Paul Lee Making Aggressive Deals at ABC

Deadline:

In his development picks so far, new ABC chief Paul Lee has gone mostly for noisy, light/genre projects from proven auspices with premium deals for True Lies, Darren Star's dramedy adaptation of the book Good Christian Bitches and a horror thriller from Paranormal Activity writer-director Oren Peli.

That's three high profile deals in a very short amount of time.

Disney and More: Dubai Marvel Theme Park

That's an amazing looking park.

However, as this park concept was obviously done some years ago in agreement or at the request of Marvel Inc AND considering that Disney now owns Marvel chances are that this park concept was in the "the pack" of the Disney-Marvel deal. In this case it would mean that what you saw today in this article might be, with a bit of luck, the concept which will serve as inspiration - or at least part of it - for DLP third park!

No. All creative development on the proposed theme park still belongs to the developer Tatweer, not Marvel or Disney. And while the park in Dubai is currently on hold, it could still be built some day.

Why Does That Dragon Look So Familiar?

That's quite the hub decoration at Hong Kong Disneyland.

More Parks and Resorts Executive Shuffling to Give More Attention to Next Gen Project

The Orlando Sentinel:

Doug McGuire has been promoted to senior vice president in charge of global development, which is currently at work on plans for a new Disney theme park in Shanghai, China. McGuire had been senior vice president of global marketing operations.

McGuire succeeds Parks and Resorts executive vice president Nick Franklin, freeing Franklin up to focus more of his attention on Disney’s closely guarded “Next Generation Experience” project. 

They really are putting a lot of eggs into the "Next Gen" basket.

Orlando Sentinel: Plus-Sized Customers at Orlando Theme Parks

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average American weighed about 25 pounds more in 2002 than he or she did in 1960. Meanwhile, obesity rates have skyrocketed: Last year, for example, 33 states — including Florida — reported that at least a quarter of their populations were grosslyoverweight.

Horrifying.

Allears.net, a Disney fan site, has a specific section called "Walt Disney World at Large" that details amenities such as the oversized robes available in the resort's spas. Fans on Disboards.com who refer to themselves as "Pooh-sized"...

HORRIFYING!

Disney and More: Looking Back at Disney's America

Some concept art I don't remember seeing before.

Bob Weiss, the creative director for the project, is now the Imagineer in charge of California Adventure.

UPDATE: Looks like most of the art and information came from this Progress City, U.S.A article.

Telegraph: Euro Disney Ponders Marvel Superheroes Theme Park

Philippe Gas, the chief executive of Euro Disney, said one idea for a third park is "a superheroes park" following the acquisition of Marvel by Disney - although the construction of a third park is a long-term vision. Mr Gas said there is a possibility that a decision to build a third park could come as late as 2020, although it may come earlier if planned work on the Disney Studios park is completed.

That is one idea...

Michael Eisner: ESPN Acquisition "One of the Best Acquisitions Maybe of That Whole Century"

Forbes:

In hindsight, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner calls his decision in 1995 to buy CapCities/ABC, and with it, its crown jewel ESPN, "one of the best acquisitions maybe of that whole century."

It probably was, if not the best, one of the best.

There are lots of rumors that Disney is looking to divest itself of ABC (rumors that Bob Iger denies every time he is asked). But would ESPN be included in that sale? Would anyone be interested in ABC if ESPN wasn't included?

Euro Disney Has Not Officially Announced They Are Building A Third Theme Park

With Euro Disney SCA and the French authorities signing a new agreement today, there has been a deluge of stories popping up on Disney fan sites that the company has "officially announced it will build a third theme park" at the Resort.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The original agreement required Euro Disney to open a third theme park at the Resort by 2017 in order to receive the permanent land rights from the French government.

The new agreement allows Euro Disney to wait until 2030 to open a third theme park BUT they are no longer required to. If the company finds it is not financially viable, they can opt out of building a new park. Under the new agreement, Euro Disney is not penalized for this and the permanent land rights revert to them in 2030.

So, unlike Walt Disney Studios Paris, there is no incentive for Disney to build a third park unless the market actually merits it.

Will Euro Disney end up building a third park at Disneyland Paris? Very possibly. Have they said they are committed to doing it? Not in the slightest.

Family Entertainment You Can Trust

A short Disney Channel promo from its first broadcast year, 1983.

Hard to believe Mousercise is no longer around.

Bullshit Alert: Disney in Talks To Build So. Africa Theme Park?

Oh lord.

Here's what Bloomberg is reporting:

South Africa’s Mpumalanga province is in talks with Walt Disney Co. about building a theme park near Loskop Dam and four game reserves in the vicinity to boost tourism, Business Day said, citing Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency Chief Executive Officer Charles Ndabeni.

The African-style theme park could generate investment into the area of about 25 billion rand ($3.5 billion), the Johannesburg-based newspaper quoted Ndabeni as saying.

My bullshit sense is tingling.

Here is the actual quote from the Business Day story:

He said the agency is in talks with Disney World about a possible theme park near Loskop Dam, with four game reserves in the vicinity.

“We believe that a theme park could be a major draw card for both domestic and international tourism,” [Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency CEO Charles Ndabeni] said.

The African-style theme park would represent an investment of about R25bn.

The agency is in talks with Disney World? I am baffled.

Disney has no plans for a theme park in South Africa. Shut it down, folks. Shut it all down.

More on Euro Disney's New Contract With French Government

...the agreement will give it the right to build a third theme park within 20 years, 'depending on market conditions,' the company said in a press statement.

Euro Disney's current concession runs until the year 2017 and covers an area of 1,943 hectares just outside Paris. The new agreement will extend the agreement until 2030 and expands the area to 2,230 hectares.

Well there you go.

The original agreement signed in 1987 stipulated that by 2017 the Resort would feature three parks. In meeting that requirement, the government would then turn all land rights over to Euro Disney.

The new agreement gives Euro Disney until 2030 to build a third park but does not penalize them if they fail to do so.

UPDATE: Euro Disney's press release concerning the new agreement. (PDF file)

Euro Diney to Sign New Agreement With France

The Wall Street Journal (Subscription required):

The original agreement stipulates the commitments undertaken by the two parties and relates notably to investments financed by the state and local authorities in transport infrastructure used by visitors to the park.

The new version of the text foresees new projects to extend Euro Disney, such as a planned vacation village project called "Villages Natures," in partnership with the real estate group Pierre & Vacances (VAC.FR), the people close to the matter said.

The original agreement was signed in 1987. My understanding is that the new agreement does not specifically call out for another theme park. It certainly doesn't place any contractual timelines on opening a new Park, like the original agreement.

40% of Hong Kong Disneyland's Visitors Are From Mainland China

Xinhua News Agency:

Kam told reporters at the theme park that tourists from China's mainland accounted for nearly 40 percent of Hong Kong Disneyland's total tourists every year. In the past five years, just over 20 million tourists had visited Hong Kong Disneyland, he said.

40% sounds impressive but that's only a little more than 1.5 million visitors from the Mainland a year.

That's really bad.

So is Hong Kong Disneyland's yearly attendance. Averaging only 4 million visitors a year? Yikes.