Thursday, April 13, 2006
Hong Kong Disney Stung by New Staff Complaints
HONG KONG (AFP) – Mickey Mouse and friends are not happy – at least the staff who wear the cartoon characters' costumes in Hong Kong's Disneyland aren't. The city's Disney theme park has been stung by yet more complaints when a staff union accused management of setting unfair pay scales and overwork-ing crew. The Hong Kong Disneyland Cast Members Union said the resort, which is majority owned by the Hong Kong government, was also being stingy on contracts and holiday entitlements. The union said staff employed to dress as Mickey and other famous characters and perform in the park's stage shows were paid up to 22 percent more than those who donned the same costumes in other parts of the park. "Although character performers in the parade section and meet-and-greet ... have similar roles and quali-fications as those of the show cast, their salaries differ unreasonably," the union said in a statement Sun-day. It also said the company had begun hiring staff on short-term contracts to avoid paying health and other benefits. Disney management were unavailable for comment. Staff formed the union late last year after many crew members complained of being exploited.
Italy's Cartoon Fest Fetes Roy Disney
POSITANO, Italy (Hollywood Reporter) – Roy Disney was given a lifetime achievement award at the 10th Car-toons on the Bay Festival on Thursday, which also featured the world premiere of the latest Asterix and Obelix film and the Italian premiere of the controversial Danish cartoon film "Terkel." The 76-year-old Disney was given the award for a career that started in 1954 as an assistant film editor. Disney, who produced "Fantasia 2000," the sequel to his uncle Walt Disney's 1940 classic, remains the company's director emeritus. Before receiving the award, Disney participated in a public showcase that included a rare screening of "Destino," an unlikely 1946 collaboration between Spanish surrealist painter Salvatore Dali and Walt Disney that was not completed until 2003. Disney announced that the eight-minute film, which was nominated for an Oscar in 2004, will be released along with documentary footage as a DVD later this year.
Conservation International & Disney Discover New Species
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (PRNewswire) – Scientists from Conservation International (CI) and Disney's Ani-mal Kingdom found a vast array of exotic wildlife – including plant and animal species previously unknown to science – during a two-month expedition to little-known regions in the shadow of Mount Everest. The discover-ies and observations announced today, coincident with opening of the Expedition Everest attraction at Walt Disney World Resort, included:
• a giant hornet so deadly, locals call it the 'Yak Killer';
• a beetle that buries birds and small rodents in subterranean crypts to feed its offspring;
• an endangered jumping mouse;
• and several new species of amphibians, insects and ants.
The scientific journey into the mountains of Southwest China and Nepal also included Walt Disney Imagineer-ing representatives who researched cultural beliefs related to the legend of the Yeti, a creature whose tradi-tional role as "protector of the sacred" has been integral to conservation in the region. Those beliefs inspired the story of Expedition Everest – which includes selected findings from the two-month expedition as part of the experience. Additionally, Jeff Corwin, host of Corwin's Quest, documented the Nepal expedition for broadcast on a special edition of his show "Corwin's Quest: Realm of the Yeti," premiering Saturday, April 15, from 8-10 PM (ET/PT) on Discovery's Animal Planet. The team of international and local scientists also documented a significant number of new, rare and endangered species – lending further proof to the importance of Tibetan 'Sacred Lands' as a source of environmental protection in the face of increasing population pressures. A select team from the mission also had the thrill of observing the world's only fully habituated troop of golden monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana), which is the region's largest living primate and the country's No. 2 flagship species after the giant panda. The full results from the expedition will be shared with numerous entities, such as the Chinese government, environmental organizations and scientists to develop conservation strategies to protect the unique species of the region. Joining CI, Disney, and Discovery were a number of local partners including the Sichuan Academy of Forestry, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Sichuan Regional Forestry Department, and The Mountain Institute in Nepal. Funding for the expedition was generously provided by Disney Wildlife Con-servation Fund (DWCF) and the Walt Disney Company.
• a giant hornet so deadly, locals call it the 'Yak Killer';
• a beetle that buries birds and small rodents in subterranean crypts to feed its offspring;
• an endangered jumping mouse;
• and several new species of amphibians, insects and ants.
The scientific journey into the mountains of Southwest China and Nepal also included Walt Disney Imagineer-ing representatives who researched cultural beliefs related to the legend of the Yeti, a creature whose tradi-tional role as "protector of the sacred" has been integral to conservation in the region. Those beliefs inspired the story of Expedition Everest – which includes selected findings from the two-month expedition as part of the experience. Additionally, Jeff Corwin, host of Corwin's Quest, documented the Nepal expedition for broadcast on a special edition of his show "Corwin's Quest: Realm of the Yeti," premiering Saturday, April 15, from 8-10 PM (ET/PT) on Discovery's Animal Planet. The team of international and local scientists also documented a significant number of new, rare and endangered species – lending further proof to the importance of Tibetan 'Sacred Lands' as a source of environmental protection in the face of increasing population pressures. A select team from the mission also had the thrill of observing the world's only fully habituated troop of golden monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana), which is the region's largest living primate and the country's No. 2 flagship species after the giant panda. The full results from the expedition will be shared with numerous entities, such as the Chinese government, environmental organizations and scientists to develop conservation strategies to protect the unique species of the region. Joining CI, Disney, and Discovery were a number of local partners including the Sichuan Academy of Forestry, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Sichuan Regional Forestry Department, and The Mountain Institute in Nepal. Funding for the expedition was generously provided by Disney Wildlife Con-servation Fund (DWCF) and the Walt Disney Company.
Buzz Enters Disneyland Paris
PARIS (World Leisure News) – Disneyland Paris in France will launch its newest attraction, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, this weekend. The interactive dark ride features a number of two-seater space cruisers fitted with dual laser pistols which riders can use to shoot targets and collect points. The ride is located in the park’s Dis-coveryland and is part of the park’s FastPass system, allowing guests to pre-book their place on the attraction for a specific time. Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast is the second in a series of new additions planned for Disney-land Paris, following the announcement last year that Disney is to invest 240m euro (£168m, US$315m) in new attractions over the next three years. As part of the investment program, Walt Disney Studios Park will see the opening of Toon Studios in 2007 and the Tower of Terror – a white-knuckle ride in a mysterious Holly-wood hotel – in 2008. “The launch of this ride is part of the multi-year expansion of our resort offering,” said Andre Lacroix, chief executive officer of Disneyland Paris. “Each year until 2008 we will be bringing more rides and attractions to our resort. These investments, combined with an innovative marketing and sales strategy should set the foundation for sustained and profitable growth.”
Monday, April 10, 2006
Walt Disney Ranks No. 63 on the 2006 FORTUNE 500
NEW YORK (FORTUNE Magazine) – Walt Disney Co. ranks no. 63 on this year's list of the FORTUNE 500, with $31,944 million in revenues, up 3.9% from the previous year. The Burbank, Calif.-based company was ranked no. 54 last year. This year, FORTUNE 500 companies overall brought in a record $9.1 trillion in revenues and $610 billion in profits. And while the economy as a whole grew 3.5% last year, FORTUNE 500 companies did much better, increasing their revenues by a healthy 15.4%. The FORTUNE 500 list is an annual ranking of America's largest corporations by revenues. Its companies employ more than 24 million people, about 16% of working Americans. The top 5 companies on this year's list are: Exxon Mobil, Wal-Mart Stores, General Motors, Chevron, and Ford Motor. The full list can be found here: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/full_list/
Tarzan Replaces Lottery with Student Rush Program
Cool.
NEW YORK (Playbill) – Disney Theatrical Productions has decided to cancel its previously announced lottery ticket program for Broadway's Tarzan in favor of a Student Rush Program, which will begin April 6. Student Rush tickets, priced at $20, will be available two hours prior to each performance of Tarzan at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. A student ID (any student up to and including the undergraduate level is eligible) is required, and there will be a limit of two tickets per person. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. About the new policy, Disney's Thomas Schumacher said in a statement, "After witnessing the success of the Lottery Program these past two weeks, I realized that I want to make affordable tickets to Tarzan available to as many students as possible. As someone who grew up wanting to see as much live theatre as I could, it is such a pleasure to be able to make these reduced price tickets available to students for Tarzan." Tarzan will officially open at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 West 46th Street, on May 10.
NEW YORK (Playbill) – Disney Theatrical Productions has decided to cancel its previously announced lottery ticket program for Broadway's Tarzan in favor of a Student Rush Program, which will begin April 6. Student Rush tickets, priced at $20, will be available two hours prior to each performance of Tarzan at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. A student ID (any student up to and including the undergraduate level is eligible) is required, and there will be a limit of two tickets per person. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. About the new policy, Disney's Thomas Schumacher said in a statement, "After witnessing the success of the Lottery Program these past two weeks, I realized that I want to make affordable tickets to Tarzan available to as many students as possible. As someone who grew up wanting to see as much live theatre as I could, it is such a pleasure to be able to make these reduced price tickets available to students for Tarzan." Tarzan will officially open at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 West 46th Street, on May 10.
Disney Honors Conservationists
LAKE BUENA VISTA (Orlando Sentinel) – A Nobel Peace Prize winner, a Monty Python founder, an actress and two well-known biologists will receive $100,000 conservation awards today at Walt Disney World. In awarding the $500,000 in grants at ceremonies tonight at Disney's Animal Kingdom, the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund will reach the $10 million mark in total contributions, according to Disney. The latest awards go to 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement in East Africa; comedian John Cleese, founder of Conservation Matters; actress Isabella Rossellini, active with the Andean Cat Alliance and other groups; elephant researcher Ian Douglas-Hamilton, founder of Save the Elephants; and primatologist Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute. "Animals have been a part of Disney history since Walt's first sketch of Bambi," Beth Stevens, vice president of Disney's Animal Kingdom, said in a written statement. "We selected these special individuals because each brings a personal passion to studying and saving endangered species and lands."
How do I keep missing stuff like this? It's like I live in Idaho. That's because nothing happens in Idaho, so I'm making an assertion that I may as well be there since I never take advantage of being here. Basically I'm saying that Idaho sucks.
I've never been to Idaho..because it sucks.
(John Cleese makes this cool).
How do I keep missing stuff like this? It's like I live in Idaho. That's because nothing happens in Idaho, so I'm making an assertion that I may as well be there since I never take advantage of being here. Basically I'm saying that Idaho sucks.
I've never been to Idaho..because it sucks.
(John Cleese makes this cool).
Notch Novelty Announces Disney License for "Cars" Products
REDLANDS, CA (Market Wire) – Notch Novelty Corporation, a manufacturer and distributor of unique sign products and novelty items, is pleased to announce the first orders of their successful Fuzzy Fun product line with designs from the new Disney/Pixar movie "Cars." Notch Novelty produces several Disney licensed products through a cooperative agreement with National Design Corporation of San Diego. The agreement currently allows production and distribution of Notch's Fuzzy artboard product line under several Disney brands. These brands include Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, the Princess Series, Tinkerbell, and now the much-anticipated Disney/Pixar movie, "Cars." Notch sales have been growing rapidly, partly fueled by the multiple Disney products now being produced. Revenue growth is expected to continue over the coming year as new products are currently in development.
Themed Camp for Scouts Built on Old Disney Site
HAYMARKET, Va. (AP) – A new camp for the Boy Scouts of America opens next month on the site near Haymarket where Disney tried to build a theme park 12 years ago. The $17 million project on 350 acres is one of the most expensive scouting construction projects in the nation. The National Capital Council will operate the camp for both Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts living in DC and 16 counties in Maryland and Vir-ginia. Officials say they wanted a camp closer to Washington so younger scouts can have an overnight camping experience. The council's next closest camp is three hours away. Disney sold the site in 1994 after scrapping plans for a US history theme park because of protests from residents and preservation-ists. The camp will preserve much of the site's natural state, but officials say it offers much more than the traditional rustic experience. It includes themed areas, including a Space Port with a Mars simulation.
Interesting.
Interesting.
Friday, April 07, 2006
Disney train to Vegas?
Washington Outlook
Edited by Mike McNamee
This Train Is Really Defying Gravity
If Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid has his way, someday a superfast hovering train will whisk tourists from family-friendly Disneyland to the what-happens-here-stays-here city, Las Vegas. But so far, the Nevada senator's fascination with magnetic levitation -- the futuristic technology that would power the train across the desert at 300 mph -- has managed only to levitate a steady stream of money out of the federal budget: $54 million and counting.
Few others are climbing aboard. The Transportation Dept. rejects MagLev for its steep price tag, which a 2005 study says eclipses the cost of current high-speed rail by "fourfold to ninefold." Even Nevada's other senator, Republican John Ensign, questions the value of spending an estimated $12 billion or more on a 269-mile Anaheim-to-Vegas train line.
But Reid has pressed ahead, earmarking $9 million between 2000 and 2004 and winning a $45 million authorization in last year's federal transportation bill. It's just one small example of how congressional leaders can keep projects alive and how difficult it will be for reformers to stamp out earmarks -- the hidden pots of cash that lawmakers tuck into spending bills for favorite projects or constituents.
MagLev, which uses the attraction and repulsion of powerful magnets to power a train hovering inches off the track, enjoyed a brief burst of federal support in the 1990s. Clintonites praised it as a new and efficient option for short-range travel. But since 2001 the Bush Administration has not sought funding for MagLev projects. "The Administration believes that the money could be better spent on other transportation needs," says Steven Kulm, a Federal Railroad Administration spokesman.
But with Reid's help, MagLev boosters have kept hope alive. So far, they've spent $7 million on preconstruction engineering studies, and they're pushing for Congress to appropriate the $45 million it O.K.'d last year. The California-Nevada Super Speed Train Commission wants to leverage federal dollars with tax-exempt bonds and private equity. It has partnered with American Magline Group, many of whose corporate members -- General Atomics, Hirschfeld Steel, and Parsons Transportation Group, among others -- would help build the high-speed train.
Backers argue that the project is crucial for the future of transportation. "I don't know if anyone accused President Eisenhower of pork when he created the interstate highway system," says Neil Cummings, president of American Magline. Jim Manley, a spokesman for Reid, says a high-speed train would ease congestion at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport. "It's a good project," says Manley.
Nonsense, says Keith Ashdown, vice-president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a group that tries to limit federal spending. MagLev is "a train to nowhere," says Ashdown. "We're wasting tens of millions of dollars on a project that nobody believes will be built except Harry Reid."
But Reid's faith in MagLev has been a plus for him: Companies and individuals tied to the project have given him $28,749 in campaign funds since 1999, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. And with Ensign facing his first reelection campaign, MagLev fans are opening their checkbooks for him, to the tune of $23,248. For now, MagLev keeps hovering along.
By Eamon Javers
This looks cool.
Edited by Mike McNamee
This Train Is Really Defying Gravity
If Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid has his way, someday a superfast hovering train will whisk tourists from family-friendly Disneyland to the what-happens-here-stays-here city, Las Vegas. But so far, the Nevada senator's fascination with magnetic levitation -- the futuristic technology that would power the train across the desert at 300 mph -- has managed only to levitate a steady stream of money out of the federal budget: $54 million and counting.
Few others are climbing aboard. The Transportation Dept. rejects MagLev for its steep price tag, which a 2005 study says eclipses the cost of current high-speed rail by "fourfold to ninefold." Even Nevada's other senator, Republican John Ensign, questions the value of spending an estimated $12 billion or more on a 269-mile Anaheim-to-Vegas train line.
But Reid has pressed ahead, earmarking $9 million between 2000 and 2004 and winning a $45 million authorization in last year's federal transportation bill. It's just one small example of how congressional leaders can keep projects alive and how difficult it will be for reformers to stamp out earmarks -- the hidden pots of cash that lawmakers tuck into spending bills for favorite projects or constituents.
MagLev, which uses the attraction and repulsion of powerful magnets to power a train hovering inches off the track, enjoyed a brief burst of federal support in the 1990s. Clintonites praised it as a new and efficient option for short-range travel. But since 2001 the Bush Administration has not sought funding for MagLev projects. "The Administration believes that the money could be better spent on other transportation needs," says Steven Kulm, a Federal Railroad Administration spokesman.
But with Reid's help, MagLev boosters have kept hope alive. So far, they've spent $7 million on preconstruction engineering studies, and they're pushing for Congress to appropriate the $45 million it O.K.'d last year. The California-Nevada Super Speed Train Commission wants to leverage federal dollars with tax-exempt bonds and private equity. It has partnered with American Magline Group, many of whose corporate members -- General Atomics, Hirschfeld Steel, and Parsons Transportation Group, among others -- would help build the high-speed train.
Backers argue that the project is crucial for the future of transportation. "I don't know if anyone accused President Eisenhower of pork when he created the interstate highway system," says Neil Cummings, president of American Magline. Jim Manley, a spokesman for Reid, says a high-speed train would ease congestion at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport. "It's a good project," says Manley.
Nonsense, says Keith Ashdown, vice-president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a group that tries to limit federal spending. MagLev is "a train to nowhere," says Ashdown. "We're wasting tens of millions of dollars on a project that nobody believes will be built except Harry Reid."
But Reid's faith in MagLev has been a plus for him: Companies and individuals tied to the project have given him $28,749 in campaign funds since 1999, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. And with Ensign facing his first reelection campaign, MagLev fans are opening their checkbooks for him, to the tune of $23,248. For now, MagLev keeps hovering along.
By Eamon Javers
This looks cool.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
More Yeti goodness...
A Yeti Welcoming
ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) – Disney chief Bob Iger will be in town this week for the official opening of Expedition Everest at the Animal Kingdom. I'm told he's ridden the fancy coaster, but no word on how many times. Michael Eisner, his predecessor, was a big fan of thrill rides and rode Mission: Space at Epcot 20 times when it was still in development. We'll see if Iger takes another Everest spin during this visit. Seems like he'd want to try out the merchandise: Disney spent a reported $100 million to get the Everest ride opened. Also in town for the Everest grand opening this week: Famed primatologist Jane Goodall; actress Isabella Rossellini and British comedian John Cleese. (Can't say whether the Monty Python funnyman will silly-walk his way through the Animal Kingdom.) The three will be honored for their commitment to wildlife conservation.
Ahahahahaha! That part in red is really funny. Give me a minute to wipe the tears. Is this an Op-ed piece? Informational, yet hardly supportive of the compnay that pays most of the bills in Orlando. Once again, the Sentinel reminds us that if you can't be anti-Disney without good reason, you can at least be 'non-Disney'.
God, I hate the Sentinel. The only cool thing is watching the printing press.Yeti Goodness...
Yeti Officially Joins Animal Kingdom
(ABC News) – The Yeti — better-known as the Abominable Snowman — is getting a boost that Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster can only dream about – status as the first legendary creature among the real-life menagerie at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Disney's biggest ride yet, "Expedition Everest," a 20-story, white-knuckle roller coaster spin officially opens April 7 — and those who ardently believe in the possibility of unicorns and other mythic creatures are happy to announce that the $100 million attraction won't be located in Fantasyland, but in a spot that Disney World created to honor lions, tigers and other exotic animals. While Disney isn't officially endorsing the existence of the Yeti, the fabled beast has an honored spot that goes back centuries as a protector of the Himalayas against unwelcome intruders, and that fits Animal Kingdom's spirit as a sanctuary, said Joe Rohde, Walt Disney Imagineering executive designer. Rohde's team created what is now Florida's tallest peak, sculpted from 1,800 tons of steel, covering more than six acres. More than 8,000 authentic artifacts that document the ancient culture were imported for a museum that tracks the Yeti through ancient tapestries and modern works. And the team planted more than 900 bamboo plants and 10 species of trees to enhance the massive ride. Still, "Expedition Everest" is first and foremost a thrill ride. Disney guests board a runaway train from Serka Zong village that pushes through the mountains issuing faint warnings about a great, apelike beast as it plunges through an 80-foot fall. But unlike any other roller coaster, tracks ripped to shreds force the ride to an abrupt halt. Then, backward you plunge along a new course as the great Yeti, a mere shadow at first, takes over the ride. And before you step off, you'll whiz by a mammoth-size replica of the beast.
While hardly a month goes by without a Bigfoot sighting in North America — and the Loch Ness Monster still draws tourists to Scotland — the Yeti is much more engrained in Nepalese legend. Tales of the Abominable Snowman first appeared in the West as far back as 1925, when Greek photographer N.A. Tombazi snapped some shots of a creature on the lower slopes of the Himalayas. Curious tracks were later found by British expeditions lead by Eric Shipton and Michael Ward in the early 1950s. Each track was 13 inches wide and some 18 inches long, and could not be identified by scientists. Even on Sir Edmund Hillary's trek up Mount Everest in 1953, some giant footprints were found along the way. Though in his travels, Hillary reported no convincing proof of the Yeti's existence. While Disney's Animal Kingdom has long claimed to honor an array of beasts "from dinos to rhinos," the Yeti will be the first creature that — up to now, at least — exists more in cultural history than reality. Back in 1978, Disneyland added a yellow-eyed, 7-foot Abominable Snowman to its Matterhorn Bobsled trip in California. But seeing the creature in the Animal Kingdom, alongside real wildlife, is a major boost to those who one day hope to prove its existence.
(ABC News) – The Yeti — better-known as the Abominable Snowman — is getting a boost that Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster can only dream about – status as the first legendary creature among the real-life menagerie at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Disney's biggest ride yet, "Expedition Everest," a 20-story, white-knuckle roller coaster spin officially opens April 7 — and those who ardently believe in the possibility of unicorns and other mythic creatures are happy to announce that the $100 million attraction won't be located in Fantasyland, but in a spot that Disney World created to honor lions, tigers and other exotic animals. While Disney isn't officially endorsing the existence of the Yeti, the fabled beast has an honored spot that goes back centuries as a protector of the Himalayas against unwelcome intruders, and that fits Animal Kingdom's spirit as a sanctuary, said Joe Rohde, Walt Disney Imagineering executive designer. Rohde's team created what is now Florida's tallest peak, sculpted from 1,800 tons of steel, covering more than six acres. More than 8,000 authentic artifacts that document the ancient culture were imported for a museum that tracks the Yeti through ancient tapestries and modern works. And the team planted more than 900 bamboo plants and 10 species of trees to enhance the massive ride. Still, "Expedition Everest" is first and foremost a thrill ride. Disney guests board a runaway train from Serka Zong village that pushes through the mountains issuing faint warnings about a great, apelike beast as it plunges through an 80-foot fall. But unlike any other roller coaster, tracks ripped to shreds force the ride to an abrupt halt. Then, backward you plunge along a new course as the great Yeti, a mere shadow at first, takes over the ride. And before you step off, you'll whiz by a mammoth-size replica of the beast.
While hardly a month goes by without a Bigfoot sighting in North America — and the Loch Ness Monster still draws tourists to Scotland — the Yeti is much more engrained in Nepalese legend. Tales of the Abominable Snowman first appeared in the West as far back as 1925, when Greek photographer N.A. Tombazi snapped some shots of a creature on the lower slopes of the Himalayas. Curious tracks were later found by British expeditions lead by Eric Shipton and Michael Ward in the early 1950s. Each track was 13 inches wide and some 18 inches long, and could not be identified by scientists. Even on Sir Edmund Hillary's trek up Mount Everest in 1953, some giant footprints were found along the way. Though in his travels, Hillary reported no convincing proof of the Yeti's existence. While Disney's Animal Kingdom has long claimed to honor an array of beasts "from dinos to rhinos," the Yeti will be the first creature that — up to now, at least — exists more in cultural history than reality. Back in 1978, Disneyland added a yellow-eyed, 7-foot Abominable Snowman to its Matterhorn Bobsled trip in California. But seeing the creature in the Animal Kingdom, alongside real wildlife, is a major boost to those who one day hope to prove its existence.
Epcot is Rolling Out 2nd Segway Tour
(Orlando Sentinel) – More Disney visitors soon will be scooting around Epcot on Segway transporters in the morning before the park gate opens to the general public. For a couple of years, Walt Disney World has given Epcot visitors two options to ride Segways – the two-wheeled, electric scooters that people stand on as they ride. The big ride is a two-hour spin, including an hour of training indoors and an hour-long guided tour of Epcot's World Showcase. That tour, which costs $80 a person, proved popular enough that Disney is adding a second, starting Friday. Disney also offers a $45 one-hour version that's all indoors, during midday. To accommodate the additional Segway traffic, Disney has built a new, larger indoor riding and training area, in the Innoventions West building. It replaces the old Segway station at Club Cool.
This is a cool idea. I got to ride one before park opening in Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom once and it was a really unique experience.
This is a cool idea. I got to ride one before park opening in Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom once and it was a really unique experience.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Walt's Dream come true?
Flickr goodness...
"We believed in our idea - a family park where parents and children could have fun- together."
AP Wire | 03/21/2006 | Mickey Mouse gets ready for Disney's European cruise vacation
AP Wire 03/21/2006 Mickey Mouse gets ready for Disney's European cruise vacation: "Mickey Mouse gets ready for Disney's European cruise vacation
KELLI KENNEDY
Associated Press
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Mickey Mouse is going on a European vacation in the summer of 2007.
The Disney Cruise Line will sail to Italy, France and Spain from May to August 2007 as part of a larger strategy to 'chart new waters,' company officials announced Tuesday.
The Disney Magic will offer eight alternating 10-night and 11-night Mediterranean cruises, departing from Barcelona, Spain, and stopping in eight European cities.
Traveling through Europe can be daunting, especially with small children, company President Tom McAlpin said. A Disney cruise takes the guesswork out of what cities to hit, where to eat and what shows to see, he said.
'The cruise takes care of all of that and people trust Disney. At the end of the day you know you're coming back to the ship and having five-star dining, great entertainment and you know your kids are going to have a good time,' he said.
Disney is considering expanding beyond its two ships, which have been successful since they began operating Caribbean voyages in 1998. But 'it's not the right time now,' McAlpin said.
But the European expansion will have little impact on the cruise industry overall, an analyst said. Major players such as Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. already operate in Europe with cruise lines that cater specifically to European vacationers.
Even if the unit of The Walt Disney Co. decided to add a few new ships, it would pale in comparison to the 16 ships industry leader Carnival will add in the next four years on top of its 80 ship fleet, said Craig Parmelee, a credit analyst for Standar"....
Sure it's old news, but it's still fun to read about.
KELLI KENNEDY
Associated Press
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Mickey Mouse is going on a European vacation in the summer of 2007.
The Disney Cruise Line will sail to Italy, France and Spain from May to August 2007 as part of a larger strategy to 'chart new waters,' company officials announced Tuesday.
The Disney Magic will offer eight alternating 10-night and 11-night Mediterranean cruises, departing from Barcelona, Spain, and stopping in eight European cities.
Traveling through Europe can be daunting, especially with small children, company President Tom McAlpin said. A Disney cruise takes the guesswork out of what cities to hit, where to eat and what shows to see, he said.
'The cruise takes care of all of that and people trust Disney. At the end of the day you know you're coming back to the ship and having five-star dining, great entertainment and you know your kids are going to have a good time,' he said.
Disney is considering expanding beyond its two ships, which have been successful since they began operating Caribbean voyages in 1998. But 'it's not the right time now,' McAlpin said.
But the European expansion will have little impact on the cruise industry overall, an analyst said. Major players such as Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. already operate in Europe with cruise lines that cater specifically to European vacationers.
Even if the unit of The Walt Disney Co. decided to add a few new ships, it would pale in comparison to the 16 ships industry leader Carnival will add in the next four years on top of its 80 ship fleet, said Craig Parmelee, a credit analyst for Standar"....
Sure it's old news, but it's still fun to read about.
Mickey U : Lifelong Fan Studies at Disney
ATHENS, Ohio (The Ironton Tribune) – One of the clearest childhood memories Ohio University Southern student Susanna Harding has is leaving Disneyland in her native California. “I remember walking out of the park every day saying ‘Wouldn’t it be fun if I could work here … if I could live here?’” Harding said. “Nobody could have told me that when I would go to college someday I would get my chance to work at not Disneyland but a bigger park: Walt Disney World. It’s been my life’s dream to work for Disney.” The early childhood development major is one of the thousands of students who have participated in the Disney College program, where students can not only work at the happiest place on earth, but they can also pick up a couple of hours of college credit. The park will be interviewing its latest round of potential “cast members” April 10 and 11 at Ohio University’s main campus in Athens. For Harding, a lifelong Disney fanatic, the experience of a summer working in Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn and Café – one of the Magic Kingdom’s busiest restaurants – is hard to put in to words. “It was so wonderful, it truly is where magic lives,” Harding said. “The magic that we created for every guest every day was totally what I needed. It made me happy, and I learned so much from it.” Harding spent most of her 100-degree-weather days serving up Kit Carson Chicken Salad and Slue Foot Sue’s Sweetheart of a Deal in her floor-length blue skirt, floral apron, and frilly white shirt. “I looked like I took yodeling classes in the afternoon,” Harding said. In between her shifts as a server, Harding was also educating herself with a class in experiential learning – a study in the way that different sorts of people process information – for which she earned three college credits. Harding said that she loved her summer so much, she plans to head back. She’ll be trying out for an alumni program later this year.
Chicken Little Makers Quit Disney
(ContactMusic) – Randy Fullmer, who produced Disney's Chicken Little, and Mark Dindal, who directed it, have quietly quit the company, the animation website O-meon.com reported. In an interview, both Fullmer and Dindal denied that the takeover of Disney's animation business by Pixar execs played any part in their decision to leave. Fullmer said that he just wanted to "do my own things for awhile," adding: "It was great to work with 400 people in that sort of collaborative thing but it would just be nice to go back and be an individual artist for awhile." Dindal said that he was interested in making a film combining live action with animation. "I started to save up some money so that I could strike out for about a year and see what I could do as far as trying to get a film along those lines." He did not indicate whether he had approached Disney about such a project.
Sure. Voluntarily leaving what is now the most powerful animation studio on the planet makes a lot of sense.
Sure. Voluntarily leaving what is now the most powerful animation studio on the planet makes a lot of sense.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Some Discounted Tarzan Seats Offer Partial View
NEW YORK (Playbill) – “Partial view" is not a new concept to the theatre. But usually the term refers to seats to the far right or left of a theatre without a complete view of the stage, or chairs whose sightlines are obstructed by a post or pillar. With Disney's Tarzan, however, the view producers are talking about is the one over your head. Four orchestra rows of the Richard Rodgers Theatre, the home of Tarzan, offer a slightly obstructed view of the production. Some of the action in the musical, which is currently in previews and will officially open May 10, occurs high above the stage and is not visible to theatregoers in the last four rows of the orchestra. Ticket buyers are warned that these seats are "partial view" prior to purchase, whether they are buying by phone, on-line or in person at the Richard Rodgers Theatre box office. Chris Boneau, a press representative for the show, said that viewers in the aforementioned four rows are probably missing no more than a few minutes worth of action. Boneau says that the situation is similar to another Disney musical, The Lion King, which plays the New Amsterdam Theatre. "If you see The Lion King from upstairs in the New Amsterdam, you don't see the elephants come in until they get up on the stage."
Thank God we still have the Tarzan Rocks! show at Disney's Animal Kingdom....or not.
Thank God we still have the Tarzan Rocks! show at Disney's Animal Kingdom....or not.
Heart Patient on ABC's 'Miracle Workers' Dies
LOS ANGELES (AP) – A woman whose fight against heart failure was chronicled for ABC's reality series "Miracle Workers" died of complications following the last-ditch use of an experimental artificial heart pump. Priscilla "Prissy" Benoit, 56, of Lake Charles, La., whose heart was severely damaged by chemotherapy for breast cancer, received the titanium Jarvik pump last fall. She died March 22 at a Houston hospital after a series of setbacks, including a stroke and pneumonia. Her story will be shown on Monday's episode of "Miracle Workers," with an audience advisory signaling the unusual outcome for a program that typically delivers help and happy endings for the seriously ill. Dr. Billy Cohn, who is regularly featured on the series and already was treating Benoit when she agreed to be filmed, said the pump represented her only chance for survival. Its use for Benoit required U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. She consented to the operation after other treatments either proved ineffective or inappropriate, Cohn said. A heart transplant, for example, was ruled out because of her relatively recent cancer. Her treatment was not altered because of the TV series, Cohn said. The decision to show the episode came after Benoit's husband of 14 years, Jerry Primeaux, gave his approval, ABC and the series' producers said. "I want the episode to air. Prissy would want it to air," Primeaux said in a statement released through the network. "I still have faith in the Jarvik pump. ... It kept my Prissy with me for a little longer. I still have faith in all those doctors." "We knew exactly what we were getting into," Primeaux added. "We knew there could be complications. I would like this episode to be a tribute to Priscilla and her courage and her fight." David Garfinkle and Jay Renfroe, executive producers for the series, said they felt a responsibility to air Benoit's battle. She is last shown at home in early March, appearing to have made significant progress. Her death is explained on-camera by Cohn. The episode marks an unusual step for reality shows that offer help ranging from a makeover to a new house to good health, said Robert Thompson of Syracuse University's Center for the Study of Popular Television. "Miracle Workers" is disproving the idea that "by being tapped by a reality TV show, somehow everything is going to be all better," he said.
Narnia Takes Disney’s Box-Office Record
LONDON (Reuters) – “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" has out-stripped "Toy Story 2" as Disney's biggest UK hit at the box office, Disney Home Video said on Thursday. "Narnia" has grossed £44.4 million in the UK to date, trumping the previous record of £44.3 million held by the 1999 blockbuster "Toy Story 2." "Narnia", which hit the big screen in 2005, follows the adventures of four children who find a portal in the back of a wardrobe to a magical world, where they fight the evil White Witch with the help of a noble lion named Aslan. The film is based on C.S. Lewis's 1950 novel, which remains one of the best-loved children's books. Over 100 million copies of the Narnia book titles have been sold worldwide. Disney said it also expects strong sales of the DVD, due to be released on April 3. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" has taken $403.5 million (£232 million) to date at the world box-office.
Pixar needs to get with the program and stop making such flops like Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. :)
Pixar needs to get with the program and stop making such flops like Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. :)
Disney Parks to Grow Volume 2-3%
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Walt Disney Co. expects its US theme park volume to rise 2 percent to 3 percent annually even after the end of its 50th anniversary promotion, parks division Chief Financial Officer Jim Hunt told an investor conference on Wednesday. Disney's theme park arm, which accounts for about a quarter of its operating income, expects to realize savings from using more part-time employees and from managing benefits across its 11 parks, Hunt said. Disney's parks and resorts profit rose 51 percent to $375 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2006 as Hong Kong Disneyland posted its first full quarter of operations and the Disneyland 50th anniversary promotion spurred business at U.S. parks. The 18-month global promotion, which began last May, should drive traffic to the parks once the celebration has concluded, Hunt said. "The attractions which (consumers) view during this celebration will be available for guests to enjoy not only during 2005 and 2006 but for many years to come," Hunt said. Parks and resort employees, who account for about 70 percent of Disney's work force, will see a larger number of part-time workers providing more flexibility as attendance varies, Hunt said. "We adjust our mix of full- and part-time hours and, moving forward, expect to increase our part-time labor. While I'm only talking about several percentage points of shifts here, the results are expected to be significant," Hunt said. Labor and benefits initiatives were expected to be "significant contributors to cost productivity over the next several years," he said. Hunt also pledged that domestic capital expenditures at parks and resorts, which totaled $726 million in 2005, would stay below $1 billion in the foreseeable future.
Yeah, I would hope so.
Yeah, I would hope so.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
A Disney Artist on the Future of Animation
(Rocky Mountain News) – After seeing his first animated movie – Disney's "Jungle Book" – at the age of 10, Andreas Deja wrote to the Walt Disney Studios about a job. To his delight, he got a letter back, encouraging him to study and "become an artist in your own right first," Deja recalled. A decade or so later, after completing his art training in his native Germany, Deja went to work as a Disney animator. Deja, 49, led the animation team for the recent DVD release of Disney's "Bambi II." Even after all these years, he said, "I always get a rush when I see my drawings move for the first time." Deja has had a hand in many Disney features over the years, including "The Lion King," "Lilo and Stitch" and the 1988 hybrid animation-live action movie, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," made in the days before computer-generated animation. But while computer animation has become more realistic, he noted, the medium is due for a change. It needs "more of a vision than just realism." He sees the future of animation as a "fusion" of cutting-edge computer animation and classic hand drawing. "I see big possibilities in the blending of the two mediums." Deja's next project is a new Disney feature called "Enchanted." The first 10 minutes are an animated "homage to fairy tales," he said, that will shift to live action for the rest of the movie. Deja is animating the witch character, to be voiced and acted by Susan Sarandon. "Enchanted" is scheduled to debut sometime next year.
I met Andreas a few years ago in Orlando and we talked about the future of animation. He has always maintained that traditional 2-d, hand-drawn animation can go further and his dream was to one day go back to the roots and make a classic animated film from the ground up, using all the old school techniques. I doubt that will ever happen today, but it seems like he is still holding on to the idea that 2-d animation will always have a legitimate place in story telling.
I met Andreas a few years ago in Orlando and we talked about the future of animation. He has always maintained that traditional 2-d, hand-drawn animation can go further and his dream was to one day go back to the roots and make a classic animated film from the ground up, using all the old school techniques. I doubt that will ever happen today, but it seems like he is still holding on to the idea that 2-d animation will always have a legitimate place in story telling.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Disney Sells Some of Its World
No wonder nobody built there before. Disney was holding out.
ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) – Walt Disney World is selling off chunks of excess land on the fringes of its empire, allowing developers to pursue their own real-estate magic. Disney recently sold 53 acres on Sherberth Road south of Disney's Animal Kingdom to a developer who wants to build hundreds of vacation town homes and condominium units, and another 47 acres on Reams Road, north of the Magic Kingdom, to a home builder. Another 30 acres is for sale on U.S. Highway 192. And more may be put on the market as soon as the company re-evaluates its vast land holdings in Central Florida, particularly parcels on the far edges. Disney owns 27,000 acres in southwest Orange and northwest Osceola counties, most of it purchased in the 1960s when Walt Disney stealthily assembled his holdings before the public learned of his plans to build Disney World. The new deals may illustrate a shift in thinking for Disney. Andrea Finger, spokeswoman for Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney's park planning division, said the 47-acre deal Disney made in December and the 53-acre deal in February are the first for the company in a while, other than land in the Little Lake Bryan and Celebration planned communities. Disney is not talking about the 30-acre tract, except to say it is in contract. Yet Disney asked its government agency, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, to de-annex the property, which is on U.S. 192, west of the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) – Walt Disney World is selling off chunks of excess land on the fringes of its empire, allowing developers to pursue their own real-estate magic. Disney recently sold 53 acres on Sherberth Road south of Disney's Animal Kingdom to a developer who wants to build hundreds of vacation town homes and condominium units, and another 47 acres on Reams Road, north of the Magic Kingdom, to a home builder. Another 30 acres is for sale on U.S. Highway 192. And more may be put on the market as soon as the company re-evaluates its vast land holdings in Central Florida, particularly parcels on the far edges. Disney owns 27,000 acres in southwest Orange and northwest Osceola counties, most of it purchased in the 1960s when Walt Disney stealthily assembled his holdings before the public learned of his plans to build Disney World. The new deals may illustrate a shift in thinking for Disney. Andrea Finger, spokeswoman for Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney's park planning division, said the 47-acre deal Disney made in December and the 53-acre deal in February are the first for the company in a while, other than land in the Little Lake Bryan and Celebration planned communities. Disney is not talking about the 30-acre tract, except to say it is in contract. Yet Disney asked its government agency, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, to de-annex the property, which is on U.S. 192, west of the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Chairman Rules Out Disney Park in Mideast
DUBAI (Khaleej Times Online) – Disney will not be establishing a park in Dubai or, in fact, anywhere in the Middle East anytime soon, said James Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts speaking to Khaleej Times, during the IAA Congress. "When deciding on a location, we have to look at the size of economy and the distribution of income. We are a premium tourism product and we need certain characteristics. I don't see the Middle East today as a market that is quite ready for that, but I never say never," he said. However, India fulfils some of those requirements. He said: "There is a still a fundamental evolution of infrastructure that has to occur so that people can get to a single destination with the footprint that we would like to develop. Today that footprint is not in place." But that will not be the case forever, he added. "If you look at the population and economic realities of India, it is possible one day, but that day is not now." China is a slightly different matter. Although Hong Kong recently opened a Disney Resort, he sees the establishment of a second resort in China as a real possibility. "Someday I imagine that due to the sheer geography of China, a growing economy and population there may be a second destination in China," he said. But not in coming years. "We look with great anticipation to be able to deliver our very special formula and entertainment to all of the markets that can support it," he said.
As one of the world's most global and successful brands, the reason for Disney's success is simple. "The basic principles of global brands come back, not shockingly, to consumer insights," said Rasulo. "If a brand does not speak to consumer need it will not be a global brand. It will simply be a globally distributed local brand." He said companies that have been successful in establishing a global brand speak to universal human values and the need to belong to communities. Rasulo explained that the branding is so consistent and universal that research shows that people all over the world see the Disney brand in the same way, "whether in a living room in Southern China or in California, where they have grown up with Disneyland," he said. He said the words that are consistently used to describe the Disney experience are magical, wonder and imagination, and phrases like: "Where my dreams can come true." "And we have built our brand around this," he said.
As one of the world's most global and successful brands, the reason for Disney's success is simple. "The basic principles of global brands come back, not shockingly, to consumer insights," said Rasulo. "If a brand does not speak to consumer need it will not be a global brand. It will simply be a globally distributed local brand." He said companies that have been successful in establishing a global brand speak to universal human values and the need to belong to communities. Rasulo explained that the branding is so consistent and universal that research shows that people all over the world see the Disney brand in the same way, "whether in a living room in Southern China or in California, where they have grown up with Disneyland," he said. He said the words that are consistently used to describe the Disney experience are magical, wonder and imagination, and phrases like: "Where my dreams can come true." "And we have built our brand around this," he said.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Peace Reigns at Disneyland
Whew!
ANAHEIM (Contact Music) – Ending the threat of a possible strike that could have shut down the Walt Disney Co.'s Disneyland park, the Disneyland Master Services Council of Unions, representing nearly 4,600 "cast members," announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement on a new contract. The union and Disneyland execs had been negotiating under the guidance of a federal mediator since March 15, when the previous contract expired. The union invited members to vote on the new agreement on Saturday in Millionaire Theatre in Disney's California Adventure Park.
ANAHEIM (Contact Music) – Ending the threat of a possible strike that could have shut down the Walt Disney Co.'s Disneyland park, the Disneyland Master Services Council of Unions, representing nearly 4,600 "cast members," announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement on a new contract. The union and Disneyland execs had been negotiating under the guidance of a federal mediator since March 15, when the previous contract expired. The union invited members to vote on the new agreement on Saturday in Millionaire Theatre in Disney's California Adventure Park.
'Toy Story' Creator Lasseter Gears Up for Animated 'Cars'
NEWSFLASH: John Lasseter likes Disney..which is nice, since he's in charge of a lot of it now. He also likes cars, which is also nice, since he just directed a movie about them.
LAS VEGAS (AP) – John Lasseter's latest flick combines his two lifelong loves:
The animated and automotive worlds. The director of the "Toy Story" movies and "A Bug's Life" and a prime creator behind "Monsters, Inc.", "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles," Lasseter returns with "Cars," the animated story of a haughty race car that gets a lesson on life in the slow lane. For Lasseter – who premiered the film Tuesday night at ShoWest, an annual theater owners convention – “Cars" rolled off the assembly line of his childhood. His mom was an art teacher whose work helped forge his early fascination with animation, while his dad ran the parts department at a Chevrolet dealership in Whittier, Calif., where Lasseter worked weekends growing up in the heyday of muscular Camaros and Corvettes. "I've always loved cars," Lasseter, 49, told The Associated Press. "I'm a gear-head and wanted to do a film about cars, like putting the two sides of my life, my two loves, together." "Cars" also is a reflection of the real-life lessons he learned about making time for family and friends amid his professional success. After a hectic run making "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life" and "Toy Story 2," a time when he and his wife also had four sons, Lasseter decided to pull over for a rest stop. Lasseter's wife warned him that if he kept up the work pace, he would wake up one day realizing their boys had all gone off to college and he had missed their childhood. So Lasseter figured it was time for a summer road trip, just him and the family. "We got so close as a family. We loved every single minute of it, and I came back from that journey and I knew what I wanted this movie to be about. It's about a character that learns the journey in life is the reward," said Lasseter, the key creative force behind Pixar Animation, which is being acquired by its longtime distribution partner Disney. "Cars" debuts in theaters June 9. The ShoWest screening also featured a showing of Pixar's Oscar-nominated short film "One Man Band" and a trailer for the company's next computer-animated flick, 2007's "Ratatouille," about a gourmand rat seeking fine eats in Paris.
Once Disney's buyout of Pixar is completed, Lasseter will become chief creative officer for animation at both companies and principal creative adviser for Walt Disney Imagineering, which designs the company's theme-park attractions. Lasseter said he and Ed Catmull, the Pixar executive who will be president of the companies' combined animation studios, plan to split their time between Disney in Burbank and Pixar in Northern California. The change marks a homecoming for Lasseter, who caught the animation bug in his youth from the classic cartoons Walt Disney created. At the California Institute for the Arts, where he earned a film degree, Lasseter studied under former Disney artists and worked as an animator for Disney early in his career. "I've got Disney blood in my veins," Lasseter said. "Walt Disney is the reason I do what I do. I believe so strongly in making what he believed in, which is making family films that are not just for kids. They're for everybody, and that's one of the things I'm so incredibly proud of in the track record at Pixar. We're so proud because all the family loves these things. Even teenagers and young adults who don't have kids love our films. That's the testament, and that's what I believe Walt Disney always believed in, too."
LAS VEGAS (AP) – John Lasseter's latest flick combines his two lifelong loves:
The animated and automotive worlds. The director of the "Toy Story" movies and "A Bug's Life" and a prime creator behind "Monsters, Inc.", "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles," Lasseter returns with "Cars," the animated story of a haughty race car that gets a lesson on life in the slow lane. For Lasseter – who premiered the film Tuesday night at ShoWest, an annual theater owners convention – “Cars" rolled off the assembly line of his childhood. His mom was an art teacher whose work helped forge his early fascination with animation, while his dad ran the parts department at a Chevrolet dealership in Whittier, Calif., where Lasseter worked weekends growing up in the heyday of muscular Camaros and Corvettes. "I've always loved cars," Lasseter, 49, told The Associated Press. "I'm a gear-head and wanted to do a film about cars, like putting the two sides of my life, my two loves, together." "Cars" also is a reflection of the real-life lessons he learned about making time for family and friends amid his professional success. After a hectic run making "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life" and "Toy Story 2," a time when he and his wife also had four sons, Lasseter decided to pull over for a rest stop. Lasseter's wife warned him that if he kept up the work pace, he would wake up one day realizing their boys had all gone off to college and he had missed their childhood. So Lasseter figured it was time for a summer road trip, just him and the family. "We got so close as a family. We loved every single minute of it, and I came back from that journey and I knew what I wanted this movie to be about. It's about a character that learns the journey in life is the reward," said Lasseter, the key creative force behind Pixar Animation, which is being acquired by its longtime distribution partner Disney. "Cars" debuts in theaters June 9. The ShoWest screening also featured a showing of Pixar's Oscar-nominated short film "One Man Band" and a trailer for the company's next computer-animated flick, 2007's "Ratatouille," about a gourmand rat seeking fine eats in Paris.
Once Disney's buyout of Pixar is completed, Lasseter will become chief creative officer for animation at both companies and principal creative adviser for Walt Disney Imagineering, which designs the company's theme-park attractions. Lasseter said he and Ed Catmull, the Pixar executive who will be president of the companies' combined animation studios, plan to split their time between Disney in Burbank and Pixar in Northern California. The change marks a homecoming for Lasseter, who caught the animation bug in his youth from the classic cartoons Walt Disney created. At the California Institute for the Arts, where he earned a film degree, Lasseter studied under former Disney artists and worked as an animator for Disney early in his career. "I've got Disney blood in my veins," Lasseter said. "Walt Disney is the reason I do what I do. I believe so strongly in making what he believed in, which is making family films that are not just for kids. They're for everybody, and that's one of the things I'm so incredibly proud of in the track record at Pixar. We're so proud because all the family loves these things. Even teenagers and young adults who don't have kids love our films. That's the testament, and that's what I believe Walt Disney always believed in, too."
'Toy Story' Creator Lasseter Gears Up for Animated 'Cars'
NEWSFLASH: John Lasseter likes Disney..which is nice, since he's in charge of a lot of it now. He also likes cars, which is also nice, since he just directed a movie about them.
The animated and automotive worlds. The director of the "Toy Story" movies and "A Bug's Life" and a prime creator behind "Monsters, Inc.", "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles," Lasseter returns with "Cars," the animated story of a haughty race car that gets a lesson on life in the slow lane. For Lasseter – who premiered the film Tuesday night at ShoWest, an annual theater owners convention – “Cars" rolled off the assembly line of his childhood. His mom was an art teacher whose work helped forge his early fascination with animation, while his dad ran the parts department at a Chevrolet dealership in Whittier, Calif., where Lasseter worked weekends growing up in the heyday of muscular Camaros and Corvettes. "I've always loved cars," Lasseter, 49, told The Associated Press. "I'm a gear-head and wanted to do a film about cars, like putting the two sides of my life, my two loves, together." "Cars" also is a reflection of the real-life lessons he learned about making time for family and friends amid his professional success. After a hectic run making "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life" and "Toy Story 2," a time when he and his wife also had four sons, Lasseter decided to pull over for a rest stop. Lasseter's wife warned him that if he kept up the work pace, he would wake up one day realizing their boys had all gone off to college and he had missed their childhood. So Lasseter figured it was time for a summer road trip, just him and the family. "We got so close as a family. We loved every single minute of it, and I came back from that journey and I knew what I wanted this movie to be about. It's about a character that learns the journey in life is the reward," said Lasseter, the key creative force behind Pixar Animation, which is being acquired by its longtime distribution partner Disney. "Cars" debuts in theaters June 9. The ShoWest screening also featured a showing of Pixar's Oscar-nominated short film "One Man Band" and a trailer for the company's next computer-animated flick, 2007's "Ratatouille," about a gourmand rat seeking fine eats in Paris.
Once Disney's buyout of Pixar is completed, Lasseter will become chief creative officer for animation at both companies and principal creative adviser for Walt Disney Imagineering, which designs the company's theme-park attractions. Lasseter said he and Ed Catmull, the Pixar executive who will be president of the companies' combined animation studios, plan to split their time between Disney in Burbank and Pixar in Northern California. The change marks a homecoming for Lasseter, who caught the animation bug in his youth from the classic cartoons Walt Disney created. At the California Institute for the Arts, where he earned a film degree, Lasseter studied under former Disney artists and worked as an animator for Disney early in his career. "I've got Disney blood in my veins," Lasseter said. "Walt Disney is the reason I do what I do. I believe so strongly in making what he believed in, which is making family films that are not just for kids. They're for everybody, and that's one of the things I'm so incredibly proud of in the track record at Pixar. We're so proud because all the family loves these things. Even teenagers and young adults who don't have kids love our films. That's the testament, and that's what I believe Walt Disney always believed in, too."
The animated and automotive worlds. The director of the "Toy Story" movies and "A Bug's Life" and a prime creator behind "Monsters, Inc.", "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles," Lasseter returns with "Cars," the animated story of a haughty race car that gets a lesson on life in the slow lane. For Lasseter – who premiered the film Tuesday night at ShoWest, an annual theater owners convention – “Cars" rolled off the assembly line of his childhood. His mom was an art teacher whose work helped forge his early fascination with animation, while his dad ran the parts department at a Chevrolet dealership in Whittier, Calif., where Lasseter worked weekends growing up in the heyday of muscular Camaros and Corvettes. "I've always loved cars," Lasseter, 49, told The Associated Press. "I'm a gear-head and wanted to do a film about cars, like putting the two sides of my life, my two loves, together." "Cars" also is a reflection of the real-life lessons he learned about making time for family and friends amid his professional success. After a hectic run making "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life" and "Toy Story 2," a time when he and his wife also had four sons, Lasseter decided to pull over for a rest stop. Lasseter's wife warned him that if he kept up the work pace, he would wake up one day realizing their boys had all gone off to college and he had missed their childhood. So Lasseter figured it was time for a summer road trip, just him and the family. "We got so close as a family. We loved every single minute of it, and I came back from that journey and I knew what I wanted this movie to be about. It's about a character that learns the journey in life is the reward," said Lasseter, the key creative force behind Pixar Animation, which is being acquired by its longtime distribution partner Disney. "Cars" debuts in theaters June 9. The ShoWest screening also featured a showing of Pixar's Oscar-nominated short film "One Man Band" and a trailer for the company's next computer-animated flick, 2007's "Ratatouille," about a gourmand rat seeking fine eats in Paris.
Once Disney's buyout of Pixar is completed, Lasseter will become chief creative officer for animation at both companies and principal creative adviser for Walt Disney Imagineering, which designs the company's theme-park attractions. Lasseter said he and Ed Catmull, the Pixar executive who will be president of the companies' combined animation studios, plan to split their time between Disney in Burbank and Pixar in Northern California. The change marks a homecoming for Lasseter, who caught the animation bug in his youth from the classic cartoons Walt Disney created. At the California Institute for the Arts, where he earned a film degree, Lasseter studied under former Disney artists and worked as an animator for Disney early in his career. "I've got Disney blood in my veins," Lasseter said. "Walt Disney is the reason I do what I do. I believe so strongly in making what he believed in, which is making family films that are not just for kids. They're for everybody, and that's one of the things I'm so incredibly proud of in the track record at Pixar. We're so proud because all the family loves these things. Even teenagers and young adults who don't have kids love our films. That's the testament, and that's what I believe Walt Disney always believed in, too."
Tarzan to Offer $20 Lottery Tickets
NEW YORK (Playbill) – The upcoming Disney musical Tarzan, which is set to begin performances March 24 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, will offer a limited number of $20 lottery tickets to each performance. Those interested in trying to obtain these tickets will be asked to fill out a lottery form two-and-a-half hours prior to that particular Tarzan performance. Winners for the seats, which are located in the first row of the orchestra, will be chosen two hours before curtain time. There will be a limit of two tickets per person, and tickets must be purchased using cash only. About the lottery system, Disney Theatricals President Thomas Schumacher said in a statement, "As someone who grew up wanting to see as much live theatre as I could, it is such a pleasure to be able to make these reduced price tickets available for Tarzan. The $20 Lottery Ticket Program will allow us to share this theatrical experience with audience members who may not otherwise be able to see Tarzan, and that is invaluable to me.” Tarzan will officially open at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on May 10.
If audiences can't get into the Disney Tarzan show on Broadway, they can always catch another Tarzan show, Tarzan Rocks, at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Fl.
What's that? Oh, it is? Uh, never mind. That amazing show is closed, soon to be replaced by...???? Why shutter a show that has its namesake making a Broadway debut? Are theyhonestly worried about brand confusion, or do the theme parks even call the theatre folks, even on Christmas?
If audiences can't get into the Disney Tarzan show on Broadway, they can always catch another Tarzan show, Tarzan Rocks, at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Fl.
What's that? Oh, it is? Uh, never mind. That amazing show is closed, soon to be replaced by...???? Why shutter a show that has its namesake making a Broadway debut? Are theyhonestly worried about brand confusion, or do the theme parks even call the theatre folks, even on Christmas?
Disney on Track to Unwrap Pixar's ‘Cars’ on May 26th at Lowe's Motor Speedway
PRNewswire
CHARLOTTE, NC (PRNewswire) – Disney-Pixar's new computer-animated feature "Cars" will stage its world premiere on May 26th at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina in one of the most unique and elaborate movie events of all-time. Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip, and others from the voice cast of the film will be joined by a host of stars from the racing world and 30,000 guests that are expected to attend the "Cars" World Premiere, taking place at the same location as that weekend's famous Coca Cola 600 NASCAR race. The screening of the film represents the first multi-screen digital cinema premiere ever, with Texas Instruments and its DLP Cinema technology serving as Disney's event technology partner in providing the digital cinema projectors. A series of four giant custom-built outdoor movie screens (115-feet wide and 50-feet tall) will be constructed at Lowe's Motor Speedway at Turn #2 of the track. Each screen will have three DLP Cinema 2K digital projectors dedicated to it. A state-of-the-art sound system is also being created and installed for the event. Academy Award-winning filmmaker John Lasseter, who directed "Cars," will also be attending along with other key players from Pixar Animation Studios and The Walt Disney Studios. Tickets for the premiere will be made available for purchase by the general public starting today. Proceeds will benefit Speedway Children's Charities, and Association of Hole in the Wall Gang Camps. To cap off the weekend, the #96 DLP HDTV car will be wrapped as the film's lead character "Lightning McQueen" for the NEXTEL Cup series race in Charlotte the same weekend.
CHARLOTTE, NC (PRNewswire) – Disney-Pixar's new computer-animated feature "Cars" will stage its world premiere on May 26th at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina in one of the most unique and elaborate movie events of all-time. Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip, and others from the voice cast of the film will be joined by a host of stars from the racing world and 30,000 guests that are expected to attend the "Cars" World Premiere, taking place at the same location as that weekend's famous Coca Cola 600 NASCAR race. The screening of the film represents the first multi-screen digital cinema premiere ever, with Texas Instruments and its DLP Cinema technology serving as Disney's event technology partner in providing the digital cinema projectors. A series of four giant custom-built outdoor movie screens (115-feet wide and 50-feet tall) will be constructed at Lowe's Motor Speedway at Turn #2 of the track. Each screen will have three DLP Cinema 2K digital projectors dedicated to it. A state-of-the-art sound system is also being created and installed for the event. Academy Award-winning filmmaker John Lasseter, who directed "Cars," will also be attending along with other key players from Pixar Animation Studios and The Walt Disney Studios. Tickets for the premiere will be made available for purchase by the general public starting today. Proceeds will benefit Speedway Children's Charities, and Association of Hole in the Wall Gang Camps. To cap off the weekend, the #96 DLP HDTV car will be wrapped as the film's lead character "Lightning McQueen" for the NEXTEL Cup series race in Charlotte the same weekend.
Disney on Track to Unwrap Pixar's ‘Cars’ on May 26th at Lowe's Motor Speedway
CHARLOTTE, NC (PRNewswire) – Disney-Pixar's new computer-animated feature "Cars" will stage its world premiere on May 26th at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina in one of the most unique and elaborate movie events of all-time. Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip, and others from the voice cast of the film will be joined by a host of stars from the racing world and 30,000 guests that are expected to attend the "Cars" World Premiere, taking place at the same location as that weekend's famous Coca Cola 600 NASCAR race. The screening of the film represents the first multi-screen digital cinema premiere ever, with Texas Instruments and its DLP Cinema technology serving as Disney's event technology partner in providing the digital cinema projectors. A series of four giant custom-built outdoor movie screens (115-feet wide and 50-feet tall) will be constructed at Lowe's Motor Speedway at Turn #2 of the track. Each screen will have three DLP Cinema 2K digital projectors dedicated to it. A state-of-the-art sound system is also being created and installed for the event. Academy Award-winning filmmaker John Lasseter, who directed "Cars," will also be attending along with other key players from Pixar Animation Studios and The Walt Disney Studios. Tickets for the premiere will be made available for purchase by the general public starting today. Proceeds will benefit Speedway Children's Charities, and Association of Hole in the Wall Gang Camps. To cap off the weekend, the #96 DLP HDTV car will be wrapped as the film's lead character "Lightning McQueen" for the NEXTEL Cup series race in Charlotte the same weekend.
Nick Hotel Buyer Eyeing San Diego, Hawaii
(Orlando Business Journal) – Miller Global Properties LLC says it plans to create a chain of Nickelodeon- themed hotels. The Denver developer recently acquired the remaining interest in the 777-room Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn resort near Walt Disney World. Jim Miller, Miller Global Properties president, told the Denver Business Journal that he has a site under contract for purchase in San Diego and hopes to begin construction on a second Nickelodeon hotel in early 2007. The Colorado company hopes to have four to six US Nickelodeon properties, and is looking at Hawaii and New York City as potential sites. Terry Whaples, the Orlando creator of the Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn concept, calls the expansion a no-brainer idea. Miller partnered with Whaples' company, Orlando-based Family Suites Hotel Holdings LLC, in 2004 to transform the Holiday Inn Family Suites Resort at Lake Buena Vista into the first-ever hotel/resort based on the Nickelodeon TV channel. The $120 million Orlando Nick hotel, which was remodeled and opened in 2005, features two- and three-bedroom KidSuites with children's bedrooms decorated with Nickelodeon characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and Jimmy Neutron. Suites also include an adult master bedroom, kitchenette and sitting room. In addition, the Nickelodeon resort has two water parks, a 3,000-square-foot arcade, spa, three live shows per night and an after-hours karaoke.I've never been inside this hotel, but it is a remodelled resort on State Road 536, oneof the many roads that leads directly into WDW. It is a very convenient location for the WDW scene.
Suit Says Girl Assaulted on Cruise
ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) – The parents of a girl sued Disney Cruise Lines after their daughter was allegedly sexually assaulted by a crew member while on board the Disney Wonder in October, court documents said. The girl and her parents, New York residents, boarded the ship in Port Canaveral on Oct. 2 for a cruise to the Bahamas, the lawsuit said. The suit, which seeks damages in excess of $75,000, alleges the crew member "falsely imprisoned, sexually assaulted, exposed himself to, and intentionally inflicted emotional distress" on the girl. The family was not identified in the lawsuit, which was filed in Orlando's federal court. Disney spokeswoman Rena Langley said Disney Cruise Lines takes the allegation very seriously. She said the cruise line was notified of the allegation in October and contacted the FBI and Bahamian law enforcement. She said the two agencies worked with the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, and no charges have been filed. The crew member no longer works for Disney, she said.
Disney Channel's "High School Musical" is 1st Full-Length Feature on iTunes
(Playbill) – Disney Channel's popular original movie "High School Musical" became the first full length feature film available to Apple iTunes users at the Music Store. Following its successful sales of video singles from the television movie – not to mention how well the soundtrack and singles are doing – the company decided to offer the movie as well. Apple iTunes users can download music videos for 99¢ or the entire film for $9.99. The show is slated to air again on the Disney Channel March 23 at 8 PM (ET). A sequel is already in the works and the debut DVD of the popular original movie will be released May 23 featuring two versions and extra features. Seven weeks following the Disney Channel's "High School Musical" soundtrack debuted, the album moved into the No. 1 slot at the top of the Billboard pop chart. The feat was the first time an original TV movie soundtrack ever charted at No. 1 and the first TV soundtrack to hit the top spot since 1986 (the "Miami Vice" album).
I still don't get it.
I still don't get it.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Disney Closes Unit Devoted to Pixar Sequels
From Pixaren't to Pixisn't...BURBANK (LA Times) – The first casualty of Walt Disney Co.'s acquisition of Pixar Animation Studios came Monday when the Burbank entertainment giant shuttered a computer animation unit created to make sequels to such Pixar hits as "Toy Story" and "Finding Nemo." Thirty-two employees, or nearly 20% of the 168 artists, production managers and support staff, were told they would lose their jobs effective May 26. The remaining 136 will be absorbed into Disney's feature animation division and redeployed to work on such productions as "Meet the Robinsons," "Rapunzel" and "American Dog." In a statement, Dis-ney confirmed Monday's developments with The Times and said it would help laid-off employees find new work. At least half a dozen or more hired to work on "Toy Story 3" were foreigners working in the US on visas. Workers should find themselves in demand, with computer animation enjoying a boom. Studios such as DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., 20th Century Fox and Sony Pictures are poised to release a slew of digitally animated movies this year. Dubbed "Circle 7" after the Glendale street where the unit sits, the sequels operation was quietly set up last year by former Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner at a time when Disney's lucrative partnership with Pixar was strained and in danger of dissolving. Rivals de-rided the attempt to replicate Pixar's unique creativity, nicknaming the operation "Pixaren't." All of that changed in January, when Disney agreed to buy Pixar for $7.4 billion. Disney CEO Bob Iger and Pixar Chairman Steve Jobs pledged that any Pixar sequels would be produced at Pixar's Emeryville, Calif., headquarters using artists who worked on the originals. Disney declined to comment about the future status of Circle 7 chief Andrew Millstein, who announced the layoffs to his staff at a noon meeting. Also unclear is what will become of the multimillion-dollar computer animation facility in Glendale, although it is likely the company would use it for future productions.
Taking the Magic to Europe
(DCL Release) – On the morning of March 21 at the Walt Disney World Resort, Disney Cruise Line Presi-dent Tom McAlpin announced the newest itinerary for the Disney Magic – 10-night and 11-night Mediter-ranean cruises. First launched in July 1998, the Disney Magic sails mostly throughout the Caribbean from its home port in Port Canaveral, Fla., and also traveled west for several Mexican Riviera cruises in sum-mer 2005. Based on Disney Cruise Line Guest suggestions, Tom said Europe was an obvious choice for a new itinerary. “Our Guests have told us they would love to take a European vacation, but all of the planning and logistics can be daunting,” he said. “These special sailings will offer a hassle-free way to experience the beauty and culture of Europe combined with the fun of a Disney cruise.” The Mediterra-nean voyages will begin in May 2007, based out of the Port of Barcelona in Spain, and will include eight ports of call providing gateways to such famous cities as Florence, Rome, Pisa and Cannes. Additionally, two 14-night trans-Atlantic sailings will be available as the ship repositions itself to Spain in May and back to Florida in August. Bookings for the new itineraries are scheduled to open April 4, 2006.
Monday, March 20, 2006
New Round of Layoffs at Disney Animation and Circle 7
(O-meon.com) – Last week Disney CEO Bob Iger, responding to a shareholder’s question about there being a problem with “too many middle managers” at Walt Disney Feature Animation (WDFA), said he didn’t believe Disney had a problem with middle managers. Nevertheless, o-meon.com has confirmed that even as Disney management was preparing for last Friday’s annual meeting the company was continuing the reorganization of its animation division by laying off an unspecified number of “creative” and “development” executives. A source close to Disney animation said “that layoffs began last week.” The names and number of executives “cleaning out their offices,” according to this source, wasn’t known. An individual from within the Disney Company, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Layoffs will be announced next week, not only of certain WDFA executives but also of some artists and technicians at the Circle 7 facility.” Under previous CEO Michael Eisner, Disney created Circle 7 Animation for the sole purpose of producing sequels to the extremely successful series of computer graphic (CG) animated films it released from production partner Pixar Animation Studios. In January, Iger and Pixar CEO Steve Jobs announced that the Emeryville animation studio had agreed, in principal, to be acquired by Disney. As part of the deal, Disney and Pixar’s animation operations would be rolled into one, new Disney-Pixar studio. Pixar President Ed Catmull will head the new studio, and Pixar’s creative genius John Lasseter will be its chief creative officer. Following the announcement, both Catmull and Lasseter paid a visit to WDFA in Burbank. While there, Lasseter informed staffers that Toy Story 3, then in development at Circle 7, would not be done in Southern California, if at all. Questions then arose about the eventual fate of Circle 7 and its creative and management staff.
During last week’s shareholders’ meeting, Disney CFO Tom Staggs said the Disney- Pixar deal could close as early as April or May. That news was as eagerly greeted by Disney’s shareholders as the announcement by John Lasseter at the meeting that, “I promise you, we will make films that will entertain you from the time the lights go off in the theater.” Iger also drew enthusiastic applause when he said, “To truly live up to our legacy, animation must be great. We must create animated films that raise the standard of the art and become true classics for countless generations.” “Actions speak louder than words,” a Pixar shareholder anxiously awaiting the arrival of his shares in the Walt Disney Company told o-meon.com. “I think he’s (Bob Iger) on the right track. He’s openly acknowledged that Disney lost its way over the past ten years, and he’s cutting the deadweight out of Disney animation. I’m really excited by all of this.” The Walt Disney Company did not respond to repeated requests for information regarding restructuring in its animation division.
During last week’s shareholders’ meeting, Disney CFO Tom Staggs said the Disney- Pixar deal could close as early as April or May. That news was as eagerly greeted by Disney’s shareholders as the announcement by John Lasseter at the meeting that, “I promise you, we will make films that will entertain you from the time the lights go off in the theater.” Iger also drew enthusiastic applause when he said, “To truly live up to our legacy, animation must be great. We must create animated films that raise the standard of the art and become true classics for countless generations.” “Actions speak louder than words,” a Pixar shareholder anxiously awaiting the arrival of his shares in the Walt Disney Company told o-meon.com. “I think he’s (Bob Iger) on the right track. He’s openly acknowledged that Disney lost its way over the past ten years, and he’s cutting the deadweight out of Disney animation. I’m really excited by all of this.” The Walt Disney Company did not respond to repeated requests for information regarding restructuring in its animation division.
“High School Musical” Soundtrack Sells over 1 Million Digital Singles
BURBANK, Calif. (Business Wire) – Sales for the platinum-selling "High School Musical" soundtrack continue to rise with an 8% increase over last week's sales. The 138,035 units scanned for the week of March 8th secured the #3 spot on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Digital sales also were a huge component of the soundtrack's success. This week alone 64,208 single tracks were sold digitally, and to date over 1 million single tracks have been purchased digitally, primarily through Apple Computer's iTunes Music Store. The "High School Musical" soundtrack has generated one platinum single, "Breaking Free," and four gold singles – “What I've Been Looking For," "We're All in This Together," "Start of Something New" and "Get'cha Head in the Game." Additionally, this week "High School Musical" continues its reign at #1 on both the Billboard Soundtrack Chart (a position it has held for five out of the past seven weeks) and the Billboard Kids Chart (where it has topped the chart for eight consecutive weeks). "High School Musical," a contemporary musical comedy, has aired eight times (January 20-March 10) on Disney Channel. In its first six telecasts, it delivered 26.3 unduplicated Total Viewers, 8.4 million Kids 6-11 and 8.7 million Tweens 9-14.
Brace yourself for 10 years of sequels and knockoffs.
Brace yourself for 10 years of sequels and knockoffs.
Disney Venture Can Be Mother-Daughter Trip
(Syndicated Column) – DEAR DR. BROTHERS: I have been waiting for several years to have a child old enough to enjoy going to Disney World, and now that my daughter is 6, I find out that my husband has no intention of going there or anyplace like it for the rest of his life. I was totally shocked. I know he doesn't like crowds and big, commercial extravaganzas (no, he won't be going to Las Vegas, either!), but I feel like a trip to Disney is almost a kid's birthright these days! How can he be so mean and selfish? What do you think of his attitude? – P.C.
DEAR P.C.: Some parents try to take a child-centered approach to everything. As soon as they bring the baby home from the hospital, they drop everything and take on the baby's perspective. Sometimes those types of parents are better able to cope with the huge demands of parenthood because they are now accustomed to putting the child's needs first; sometimes they go overboard and have a hard time distinguishing between the child's needs and the child's wants, and end up with an overindulged youngster. And then there are the parents who enthusiastically join in the "kid stuff" simply because it gives them a chance to be like kids again themselves. Your husband isn't having any of it when it comes to theme parks. You didn't mention how he deals with the kid things otherwise, so I assume he is a good father and an involved one. He isn't going to compromise on this issue, but that doesn't mean you and your daughter can't go to Disney World. I'll bet you wouldn't have any trouble finding another family to double up with, or a favorite youthful aunt or uncle who would have fun in Fantasyland. Just think – now you'll be able to opt out when your husband wants to take the family camping in the wilderness in a few years, or on some other adventure where you'd rather not go. This is a good time for compromise without blame. Have fun!
Dad clearly has his head in the sand. I give this marriage 5 more years tops, unless it's already over and they're on cruise control until the kid graduates from college. That's always healthy.
DEAR P.C.: Some parents try to take a child-centered approach to everything. As soon as they bring the baby home from the hospital, they drop everything and take on the baby's perspective. Sometimes those types of parents are better able to cope with the huge demands of parenthood because they are now accustomed to putting the child's needs first; sometimes they go overboard and have a hard time distinguishing between the child's needs and the child's wants, and end up with an overindulged youngster. And then there are the parents who enthusiastically join in the "kid stuff" simply because it gives them a chance to be like kids again themselves. Your husband isn't having any of it when it comes to theme parks. You didn't mention how he deals with the kid things otherwise, so I assume he is a good father and an involved one. He isn't going to compromise on this issue, but that doesn't mean you and your daughter can't go to Disney World. I'll bet you wouldn't have any trouble finding another family to double up with, or a favorite youthful aunt or uncle who would have fun in Fantasyland. Just think – now you'll be able to opt out when your husband wants to take the family camping in the wilderness in a few years, or on some other adventure where you'd rather not go. This is a good time for compromise without blame. Have fun!
Dad clearly has his head in the sand. I give this marriage 5 more years tops, unless it's already over and they're on cruise control until the kid graduates from college. That's always healthy.
Disney, Cable Industry Shoot Down a la Carte
WASHINGTON (Cox News Service) – The cable industry joined with media giant Walt Disney on Wednesday to call attention to what they described as flaws in a recent federal study that found consumers would be better off paying only for the cable channels they want. Cable operators and Disney said the evidence actually shows that an “a la carte” pricing system would drive up monthly subscription costs and diminish programming choices for most people. They pointed to the experience of the Disney Channel, which originally was sold as a premium channel. Despite its family-friendly programming, the channel struggled financially until cable operators included it in a bundle of channels. “We've been to a la carte; we know it doesn't work,” said Preston Padden, executive vice president for Disney, majority owner of sports network ESPN. At a briefing for reporters, Padden said that as part of an “expanded-basic” package, the Disney Channel now reaches 87 million homes and generates enough advertising revenue to pay for quality programming. Disney released its study, along with a similar report prepared for the National Cable and Telecommunications Association. The reports may increase tensions between the industry and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin, who last month released the report that said a la carte pricing would allow a subscriber to get as many as 20 channels without increasing monthly costs.
Shanghai Asks Govt. to Approve a Disneyland Park
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Shanghai has applied to China's central government to build a Disneyland theme park, a city spokesman said on Thursday, taking a necessary step before such a large-scale project can proceed. "Shanghai has already submitted an application to the central government to bring in a Disneyland theme park," the spokesman said. "Ultimately, attracting a park will depend on getting permission from the State Council," he said, referring to China's cabinet, which must grant approval on large local projects. A spokeswoman for Walt Disney Co. , which opened a Disneyland in Hong Kong last fall, reiterated the company's previous response on the bringing of a park to Shanghai. "The Walt Disney Co. has not reached an agreement with Shanghai to build a second Disney destination resort in China," she said, repeating a previous statement.
Orlando Airport Extends Disney’s Airport Deal for Five Years
ORLANDO (AP) – Walt Disney World's express shuttle that takes visitors directly to the resort from the Orlando International Airport without having to wait for luggage will be around for another five years. Limousine operators, taxi drivers and rental car companies complained that the airport's agreement Wednesday with Disney has caused them to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in business. "This meeting today was a big slap in the face, an insult," said Greater Orlando Limousine Association president Mike McKenzie. "It showed that there was no care given to any other entity other than Disney Magic Express." McKenzie said small transportation businesses had no say in the matter and were not informed of discussions leading up to the decision. But airport executives said Wednesday that the deal provided a "huge benefit" to the airport by bringing in visitors from all over the world. Disney's program also increases the capacity of the busy terminal by reducing the number of passengers who require ticketing and baggage services. As a result, it allows the airport to postpone building a costly new terminal, said Jeffry Fuqua, chairman of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, "We're essentially at break even with this service. They're paying their way and we're getting all the benefits of the intangibles," Fuqua said. Disney's Magical Express lets visitors on domestic flights, staying at Disney hotels, check their luggage at their hometown airports and bypass waiting at the luggage carousel at the Orlando airport. The program has transported more than 1.1 million passengers since it began in May 2005. Under the new terms, the fee that Disney pays the airport per passenger will increase from 50 cents to 75 cents next year, with an option to increase it again in 2010. Magical Express, which has become a national model for moving passengers and luggage, has been well received by Disney visitors, Walt Disney World Resort President Al Weiss said. As a result, more passengers are flying than driving, which brings more business to the Orlando airport. "This is really great for central Florida, really good for the airport and it's doing nothing but bringing more passengers to central Florida," Weiss said.
Wahoo! This is good stuff, as I wrote about last week.
Wahoo! This is good stuff, as I wrote about last week.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Disneyland Link Bids to Lure Visitors to Ireland
(Irish Examiner) – Tourism chiefs are going green this week to attract Disney fans to Ireland. In a promotional first, Tourism Ireland has linked up with the Disneyland Resort in Paris to market holidays during its St Patrick’s Day celebrations. Thousands of international visitors will pass through specially constructed information villages. Tourism Ireland chief executive Paul O’Toole said: “The Disneyland Resort Paris parade and party is an exciting opportunity for us to reach a captive audience of around a quarter of a million people who are, by virtue of the week that’s in it, well-disposed to Ireland and who are also in a holiday mood.” Tourism Ireland hopes to capitalize on the global interest in all things Irish this week by hosting consumer, media and trade events all over the world, from Tokyo to Toronto. A potent mix of sports and St Patrick will be used to promote the island at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia with Northern Ireland fielding a team and Olympic hero, Dame Mary Peters, speaking at the high-profile Irish Chamber of Commerce Breakfast.
Airport to Discuss Disney Shuttles
ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) – After a three-month delay, the board that oversees Orlando International Airport on Wednesday will publicly discuss the future of Disney's Magical Express shuttle and baggage service. But the details of the program's future are still being hammered out. Though Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Chairman Jeffry Fuqua would not elaborate on the issues, the free service – which has become a model nationally for moving passengers and luggage – has been controversial because of its impact on rental-car companies and taxi and limo services. Some of those companies say they have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in business, an outcome airport administrators feared even before the service began. On Wednesday, the board expects to hear a presentation from its consultant Michael Brown. It will be the first time the airport will publicly present any information about Magical Express since the board delayed its original meeting to do so in December. Since Magical Express began in May, it has transported more than 1.1 million passengers and their luggage between the Disney resort and the air-port. Rental-car companies and taxi and limo services pay a concession fee to the airport each month based on how much business they do. That means the airport can lose money if those businesses ex-perience a downturn. Disney said in December that the service boosted airport revenue by $1.6 million and has streamlined airport operations so well that it could delay the need for a costly second terminal building. Disney World President Al Weiss met with Fuqua last month on the matter. Threats have loomed for months that Disney could stop the service if the airport makes it too expensive to operate. The 18-month pilot project – recently touted by Disney President and CEO Robert Iger – ends in December.
As early as January 2005 – about four months before Magical Express began – then-Executive Director Bill Jennings and other senior airport staffers expressed concern about the services' anticipated impact. Minutes from a meeting of airport staffers, airline executives and a Disney executive, show that Jennings told the airlines he expected the service to reach 2 million passengers a year and it could harm rental-car companies. As part of the agreement negotiated in 2004, Disney pays the airport 50 cents per passenger. Jennings said he tried to negotiate a clause in the contract that would allow the airport to raise that fee after the first six months of the service, but did not prevail, according to the minutes. The airport's esti-mated lost revenue per passenger was $7.70, according to the minutes of the Jan. 25, 2005, Air-lines/Airport Affairs Committee. That figure was arrived at by a consultant who analyzed rental-car data. Disney paid the airport $589,538 in passenger fees from May to December, according to airport records. Those records show that June was the service's busiest month last year with 168,819 passengers. Its single busiest days came on Oct. 1 and on the day after Christmas, when it carried more than 10,000 people, the records show. On most days, however, 3,000 to 5,000 people use the free service.
This is truly an amazing story. Let's see if I have this straight.
As early as January 2005 – about four months before Magical Express began – then-Executive Director Bill Jennings and other senior airport staffers expressed concern about the services' anticipated impact. Minutes from a meeting of airport staffers, airline executives and a Disney executive, show that Jennings told the airlines he expected the service to reach 2 million passengers a year and it could harm rental-car companies. As part of the agreement negotiated in 2004, Disney pays the airport 50 cents per passenger. Jennings said he tried to negotiate a clause in the contract that would allow the airport to raise that fee after the first six months of the service, but did not prevail, according to the minutes. The airport's esti-mated lost revenue per passenger was $7.70, according to the minutes of the Jan. 25, 2005, Air-lines/Airport Affairs Committee. That figure was arrived at by a consultant who analyzed rental-car data. Disney paid the airport $589,538 in passenger fees from May to December, according to airport records. Those records show that June was the service's busiest month last year with 168,819 passengers. Its single busiest days came on Oct. 1 and on the day after Christmas, when it carried more than 10,000 people, the records show. On most days, however, 3,000 to 5,000 people use the free service.
This is truly an amazing story. Let's see if I have this straight.
- Disney builds a giant resort destination that puts Orlando on the map.
- The airport grows to handle the increased traffic (through taxes and fees collected from businesses who pay for access to their passengers, as well as other means, including airlines)
- Dozens, if not hundreds, of satellite (parasite) companies spring up to take advantage of the new transportation industry in Florida.
- Rental car companies and taxis take cash from the toursists who have come to Orlando to visit Walt Disney World.
So, Disney conducts a massive marketing campaign to attract visitors to their parks. It works and visitors come from far and wide via their favorite airline. Once they get here, Disney decides that they would like to pick them up at the airport for FREE. Suddenly, the 3rd party transportation system begins to collapse, no longer propped up on the bloated fees and earnings it had been munching from the Disney tourists.
It's so efficient that the airport can function without costly expansion. Bottom line, the airport and the transportation companies have a lock on the transportation options available to the Disney tourist. How much does each airline get for delivering each passenger to the airport? Anything? They are bringing a large number of potential airport mall shopppers, yes? The airport should not be a profit center. Most have malls in them already anyway, so what are they doing with all that rental money?
I don't have any sympathy for lost revenue at the airport or transportation companies, whose usefulness has been diminished in the face of a newer and better service. If you provide a service nobody wants or needs anymore, whose fault is that? Did horse washers sue Henry Ford back in the day? Change or die. I can see a day in the future when kids will say "You had to pay for a ride from the airport? That's not fair. They droppped you there in the first place. Why should it cost you to leave?" Anyone ever try to walk home from an airport? Good luck.
Maybe the fee structure is backwards. Airlines should pay to drop people off and so should Disney. It makes about as much sense as paying to pick them up. The airport is saying, "We have an inventory of people who need transportation. Give us $.50 each and you can take them." Where do they get their inventory? Airlines and individuals. eBay takes a cut from the auction lister to list an item AND a cut of the final fee. Is this where the airport is going to go?
I'm sure it's very complicated, but the rental car companies and the taxis need to realize that their business models are now flawed. They are no longer the only game in town to get from A to B.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Comcast in Talks To Buy E!
(Broadcasting & Cable) – Cable giant Comcast Corp. is in talks to buy the remaining stake it doesn’t own in E! Entertainment Television from partner Walt Disney Corp., according to people familiar with the deal. The purchase would bolster Comcast’s growing position in cable programming, which is composed pri-marily of smaller networks outside of Nielsen’s top 30 channels. With 80 million subscribers, E! is the big-gest of Comcast’s holdings, programmed with a fluffy mix of entertainment news, celebrity reality shows and clip shows. Ratings have been mixed lately, but E! President Ted Harbert has pushed them into an upswing in recent weeks, with the average prime time audience up 11% in February. One big driver is the recent acquisition of reruns of Fox reality show The Simple Life, featuring Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. A sale probably wouldn’t trigger dramatic changes at E! or sibling channel Style Network, because Com-cast already manages the operation. Since 1997, Comcast and Disney have been in a partnership in which Disney initially put up all the cash but still gave the cable operator authority over day-to-day opera-tions. The partnership – Comcast Entertainment Holdings – owns 79.2% of E! and Style. Comcast owns an additional 20.8% outside of the partnership. The relationship got rocky when Comcast launched an attack to take over Disney, but industry executives say there have been no particular problems between the partners in recent months.
Bird Catches 'Ratatouille' for Pixar Pic
(Hollywood Reporter) – Pixar Animation Studios' Brad Bird will direct "Ratatouille," the computer-animated mouse tale that was developed in-house by the studio's Oscar-winning short-film director Jan Pinkava ("Geri's Game"). The deal was confirmed Friday at the Disney shareholders meeting in Anaheim. The story centers on a skinny rodent who fancies himself a gourmand and lives in a Parisian restaurant. A sneak peek of the film, with fully rendered CG characters, was introduced by John Lasseter and shown to attendees at Friday's meeting. It was expected that Pinkava would direct the project, and Bird was said to be developing a sequel to his 2004 Oscar-winning film "The Incredibles." Execs also confirmed at the meeting that Glen Keane's directorial debut, "Rapunzel," remains in the early stages of production utilizing a combination of 2-D and 3-D processes. "Ratatouille" is the eighth animated feature film produced by Pixar. It is scheduled for release June 29, 2007.
Disney-Pixar Deal to Close by Late April, May
ANAHEIM, Calif. (Reuters) – Walt Disney Co.'s planned purchase of Pixar Animation Studios Inc. likely will close in late April or May, Disney Chief Financial Officer Tom Staggs said on Friday at the company's annual meeting. Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger faced Disney shareholders for the first time since taking his post in October, making the Pixar acquisition the centerpiece of this presentation. Under the transaction, Disney will cede control of its animating studio to Pixar creative chiefs Ed Catmull and John Lasseter. The hands-off management arrangement is akin to the one Disney employed with the ESPN cable sports network, which Disney acquired in 1996. In his remarks at the meeting, Lasseter obliquely touched on the years of rancorous negotiations he, Pixar President Ed Catmull and Pixar Chief Executive Steve Jobs had with former Disney CEO Michael Eisner. "When Bob Iger came to the three of us and said we are interested in acquiring you ... I was worried until I got to know Bob Iger," Lasseter said. "Ladies and gentlemen, you are led by a great man." Lasseter also showed the first sneak previews of the upcoming Pixar films, "Cars," set for its theatrical release in June 2006, and "Ratatouille," scheduled to be released in the summer of 2007. While not revealing any specific plans for Disney animation, Lasseter said that he believed the Imagineering department, to which he will become a creative advisor, should work more closely with animation. "I never understood why you wouldn't start designing a ride when you start making a film so two months after a film comes out you have a ride," Lasseter said. "I promise you we are not only going to make great motion pictures we are going to make great rides."
A preliminary tally of shareholder ballots showed that all 13 board members were reelected by a 94 percent margin, despite a recommendation from shareholder advisory firm Glass Lewis that stockholders withhold their votes from longtime board Chairman George Mitchell. Institutional Shareholder Services recommended that all board members be reelected. Shareholder proposals dealing with anti-takeover strategies and labor standards in the company's Chinese operations were rejected, as recommended by the board. Iger at the meeting also responded to questions from Disneyland workers, who are in the midst of labor talks with the company over contract changes that include raising the minimum number of hours worked weekly to qualify for benefits to 30 from 25. "I know that increasing it from 25 is causing some tension but what we have on the table with the union is not different from what other union members have accepted (at other parks)," he told a Disneyland worker and shareholder. Shares of Disney closed up 7 cents to $28.16 on the New York Stock Exchange. Pixar shares closed up 26 cents at $64.45.
A preliminary tally of shareholder ballots showed that all 13 board members were reelected by a 94 percent margin, despite a recommendation from shareholder advisory firm Glass Lewis that stockholders withhold their votes from longtime board Chairman George Mitchell. Institutional Shareholder Services recommended that all board members be reelected. Shareholder proposals dealing with anti-takeover strategies and labor standards in the company's Chinese operations were rejected, as recommended by the board. Iger at the meeting also responded to questions from Disneyland workers, who are in the midst of labor talks with the company over contract changes that include raising the minimum number of hours worked weekly to qualify for benefits to 30 from 25. "I know that increasing it from 25 is causing some tension but what we have on the table with the union is not different from what other union members have accepted (at other parks)," he told a Disneyland worker and shareholder. Shares of Disney closed up 7 cents to $28.16 on the New York Stock Exchange. Pixar shares closed up 26 cents at $64.45.
Disney CEO to Face Shareholders in Calif.
LOS ANGELES (AP) – After years of bouncing around the country to hold shareholders meetings, The Walt Disney Co. is holding its first annual gathering under the leadership of CEO Robert Iger in the shadow of its flagship theme park, Disneyland. The meeting, held at the Anaheim Pond, is the first time Iger has faced shareholders as chief executive since taking over last October from longtime CEO Michael Eisner. The gathering should be a routine affair, a calm counterpoint to the tumultuous period since a 2004 shareholders revolt in Philadelphia that marked the beginning of the end of Eisner's 21-year reign. Previous meetings have been held in Fort Worth, Texas; Hartford, Conn.; Denver, Minneapolis and Chicago – all places where Disney has had business interests. "It may be appropriate to be coming home to Anaheim for the meeting," said Janna Sampson, director of portfolio management for Oakbrook Investments, which holds Disney shares. "He's trying to get the company back to its roots and he is mending fences" with some people alienated by Eisner, Sampson said. One of those people is former board member Roy E. Disney, who resigned in 2003 to campaign for Eisner's ouster. Roy Disney ended his campaign after Iger's ascension and was named a director emeritus after Iger reached out to him. Disney was scheduled to attend Friday's meeting. Disney still faces challenges, including the crucial choice of a new company chairman. Current Chairman George Mitchell had said 2005 would be his last year but agreed to seek re-election to the board Friday for one more yearlong term to smooth Iger's transition and to help lead the search for his replacement. "They do have to resolve some issues eventually, including who's going to be the chairman and for how long," media analyst Harold Vogel said. "There has to be some kind of indication of what their long-range plans might be with regard to international expansion of theme parks."
Union Workers from Disneyland to Target the Company's Shareholders
ANAHEIM, Calif. (Business Wire) – Employees from the nation's most popular theme park will converge on the Anaheim Pond Friday, March 10 armed with handfuls of leaflets designed to inform The Walt Disney Company shareholders of Disney's latest proposals for a new employment contract covering 4,000 workers at the park. A press conference will be held at 9:30 a.m. featuring several prominent elected representatives who will lend their support to the cast members. Anaheim City Councilmembers Richard Chavez and Lori Galloway will join several Disney employees who will take turns outlining how the company's latest contract proposals will devastate future employees, according to Rick Eiden, president of the Orange County Central Labor Council. The Local VIPs will publicly urge Disney to "back off its efforts to re-define the typical workweek" and to dip into its growing profit margin to improve the lives of its employees, Eiden said. Disney's formal proposal to define a full-time employment at the park as constituting 30 hours of work threatens to slash paychecks and eliminate health benefits for thousands of future employees, Eiden said. Disney has so far refused to give ground in negotiations with the unions that represent its cast members, refusing to discuss how it might share a tiny portion of the $32 billion in revenue and $2.5 billion in profits it posted last year alone. Shareholders will be handed literature that demonstrates how the company's current proposals would create a brand-new underclass in Orange County and encourage other local employers to follow its lead, Eiden said.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Pixar whiz reanimates Disney
USA Today (FIRST) - March 09, 2006 - p D.1, LIFE
By Susan Wloszczyna
EMERYVILLE, Calif. -- John Lasseter is a hugger, not a handshaker. The whimsical whiz behind Pixar, the premier maker of computer-animated family films, greets his guest with outstretched arms and a grin that recalls Toy Story's intrepid space ranger Buzz Lightyear.
Lasseter blames his "formal" attire -- a muted Hawaiian shirt rather than his preferred loud variety, slacks and shoes in place of jeans and sneakers -- on the Oscar-nominee luncheon he had to attend in Los Angeles earlier in the day.
Now he is back on his home turf, a sprawling playground of a 16- acre, $90 million digital fun factory. Its 800 employees are encouraged to swat ping-pong balls and take dips in the pool in between bringing to life such adored 3-D characters as Dory the daffy fish from Finding Nemo and blue-hued fur ball Sulley from Monsters, Inc.
Here, Lasseter, 49 and the father of five boys ages 8 to 26, can relax and be his big-kid self again, not so hard to do when your office looks like an overstocked aisle at Toys R Us.
In such surroundings, it is easy to be distracted from the real purpose behind this visit: Lasseter's first major interview since cartoon fans emitted a collective sigh of relief. The source of their satisfaction was the announcement in late January that as part of Disney's $7.4 billion purchase of Pixar, Lasseter would be in charge of reviving the Magic Kingdom's sadly diminished animation department, whose staff has been slashed from 2,200 to 800.
At last month's Visual Effects Society awards where Lasseter was an honoree, John Ratzenberger of TV's Cheers, a voice actor in every Pixar movie, captured the historic moment perfectly. When the news broke, he told the crowd, "Walt Disney stopped spinning in his grave."
Says Disney chairman Dick Cook, whose studio was at risk of losing what has been a highly lucrative 15-year partnership until CEO Michael Eisner was replaced by a more diplomatic Bob Iger in October, "I was talking to a group of animators when the announcement came out, and they let out a big yell. The reaction has been genuinely huge. John is that rarest of talents. Everything he touches becomes better. He is selfless in his desire to make things great."
If Lasseter feels any pressure by being the chosen one, it doesn't show. For him, work is play, and play is his work.
"Animation is the only thing I ever wanted to do in my whole life," he says. "I have no desire for live-action or anything else."
Peter Docter, director of Monsters, Inc., says his boss wasn't about to say no to such an exciting opportunity. "He is just one of those guys who loves everything life throws at him."
Lasseter is the sort of fellow who thinks nothing of riding the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile to the Academy Awards. Perusing his office toy collection, he cuddles a Casper the Friendly Ghost doll, whose fleecy white body has gone beige with age. Tenderly, he coaxes a gurgle from the pull-string treasure, the inspiration for Woody in Toy Story.
Lasseter is expected to apply similar care to the dulled Disney brand, whose last animated hit of any critical consequence was Lilo & Stitch in 2002. He can't blab too much about the future until all legalities are finalized. But he's clearly delighted to be entrusted with refurbishing the House of Mouse.
"I will basically have the same job as I have at Pixar," he says. "There is such amazing talent at Disney. My job is 100% creative, and I am very excited to creatively lead them. I will spend half the week in Burbank and half here." Andrew Stanton, director of Finding Nemo, will fill in at Pixar as needed.
Disney animated films will have to meet the same sky-high standards as Pixar releases.
"We make the kind of movies we like to watch," Lasseter says. "I love to laugh. I love to be amazed by how beautiful it is.
"But I also love to be moved to tears. There's lots of heart in our films." If tears fell over Disney's last release, the undercooked Chicken Little, it probably was from a feather allergy.
The baby boomer who found his calling while under the influence of Disney's Arthurian tale The Sword in the Stone has been rehearsing for this role since he was a boy. The tenets of Pixar's teamwork philosophy, such as "plussing" -- to make something good even better -- are a direct link to Uncle Walt's era.
These principles became ingrained in Lasseter as a student at the Disney-supported California Institute of the Arts and as a pen-and- pencil animator working at the studio on such films as Mickey's Christmas Carol. Lasseter, who grew up a half-hour away from Disneyland in Whittier, even credits his job as a Jungle Cruise guide at the park for perfecting his comic timing. As Cook puts it, "John bleeds Disney."
Already, change is in the air. Lasseter decries the straight-to- DVD "cheapquels," such as Bambi II, based on revered classics. "Trust me," he says. "Bob Iger cares." Work on Toy Story 3, done without Pixar input, has been halted.
Plus, traditionally animated features could be revived at the studio that pioneered the genre with 1937's Snow White, Cook confirms. "Andrew Stanton always said that 2-D animation became the scapegoat for bad storytelling," Lasseter says. "But you can make just as bad of a movie in 3-D."
A hopeful sign: Enchanted, an animated/live-action mix due next year, is about a cartoon princess (Amy Adams of Junebug) who ends up in present-day New York. The live-action portion will be book-ended by two 15-minute hand-drawn segments.
Lasseter is in more than one driver's seat these days. Down the road is the June 9 release of Cars, his first directorial effort since 1999's Toy Story 2. A full-length trailer will premiere on ABC- owned TV outlets tonight before running with The Shaggy Dog this weekend.
Tuesday, Cars will preview at ShoWest, the yearly Las Vegas convention of theater owners, who are starved for an injection of Pixar fuel to jump-start box-office receipts after last year's attendance decline.
The Capra-esque automotive fantasy about a hot-rod racer who learns how to pull over and smell the exhaust fumes feeds into the filmmaker's interest in NASCAR and appreciation for older models. The son of a parts manager at a Chevy dealership nearly swoons when he mentions his "pride and joy" -- a 1952 Jaguar XK120. "Gorgeous, gorgeous," he says, while caressing his toy version.
The yarn also dips into the history of how the interstate highway system snuffed out small towns that once boomed with tourists who got their kicks on Route 66.
But, like all Pixar movies, Cars carries plenty of personal baggage, too. "John's DNA is in every scene," producer Darla K. Anderson says.
The main source of inspiration was a cross-country road trip he and wife Nancy took with their brood in 2000. He had been working 10 years straight with barely a break when she warned him, "'You'd better be careful because one day you will wake up, and all your boys will be going off to college, and you will have missed it.' I heard her loud and clear," he says.
When he got home, he knew what the story of Cars would be: "A character who relearns that the journey in life is its own reward."
Considering Pixar's 6-for-6 hit record, some predict that a box- office breakdown is inevitable. From the early teasers, "it didn't look as exciting as the character designs of Nemo," animation expert Jerry Beck says. Plus, he says, there was a feeling that Pixar would keep its better ideas up its sleeve in case the Disney divorce went through.
Not to worry, Lasseter says. "Every single Pixar film, at one time or another, has been the worst movie ever put on film. But we know. We trust our process. We don't get scared and say, 'Oh, no, this film isn't working.'"
Like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, sometimes Lasseter seems too good to be true. Too smart. Too good with people. Too successful. Too in touch with his inner child. In the world of animation, Beck says, "He is god-like."
If there is one flaw, Docter says, "it's that he has such good instincts, he is almost always right. It can really (tick) you off."
Even as his professional life speeds up, Lasseter still is dedicated to slowing down regularly to spend time with his sons.
"We were driving around last night, and my boys asked me what kind of car would I be," he says. "I am not sure one exists, but I would probably be a minivan that had at least 600 horsepower. And handled like the finest sports car. One you could take your family in, but when you are driving by yourself, you can have power and speed."
Family-friendly yet fast. Sounds like the perfect Pixar hybrid.
By Susan Wloszczyna
EMERYVILLE, Calif. -- John Lasseter is a hugger, not a handshaker. The whimsical whiz behind Pixar, the premier maker of computer-animated family films, greets his guest with outstretched arms and a grin that recalls Toy Story's intrepid space ranger Buzz Lightyear.
Lasseter blames his "formal" attire -- a muted Hawaiian shirt rather than his preferred loud variety, slacks and shoes in place of jeans and sneakers -- on the Oscar-nominee luncheon he had to attend in Los Angeles earlier in the day.
Now he is back on his home turf, a sprawling playground of a 16- acre, $90 million digital fun factory. Its 800 employees are encouraged to swat ping-pong balls and take dips in the pool in between bringing to life such adored 3-D characters as Dory the daffy fish from Finding Nemo and blue-hued fur ball Sulley from Monsters, Inc.
Here, Lasseter, 49 and the father of five boys ages 8 to 26, can relax and be his big-kid self again, not so hard to do when your office looks like an overstocked aisle at Toys R Us.
In such surroundings, it is easy to be distracted from the real purpose behind this visit: Lasseter's first major interview since cartoon fans emitted a collective sigh of relief. The source of their satisfaction was the announcement in late January that as part of Disney's $7.4 billion purchase of Pixar, Lasseter would be in charge of reviving the Magic Kingdom's sadly diminished animation department, whose staff has been slashed from 2,200 to 800.
At last month's Visual Effects Society awards where Lasseter was an honoree, John Ratzenberger of TV's Cheers, a voice actor in every Pixar movie, captured the historic moment perfectly. When the news broke, he told the crowd, "Walt Disney stopped spinning in his grave."
Says Disney chairman Dick Cook, whose studio was at risk of losing what has been a highly lucrative 15-year partnership until CEO Michael Eisner was replaced by a more diplomatic Bob Iger in October, "I was talking to a group of animators when the announcement came out, and they let out a big yell. The reaction has been genuinely huge. John is that rarest of talents. Everything he touches becomes better. He is selfless in his desire to make things great."
If Lasseter feels any pressure by being the chosen one, it doesn't show. For him, work is play, and play is his work.
"Animation is the only thing I ever wanted to do in my whole life," he says. "I have no desire for live-action or anything else."
Peter Docter, director of Monsters, Inc., says his boss wasn't about to say no to such an exciting opportunity. "He is just one of those guys who loves everything life throws at him."
Lasseter is the sort of fellow who thinks nothing of riding the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile to the Academy Awards. Perusing his office toy collection, he cuddles a Casper the Friendly Ghost doll, whose fleecy white body has gone beige with age. Tenderly, he coaxes a gurgle from the pull-string treasure, the inspiration for Woody in Toy Story.
Lasseter is expected to apply similar care to the dulled Disney brand, whose last animated hit of any critical consequence was Lilo & Stitch in 2002. He can't blab too much about the future until all legalities are finalized. But he's clearly delighted to be entrusted with refurbishing the House of Mouse.
"I will basically have the same job as I have at Pixar," he says. "There is such amazing talent at Disney. My job is 100% creative, and I am very excited to creatively lead them. I will spend half the week in Burbank and half here." Andrew Stanton, director of Finding Nemo, will fill in at Pixar as needed.
Disney animated films will have to meet the same sky-high standards as Pixar releases.
"We make the kind of movies we like to watch," Lasseter says. "I love to laugh. I love to be amazed by how beautiful it is.
"But I also love to be moved to tears. There's lots of heart in our films." If tears fell over Disney's last release, the undercooked Chicken Little, it probably was from a feather allergy.
The baby boomer who found his calling while under the influence of Disney's Arthurian tale The Sword in the Stone has been rehearsing for this role since he was a boy. The tenets of Pixar's teamwork philosophy, such as "plussing" -- to make something good even better -- are a direct link to Uncle Walt's era.
These principles became ingrained in Lasseter as a student at the Disney-supported California Institute of the Arts and as a pen-and- pencil animator working at the studio on such films as Mickey's Christmas Carol. Lasseter, who grew up a half-hour away from Disneyland in Whittier, even credits his job as a Jungle Cruise guide at the park for perfecting his comic timing. As Cook puts it, "John bleeds Disney."
Already, change is in the air. Lasseter decries the straight-to- DVD "cheapquels," such as Bambi II, based on revered classics. "Trust me," he says. "Bob Iger cares." Work on Toy Story 3, done without Pixar input, has been halted.
Plus, traditionally animated features could be revived at the studio that pioneered the genre with 1937's Snow White, Cook confirms. "Andrew Stanton always said that 2-D animation became the scapegoat for bad storytelling," Lasseter says. "But you can make just as bad of a movie in 3-D."
A hopeful sign: Enchanted, an animated/live-action mix due next year, is about a cartoon princess (Amy Adams of Junebug) who ends up in present-day New York. The live-action portion will be book-ended by two 15-minute hand-drawn segments.
Lasseter is in more than one driver's seat these days. Down the road is the June 9 release of Cars, his first directorial effort since 1999's Toy Story 2. A full-length trailer will premiere on ABC- owned TV outlets tonight before running with The Shaggy Dog this weekend.
Tuesday, Cars will preview at ShoWest, the yearly Las Vegas convention of theater owners, who are starved for an injection of Pixar fuel to jump-start box-office receipts after last year's attendance decline.
The Capra-esque automotive fantasy about a hot-rod racer who learns how to pull over and smell the exhaust fumes feeds into the filmmaker's interest in NASCAR and appreciation for older models. The son of a parts manager at a Chevy dealership nearly swoons when he mentions his "pride and joy" -- a 1952 Jaguar XK120. "Gorgeous, gorgeous," he says, while caressing his toy version.
The yarn also dips into the history of how the interstate highway system snuffed out small towns that once boomed with tourists who got their kicks on Route 66.
But, like all Pixar movies, Cars carries plenty of personal baggage, too. "John's DNA is in every scene," producer Darla K. Anderson says.
The main source of inspiration was a cross-country road trip he and wife Nancy took with their brood in 2000. He had been working 10 years straight with barely a break when she warned him, "'You'd better be careful because one day you will wake up, and all your boys will be going off to college, and you will have missed it.' I heard her loud and clear," he says.
When he got home, he knew what the story of Cars would be: "A character who relearns that the journey in life is its own reward."
Considering Pixar's 6-for-6 hit record, some predict that a box- office breakdown is inevitable. From the early teasers, "it didn't look as exciting as the character designs of Nemo," animation expert Jerry Beck says. Plus, he says, there was a feeling that Pixar would keep its better ideas up its sleeve in case the Disney divorce went through.
Not to worry, Lasseter says. "Every single Pixar film, at one time or another, has been the worst movie ever put on film. But we know. We trust our process. We don't get scared and say, 'Oh, no, this film isn't working.'"
Like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, sometimes Lasseter seems too good to be true. Too smart. Too good with people. Too successful. Too in touch with his inner child. In the world of animation, Beck says, "He is god-like."
If there is one flaw, Docter says, "it's that he has such good instincts, he is almost always right. It can really (tick) you off."
Even as his professional life speeds up, Lasseter still is dedicated to slowing down regularly to spend time with his sons.
"We were driving around last night, and my boys asked me what kind of car would I be," he says. "I am not sure one exists, but I would probably be a minivan that had at least 600 horsepower. And handled like the finest sports car. One you could take your family in, but when you are driving by yourself, you can have power and speed."
Family-friendly yet fast. Sounds like the perfect Pixar hybrid.
Lasseter is 1st ShoWest Ani Pioneer
(Hollywood Reporter) – John Lasseter will be presented with the first ShoWest Pioneer of Animation Award at the ShoWest exhibitors' convention, which kicks off Monday in Las Vegas. Lasseter, executive vp creative at Pixar Animation Studios and director of such animated features as "Toy Story" and "A Bug's Life," will unveil his latest film, "Cars," at a screening Tuesday at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel. Buena Vista Pictures releases the film domestically June 9. ShoWest co-managing director Mitch Neuhauser called Lasseter "a pioneer in the advanced evolution of animated feature films." He said, "John not only set a tremendously high standard with the development of Pixar 20 years ago, but he continues to raise the industry standard year after year."
Pixar Q4 Down but Tops Street
(Hollywood Reporter) – Pixar Animation Studios, which Tuesday reported its quarterly earnings probably for the last time before becoming part of the Walt Disney Co., beat its own guidance and the expectations of Wall Street analysts. Leaning heavily on home video and worldwide TV rights to "Finding Nemo" as well as on consumer products and global DVD sales of "The Incredibles," Pixar posted a fourth-quarter profit of $30.9 million on $55.6 million revenue. While down from year-ago results of $55.2 million earned on $108.9 million revenue, analysts had expected Pixar to post earnings of only $20.8 million on $44.7 million in revenue. Library results, driven by the international DVD releases of "Toy Story" and its sequel, amounted to $19.1 million for the quarter. The lower overall quarterly results – when compared with last year – can be traced back to Pixar's decision to move the release of "Cars," originally scheduled for No-vember, to June. In announcing the changed release date late in 2004, Pixar said that its family-friendly, computer-generated films could earn more money by racking up ticket sales during the summer and DVD sales at Christmastime. The fourth quarter capped what CEO Steve Jobs called Pixar's "most profitable year ever." The company earned $152.9 million last year, up from $141.7 million in 2004. Revenue last year was $249.7 million, up from $243.6 million in 2004.
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