FDCCEO

Cobraaaaaa!!!!!

2010-04-03T08:22:00.001-07:00

100_1998
Originally uploaded by yojayy

Brand new Wood-E doll

2008-10-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

Could you call this Wall-E's Woody costume? Impressive.

Magic Kingdom Halloween decorations

2008-09-29T17:55:00.000-07:00

Unbelievably bad Disney video

2008-08-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

Is it the horrible song, dancing, singing, direction, concept or length? You choose. There is no wrong answer.

Wall-E blows up!

2008-07-27T06:27:00.000-07:00

So I went to see Wall-E last week at the AMC Pleasure Island 24. Since this is the theatre located on Disney's West Side entertainment complex, you know they were going to do a BIG promotion for the new Pixar flick, Wall-E. I just didn't expect it to be this huge.

CROW 2008 - Magic Kingdom

2008-07-23T06:11:00.000-07:00

Every year, Canoe Races of the World brings out the best in over 75 teams of rowers, all vying for 1 of 6 coveted divisional CROW paddles.

This year was no different during competition, however a small team of rowers raised the bar on CROW technology, filming a lot more and sharing a lot more. We even placed cameras on the backside hairpin turn and setup a broadcast station to allow spectators on dock to see the action all around the river. Below is a collection of videos showcasing 2008 CROW.

The Good the Bad and the Ugl-IE practice #1

The Good the Bad and the Ugl-IE Qualifying - Hairpin Turn

Land Ho! Practice #2

Wall-E in Ellll-A

2008-07-23T06:05:00.000-07:00

Pixar Studios at Hollywood Studios

2008-07-15T19:39:00.000-07:00

I took a stroll down the new Pixar Studios overhaul of what used to be Mickey Avenue at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Aside from the new Toy Story Midway Mania and an indoor meet and greet for Woody and Buzz, there were a few more props added along the way. Yesterday I posted a shot of the Lightning McQueen/Mater Meet and Greet.

Enjoy the photos.

Toy Story Midway Mania FastPass

Kaaa-Chow!!!

2008-07-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

Lightning McQueen and Mater at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Disney Adjusting Animal Kingdom Ride

2008-03-05T09:39:00.000-08:00

The Associated Press
Wednesday, March 5, 2008; 10:56 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Walt Disney World plans to make safety changes to an Animal Kingdom roller coaster in response to the death last year of an employee after she was struck by one of the ride's cars.

Disney is changing the entry and exit areas of Primeval Whirl by installing sensor mats in restricted-access areas. In addition, the ride platform will be extended and bold stripes will be added to the load and unload zones, Disney World spokeswoman Kim Prunty said Wednesday.

The sensor mats will shut down the ride if a person sets foot there, she said.

Ride attendant Karen Price was hit by a ride car and fell from a platform on Nov. 24. She died a few days later.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is still investigating the death.

The safety work is being done after hours and will take a few weeks. It shouldn't disrupt operation of the ride, Prunty said.

Scrubs Moves to ABC

2008-03-03T15:22:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Longtime NBC comedy "Scrubs" is heading to rival network ABC. Sources say ABC is in negotiations to pick up 18 episodes of the show from Disney corporate sibling ABC Studios, which has produced the series for NBC since 2001. A broadcast show switching networks, though often discussed during contract renewals, is a rare event. Previous network jumpers include "JAG" (NBC to CBS) and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (The WB to UPN). The writers strike cut short NBC's 18-episode final-season order for the Zach Braff medical comedy to 12 episodes. Sources say the network has been reluctant to order additional episodes for next fall, citing the fact that it already has some fresh episodes in the can. NBC reportedly floated various end game scenarios to producers, including ordering one final episode, or producing the remaining episodes direct to DVD. Details of the ABC deal are still being hammered out as contracts for most cast members and writers have not been picked up beyond the current season. Most recently, "Scrubs" has aired as part of NBC's Thursday night lineup along with "The Office," "My Name Is Earl" and "30 Rock," where the medical comedy was often the lowest-rated of the bunch.

The real question is whether the characters have enough story left to tell. I missed a lot of the Scrubs early seasons but recently caught a few dozen episodes during some Comedy Central marathons where my DVR worked overtime.

Maybe I OD'd on the series, but I'm kind of over it now.

The Downside to Living next to the Magic Kingdom Monorail

2008-03-03T15:15:00.000-08:00

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Orlando Sentinel) – Time-share analysts expect Walt Disney World will have little trouble if and when it begins selling units in "Kingdom Tower" – the half-built project going up next to the Contemporary Resort – in large part because they would be the first time shares within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom monorail. But Disney lawyers, mindful that anything can become fodder for a lawsuit, also make sure to note in pre-sale disclosure documents that there is a downside to being so close to the monorail. The Disney documents warn prospective buyers that the "operation of the existing monorail system may result in noise or light levels in excess of that typically occurring in areas consisting solely of residential accommodations and may result in an obstruction of views."

New Parade, Show Coming to California Adventure

2008-03-03T15:12:00.000-08:00

ANAHEIM (Orange County Register) – The expansion of Disney’s California Adventure may be years away. In the meantime, visitors to the theme park will soon find two new attractions – a parade and live show. On March 14, both the “Pixar Play Parade” and the revamped “Playhouse Disney Live on Stage” show will debut.

The “Pixar Play Parade” will feature characters from Disney Pixar movies: “Toy Story,” “a bug’s life,” “Monsters Inc.,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Incredibles,” “Cars” and “Ratatouille.” Some of the dozen parade floats will reach up to two stories high. More than 100 cast and crew members will whirl, spin and do acrobatics in the procession.
The 23-minute “Playhouse Disney Live on Stage” show will have a new cast with characters from Disney Channel shows aimed at preschool-aged children: “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” “Little Einsteins” and “Handy Manny.” Children are encouraged to sing along, dance and clap as live performers, puppets, projections and special effects are incorporated into the plot invvolving characters planning a birthday party for Minnie Mouse. The first “Playhouse Disney Live on Stage” began in 2003, but new characters have been added over the past five years.

Disney officials also plan to give a sneak preview of the Toy Story Mania ride on the 14th. The ride is set to open this summer.

Star Wars Weekends

2007-06-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-15T15:01:00.001-07:00

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"

2007-05-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

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”

2007-05-15T14:47:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

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

2007-03-02T10:43:00.000-08:00

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

2007-03-01T13:34:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-21T14:12:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-21T13:19:00.000-08:00

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'

2007-02-13T11:52:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-13T07:49:00.000-08:00

(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

2007-02-13T07:45:00.001-08:00

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)

2007-02-12T22:33:00.001-08:00

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

2007-02-12T07:35:00.001-08:00

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

2007-02-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-09T10:03:00.001-08:00

(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

2007-02-09T09:55:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-09T09:52:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-09T09:51:00.001-08:00

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

2007-02-09T09:39:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-25T08:45:00.001-08:00

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]

2007-01-23T13:43:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-23T12:59:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-23T12:54:00.001-08:00

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

2007-01-23T12:53:00.001-08:00

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

2007-01-23T12:52:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-23T12:39:00.000-08:00

(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

2007-01-23T12:31:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-23T12:30:00.001-08:00

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

2007-01-23T12:24:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-23T12:17:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-16T15:42:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-05T09:12:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-05T09:09:00.000-08:00

(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

2007-01-05T09:07:00.000-08:00

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.

Cars Breakdown Part 1 of (many)

2006-11-21T21:42:00.000-08:00

Pixar's Cars came out on DVD last week. What a treat. Another Pixar hit, yada, yada, yada. We can read all the press releases all over the place. Let's get to the good stuff. Sure, you can probably read everything I'm about to write somewhere else by now too, but I've got a little something different in mind for the packaging.

Let's breakdown the inside jokes in this masterpiece, one at a time. Upcoming articles will showcase the cars and their backgrounds, as well as side by side comparisons to their real life counterparts/inspirations, but today we're going to start small.

Keep in mind, I have no sympathy for you if you haven't seen the flick yet. There will be spoilers for sure, so go buy it now and watch it. I'll wait . . . . . . . . . . . Pretty good, eh? Some crazy good talent was used on this film.

Yet, I digress. So we find Lightning McQueen on his way to California for the big race around the 17:44 mark in the film. Pause it. If you timed it right you should be looking at this:

If you are a Pixar fan and you have seen with their animated shorts, this will look familiar.

These are the same pompous birds from the Academy Award winning short, For the Birds, part of which you can watch here.

Pixar does this a LOT, and we're going to track down as many as we can. They drop references to their past work in their current work, and it makes the films that much more fun to watch, over and over again.

Stay tuned. I'll be back with more detailed illustrations of the secrets of Pixar's Cars soon.

Nielsen's Top 20 Most-Watched Shows

2006-11-16T07:19:00.000-08:00

Go Disney, it's your birthday. However, ever since my ex moved out, I haven't seen a single "Dancing with the Stars". I suppose I should look up who won.

(AP) – Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Nov. 6-12. 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. (2) "Desperate Housewives," ABC, 22.27 million viewers.
2. (4) "Dancing with the Stars," ABC, 21.98 million viewers.
3. (3) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 20.83 million viewers.
4. (5) "Dancing with the Stars Results," ABC, 20.69 million viewers.
5. (1) "Grey's Anatomy," ABC, 20.65 million viewers.
6. (7) "NBC Sunday Night Football: Chicago vs. N.Y. Giants," NBC, 19.39 million viewers.
7. (X) "Dancing with the Stars Recap," ABC, 18.16 million viewers.
8. (8) "Criminal Minds," CBS, 17.57 million viewers.
9. (10) "Lost," ABC, 17.15 million viewers.
10. (6) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 16.8 million viewers.
11. (8) "CSI: NY," CBS, 16.78 million viewers.
12. (13) "60 Minutes," CBS, 16.23 million viewers.
13. (X) "House," (Election Night special), Fox, 16.11 million viewers.
14. (X) "CMA Awards," ABC, 15.96 million viewers.
15. (X) "NCIS" (Election Night Special), CBS, 15.44 million viewers.
16. (12) "Without a Trace," CBS, 15.22 million viewers.
17. (25) "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," ABC, 15.10 million viewers.
18. (17) "Cold Case," CBS, 14.77 million viewers.
19. (15) "Deal or No Deal" (Monday), NBC, 14.67 million viewers.
20. (21) "E.R.," NBC, 14.56 million viewers.

And the warnings will continue...

2006-10-31T10:02:00.000-08:00

Man Falls Off Tram in Disney World Parking Lot

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (WESH) – A man was airlifted to a local hospital after he fell off a tram in a Walt Disney World parking lot on Monday morning. Officials said the tram was approaching the ticketing area of the Magic Kingdom when the 49-year-old man fell. A stroller fell off the tram, and the man was attempting to retrieve the stroller when he jumped off the tram and fell. He hit his head on the pavement. The Reedy Creek Fire Department got a call about the incident at about 9:30 a.m. Rescuers said they found the man on the ground. They treated him before he was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center. They said that step was taken as a precaution. The man was conscious and alert when rescue personnel treated him. At last check, the man was in stable condition, Disney officials said.

Too Many Spoonfuls of Sugar?

2006-10-30T16:33:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK (Variety) – If any new tuner seems like a sure thing on Broadway this season, it's Disney's "Mary Poppins." But with three Mouse House musicals already on the boards, some industry watchers wonder if yet another will stretch the company's audiences too thin – particularly those of "Tarzan," Disney's recent addition to its Broadway contingent, which hasn't soared at the box office since its May opening. Disney execs say they aren't worried. If "Poppins" proves the hit it looks likely to be, they argue, the overspill from the new entry might end up doing the existing shows a favor. "Poppins," currently in previews for a Nov. 16 opening, has a healthy advance, said to be around $18 million. As properties go, the 1964 pic is one of Disney's most popular. And the stage version is the product of not one but two legit powerhouses, Disney Theatrical Prods. and Cameron Mackintosh. Disney decided to give "Poppins" pride of place in its showcase theater, the New Amsterdam. (To make way for it, the company moved long-runner "The Lion King" to a smaller house, the Minskoff.) Disney's other Rialto offerings – “Beauty and the Beast," "Lion King" and "Tarzan" – feature such things as talking animals and dancing flatware, easy to show in an animated pic, but more challenging to render onstage. In contrast, "Poppins" was already a human-centric book musical on the screen. "Poppins" is also the third concurrent Gotham production from Mackintosh, whose long-running "Phantom of the Opera" is joined by a return visit of "Les Miserables," opening Nov. 9. But Mackintosh, while he is well known for big-budget Brit musicals like "Cats," "Les Miz" and "Miss Saigon," doesn't have the same brand recognition among general audiences as Disney, the company whose animated pics nearly every child in America grows up watching. But then there is that question of whether the Disney quartet will cannibalize each other. And a fifth, "The Little Mermaid" (preeming in Denver in June 2007), is possibly on the way.

Thomas Schumacher, producer of Disney Theatrical, isn't concerned. "You can make a stronger case that these shows hold each other up," he says. "If they can't get into 'Lion King' or 'Mary Poppins,' then we can offer them 'Tarzan,' " Schrader says. "That could help 'Tarzan.' It definitely helped 'Aida.' " That Disney tuner logged a four-year-plus Broadway run that ended in 2004; it did respectable biz but was never a breakout success. "Beauty and the Beast," which has been running since 1994, could also benefit. But that show recently has been surpassing expectations anyway, thanks in part to the replacement casting of Donny Osmond. In any event, Schumacher thinks it's better to be competing with yourself than another producer. "If we're not in that theater, someone else would be," he says.

As for the B.O. prospects for "Poppins" in New York, the producers can look to the reception in London for a hint of things to come. The show earned favorable reviews and was a strong seller, but has slowed a bit since it opened in December 2004. "Poppins" seems a quintessentially British property, and thus likely to do better in London than in Gotham. But the producers contend that "Poppins" isn't as British as it seems. The character originated in a series of books, the first of which was published in 1934, by P.L. Travers, an Australian author living in England. Most people, however, got their first taste of Mary and the Banks family through the pic, which starred Andrews and Dick Van Dyke and featured Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman's hummable tunes. The movie is so iconic that Mackintosh, who had the rights to the books while Disney retained rights to the film, wouldn't do a stage incarnation without the movie material. "They're inextricably linked," Mackintosh says. "I think the only way the public wants a new 'Poppins' is to pull the best of both the movie and the books." The stage version of "Poppins" has a darker tone than the pic, with scribe Julian Fellowes working in material from the books as well as from a screenplay Travers wrote for an unproduced movie sequel, with new plotlines including the return of a diabolical nanny who raised Mr. Banks. Many speculators assumed that a creepy number called "Temper Temper" – in which the children's toys come to life to put the kids on trial for losing their temper – would get cut in the trans-Atlantic move. It didn't, and doesn't look likely to go. The major changes to the Rialto show are the reconceived staging of the songs "Jolly Holiday" and "Anything Can Happen" (one of the new tunes from George Stiles and Anthony Drewe that supplement the original Sherman brothers songs). Officially, the show is recommended for children 6 and older. Whether the decision to keep "Temper Temper" will earn the show a rep as being too scary for very young auds remains to be seen, although Scott Mallilieu, prexy of Group Sales Box Office (where "Poppins" is a formidable seller), isn't worried. "There are scary moments that might frighten a child in most family shows, and in all Disney shows," he says. "I don't really think it's going to affect anyone."

HK Disneyland Magician

2006-10-13T22:36:00.000-07:00

Disney Squeezes Rivals

2006-09-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) – Walt Disney World's Magical Express airport shuttle is on track to handle nearly 2 million passengers this year, but its success has come at a price for small rental-car, limousine and bus companies. The first-of-its-kind free service shuttled 186,238 passengers in April – its peak month – from Orlando International Airport to the Disney resort, with eight of the past 15 months tallying more than 155,000 passengers. The figures underscore Disney's significance as a driver of airport traffic. Vacationers heading to Disney accounted for more than 10 percent of all passengers who flew into the airport during the first six months of this year. For the airport, there is no significant change in revenue as a result of the service, which launched in May 2005. Money the airport takes in from ground-transportation companies, including Disney, is up 2.3 percent for the first seven months of the year over the same period last year. That growth is consistent with the 2.4 percent increase in the number of passengers flying into Orlando during that time. "So it's pretty much even-steven," Deputy Executive Director Chris Schmidt said. "It looks to me like everybody's doing well." A closer look at the numbers, though, shows some small companies are struggling.

· Rental-car companies that cater to budget-conscious leisure travelers report downsizing their fleets and staffs to stay out of the red. They say the service gives Disney and its bus operator, Mears Transportation Group, a monopoly on lucrative trips to the resort.
· Feeling even more pressure are rental-car companies at the airport. Only one – Vanguard Car Rental USA Inc., which operates as Alamo Rent A Car and National Car Rental – showed a revenue increase for the summer months of May, June and July compared with the same period last year.The other four experienced flat or decreased revenues despite a 3.6 percent increase in incoming passengers for the three-month period.
· In addition, Beeline Ground Transportation, the bus and shuttle-van company that competes with Mears, is also suffering. Beeline has laid off 50 employees since Magical Express started 16 months ago and is now operating with a skeleton crew, owner Dr. Owen Fraser said. "We're not getting any walk-up business at the airport," Fraser said. "Magical Express is taking away all of that business. We're doing maybe 100 passengers or 200 passengers a day. Very, very little."

In a way, that business should go away. why shouldn't Disney get to pick up their own guests. The Beeline (Beachline 528 now) isn't complaining about the times I pick up my family at the airport. If Disney is serious about their claim to treat all guests as "cherished friends", picking them up at the airport is the least they can do.

Disney Senior Vice President Jerry Montgomery said the shuttle is a boon to the region and that there are no plans to begin charging passengers directly for the service. "After only a year of operation, Disney's Magical Express has set new travel-industry service standards, created more than 600 new jobs in Central Florida, reduced crowding and wait times throughout Orlando International Airport, and cut down on area roadway congestion," he said in a statement. "Overall, we've received very positive feedback about Disney's Magical Express." The financial data also for the first time shed light on just how many people who fly into Orlando visit Disney. Because Disney does not publicly release attendance figures, the passenger numbers for Magical Express offer a rare glimpse into the ebb and flow of crowds at the resort. According to the data, it's not uncommon for Disney to transport more than 7,000 people in a single day from the airport to its resort. The number reached a high at 10,439 people Oct. 1, 2005.

Disney's Not a Small World, After All

2006-09-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

(Florida Today) – How would you like to walk down Main Street and gaze at Cinderella's Castle without so much as a hat obstructing your vision? It can be done, and you won't even be arrested for trespassing in the process. I am talking about Disney's Keys to the Kingdom backstage tour. It costs a few dollars extra, but they throw in a free meal. Why not? Our tour began with a few preliminary facts. There are 55,000 cast members at Disney World and 11,000 characters. The portion the public sees is called Onstage and everything else is Backstage. Along Main Street, our guide pointed out dozens of interesting trivia items.

• For example, at one end of the street are bronze statues of Roy Disney sitting with Minnie Mouse and at the other end of Walt Disney standing with Mickey Mouse.
• Also, there is a second-floor sign indicating the location of Walt's old office above his favorite food source: The ice cream stand.
• Some of the company names you see in the windows are the front corporations used to buy up ranch land at $80 an acre. The day after Disney announced the theme park location, land in the area began selling at $80,000 an acre. This forced me to contemplate the sorrow of those poor farmers who sold to Disney without knowing it. I also thought about the joy of their former neighbors.
• Did you know the flags around the park resemble American flags? These flags stay up during all kinds of weather and at night. Disney has changed the flags in subtle ways to keep from desecrating our nation's symbol. Heartwarming, in a public relations kind of way.

Interesting...

About this time, a few costumed characters walked by. They can't talk to visitors, but I devised a way to see whether they were cranky. I walked up and asked, "Where does your costume chafe the most right now?" I could almost always provoke a groan. It was a fun day learning Disney secrets and seeing its fa-mous underground. I still would like to work for Disney and learn more. Does anyone know the name of a good tattoo remover?

'Pirates of Caribbean' a Zionist Plot

2006-09-28T07:40:00.000-07:00

(World Net Daily) – A new campaign on Middle East television tells viewers that Disney is linked to Zion-ism and its newest "ammunition" is "Pirates of the Caribbean," the popular movie starring Johnny Depp. On a new video from Iran's IRINN channel, and released by MEMRI, an anchor introduces the critique with the comment that, "Zionist ideology uses all means to impose its cultural control," and then a reporter starts talking about the "Pirates" movie, and how it is an attempt to "gain control." "Disney and its produc-tions have been associated, more than anything, with the Zionist lobby in Hollywood," the report says. "This clearly influences the content of this large company's productions, as well as its policies and guide-lines. The 'Aladdin' animated film series is one example of Disney creations that present Arabs in a negative light," the MEMRI translation quoted the reporter saying. "Cinema is considered another, subtle, weapon in the hands of those who support this corrupt ideology," the reporter says on the newest video. "In Hollywood, Disney is the manufacturer of this weapon, and the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' is its newest ammunition." The reporter also criticized Disney for supporting the "Bush administration's expansionist policies," and noted that the company "refrained from screening the film 'Fahrenheit 9/11'" which criticized that policy.

Food and Wine Time

2006-09-26T12:02:00.000-07:00

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Orlando Sentinel) – The beer, wine, food samples and nostalgic music start flowing at Epcot Friday with the opening of that park's 11th Annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. More than 100 wineries and 250 Disney and guest chefs will be serving up food and sprits from 25 international marketplaces that add such countries as South Africa, Poland and Thailand to those already showcased in Epcot's World Showcase. The festival runs through Nov. 12, with extended park hours. In addition to the usual Epcot attractions, special exhibits and entertainment will be provided with concerts at the America Gardens Theatre, starting with '80s rock band Survivor this Friday and Saturday night. Future acts range from the FamilyStoneExperience to Three Dog Night to Gloria Gaynor to Southside Johnny. While the festival is open to all who enter Epcot, and free samples are available from some stations, much of the food and spirits being served up by 250 Disney and guests chefs come with charges. Appetizer portions range from $1.50 to $4.50.

See the World, One Disney Park at a Time

2006-09-26T11:53:00.000-07:00

HONG KONG (AP) – The rain was pouring, the skies were a murky gray and Mickey's magic wasn't work-ing on the visitors cursing and scampering for cover at Hong Kong Disneyland. But Keith Simpson and his six friends from Sydney – all Disney fanatics sporting matching polo shirts that show Mickey ears over Australia's map – couldn't have been happier. The group was in Hong Kong on the second leg of their Disney-themed round-the-world tour, realizing months of planning for a 32-day trip that takes them to every Disney park in the world – from Tokyo to Hong Kong to Paris, to the US flagships, Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., and Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla. It was a dream come true for the "Down Under Disneyana" fan club members, who have all been to one or more Disney parks before but have never done them all at one go. The idea of a world tour was especially appealing for Australian fans because they live so far away from all the Disney parks, Simpson said. "We can't go to Disneyland every week. We can only go once every year, and that's if we're lucky," said Simpson, 36. The nearest park – Hong Kong – is more than eight hours' flight away. The fans also organized the trip so that it coincided with several important dates for Disney. The group was in Hong Kong for the first anniversary celebrations at Disney's newest theme park on Sept. 12. They planned to finish on Sept. 30, the last day of 50th anniversary fes-tivities at the original Disneyland in Anaheim. Along the way, members expected to mark the occasion with group photos in front of all the iconic Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella castles, said Wayne Godfrey, the organizer of the trip. They also planned to spend minimum time sightseeing outside the parks, while trying to go on every single ride at every single park they're visiting. In fact, discounting time spent on-board flights and transfers from airports, virtually every minute of the month-long trip was to be spent in one Disney park or another. The world trip cost about $4,661, inclusive of discounted rates for hotels, transfers and passes to the parks, Godfrey said. The Tokyo leg cost an extra $526, because the air miles went over the prescribed mileage limit in the round-the-world airfare, he said. "Coordinating the airfare was the trickiest part," he said. "But once we decided to go with a regular round-the-world airfare, it all came together really quickly." Godfrey has a word of advice for anyone trying to organize a similar trip. "I would book a round-the-world airfare. I would try to stay at the moderate (Disney) hotels. I'd also make sure I go out of season, not on holidays when the parks are crowded," he said.

Stanley?

2006-08-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

IMG_4201, originally uploaded by exxodus.

Could this car be the inspiration for the character of Stanley in the Disney/Pixar flick "Cars".

This one time, at CEO compensation camp...

2006-08-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

We hear about executive compensation in the media on many levels, and most of us think "Wow, that's a lot of money." But have we ever really sat down and dug into exactly how much money these guys are really pulling down? Lucky for us, some of this info is public access. Other times it's listed on a government website with PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL stamped on the top. Either way, it gets put into perspective when an executive from a big company like Disney decides he can do better elsewhere. Exactly how much better? Let's see.

EX-10.1 2 exhibit1.htm EX-10.1
PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL
July 20, 2006
Matthew A. Ouimet PO Box 3232 Anaheim, California 92803
Dear Matt,
I am delighted to confirm our invitation for you to join Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. We recognize that a successful company is the reflection of a talented workforce and high performing organization and we look forward to your leadership at Starwood. The Board and I have great confidence that you are more than up to the challenge of leading the Starwood Hotel Group despite the size and complexity of the task at hand. Personally, I look forward to a strong and enjoyable business partnership. I firmly believe that you have the professional experience, leadership and values to help realize the enormous potential inherent in Starwood’s brands, people and competitive position.
Please review the attached documents specifically outlining our offer of employment to and let me know if you have any questions concerning the terms. We are all enormously enthusiastic about you joining the company’s senior leadership team.
Matt, I hope you are as excited as we all are about joining Starwood. Please acknowledge your acceptance of this offer by signing and returning all of the attached documents to me.
Sincerely,
Steven J. Heyer
1
REVISED
July 20, 2006
Matthew A. Ouimet PO Box 3232 Anaheim, California 92803
Dear Matt,
The specifics of your offer of employment with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (“Starwood” or the “Company”) are outlined below:
Start Date: Subject to the terms of this letter, your employment with Starwood will begin on or about August 1, 2006 (the “Effective Date”)
Position: Your position will be President, Hotel Group, based in White Plains, NY, and you shall perform such duties and services as are assigned to you by the Company as requested. You acknowledge that your prospective employment will be subject to all policies and practices of the Company as may currently exist or as may be curtailed, modified or implemented from time to time. Further, you shall devote your full time and attention to the affairs of the Company and to your duties as President, Hotel Group. You will report to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and be a core member of the senior leadership team of the Company which also includes the President, Global Development, Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel. Our regional division presidents (North America, EMEA, AP and LAD) will report directly to you.
Base Salary: Your base salary will be $700,000 annually, paid in semi-monthly intervals of $29,166.66

$29, 166.66 every 2 weeks. He'll have my annual salary by Halloween.

and subject to applicable withholdings for FICA, state and federal taxes. The Starwood salary program provides performance-based salary reviews for future salary progression.
Annual Incentive (Bonus): You will be eligible to participate in the Starwood Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) or, at the election of the board’s compensation committee, the Annual Incentive Plan for Certain Executives (AIPCE). In either case, your target incentive is 100% of base salary. Your actual incentive payout will be based upon company performance, the performance of our owned and managed hotels worldwide, and your achieving specified performance criteria to be established and approved by the Chief Executive Officer. In the event that changes are made to any of the incentive plans, the changes will apply to you as they do other employees of the Company. Please note that the AIP and AIPCE provides that a portion of your annual bonus will be deferred and payable in Starwood stock or stock units. The current deferral portion of the bonus is 25% and is payable in Starwood stock having a value on the date of deferral equal to 133% of the amount deferred.

Starwood's going to pay 25% of his bonus in stock worth 33% more than everyone else's shares.

Payment of your 2006 bonus will be delivered according to the regular annual incentive plan payout schedule and your bonus will assume you were employed with Starwood for the full year. An annual bonus shall not be deemed earned by you until the Company has determined your entitlement to such bonus and only if you are employed by the Company at the time such bonus is payable in accordance with the AIP, AIPCE and Company practices. Subject to the provisions described under “Severance” below, the Company does not pay pro-rata bonuses upon departure.
Long Term Incentive: You will be eligible to participate in the Starwood Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan (“LTIP”). This plan currently provides for the award of stock options and/or restricted shares at the Company’s discretion to high performing executives. For calendar year 2006, on or about the starting date of your employment with Starwood, you will receive equity awards having a value of $2,500,000

Matt may be eligible to play in the high performing executive bonus plan. In fact, he'll get $2.5 million just for showing up on his first day. That is a seriously high performance arrival. I'm expecting parachuting Elvis's here.

(which amount will be pro rated based on the remaining number of months in the calendar year), payable 50% in restricted stock and 50% in options, with the value of options determined in accordance with the Black Scholes model (with variables determined by the Company). Options will be exercisable at Fair Market Value (as defined in the LTIP) on the date of grant For calendar year 2007, on or about the same time as annual option and restricted stock grants are made to other senior executives (currently February of each year), you will receive equity awards having a value of $2,500,000

Oh yeah, same for next year. Again, that is a seriously high performance signature he has, if he gets all this just for joining up.

, payable in the same proportions of restricted stock and options as other senior executives of the Company with the value of options determined by the method then used by the Company for determining grants to such other senior executives. The award agreements governing the terms of your equity grants will be on the same terms and conditions as other senior executives of the Company. For subsequent years, the value of awards, if any, will be based upon your performance and the metrics used for other senior executives of the Company.

D'oh! 2 years from now, he'll have to earn his multi-million dollar bonuses, just like everyone else.

Sign-on Equity: Effective on or about the starting date of your employment with Starwood, pursuant to the terms of the LTIP you will be granted that number of shares of restricted stock having a value equal to $705,000

Is this the bonus we saw above or a new 100% salary increase sign-on bonus?

, based on the Fair Market Value (as defined in the LTIP) on the date of grant. The restricted shares will vest in accordance with the LTIP and will otherwise be governed by the provisions of the LTIP, provided that such shares will vest if your employment is terminated by the Company for any reason or if you terminate your employment for “good reason” (as defined below). For purposes of this paragraph only, “good reason” shall also include a material reduction below 50% of the percentage of value of equity awards granted to you under the LTIP in future years that consists of restricted stock.

If he quits, they're taking 1/2 the value of his options. Or something like that.

Further details will be provided in the award notification to be delivered to you following the start of your employment.
Benefits: Starwood offers “StarShare”, a comprehensive array of employee benefit programs, to provide peace of mind on various personal concerns. New employees are eligible for the StarShare health and welfare benefit programs and the 401(k) plan on the first day of the month following 90 days of employment. You and your eligible dependents will be covered by these benefits as per your coverage elections.
Information on these plans and other benefit programs such as the HOT Rates (the employee discount room rates program), short-term disability, long-term disability, employee life insurance, and vacation programs will be provided to you after you begin your employment with us.
In the event that changes are made to any of the benefit plans, the changes will apply to you as they do other employees of the Company.
COBRA Payments: We realize that there may be a transitional benefits cost to you because of the waiting period before you become eligible for the Starwood health plans. Therefore, during your benefits waiting period, Starwood agrees to reimburse you for any COBRA payments until the date you become eligible for Starwood health benefits.

Starwood will cover all his insurance needs while he's in between jobs. This may be standard stuff, but hey, why should the millionaires need to spend any of their own money. That's not spendin' money, that's for keepin'!

Starwood will reimburse you the difference between the applicable normal contribution rate with Starwood and your COBRA amount.
Other Benefits: While your office will be in White Plains, we realize that you currently reside in California. We understand that you plan to commute from California to White Plains until some time after the conclusion of the 2006/2007 school year. You agree to relocate to the New York/Connecticut area no later than December 31, 2007. In order to make it as convenient and un-burdensome as possible to perform your duties in White Plains and other parts of the world as your job requires until your relocation to the New York/Connecticut area, the Company will (i) reimburse up to $1,500,000 of your air travel expenses during the first twelve months of your employment which may include commercial air or chartered flights (regular commercial flights on Company business (including spousal or family travel required as part of Company business) will not be counted in determining the $1,500,000 cap) and (ii) provide you with suitable temporary housing in the New York/Connecticut area. You agree that you will use good faith efforts in planning your travel to minimize such air travel expenses consistent with your duties and responsibilities as President Hotel Group.

This is the "Don't be a prick and fly all your friends to Vegas" clause.

Arrangements for non-commercial flights will be done in coordination with a company specializing in private aircraft services (such as Citation Shares or Net Jets) and will be done in a way to permit as much flexibility as is reasonably possible. The Company will indemnify you for any income tax liability for the air travel expense reimbursement, temporary housing and other relocation benefits provided pursuant to this letter and the Relocation Program discussed below.
The Company will reimburse you for up to $10,000 for review of your employment contract with us.

They'll pay for a lawyer to look over the contract. So, on what exactly do millionaires spend their money?

Relocation: Starwood has selected Cendant Mobility Services to administer our Relocation Program. Starwood will pay the reasonable, out-of-pocket costs of relocating your family and household furnishings to New York/Connecticut and to a new location in California in accordance with the provisions of Starwood’s Relocation Program. This Program includes reimbursement of a set number of personal, spousal and family trips for house hunting purposes (additional trips may be funded in your discretion by your $1,500,000 air travel allowance). To be eligible for reimbursement of certain benefits, you are required to utilize the services of an agent in the Cendant Mobility Preferred Network on both departure and destination. You will be eligible to participate in this program until December 31, 2007.
A home buy-out option will be afforded you as you make this transition. Cendant will arrange for two appraisals of your home to be conducted as soon as practicable after your acceptance of our offer. If those appraisals are more than 5% apart, a third appraisal will be ordered. The appraisals will then be averaged and you will be offered (the “Initial Offer”) that amount for your home. Once the offer is made, you will have 60 days to (i) accept it or (ii) defer the sale of your home until any time prior to September 30, 2007 (the “Deferral Period”). At the conclusion of the Deferral Period, Cendant will again arrange for the appraisal of your home and 60 day purchase offer in accordance with the foregoing provisions. We will guarantee the purchase price of your home. You will not be required to market your home in advance of initiating this buyout option. In addition if the purchase price offered to you at the conclusion of the Deferral Period is less than the Initial Offer, the Company will reimburse you for up to $100,000 of such deficiency.

Starwood will buy his house at fair market value, with no need to put it on the market. They'll even throw in $100,000 if the value goes down over the year you wait to sell it.

To initiate the moving process, please contact the White Plains Human Resources office. You will be assigned to a Client Services Consultant at Cendant Mobility who will provide you with relocation assistance and the names of the Preferred Network agents. In an effort to fully utilize our relocation benefit and avoid additional tax liability, we ask that you do not begin your relocation process before being contacted by your assigned Cendant Client Services Consultant. Please do not sign a Listing Agreement or begin searching for a new home until you have spoken with your Consultant. For questions regarding policy benefits or to register a real estate agent with Cendant, please call 1-800-423-8624.
In the event that you accept this offer of employment and relocation expenses are paid to you or on your behalf, you agree that if you voluntarily terminate your employment within one year after you relocate, you will repay all such relocation expenses, reduced by 1/12 for each full calendar month actually worked.

If he quits, he's got to pay back the relocation money. Hey, Starwood doesn't move people around for free.

In addition, eligibility for reimbursement of any and all relocation expenses will cease on the last day of employment and any relocation expenses incurred after that date will not be reimbursed by Starwood and will be your responsibility.
Exclusive Dispute Resolution Procedure: Any and all disputes relating to this offer letter, your employment with Starwood or the termination of that employment will be resolved solely and exclusively through binding arbitration pursuant to the employment rules of the American Arbitration Association. Accordingly, you acknowledge and agree that this offer of employment and the benefits provided herein are contingent upon your execution of the Mutual Agreement to Arbitrate provided to you herewith (Attachment A) and incorporated herein by reference.
Employment Term: Unless sooner terminated or extended pursuant to other provisions hereof, the term of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and shall end on the March 1 2010; provided that the term of this Agreement shall be extended automatically for an additional year as of the end of the initial term and each additional one year term, unless no later than six months prior to any such renewal date either the Company, or Executive gives written notice to the other that the term of this Agreement shall not be so extended.
Severance: For the period beginning on the Effective Date and ending with the two year anniversary of the Effective Date, in the event you are teminated without cause or resign for good reason, you will be entitled to salary, target bonus and benefit coverage for the balance of the initial term of employment less seven (7) months. After the initial two year period you will revert to the severance benefits described below. In no circumstance would your severance be less than the severance described below if you are terminated without cause or resign for good reason.
In the event that Starwood terminates your employment for any reason other than “cause” or you resign for “good reason”, Starwood will pay to you (i) 12 months of your then current base salary, (ii) your target bonus for the year of termination and (iii) 50% of your target bonus for the year of termination pro rated based on the portion of the year elapsed on the date of termination, all in a lump sum less all applicable withholdings and will provide benefit coverage for a one year period from the date of termination (the “Termination Payments”). You will not be entitled to any Termination Payments if you resign your employment with the Company without good reason. As a condition for, and prior to, your entitlement to and receipt of any Termination Payments, you must enter into a written waiver and release of any and all claims against Starwood arising out of or relating to your employment with Starwood, in such form that Starwood may reasonably require. In the event you allege a breach of “good reason” the company will have 30 days to cure the alleged breach.

The Golden Parachute.

For purposes of this letter, “cause,” shall mean (i) any material breach by you of any of the duties, responsibilities or obligations of your employment, or any of the written policies of Starwood; (ii) any willful failure or refusal by you to properly perform (as determined by Starwood in its reasonable discretion and judgment) the duties, responsibilities or obligations of your employment, or to properly perform or follow (as determined by Starwood in its reasonable discretion and judgment) any lawful order or direction by Starwood; (iii) any acts or omissions by you that constitute (as determined by Starwood in its reasonable discretion and judgment) fraud, dishonesty, breach of your duty of loyalty, gross negligence, civil or criminal illegality, or any other material misconduct in your employment or which could tend to bring Starwood into disrepute, could create civil or criminal liability for Starwood or could adversely affect Starwood’s business or interests. “Good reason” shall mean a significant reduction in your responsibilities or authority as President Hotel Group, a change in your reporting relationship to a person who is not the senior most executive officer of the Company or a reduction in base compensation.
Other Conditions and Obligations: You acknowledge that you are not subject to any currently effective employment contract, or any other contractual or other binding obligations pursuant to which your employment or employment activities with or on behalf of the Company may be subject to any restrictions. Restrictions include limitation, any agreements or other obligations or documents relating to non-competition, confidentiality, trade secrets, proprietary information or works for hire.
As a further condition of this offer and your right to receive any of the benefits detailed herein, you agree to execute and be bound by the Non-compete, Non-solicitation, Confidentiality and Intellectual Property Agreement attached hereto (Attachment B) and incorporated herein by reference.
Integrated Agreement: This offer letter represents the sole and complete understanding between you and the Company relating to your employment and there are no other written or oral agreements, understandings or representations relating to this offer of employment. The terms of your employment, including the at-will nature of the employment, may be amended only through a written instrument signed by you and Starwood’s Chief Administrative Officer.
You should not resign from your current employment until you have received notification from the Company of the completion of all pre-employment investigation, testing and verification.
By signing and returning this letter, you confirm that this letter accurately sets forth the current understanding between you and Starwood and that you accept and agree to the terms as outlined.
Very truly yours,
Kenneth S. Siegel Chief Administrative Officer

cc:

Personnel File

ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO:

Matthew A. Ouimet

Date

Wiki Article

'Pirates' Becomes Year’s Top-Grossing Film

2006-07-17T10:31:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES (AP) – “Pirates of the Caribbean" is looking more like "Treasure Island." Already a record-shattering blockbuster, Johnny Depp's sequel "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" dug up $62.2 million in its second weekend, raising its 10-day total to $258.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The movie has quickly become the year's top-grossing film, rocketing past "X-Men: The Last Stand," which has taken in $232 million in eight weeks. The "Pirates" sequel has grossed an additional $125 million overseas. "It's really fun when you're riding a comet like this," said Chuck Viane, head of distribution for Disney, which based the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies on its theme park attraction. "This thing is just unbelievable. It creates its own wake." Hollywood's business dipped for the first time in two months. After eight straight weekends of rising revenues, overall receipts totaled $156 million, down 5 percent from the same weekend last year, when Depp also was at the top of the box office with "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Still, the second weekend gross for "Dead Man's Chest" topped the debut of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," which opened with $56.2 million. "Dead Man's Chest" had the third-best second weekend ever, behind "Shrek 2" ($72.2 million) and "Spider-Man" ($71.4 million). By next weekend, "Dead Man's Chest" should climb past the $305 million domestic total rung up by its predecessor, 2003's "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," Disney's Viane said. Ending with a cliffhanger, "Dead Man's Chest" will be closely followed by a third "Pirates" movie due out next May, with Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and other co-stars on a voyage to rescue Depp's rakish pirate Capt. Jack Sparrow. "Huge expectations. 'Pirates 2' is maybe the toughest act in box-office history to follow," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "'Pirates 3' is the definition of a predestined blockbuster."

52,000 Participate in Volvo Treasure Hunt

2006-07-17T10:26:00.000-07:00

IRVINE, Calif. (PRNewswire) – Seven would-be pirates from around the world will converge in a secret location next month as Volvo Car Corporation's global, multi-media treasure hunt for a Volvo XC90 V8 SUVthat has been buried somewhere in the world reaches its final leg. The hunt, which Volvo is conducting as part of its official promotion of Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," drew more than 52,000 US participants. The individuals participated for about a month in a challenging online adventure to solve a series of online clues and puzzles using an official treasure map obtained at Volvo dealerships nationwide. Throughout the course of the online hunt, participants created and joined in on message boards and blog sites sharing tips and information on the hunt's oft-times complex clues. The finalists who will now participate in the final leg will be selected from those who were the first to correctly guess the final clue when the online leg concluded July 12. The finalists – expected to be three from the United States and one-each from the United Kingdom, Spain, Japan and Austria – will, in August, be flown to the Volvo XC90's secret location, where for two days they will receive additional clues to lead them to the vehicle's burial site. Volvo's promotion of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" grew out of the partnership with Disney for the worldwide Volvo Ocean Race. The Volvo ship bears the name of the same boat in the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie, "The Black Pearl." The Ocean Race began in Vigo, Spain on Nov. 12, 2005 and ended in Gothenburg, Sweden on June 17, 2006.

La Nouba By Cirque Du Soleil Celebrates Its 5 Millionth Guest at Walt Disney World Resort Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006

2006-07-13T05:33:00.000-07:00

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., July 10 /PRNewswire/ -- La Nouba, the spectacular Cirque du Soleil production exclusively presented at Walt Disney World Resort, is about to reach the important milestone of having hosted 5 million guests. Attaining such an amazing number of spectators would not have been possible without the loyalty of the residents of Florida who have attended La Nouba since its opening in December 1998. This is why Cirque du Soleil has decided to thank its local fans with two remarkable events.

First, from July 20 to Sept. 30, Florida residents can enjoy the daring acts, live music and dazzling choreography of La Nouba for 20 percent off the regular price on select seats.

Second, to celebrate its 5-million-guest milestone, the cast and crew of La Nouba will select one of the Florida residents attending the 6 p.m. performance on Thursday, Aug. 10, to be its honorary 5 millionth guest. This person will enjoy an amazing and one-of-a-kind experience, which includes a personal on-stage recognition by the cast, interaction with select La Nouba characters during the show, unique La Nouba memorabilia gifts, and an exclusive backstage meet-and-greet with the artists.

La Nouba continues to perform twice nightly at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Tickets can be purchased at the Cirque du Soleil theater, by calling 407/939-7600, or on http://www.cirquedusoleil.com . For more information on the 20 percent-off promotion, Florida residents can call 407/WDW-SEAT.

Fun Facts:

* La Nouba celebrated its 3500th performance on Saturday, May 13, 2006.
* There are 1730 audio cables running through the theatre. Placed end to end, they reach a total length of 865,000 feet or approximately 164 miles!
* When La Nouba first opened to the public, it did not feature the Cycles act, which is now an intricate part of the show.
* The average age of the cast of La Nouba is 31 1/2. Ages range from 10 to 50 years old.
* The wardrobe department handles over 300 costumes and headpieces every day. Most of the 67 artists performing in La Nouba wear three different costumes per show.
* Over 1200 lighting fixtures are used for each performance of La Nouba.

For more information about Cirque du Soleil, please visit http://www.cirquedusoleil.com .

SOURCE Walt Disney World Resort

EarthCam joins POTC2 cast...kind of

2006-07-11T20:20:00.000-07:00

Click here for the ultra cool, super fast and way too short Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest timelapse movie file. (Be sure to keep an eye out for the way scary Kraken arms!)

NEW YORK, July 11 /PRNewswire/ -- EarthCam (http://www.earthcam.net/),
the leader in providing webcam software and technology, is pleased to announce that it provided the producers of Walt Disney Pictures' record breaking blockbuster summer movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (in theaters now), with technology to monitor and document the filming.

Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley reunite in this sequel to the 2003 blockbuster, distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Gore Verbinski.

"EarthCam's webcam technology was an invaluable tool for me and my production team to remotely monitor the set," said Jerry Bruckheimer, Executive Producer of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. "In addition, the cameras created an HD time-lapse movie of the construction progress which could make for an exciting DVD extra."

"We are ecstatic to be working with Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Walt Disney Pictures," said Brian Cury, CEO and Founder of EarthCam, Inc. "Developing opportunities to record significant events for the entertainment industry that feature our unique technology is important to our company's growth." EarthCam's professional-duty MegapixelCam system provided high definition, megapixel color images with digital Pan/Tilt/Zoom, enabling examination of the smallest picture details. The HD images were archived around the clock, providing the producers with instant access to the highest quality digital photographs and time-lapse videos. To view a sample video, visit http://www.earthcam.net/pirates.

A second camera, an EarthCam ConstructionCam system, offered producers critical real-time monitoring of the set building process including construction of the largest open-water tank in the western hemisphere. The tank holds 60 million gallons of water, is 30ft deep and accommodates multiple ships. The professional duty camera includes a cooling system and wiper that kept it working through the Caribbean summer and a fierce hurricane.

EarthCam is the recognized leader in providing webcam technology and managed services to businesses since 1996. EarthCam provides complete infrastructure services to manage, host and maintain live streaming video camera systems for its corporate clients. Clients include Ford, Sprint, Toyota, Panasonic, Yahoo!, This Old House, Coca-Cola, Discover Card, Turner Construction, Bechtel Corp, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, numerous government agencies, and the Department of Homeland Security.
Visit EarthCam at: http://www.earthcam.net/.

SOURCE EarthCam

Related links:

http://www.earthcam.net/

http://www.earthcam.net/pirates

Disneyland Resort Debuts First-Ever Video Podcast; Introduces Newest Episode of Its Popular Audio Podcast

2006-07-11T20:19:00.000-07:00

Dead Men May Tell No Tales But New Audio and Video Podcasts Tell
Behind-the-Scenes Story of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean Film Premiere
and Attraction Re-Opening

ANAHEIM, Calif., July 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the groundbreaking
precedent of its popular monthly audio podcasts the Disneyland Resort in
Southern California today introduces a new monthly series of video podcasts
that will bring all the magic and fun of "The Happiest Place on Earth" to
fans around the world via their desktop computer or video iPod. As one of
the first organizations to successfully venture into audio podcasting
(launching its first podcast in May 2005), Disneyland Resort now debuts the
first episode of its all-new Disneyland Resort Video Podcast series.
In the premiere video episode, available now on the Internet, viewers
will witness the creation of one of the most spectacular movie premieres in
Hollywood history and certainly one of the most elaborate events ever
staged at Disneyland -- the official world premiere of the new Disney film
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and the re-opening of the
classic attraction Pirates of the Caribbean, which has recently been
extensively enhanced. All the excitement of getting ready for this amazing
event is captured in this fun and entertaining mini-documentary.
Viewers will walk the red carpet with the film's stars Johnny Depp,
Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom, plus meet many of the die-hard "Pirates"
fans who made the premiere an unforgettable event. It's a fast-paced look
(6 mins. 4 secs.) behind-the-magic at one of the most incredible nights in
Disneyland history.
Like the Official Disneyland Resort Audio Podcast, the new video
podcast is a free monthly Internet-based show accessible to a global
audience via a "Disneyland" search on the iTunes Podcast Directory.
Listeners can also subscribe to both podcast versions (audio and video)
through the iTunes Podcast Directory to receive new episodes automatically
each month.
The monthly video podcast takes viewers behind-the-scenes of what's new
and exciting at the resort plus showcases stories from the resort's 50-year
legacy of creating magical moments for guests from around the world.
Similar to its initial entree into audio podcasting, the Disneyland Resort
enters the emerging world of video podcasting in its infancy -- there are
currently only 150 free video podcasts available on the iTunes Podcast
Directory but interest in, and use of, the medium is rapidly increasing.
Additionally, the newest episode of the Official Disneyland Resort
Audio Podcast is now available online and takes listeners to all the
excitement of the world premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's
Chest," which had its official bow at Disneyland on June 24. Recorded live
on the world's longest red-carpet (2,000 feet from the beginning of Main
Street, U.S.A. to the riverfront in New Orleans Square) this podcast (38
mins. 50 secs.) features an array of segments, including:
* Interviews on the red carpet with "Pirates" film producer Jerry
Bruckheimer, actor Bill Nighy (Davy Jones in "Pirates of the Caribbean:
Dead Man's Chest") and Disney CEO Bob Iger.
* Actor Johnny Depp encounters the newly added Captain Jack Sparrow for
the first time inside the recently enhanced Pirates of the Caribbean
attraction.
* Walt Disney himself in a very rare clip from a 1965 press conference at
WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering) where he describes his
vision for Pirates of the Caribbean, the use of models in the creation
of the attraction and his description of Imagineering.
* A new interview with Jason Surrell, Disney Imagineer and author of the
book "Pirates of the Caribbean: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies."
* An encounter with one of the fans of the Official Disneyland Resort
Podcast.
* A meeting with two diehard "Pirates" fans who traveled all the way from
Atlanta, Georgia, and Mobile, Alabama, to visit Disneyland and
participate in the premiere.
* Meet a Disneyland Cast Member who was so enthralled with the film
"Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" that she has
become a bona fide Pirate historian.
* A five-year old Pirate fan gives the newly enhanced attraction a
"Thumbs-Up!"
* Premiere recap and attraction overview from author and Disney historian
Tim O'Day.
Achieving a rating of four-and-a half stars out of a possible perfect
five on the iTunes Podcast Directory, the Official Disneyland Resort Audio
Podcast continues to be a hit with listeners. Each episode features an
engaging mix of original programming recorded live throughout the resort
including locations in Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure Park, the
Downtown Disney District and the resort's three landmark hotels -- Disney's
Grand Californian Hotel, Disneyland Hotel and Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel
-- creating a "you are there" audio experience.
More information about the continuing Disneyland 50th anniversary
celebration and vacations at the Disneyland Resort is available at
http://www.disneyland.com, by calling (877) 700-DISNEY, or by visiting local
travel agents.

SOURCE Disneyland Resort

You tell me...

2006-07-10T21:36:00.000-07:00

Should Keith Richards really join the cast of Pirates of the Caribbean 3 as Captain Jack Sparrow's dad? Would commercial Hollywood have it any other way? Johnny Depp offered up part of his salary to make it happen? Keith fell out of a coconut tree? It's a perfect story.

Dad!

Son!

Pirates Breaks Record as Fandango's Top Day-Before-Opening Ticket-Seller

2006-07-07T10:25:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES (PRNewswire) – Fandango, the online, phone, and mobile movie ticketing service, announced a new ticketing record: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest now stands as Fandango's top day-before-opening ticket-seller. The previous record-holder was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, followed by Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Pirates is making news across the board:

• Thursday, July 6 was Fandango's biggest ticket-sales day of the year, surpassing opening days for The Da Vinci Code, X-Men: The Last Stand and Superman Returns.
• For several hours on Thursday, Pirates was selling an average of seven tickets per second.
• On Thursday, Pirates broke Fandango's hourly sales record for the day before a film's opening.
• Hundreds of late night Thursday shows sold out in advance across the country.
• On Thursday, Pirates represented 91 percent of all ticket sales on Fandango.

"Pirates' advance ticket sales have been truly extraordinary," says Chuck Davis, Chairman of Fandango, "and we expect to break even more records on Friday. You don't usually see this kind of enthusiasm until the final installment of a franchise, so this bodes well for the series' future."

Pirate Ghost Ship Sighted at Disney's Castaway Cay

2006-07-07T08:25:00.000-07:00

CELEBRATION, Fla. (PRNewswire) – A mysterious pirate ship has landed at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay, providing Disney Cruise Line guests with a swashbuckling photo opportunity and a sneak peek into movie-making magic. Starting in early July guests sailing on a Disney Cruise Line vacation will discover a 175-foot ghost ship anchored at Castaway Cay. The ship is the Flying Dutchman, which makes its silver screen debut on July 7 in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. The Flying Dutchman's commander is the legendary Davy Jones, who serves as nemesis to the infamous pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow, in the upcoming film. The intricate film prop is unlike any other pirate ship – with ragged sails and a barnacle-encrusted bow, the ship looks like it was raised off the ocean floor to haunt the open seas for eternity. The Flying Dutchman will provide a scenic photo backdrop, and guests renting boats on the island will be able to get an up-close look at the ghost ship. While visiting Castaway Cay, guests should also be on the lookout for the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. With the Flying Dutchman lurking just off the shore, the eccentric captain may be spotted around the island. Guests are encouraged to approach the hero and hear his tales about adventure on the high seas. The charming pirate graciously accepts requests for portraits and autographs – if guests can manage to track him down. Disney Cruise Line will also hold a PremEAR at Sea of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest in the Walt Disney Theatre of both the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. On Friday, July 7, guests aboard Disney Cruise Line will receive commemorative buttons and pirate-themed temporary tattoos and will be invited to view the premiere of the film at 12:01 a.m.

ABC absent from the top 20?

2006-07-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

I guess Disney doesn't much care for the summer ad revenue. It seems they may have all their eggs in the "LOST", "Housewives" basket.

(AP) – Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for June 26-July 2. Top 20 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. (33) "America's Got Talent," NBC, 11.0 million viewers.
2. (6) "Without a Trace," CBS, 10.9 million viewers.
3. (8) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 10.8 million viewers.
4. (3) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 10.6 million viewers.
5. (11) "House," Fox, 9.9 million viewers.
6. (18) "CSI: NY," CBS, 9.2 million viewers.
7. (16) "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 8.9 million viewers.
8. (56) "So You Think You Can Dance," (Wednesday), Fox, 8.8 million viewers.
9. (56) "So You Think You Can Dance," (Thursday), Fox, 8.5 million viewers.
10. (50) "CBS Sunday Movie: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," CBS, 8.4 million viewers.
11. (35) "Law & Order," NBC, 8.4 million viewers.
12. (15) "NCIS," CBS, 8.3 million viewers.
13. (X) "Fox NASCAR Nextel Cup," Fox, 8.2 million viewers.
14. (23) "60 Minutes," CBS, 8.2 million viewers.
15. (28) "Criminal Minds," CBS, 8.1 million viewers.
16. (97) "Hell's Kitchen," Fox, 8.0 million viewers.
17. (19) "Cold Case," CBS, 7.8 million viewers.
18. (33) "New Adventures of Old Christine," CBS, 7.6 million viewers.
19. (X) "48 Hours Mystery," CBS, 7.5 million viewers.
20. (44) "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," NBC, 7.2 million viewers.

Disney Changes "Game Plan" After the Rock's Injury

2006-06-22T06:31:00.000-07:00

By Alan Fein

(AXcess News) Hollywood - Walt Disney Corp. (NYSE: DIS) was forced to change its script after Dwayne Johnson, better known to wrestling fans as "The Rock", injured his leg while practicing football for Disney's new family film, "The Game Plan".

Dwayne Johnson, seen here with his trade mark cocked right eyebrow, says to tell fans "nothing can stop The Rock."

While at a football practice Monday for his new Disney film, "The Game Plan", The Rock injured his Achilles tendon. Johnson was practicing for his upcoming role as a professional quarterback in the movie, which was previously known as "Daddy's Girl."

Johnson is to undergo surgery Friday in Miami to repair the torn tendon. Until The Rock can resume filming, Disney's studio is putting production on the shelf. The film's shoot will have to wait for Johnson to undergo therapy as well following his operation. Doctors nor Disney have said how long "The Game Plan" will be kept in limbo waiting for The Rock to recover.

Disney was ready to begin shooting the film in Boston next week Monday.

Walt Disney Motion Picture Group president Nina Jacobson was quoted as saying, "While this is a setback for our production schedule, we completely support him as he recuperates and look forward to resuming production when Dwayne is fully recovered."

"The Rock" said to reporters, "I anticipate that with some TLC, pizza and a lot of donuts, I will be making a speedy recovery and will be able to get myself, and everyone who has been working so hard on this production, back to the business of doing what we love most, making movies."

Johnson has appeared in the films, "The Rundown", filmed in 2003; "The Scorpion King", filmed in 2002; and is best known for seeing his film career take off for "The Rock's" role in "The Mummy Returns", filmed in 2001.

Disney Shows Muscle with Boys Properties

2006-06-22T06:28:00.000-07:00

Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean," Disney*Pixar's "Cars" and "Toy Story" and "Power Rangers" Combine to Capture Elusive Boy Market

Disney Consumer Products (DCP) today announced that 2006 will bethe best year ever for boys. Driven by the tremendous success ofDisney*Pixar's "Cars," the establishment of "Pirates of the Caribbean"as a long-term franchise and the ongoing popularity of "PowerRangers," Disney is reaching boys with everything from die-cast,action figures and bikes to MP3 players, video games and books.

"With the strength of our entertainment, we knew 2006 would be theyear we became a power house boys player," said Andy Mooney, chairmanof Disney Consumer Products. "Similar to DCP's girl's portfolio, whichis the best in the industry, our boy's portfolio offers everythingfrom the whimsical 'Cars' and 'Toy Story' characters to the heroicrite of passage that is 'Power Rangers' for younger boys, to thecooler, more aspirational 'Pirates of the Caribbean' brand for theolder boy."

"Power Rangers" - DCP's #1 Boys Brand

DCP kicked-off its year experiencing strong demand for "PowerRangers" action figures, its perennial boy's property, during theHoliday 05 season. In 2005, "Power Rangers" was ranked second in theaction figure category behind "Star Wars," according to The NPD Group.Next year's theme will be called "Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive.""Power Rangers" airs more than 65 times each week in over 40territories worldwide, and continues to expand worldwide withsuccessful launches in Italy, India and other countries this year.

Disney*Pixar's "Cars" - phenomenal success

The tremendous anticipation of "Cars" before the film was releasedcombined with the huge box office opening resulted in record-breakingretail sales for merchandise based on a Disney*Pixar theatrical film.The film's humor, story and character personalities were incorporatedinto its products, which featured many category firsts for aDisney*Pixar film, including the first power ride-on, kids electronicsline and bedroom suite. Currently, "Cars" is recording 10 to 1 moreretail volume than "Finding Nemo" at the same point in its release.DCP plans to expand and refresh product with new creative style guidesfor fall and beyond. Large retailers have already committed to "Cars"feature shops for the entire months of November and December tomaximize the DVD release.

"Pirates of the Caribbean" - evergreen boy's franchise

On July 7, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" willrelease to theaters and reignite a pirate frenzy that started in 2003."Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" recorded morethan $650m in global box office sales, and "Dead Man's Chest" is oneof the most highly-anticipated events of the summer. With ongoingentertainment support, DCP is positioning "Pirates of the Caribbean"as an evergreen boy's franchise, comparable in opportunity to its"Disney Princess" franchise for girls.

Since the audience for "Pirates of the Caribbean" is so broad, DCPlooked to create innovative product and edgy creative designs formultiple consumers. Toy licensee, Zizzle's Black Pearl playset wasalready chosen for Toy Wishes "Hot Summer Toys" list, a high-endapparel and jewelry line tied into the current Pirates fashion trendwill launch to specialty stores, and Disney Publishing developed thelargest live-action publishing series ever -- including the latestnovel, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" (junior novel),currently on the New York Times children's best-seller list. "Piratesof the Caribbean" product will be featured in all key categoriesrepresented at major retailers worldwide.

"Toy Story" - 10 Years Strong

And let's not forget about Woody and Buzz. Ten years from itsinitial release, the "Toy Story" franchise continues to show growth atretailers like Target, which showed double-digit growth in "Toy Story"merchandise sales this year. Additionally, "Toy Story" is thebest-selling boy's property at Disney Store North America, with newBuzz Lightyear and friends product in all key categories featured inmore than 100 stores.

For more information, please visit: www.disneyconsumerproducts.com

About Disney Consumer Products

Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the business segment of The WaltDisney Company (NYSE:DIS) that extends the Disney brand to merchandiseranging from apparel, toys, home decor and books to interactive games,food and beverages, stationery, electronics and animation art. This isaccomplished through the work of DCP's various lines of business:Disney Toys, Disney Softlines, Disney Home, Disney Food, Health &Beauty, Disney Stationery, Disney Publishing, Buena Vista Games, BabyEinstein, the Muppets Holding Company and Disney Shopping, Inc.'scatalog and disneyshopping.com. The Disney Store, which debuted in1987, also falls under DCP, through stores currently owned andoperated by unaffiliated third parties under licensing agreements inNorth America and Japan, and wholly owned stores in Europe.

Disney's Dinner Bell

2006-06-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

Disney's new magic: licensing some pixie dust.
By Rick Aristotle Munarriz
Motley Fool

Updated: 9:34 a.m. ET June 21, 2006

There will be more pixie than dust in Disney's (NYSE: DIS) latest marketing initiative. At the Licensing 2006 International Show in New York this week, Disney unveiled its plan to turn Tinker Bell and her friends into its next big stars.

Until now, Fairies has been little more than an unassuming book line hoping to hook young girls with whimsical story lines. That will change. Disney has tapped Brittany Murphy to voice Peter Pan's spunky sprite in a direct-to-video animated feature next summer. Dolls and toys will follow.

The family entertainment giant has already had a few successful years with its Disney Princesses line. Marketing the heroines of its animated classics has turned into a $3 billion a year franchise. Going from Belle to Bell won't be as easy, especially since audiences know little about Tinker Bell and even less about her fellow fairies, but Disney could be well-served by going in this direction.

The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Narnia have all whetted the appetites of fantasy fans. Even if the audience for Fairies overlaps with the Disney Princesses crowd, Disney would rather hit them from both sides than let toy companies like Mattel(NYSE: MAT) win them over with Barbies and American Girl. Meanwhile, MGA Entertainment's Bratz and Build-A-Bear Workshop's (NYSE: BBW) personalized bears and friends 2B made lines are also gunning for the same audience.

Disney's consumer products division can use the attention. With strength at its theme parks and the resurgence in its media networks, the last time that Disney's consumer products made headlines was when it was partly bowing out of retail by handing over its Disney Stores to Children's Place(Nasdaq: PLCE). Last year, consumer products accounted for just a 7% slice of the company's revenue pie. The top line there has slipped 1% through the first six months of fiscal 2006, despite a 9% improvement in operating profits.

Scoring a hit with Fairies will help. Other recent homegrown successes, like the unlikely hit High School Musical, are already helping. So Tinker Bell, often relegated to gliding high in the sky before a fireworks show, will hopefully take flight for Disney again.

Pixie dust? Who needs it when you have shrewd merchandising at play?

Disney is an active recommendation forStock Advisornewsletter service subscribers, while Mattel is anInside Valueselection. Whatever your investing style, the Fool has a newsletter for you.

Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz is still a kid at heart, smitten over the right kind of animation. He owns shares in Disney. The Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick is also part of theRule Breakersnewsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.

Researchers Try to Talk with Dolphins at Epcot

2006-06-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

LAKE BUENA VISTA (Orlando Sentinel) – Calvin's got rhythm – and scientists are excited, since the Disney performer weighs 450 pounds and breathes through a blowhole. A 12-year-old Atlantic bottlenose dolphin living in the backwaters of Epcot at Walt Disney World, Calvin is being taught a vocal form of communication that involves the cadence of his sounds, something that's never been done before with animals, his researchers said. He is one of four dolphins that spend much of the day swimming around Epcot's Living Seas attraction to the delight of customers, then moonlight at Disney as scientific research subjects. Calvin stars in an experiment that has scientists exploring whether dolphins can communicate with language that doesn't rely on the pitch, timbre or intensity of vocalizations – the variations that humans most typically use to form words – but on the sounds' duration and rhythm. Think Morse code: One long sound could mean one thing. A bunch of quick sounds uttered in staccato might mean another. In a project overseen by New College of Florida psychology professor Heidi Harley, Disney researchers and trainers are teaching Calvin to associate such rhythms with specific objects. The trainer, normally Disney marine mammal specialist Leslie Larsen-Plott though others take turns, holds up an object. If Calvin responds by vocalizing the right rhythm, he gets a fish. A basketball, for example, is identified with chirp pause chirp pause chirp pause, a rhythm that researchers dubbed the "dribble." Chirp pause long whistle means the Batman action figure. Long whistle pause long whistle pause long whistle is the watering can. So far, Calvin has seven rhythms down, and two more to go in the first phase. Harley has presented some of their findings at two scientific conferences, for the Acoustical Society of America and the Comparative Cognition Society. The next step is to see if Calvin can find objects when the trainers play back recordings of his rhythmic sounds. Perhaps some day they might see if dolphins could communicate with each other with the rhythms.

Disney Institute propaganda

2006-06-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

How do you promote a new business venture that you'll bulldoze a few years from now? Like this:

Official Pirates Site Launched

2006-06-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

(comingsoon.net) – Walt Disney Pictures has launched the official website for the highly-anticipated Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, hitting theaters on July 7th. At the site, you can view trailers, learn about the movie, get downloads such as desktops, buddy icons, e-cards, the movie poster and digi-tal trading cards, as well as play games, view the gallery and the world map. The world map takes you to scenes in the movie in which you'll have to "plunder" items in order to be able to open the chest of Davy Jones at the end for hidden items.

Disneyland Autopia Cars Race for Charity at the Indy 500

2006-06-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

HONG KONG (Xinhua-PRNewswire-AsiaNet) – Checkered flags waved, crowds cheered and engines roared as two American traditions teamed up to celebrate special milestones. In honor of Disneyland's 50th anniversary and the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500, "The Happiest Place on Earth" and "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" teamed up for the "Minnie Indy Charity Race" on Wednesday, May 24 (at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Minnie Mouse herself was on hand to wave in the likes of Danica Patrick, Dan Wheldon, Eddie Cheever, Jr., and Dario Franchitti who were among the 31 IndyCar Series drivers who participated in the whimsical race. They were driving miniature cars taken directly from one of Disneyland's original opening day attractions – the ever-popular Autopia. Instead of racing along the highways of Disneyland's Tomorrowland, the Autopia cars and their speed-loving IndyCar Series drivers traversed a comical obstacle race course (at top speeds of 10 mph!) that took place on a specially designed "Minnie" roadway created on the famous Brickyard. The Autopia tradition will continue this summer as a new generation of futuristic cars cruise over to Hong Kong Disneyland where they will make their new home in Tomorrowland. Guests of all ages will whiz down the highway of Tomorrow in their electric space cars and encounter all sorts of alien landscapes, promising a fun adventure for the entire family. "This summer Hong Kong Disneyland will welcome its very own version of Autopia," said Bill Ernest, executive vice president and managing director Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. "This will be a very exciting moment for all our guests as they experience for themselves the classic Disney Autopia attraction – with a futuristic twist!"

Deluge Hits "Cars" Outdoor Premiere

2006-06-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

CONCORD, NC (Hollywood Reporter) – A heavy rainstorm couldn't dampen the spirits of the 30,000 people who turned out for the premiere of Disney/Pixar's "Cars" at an elaborate event staged at the Lowe's Motor Speedway. Friday's spectacle featured a 12-lap auto race, a performance by country star Brad Paisley, and the screening of the movie on four giant custom-built screens. A deluge hit the speedway right before the event, causing a planned helicopter entrance to be aborted and delaying the celebrity arrivals. When the rain finally cleared, a 166-yard long red carpet leading into the Speedway sprang to life with the high-wattage voice cast of the movie, including Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt and NASCAR greats Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The film opens June 9.

Sarah Litzsinger Returns to Beauty and the Beast May 30

2006-05-25T14:33:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK (Broadway.com) – Sarah Litzsinger will be returning to the role of Belle in Broadway's Beauty and the Beast on May 30. Current star Ashley Brown, who will play the title role in Mary Poppins on the Great White Way this fall, is set to have her final performance in Beauty on May 28. Most recently Litzsinger played Eva Peron in the 25th anniversary tour of Evita. The actress, who first played the role of Belle on tour, has previously done long stints with the Broadway company of Beauty and the Beast. She also starred as the Narrator alongside Donny Osmond's Joseph in the national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. (Osmond will be joining Beauty and the Beast for a nine-week limited engagement as Gaston on September 19, thus reuniting the actors.)

Sarah went to my high school in Carmel, IN.

Best Disney Theme Park photos Pool

2006-05-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

Epcot during Flower Festival, originally uploaded by Yooper Born.

Flickr goodness

Dubailand Rivals Disneyland

2006-05-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

UNITED ARAM EMIRATES (AME Info) – Dubailand's Chief Executive Officer, Salem Bin Dasmal, believes that Dubai's massive leisure zone will be able to challenge Disneyland for its share of Europe's tourism market within five years, reported Gulf News. Bin Dasmal feels that Dubailand has much more to offer, with attractions such as its Dinosaur Park and planetarium, not provided by Disneyland. Bin Dasmal went on to describe Dubailand as 'Disneyland on steroids'.

'Lost' Toys in the Works

2006-05-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

(USA Today) – Soon after Lost's third season premieres this fall, fans will be able to concoct their own mysteries at home. Touchstone Television, which produces the ABC hit, has hired comics legend Todd McFarlane, famous for his lines of Spawn, Napoleon Dynamite and The Simpsons action figures, to turn the Lost characters into 6-inch plastic replicas. Series 1 will feature characters Jack, Kate, Hurley, Locke, Charlie and Shannon, which will talk and come with miniature props themed to the show's storylines. Stores including Toys R Us, Wal-Mart and Hot Topic will sell the figures ($15-$20) and box sets with a hatch for them to play in ($25-$30).

Disney Characters Getting Raises in Hong Kong

2006-05-22T14:13:00.000-07:00

HONG KONG (AP) – Actors who dress up as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and other characters to greet visitors at Hong Kong Disneyland are getting pay raises and longer breaks, the park said Sunday, following complaints of work-related injuries, low pay and quick turnarounds between shifts. Hong Kong Disneyland said in a statement that it would increase the monthly base pay of the character performers by 11% starting June 1. "This adjustment is the result of benchmarking efforts internally … with the external Hong Kong market and with other Disney parks," the statement said. The company added that break times for the actors have been increased from 30 minutes every hour to 40 minutes from April until September due to hot weather and that pregnant employees would be stationed at air-conditioned locations and be given lighter work loads if necessary. Character actors who greet visitors at the park had complained that night shifts would sometimes be followed by morning shifts and that their pay trailed the monthly salary earned by those who appear in shows. The performers also said they suffered from muscle pain and neck and waist injuries from wearing the costumes.

Disney's Hong Kong Headache

2006-05-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

(Time Magazine) – Disneyland is supposed to be "The Happiest Place on Earth," but Liang Ning isn't too happy. The engineer brought his family to Disney's new theme park in Hong Kong from the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou one Saturday in April with high hopes, but by day's end, he was less than spellbound. "I wanted to forget the world and feel like I was in a fairytale," he says. Instead, he complains, "it's just not big enough" and "not very different from the amusement parks we have" in China. His seven-year-old daughter Yaqin disagrees, calling the park "fantastic," but her father grumbles: "If she wants to come again, "I'll send her with somebody else." Hong Kong's Magic Kingdom has so far been a little short on magic. The $1.8 billion theme park, which opened last September, was touted by Disney executives as its biggest, boldest effort to build its brand in China, a potentially vast new market for its toys, dvds and movies. The Hong Kong government – which aggressively wooed Disney and is the park's majority owner, hoped Disneyland would help secure the city's reputation as one of Asia's top tourist destinations. However, the conservative approach of Disney and its partner has produced a park that so far hasn't matched visitors' lofty expectations. Hong Kong Disneyland has a mere 16 attractions – only one a classic Disney thrill ride, Space Mountain – compared to 52 at Disneyland Resort Paris. Meanwhile, management glitches involving everything from ticketing to employee relations have further tarnished the venture's image. In a recent survey conducted by Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 70% of the local residents polled said they had a more negative opinion of Disneyland since its opening. "Disney knows the theme-park business, but when it comes to understanding the Chinese guest, it's an entirely new ball game," says John Ap, an associate professor at the university's School of Hotel and Tourism Management. Nonetheless, Disney executives insist the park is on track. Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, says: "I feel great about how Hong Kong Disneyland is doing." Disney's own surveys of park visitors show an 80% satisfaction rate, among the highest of any of the company's parks, says Rasulo: "People feel this is a great experience."

The California-headquartered company knows what it is talking about; it welcomed its 2 billionth visitor last week. And it is no stranger to tempestuous beginnings at an international park. When Disneyland Paris opened in 1992, Disney famously banned wine from park restaurants, much to the dismay of European bons vivants. In Hong Kong, Disney went out of its way to tailor the park to local tastes. Ironically, Disney's most high-profile stumble resulted from being too local. When executives decided to serve shark-fin soup, a Hong Kong favorite, environmentalists howled and Disney ignominiously yanked it from the menu. Another embarrassment came over the Lunar New Year holiday beginning in January. Tourists with valid tickets got turned away at the front gates after the park quickly filled up; the jilted travelers screamed at park employees, while TV cameras filmed one family trying to pass a child over the fence. Disney has also strained its relationship with Chinese travel agencies, which play a crucial role in funneling tourists into the park. Victor Yu Limin, a general manager at China CYTS Outbound Travel Service in Beijing, complains that Disney originally demanded several weeks' notice when the agency wanted to reserve a guaranteed number of rooms, a nearly impossible deadline, he says, as Chinese travelers often don't finalize trips more than a few days in advance. "We're listening to everything they have to say and adjusting where we can," says Josh D'Amaro, Hong Kong Disneyland's vice president for sales and travel-trade marketing. But, Yu says, Disney is "still far from understanding the real market in China. They started off doing business the American way, so they have encountered problems."

Given the complexity of the Hong Kong operation, such "teething pains" are hardly surprising, says Rasulo. What may be tougher to solve, though, are the yawns the miniature park is generating among tourists. Rasulo says the park wasn't built on a grand scale because the Chinese didn't grow up with Disney and don't know the characters as well as Americans and Europeans do, which acts as a constraint on its potential audience. Ernest calls it a "great introductory park." They also point out that the company plans to keep adding new attractions at Hong Kong Disneyland, including an updated version of Disney's classic Autopia racing game, scheduled to open this summer. While Ernest concedes that attendance is "a little behind" expectations, Disney is sticking to its target of 5.6 million guests in its first year. To hit these numbers, Disney is running aggressive promotions. Last month, the park offered free tickets for 50,000 Hong Kong taxi drivers, says Susan Chan, Hong Kong Disneyland's director of publicity, so they "can experience the Disney magic themselves [and] better share it with their passengers." And even if attendance lags for a while, Disney says the park is already benefiting its other businesses in Asia. Andy Bird, president of Walt Disney International, says there's been "a noticeable lift in our brand and character awareness" in China since the park's opening – sales of Buzz Lightyear merchandise have jumped, in part because the character features in Disneyland's popular Astro Blasters ride. Indeed, Disney continues to bet that its long-range investment plans in China will pay off, regardless of the recent headaches in Hong Kong. The firm is still in talks with Chinese officials about opening a mainland theme park, possibly in Shanghai, says Rasulo. "Have we made some mistakes?" he asks. "Absolutely. We are in a brand-new market. We have to keep listening and keep learning."

Six Flags Offers Roller Coaster Workshop

2006-05-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

VALENCIA, Calif. (LA Times) – Bearded and with brightly colored tattoos on both his calves, Jon Shiner looks tough, but he admits he has struggled with heights his whole life. "If I have to stand on a chair I get nervous, so anything up in the air pretty much freaks me out," the 29-year-old said. But on a recent Saturday morning, Shiner decided to face his phobia when he attended a free class at Six Flags Magic Mountain on conquering the fear of riding roller coasters. The amusement park was hosting the course in conjunction with its promotion of Tatsu, a new dragon-themed coaster that officially begins running Saturday. Riding Tatsu is supposed to simulate flight, the marketing materials say. Riders are strapped into a car standing up, with a shoulder harness and two calf harnesses. Once the car leaves the station, it tilts 90 degrees forward so that riders are "flying" around the track – arms stretched forward, feet trailing behind – Superman-style. No wonder the park turned to Linda Bortell – a cheerful clinical psychologist whose areas of expertise include "thrills and terror" – to facilitate the experimental three-week class held over consecutive Saturdays. Bortell introduced herself to the 10 adult participants, who were recruited by park employees, telling them she is a roller coaster enthusiast who sometimes drives to Magic Mountain for a quick ride on Viper before going to her office in South Pasadena. After everyone in the room had a chance to introduce themselves and state their specific fears, Bortell led the class outside to take a look at Tatsu itself, which the participants are to ride on their third and final class this Saturday. "If you ride coasters enough, you learn that there are different types of screams," Bortell said, as the group walked into the park. "There is the 'I'm here with my cute boyfriend and I'm screaming so I can hang onto him' scream, and then there are screams of fun, and some screams of fear. My husband starts screaming the second the coaster leaves the loading dock. He says it's part of the experience."

ABC Promises No 'Lost' Repeats Next Season

2006-05-18T09:30:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK (UPI) – ABC executives say fans of its hit TV show, "Lost," will not be plagued by reruns during the 2006-07 season. The Alphabet Network announced Tuesday that viewers will see seven new episodes in a row next season before "Lost" takes a break. The series will return in late January or early February with fresh episodes through the end of the season. Although "Lost" remained one of TV's most popular shows during its second season, ratings dipped and fans were angered by frequent reruns that broke up the continuity of the serial. While "Lost" is on hiatus, ABC will air the Taye Diggs vehicle, "Day Break," about an innocent cop on the lam from a murder charge who keeps reliving the same day over again a la the Bill Murray film, "Groundhog Day."

Donny Osmond to Return to Broadway in Beauty and the Beast

2006-05-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK (Broadway.com) – Famed performer Donny Osmond will be play Gaston in Disney's Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. He is set to begin a nine-week limited engagement in the musical on September 19. Osmond actually has a long history with the Disney family – it was while performing on the Disney After Dark television series in 1961 that Andy Williams spotted his brothers and hired them as regulars on The Andy Williams Show. He was also the singing voice of Captain Shang in Disney's hit animated feature Mulan. Osmond made his Broadway debut in 1982 in the short-lived revival of Little Johnny Jones. His other theatrical credits include many years of touring as the lead in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Disney's 'Narnia' Top DVD Title of '06

2006-05-18T09:23:00.000-07:00

BURBANK (LA Daily News) – The Walt Disney Co. announced Tuesday that "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" has become the top-selling DVD title released so far in 2006. "Narnia," which hit store shelves April 5, has sold more than 11 million units to date. The movie is being sold both as a single-disc DVD and a two-disc Collector's Edition DVD. Its DVD success is good news for Disney, which has positioned "Narnia" to be a franchise in the vein of Warner Bros.' "Harry Potter" series and New Line Cinema's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. "Narnia" grossed an impressive $291.7 million at the domestic box office, making it the second-highest 2005 release behind only "Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith." Disney said Tuesday that it now has five of the year's top 10 best-selling titles with the others being "Chicken Little," "Lady and the Tramp," "Flightplan" and "Bambi II." "We are very fortunate to have such a strong lineup of titles that appeals to every demographic," said Bob Chapek, president of Disney's Buena Vista Home Entertainment division. "It is the backbone of what this studio has always been known for."

Disney Trash Can Exhibit in Edinburgh

2006-05-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

EDINBURGH (Art Daily) – Heriot-Watt University presents an exhibit of trash cans from Disney World. Visitors to Disney World in Florida are usually invited to buy Disney Pins to mark each park and venue they’ve visited. Fashion design specialist Mark Timmins was more taken with Disney’s rubbish bins, and has now put together a photographic exhibition featuring the range of rubbish receptacles featured around the site. “The bins are all a standard shape and size,” said Mark, Fashion and Textiles Director at Heriot-Watt University’s School of Textiles and Design, “but each one is decorated differently to fit in with its surroundings, from the bins in the Magic Kingdom, decorated with Tinkerbell, to the Animal Kingdom, which are brown and feature the words ‘Waste please Maholo’. My personal favorite is the twin-bins from ToonTown, also part of the Magic Kingdom, which are decorated with the mops from the Sorcerer’s apprentice section of Fantasia, and the message ‘keep it clean.’” And, he insists, the exhibition isn’t rubbish, it is art, or at least an important facet of design in the 21st century. “It’s all to do with repeated images and the concept of mass customization. In a way it’s the complete opposite of Ford’s idea of ‘any color as long as it’s black, while at the same time paying homage to his seminal ideas on mass production.“ The Timmins’ family holiday was far from being all rubbish as his six and a half year old daughter was chosen as the day’s ‘Princess’, picked from the crowd to ride in Cinderella’s magic coach at the head of the daily parade. “Sixteen million people a year visit Disney World,” said Mark, “and only three hundred and sixty five of them get a chance to lead the procession. How great is that?” The ‘Disney Bins’ exhibition will be on display at The Create Centre, an environmental and recycling centre in Bristol, from 16th to 30th of May. It can also be simultaneously viewed at Heriot-Watt University’s new Energy Academy at the Edinburgh Campus from the 16th to the 30th of May.

ABC May Elect to Shoot 'Chief' Telefilm

2006-05-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) – “Commander in Chief" wasn't picked up for next season but ABC may give it a brief revival in the form of a two-hour movie. The one-hour drama about the nation's first female president (Geena Davis) didn't catch on in the ratings, having been pulled off Tuesdays earlier in the season and failing to get traction Thursdays at 10 p.m. It was yanked off the schedule weeks ago and wasn't on the ABC 2006-07 primetime schedule announced early Tuesday. But ABC Entertainment president Steve McPherson said at a meeting with reporters that "Commander in Chief" wasn't completely retired yet. McPherson said he had been pitched an idea for a two-hour movie by creator and former executive producer Rod Lurie, and was considering it.

Disney Shares on Wall Street’s Spring Hit Parade

2006-05-16T12:24:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) – While the Dow ended a five-week winning streak last week, shares of the Walt Disney Co. hit a 52-week high of $30.19 on Wednesday after the firm delivered a well-received quarterly financial report. Its stock closed Monday at $29.99, up nine cents on the day, and up 21.6% so far this year. "We believe the company should continue to experience better operating performance and momentum than many of the other large entertainment conglomerates," Prudential Equity Group analyst Katherine Styponias said.

· Analysts seemed in agreement that most impressive were the results in television, driven by high ratings at ABC and ESPN, and theme parks also performed well, despite a surge in gas prices that has some pundits predicting economic gloom. Revenues at Disney's media networks unit in its fiscal second quarter "were an eye-popping $3.55 billion, up 18% year-over-year and measurably ahead of our projection of $3.21 billion," Sanders Morris Harris analyst David Miller said.
· Miller was also bullish on Disney's plan to sell radio assets to Citadel Broadcasting, which will leave Disney with almost no distribution presence beyond 10 TV stations, "which are not stock-moving assets," he said. Selling to Citadel "has allowed Disney a higher multiple relative to its peers as all forms of distribution become marginalized over time," he said, raising his price target a dollar to $33.
· Analysts were so taken by Disney's earnings report that even the company's weaknesses – the movie studio and consumer products – were hailed successes because not much was expected from those units. Disney will benefit this year, said Goldman Sachs analyst Anthony Noto, from "the most optimistic film slate since 2003," singling out the DVD releases of "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Chicken Little," as well as theatrical releases "Cars" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."

ABC Halts Invasion

2006-05-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

(ComingSoon.net / Hollywood Reporter) – ABC is halting its Invasion, reports Variety. The series was a personal favorite of ABC Entertainment president Steve McPherson. But despite a huge promotional push behind the show, viewers simply never warmed to the concept. There had been talk of "Invasion" being rerouted to the CW Network – which is co-owned by the parent company of "Invasion" producer Warner Bros. Television – if it got the ax from ABC, but there were no indications of such a move being under way during the weekend.

Finally!

REVIEW RECAP : Disney's "Tarzan" musical wins mixed reviews in NY

2006-05-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Disney's latest mega-musical "Tarzan" swung into town with a spectacular ship-wreck scene and bungee-jumping apes but the critics were lukewarm and several resorted to phrases such as "bungle in the jungle." "Tarzan," which opened on Wednesday night, is among the most expen-sive musicals on Broadway with a budget reported at between $15 million and $20 million. It is Disney's latest effort to match the success of hit movie-based musicals such as "The Lion King" and "Beauty and the Beast."

• "Almost everybody and everything swings in 'Tarzan.' Which is odd, since the show itself, to borrow from Duke Ellington's famous credo, definitely ain't got that swing," was Ben Brantley's verdict in The New York Times. "'Tarzan' feels as fidgety and attention-deficient as the toddlers who kept straying from their seats during the performance I saw," Brantley said.

Several critics had warm words for the special effects, particularly the opening scene, which uses aerial acrobatics to create an eerie underwater shipwreck scene in which the baby Tarzan and his parents end up washed up on an African shore.

• "The opening minutes of 'Tarzan' ... are among the most exciting and inventive I have ever witnessed in the theater," Charles Spencer wrote in London's Daily Telegraph newspaper. But he added that despite some other fine effects – “most notably a trippy hallucinogenic sequence involving huge jun-gle plants with human actors nestling amid their petals" – the show "almost invariably looks much bet-ter than it sounds."
• The Star Ledger of Newark, New Jersey, and the New York Post both settled on the headline "Bun-gle in the Jungle," and
• NY Post critic Clive Barnes opened his review with the words: "You, 'Tarzan,' Me, Agonized."
• Washington Post critic Peter Marks also praised the opening sequence but his review was summed up in the headline "Fumble in the Jungle: Disney's Tame 'Tarzan."' "The show ... has gorillas in mid-air, a potential teeny-bopper idol in loincloth and Phil Collins as show-tune guy," Marks wrote. "What it doesn't have much of is drama."

While there was plenty of criticism for the show, Disney appeared to have emerged a clear winner against rival Hollywood studio Warner Bros., whose vampire musical "Lestat" was almost universally trashed by the critics two weeks ago. "Lestat" had a budget estimated between $10 million and $12 million. USA To-day's Elysa Gardner gave "Tarzan" three stars out of four, praising the "lush, fanciful scenic and costume design," the "sprightly libretto" and its "good-natured exuberance." The Philadelphia Inquirer's Howard Shapiro also was impressed, describing the show as "an eye-popping treat of lighting, streamers and fab-rics." "Some people will inevitably call the shimmering stars, massive fluttering fabrics, and huge strutting fauna downright corny. I call them master stagecraft," he wrote.

Ferrari Theme Park on Track

2006-05-15T11:12:00.001-07:00

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (AME Info) – A Ferrari concept theme park in Abu Dhabi should open sometime in 2008, according to Gulf News. Ferrari has granted a licence to operate the centre but will not be investing in the project. It will have a racetrack, rides and attractions, including a history of Ferrari.

New Mickey Mouse Series Delivers Record Ratings for Playhouse Disney

2006-05-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

BURBANK (World Screen) – The premiere of the new CGI series Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Disney Channel US on Friday delivered the highest ratings ever for a Playhouse Disney series premiere among Kids 2-5 (6.2/767,000), Girls 2-5 (6.0/375,000), Households (2.2/1,960,000) and Total Viewers (1.2/2,777,000). The series premiered in its regular Playhouse Disney weekend timeslot on Disney Chan-nels and Playhouse Disney channels around the world on Saturday. The preschool series starring Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto and Goofy is designed to entertain preschoolers while helping them develop early math skills. Among all basic cable networks in the US, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse was num-ber 1 in its time period (Friday, 7:30 p.m.) with Kids 2-5 (6.2/767,000), Boys 2-5 (6.4/393,000) and Girls 2-5 (6.0/375,000). In Households, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse improved the time period by 22 percent (2.2 vs. 1.8). In Total Viewers, it was up 38 percent (2,777,000 vs. 2,011,000).

Disney Adds Shops, Restaurants to Complex

2006-05-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

LAKE BUENA VISTA (Orlando Sentinel) – No matter what Walt Disney does with its bar scene, shopping is driving most of the changes at Downtown Disney. And Disney's not limiting changes to Pleasure Island. The idea is to seduce people into spending extra time – and more money – at Downtown Disney by creat-ing more things for them to do, making it easier for them to get around and adding restaurants that keep them there longer. "Shopping is still our No. 1," said Djuan Rivers, vice president for Downtown Disney. "The majority of people here still come to shop."

• To enliven the shopping experience, Pleasure Island has been opened up to shorten the walk between the main shopping districts – Marketplace and West Side – on either end of Downtown Dis-ney. Disney also will add more water taxis and a dock at Pleasure Island, so people can travel by ferry. Yet, even with foot traffic going through Pleasure Island instead of around it, Downtown Disney is a long walk, more than a half-mile from end to end – all outdoors.
• A broader mix of goods and activities is being rolled out, including the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, aimed at transforming little girls into fantasy princesses, and a new T-Rex restaurant – both at Mar-ketplace. "The more of an experience you create for a guest, the more time they will spend," Down-town Disney brand manager Richard Gregorie said.
• Shopping still focuses on Disney-brand merchandise, Gregorie said, but selections are growing for non-Disney items from outlets such as Team Mickey, the Virgin Megastore and Orlando Harley-Davidson.

Garry and Elaine Thompson, who were visiting recently from Gloucestershire, England, with their 15-year-old daughter and her friend, loved Downtown Disney but found the shopping thin. "The only thing was, we had to leave Disney to do any clothing shopping for the girls," Elaine Thompson said. "If you don't want something with Mickey Mouse on it, there's really not much here for them to choose."

Disney/Pixar's ‘Cars’ Premiere Is a Complete Sell-Out

2006-05-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

BURBANK, Calif. (PRNewswire) -- The World Premiere of Disney/Pixar's new computer-animated fea-ture, "Cars," on Friday, May 26th at Lowe's Motor Speedway at Charlotte, is a complete sell-out nearly one month before the event, with more than 30,000 fans racing to buy tickets, it was announced today. Pro-ceeds from the Premiere, which is sponsored by Kodak, will benefit Speedway Children's Charities, and Association of Hole in the Wall Camps. Disney CEO Bob Iger, Paul Newman (voice of Doc Hudson, a 1951 Hudson Hornet), "Cars" director John Lasseter, and racing legend Richard Petty (who voices a 1970 Plymouth Superbird called "The King" in the film), will be on hand for a special presentation to the two charities. Other voice talent from "Cars," including Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, and Larry the Cable Guy, along with some of the greatest names in racing history will also join in the festivities. "Cars" will be shown on four giant custom-built outdoor movie screens (115-feet wide and 50-feet tall) at Turn #2 of the famed superspeedway. With the first-ever multi-screen outdoor digital projection, utilizing twelve DLP Cinema projectors from Barco, Christie and NEC, and state-of-the-art sound, the film will look and sound its very best. The Disney/Pixar film "Cars" is set to open at theatres everywhere on June 9th.

Disney Earnings Rise 19 Percent

2006-05-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

BURBANK (AP) – Strong television ratings and increased theme park attendance helped profit at The Walt Disney Co. rise 12 percent in the second quarter, although the media conglomerate did report a drop in earnings at its film studio. The Burbank-based company on Tuesday reported net income of $733 mil-lion, or 37 cents per share, for the three months that ended April 1, compared with income of $657 million, or 31 cents per share, in the same period last year. Revenue grew to $8 billion from $7.8 billion in the same period last year. The results beat estimates of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial who had been expecting earnings of 31 cents per share.

• Operating income fell 39 percent at Disney's film studio while revenue decreased 22 percent to $1.8 billion. This year's DVD releases have not sold as well as the DVD of the Pixar Animation Studios hit "The Incredibles" in the same period last year. Studio performance should pick up in the second half of the year with the release of the latest Pixar film, "Cars" next month and the sequel to "Pirates of the Caribbean" in July, the company said.
• Home video revenue from the DVD release of "Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" will also be seen in the third quarter.
• The company's media networks division, which includes ABC and cable channels such as ESPN, delivered the best performance with a 20 percent jump in operating income and an 18 percent rise in revenue to $3.6 billion. Results were helped by higher subscriber fees at ESPN and rising advertising revenue at ABC, which continues its ratings comeback. That trend should continue as the network gets ready to negotiate new deals with advertisers for the fall schedule. ABC will present its lineup next week and expects strong increases in ad rates over last year, the company said.
• Attendance at Disneyland in California grew 15 percent in the quarter as the theme park's 50th anni-versary celebration winds down. Attendance at Walt Disney World in Florida rose a more modest 3 percent, Disney said. The company said it does not expect rising gas prices to lower attendance at its domestic parks. Attendance at Disney's latest park in Hong Kong has been lower than anticipated, but company executives said they still expect to hit their one-year goal of 5.6 million visitors.

Looking ahead, Staggs said the acquisition of Pixar Animation Studios Inc., which closed last week, will reduce earnings per share for the year by 10 cents, spread evenly over the next two quarters. Disney is-sued new shares to pay for the purchase. Iger confirmed that work on a sequel to Pixar's "Toy Story" franchise has begun, although no release date has been set. Iger also said he was pleased with the re-sponse to the free, advertising-supported streaming of TV shows on ABC.com. He said that option, which is in addition to the sale of ABC shows on Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes store, will continue past the original trial date of June 30. Disney may also join Warner Bros. in distributing its shows via a peer-to-peer computer network, Iger said. For the six months that ended April 1, Disney reported net income of $1.5 billion, or 74 cents per share, compared with $1.3 billion in the same period last year. Revenue in-creased to $16.9 billion from $16.5 billion in the first six months of 2005.