Disney's "Chicken Little" Sparks 3-D "Robinsons"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Walt Disney Pictures on Thursday said it will release an upcoming computer animated movie, "Meet the Robinsons," in a three-dimensional version following the success of current 3-D hit "Chicken Little." The 3-D "Chicken Little" is being closely watched in Hollywood as an early test of alternative types of movies made for new digital cinema systems. The industry is in a very early, tentative stage of a transition to digital projection from old celluloid filmstrip. The 3-D computer animated "Chicken Little" raked in an average $26,000 per theater in its opening weekend this month in 79 venues equipped with new digital projectors. Ticket sales in over 3,600 theaters showing a traditional film averaged $10,961, Disney said in a statement. Disney expects to be able to release the 3-D "Robinsons" in 750 to 1000 screens as a digital cinema transition expands. "Robinsons" is based on a book by William Joyce in which a young boy travels into the future and meets an eccentric family, the Robinsons, who will change his life.

Orlando Tourism Impact Increasing

ORLANDO (Orlando Business Journal) – New research on the economic impact of tourism released Nov. 14 by the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau shows that Orlando had 47.7 million visitors in 2004 who spent $28.2 billion, a 13 percent increase over the previous year's $24.9 billion. The research, which covers the 2004 calendar year, was compiled and reported by Waltham, Mass.-based Global Insight Inc. While 95 percent of all 2004 visitors were domestic, they only spent 84 percent of the total – $23.5 billion. The other 5 percent of international visitors, who stay longer and spend more lavishly, spent 16 percent, or $4.7 billion, of the total. Tourism also accounted for nearly 220,000 jobs, a number that accounts for 24.2 percent of the three-county region's total employment. Another 152,000 jobs were indirectly related to tourism. The bureau notes that tourism also lowers taxes. A study by Fishkind & Associates indicates tourism generated $84.2 million in surplus revenue for Orange County and the city of Orlando in 2004. A fiscal surplus represents the degree to which tourism pays for its fair share of government expenses and subsidizes the community, keeping tax rates lower.

Prime-Time Nielsen Ratings: ABC 8 out of 20

(AP) – Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Nov. 7-13. Listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.

1. (1) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 29.5 million viewers.
2. (2) "Desperate Housewives," ABC, 25.9 million viewers.
3. (8) "NFL Monday Night Football: Indianapolis at New England," ABC, 21.9 million viewers.
4. (3) "Without a Trace," CBS, 20.8 million viewers.
5. (6) "Lost," ABC, 20 million viewers.
6. (4) "Grey's Anatomy," ABC, 19.7 million viewers.
7. (12) "CSI: NY," CBS, 19.2 million viewers.
8. (9) "Survivor: Guatemala," CBS, 19 million viewers.
9. (5) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 18.4 million viewers.
10. (7) "NCIS," CBS, 17.8 million viewers.
11. (13) "Cold Case," CBS, 17.4 million viewers.
12. (16) "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," ABC, 16.7 million viewers.
13. (20) "NFL Monday Showcase," ABC, 16.3 million viewers.
14. (14) "Two And a Half Men," CBS, 16.2 million viewers.
15. (11) "Law & Order: SVU," NBC, 15.8 million viewers.
16. (17) "ER," NBC, 15.4 million viewers.
17. (19) "Criminal Minds," CBS, 15.1 million viewers.
18. (10) "Commander in Chief," ABC, 14.8 million viewers.
19. (15) "60 Minutes," CBS, 14.5 million viewers.
20. (21) "House," Fox, 14.2 million viewers.

'Desperate Housewives' Actor Denies Rumors

DETROIT (AP) – Former "Desperate Housewives" actor Page Kennedy says he wasn't fired from the hit show because of any improper behavior. The Detroit native and former Western Michigan University stu-dent said officials merely wanted to recast his role. "There are a lot of stories that have been told, but the truth of the matter is that Touchstone (the show's producer) decided to go in a new direction, and they bought out my contract," Kennedy told the Detroit Free Press for a story published Wednesday. Publicists for the series have said Kennedy, who joined the show this season, was let go earlier this month after a "thorough investigation by the studio" of allegations of improper conduct made against him. Kennedy, 28, said he's concerned about the damage the allegations could do to his image, at least in the short term. "I feel that my life will be looked at under a microscope now," he told The Detroit News. "Anything that I do or am perceived to do will make news." Kennedy played Caleb, a character shrouded in mystery and seen only briefly as he was held captive in the basement of Wisteria Lane newcomer Betty Applewhite (Alfre Woodard). In the Oct. 23 episode, it was revealed that Caleb may be responsible for a teenager's murder in Chicago. The role of Caleb has been recast, and Kennedy's final appearance on the ABC se-ries aired Sunday.

Disney Exit Threatens Survival Of Australian Animation Industry

SYDNEY (Asia Pulse) – The head of Walt Disney Co's local operations says the company's withdrawal from Australia could be the death knell of the nation's animation industry. But DisneyToon Studios Austra-lia (DTSA) general manager Philip Oakes said he had faith in the local industry and he would set up a new animation business in Sydney. US entertainment giant Walt Disney Co announced its decision to close the DTSA in July, cutting about 250 jobs when the studio closed its doors mid next year. The de-mise of the Australian studio followed Disney's closure of other international facilities in recent years. "But we are still hoping to get something out of this and have the animation industry still continue in Sydney," Oakes said. Oakes, who was continuing with the studio until it closed, wouldn't give too much away about his new animation venture. "It is a world market these days so if a project comes along, we can definitely get it and that is really what I am hoping will happen in the future," he said. Outsourced work from the Walt Disney Co would be an option, he said. The DTSA began operations in Australia in 1988, starting with mostly two dimensional (2D) television cartoons, such as Winnie the Pooh, Darkwing Duck, Goof Troop and Aladdin. As technologies advanced and Australian animation staff became more skilled, the studio began working on higher profile projects. The studio's feature films included The Return of Jafar, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and Return to Neverland. This year, the DTSA produced animated movies Tarzan 2, Lilo and Stitch 2 and Bambi 2 and animators were currently working on Brother Bear 2. The studio was due to close after production on Cinderella III. "Frankly we are the best 2D studio in the world without question," Oakes said.

Disney World Executive Promoted

LAKE BUENA VISTA (Orlando Sentinel) – Longtime Walt Disney World President Al Weiss was promoted Monday to a new position overseeing park operations worldwide – part of a sweeping change in the way the Walt Disney Co. operates its Parks and Resorts division. Weiss, who has headed the Orlando-area theme parks since 1994, will continue to oversee Walt Disney World on an interim basis until a successor is appointed, the company said. He will remain in Orlando, home of the company's largest resort. Weiss' promotion to president, Worldwide Operations, comes at a challenging time for Disney's parks as they search for ways to remain fresh amid increasing competition from entertainment options from iPods to other theme parks. Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said Weiss and six other executives on a new executive committee will report directly to him and will help integrate business func-tions from the far-flung parks into the global division. Rasulo said in a statement that the new structure will "streamline the decision-making process" and help the company develop consistent business practices for its 11 parks and resorts, which stretch from Orlando and Anaheim, Calif., to Hong Kong, Paris and Tokyo. Weiss said the new global emphasis from a business and operating standpoint does not mean that the parks around the world will become uniform. "They're going to continue to stay very unique," he said. Weiss said he will work with Rasulo to find a successor at Walt Disney World, a process that could take a year or more. In addition to Weiss, the only other executive whose job title is changing is Leslie Goodman, a company spokeswoman in California. She becomes senior vice president of public affairs, in charge of internal and external communication, community and governmental affairs for all the parks worldwide. Her title previously was senior vice president of strategic communications.

Leftover 'Chicken' Still Tempting

(Hollywood Reporter) – Sony Pictures' "Zathura," Paramount Pictures' "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " and the Weinstein Co.'s debut release "Derailed" will try to knock Walt Disney Studios' "Chicken Little" off its perch this weekend, but it looks as if the CG-animated hit will join the illustrious group of such Pixar animated films as "The Incredibles" and "Monsters, Inc." that each opened in November and held on to the top spot for two con-secutive weeks. After bowing to $40 million last weekend, the first homegrown film from Disney's animators should drop less than 50% its second week in theaters, giving it a $22 million-$23 million weekend gross and the top spot for its sophomore session. The G-rated film also might take a bite out of Sony's highly regarded family film "Zathura," from director Jon Favreau.

‘Not Disney but culture is India’s USP’

HANGZHOU, NOVEMBER 11: India should not depend on Disney and other foreign brands to woo foreign tourists to the country but use its splendid culture as its Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and build adequate infrastructure to boost tourist arrivals, a leading global tourism expert said here.
"I would hope that India would not rely on the Disney co for example, however successful they are in many places. People would want to go to India to see India," Director of 2006 world leisure expo, Dr Gerald s Kenyon said.

"Indian domestic tourists, like the Chinese may like to see Disney. But in my view, attracting international tourists to India will depend upon Indian culture at its best. Indian culture is so rich and so varied.

That is India's USP. "India has a good opportunity to attract more international tourists to the country," Kenyon in the eastern Chinese city which was one of the seven ancient capitals of the country. he noted that the number of visitors to both India and China has been going up very rapidly. "this has major implications, including the economic gains for both countries," he said on the sidelines of the just-concluded 'third globalisation forum on world cultural diversity' organised by the people's daily, the mouthpiece of the ruling communist party of China.

According to latest figures from the department of tourism, foreign tourist arrivals in India till October this year has registered an increase of 14.2 per cent.

Foreign exchange earnings, in Rupees term, also recorded the growth of 20.4 per cent during January-October, 2005. Total earnings during the period was Rs. 20512.68 crore.

Last according to the latest Chinese tourism statistics, the country reported a record foreign exchange earning of $22 billion in the first nine months this year, up 18.2 per cent year-on-year. China received 89.63 million tourists from outside the mainland during January-September, up 12.2 per cent year-on-year.

In 2004, the number of tourists from outside the mainland reached 109 million, including 41.76 million who stayed over night; and foreign exchange earnings from tourism reached 25.7 billion dollars. "in the long-term, our concern is to provide quality experience for the visitors," Kenyon, whose world leisure organisation is going to host the 2006 world leisure expo in Hangzhou, said. "you want people to come back again.

The visitors would come back if they have good experience. So it is very important for the governments to get tourism and leisure policies right. If you get these things right, people will definitely come back," he said.

"It starts with policy, commitment, adequate infrastructure and programming," Kenyon added.

The world leisure expo is first of three mega-events to be hosted by China in this decade. The other two being the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and the Shanghai World Exposition in 2010.

Philbin Gets New 'Life' with ABC

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Regis Philbin is returning to ABC primetime next year, this time as host of the network's revival of "This Is Your Life." "This Is Your Life" was a prototypical reality show that began on radio in the late 1940s and was a staple of television's infancy. The show details the life story of its guests, complete with surprise walk-on appearances by long-lost relatives or other influential people in their lives. The original series, which featured a mix of celebrities and everyday people as its testimonial subjects, was hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards. "The show is a roller-coaster of emo-tions – there's comedy, anticipation, tears of joy – and no one can take an audience on that ride better than Regis," said ABC executive vp alternative programming Andrea Wong. Philbin's long association with ABC most recently included his stint as host of the wildly popular primetime game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" from 1999-2002. He co-hosts the syndicated morning show "Live With Regis & Kelly," which has been carried by most ABC-owned stations since 1989.

REVIEW : “Chicken Little”

(Chicago Tribune) – Feathers fly in Disney's "Chicken Little," a new spin on an old fable with a big promo-tional budget and high expectations. It's Disney's first 3-D animation production without Pixar, and Pixar's possible departure from the Disney family next year means the Mouse House has a lot riding on "Chicken Little." With this one film, Disney hopes to establish itself at the top of the animation pecking order and perhaps prove it doesn't need Pixar after all. That's a lot of pressure on one little clucker. The results are mixed, though there are signs of promise.

When Chicken Little (voiced spot-on by "Scrubs" star Zach Braff) is conked on the noggin by an octagonal "piece of the sky," no one believes him, including his dad (voiced by Garry Marshall). His bell-ringing warning sends the town into a panicked frenzy and he's made a laughingstock. As it turns out, that piece of the sky may be the harbinger of an alien invasion--which, again, no one believes. So, it's up to Chicken Little and his friends Abby Mallard (Joan Cusack), Runt (Steve Zahn) and Fish (gurgled by Dan Molina) to save the Earth. Director Mark Dindal ("The Emperor's New Groove") stretches the form, using all manner of camera acrobatics to expand the notion of what 3-D animation can do. He borrows a few live-action tricks (notably the 360-degree "bullet time" visual style of "The Matrix") and bends perspective to show Chicken Little scrambling through town after missing the school bus. Lightning-quick zooms also accom-pany more detail and close-ups (watch as Chicken Little sings Queen's "We Are the Champions" into a shiny spoon). For all the whiz-bang visuals, however, "Little" could use a little consistency in tone. The comic-relief character – an obese, whiny piglet obsessed with Barbra Streisand – just isn't that funny. (Fish, in a role without dialogue, steals the show with a King Kong pantomime, complete with a paper re-production of the Empire State Building.) Dindal's animated cast has plenty of kiddie appeal, and the movie's pacing is on par with hummingbird-quick editing of Saturday morning cartoons. Older adults might be put off by the whiplash eye-candy, but a few vintage songs (the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" and Carole King's "It's Too Late") are cast out to reel them back in. But in trying to be all things to all popcorn-buyers, "Chicken Little" comes off as a manic scramble to please everyone. The odd bodily function joke gets thrown in to cover all the bases. There are other signs of strain, too, notably the saturation of music cues. When characters don't have anything to say, in comes the music montage. At one point, Dindal gives us two of them back to back, as Chicken Little feels dejected (to the tune of Five For Fighting's "All I Know"), then goes through baseball training (Patti LaBelle's "Stir It Up"). To top it off, the filmmakers stop a full-on alien attack so Chicken Little and his dad can have a heart-to-heart that goes on way, way too long.

Pixar reigns supreme because its formula strikes a balance between visual wizardry and characters who inspire a strong emotional tug. Like Motown at its height, Pixar's process and talent pool have turned it into a hit factory that's unrivaled. With "Chicken Little," it's still unrivaled. Disney proves that, yes, it can compete and merchandise the heck out of its properties. But Pixar-quality, it is not. Though entertaining and occasionally innovative, "Chicken Little" and its future siblings might take a tumble or two out of the nest before they can fly as high.

Desperate Housewives Bets on Edie for November Sweeps

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The ABC network is letting trampy, vampy Edie Britt out to play this month on "Desperate Housewives," betting that the popular supporting character will give the top-rated show an added boost for Nielsen's November "sweeps" survey. The bad girl of Wisteria Lane, played by actress Nicollette Sheridan, was never meant to be central player on the darkly comic prime-time soap, which centers on the intrigues of four women who live on a seemingly quiet suburban cul-de-sac. Sheridan began the show's first season last fall as a mere plot device to keep klutzy Susan, played by Teri Hatcher, from snagging hunky plumber Mike. "I had to cast someone who was sexy and gorgeous that would make Susan feel uncomfort-able," the show's creator, Marc Cherry, told Reuters on Friday. "I never intended for Edie Britt to be one of the regular characters." But Sheridan was so good as serial-divorcee Edie, and the storyline about two forty-something women competing for the neighborhood's only single man was so compelling, that ABC executives insisted she be written into the show as a regular, albeit subordinate to the four starring "Housewives." Her role will be expanded more this month as ABC and rival networks go all out to attract bigger audiences for "sweeps," the special Nielsen survey used by local TV stations to set future advertising rates. A sweeps sub-plot involving Edie's 6-year-old son and her romance with Susan's ex-husband, Karl, will take center stage on the show starting on Sunday.

Disney World Gone Wild

HARTFORD, Conn. (Hartford Advocate) – In hindsight, I realized the shirt was a mistake. I showed up to the Oct. 21 Disney character audition in Glastonbury, wearing the beat-up, faded EuroDisney T-shirt. I thought the shirt, which had a picture of Mickey Mouse that through wear had become distended into a Ralph Steadman-esque parody, would earn me some brownie points from the judges. When I walked into the Greater Hartford Dance Academy, where the auditions were held, I was met with a modest smack of laughter from the group of Disney character hopefuls and their parents. Most of the 30-odd auditoners sitting in the main room were young women who looked to be in their senior year of high school or fresh-man year of college. They wore dancers' clothes and looked for the most part like they competed in re-gional beauty pageants. I was one of four males trying out and was at least 10 years older than the me-dian auditioning age. When I sat down among the Disney character hopefuls, indulgent stage parents and framed paintings of young children in ballet gear, I almost immediately zipped up my jacket, covering the shirt. The Disney people brought the candidates into the main room five people at a time to check them in. I couldn't figure out the cattle call order, so I ended up going in last. Once inside, I signed my name to a document, got measured and had my photo taken. Then I was given a sticker with my assigned number written on it.

The advertisement for the audition, which ran for two successive weeks in the Advocate, didn't include a couple of pertinent details. The ad featured a picture of Snow White smiling with one of the seven dwarfs (Dopey?), and a little girl looking up toward the dwarf, perched to kiss his bulbous nose. Stars, no doubt for wishing upon, were littered through the background. The ad said "Disney animated character look-alikes" must have a "positive attitude," a "good speaking voice" and should "resemble the character." Qualified candidates would be asked to "demonstrate effective non-verbal communication skills." It ad-vised interested parties to wear tennis shoes and comfortable attire and to arrive a half-hour before the audition began. What it neglected to mention was that a) there would be no costumes involved and b) dancing would be required. I was shocked and mortified when the casting director told me that we'd be performing a "fun, simple dance routine." In my defense, I was definitely not the only one surprised by the expectation of dancing. One girl complained loudly that while she was fully prepared to sing, dancing was another matter altogether.

At a little after 10, the toxically perky dance instructor herded the group into the studio dance floor space. She showed us a multi-step dance routine that we were expected to follow. It started simply, with march-ing in place, then moved on to hand claps, spinning, kicking and a dramatic, cartoonish flourish called "present to your neighbor." I was lost after about the fifth move. My commitment to participatory journal-ism had reached its limit. I ripped my sticker off, and sulked back into the waiting room to watch the rest of the audition process on the television monitor. The next stage looked easier, but far stranger, than the first. It was an animation exercise, and basically amounted to a bunch of sloppy miming. The candidates were supposed to mimic an action of their choice, in big, humorous gestures. I couldn't tell what a single one of them was trying to do.

After a break, the prospective employees were called back into the studio two at a time for a second wave of auditions. The curtains on the windows into the room were pulled shut, and the television monitor which had been broadcasting a feed from the room was changed to Dr. Phil . Several candidates prac-ticed the dance routine inside the first room, as well as outside in the packed parking lot. There was a lot of nervous energy, but people seemed upbeat and positive. I left, assuming that there was nothing more to see. That turned out to be a mistake. Apparently the organizers hadn't notice that I had taken myself out of the competition and called my name. I regret not being around for that. It could have been fun. But, apparently, even if I had not been totally inept, I would have blown my chances anyway. They were look-ing for a specific height range; I would have missed the cut by three inches.

Disney Greeters Moved Out of Sight

ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) – Walt Disney World's airport greeters, whose job was to direct tourists to the resort's free shuttle, were removed from their controversial station on Orlando International's main floor this week and assigned to a place where they are out of travelers' sight. The relocation from the third to the first floor of the airport was the latest blow to Disney's Magical Express, the free shuttle that began in May and now daily carries as many as 8,000 tourists from the airport to the resort. Disney had ex-pected to be stationed on the second floor near baggage claim. Airport attorney Douglas Starcher notified Disney Senior Vice President Jerry Montgomery and attorney Jim Stockton that Disney would not be al-lowed to station employees on the second level where other taxi, limo and shuttle drivers often wait for passengers. Only Mears Transportation Group, which contracts with Disney to operate Magical Express, would be allowed there and Mears workers "may not be dressed in Disney uniforms or wear the white Disney hands." Airport officials ordered Disney in September to remove its greeters, who wore oversized white Mickey Mouse gloves, from the third level after other transportation companies complained that the location gave Disney an unfair competitive edge. The other companies were prohibited from the third floor, where passengers disembark. Disney moved its greeters to the second-floor baggage claim area on Tuesday, the date they agreed upon, only to be told they weren't welcome there. "We were surprised and disappointed that the airport asked us to remove Disney's Magical Express greeters from the airport's second level – the location where all other transportation providers and destination management compa-nies meet their guests," said Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty. Taxi and luxury car drivers staged strikes and protests in recent weeks over the free Disney service, which they say dug deep into their businesses, in part, because the airport allowed Disney to advertise the service on the third level. Disney has said only 2% of the customers who rode Magical Express did not already have reservations to do so when they stepped off their airplanes. Prunty said the greeters played a "critical function" in improving the air-port's efficiency and keeping passengers from getting lost.

Walt Disney Sees Options Costing $160M

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Walt Disney Co. said Thursday that it expects its new option expensing plan to reduce earnings for the just-ended fiscal year by $160 million, or 8 cents a share. Disney is expected to report earn-ings for its fourth quarter, which ended Sept. 30, on Nov. 17. Disney previously reported a stock-expense charge of 12 cents for fiscal 2004.

ABC Hit 'Lost' to Spin Off Cross-Promotional Novel

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The ABC television network and sister publishing label Hyperion Books are taking the concept of product placement into a new direction – by turning an imaginary product into a real one. Producers of ABC's mega-hit castaway thriller "Lost" plan to introduce a new storyline centering on the discovery of a fictitious manuscript that will become the basis for a real-life novel that Hyperion will publish this spring. The book will then be promoted as the work of an author, named Gary Troup, who supposedly delivered the manuscript to Hyperion days before perishing in the show's stage-setting event, a plane crash that maroons a group of survivors on a spooky island. Advertisers have increasingly ex-plored novel product-placement schemes in the face of new technologies that allow TV viewers to skip over conventional commercials when watching their favorite shows. But the "Lost" book tie-in may be the first to use imaginary TV events and characters as the basis for a real-life marketing campaign. As part of the plan, Hyperion said it has commissioned a "well-known" mystery writer to anonymously adapt the ficti-tious manuscript into an actual, printed book it hopes will automatically appeal to the show's large and loyal following. "Fans of the show are obsessive. We think a lot of them will be buying the book just to look for clues" to the series, Hyperion President Bob Miller told Variety. The "Lost" novel, titled "Bad Twin," is described as a private eye mystery about a wealthy heir's search for his evil sibling. "Lost," one of the several surprise hits that helped ABC bounce back from a lengthy ratings slump last season, cur-rently ranks as the fourth most-watched show on US television, averaging over 20 million viewers a week.

El Capitan Theatre Adds a New Dimension to Disney's 'Chicken Little'

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (PRNewswire) – Hollywood's legendary El Capitan Theatre will offer moviegoers a glimpse into the future of theatrical exhibition from November 4th through December 4th, with the debut of Walt Disney Pictures' "Chicken Little" in Disney Digital 3D, a brand new state-of-the-art technology provid-ing the first true three-dimensional digital experience in movie theatres. The film is also playing in 3D in 84 other theatres across the country, where Dolby Laboratories (in collaboration with Disney) is installing its Dolby Digital Cinema systems. Visual effects giant Industrial Light & Magic rendered the movie in 3D so it could be played on Dolby Digital Cinema servers at these theatres. The El Capitan's special 3D en-gagement of "Chicken Little" will feature the characters from the movie in a special live appearance be-fore each show. Also, an innovative art exhibit called "Chickinterpretations," in which modern art pioneers from across America have created a series of 200 masterpieces based on Disney's newest hero, Chicken Little, will be showcased throughout the run of the entire engagement.

Hong Kong Gov’t May Sell Controlling Stake in Local Disneyland

HONG KONG (AFX) – The government may sell its controlling stake in the territory's recently opened Disneyland theme park, Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Fred Ma told legislators. Ma said the government's 57-pct stake in the resort could be sold off in keeping with the administration's belief that the private sector is best suited to run major businesses. "In the long run, the government may con-sider in the light of the 'Big Market, Small Government' principle to divest its shareholdings in the com-pany at an appropriate time when it is in the overall economic interests of Hong Kong to do so," Ma told legislators. The territory's leaders were criticized in 1999 when they decided to foot most of the bill for Walt Disney Co's first resort in China. Disney hopes the park, which opened in September, will help it promote its brand in China's growing lucrative market. Similarly, the government here hopes it will attract more mainland tourists to the former British colony.

Hong Kong Disneyland Seeks Loan

HONG KONG (AFX) – Hong Kong Disneyland is seeking a syndicated loan of about 3.2 bln hkd (US$412.8 mil) to refinance a similar-sized loan taken out in 2000 to partially fund construction of the theme park, the Standard reported citing an unnamed source. The new loan will be arranged through Hong Kong International Theme Parks, the joint venture of US-based Disneyland and the Hong Kong government, which owns a majority 57 pct stake, according to the daily. Chase Manhattan Asia stitched together the old loan, bringing in more than 20 other banks to fund construction of the park, including Bank of China, BNP Paribas and HSBC.

Devoted Fan Rides Haunted Mansion for 999th Time

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Orlando Sentinel) – He did it. Early Monday afternoon – on Halloween, Gary Estrada hit his mark, riding Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion ride for the 999th time. "Whenever you reach your goal it's just a relief," Estrada told a Disney employee. Estrada rode 999 times because that's how many "ghosts" are in the attraction. He's the first person – to Disney's knowledge, anyway – to hit that goal in just 10 months. Estrada began his marathon riding in January.

Disney and Pixar Waiting for Chicken to Restart Talks

(Cinematical) - Considering how loudly most studio business is carried out nowadays, it's somewhat surprising that we haven't heard more about the supposedly ongoing renegotiation talks between Pixar and Disney. According to Laura M. Holson of the NY Times, that's because they're not really ongoing at all. Apparently, both sides are waiting to see how Chicken Little (opening this weekend at a theater, presumably, near you) performs before any new deal is made. Chicken will be the first major non-Pixar film from Disney Animation in quite awhile. If it does well, it bodes doubly well for Disney, who will be able to return to the table safe in the knowledge that they don't need Steve Jobs to produce an animated hit. However, if Chicken Little fails to catch on with critics and/or audiences, many feel that Disney would move to out-and-out acquire Pixar, even if it costs them $5 billion or more. There's also the fact that Steve Jobs just seems to get along a lot better with new Disney head Bob Iger than he did with ousted CEO Michael Eisner. But those in the know warn that Jobs' apparent friendliness with Iger means approximately nothing. "Mr. Jobs," Holson writes, "would evaluate any Pixar partnership based on where he could get the best deal for the studio."