Star Wars Weekends

I used to be really good about updating this blog, but alas, it is what it is. This picture from Star Wars weekends at Disney/MGM Studios is pretty cool though. Enjoy...

Moody's Upgrades Disney Ratings

This sounds cool. I wonder what it all means...

NEW YORK (AP) – Moody's Investors Service said Wednesday it upgraded Walt Disney Co.'s ratings on the media and entertainment company's improved credit metrics and balance sheet.

• The ratings service raised Disney's senior unsecured ratings to "A2" from "A3," its commercial paper ratings to "Prime-1" from "Prime-2," and its preferred stock shelf ratings to "A3" from "Baa1."
• Moody's also assigned the Burbank, Calif.-based company's $4.5 billion bank facilities "A2" senior unsecured ratings.
• Obligations rated "A2" and "A3" are considered upper-medium grade and subject to low credit risk.
• The outlook is currently stable, meaning the ratings are unlikely to change. Moody's initiated its review of Disney's ratings on Jan. 18. The ratings service said about $13.8 billion of debt securities are affected by the upgrade.

Moody's attributed the upgrade to its view that Disney can sustain its strengthened results and credit metrics, as well as management's commitment to maintain the company's strong balance sheet and metrics over the longer term. Moody's analyst Neil Begley cited successful Disney franchises, such as the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie trilogy, as contributing to the company's recent improvement.

Disney Ship Lands in Barcelona

BARCELONA (PRNewswire) – Thousands of colorful fireworks filled the nighttime sky over Barcelona last night as, the Disney Magic cruise ship approached the Spanish port city nestled along the Mediterranean coast, signaling Disney Cruise Line's first-ever foray into the European cruise market. In grand Spanish style, the 2,700-passenger ship was greeted by a fireworks spectacular totaling nearly 2,200-shells upon arrival to the Port of Barcelona. The Port of Barcelona will serve as homeport for the Disney Magic this summer as it embarks on brand new 10- and 11-night itineraries in the Mediterranean. These cruises provide families with a unique and hassle-free way to explore world-famous cities such as Rome, Florence, Naples, Cannes and Barcelona. The celebratory fireworks show in Barcelona was choreographed to music that played upon Disney's rich musical history and celebrated the European destinations the Disney Magic will visit this summer. Thousands of local residents gathered along the Barcelona shoreline to catch a glimpse of the Disney Magic and join the festivities. A chorus of cheers filled the ship's decks when the show paid tribute to the newly released film, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End." The film made its debut on the Disney Magic later that evening. Disney Cruise Line guests sailing in the Mediterranean will find several new surprises including a brand new stage spectacular at the Walt Disney Theatre, a Mediterranean-themed deck party, European-themed activities for children and family-friendly shore excursions at ports of call. To prepare for the journey, for the first time ever, iPod users can find Mediterranean themed content – port information, travel tips and language guides – plus movies and TV shows in a special travel entertainment store created exclusively by iTunes for Disney Cruise Line. In addition:

• Mickey Mouse's dreams come to life in When Mickey Dreams, a musical spectacle guided by a cast of Cirque-like "dream seekers" at the Walt Disney Theatre. The show's unique, artistic nature will thrill guests, while a nightmare visit by the notorious villain Maleficent serves up a few chills.


• One night during the cruise, guests will celebrate the summer in the Mediterranean at a carnival-inspired deck party called Party Paradiso. With the help of special effects designed to light up the night, Disney characters and performers ignite the spirit of fun and adventure as guests prepare to explore new horizons.


• Youth counselors, who are expertly skilled at keeping children of any age engaged and entertained, will weave the cultures of the ship's destinations into many of the children's activities. Up to 70 new activities for kids 3-17 have been planned for the Mediterranean, including Crêpe-making, puppet-crafting, pizza-baking and mosaic tile-making.

Continuing to offer a diverse array of itineraries, for the summer of 2008, Disney Cruise Line will reposition the Disney Magic to the West Coast for seven-night cruise vacations to the Mexican Riviera. Beginning May 25, 2008, the Disney Magic will sail 12-consecutive cruises from the Port of Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.

"Ugly Betty" Star America Ferrera's Smile Worth $10 Million

NEW YORK (PR Newswire) – Who knew a smile could be worth so much? During a unique unveiling in New York City, Aquafresh White Trays insured America Ferrera's smile for $10 million dollars through an exclusive Lloyd's of London policy. America joins an illustrious list of celebrities who have had body parts insured by Lloyds of London, like Keith Richards' fingers and Bette Davis' waistline. The event is part of a program to help raise money for Smiles for Success, a charity that helps women going from welfare to the workforce who cannot afford the cost of dental care. New Aquafresh White Trays is helping support the charity by donating $1 to Smiles for Success for every box of product purchased between now and August 31. In addition, consumers have a chance to win a behind-the-scenes tour of the "Ugly Betty" set with America by entering the "Beauty that Fits" sweepstakes. Aquafresh White Trays will also make a $1 donation for every entry, for a combined donation of up to $100,000. This is the largest single donation the charity has ever received.

Altar Boyz Cast Will Visit "Sprites"

NEW YORK (Playbill) – The cast of the hit Off-Broadway musical Altar Boyz will make a cameo appearance on the May 19 broadcast of "Johnny and the Sprites," which stars Avenue Q Tony nominee and current Beauty and the Beast actor John Tartaglia. The episode is titled "Basil's Band" and will air at 11 AM ET on the Disney Channel. The upcoming program is described in this manner: "Basil discovers something about making promises – and keeping them – when he joins a band and forgets about all of his friends." The original song "That's What Friends Do" – penned by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker – will be heard during the episode. Adler and Walker also wrote the score for Altar Boyz. "Johnny and the Sprites" – which teaches children "about magic in the world around them" – airs Saturdays on the Disney Channel. Tony winner Sutton Foster was a previous guest on the show, which features Avenue Q's Natalie Venetia Belcon in a recurring role as Johnny's next-door neighbor. John Tartaglia made his Broadway debut in Avenue Q. He currently plays Lumiere in Broadway's Beauty and the Beast.

Seeking Exposure, D-Rays are Going to Disney World

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) – Matt Silverman speaks confidently when he talks about the future of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The 30-year-old Harvard-educated team president is entrusted to help principal owner Stuart Sternberg make good on a pledge to transform a struggling organization into a hit on and off the field. He believes in his boss's vision. New team colors and a name change are on the horizon, and the club embarks this week on a plan to try to reposition itself into a regional franchise by playing three games against the Texas Rangers at Disney World, starting Tuesday. In addition to increasing the team's exposure in the Orlando area, the Devil Rays are hoping to bolster television ratings across Central Florida and eventually lure fans about 90 miles southwest to their regular home in St. Petersburg. The 9,500-seat stadium at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex is about 20 miles southwest of downtown Orlando and will be the smallest ballpark to host a major league game since the Athletics opened the 1996 season with six "home" dates at 9,000-seat Cashman Field in Las Vegas while improvements were made at Oakland Coliseum. With temporary stands and outfield berm seating, capacity can be expanded to 13,000 at Disney, which has been the spring training base for the Atlanta Braves since 1997. Although advance ticket sales have been slow, officials remain optimistic that cooperative weather will spur a strong walk-up gate. NASCAR legend Richard Petty will throw out the ceremonial first pitch for one of the games. Fans attending the games will receive a voucher for admission for select dates in St. Petersburg, where Sternberg has extended free parking for a second season and introduced other fan-friendly features such as a 10,000-gallon tank containing 30 cownose rays that can be touched and fed. Additional image-shaping changes are on the way, beginning with a slight modification of team's nickname for 2008. Although Silverman insisted it's "not a done deal," the club faces a May 31 deadline to notify major league baseball of plans to change logos, uniforms, colors and likely drop the word "Devil" from a moniker many have opposed since the franchise's inception nine seasons ago.

Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille Kicks Off “Big Cheese Tour”

LOS ANGELES (Business Wire) – Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios will celebrate this summer’s most original animated-comedy, Ratatouille, by bringing a mouthwatering experience to cities across the country with “The Big Cheese Tour.” The tour kicked off on Friday, May 11, 2007, at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL. It will continue to cross the country stopping at many events and major food festivals throughout the summer.

• Inspired by Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille – a hilarious comedy about a rat named Remy who dreams of becoming a great French chef – the interactive experience will be highlighted by a thrilling “Big Cheese Slide,” which will give kids an exciting ride down a 25’ wedge of cheese.
• Audiences will also be treated to a special sneak peek at Ratatouille inside the 30’ state-of-the-art “Eiffel Tower Digital Theater.”
• A Center Stage area features daily cooking demonstrations with a real chef featuring Tasty Treats and Healthy Snacks for busy families as well as daily shows featuring Ratatouille Video Game demonstrations, radio promotions and an inside look at how the animation for Ratatouille was created.
• Tour goers will also be able to see multiple making-of pieces at various kiosks.

The tour is being supported by an impressive lineup of promotional partners. Tour goers can interact with Intel Corporation’s roaming ambassador chefs, equipped with Intel Centrino Duo processor technology-based laptops using Intel Core 2 Duo processors, where they can take photos with the Ratatouille characters superimposed into the picture, play an interactive game or register for a chance to win an array of prizes. The tour chefs will feature recipes from the General Mills’ portfolio of brands and attendees will be able to sample Chocolate Chex cereal as available. Samsung is providing all of the appliances on stage and plasma screens throughout the tour. THQ will provide video game demonstration kiosks where consumers get a chance to sample the latest game. Ratatouille opens in theaters nationwide on June 29, 2007.

Disneyland Paris 15th anniversary celebration

Disneyland Paris turns 15 this year and Disney is putting on quite a celebration. I mean, how can you beat Andie MacDowell as your Master of Ceremonies? Is there anyone more deserving than one of the co-stars of Hudson Hawk? I remember her first film role well, so eloquently portraying the role of Jane in Tarzan: The Legend of Greystoke, mainly because her voice was entirely dubbed over by Glenn Close. Now that's acting!

Keeping with ridiculous marketing choices, I give you the best caption of a photo...ever.

Wireless Robots Try Not to Act Remote

This is amazing. It's nice to see Disney pushing the envelope again with unique and original technology.

ANAHEIM (LA Times) – Watch out, Mickey Mouse. The Muppets may be sneaking up on you. Walt Disney Imagineering this week debuted its latest, cutting-edge creation: free-roaming, interacting audio-animatronic Muppets capable of "seeing" and "talking" to tourists – and without a human puppeteer in sight. Disney's most advanced robotic creation to date makes the costumed, mute Winnie the Poohs and Donald Ducks seem like felt-covered relics, though Disney executives are quick to reassure that the beloved, autograph-signing cast isn't going anywhere. "This is an incredibly compelling and powerful way to experience the characters," said Bruce Vaughn, vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering's research and development division. "They are fully aware of the people in their presence and can call you by name. It is a 100% live experience." The technology is vastly more sophisticated than Disney's first venture into audio-animatronics with the Enchanted Tiki Room birds in 1963 and Mr. Lincoln in 1964. In their first appearances at Disney's California Adventure this week, bumbling scientist Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his meep-meeping sidekick Beaker joked and chatted with guests. The Muppets could see the color of the clothes the kids wore and the lollipops they licked – casting a slight Big Brother vibe over the proceedings. They maneuvered in a silver, egg-shaped roving laboratory outfitted with flashing lights, spinning signs, confetti cannons and smoke and water sprayers. Never wanting to divulge their secrets, Imagineers waved it off as "Disney magic" and "pixie dust." In reality, a live puppeteer who can see and hear everything reacts from afar. The Muppet Mobile Laboratory will be roaming the streets of California Adventure through Sunday, before it heads back to the shop for more tweaking. The goal is for one person to operate the characters from as far away as Glendale, the headquarters of Walt Disney Imagineering. Through its Living Character Initiative, Disney is trying to improve interaction between characters and YouTube-watching, Nintendo Wii-playing guests.

• In 2005, the company introduced "Turtle Talk With Crush," a real-time animated show that allows the "Finding Nemo" character to chat with fans.
• In 2003, Disney scientists and engineers built Lucky, a 20-foot-long dinosaur that could smile, grunt and burp. It was the first time an audio-animatronics creation was unleashed into the park, instead of tethered to an attraction. Lucky has since gone into hibernation.
• Dr. Honeydew and Beaker, which were purchased along with the rest of the Muppets in 2004 from Jim Henson Co., can be removed from their roving lab and put into theater chairs, on rides, or in any other setting. No nearby operator is necessary. The portable, wireless technology also allows Disney to bring to life nontraditional characters.

Disney is considering using the technology to bring other characters, including those from Pixar movies, to its parks. "With prior audio-animatronics, you see the figure standing, but there's a huge infrastructure backstage and all sorts of machines," Vaughn said. "I think what you'll ultimately see is a lot of characters that we haven't been able to deliver before."

Fight At Disney Leaves Man Doused In Gasoline

Not all the Disney news is awesome.

(CBS4) ORLANDO A fight between two workers at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom overnight ended with one man doused in gasoline and the other in jail, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s office.Sheriff's officials say the two men, who are employees of a Disney contractor, got into a fight while cleaning a pond at the hippo exhibit at about 3:00 a.m.The sheriff’s office says Stephen Kim threw gas on the other man and struck a lighter at a distance, threatening to light him on fire.The other man, who was not identified, backed away. That's when Kim allegedly dropped the lighter and picked up a shovel.The other man was unhurt. He ran away and called authorities.Kim, of Melbourne, was jailed on an aggravated assault charge.

Orphaned Siblings Sue Disney/ABC

According to this, the Leomiti family seems a bunch of jerks. Of course, their side of the story is not represented in this article at all. #1 question: Why would they evict the 5 orphans?

LOS ANGELES (Long Beach Press Telegram) – Five orphaned siblings whose "adoption" by a Santa Fe Springs family was featured on television are suing Disney/ABC International Television Inc. Charles, Michael, Charis, Joshua and Jeremiah Higgins are claiming they were cheated out of a home, gifts, cars and other items given to them by the producers of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and private donors. At a hearing on the lawsuit Tuesday in Los Angeles County Court, attorneys for both sides argued over the diary entries of one of the children and whether the entries should be allowed as evidence in the suit. The five Higgins siblings lost both of their parents suddenly within 3 months of each other in 2004, leaving them orphaned and homeless. They were taken in by the Leomiti family of Santa Fe Springs, who attended the same church, the Norwalk Assembly of God Church. When "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" learned about their story, the show's producers built a home for the children and the Leomiti family. The siblings also were given gifts, cars, and a Disneyland vacation in February 2005, according to their lawsuit. But the rags-to-riches fairytale didn't last long. According to their suit, the Leomiti family evicted the siblings from the newly built home in April, after they had received thousands of dollars in donated items meant for the children, along with gifts from the show's producers. The siblings were left with nothing, according to their suit, and as a result were forced to separate, their attorneys said. The Leomiti family retained the house, cars, and at least $50,000 in cash donations given to the Higgins children independently of the show, according to court documents. Judge Paul Gutman ordered both sides to "meet and confer" about the issue and return to court on Feb. 27. A trial date in the suit has been set for May 14. The siblings, who were between the ages 14 and 21 at the time the show was taped, filed suit against Disney/ABC International Television Inc. and other companies who produced, distributed and marketed the show. Their court complaint states that the siblings were given a fraudulent contract and promised things they never received. The show's contract was made between the producers and the Leomiti family, even though the Higgins' traumatic story is what prompted producers to build the house, said Mesisca. "Within a few days after their father died – their mom had died just a couple months earlier – ABC contacted the Higgins," said Mesisca. "The memos in-house reflect that the decision was made to provide assistance to the kids, even before their father's funeral service." But the show's producers argue that, since their contract was solely with the Leomitis family, not the siblings, there was no fraud or obligation to the Higgins siblings.

Cinderella and Me: A Night in the Castle

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) – I am in hundreds of strangers' vacation pictures – the bewildered guy in the sputtering truck at the front of the Walt Disney World parade. I'm sitting next to Daisy Duck and wearing mouse ears embroidered with my name, waving like an idiot and smiling like I just won a toaster. That's the first place they put you when you've won an overnight stay in the three-room suite inside the Cinderella Castle. It's the crown jewel in Walt Disney Co.'s "Year of a Million Dreams" sweepstakes, the squeal-inducing fantasy of millions of little girls – and my home for the next 17 hours. Each day, Disney randomly chooses one family to spend the night in its new Cinderella Suite, but I got to stay there thanks to an exclusive invitation from Disney to The Associated Press. (Families stay there for free, and the suite cannot be rented, but The AP paid $587 for my stay, which was the estimated value for the overnight.) Staying in the suite also means I'm also grand marshal of the parade, the honorary guest in an event called the "Dreams Come True Dinner," created by Cinderella's Fairy Godmother, and the front-of-the-line guy at anything I want to ride. I am a tattooed 27-year-old guy with Buddy Holly glasses and no children. But I'm just not that into princesses. So to enhance my appreciation, I've adopted a family with two little girls (ages 5 and 2) to stay with me. I am tired of smiling and waving when the parade ends, and I wonder how the full-grown adults dressed up like Goofy and Minnie do it every single day.

• The Magic Kingdom is designed so you can see the castle from just about anywhere, and the walk to our suite seems longer than it should. We are led up a far pathway, past a side door and into a small room with stone walls. Our guide, dressed as a 17th century castle guy, swipes a card to call our elevator and takes us four stories up. The suite is brand new. The elevator is not, and moves eerily a few inches up and down when it's boarded or stopping.
• Each of us is given a swipe key with our name and "Cinderella Suite" written on it, and before long there are bite marks all over 2-year-old Emily's. Her sister Hannah has the honor of opening our door the first time.
• There are golden flecks in the floor and ornate squares on the ceiling, making the whole room feel gilded. The desk in the corner is a 17th century Dutch antique with velvet-lined shelves that Disney has retrofitted with a high-speed Internet hookup. There are two queen beds with headboards and a canopy and a fireplace that can't burn anything, but holds a fiberoptic display of flame and pixie dust.
• The television in the sitting room is a mirror that converts at the touch of a button, while the "royal bedchamber" TV changes from a framed electronic portrait of Cinderella. There is a television with at least five channels in foreign languages, an array of DVDs (all Disney, of course) and free calls to anywhere on an antique-looking phone. I get wild ideas about that last part until I remember I don't know anyone in Paris or Tokyo anyway.
• Perhaps most impressive is the bathroom, which features a 4-foot square Jacuzzi jet tub with a waterfall faucet, a separate shower that could comfortably fit three, and a square toilet. Over the tub are three sparkling mosaics made of hand-cut Italian glass.
• All of these things I like – especially the mirror that turns into a TV. But I am disappointed in the mini-bar. It has juice boxes but no Jack Daniels.
• Much of the royal family's day is preset, so there isn't a lot of time for rides. Emily isn't tall enough for the roller coasters, which basically leaves the other category – the ones where you sit in a car, ride along a track and watch animatronic pirates or fish or jungle animals. But because we're staying inside the park and Disney provides us a front-of-the-line escort, we've got to ride something. We end up on Peter Pan's Flight and then the ride whose name Disney refuses to capitalize, it's a small world.
• We have dinner reservations at Cinderella's Royal Table, a place where the Fairy Godmother and other Disney characters weave between diners performing songs. It is expensive, but we aren't paying because it's included in our stay. Before dinner we finally meet Cinderella. In blond wig, powdered cheeks and lilting voice, she is convincing, and poses for pictures with us. She embraces my arm; I do not tell her I will later be naked in her bathtub.
• The restaurant serves everything from hot dogs to prime rib, but they also do not have booze. I guess that explains our minibar.
• Our Disney escort is waiting when we're done with dinner, which is starting to become a pattern. It almost feels like we're being watched. The pretty girl dressed like a stewardess who guides us around reports into a hand radio whenever "The Royal Family" is on the move. Who is she talking to? I have no idea but it's kind of creepy.
• Disney has left princess wands, crowns and Minnie Mouse dolls for the girls back at the suite. They have also turned back the covers on our beds, put out a tray of cookies and traded our barely used bathroom soap for an unopened bar. All of those are hotel luxuries I have never before experienced. We watch the fireworks show that closes the park through the suite's stained-glass windows, and everyone tries out the Jacuzzi. Separately. I haven't taken a bath since my mother was holding the wash rag, but I can't resist this thing. I turn on the jets for 20 minutes, thinking there's no way I'll be there longer than 10. They have all kinds of fancy soaps lining the side, and I use some shampoo that smells like weird plants and expensive salons. I finally pry myself out after 16 minutes, feeling like I'm hogging the bathroom.
• At about 9:30 p.m. I press 0 for the concierge and ask for an after-hours look outside the castle. You can't really leave the suite without asking, but it somehow doesn't feel like you're trapped. Someone is posted round-the-clock just to handle our requests. I do literally have the park to myself, but there's not much to do in it because the rides are closed. Everything remains lit up as if it were packed, and piped-in Disney music fills the air. Most striking is the number of trash cans I see – dozens within a few feet of one another – that I never recognized before. They blend in seamlessly when the whole place is cluttered with people.
• Back at the suite, Hannah has fallen asleep clutching her Minnie doll but little Emily somehow outlasts her usual bedtime. She's wearing her tiara upside-down, spinning and banging her wand on the ground in between pleas for more cookies. She finally crashes at 10:30 in her parents' bed, and the grown-ups follow shortly thereafter. The bed and comforter are soft and thick, and I don't stay up long.
• I'm awakened by a 7:35 a.m. call I didn't ask for, to prepare for 9 a.m. breakfast reservations Disney made for us. I spend the next hour trying futilely to go back to sleep as dad plays with the girls in the sitting room. They don't want to leave the suite, and frankly neither do I.

It's foggy outside when we emerge from the castle, and the park is already full of families just starting their day. I feel strangely like I don't belong – like I've stayed out all night and am watching people go to work the next morning. I already dread the lines I'll be waiting in. The mouse ears I can do without.

Cage to star in live-action 'Sorcerer's Apprentice'

LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- Nicolas Cage will star in a live-action feature film version of the classic tale of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" for Walt Disney Pictures.
Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal are writing the screenplay, which takes its inspiration from Johann Wolfgang Goethe's 18th century poem, which in turn was the inspiration for the classic Mickey Mouse animated sequence from Disney's 1940 "Fantasia."
"Sorcerer" is being envisioned as a fantasy adventure set in contemporary New York, where a powerful sorcerer is in need of an apprentice. Cage would play the sorcerer.
While not based on a ride like the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, the in-development project continues Disney's trend of reimagining classic Disney titles as live-action, event pictures.
No director is yet attached to the project.
Konner and Rosenthal have worked on such films as last year's "Flicka" and "Eragon." Their credits also include "I, Robot" and "Mona Lisa Smile."
Cage next stars in Columbia's "Ghost Rider." In the spring, Paramount will release the thriller "Next," in which he plays a magician who can see into the future.

Walt Disney Pictures' 'Tinker Bell' Coming in Fall 2008

(ElitesTV.com) – Walt Disney Pictures' all new CG-animated feature "Tinker Bell" will arrive worldwide in Fall 2008 from Disney's Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment it was announced today by Bob Chapek, president of BVWHE. "Tinker Bell," produced by DisneyToon Studios, will be the first time audiences hear Tinker Bell speak, as the movie brings to life the amazing world of Disney Fairies, The Walt Disney Company's newest franchise, in all-new CG-animation with Brittany Murphy as the voice of the spunky and sassy fairy. In the tradition of its many animated classics, Disney will bring to life an enchanting tale of Pixie Hollow and Tink's new fairy friends voiced by some of Hollywood's most talented actors. Disney Fairies builds upon the enormous popularity of Tinker Bell and introduces children to her secret, magical world and a new circle of enchanting fairy friends – each with an incredibly diverse talent, personality and look. Disney Consumer Products introduced Disney Fairies in 2005 with the release of New York Times best-seller, "Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg," from Disney Publishing Worldwide, followed by an apparel line, toys, a global magazine launch and a series of award-wining chapter books in 2006. Disney Fairies represents an expanded definition of synergy at The Walt Disney Company. As part of its ongoing commitment to drive the franchise companywide, Tinker Bell will be supported with a strong marketing campaign and a broad licensed merchandise program at major retailers around the world through an expanded Disney Fairies line from Disney Consumer Products. The new line will launch into new categories such as role play, youth electronics, stationery, home decor, and personal care. The iconic Tinker Bell character, together with the Tinker Bell film and Disney Fairies product line, will provide a multitude of new experiences for families to enjoy and treasure for many years to come.

Kuwait's KFH Denies Plan for US$8 BLN Disneyland in Bahrain

MANAMA, Bahrain (Asia Pulse) – Bahrain-based Kuwait Finance House (KFH) Friday denied a report it was investing in an US$8 billion Disneyland theme park in the country. The report, in the Al Waqt news-paper, said that Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal was in talks with KFH and other investors to build Disney Bahrain. "The report is totally baseless and all false," said KFH Bahrain general manager Abdul Hakim Al Khayat. "We have nothing to do with such a project and no-one has approached us." KFH has strong belief in Bahrain and its potential as an investment and tourism destination, Al Khayat told the Gulf Daily News. "We shall continue investing in Bahrain, but this report is somebody's guess." Bahrain's Economic Development Board said it had no knowledge of the project. KFH is already investing in key projects in Bahrain, such as the Durrat Al Bahrain and the Science and Technology Park. The report had said that Disney Bahrain had undertaken a study and found the region in great need of a project for family entertainment. The park would cover 16 million square metres with work expected to start in May and take six years to complete. Prince Alwaleed indirectly owns 10 per cent of Disneyland Paris operator Euro Disney and his Rotana Audio Visual Company signed a deal in November to distribute Walt Disney prod-ucts across the Middle East and North Africa.

You never can tell about these leaks. Maybe they just wanted to gauge public reaction to the idea of a Disneyland in the Middle East.

Muppets show at Disney MGM Studios (1990)

The original "Here Come the Muppets Show". It was located where "The Voyage of the Little Mermaid" is now.

Disney MGM 1994 Cast Member Video part 1

There are 3 of these from 1994 out on Youtube right now. Hopefully they'll be out there for a while. I worked at GMR during that time and although I am not in any of the videos, my girlfriend at the time is in all 3.

Colts Super Bowl Parade at Walt Disney World

02/02/2007 - The 2007 Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts had a parade at the Magic Kingdom on Wednesday and I was there to get it on video, front and center (well, ok, kind of from the side by Casey's Corner). My 19 month old daughter and I wore matching Peyton Manning jerseys. Check out Dominic Rhodes point right at us and give us a 'solid'.

GO COLTS!

Nielsens: A Super Week in the Ratings

(AP) – Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Jan. 29-Feb. 4. 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. (X) "Super Bowl XLI: Indianapolis vs. Chicago," CBS, 93.18 million viewers.
2. (X) Super Bowl Post-Gun Show" (9:59 to 10:04 p.m. ET), CBS, CBS, 81.54 million viewers.
3. (X) Super Bowl Post-Game Show" (10:04 to 10:26 p.m.), CBS, 57.34 million viewers.
4. (1) "American Idol" (Tuesday), Fox, 33.65 million viewers.
5. (2) "American Idol" (Wednesday), Fox, 31.85 million viewers.
6. (12) "House," Fox, 27.34 million viewers.
7. (X) "Criminal Minds" (Sunday), CBS, 26.31 million viewers.
8. (6) "Grey's Anatomy," ABC, 24.18 million viewers.
9. (5) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 21.49 million viewers.
10. (11) "Deal or No Deal" (Monday), NBC, 16.92 million viewers.
11. (23) "Shark," CBS, 14.08 million viewers.
12. (21) "24," Fox, 14.04 million viewers.
13. (26) "Ugly Betty," ABC, 14 million viewers.
14. (25) "Heroes," NBC, 13.63 million viewers.
15. (8) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 13.54 million viewers.
16. (16) "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 12.7 million viewers.
17. (68) "Bones," Fox, 12.4 million viewers.
18. (20) "NCIS," CBS, 12.25 million viewers.
19. (X) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," (Thursday, 8 p.m.), CBS, 11.93 million viewers.
20. (29) "ER," NBC, 11.79 million viewers.

Revamped Disney Site Launched

BURBANK (LA Times) – Walt Disney Co. launched its overhauled Disney.com website early Tuesday, a week after the Jan. 29 target date. The first day's visitors posted generally positive reviews on fan websites, discussion groups and blogs, though people overseas complained they couldn't reach the new destination. In a preview offered by Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger early last month, the souped-up site emphasizes promotional video clips and games aimed at teenagers and children. With one click, visitors who pick from such categories as "girls" or "preschool," see a variety of material aimed at them. Viewers can also sort by character before delving into more interactive environments built around Winnie the Pooh, Disney princesses and other favorites. Some of the pages and features were slow to start, even with high-speed Internet access. The most advanced and customizable part of the site, Disney XD, still had parts that weren't working, and Disney said it remained in a testing mode. A Disney spokesman declined to comment on the number of Web visitors or the sort of feedback received by the firm. Iger last month said the site was one of Disney's most important initiatives of the year.

Disney 1Q Earnings Rise on DVD Sales

LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Walt Disney Co. delivered a stellar first quarter boosted by DVD sales and one-time gains from asset dispositions, easily beating analyst expectations. The media conglomerate has delivered double-digit annual earnings growth for the past few years, sending its stock price soaring more than 70 percent since 2004. The results have analysts questioning whether Disney can continue that sizzling growth in 2007, especially when compared with the 34 percent growth in 2006 earnings. The Burbank-based company Wednesday reported fiscal first-quarter earnings of $1.7 billion, or 79 cents per share, for the three months ended Dec. 30, compared with $734 million, or 37 cents per share, in the same period last year. Those results included 29 cents per share from the sale of its shares in US Weekly magazine and the E! Entertainment channel. Even without the one-time gains, Disney beat analyst forecasts by 11 cents per share on strong performance from sales of DVDs, including "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." Results were also helped by a strong ratings performance at its ABC network and cable channels, including ESPN. Revenue grew 10 percent to $9.73 billion from $8.85 billion in the same period last year. Excluding one-time items, earnings grew 43 percent to 50 cents per share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had expected earnings of 39 cents per share on revenue of $9.51 billion. Before the results were announced, shares of Disney rose 29 cents to close Wednesday at $35.48 on the New York Stock exchange. Shares rose an additional 72 cents in extended trading.

• The biggest gains for the quarter came from Disney's studio entertainment division, where revenue rose 29 percent to $2.6 billion and operating income more than quadrupled to $604 million from $128 million in the prior year's first quarter.The gain came from the sale of DVDs, including the Disney/Pixar film "Cars" and the re-release of "The Little Mermaid." The latter title also boosted the studio's profit margins in the quarter. The strong home video results more than offset a losing quarter for the studio's theatrical slate, which includes disappointments such as "Deja Vu" and "Santa Clause 3."
• Operating income at Disney's network division grew 24 percent to $750 million from $606 million in the same period last year. Revenue grew 6 percent to $3.91 billion. The network gains were driven mainly by increases in subscription fees at the company's international Disney channels and DVD sales domestically of the Disney Channel hit movie "High School Musical."
• Growth in attendance and spending helped boost revenue and profits at Disney's theme parks, although the company continues to have difficulty with its most recent park in Hong Kong. Top theme park executives just returned from a trip to Hong Kong Disneyland and have identified areas that need improvement, Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, told analysts Wednesday. Revenue for the quarter increased 4 percent to $2.5 billion and operating income increased 8 percent to $405 million, driven mainly by gains at Walt Disney World.
• Revenue at Disney's consumer products division fell 6 percent in the quarter to $692 million and operating income dropped 13 percent to $235 million.

Disney Parks Eyes Stand-Alone Hotels

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Walt Disney Co. is considering "blue sky concepts" of creating smaller theme parks and stand-alone hotels, retail, dining and entertainment centers, Jay Rasulo, chairman of Disney's Parks and Resorts told analysts at a conference on Wednesday. Building stand-alone hotels in urban areas where families already travel would give Disney the chance to reach out to parents who feel their children are still too young to appreciate a trip to a Disney theme park, Rasulo said. Along those lines, Disney could locate versions of its Downtown Disney, a high-end retail, dining and entertainment district, in urban areas far from its parks. The company also was exploring alternatives to full-size theme parks, including "a smaller, deeply immersive park" that would offer consumers a more interactive experience at higher prices. These ideas are "blue sky concepts" that will not be executed unless the new businesses could achieve a high return on invested capital, Rasulo said. Disney also was looking into expanding its water park offerings beyond Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach and possibly adding ships to its two-vessel cruise lines.

At Disney, a Comeback for Hand-Drawn Animation

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Hand-drawn animation, out of fashion in the computer age, experienced a rescue worthy of a fairy tale on Thursday, when Walt Disney animators announced they would bring the art form back to the big screen. “We will be bringing back hand-drawn films,” said Edwin Catmull, the president of Pixar and Disney Feature Animation. Animators refer to hand-drawn animation as “two dimensional,” as opposed to computer-generated animation, referred to as 3D. Speculation has swirled over whether Mr. Catmull and John Lasseter, the chief creative officer, who took control of the ailing Disney animation facility, would reestablish the art form that made Disney the world’s pre-eminenent animator. When Disney bought Pixar to try to revive its flagging animation program, Mr. Catmull and Mr. Lasseter took charge of both studios, which are run separately. Mr. Catmull and Mr. Lasseter gave the first descriptions on Thursday on how they reshaped story lines of Disney films already in production, canceled others and restructured how the Disney artists work. “Pixar is still Pixar – nobody left,” Mr. Catmull said. “At Disney, you have these remarkable artists there. ...they were not kneaded together in the right way. At the heart of it there has to be a director and the director has to have a vision.” Mr. Catmull said there were no plans to merge the studios or to limit them to a certain type of animation. “We always believed that quality is the best business plan,” he said. He and Lasseter showed clips from upcoming films, including "Ratatouille," "Meet the Robinsons," "Wall-E," "American Dog" and "Toy Story 3."

Disney Theatrical Productions Announces Plans for 2007

Disney has really embraced the Great White Way. Looking over this list, that's a lot of success and no failures.

NEW YORK (PRNewswire) – Following an historic 2006 marked by tremendous growth and unparalleled success on Broadway, in touring markets, and internationally, Disney Theatrical Productions is preparing for a 2007 which promises the addition of The Little Mermaid to the canon of Disney Theatrical's titles and an expanded slate of productions across the globe. Thomas Schumacher, producer said, "2006 was a year of spectacular growth for Disney Theatricals. In addition to new productions, our long- running shows saw continued success in New York and across the globe."

• Tarzan – Disney Theatrical Productions started 2006 with the world premiere of Tarzan, one of the most artistically innovative shows to come to Broadway in recent memory. The show has proven to be a hit, having set the box office record at the Richard Rodgers Theatre an impressive five times in 2006.
• Mary Poppins – Fall 2006 saw the Broadway premiere of Mary Poppins, the most eagerly anticipated show of the season, which quickly proved to be a hit with audience members and critics alike. The Broadway production was heralded by New York critics as, "a roof-raising, toe-tapping, high-flying extravaganza" (The Daily News) and led one critic to exclaim, "I loved the movie, but I have to confess I love the Broadway musical even more" (WABC-TV). Mary Poppins, produced in partnership with Cameron Mackintosh, has become the biggest hit to open during the 2006-2007 season. The London production continues its record-setting run as it enters its third year at the Prince Edward Theatre in the West End.
• The Lion King – The Lion King set new box office records six times in 2006, positioning it to become the longest running show in the Minskoff Theatre's history. On the road, The Lion King's two national touring productions have experienced unprecedented success in cities across the country including a recent return engagement to Los Angeles' Pantages Theatre. Internationally, The Lion King celebrated continued success as an English-language production made its premiere in Shanghai, China. In addition, The Lion King had record-setting runs in Amsterdam and Australia. The Lion King has become a global phenomenon with a total of seven productions currently running worldwide: New York, London, Hamburg, Tokyo, Seoul, and two US national tours.
• Beauty & The Beast – After enchanting audiences for more than 13 years, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the inaugural Broadway musical from Disney Theatrical Productions, will take its final bow at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Sunday, July 29. The production will have played 46 previews and 5,464 regular performances. Disney's Beauty and the Beast is the longest-running American musical currently on Broadway and the sixth longest running show of all time. Around the world, Beauty and the Beast has played in a total of 13 countries and 115 cities, making it one of the most successful musicals of all time.
• The Little Mermaid – Led by director Francesca Zambello, some of the theater's most innovative artists will gather this summer in Denver to create The Little Mermaid, based on the beloved Disney film and the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Casting is nearly complete with rehearsals set to begin May 2007. Then, beginning Thursday, July 26, 2007, the process continues with seven weeks of previews and performances at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Following Denver, the team moves back to New York where Broadway previews are set to begin Saturday, November 3, 2007 ahead of a planned Thursday, December 6, 2007 opening at the Lunt- Fontanne Theatre.
• International Expansion – The Lion King is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Broadway with an historic Johannesburg, South Africa production to launch in June 2007. The production will feature a local South African cast, many of whom have been in other productions of The Lion King around the world and are now coming home to perform in their native country. In October 2007, a French-language production of The Lion King will premiere in Paris, marking the 11th country the show will have played during its first decade. Disney's first international production of Tarzan is currently in rehearsals and will open April 15, 2007 at the Circustheatre near Amsterdam. The production is a continuation of a long-standing partnership between Disney Theatrical Productions and Stage Entertainment, the collaboration that has mounted six Disney musicals in Europe, grossing over $400 million in ticket sales. Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida continues its success globally with productions currently running in Fukuoka, Japan and a national tour continuing through Germany.
• The Next Generation – Disney Theatricals also continues its unparalleled success in the nation's schools and amateur theatrical groups through its relationship with Musical Theatre International (MTI). In fall 2006, MTI introduced a version of the popular Disney Channel movie High School Musical. The MTI version of High School Musical is one of the most popular titles in MTI's history, receiving an unprecedented number of license requests since the show became available.

Give me a [break]

So, there's "editorial content" and then there's "crossing the line". I was recently reading an article outlining a guest letter to [the] Walt Disney World [Resort] and I couldn't help but notice the ridiculous extreme to which the editors went to get the correct nomenclature out there. This is one of the main reasons I get turned off to the internal company paper. In fact, I was only reading this to see an artist rendering of the new full service restaurant in Asia at [Disney's] Animal Kingdom (TM), since I had no idea Disney was even building one until I saw the construction site this morning. I guess product ignorance is the price I pay by avoiding the corporate propaganda.

A positive guest letter turns into yet another chance to indoctrinate the minimum wage masses. Honestly, I thought edits like these were supposed to be used when the intent of the author may not be clear. As in..."Ohhhhh, you mean [the] [Resort]!? I thought you meant the OTHER Walt Disney World."

How long before we see Disney changing all the internal signage and database abbreviations from WDW to [t]WDW[R]?

Gap CEO Paul Pressler Steps Down

It's good to see his ability to take flagship products (Disneyland) and run them into the ground remains in tact. I may not be the right person to judge, since I have no retail experience either, but he was unpopular at Disney for cheapening the entire experience and now it seems he's unpopular at Gap, Inc. I wonder where a guy with such high profile status will land next? How do you know which initiatives to trust from a guy who seems to be so hit or miss?

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Gap Inc. Chief Executive Paul Pressler resigned from the retailer on Monday after more than two years of weak sales and a failed attempt to revive the struggling clothing brand. The move sent its flagging shares up 2.5 percent after hours. Investors and analysts said the largest apparel retailer in the world could sell itself to another company or unload some pieces. Non-executive chairman Robert Fisher, 52, the son of the company's founder, will serve as interim CEO. Earlier this month, the company, which popularized the T-shirt and khakis look, said its executive team and board would review brand strategies at its two largest divisions – Gap and family-oriented Old Navy – which have lost market share and foot traffic to rival retailers. San Francisco-based Gap also recently hired investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc., increasing speculation that the company could be for sale. Pressler, 50, was hired in late 2002 after 15 years at Walt Disney Co. He was charged with turning around a three-year string of mostly negative sales at established stores. Same-store sales at Gap turned positive in 2003, but were negative for six months of 2004. Since 2005, same-store sales have dropped in all but two months. Many retail watchers have questioned whether Pressler was the right person to lead the company since he lacked extensive retail and merchandising experience. Gap said Monday the board would prefer a new CEO with "deep retailing and merchandising experience ideally in apparel." During his tenure, Pressler reduced debt, improved inventory controls, closed underperforming stores and added technology to back up operations at its more than 3,000 worldwide stores. While Pressler oversaw a successful turnaround at Gap's upscale Banana Republic chain, he was criticized for a new online shoe Web site, Piperlime, and a chain of stores for women above 35 called Forth & Towne, as store traffic fell at Gap and Old Navy. Pressler, who will also leave the board, is eligible for up to $14 million in severance, assuming a stock price of $20 per share, Gap said.

Moody's Considers Disney Ratings Upgrade

NEW YORK (AP) – Moody's Investors Service placed several of Walt Disney Co's ratings on review for possible upgrades Thursday, citing strengthening operations and strong credit. The ratings include Walt Disney Co.'s multiple seniority shelf, senior unsecured conversion/exchange bond/debenture, senior unsecured medium-term note program and senior unsecured regular bond/debenture. Each of those items has a "A3" rating. Also on review for possible upgrade is the "P-2" rating for senior unsecured commercial paper. ABC's "A2" rating for senior unsecured regular bond/debenture is also under review. Shares of Disney rose 56 cents to $35.82 on the New York Stock Exchange in afternoon trading.

Disney Cruise Line Returns to West Coast for 2008

CELEBRATION, Fla. (PRNewswire) – Disney Cruise Line announced today that the Disney Magic cruise ship will return to the West Coast for the summer of 2008 to once again offer its highly popular seven-night Mexican Riviera sailings. Disney Cruise Line developed this special itinerary in response to overwhelmingly positive feedback about its original 2005 West Coast sailings and requests from guests who want to see the ship once again departing from the Port of Los Angeles. Beginning May 25, 2008, the Disney Magic is scheduled to sail 12 consecutive seven-night cruise vacations from the Port of Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera ports of Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. Disney Cruise Line President Tom McAlpin said, "We have a significant Disney Cruise Line fan base on the West Coast, and we look forward to taking the Disney Magic back to the Port of Los Angeles in 2008." Significant enhancements have been made to the Disney Magic since its original West Coast sailings in 2005. Today, guests can enjoy poolside movies on a 24-by-14 foot jumbo LED screen, an expanded spa and fitness center exclusively for adults and a new youth activities space designed for children ages 10-14. In addition to the 12 Mexican Riviera cruises, Disney Cruise Line will offer two 15-night cruises through the Panama Canal. The Disney Magic will depart Port Canaveral and head west on May 10, 2008, with the return cruise to Florida scheduled for Aug. 17, 2008.

Clues Say Toy Story is Next Big Ride at Disney-MGM Studios

ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) – Toy Story Mania, Midway Mania, Toy Story's Midway Mania – whatever the name of Disney-MGM Studios' next big ride, Walt Disney World may be having trouble containing details long enough to hold a big announcement scheduled for next week. Even Disney World's parent company, the Walt Disney Co., may be leaking details. Wednesday night the corporation posted the glossy version of its annual report on the Internet, and it included an unidentified artist's rendering of a ride called "Toy Story Mania." At Disney-MGM Studios, a new ride is under construction that unofficial Disney sources have described as having a similar name and look to the one in the picture. The sources told the Sentinel a ride called "Midway Mania" is going into the building that housed the "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It!" game. It is supposed to be similar in concept to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom and Men in Black at Universal Studios. Those rides take people in tracked cars through a maze of indoor scenes with robotic characters and special effects, and let them interact with weapons and other features. For months, independent, Disney-oriented Internet blogs and message boards have weighed in, saying the ride would be based on the Toy Story movies. The annual report's "Toy Story Mania" picture shows cars with pairs of seats facing in opposite directions, moving through a Toy Story scene, while riders wearing what appear to be 3-D glasses drive and shoot. But the Disney-MGM Studios ride under construction has been a secret venture that Disney officials have never publicly acknowledged, and on Thursday no one at Disney was willing to confirm or deny the picture's relevance. They pointed to Walt Disney Co. CEO Robert Iger's letter to shareholders in the annual report. He wrote, "What you are about to see is conceptual artwork of projects we are building, developing or still just dreaming about. Some will be open soon, some may never be built." Other pictures in the report included renderings of a possible theme park and possible rides in other parks. "And if any of the blue-sky concepts that are shown in the annual report do become reality," said California-based spokesman Donn Walker, "we will let you know at the appropriate time."

Disney/Pixar's WALL• E Revealed

(comingsoon.net) – In a letter to shareholders, Disney's Robert Iger has revealed this first photo from Pixar's WALL• E, opening in theaters in June of 2008. The letter stated: We're also excited about Pixar's next animated movie, Ratatouille, which will be released this summer. And I'm pleased to give you an exclusive first look at the title character of their next movie, WALL• E (pictured here), which will be released the following year. Oscar-winning director Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo) helms the animated film.

'Little Mermaid' Swims to Broadway

I wonder if they will be considering any of the dozens of women who have portrayed the singing and swimming teen at Walt Disney World over the years.

NEW YORK (AP) – Broadway is trading one spirited Disney heroine for another. Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" will close July 29 on Broadway, making way for "The Little Mermaid," a stage version of its acclaimed 1989 animated film, which will arrive in December. "There is an enormous affection for this show ('Beauty and the Beast')," Tom Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical, said Wednesday. "I want to give audiences a chance to play that out. In an ideal world, you should give as much care and consideration to the closing of a show as to its opening." By the time it ends its run this summer at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, "Beauty and the Beast" will have played 5,464 performances and 46 previews, surpassing the runs of such musicals as "42nd Street," "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Hello, Dolly!" The musical opened in April 1994 at the Palace Theatre and transferred to the Lunt-Fontanne in November 1999. It holds the long-run record at both theaters. "Beauty and the Beast" currently stars Deborah Lew as Belle, the young woman who transforms a morose creature (portrayed by Steve Blanchard) with the power of her love. Among the actresses who have played Belle during its 13-year run are Susan Egan (the original), Toni Braxton, Deborah Gibson, Andrea McArdle, Christy Carlson Romano, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Ashley Brown (Broadway's Mary Poppins). No word yet if Disney will bring in some big names during the show's final six months, but Schumacher said, "There might be a few surprises before the end."

"The Little Mermaid," which will open Dec. 6 at the Lunt-Fontanne, tells the story of Ariel, a young mermaid who yearns to live on land. Preview performances begin Nov. 3. The show, directed by Francesca Zambello, will play an out-of-town tryout in Colorado at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, which is part of the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Preview performances begin July 26 with an opening set for Aug. 23. Schumacher said casting will be announced later. "The Little Mermaid" has a book by Doug Wright, author of the Tony Award-winning "I Am My Own Wife." The score will feature songs from the movie by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, who died in 1991, as well as new material by Menken and lyricist Glen Slater. The show will be the third Disney musical to open on Broadway in 18 months. "Tarzan," on view at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, arrived last May, while "Mary Poppins" opened in November. And a fourth, "The Lion King" has been playing on Broadway since November 1997.

Eisner Strikes Internet TV Deal

I wonder if Disney will end up buying it?

LOS ANGELES (Financial Times) – Michael Eisner, the former Walt Disney chief executive, is taking Hollywood into the world of internet television after brokering a deal to create an online channel with one of the entertainment industry’s leading talent agencies. The deal was struck between Veoh, the internet TV operator in which Mr Eisner holds a significant stake, and United Talent Agency, which represents actors such as Johnny Depp, Ben Stiller and Harrison Ford. The channel, which will be supported by advertising, will showcase new talent in an effort to discover the next Hollywood star. It will be open and available to all Veoh users to submit, view and share content. The project also brings Hollywood together with the amateur film-making talent producing online video on user-generated content websites such as Google’s YouTube. The deal was negotiated by Mr Eisner and Jerry Zimmer, a board member of UTA. Dimitry Shapiro, chief executive of Veoh, said the deal with UTA would become “the new gateway for talent discovery in Hollywood”, adding the channel would bring the “newest and brightest creative minds to the new, more flexible medium of internet TV”.

Pirate and Princess Party

I may have tickets to this on Friday. I will post a review if I make it over there.

(Orlando Sentinel) – Walt Disney World's new after-hours children's program combining the appeal of its princesses and pirates characters begins tonight with the first Pirate & Princess Party. The party, at Magic Kingdom for 13 select nights starting tonight, from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., features themed parades, fireworks, character meet-and-greets and some ad-hoc attractions, such as a princess pavilion at Mickey's Toontown Fair, and pirate stories told on the haunted river boat at Liberty Square. Tickets run $42.95 for ages 10 and over and $35.95 for ages 3-9 the day of the show, or $36.95 and $29.95 in advance. Parties will be held this month, in February and in March.

Disney Movie Skips to Another Record

My 18 month old daughter watches a lot of the Disney Channel. Her tv usually stays there since I watch the HD big screen in the next room. I happened to flip on her little tv during her nap and caught the premiere of Jump In. I wasn't sure what I was watching, i.e. I didn't know it was a new movie/premiere. I just recognized the kid from High School Musical and thought "What is my company doing now?" Turns out, the pieces I caught were pretty well put together. I wasn't sure exactly how they justified the over-the-top dance routine at the end of the jump rope competition, but the double-dutch patrons didn't seem to flinch at all, so I guess it's all part of the pseudo-musical style.

It looks like Disney is locked in on their target demo for the moment. I'll take it, especially since the stock is up near a 52-week high these days.

(Multichannel News) – High School Musical? That’s so yesterday for Disney Channel viewers. The spec-tacle of the moment is Jump In. That fast-paced, high-stepping movie involving a Double Dutch rope-skipping competition is now Disney’s most-watched telefilm ever, drawing a record 8.2 million viewers in its Jan. 12 debut. That beats last year’s debut at this time of the multimedia phenomenon High School Musical by a half-million viewers. Musical drew a then-record audience of 7.7 million. That, in turn, leads to the question of the moment: Just how hot is Disney with young viewers? The Jan. 20, 2006 premiere of High School Musical is now only the fourth-most watched film on the network in the past year. Besides Jump In!, it trails last August’s girl-powered musical Cheetah Girls 2 (8.1 million viewers) and this past October’s Return to Halloweentown (7.8 million), the fourth installment of the fright-fest franchise. If that wasn’t enough, the soundtrack of Jump In! debuted at number five on the Jan. 10 Billboard Music Charts, with 48,840 copies sold. By comparison, the High School Musical soundtrack took seven weeks to break the top five, on its way to No. 1. It eventually finished as the country’s top-selling album last year, with more than 2 million units sold. “We’ve gone from strength to strength,” said Disney Channel Worldwide president of entertainment Gary Marsh. “We all thought High School Musical was the top of the ladder, but it was only a bridge to the next level,” he said. Marsh attributed Jump In!’s success to the network’s now tried-and-true game plan: Blitz kids with previews of the movie on both the channel and on disney-channel.com weeks prior to its premiere to build up anticipation. Then, sit back and let tweens and their parents tune into the movie’s debut in record numbers. Given the incredible success of Jump In!, you’d figure Disney has finally reached its ratings pinnacle, right? Not necessarily, says Marsh. “The answer is to keep making great movies that inspire kids with positive messages and positive music, and if we keep doing that, there is no limit,” he said. Marsh can hedge his bets on how high is up for its original movies because he knows he has one major wild card left in his hand: the sequel to High School Musical is scheduled for August.

Splurging on Mickey

An article that almost sounds like it is promoting the Disney pricing strategy. Interesting...

ORLANDO (Detroit Free Press) – Darn it, isn't anyone scrimping on their Disney World vacation? I'm here to look for families who can give cost-cutting tips. Instead, I get, oh, gee, let's see ... the Sodrel family. They've dropped $4,000 in a week visiting with their four daughters, staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge in a deluxe room. It's their sixth year vacationing at Disney World. They love Disney World. They're crazy about Disney World. In fact, those are their daughters and niece over there in the red-and-black polka-dot $60 Minnie Mouse dresses and $18 white mouse ears with bridal veils, hopping the bus to Epcot. "We're Disney veterans," says Noah Sodrel of Greenwood, Ind. "Yes, it's an expensive place. But for us, having fun is the issue. When we've tried to save money, it's not the same."

The most popular amusement park in the world, Disney World is a money machine. Every year, it relent-lessly raises ticket prices. Single-day tickets are up 72% for children in the last four years (to $56). It now costs nearly $1,000 for a family of four who want four-day Park Hopper tickets that allow them to attend all four Disney World parks. "The only thing in the same category with Disney price increases is gasoline price increases," says Bob Sehlinger, author of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2007. "It's an incredibly aggressive pricing strategy." But here's the weird part: Ticket prices don't seem to deter visitors. In the 2006, park attendance rose by 5% percent over the previous year. People spent 4% more at the parks, and they even spent 5% more at Disney World hotels, whose occupancy rates rose to 83%. "We reward longer stays," says Rick Sylvain, Disney spokesman. "Focus groups continually tell us they feel they get a lot of value for the money. Compared to an NBA ticket or a night on Broadway, it's a value." At the same time, Disney has figured out how to entice families to get better deals by a) staying longer and b) staying on the Disney World property.

 Its value family package starts at $1,699 for a family of four per week, including park tickets. (Airfare is additional.)
 Disney also offers a meal plan (about $39 per day for adults and $11 for children) to make food costs more controllable. At Disney resorts, where a bottle of water can cost $2, breakfast buffets cost $14 and dinner can cost $40 per person, it is a deal.
 Also, Disney instituted "Magic Your Way" ticketing in 2005 so people could have more choice about which parks to visit and how long to stay.

So there must be people out there craving the deals. But where are they? I head over to Downtown Dis-ney, the shopping area of Disney World. On this Saturday night, throngs are shopping their heads off, buying everything from $89 Cinderella castles to fine cigars. No scrimping there that I can see. On a Monday morning, I return to visit the new Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Salon inside the Disney store. It gives princess and little cool dude makeovers to boys and girls. The value is, you can get a $35 hairdo and sparkly makeup. But there I meet up with Craig and Suzanne Vear of Yorkshire, England, who instead are treating their daughters Jessica, 10 and Emily, 7, to the ultimate princess makeovers – $175 per girl – including costume, shoes, updo hairstyle, makeup and princess magic wand. Emily is in silver. Jessica is in pink. The money? It's not the issue, the parents say. "I wish I could have done this when I was a little girl," says Suzanne Vear, looking proudly at her dolled-up daughters. Then I run into Michael Wolverton of Milwaukee (formerly of Flint), whose daughter, Chastity, 5, is getting the same treatment, right down to gold sparkly shoes.

OK, so maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. Admission ticket prices, can't do much about them. Kids, I guess parents will spend anything for their little princesses. And food – you're not going to save much on food unless you eat Fig Newtons in your room for breakfast and maybe make peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. That leaves accommodations. Still scouting for bargains, I'm starting to feel like the miserly skinflint who saves dryer lint for pillow stuffing. Then I meet Bill Schaper, guest services manager at All-Star Music Resort. For families who want to stay on Disney property to take advantage of free shuttles, parking and proximity to all four Disney parks, this is the place. Disney has 6,000 All-Star Resort rooms that start at $79. They even have 214 brand new two-room family suites that look pretty family-friendly to me, with a queen bed in one room and a double and two single pullouts in the other. Depending on the season, suites run $179-$265 a night. They look worth it. With just a food court, "We don't have all the amenities, but we have the Disney service," says Schaper. The All-Star Resorts rooms contribute 30% of the hotel revenue at Disney. So someone must want cheap (actually, never use the word "cheap" at Dis-ney. Use "value.") I just never met anyone. I tried. I really tried. Then all of a sudden I meet three girls from Chicago near Downtown Disney. The college students are trying to sneak onto a free bus to the Magic Kingdom. "Are you doing anything to save money?" I ask pitifully, hopefully. They laugh. "We searched the Internet and paid $226.38 for our plane tickets," says one of the girls. They hope their total cost of the vacation is no more than $500. Whoa. $500? Where are they staying? "My uncle's timeshare." Good tip. Have an uncle with a timeshare. Then over at the Magic Kingdom, I spot a friendly family posing in front of Cinderella's castle. It's the Tomkulak family from 100 Mile House, British Columbia, here for a week with their son and daughter. "Anything you're doing to cut corners?" I ask. "We brought sand-wiches," says Deana Tomkulak, showing inside the backpack where lunch is stuffed inside. They eat breakfast and dinner in their rooms and bring sandwiches to the parks. They are staying free at his mother's timeshare. Before they left home, they bought some kind of fishy-sounding three-day Park Hop-per tickets online that were upgraded to five-day tickets. "How much will you spend on the whole trip?" I ask. "From the beginning, we planned to be careful," they say, restoring my faith in the budget-conscious traveler. "I'm thinking about $2,500." For Disney, that's a deal.

Everyone Plays for the Kids' Price at the Disneyland

A little Disney PR...

ANAHEIM, Calif. (PRNewswire) – During the "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration at the Disneyland Resort, guests can dream and play like kids with two special vacation offers.

w For a limited time, kids can fly free to the Disneyland Resort from major US cities. Each child (ages 2-11) flies free with the corresponding purchase of one adult ticket on either Alaska or United Airlines, as part of a Walt Disney Travel Company package.
w From January 3 - April 26, 2007, adult guests who purchase a Walt Disney Travel Company package, including a Disneyland Resort Park Hopper ticket of three days or longer, pay the kids' price for the tickets. A package including a two-night stay at one of the surrounding-area Good Neighbor hotels starts at $229 (airfare not included) and a package including a two-night stay at one of the three Disneyland Resort hotels begins at $359 (airfare not included). Guests who stay at a Disneyland Resort hotel for four nights or more also receive a $150 Disney Gift Card that can be used throughout the Resort's theme parks and hotels.

"Year of a Million Dreams," which began on October 1, is being celebrated at Disney Parks in the United States. For 15 months, the Resorts are celebrating dreams coming true, making literally millions of dreams, large and small, come true for eligible guests. Many money-can't-buy experiences – from exclusive Dream Fastpasses for popular Disney attractions to around-the-world vacations or a stay in the special Mickey Mouse Penthouse at the Disneyland Hotel – are being awarded at random to guests. The "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration lasts through 2007.

Nielsens: Last Week's Top-20 List

(AP) – Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Dec. 25-31. 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. (X) "Deal or No Deal," NBC, 16.33 million viewers.
2. (4) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 13.84 million viewers.
3. (7) "NBC Sunday Night Football: Green Bay at Chicago," NBC, 13.36 million viewers.
4. (16) "NCIS," CBS, 11.88 million viewers.
5. (X) "1 Vs. 100," NBC, 11.76 million viewers.
6. (34) "NFL Postgame Show," Fox, 11.06 million viewers.
7. (9) "CSI: NY," CBS, 10.57 million viewers.
8. (9) "Criminal Minds," CBS, 10.03 million viewers.
9. (X) "Kennedy Center Honors," CBS, 9.94 million viewers.
10. (21) "Shark" CBS, 9.72 million.
11. (X) Criminal Minds" (Thursday, 8 p.m.), CBS, 9.68 million viewers.
12. (18) "House," Fox, 9.13 million viewers.
13. (21) "Law & Order: SVU," NBC, 9.11 million viewers.
14. (19) "NFL Postgame Show," CBS, 8.91 million viewers.
15. (X) "Cold Case," CBS, 8.72 million viewers.
16. (X) Movie: "Pirates of the Caribbean," ABC, 8.6 million viewers.
17. (30) "Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick," NBC, 8.52 million viewers.
18. (X) "Without a Trace," CBS, 8.43 million viewers.
19. (X) "New Year's Rockin Eve," ABC, 8.25 million viewers.
20. (34) "60 Minutes," CBS, 8.17 million viewers.

Dictator with Love of Disney

AWJA, Iraq (UK Mirror) – I visited Awja back in April 2003 while Saddam and his two boys were still on the run – before Uday and Qusay were killed near the settlement that July and their father was arrested in December six miles away. Awja's grand homes were signs of the prosperity it enjoyed during the rule of its most infamous son, born there in poverty in 1937. Photographer Julian Andrews and I discovered a beautiful six bedroom house that the tyrant – now buried nearby – had built. It provided evidence of Saddam the family man. In the back garden was a brick barbecue and a wooden gazebo overlooking an almost Biblical valley of olive groves and woodland to the east. Though the inside of the white-domed, four storey home had been gutted by a US bomb a month earlier, the mosaic swimming pool was untouched. And the lawned gardens held the biggest surprise of all – 8ft plastic models of Disney's Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.