Stitch Kingdom: Next Disney Parks Promotion "Let the Memories Begin"

Multiple sources have confirmed to us that the 2011 Disney Parks promotion will in fact be centered around ‘memories’ and that Disney Parks and Resorts is expected to make the announcement during a press event in New York City on September 22.

Pins and needles!

Al Weiss Appointed to National Tourism Panel

The Orlando Sentinel:

[President of worldwide operations at Disney Parks and Resorts Al Weiss] has landed a coveted spot on a new panel that will decide how best to spend tens of millions of dollars in public money raised every year to fund overseas tourism promotion.

Spending money? I'm not sure that's a concept Mr. Weiss is familiar with.

This Has Got To Be A Joke

DLP.info:

Rumors are that soon you will be able to rent your own fishing rod in the nearby restaurants and have a relaxing time fishing around Adventure Isle while other guests are standing in queue-lines or are enjoying a thrilling roller coaster. According to the rumors once you have fished successfully you will be allowed to bring your catch to the restaurant where you rented your rod and get your fish cooked there to perfection.

If this new “attraction” should become a success there might even be further plans. There are rumors that EuroDisney S.C.A. is already talking to cattlemen in Amerika in order to import Bisons to Frontierland, where they should run free, to offer a greater variety of do-it-yourself-meals for those avid hunters…

That would be like fishing something out of the Rivers of America and eating it. That is to say, super gross.

And bison hunting? I am incredulous.

Cauldron of Chaos

Former Disney animator Michael Peraza has been running a look back at the troubled development of The Black Cauldron on his blog, Ink and Paint Club.

The Black Cauldron celebrated it's 25th anniversary this past July and Disney is releasing a new 25th Anniversary Special Edition DVD next Tuesday, 14 September 2010.

Kodak Ends Sponsorship of Imagination and Captain EO

It hasn't been a secret that Kodak was ending their sponsorship of the Imagination Pavilion at Epcot, but both companies are now confirming it. In addition, Kodak will no longer sponsor Captain EO at Disneyland.

My guess is that the only reason they're still sponsoring Mickey's Philharmagic at the Magic Kingdom is because that agreement was signed separately and has yet to lapse.

Kodak still ponies up to be the official film company of the domestic parks, including Kodak Picture Spots. But if Fujifilm is still interested...

Positive Reactions to Tangled at Disney Press Screening

The film shown was a work print, about 60% completed. Very unusual for a Studio to show a work-in-progress to the press.

Pete Hammond writing for Deadline:

John Lasseter told the gathered press, “You can feel the pride people in this studio have in Tangled. We just couldn’t wait for people to see it.”

It’s looking like there will again be five nominees for Best Animated Feature this year. Based the deservedly enthusiastic press response to the work-in-progress print shown yesterday, Tangled could easily be among them. 

I've been really hard on this film but I'm willing to eat crow. But can Disney's marketing machine sell it?

The Street: Little Impact Seen From DVD Sales Decline

DVD sales account for only 6% of the Walt Disney Company's value.

But this is what I found most interesting:

The DVD business makes up the bulk of the revenue share for Walt Disney Studios, accounting for almost 75% of its revenues.

That is why the entertainment companies are trying to both delay consumer's moving away from buying DVD/Blu-ray and scramble to capitalize on digital markets. They don't want to see what happened to the music business happen to films, but they don't want to lose the profit margin associated with DVD sales.

Of course, Steve Jobs is the largest single shareholder of Disney which is why the company is on the forefront whenever Apple introduces a new business model.

Hip and Edgy Lives!

Perhaps I spoke too soon about the death of "hip and edgy" offerings at California Adventure.

Walls As Far As The Eye Can See

California Adventure construction update from Mint Crocodile.

The sun sculpture at the entrance is behind walls today and the large tile murals by the turnstiles starts getting dismantled Monday.

For those of us eagerly anticipating the new California Adventure, this is a great day.

Parody of Disney's Blam!

Frightening how close the parody is to the real thing.

Blue Sky Disney: Each Land in California Adventure to Represent a Distinct Time Period

I need to find out if they're still referring to them as "districts."

See the narrative they're working with? Each of the four sections will be themed to a different time period of California. The adventures you will experience there will be Disney attractions that are tailored to go along with what would be happening during a specific period.

Death to hip and edgy.

Clearly it's imperfect. Where does A Bug's Land fit in? But it's a vast improvement.

The Haunted Mansion Like You've Never Seen

Amazing up-close photos of the animatronics at Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion.

Gone Baby Gone

New Disney California Adventure park maps.

Speaking of the Studio's Marketing: Disney Hires Vetren Marketing Guru to Handle Pirates 4

Speak of the devil.

The Hollywood Reporter:

Disney has taken the unusual step of hiring veteran consultant Valerie Van Galder to handle the marketing of the fourth movie in its flagship film franchise, "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."

Considering its importance, the move is likely to be perceived in the industry, fairly or not, as a sign that Disney lacks full confidence in marketing chief M.T. Carney...

A fascinating look at the marketing machine at the Studios. It was gutted before Ms. Carney was brought on board and this summer surely was a hard one to spend learning on the job and getting a team in place.

Disney is expecting the latest in the franchise to gross $1 billion worldwide. The inflated 3D ticket prices certainly aren't going to hurt its chances. But is moviegoer appetite there?

Why is Everything About Tangled Seemingly Terrible?

Cartoon Brew:

How is it that a studio that once represented the height of creativity in filmmaking is now clinging onto the tails of tired Internet memes to promote its films? This viral ad for Disney’s Tangled is based on the “double rainbow” meme, and unlike the blammed Up, it’s not a parody.

I want to like Tangled but Disney's marketing up to this point has been awful. As a general rule, large corporations should not hitch their wagons to internet memes.

Disney hired a new movie marketing chief back in April. She sounded promising, but if this is typical of her work I am less than impressed.

HK Disneyland Reported Profitable...

...on a pre-tax basis.

Hong Kong Disneyland will likely report a profit on an earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization basis in its fiscal year ending September 2010, supported by a higher number of visitors from China and abroad, the South China Morning Post reported Monday, citing unnamed sources.

The Resort will still report a loss after taxes, depreciation and other finance costs.

With major new attractions debuting over the next three years, Hong Kong Disneyland is in a good position to continue profitability. That's more good news for both Disney and the Hong Kong government as Disney gets ready to build a competing park on the Chinese mainland.

28 August Video of Fantasmic Dragon Malfunction

Can't believe it took this long for video to show up.

RIP Maliboomer

Today is the last day of operation for the Maliboomer, as well as several other areas in California Adventure.

Paradise Pier was a disaster in 2001. As is always the story when discussing the design of Disney California Adventure, Tim Delaney's budget was decimated. Early concept art for the area shows what might have been.

The Maliboomer was a byproduct of the way the Park was designed: Imagineers were dictated a hourly capacity their districts must meet, a number of shops and dining areas they must accommodate and a small budget to make it all happen.

How do you meet hourly capacity requirements when you don't have a lot of cash? Lots and lots of stucco, switchback queues and off-the-shelf rides.