What is Oriental Land Company's Role in Shanghai Disneyland?

It was rumored a while back, but Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun is confirming that Oriental Land Company will "help manage" Shanghai Disneyland. Does this mean they will be acting as a management company, in charge of the day-to-day operations?

Neither OLC nor Disney have commented on the story. If true, this would be OLC's first project outside of Japan.

This is good news for the guest experience at the new Park, but given the strained and sometimes hostile relationship between the Chinese and Japanese I wonder how this will be perceived in Shanghai and Beijing.

Frankly, I'm skeptical the Chinese government will allow such a deal. Hopefully we will get official comment soon.

Miramax Sale Closes

Deadline.com:

All in all, $660 million is a very good price for Disney because film library values have taken a hit as DVD/video has flattened. True, Disney once placed a sky-high $1.2 billion pricetag on the Miramax library. Then the company hoped to get around $800 million, then $700 million, for Miramax, and this number comes awfully close to that.

The Miramax chapter was an interesting one for the Walt Disney Studios, but it was never a very good fit for the company.

HitFix: Disney Planning to Film Pirates 5 & 6 Back to Back

Drew McWeeny:

Because HitFix can now exclusively report that Disney has begun quietly telling cast and crew to set aside a major block of time in the very near future so they can shoot "Pirates 5" and "Pirates 6." And, yes, once again, they will be shooting them back-to-back as one giant film, and then they'll release them as two films.

They must be incredibly happy with how the new one is shaping up. I wonder if Rob Marshall will direct.

I hated At World's End. Hopefully if these go into production they will do so with a clearer vision than 2 and 3 did.

Screamscape: Disney Ready to Buy Out Universal's Marvel Option?

Screamscape:

It’s just a rumor at this point, but more than one industry source has mentioned to me that Disney’s board may have been kicking around some options to quietly “buy out Universal” to get the theme park rights to the Marvel characters back and completely under Disney’s control, allowing them to get the most out of their new purchase...

That would be something, but why spend the money now unless they have a Marvel project that is ready to go?

UPDATE: There are rumors that Shanghai Disneyland might incorporate Marvel characters, perhaps even a Marvel-themed land. Maybe, but Disney already controls those rights.

The Los Angeles Times reported back when Disney's acquisition of Marvel was announced:

Universal’s intellectual property rights are limited geographically to the use of the Marvel brand in Orlando and the Spider-Man brand in Japan.

So, again, why would Disney pony up for the exclusive rights now?

Tangled Shines Lights on Disney Animation Rivalry

Hollywood Reporter (via ABCNews):

For though undeniably strong, the $68.7 million rung up by the Disney-branded movie during its first five days also serves to underscore some internecine rivalry among the studio's movie animators. And unless "Tangled" continues to outpace expectations during the length of its theatrical run, its Burbank animators will continue to struggle with the knotty problem of competing with their corporate kin at Pixar.

What differentiates a Pixar film from a Disney film? I'm not sure that anyone knows.

Disney Animation is in the midst of an identity crisis. Where does it fit in anymore?

Santa Paws at Walt Disney World

If I have one weakness, it's PUPPIES!

Disney and More: The Disneyland Paris Frontierland Stunt Show That Never Was

A former Imagineer chimes in:

As to the stunt show, this was developed under the Entertainment department on their own rather than Imagineering which was probably why it was not well known. An outside consultant was brought in and I seem to remember a model might also have been done. It was essentially a comic gun fight with exploding buildings and such but, as Jeff said, it was cancelled because of the clash with the Buffalo Bill show.

I always like reading about theme park attractions that never were.

Disney Announces Stock Dividend of $0.40 Per Share, Annual Shareholder Meeting to be Held in Salt Lake City

That's $0.05 more per share than last year.

The annual shareholders' meeting will be held Wednesday, 23 March 2011 in Salt Lake City, UT.

Anyone planning on attending?

Hollywood Reporter: Tron: Legacy Tracking Weak?

The 3D sci-fi film has been marketed heavily for months en route to its Dec. 17 bow, and many have been suggesting a big opening and leggy theatrical run based on built-in interest from the cult base of its 1982 predecessor. But at this point, tracking suggests Tron: Legacy with as little as $35 million.

More than two weeks out, tracking is near meaningless.

DCA Closes at 8 PM Tomorrow 01 Dec, But Guests Can Experience ElecTRONica Until 10 PM

Confirmed in the comments:

The full ElecTRONica experience will be available until 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 1. The rest of the park will close at 8 p.m., but anyone already in the Park for ElecTRONica can enjoy the party until 10 p.m. 

ElecTRONica =  so much $$$

MousePlanet: No "2Fer" Deal for Disneyland Resort in 2011

Team Disney Anaheim is very worried about what might happen if crowds continue to descend on Disney California Adventure next year when the entire front portion of the Park is torn up and under construction.

They are, however, aware that they need to offer some incentive for guests to visit in early 2011 before The Little Mermaid attraction opens. It sounds like ElecTRONica has been extended through Spring 2011.

Tangled Is Disney's Biggest Animated Opening Ever

I'm happy to eat crow.

Cartoon Brew:

Disney’s Tangled bulldozed its way past analysts’ expectations earning an estimated $49.1 million over the weekend, and boosting its five-day Thanksgiving holiday total to a towering $69 million. Disney’s first CG princess cartoon was one million dollars shy of Harry Potter’s first place box office finish, however, its three-day total still ranks as the biggest opening ever for a feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation.

Even the studio was only expecting ~$35 million for the five-day weekend. But when Wednesday's figures started rolling in, they were way above early estimates. The numbers kept building through the weekend.

No doubt Tangled benefitted from Warner Brothers abandoning plans to release Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One in 3D, allowing theaters to devote more 3D screens to the Disney release.
But credit has to go to Disney marketing chief MT Carney. While I wasn't impressed by the film's marketing, there's no question that it connected. And the controversial decision to rename the film Tangled now looks like genius.

Can the film keep up the momentum? Audiences gave the film an "A+" CinemaScore which bodes well for word of mouth. $200 million is not out of the question. We'll know more next weekend.

With Tron: Legacy tracking strong, it looks like a good holiday for the Walt Disney Studios.

Australia Coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom?

The Disney Blog is running a rumor that Walt Disney World is getting ready to move ahead with a land based on the Australian continent for Disney's Animal Kingdom.

There are a number of projects in various stages of development for Walt Disney World vying for go-ahead funding, but the truth is that nothing major is moving forward until after the new Fantasyland opens in 2012.

Years away, it's too early to say what will ultimately go forward. In my estimation, Disney Hollywood Studios has Star Tours 2 on tap for 2011, leaving either Epcot and Animal Kingdom in contention for the next big addition.

My guess is that TDO doesn't have the stomach, or the budget, for another massive capital outlay so soon after reworking Fantasyland. Perhaps something more modest like a new Imagination pavilion at Epcot.

At this point we're pushing 2015, which may be just about the right time for another spending spree...