per-day basis the longer the stay.

"Where it used to be one to two nights, it's now three to five," Meyer said of many Disney-area bookings, although visitors within about a three-hour drive of Orlando are still opting for shorter stays.

The trend for increased family and group travel also remains strong, Meyer said. She said she recently booked a cruise for 14, for example, and often books vacations for two and three generations.

Todd May, president of Identity Travel in Hollywood, near Fort Lauderdale, said pent-up demand for travel is still a factor. "People have put off vacations for a long time," May said.

AAA, the nation's largest motoring and leisure-travel organization, predicts 33.9 million Americans will travel by automobile this Fourth of July, up 2.6 percent from a year ago. Another 4.6 million plan to travel by air, up 4.2 percent from a year ago.

Southern Baptists end Disney boycott 

Playing Games With Disney 

Disney Launches "That's So Raven'' Fragrance 

Disney Online and iKeepSafe.org Join Forces to Promote Internet Safety 

Hong Kong Disneyland to limit opening day ticket sales

Disney Princesses' Princely Profits 

Disney warned of chaos over park ticketing plan 

Russo Bros. Make Disney Deal

NASCAR hitches ride with 'Herbie'

Disney Channel Renews Raven for Fourth Season 

Disney Plans To Release Toy Story 3 in Summer 2008 

Disney To Release The Muppet Show Season One on DVD
Hong Kong Disneyland to open in phases starting early August
WDW Admission Policy Change
'Raven' has Disney raving
Baptists likely to vote to end Disney boycott
Disney Ends Talks to Sell Store Chain in Europe
E-mail blitz 'last chance' for Disney
A fantasy for Grandpa
Disney Is Put On Defensive Over Safety
Disney boffins discover Advertising food group
Interview: with Herbie Fully Loaded Lindsay Lohan

Southern Baptists end Disney boycott

 

Southern Baptists ended an eight-year boycott of the Walt Disney Co. for violating "moral righteousness and traditional family values" in a vote on the final day of the faith's annual convention today.

"We believe for the boycott to be effective, it had to have a beginning and an ending," said Gene Mims, chairman of the Southern Baptist Convention committee that put the Disney resolution before some 12,000 members at the meeting.

SBC delegates also passed a resolution that encourages parents to investigate their children's public schools to determine whether they are too accepting of homosexuality.

The Disney resolution, passed at the SBC's 1997 convention in Dallas, called for Southern Baptists to refrain from patronizing Disney theme parks and Disney products, mainly because of the entertainment company's decision to give benefits to companions of gay employees.

"We felt like it was time to end it. We're hopeful Disney will do what the resolution calls for," Mims added.

The resolution states Disney should serve "families of America by providing only those products that affirm traditional family values."

Southern Baptists should also continue to monitor the "products and policies of the Disney Company," according to the resolution, which also urged members to "practice continued discernment regarding all entertainment products from all sources."

Officials at Burbank, Calif.-based Disney did not immediately have a comment.

"We have cost them (Disney) hundreds of millions of dollars," said Wiley Gray, an SBC member from Florida, who spoke in favor of lifting the boycott because Disney had made corporate changes, including the March announcement that longtime Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner would leave the company in October.

A spokesman for The Human Rights Campaign, a Washington-based gay rights advocacy group, said Disney continues to be one of more than 8,200 companies that offer domestic partner benefits to gay employees.

Southern Baptists also came out in support of stem cell research that did not require the destruction of human embryos or put them at risk in obtaining human stem cells.

Playing Games With Disney

We are now 30 days into the beta of Disney's (NYSE: DIS) brilliant Virtual Magic Kingdom game. Given that it's intended to be a free community-based experience that Disney hopes to parlay into real-world theme park experiences, I've been impressed with what I have seen so far.

After a painless registration process, online users are whisked to a simulated Magic Kingdom, where they deck out their avatars with garb and a collection of pins, prizes, and abilities that they accumulate along the way. Not much has changed since the site was launched last month. Tomorrowland and Frontierland are still under construction. The three available games have grown to four. It's in beta, so it's still a little buggy here and there.

However, user innovation has improved. Despite the cumbersome text interface (it is Disney, after all -- quite a few common words are off-limits), it didn't take long for guests to take matters into their own hands. For example, the online experience gives users the ability to create their own room and stock it with things like posters and furniture. Some have taken that a step further, manipulating furniture to host a game of musical chairs, or inviting fellow Disney fans to gather around for Disney trivia. Winners get to trade some of their virtual goodies for new ones.

It's a bit like Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS) The Sims and a bit like Disney's own Toontown Internet-based game. The difference with Virtual Magic Kingdom, for now at least, is that it is completely free.

That's why it was a shame to see just a little more than 700 participants strolling about last night. That number may increase next month, when Disney plans to integrate the game with actual kiosks at its theme parks. Real-life visitors will be able to complete quests to collect virtual goodies. It could be the start of a spectacular online venture that marries the theme park experience with the Web, helping to subsidize a rich and viral online playing area while heightening excitement about the company's real-world attractions.

It's also an example of Disney hitting where most of its rivals can't. Can you imagine Six Flags (NYSE: PKS) rolling out an online simulated community that immerses guests in the regional park operator's various rides and attractions? Where interactive missions would result in real-world gratification at its parks? The theory is sound, but the reality rings hollow.

Until now, parks have used the Internet mostly as a reference tool. Some have used it for online promotions, like naming contests for new rides or tapping eBay to auction off first rides, but little else. It's a lost opportunity, because an amusement park's target audience is probably spending plenty of time online in the off-season too.

Holiday World in Indiana is on the right track with its Holiblog journal. There, endearing behind-the-scenes stories are shared with the site's visitors. Hints about the park's 2006 expansion plans are also being dispersed in magnetizing spoonfuls.

Sure, there are companies like General Electric (NYSE: GE), Viacom (NYSE: VIA), and Inside Value pick Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD) with deep enough pockets to invest in online applications of their amusement parks. I wouldn't wait for that to happen, though.

It's great that Disney is breaking new ground with Virtual Magic Kingdom. It's just too bad that on the same night that the actual Magic Kingdom is entertaining tens of thousands of guests, a very cool beta test is only drawing a few hundred.

Disney Launches ``That's So Raven'' Fragrance

With a keen sense of style and of an even brighter future, Raven, star of Disney Channel's hit series "That's So Raven," and Disney Consumer Products (DCP) (NYSE:DIS) have teamed up with boom! LLC to create a fragrance for the series' female kid and tween demographic, age 6-14. DCP and Raven, the newest Disney `It girl,' will launch the That's So Raven fragrance line in fall of this year.

Captivating young girls with its fashion-forward look, relatable stories and physical comedy, "That's So Raven" is seen daily on Disney Channel and Saturday mornings on the ABC Television Network's ABC Kids. Raven (a.k.a. Raven-Symone), who began her career as Cliff Huxtable's 3-year-old granddaughter Olivia on "The Cosby Show," is a household name among young girls. For the past two years, she was voted Favorite Female TV Actress at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and won two NAACP Image Awards for her role as the clairvoyant teen Raven Baxter in "That's So Raven." Across all U.S. basic cable TV for 2004, "That's So Raven" ranked #1 with Tween Girls 9-14, #1 with African American Tween Girls, #1 with Hispanic Tween Girls and #2 with Caucasian Tween Girls (a mere one-tenth of a rating point off #1). Internationally, it is #1 on Disney Channel Italy and Disney Channel United Kingdom.

"Girls adore Raven and identify with her flare for fashion and energetic attitude," said Sheila Ullery, category director, health and beauty, DCP. "She's blossomed into one of the hottest young stars on the scene today because of her ability to connect with a large, multi-cultural audience. Combined with boom!'s strong record in the fragrance market, That's So Raven Fragrance is sure to be a hit with young girls everywhere."

"This fragrance line will open up a new product category for the show in a sought-after demographic," said Art DeGaetano, president and founder of boom! LLC. "Disney is a powerhouse brand and maintains a consummate connection with kids around the world, notably through its dedicated Disney Channel for kids and tweens, so working with them and an exciting star like Raven is a great opportunity."

Vanilla bean, white lily and lemon zest mix with nuzzly musk to make up the That's So Raven bouquet. The fragrance line, including cologne sprays and a fragrance shimmer stick, will have retail price points between $7.50 and $12.00, with availability in October at specialty, mid-tier and mass volume retailers.

Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (DIS) that extends the Disney brand to merchandise ranging from apparel, toys, home decor and books to interactive games, food and beverages, electronics and animation art. This is accomplished through the work of DCP's various lines of business: Disney Toys, Disney Softlines, Disney Hardlines, Disney Publishing, Buena Vista Games and Baby Einstein. The Disney Store, which debuted in 1987, also falls under DCP, through stores currently owned and operated by unaffiliated third parties under licensing agreements in North America and Japan, and wholly owned by Disney in Europe.

Boom! LLC, based in New York City, is a full-service company focused on design/development and distribution within the fragrance, color cosmetic, bath, body and hair care categories. Clients have included brands like Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Sears, United Retail, Limited Too, Disney, Wrangler(R) and the National Football League.

Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families -- with imagination and optimism -- through original series and movies plus contemporary acquired programming. There are 24 Disney Channels around the world. In the U.S., Disney Channel is available on basic cable in over 85 million homes. Disney Channel Worldwide is part of Disney ABC Cable Networks Group, and is managed by Disney Media Networks, a division of The Walt Disney Company.

Disney Online and iKeepSafe.org Join Forces to Promote Internet Safety

Summer vacation is upon us -- do you know what your kids are doing? Children are among the fastest growing segments of the online population(1), and many of them will be on the Internet. To help them surf safely, Disney Online, creator of the No. 1 kids' entertainment and family community online destination (www.disney.com), is supporting the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (www.ikeepsafe.org) in its effort to educate parents and children about the fundamentals of online safety.

The Internet Keep Safe Coalition's ongoing safety campaign features the tag line "Keep. Don't Meet. Tell.(SM)" to help kids remember the basics of Internet safety:

• KEEP your personal information protected. Never give your name, address, phone number, picture of yourself, or school name to anyone you meet online.
• DON'T MEET with someone you've connected with online.
• TELL a parent, teacher or trusted adult if you feel uncomfortable about anything you see on the Internet.

The campaign features "Faux Paw the Techno Cat," an animated character that takes children through Internet adventures, teaching them the essential rules of Internet safety. The Faux Paw materials were created with input from the National Crime Prevention Council (McGruff the Crime Dog), the FBI Internet Crimes Taskforce, The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, early childhood educators, and child psychologists.

For additional online safety information and lessons, parents and children can visit www.iKeepSafe.org, where they can watch the animated Faux Paw movie, read the story book, and access supplemental Faux Paw instructional activities. Links to iKeepSafe.org can be found on Disney Online's Surf Swell Island: Adventures in Internet Safety site (www.surfswellisland.com), a Disney.com destination featuring valuable "smart-surfing" additional safety lessons for kids and online safety tools to help parents manage their children's online experience.

"As schoolchildren embark on summer vacation, studies show that they will be spending more time online(2). The Internet can be a wonderful technological medium when used appropriately, and we want to stress the importance of the simple safety guidelines for parents and children that will help keep children safe," said Ken Goldstein, executive vice president and managing director, Disney Online. "The Internet Keep Safe Coalition is providing a wonderful public service helping kids and parents keep Internet safety top of mind through innovative, engaging outreach programs."

"Since its inception, Disney Online has provided a safe and fun environment for children on the Internet, and has been clearly committed to promoting Internet safety practices for children," said Jacalyn Leavitt, chair of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition. "We are excited to work with such an industry leader, with its broad reach and access to millions of children and parents, to help spread our campaign's important message."

About iKeepSafe.org

The Internet Keep Safe Coalition is a partnership of first ladies or governors, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and corporate sponsors determined to protect children from the growing threat of Internet predators. Among the many members of the coalition are the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the FBI Internet Crimes Taskforce, the American Medical Association, the US Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce (ICAC), the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Crime Prevention Council (McGruff the Crime Dog), as well as corporate sponsors including Adobe, AOL, Bearing Point, Dell Inc., Disney, Intel, Siebel Systems, and Target.

The coalition offers a comprehensive package of educational resources for children, parents, and educators, including a new Internet safety icon, "Faux Paw the Techno Cat(SM)," an online safety agent for the Internet age. Faux Paw the Techno Cat(SM) Internet safety instruction features a picture book and animated video, Faux Paw the Techno Cat(SM) : Adventures in the Internet, written by Jacalyn Leavitt. It tells the story of the governor's curious cat (Faux Paw) who gets into trouble when she agrees to meet a "friend" she's found in a chat room. The book and animated story are available for viewing online; hard copies may be ordered through the Web site, www.iKeepSafe.org. The Web site also offers a virtual playground of material promoting Internet safety. Parents and children can watch the Faux Paw(TM) animated story, read the book, play games, and learn Internet safety tips. The Web site also offers educational resources at no cost, including child-friendly safety quizzes, worksheets, and coloring book printouts. Visit www.iKeepSafe.org for additional information.

Hong Kong Disneyland to limit opening day ticket sales

Access to Hong Kong Disneyland will be opened in phases and limited to only 12,000 guests on the park's first day, theme park officials said Wednesday.

The Hong Kong government originally said the park would welcome its maximum 30,000 visitors when it opens Sept. 12, but Don Robinson, park group managing director, said it will be closed that morning for private events, according to reports.

The park, a venture between The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) and the Hong Kong SAR government, was built for $3.5 billion on the outlying island of Lantau.

Visitors will be able to access the park through the Disneyland Resort Line, a 2-mile rail line that connects the park with the Hong Kong subway, bus routes and roads.

From early to mid-August, the line will run to a section of the Park Promenade. From mid-August to Sept. 11, the line will run to outlying facilities such as a the Disney Recreation Center and resort facility. The theme park and hotels will open on Sept. 12.

Officials also said they are considering setting up checkpoints at the mainland border to show ticket availability. Some of the immigration lines at the border will be reserved specifically for Chinese Disneyland groups.

Hong Kong Disneyland said it plans to sell the majority of its tickets, available July 1, through its Web site. Other tickets will be sold by phone or through the park's ticket booths.

Disney Princesses' Princely Profits

Once upon a time, the Fool's sagacious stock baron, Bill Mann, penned an interesting article on Disney's (NYSE: DIS) Princess merchandise product line. He discussed this brand's incredible growth trajectory and why it was giving Mattel's (NYSE: MAT) Barbie a run for her money. He mentioned that, at the time, the Mouse House's magic mirror predicted $2 billion worth of retail sales from the program.

Well, Disney issued a press release that takes things up a notch -- would you believe $3 billion is this year's new revenue target? Talk about magic and pixie dust. Think about it: Around the year 2000, Disney Princess retail sales tallied about $300 million. Five short years later, you've got 10 times that.

Disney plans to release one of its from-the-vault films, Cinderella, on DVD -- with marketing campaigns coordinated with Home Depot (NYSE: HD) and Kellogg (NYSE: K), among others -- this October, just in time for the upcoming holiday season. Given Cinderella's royal status, the company expects this move to act as a supreme catalyst for the Princess line.

Who accompanies Cinderella in the Disney Princess ranks? Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Jasmine, Ariel, Belle, Mulan, and Pocahontas. Disney should be commended for uniting all of these portfolio properties into one omnibus category. The company's tenacity in broadening the Princess product mix, and then distributing the wares globally (the release states that India is an upcoming international opportunity), is a healthy portent of things to come.

But shareholders shouldn't become smug. Disney Princess merchandise's target audience is undeniably fickle. Though most of the characters have stood the test of time, the Princess line itself could become passe at any moment. But at least for now, Disney's fortunes look downright happily-ever-after.

Disney warned of chaos over park ticketing plan

Angry tour operators are warning Hong Kong Disneyland of chaos at the gates when it opens in September because the park operator plans to sell most of its tickets in advance through the Internet, effectively shutting them out.

The warning came after Disneyland said 70 percent to 90 percent of its tickets would be sold in advance through the Internet, with a cap for daily visitors set at 30,000.

Disney's ticket allocation plan would leave tour and travel operators with far fewer tickets than expected.

The operators are not satisfied with the arrangement, saying the allocation for tour agents is insufficient and that chaos might ensue if visitors fail to get tickets on arrival at the theme park.

Commissioner for Tourism Eva Cheng said the limit on daily visitors is necessary to ensure service quality and dismissed fears of chaos caused by visitors who are unable to buy tickets on arrival.

"I don't think the situation will get out of control. I think those who are interested in visiting the park will be willing to purchase the tickets in advance through the Internet,'' she said.

Travel Industry Council executive director Joseph Tung warned of trouble if walk-in visitors are unable to get tickets at the gate. "The theme park needs to disclose information on ticketing clearly and effectively. There will be problems if visitors do not know about the ticketing situation and cannot get tickets when they get arrive at the gate,'' he said.

Hong Kong Inbound Travel Association chairman Paul Leung said the allocation for tour agents should be increased to 50 percent.

``It is difficult for us to promote the park to overseas tourists if we cannot ensure that there will be sufficient tickets for us. It will be embarrassing if tourists join the tour and then we say the trip to Disneyland has been canceled because we cannot get tickets,'' he said.

Hong Thai Travel Service general manager Susanna Lau said local travel agents should be allowed to book tickets for individual visitors.

The theme park management announced the ticket-sales mechanism Wednesday, shortly after the government revealed other arrangements in the lead up to the opening of the park September 12.

All public facilities at Penny's Bay where the park is located, including the park promenade and the Inspiration Lake Recreation Center, which has a capacity of 5,000 visitors, will begin operations August 16. During this period the park and hotels will be open only to invited guests.

Just 12,000 tickets will be available September 12 because the park will only be open to the public in the afternoon after the launch ceremony.

Hong Kong Disneyland managing director Don Robinson said 70 percent of the 30,000 tickets on weekdays will be available for advance purchase through the Internet. On weekends, 90 percent of the tickets will be reserved for online purchases.

The remaining tickets will go to travel trade operators, including local, overseas and mainland agents.

Under the online purchase system, each visitor can get up to 10 tickets per credit card on the same day. No commission will be charged on the purchase.

If all tickets are pre-sold online, no tickets will be available for walk-in visitors on arrival.

"I am not holding out inventory for the gate,'' Robinson said.

"So if the online ticket sales are very popular and we sell out online, then we'll post a message on the Web that says, `That day is full, please try another day','' he said.

The public can purchase the tickets online starting July 1 with advance purchases from two to 90 days.

Also starting from that date, groups who wish to purchase 25 tickets can telephone the park's sales office. No discount will be given for group purchases.

Telephone bookings will only be accepted from guests staying at the two Disney hotels and for groups of 25 people or more.

Robinson said Internet penetration is high in Hong Kong, adding that the park is working with the government to prevent ticket scalping and fake tickets.

Tourism Commissioner Cheng said the park is studying the feasibility of setting up information signboards at the Lo Wu and Huanggang border crossings to inform mainland visitors of the ticketing situation.

Russo Bros. Make Disney Deal

Anthony and Joe Russo, the brothers best known for directing Fox's Arrested Development, have signed a two-year development and production deal with Disney's Touchstone Television.

In addition to their work on Arrested, the Russos recently directed J.J. Abrams' romantic comedy pilot What About Brian?, which ABC picked up for midseason.

Past credits include directing the pilots for NBC's LAX and FX's Lucky. Prior to the Touchstone deal, the pair had been signed to a one-year agreement with 20th Century Fox Television, which produces Arrested.

NASCAR hitches ride with 'Herbie'

As Lindsay Lohan steers a magical '63 Volkswagen Bug into theaters Wednesday with "Herbie: Fully Loaded," the NASCAR racing league is gearing up to share in the spoils.

NASCAR is not only integral to the story line of the Walt Disney Pictures release, but its many corporate sponsors also achieve high-profile integrations that mirror the exposure they get in real-life races.

For NASCAR, which has been working to popularize the sport of stock race car driving through entertainment tie-ins and cross-promotions since 2001, "Herbie" represents the biggest role for the league in a major feature film and the first time it has been involved in the making of a movie from the very earliest stages.

"It's the first time that we've been absolutely part of the scripting, preproduction, postproduction, marketing and publicity elements behind a film," said Sarah Nettinga, director of film, television and music entertainment for

NASCAR.

The movie filmed in part at the California Speedway in Fontana, east of Los Angeles, with some shooting occurring during actual races. UPS driver Dale Jarrett, Lowe's driver Jimmie Johnson, DuPont driver Jeff Gordon and Home Depot driver Tony Stewart have cameo appearances in the film.

NASCAR, which is not considered an official promotional partner for "Herbie" but is using its marketing resources to help publicize the movie, was paid an undisclosed fee by Disney for its logistical support and production assistance in filming NASCAR races and custom racetrack sequences.

And by replicating the sea of brand logos that blanket NASCAR race cars, drivers' uniforms and racetrack signage, Disney won over key promotional support from NASCAR sponsors, which in turn is providing the studio better access to NASCAR's 75 million-strong fan base.

On the other hand, Volkswagen provided very limited promotional support to Disney. The German automaker is displaying Herbie at its booths at the New York and Detroit auto shows, and taking Herbie on a U.S. tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of Volkswagen of America.

"The movie focuses on a mid-'60s Volkswagen," said Steve Keyes, spokesman for Volkswagen of America. "It's a bit of nostalgia for us, but we decided not to commit large sums of money to support it. We decided it would make more sense to promote our new products."

Keyes said Volkswagen's recent mega-marketing deal with Universal, valued at about $150 million over five years, had nothing to do with the automaker's decision. "It was never an issue for Disney or Volkswagen or Universal," he said.

Six official sponsors of NASCAR, teams that compete in NASCAR races or the tracks that host NASCAR events signed up to cross-promote the movie. They include Nextel, the title sponsor of NASCAR's premiere national racing series, the NASCAR Nextel Cup, and Radio Shack. For the other four sponsors -- Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., UPS, Valvoline and Net Zero -- it also was the first time they partnered with a Disney movie.

Nextel, which is running a 30-second spot that features two NASCAR drivers talking about Herbie as if it's a real car, said the "driving factor" behind Nextel's decision to partner with "Herbie" was the movie's story line that has Lohan's character Maggie Peyton dreaming of winning the NASCAR Nextel Cup series.

Because of its integration in the movie -- due in part to Jarrett's cameo -- UPS, the official shipping company for NASCAR and sponsor of the UPS car No. 88 driven by Jarrett, agreed to its first ever film promotion. UPS is featuring a special "Herbie" paint scheme on its car that will race at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., on Sunday.

As the official tire sponsor of NASCAR for 57 years, Goodyear tires are featured prominently in NASCAR races and in the movie. Herbie gets a workup that includes brand new Goodyear tires. The company's logo also is seen on race cars and driver uniforms in the movie. In addition, Lohan wears a Goodyear branded baseball cap in the film.

For its promotion, Goodyear was a sponsor of the "Herbie" premiere Sunday night, supplying several hundred racing tires to decorate the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.

Valvoline, which owns and sponsors a NASCAR team and has sponsorship deals with the Daytona International Speedway and the Bristol Motor Speedway, is racing its Valvoline No. 10 car with a special Herbie paint scheme at the Pepsi 400 race at Daytona on July 2.

Radio Shack, which has a deal with the Texas Motor Speedway as a co-sponsor of the NASCAR Cup Samsung/Radio Shack 500 race, is selling miniature "Herbie" remote control cars and is running national TV and radio spots to promote the movie and the collectible cars called ZipZaps.

Disney Channel Renews Raven for Fourth Season

Disney Channel has renewed the tween hit That’s So Raven for a fourth season, and has ordered an original movie based on the series.

Seen around the world on 24 Disney Channels, the series will now boast 100 episodes. It goes into production for its new season on July 11. The new installment also sees the show’s 19-year-old star Raven taking on a producer credit. In addition, Disney Channel has ordered an original movie based on the series, for broadcast in early 2007.

In the U.S. the show is number one on basic cable in the girls 9 to 14 demo, and is Disney Channel’s highest rated series in households, viewers, kids 6 to 11 and tweens 9 to 14. It is also number one on Disney Channels in Italy and the U.K.

“We are fortunate to have a superstar in Raven, a comedy series that has created a strong emotional connection with viewers, and a property that's grown to have a life outside of television, and we're looking forward to even greater success,” said Gary Marsh, the executive VP of original programming and production at Disney Channel.

Disney Plans To Release Toy Story 3 in Summer 2008

The chair of Disney Consumer Product, Andy Mooney, announced that Toy Story 3 is projected to reach theaters summer 2008.

Pixar Animation's contract with Disney is scheduled to end next summer following the release of Cars. Since the two companies have not yet come to an agreement on a new contract Disney will have no choice but to create Toy Story 3 on their own if they hope to continue the franchise.

Disney To Release The Muppet Show Season One on DVD

It's time to raise the curtain on The Muppet Show! Join Kermit,

Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, the Swedish Chef and more, in the first season of this groundbreaking twist on the classic variety show. The first season is on DVD for the first time ever. THE MUPPET SHOW SEASON ONE contains all 24 episodes, completely restored and remastered. Come discover for yourself the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational pleasures of THE MUPPET SHOW SEASON ONE, available on DVD in a 4-disc DVD set.

The first season of the Muppet's groundbreaking show features guest stars Joel Grey, Connie Stevens, Ruth Buzzi, Rita Moreno, Jim Nabors, Florence Henderson, Harvey Korman, Lena Horne, Peter Ustinov, Sandy Duncan, Candice Bergen, Ben Vereen, Phyllis Diller, Vincent Price, Valerie Harper, Ethel Merman, and more.

Hong Kong Disneyland to open in phases starting early August

 

Hong Kong Disneyland will open in phases starting in early August, the government said.

The theme park, a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the Hong Kong government, had been originally slated to open Sept. 12, but the park will now launch its operations in stages, the government said in a statement late Tuesday.

Details were expected at a news conference later Wednesday.

Hong Kong taxpayers are footing the bulk of the US$3.5 billion (€2.88 billion) construction bill for Hong Kong Disneyland, and critics question whether the government got a good deal. Officials have said the park will boost unemployment and tourism.

The park is expected to draw droves of tourists from neighboring mainland China.

WDW Admission Policy Change

"Effective this past Monday, June 20th, Walt Disney World theme parks will no longer use handstamps for same day readmission and Park Hopper privileges.

If Guests plan to reenter or visit another theme park on the same day, they will be invited to present their valid ticket or Resort ID with ticket entitlements and utilize the Ticket Tag system.

Ticket Tag system properties will be added to all remaining pre-Magic Your Way tickets, including, but not limited to, Park Hopper and Park Hopper PLUS Tickets. Guests with pre-Magic Your Way tickets should sign their existing tickets (even though there is no pre-printed signature line) should they encounter a challenge with the Ticket Tag system upon reentry."

'Raven' has Disney raving

Lizzie who?

Once the dominant show for the Disney Channel, "Lizzie McGuire" has been far surpassed by the sitcom "That's So Raven."

"It is our most successful series," said Disney Channel president Rich Ross. "It has taken us where we got with 'Lizzie' and ratcheted it up to another level."

Consider this:

The cable channel has ordered a fourth season of the popular comedy series built around Raven - formerly known as Raven-Symone - the kid star of "The Cosby Show" as a teenager who happens to be a psychic.

It's the first time in the Disney Channel's history that it has gone beyond three seasons for an original series.

The channel has ordered a "That's So Raven" original movie for 2007 and executives recently cut a deal for "The Cheetah Girls II," an original film starring Raven as one of a quartet of young women singers based on the book series of the same name.

And the channel is significantly expanding the "Raven" product line, which this week adds a fragrance during a licensing show.

"It's also thrilling for us to show diversity," Ross said. "In the old days with a series, if you had an African-American star, it became, code-named urban....Raven couldn't be the franchise she is today if it was just driven by one ethnic group."

Production on the fourth season of "That's So Raven" begins next month. And when it stops, there will be 100 episodes - 65 has been the cutoff before. The Disney Channel will roll out the 22 new episodes over the next two years.

"The ratings are unbelievable and from the start Raven wanted to keep going. She believes there are more stories to tell," Ross said.

"We are fortunate to have a superstar in Raven, a comedy series that has created a strong emotional connection with viewers, and a property that has grown to have a life outside of television. We're looking forward to even greater success," said Gary Marsh, executive vice president of original programming and production for Disney.

It also helps that Raven has been acting for 16 years - she's 19 now - has a handle on the business and the success and failure rates of people leaving shows.

Also, she'll become a producer in the fourth season.

"And we're not saying we're finished at 100 [episodes], " said Ross. "We'll stop when Raven wants to stop or do something else."

Baptists likely to vote to end Disney boycott

Southern Baptist Convention messengers are expected to vote today on ending an eight-year boycott of the Walt Disney Corp., said the Rev. Bobby Welch, convention president.

Welch, who was re-elected without opposition to a second one-year term Tuesday, predicted that the convention's resolutions committee would present the Disney issue for a vote although no resolution seeking the end of the ban has been formally submitted. Under convention rules, resolutions must be submitted to the committee 15 days before the annual denominational meeting.

But the committee can present its own resolution to the 11,700 messengers or delegates, Welch said. "I would not be one bit surprised if (a resolution) does come out," Welch said at a news conference. He would not say whether he supported ending the boycott.

The Rev. Wiley S. Drake of Buena Park, Calif., who initiated the boycott at the 1997 annual meeting, said he would support ending it.

"The boycott was very, very successful," Drake said. Drake's First Southern Baptist Church is close to Disneyland in Anaheim. Drake said the recent resignation of Michael Eisner as president of Disney convinced him to support the lifting of the boycott. Drake blamed Eisner for problems at Disney.

The 1997 annual meeting approved the boycott to protest what they perceived as Disney's anti-Christian policies, including production of adult movies through its Miramax Productions and gay days at its theme parks, Drake said. Disney no longer owns Miramax, although it still holds gays days.

But Disney is also courting Christian support for its latest movie, Narnia, written by the late Christian writer C.S. Lewis.

In other action, messengers received a video appearance by President Bush with a cheering standing ovation. "In 1789, President George Washington called America's Baptist the 'firm friends' of liberty," Bush said. "Today another George W. thanks you — because more than two centuries later, you remain firm in your dedication to God and country."

Bush outlined several of his conservative political stances, including his support of constitutional amendment to protect the traditional definition of marriage as between a man and woman.

"Because marriage is a sacred institution and the foundation of society, it should not be redefined by local officials and activist judges," Bush told cheering messengers.

Disney Ends Talks to Sell Store Chain in Europe

Walt Disney Co. said it had ended negotiations to sell its Disney Store chain in Europe because there wasn't any interest from retail companies and the business was improving.

Disney Consumer Products Chairman Andrew Mooney said talks to sell the 105 stores ended last week.

The Burbank company said in 2003 that it would sell both the European and North American Disney Store chains because of lackluster performance.

Disney completed the sale of its U.S. and Canadian stores last year to Children's Place Retail Stores Inc. of Secaucus, N.J.

E-mail blitz 'last chance' for Disney

Nearly 1,000 people from around the world, including Disney shareholders and scuba divers, have sent e-mail complaints to the entertainment giant's board of directors to protest against its decision to serve shark's fin soup at its Hong Kong theme park.

Bill Gleason, editor of the Peter Hughes Diving DivEmail electronic newsletter, said Tuesday he had collected the e-mails and sent them on to Disney in book form in a last effort to change the company's stance on using shark fins before concerned consumers launch a global boycott of Disney and its products.

Gleason and Peter Hughes, manager of US-based Peter Hughes Diving, sent the complaints to Disney chief executive Michael Eisner, his replacement Michael Iger and the Disney board of directors on June 17 and June 20.

For more than a month, activists, scuba divers and other concerned people have been pressuring both the Hong Kong government and Disney. There has been little response from Disney, and none from the government, they say.

Conservationists and green groups say that, as the Hong Kong government holds a 57 percent stake in the theme park, it should speak out about issues affecting Disney.

The Standard attempted to contact Stephen Ip, Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, to ask what the government planned to do, but information officer Christine Leong said no one in the department was available to answer questions about Disney.

Secretary for Environment Sarah Liao's office said Monday that it had not read correspondence from Friends of Hoi Ha, a local conservationist group, and would not comment on the issue.

Hughes and Gleason received 1,000 e-mails in two days when they ran a June 3 story about the shark's fin controversy in their diving newsletter.

The e-mails, they say, are part of a campaign that may lead to a global boycott of all things Disney.

``We'd love to be part of something larger, and I think that is the global opportunity,'' said Gleason in an e-mail to The Standard. ``I certainly think there are any number of people worldwide [who] would boycott Disney because of this issue.''

The Disney company has yet to respond to the book of e-mails, said Gleason, but the pair will give the company 10 days before they call for a global boycott.

Some Hong Kong environmentalists are preparing a letter calling for a boycott.

``Our aim is to strike at the heart of the Disney empire and make the doors of [the] Magic Kingdom crumble,'' said Charles Frew, director of Asiatic Marine, a marine-life consultancy firm in Sai Kung.

Disney's public relations manager Esther Wong could not be reached for comment.

Gleason said: ``Disney can use all of the corporate `green-speak' it wishes, but if it really thinks we buy the idea of a responsible [shark] finner, next they'll be introducing us to an honest poacher.''

The Standard's perusal of the 1,000 e-mails confirms that the message is a global one, with e-mails coming from the United States, Iceland, the Netherlands, Canada, Italy and Brazil.

The tone of the messages ranges from anger and sarcasm to outright shock and dismay.

``I am greatly disturbed by Disney's lack of vision and leadership regarding the sale of shark fin soup,'' wrote one consumer.''

One longtime scuba diver noted that sharks had been fished out of many of his favorite dive spots.

Disney has several times changed its policy on shark's fin soup, suggesting in late May that it would serve the expensive dish at its fantasy weddings out of respect for Chinese culture.

Under pressure from local and international green groups in early June, the company then said it would only serve shark's fin soup caught from ``sustainable'' shark fisheries or by responsible fishermen, who use the whole shark. It also said it will serve shark's fin soup at wedding banquets by special request.

Environmental groups, including WWF, complained that Disney could not use ``sustainable'' shark's fin for its soup because there was no such thing. ``There is no regulation of the identity of sharks or their locations,'' said Clarus Chu, a spokesman for WWF.

Fishermen capture sharks, cut off their fins while they are still alive and then throw them into the ocean to drown. Greens say the practice kills 100 million sharks a year. Sharks are slow breeders.

As their numbers diminish, warn greens, their demise will upset the balance of life in the world's oceans. The only precise way to pinpoint shark-fin origin is through DNA testing, according to Chu, something that not everyone can afford or use widely.

``It's very difficult - almost impossible,'' said Chu Tuesday.

``We are asking [Disney] to go for a certified and well-managed fishery. If you can't find it, stop serving the dish altogether, and wait till you can find it. It's simple,'' he said.

Ko Wang, a professor of business at California State University, Fullerton, who studies Disney's corporate strategies, told The Standard that Hong Kong shouldn't expect too much from Disney at first, since the company had also flubbed its entrance into Paris and Tokyo, largely through cultural mistakes.

``As a shareholder, there is not much that a government can do,'' said Wang.

Disney will ``do what it has to do to survive,'' he added.

A fantasy for Grandpa

When Walt Disney was dreaming up Disneyland, he wanted to create "a place, some sort of amusement enterprise, where parents and children could have fun together."

For nearly 50 years, Disneyland has been just that ... and a lot more. The theme park is enjoyed by people of all ages, including my 93-year-old paternal grandfather.

For quite some time, I harbored this dream to create some very special memories - to show my grandfather a good time visiting The Magic Kingdom, a place I hold dear.

My grandfather remembers visiting Disneyland once, sometime before my birth in 1961. My first visit to California's most-beloved playground was in the summer of 1969. I still remember highlights from that visit.

I had hoped to delay the trip with Grandpa and my parents until sometime after Disneyland rolled out all its new attractions in celebration of its 50th year. But, when you're dealing with a 93-year-old - even one in amazingly good health - there's no time like the present.

The timing was also driven, in part, by my desire to share "Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln" with Grandpa. The landmark show was going into storage for about two years.

Walt Disney was quite proud of his audio-animatronic tribute to the 16th president and I knew it would be something my Grandpa would appreciate. A Civil War history buff, he can still recite "The Gettysburg Address."

I knew I was going to take things at a leisurely pace. The goal was to have a good time, not to wear ourselves out trying to do too much.

"Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln" was the very first attraction we hit after arriving at Disneyland early Saturday evening. My grandfather was enthralled and engaged, checking out the displays, reading all the notes. I was beaming. He had some difficulty hearing, but enjoyed the show.

We then meandered through a few shops, stopping at the Market House, which resembles an old-fashioned grocery ... not unlike the store my grandfather used to own and operate.

We made our way to New Orleans Square for "Pirates of the Caribbean," "The Haunted Mansion" and the late showing of "Fantasmic!" - three must-sees for most Disney guests.

Sunday we started with "California Soaring." This was hands-down my grandfather's favorite attraction, the only one we rode three times.

"I like to fly," he explained, recalling his days as a former pilot.

With the steady drizzle, we headed to the Aladdin stage show at the luxurious Hyperion Theater. Grandpa was awe-struck as he watched a huge elephant puppet pass nearby.

Other highlights at California Adventure included "Muppet Vision 3D," "It's Tough To Be A Bug" and "Golden Dreams" and checking out several large celebrity-designed Mickey Mouse statues. When the winds and rain kicked up we decided to call it a day. It was dinnertime and Grandpa wanted some good old-fashioned oatmeal before bed. Hey, he's fit and 93. Who am I to argue?

Monday was to be our big day at Disneyland, with plans to take the guided "Walk In Walt's Footsteps" tour and dozens of photos.

We spent most of the morning in Fantasyland enjoying "Peter Pan's Flight," "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" and "It's a Small World," before heading to Toontown.

Toontown is overlooked by many guests, although it is one place where you'll always find Mickey Mouse. I knew this was the place to get a memorable group photo. Because of the weather, Mickey's House was packed with costumed characters.

The rain stopped long enough to get some more photos, including Grandpa on the Toontown Fire Truck (he was a volunteer firefighter and ambulance driver for 50-plus years).

We headed back toward Main Street for our tour, stopping to ride "The Storybook Land Canal Boats." Grandpa was impressed by the miniature buildings and the landscaping.

The "Walk in Walt's Footsteps" tour is among the most popular of several tours offered at Disneyland for an additional charge. Here you learn more about the windows on Main Street that pay tribute to key Disney personnel and some of the visual tricks employed in building the park.

This tour typically includes a behind-the-scenes visit to "The Enchanted Tiki Room," lunch in the "Walt Disney Gallery," a visit to the lobby of "Club 33" and a highly prized collectible pin.

The weather and attraction closures prevented me from creating EVERY memory I'd hope to get ... but there's always a chance of getting Grandpa back to Anaheim for another day or two at the Disney Resort.

"I had a good time. Period," he said. "I was very impressed by all of it. It was expensive for you, but you can see where your money's going. I don't think I've ever seen a place so clean and well run."

Disney Is Put On Defensive Over Safety

Four days before a preschooler died after passing out on a popular space ride at Walt Disney Co.'s Florida park, the company's top theme park executive and two lobbyists had visited the Capitol Hill offices of Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass.

The three wanted to make the case that the kind of federal safety oversight the congressman was proposing for the industry was unnecessary because theme parks were safe and already regulated by most states.

Now, 4-year-old Daudi Bamuwamye's death has abruptly put Disney and other theme-park companies firmly on the defensive. The cause of the Pennsylvania boy's death June 13, and whether the Walt Disney World ride had anything to do with it, may not be known for weeks. But the death is galvanizing consumer advocates and safety consultants, who view it as example of why the kind of federal regulation Markey proposes is needed.

"There may be something we can learn from this incident," said Ken Martin, an independent ride inspector and consultant based in Virginia. "But we can't because there's no federal investigation."

Federal officials lack authority to investigate incidents such as Daudi's death because of an exemption Congress passed in 1981. It allows the Consumer Product Safety Commission to regulate carnival rides because, moving from state to state, they otherwise could escape oversight. Fixed rides at theme parks, however, are exempt.

Disney parks spokeswoman Leslie Goodman said the Burbank, Calif., company's appointment with Markey was not to specifically lobby against his bill. She described the session as an informal "meet and greet" between Markey and Jay Rasulo, head of Disney parks and resorts.

But, she said, Disney has joined the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions trade group in opposing Markey's legislation.

Goodman said Disney has always complied with existing inspection and accident-reporting rules while actively working with regulators and with other theme park operators to make them better. Markey's bill, she said, is excessive regulation.

"We are always open to a discussion of ways we might improve reporting but are not convinced that another layer of regulation from Washington is the best answer," Goodman said.

Markey, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has been pushing theme-park-safety legislation since four people died on roller coasters during one week in 1999. He contended that state regulations were inadequate and inconsistent.

"We don't see eye-to-eye on this question," said David Moulton, Markey's chief of staff.

The congressman renewed his push last month, announcing legislation that would allow federal officials to investigate accidents, enforce action plans to correct defects and act as a national clearinghouse for accident information.

"As long as the law specifically exempts amusement park rides from the oversight of our nation's consumer safety agency, there will be significant likelihood of other families on other rides becoming future victims," Markey said. "That is wrong."

Markey's past efforts have languished without even reaching the House floor for a vote.

But Daudi's death has given fuel to industry critics. Among them is consumer advocate Kathy Fackler, whose son's foot was crushed on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride at Disneyland in 1998. Fackler pushed for the passage of the 1999 laws that gave California oversight of parks in the state.

"What's needed is a serious conversation about a national solution that effectively covers safety issues on all amusement rides in the United States," Fackler said.

Fackler and other industry critics say federal oversight is necessary because there is no uniform standard when it comes to safety regulation.

The best part about the decals is that they're a great value.

"To receive one (1) package of Edible Disney Tortilla Decals (20 images per package), please write your full name and address on a 3 x 5 card and simply send it along with a check or money order for $1.85 (shipping and handling) made payable to Edible Disney Tortilla Decals," Mission Foods said.

And the female mice aren't being left out of the show. There's a handy recipe for Minnie's Mini Pizza-dillas.

Disney and MissionFoods have a strong relationship, with a Cocina Cucomonga Mexican Grill open at Disneyland.

The whole situation is reminiscent of McDonald's infamous I-AM-ASIAN web site. Many of you will be displeased to learn that the site is still fully functional.

Should anyone discover exactly what the decals are made of, we'd love to know. Mission Foods declined to return our phone calls seeking comment. Also, we assume that "kid size tortillas" means small tortillas as opposed to ones you can wrap around a child.

So go ahead and shell out a few pennies to