WDFM: Evolution of a Duck

The Walt Disney Family Museum and Disney historian J.B. Kaufman share the early days of Donald Duck.

Tron: Legacy Sequel to be Given the Green Light?

According to Harry Knowles over at Ain't It Cool News, yes:

And this was the happy word I received today on the Grapevine of Industry Insiders. TRON LEGACY... is getting close, incredibly close to having its SEQUEL announced! 

Tron: Legacy will pass $300 million worldwide in box office by the end of the week, a solid but not fantastic number. I don't think Disney would even be considering a film sequel unless merchandise sales have been impressive.

Of course, Disney has already committed itself to the Tron franchise longterm with a Tron animated show debuting on Disney XD in the summer.

The first film was expensive to produce at $150 million, but that's not an unreasonably figure for a effects laden, blockbuster film today. I wonder if they'll try to bring it in lower for a sequel.

Disney Has Concerns With Proposed Conditions on NBC - Comcast Merger

The LA Times Company Town blog:

Fox's letter to Disney does not go into great detail of what the media giant -- whose holdings include ABC, cable networks ESPN, Disney Channel and ABC Family as well as Disney Studios -- is worried about, but its filing is sure to raise eyebrows. Up until now, Disney had kept very quiet about the Comcast - NBC Universal deal. Fox's letter said the company was concerned about conditions "that may be dependent on or that would affect the marketplace negotiations of independent third-parties." Fox could not immediately be reached for comment.

2010 Hong Kong Disneyland Attendance Reportedly Hits 5.2 Million

That's a significant 13% increase over the previous year, but remember that the Park was supposed to be drawing that many visitors from year one.

Hopefully the three new lands opening over the next three years, starting with Toy Story Playland in late summer, will help boost attendance significantly.

Wild Africa Trek Adventures Begin Sunday at Disney Animal Kingdom

Official Disney Parks Blog:

Wild Africa Trek will be offered several times daily and group sizes for this unique experience will kept small – no more than 12 trekkers. By limiting the group size, the Wild Africa Trek offers a personalized, VIP feel for guests.

Anyone know the cost per person?

Zap2It: Should the Disney Channel Feature Gay Characters?

"We leave it up to our audience to interpret who these characters are and how they relate to them," [Disney Channel Worldwide President Gary] Marsh tells AfterElton, noting that while characters may not be clearly identified as gay, viewers are free to interpret them that way. According to Marsh, the channel is trying to "create a diverse cross section of characters on television that kids can have different access points and entry points to connect with."

Marsh has said, "We don't deal with sexuality on the Disney Channel in general. That's just sort of not where our audience's head's at. They're really a pre-sexual audience, for the most part, and so sexuality is not how we look to tell any kind of stories."

But while straight characters have gone out on dates and shared kisses on the channel, there hasn't been an equivalent for gay characters. "I don't know where the series or the Disney Channel or the world might evolve to in that regard. But I don't see it has some sort of second class," Marsh says.

I can understand why there are no openly gay characters on the Disney Channel, but I don't think it's a great policy.

I do think it's only a matter of time, though.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Meet-and-Greet at Disney Village

Not dated, but it has to be from around Euro Disney's opening in 1992.

Bonus: Zorro in Frontierland.

Cartoon Brew: Mobil Ads by Ward Kimball

Amid Amidi:

For nearly thirty years, animation legend Ward Kimball contributed a cartoon page called “Asinine Alley” to the bi-monthly magazine Horseless Carriage Gazette, which was a specialized magazine geared towards collectors of vintage automobiles. For a few issues, he also created ads for Mobil, and someone on has been posting them on-line.

I read an interview with Ward once in which he described how Walt Disney became angry when he saw these ads displayed at a studio show, and told Ward that he couldn’t do them anymore. Ward said he was never paid for the ads and was making them as a favor to the magazine, but nevertheless, he stopped. The last one was created in 1960.

Disney Store Announces New & Remodeled Locations for 2011

They're expanding fairly aggressively into new markets, but leaving a number of older stores without a remodel.

Broadway-Bound Aladdin Musical Slated for Out-of-Town Tryouts in Seattle This Summer

Here's hoping it retains nothing from the insufferable California Adventure show.

December 1935

The official Disney Twitter:

Mickey Mouse was the first image sent by telegraph wire in the United States, on the New York to Buffalo line.

Cartoon Brew: Jeffrey Katzenberg Defends 3-D... Again

Amid Amidi:

It must be tough work maintaining the facade that 3-D is the savior of theaters, when in fact, 3-D has done absolutely nothing to renew interest amongst moviegoers in the United States nor has it substantially boosted box office grosses.

Cars Retheme Being Considered for Test Track?

There are rumors that while Disney is looking for a new corporate sponsor for the Epcot attraction, they are also looking to incorporate characters from the Cars films.

Basically, placing the characters into the already existing show scenes.

Just a rumor at this point...

(via Twitter user AnotherVoiceDIS)

Star Tours Re-Opening Dates Leaked?

10 May 2011 for Disneyland and 17 May 2011 for Disney Hollywood Studios?

The dates are plausible, but not set in stone this early.

But you know Disneyland wants Star Tours and The Little Mermaid at California Adventure open by Memorial Day.

Snow White Story Meeting Steno Notes

Michael Sporn Animation:

Here are the steno notes of a story meeting on Snow White’s dwarves. I’m sure this has been printed somewhere or posted on someone else’s blog, but I don’I kniow where. So I’ve decided to post it “again” (in case someone else has it out there). I’ve added some drawings of the dwarves to color the post.

Fascinating.

Epic Mickey Endings

Jerry Beck writing on Cartoon Brew:

As someone with no intention to ever play the game, I think as a Disney fan this material should be archived here for future reference. Here’s both the “good” ending and the alternate “bad” ending to the game. It’s full of spoilers, but has some great Oswald scenes.

I just finished playing the game last week. Seeing how they incorporated disparate parts of Disney history into the game was fascinating and I really enjoyed the design and story.

The gameplay was the weakest aspect of the game. And the camera is, as reported elsewhere, pretty horrendous at times.

Still, it's a great game for Disney fans.

Oriental Land Refutes Shanghai Park Stories

People's Daily Online:

"We have approached neither Walt Disney Co nor the Shanghai municipal government about jointly running the Shanghai Disneyland theme park," Hiroshi Suzuki, director of public relations at the leisure and tourism company, told China Daily on Thursday, adding that "media reports are not true".

I suspected it might not be true, as the Chinese and Japanese can be antagonistic at times. I can't imagine the Chinese government welcoming a Japanese company running their flagship tourism initiative.

Bullshit Alert: Disney to Open Theme Park in Israel by 2013?

The Jewish Chronicle Online:

The Walt Disney Company, which has amusement parks in the US, France and Hong Kong, is planning to open another in Haifa in 2013.

The park, which will cover 20 acres of land near the Carmel Tunnel, will be home to a 25-screen cinema complex, shops and other entertainment facilities.

The project is expected to cost more than £107 million.

20 acres?  £107 million? It's all bullshit.

Shanghai Daily: Major Shanghai Disneyland Construction to Begin by May

Large-scale construction of the Shanghai Disneyland project could start as early as May with work on two major roads leading to the future theme park due to be completed in April, officials said yesterday.

If they still plan on opening by 2015, they'd need to begin fairly soon.

Monsters Inc 2 a Prequel?

Reelz Channel:

According to rumors, the prequel will focus on the story of Mike and Sulley's time at University of Fear, and how they started off as enemies but soon became friends. The source of the rumor comes from a 2011/2011 catalog Disney gave to theater owners.

First reported on French Disney fan forums Disney Central Plaza.

Al Lutz: Perennial Passholders

New Disneyland update from MiceAge editor Al Lutz.

And Now The Fun Begins...

The CALIFORNIA letters have been walled off and guests are being directed around the walls.

You can see how building Buena Vista Street and the new turnstile is going to be a traffic nightmare.

(via Twitter user MacDaddyUpdates)

New So Cal Ticket Deal

It's not the old "2fer" deal, and it's $99 ($23 more expensive).

OC Register's Around Disney blog:

In recent years, Disney sold two-for-one park tickets to Southern California residents at the start of the year, roughly January to May, when attendance is down. Last year’s deal cost $72.

The new Southern California tickets do give more flexibility than the previous ones.

The old two-for-one deal required guests to go to one park on one day and the second park on another day. Both trips had to occur within 30 days of each other.

This year’s ticket can be used at either park — two visits at one park or one visit at each park. The two trips can happen any time between now and May 14.

Still a great deal, and hopefully it will help with some of the crowding problems the old "2fer" ticket used to cause.

Tangled Tops $150 Million at Domestic Box Office, Tron Passes $100 Million

Congratulations to the Tangled team. It's worldwide total now stands at over $272 million.

While Tron: Legacy had a tough fall last weekend, it's been consistently grossing ~$6 million a day during the week. But school starts in many parts of the country on Monday. It's looking at $150 million total domestically. That's merely okay.

The Hollywood Reporter:

Disney's Thanksgiving film Tangled has transformed into the gift that won't stop giving, jumping the $150 million mark this week at the domestic box office and keeping up with newer Christmas family offerings.

Tangled grossed $3.6 million on Tuesday from 2,582 theaters for a cume of $150.6 million in its fifth week.

Disney's Tron: Legacy registered its own milestone Tuesday as it became the first Christmas film to cross the $100 million mark domestically. Overseas, the pic has brought in roughly $75 million for a worldwide total of $175 million.

Tron is a solid performer, but it hasn't broken out to the extent Disney might have liked beyond its core fanboy base.

Conversely, Tangled has done far more business than anyone predicted. Most had expected the film to gross $125 million domestically. Now, the movie is expected to reach $175 million.

Laughingplace: A Visit to Tokyo Disneyland's Club 33

Located on Main Street, USA.

Looks much roomier than its California counterpart.

Warner Brothers' Space Jam Website, Untouched Since 1996

Awesome.

Aerial Photos of the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland Expansion

You really get a sense of how dramatically the expansion will alter Fantasyland.

Once completed, Fantasyland will more than double in size.

NYTimes: Disney Tackles Major Theme Park Problem - Lines

The New York Times:

And so it has spent the last year outfitting an underground, nerve center to address that most low-tech of problems, the wait. Located under Cinderella Castle, the new center uses video cameras, computer programs, digital park maps and other whiz-bang tools to spot gridlock before it forms and deploy countermeasures in real time.

In one corner, employees watch flat-screen televisions that depict various attractions in green, yellow and red outlines, with the colors representing wait-time gradations.

If Pirates of the Caribbean, the ride that sends people on a spirited voyage through the Spanish Main, suddenly blinks from green to yellow, the center might respond by alerting managers to launch more boats.

It's all about getting guests out of the queue and into the shops and restaurants. That's not cynical, it's reality. A happy guest spends more.

Visualize the Year in Box Office

via The Film Stage:

ERC revealed today that the 2010 box office has tallied up to $10.55 billion. This is a .3% drop from 2009′s $10.58 billion box office but due to inflation, a 5% decrease in attendance. Xach has created a neat visualization of this figure in today’s Daily Distraction.

Around Disney: Slideshow of Holiday Crowds

I'll be honest, right now does not sound like a fun time to be at the Disneyland Resort.

MiceAge: Disneyland Resort Year in Review

The crazy thing is that 2011 stands to see significantly more changes.

Tron Drops 54%, Stands at $88 Million

Andre Dellamorte:

Tron collapsed. Part of this could be the holiday weekend, and potential loss of Friday evenings and Saturday morning business, but it's going to have to rebound/not fall next weekend if it's going to have any shot at $150 domestic. Since Disney has suggested that's the production budget, that would be the number that would be a saving throw. But as it was off over 50% from the opening weekend (compared to Avatar's 1.8%), this doesn't get pretty, unless international is strong (which so far it hasn't been). I don't think there's any way to look at these numbers positively, if there was I'd share it.

Not the box office hit Disney was hoping for, but if it sticks for young boys and merchandise sales are strong then we could still see that Disneyland attraction anyways.

Happy Christmas!

I am traveling for the holidays so posting will be limited.

You can follow me on Twitter for breaking updates.

Funny or Die: 1982 Tron Holiday Special

Most of your favorite characters are back!

Detailed Buena Vista Street Construction Timeline

The Orange County Register's Around Disney blog published a detailed timeline of expected construction milestones that will affect guest flow and traffic while Buena Vista Street is constructed:

Jan. 4:

Letter statues: Construction walls will start going up around the “California” letters statues in front of the park’s turnstiles. Crews plan to remove the statues. 

Sunshine Plaza: Inside the park, the walls will come out farther around the Sunshine Plaza, where a sunburst statue and fountain used to sit. The corridors will become narrower. 

June 1:

Corridor closed: The major corridor between Sunshine Plaza and the Grizzly River Run mountain, which veers right after the park entrance, will be closed. Visitors instead can get to “a bug’s land” and Pacific Wharf by going through the Hollywood Pictures Backlot and through “a bug’s land” back entrance by the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride.

July 31:

Shops and restaurants closed: Restaurants and a shop on the right side inside the entrance will be closed, as walls go up for more Buena Vista Street construction. The closures will be at: Baker’s Field Bakery, Bur-r-r Bank Ice Cream and Engine-Ears Toys.

Aug. 29:

Entrance changes: Visitors will go through new turnstiles at the entrance. But they will be funneled right into a pathway behind the Soarin’ Over California ride to the Condor Flats area where they will enter the park. Most of the Sunshine Plaza area will be blocked, including the Greetings from California store. The entrance change is slated to stay until summer 2012.

While construction is underway at the entrance, new venues are set to open in the spring in the Paradise Pier area: The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Goofy’s Sky School and a dining-shopping complex. Opening dates have yet to be announced.

I can't vouch for the accuracy of the information, and most likely the dates will be changed. But it's an interesting look at what is sure to be an involved process.

Tron: Legacy Opens to Disappointing, but Not Disastrous $43 Million

Andre Dellamorte (who, for my money, is the only box office prognosticator that matters):

David Poland mentioned that all films that have opened to over $40 in December have done $200 Million domestically, so there is hope to keep alive, and this is Disney. The question is how much of a franchise picture is the film? Because it's quite possible that - regardless of the holidays - it drops 50% next weekend much like Narnia did. Disney's got $100 Million on lock for domestic at this point. Like a lot of pictures these days, worldwide is that number to satisfy. My bottom line is that I think the number isn't great because we've seen pictures open to this number and struggle to do much more than $100 or so.

I wrote earlier on Twitter that the film could drop 60% next weekend. But with the holidays that would be a disastrous drop. I think Disney can hope for something in the 30% - 40% range.

Tangled continues to perform well, even though it lost the majority of its 3D screens this weekend. But the ceiling is still $150 million.

UPDATE: The film received a "B+" CinemaScore from opening weekend audiences. That's not great and doesn't bode well for continued legs.

Executive Overseeing Disney Online to Depart

Announced this morning.

With the head of the video game unit leaving just a few weeks ago, that pretty much completes the makeover of Disney Interactive Media Group.

DIMG hasn't turned a profit for years and I can't imagine that will change anytime soon.

Just Kidding - Tron Tracking at $40 Million?

Like I said yesterday, pre-release tracking is useless.

I think Disney would be okay with anything above $50 million.

The Hollywood Reporter: Family-friendly Films Faltering on DVD

Greenfield's latest analysis also makes the case that Disney/Pixar is seeing "underwhelming" sales of Toy Story 3. Home video sales are "tracking above last year's Up but not by the amount we would have expected," he said.

Anecdotally,  I used to buy a lot of DVDs but since I started Netflix a few years ago I haven't purchased a single one.

What are movie studios that have become dependent on home video revenue going to do now?

Tron Tracking at $60 Million Opening Weekend

ABCNews:

Disney's "Tron: Legacy" has the most going for it, including a great release date, cult appeal and of course the IMAX and 3-D components. So a No. 1 debut approaching an impressive $60 million is virtually assured for this long-awaited followup to the 1982 original.

Tracking can be wildly off, but Disney would be very happy with $60 million.

Walt Disney Died 44 Years Ago Today

A copy of the New York Times' obituary that ran 16 December 1966.

The Disney California Adventure Entrance Murals Are Completely Demolished

via MousePlanet

Progress City, U.S.A.: Neverworlds - Disney's Vacation Club and Resort at Eagle Pines

It’s almost hard to conceive of a time that Michael Eisner elected not to build a Disney Vacation Club resort, but that’s just what happened in 2001 when Disney’s Vacation Club And Resort At Eagle Pines was announced only to slowly vanish into the mists of history afterward.

Confirmed: Jon Favreau Won't Helm Iron Man 3

Deadline.com:

Favreau just wrapped Cowboys & Aliens and is about to embark on Disney's Magic Kingdom and "is excited about the opportunity to go do his own thing" while Kevin Feige as the ultimate custodian of Marvel's Iron Man franchise "sees it as an opportunity to bring some more fire to the franchise". Favreau is still on board to exec produce The Avengers which Joss Whedon is directing.

With Iron Man 3 and Magic Kingdom both planned for a 2013 release, there was no way he could do both. There were rumors that the rushed production of Iron Man 2 really soured his relationship with Marvel. We're seeing the fruits of that now.

It'll be interesting to see who they get to direct. I wonder if Favreau will still reprise his role as Tony Stark's buddy Happy Hogan.

A Second Rate Las Vegas

Rare high-quality photos of Harbor Boulevard from July 1962.

Rob Marshall on Directing Pirates 4

The Los Angeles Times' Hero Complex blog had a chance to interview Rob Marshall yesterday:

The reason I did this movie was to work with Johnny. That’s the real reason and there’s all these wonderful rewards along the way. But that was the main reason. I think he’s a brilliant actor and I came to find what an extraordinary person he is — a genuine, kind, elegant gentlemen; he’s funny and just fantastic. Also, for me, I always wanted to make an adventure. I was a fan of the “Pirates” series as well. I was always in line for them. Maybe because I come from choreography, I’ve always felt that there’s something about action films that made it very natural for me to go that way. It’s story through movement. I felt very at home doing action. So it was thrilling to step into that world.

Rob Marshall is an fascinating choice to helm such an expensive blockbuster action film. Disney is clearly happy with what they have and honestly a fresh set of eyes will probably help the film regain some of freshness the last entry was lacking.

Game On: Playboy Tron Photo Shoot

Clearly NSFW.

Garbage Article from LA Times Funland Blog

Nothing but outdated, ill-informed and incorrect information regarding plans for Phase 2 expansion of Disney California Adventure.

The simple truth is that if the Little Mermaid and Cars Land continue the Park's upward swing in attendance, guest spending and guest satisfaction, there is little impetus for Burbank to approve another billion dollar expansion.

If Phase 1 is deemed successful, future projects can proceed at a more regular pace. If a steady stream of spending guests are visiting the Park, then they must be happy with the offerings. That's the major win Disney is hoping for. If guests are happy with Disney California Adventure, then there's little need to spend exorbitantly on it.

In that case, it's not that the Phase 2 projects will never be built, but that they'll happen one at a time over a decade or so.

But what if, for some reason, the current expansion is deemed a failure?

At that point, you can't expect Disney to pump more money into the Park either. If expensive, high quality additions aren't enough to turn around California Adventure's fortunes, why would they throw more money at it and hope that will solve the problem?

I do think after 2012 there will be changes to Hollywood Pictures Backlot. And if attendance at the Park strains operations, there may be a push to add a few more attractions in one swoop. But another expansion plan as aggressive as Phase 1?

No way.

First Trailer - Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

I hated At World's End, but I have to admit this looks fun.

Yesterland: The Casablanca Plane Myth - Not A Myth After All?

Impressive detective work by Werner Weiss.

I don't think we'll ever have a definitive answer, but this makes sense.

First Thor Trailer

What an odd duck of a movie.

The trailer isn't very good, but I'm still enthusiastic about the finished film.

The 3D conversion is worrisome, though. The early work shown at Comic-Con San Diego back in July was pretty terrible.

Disney's Tangled Passes $100 Million in Domestic Box Office Receipts

Tangled's performance so far has been good, but it will be tested this weekend when the new Chronicles of Narnia film opens and jockeys for 3D screens.

Tangled has a listed production budget of $260 million, which is pretty ridiculous. That means it has to make about $500 million dollars to break even.

Gummi Bear 25th Anniversary Web Reuinion

Tomorrow, 11 December 2010, from 5-7 PM PST.

Jymn Magon:

As part of my “Restless Nights and Disney Afternoons” category, I am presenting my first live interview webinar – and this one is a doozy. It’s a reunion of the talented folks who helped create “Disney’s Adventures of THE GUMMI BEARS.” A 2-hour LIVE web event, featuring interviews plus unseen Gummi materials (photos, sketches, etc.)

Registration is $20 and limited to 50 participants.

I can't believe it's been 25 years.

Mickey's Toontown Fair Closes 11 Feb

To be honest, I wasn't sure they were ever going to close Mickey's Toontown Fair.

The area will become almost like a Dumbo mini-land, so it will be interesting to see how much of the tent structures are demolished or changed. My hope is that it will all be torn down, but it will not surprise me to see some remain.

Thor One-Sheet

First teaser poster for next year's Thor.

CALIFORNIA Letters to be Removed Starting 04 Jan, Buena Vista Street Construction to Begin in Earnest

I have heard the letters will be used somewhere in Southern California, outside of the Disneyland Resort.

Twilight Producer Signs Overall TV Deal at ABC

Deadline.com:

Temple Hill, producer of the hugely successful Twilight movie series, is making a big move in television, signing a two-year overall deal with ABC Studios. This is the first TV pact for Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen's Temple Hill, which will mark its fifth anniversary in February. Under the deal, Temple Hill will be developing and producing series projects for ABC Studios. First off is a contemporary re-imagening of Alexandre Dumas, pere's The Count of Monte Cristo.

ABC Reaches $200 Million, One-Year Agreement With Netflix

The Los Angeles Times' Company Town blog:

The Disney licensing arrangement would significantly broaden the entertainment options available to Netflix subscribers, allowing them for the first time to watch previous seasons of a number of ABC shows including "Grey's Anatomy," "Brothers & Sisters," and "Ugly Betty." In addition, Netflix will add the final season of "Lost," for which it previously streamed the first six seasons.

The video service will also have shows from the ABC Family and Disney Channel networks, including some shows that initially aired as recently as 15 days prior.

Cable and satellite companies must be clutching their hearts.

Jon Favreau Talks Magic Kingdom

I don’t think it’s going to be mixing all the other movies. I think it’s going to be its own thing; I don’t think it will be like Night at the Museum. I want to make it a little bit spookier like the old Disney movies were and try to really capture that tone...

Both this and Iron Man 3 are scheduled for 2013. Favreau isn't under contract for a third Iron Man film and, obviously, he can't do both.

Disneyland Paris in the Snow

Beautiful photos of Disneyland Paris covered in snow, plus some construction and news updates if you can read French.

The Original Disneyland Carousel of Progress Ending

From the video description:

The original ending to the Carousel of Progress as it was at Disneyland from 1967-1973. It was nearly identical to the 1964-1965 World's Fair ending.

Disney Moves New Muppet Film From Christmas to Thanksgiving

Press release via Deadline.com:

BURBANK, Calif. – December 8, 2010 – The Walt Disney Studios announced today that it has moved the release date for its upcoming The Muppets Movie to November 23, 2011. Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie the Bear, Gonzo, Animal and the rest of the gang will reunite in theaters just in time for the 2011 Thanksgiving holiday weekend. "Disney has had incredible success opening films over the Thanksgiving weekend, and thanks to Tangled, we have the top three Thanksgiving openers of all time,” said Chuck Viane, president of global distribution for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. “I have spoken with The Muppets, and we all agreed this comedy is a great fit for the holiday 2011 time frame.”

Pre-Visualization Work for Rapunzel Unbraided

A pre-visualization reel from 2005 from what was then called Rapunzel Unbraided. Work by Tony Hudson under the direction of Glen Keane.

You can see that the original version of the film shared a lot in common with Enchanted, released by Disney in 2007.

Earlier in 2007, Keane's film was scrapped and the film we now know as Tangled began to take shape.

AVClub: ABC News Names New President, The Guy Who Wrote Charlie St. Cloud

Ben Sherwood, former producer of Good Morning America, author of Charlie St. Cloud and total douche bag.

AV Club:

For those unfamiliar with Sherwood, over the summer The Awl had a comprehensive overview of all the reasons that people hate him, following the “child of privilege deeply disliked by his classmates” who earned the enmity of his entire Harvard class for his relentless résumé-building and “cynical social-climbing,” then moved on to exploiting his family connections to land jobs at the Los Angeles Times and CBS (“where he added Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather to his résumé as references”), and finally ended up writing novels about how life is just a game of catch with your dead ghost bro that became Zac Efron movies.

Disneyland Paris' First Christmas

Video from the official Disneyland Paris YouTube channel highlighting the Park's first Christmas in 1992.

Little Box of Treasures

Imagineering Disney:

Humor me as I share what might look like a pile of garbage. For me, this garbage represents a whole lot of theme park ingenuity and memories of getting my hands dirty early, early in the morning...

Tangled Drops 56%, Still Manages #1 For The Weekend

Decent, but not great.

$200 million is out of the question, but $150 is doable.

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...

Happy Thanksgiving

The Archimedes Report is taking a brief respite and will return Monday.

LATimes: Disney Animation is Closing the Book on Fairy Tales

This article published in the Los Angeles Times has the Disney fan community buzzing, with an appreciable number rending their clothing in anguish.

Ed Catmull took to Facebook in response:

A headline in today’s LA Times erroneously reported that the Disney fairy tale is a thing of the past, but I feel it is important to set the record straight that they are alive and well at Disney and continue this week with Tangled, a contemporary retelling of a much loved story. We have a number of projects in development with new twists that audiences will be able to enjoy for many years to come.

It is true that none of the projects currently in the works at Feature Animation are fairy tales.

But this is really not the story Disney wants to be making news the week Tangled opens.

Chinese Theme Park Operators Hope Shanghai Disneyland Means Boom Times

China Daily:

Disney has been fortunate in not only capturing the hearts of many young Chinese Mickey Mouse fans but also being surprisingly welcomed by its Chinese competitors.

In the eyes of Liu Pingchun, chief executive officer of China's top theme park developer, Shenzhen OCT Holding Company, the cartoon mouse may help Chinese theme park operators to cultivate a much bigger market.

A few years ago, Liu visited 12 theme parks in Japan within nine days to make a survey of the influence that Tokyo Disneyland had on the local industry. He found the Disney resort promoted the development of other local parks.

"In the theme park field, the market is always created by park builders," Liu told China Daily.

Will the rising tide lift all boats?

At present, China has around 2,500 theme parks with a total investment of 300 billion yuan, but only a quarter make a profit, according to Chinese media reports.

Wow. I wonder what they're counting as "theme parks," though.

Beijing Review: Mickey Finds a New Home

Beijing Review, China's English weekly news magazine, has details on the planned infrastructure for Shanghai Disneyland:

The whole project, which is to cover 1.16 square km, will be the largest Disneyland in the world, said He Jianmin, Director of the Tourism Department of the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, which participated in the appraisal of the project.

The construction will be divided into three phases. The first phase, including a nearly 1-square-km theme park area, is to involve an investment about 25 billion yuan ($3.68 billion) and is planned for completion around 2014. After it opens, the number of tourists is expected to add up to 10 million every year, while the total tourists visiting the whole park will be 30 million annually, He said.

Water will be one of the main features of the first phase of the Shanghai Disneyland. A 0.39-square-km lake will be built in the first phase, which will take up a sizeable proportion of the entire park. It will be used as a base for water recreation activities and transportation.

In the northeast of the lake, a 7,000-square-meter artificial island will be built. On the north side of the lake are spaces for the construction of a public transportation hub, entertainment facilities and hotels. A river which will surround the park has been under construction since October. As a whole, the park will present to tourists an impression of a water world.

The section to be built in the first phase will focus on the theme of a magic kingdom. It will include five different theme areas.

A 20-square-km Shanghai International Tourism Resort will be built to surround the theme park. A joint venture set up in August by Disney and the SSG will be in charge of operating the Shanghai theme park.

A special Disneyland subway line is to be built to link the fun park with the urban area of Shanghai.

So far, Disney has been very mum on their plans but that hasn't stopped details from leaking.

New Queue Open at Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

What a drastic improvement over what was there before.

The "interactive" elements haven't been activated yet, but are supposed to being rolling sometime this week.

UPDATE: Here's a more complete look at the changes, including the interactive elements in operation.

50 Disney Spoilers in 3 Minutes

The Fine Brothers spoil all 50 Disney animated films in 3 minutes.

Limited Posting

I am traveling out of the country and currently with limited internet connectivity.

Regular posting will resume Monday. Thanks for your patience.

Disney Teams Up With Gowalla

Does anyone use Gowalla? Is this enough to get you involved?

Mashable:

Disney has decided to partner with location service Gowalla — rather than Facebook or Foursquare — for an immersive location-based campaign to help people explore its flagship Disneyworld and Disneyland parks.

The Gowalla/Disney partnership focuses around custom Passport pages that not only show off Disney-branded stamps (Gowalla’s version of Badges), but also a photo and check-in stream. Gowalla’s Disney page also offers Disney-branded pins that users can earn by completing specific trips within Disneyworld and Disneyland.

This isn’t just a few stamps and a check-in stream, though; Gowalla and Disney have created literally hundreds of stamps for rides and locales within the two parks. Everything from the fireworks show to “Finding Nemo-The Music” offers a stamp or pin that can be earned by checking in.

What's the benefit for Disney? I wonder if they get cash money.

Disney Announces Conversion of Pleasure Island to Hyperion Wharf

Disney fans are complaining that it's not Pleasure Island. Do people not remember how terrible Pleasure Island was in it's last five painful years of life?

It'll be interesting to see what restaurant operators they get involved. Hopefully it's not more Landry restaurants, but don't be surprised.

UPDATE: Can we all agree that the most exciting part of the upgrades are an improved movie theater? My local megaplex offers a nicer experience than the Downtown Disney AMC.

WSJ: Disney Junior and Nick Jr. Square Off in the Fight for Preschoolers' TV Viewing

From the article (subscription required):

Executives at Walt Disney Co., preparing their latest push for this audience, say that some TV for tots favors curriculum over storytelling. They argue that it's sometimes too much work, not enough play.

They're offering themselves as an alternative to Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. channel, which emphasizes learning. Disney says that today's parents are ready for a change. In an age of video games and iPads, kids can learn their ABCs anywhere. What's missing are good, old-fashioned stories that kids can repeat to others, pretend to be the characters, and watch again and again.

Disney Junior replaces Playhouse Disney on the Disney Channel and in the theme parks in February and gets its own 24-hour channel in 2012 replacing SOAPnet.

As the article states, this is serious business for Disney. Last year advertisers spent more than $276 million during children's TV shows and merchandise sales can equal billions more.

But this is what really caught my eye:

Following the death of the broadcast networks' Saturday morning cartoon tradition, preschoolers have been watching at all hours. Forty percent more of them now watch Nick Jr. from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. than during the rest of the day, according to the network.

Making Mickey Mouse Act For the Talkies

via Cartoon Brew:

The article, by Gordon S. Mitchell of Universal’s sound department – who includes ample references to Lantz’s Oswald Rabbit – is a pretty poorly written explanation of how cartoons are produced. However, it does feature several unique behind-the-scenes photos and drawings, and well worth a look for how animation production was explained to the public in those long ago days before DVD bonus features.

Pyongyang Fun Fairs

The Theme Park Guy had a rare opportunity to visit the North Korean capital of Pyongyang and visit the local fun fairs.

North Korea is one of the most isolated countries in the world. Incredible photographs.

Photo Updates From the IAAPA 2010 Trade Show

The Theme Park Review forum has updates from the 2010 International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions expo happening now in Orlando, Florida.

Every year ride manufacturers, designers and vendors show off their new designs and try to solicit sales. It's an exciting place to be for a theme park enthusiast.

UPDATE: All of TPR's day one coverage in one place. If you want to follow along as the updates go live, the forum is the place.

Filming 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

A 1954 photo report from Life magazine, via Disney and More.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is one of my favorite Disney films of all time.

Cars 2 Teaser Trailer

Looks uninspired, but the Cars franchise is big business and I have no doubt this will do well at the box office.

World of Color Receives Thea Award

World of Color received the Thea award for Outstanding Achievement - Nighttime Spectacular.

Disney Imagineer Kim Irvine was also recognized with the Buzz Price Award, Thea's lifetime achievement honor.

From the press release:

To date, Walt Disney Imagineering has received a total of 34 awards throughout the Thea Awards’ 17-year history. Some of Disney’s past recipients of Awards for Outstanding Achievement include Toy Story Midway Mania! at Disney California Adventure and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, “Finding Nemo- The Musical” and Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Soarin’ Over California at Disney California Adventure, Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland Park, Space Mountain, From the Earth to the Moon at Disneyland Paris, CineMagique at Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris and ‘The Legend of Mythica’ at Tokyo DisneySea.

Guillermo Del Toro and David Eick to Create ABC's New Hulk

Deadline.com:

Del Toro and Eick will break the story for the pilot script together, sharing story and created by credit. Eick will write the script, with del Toro attached to direct subject to his availability. Del Toro will also oversee the designing of the Hulk character...

Seriously cool news for fans of the Hulk.

Only Three Animated Features to Receive Oscar Nominations

Cartoon Brew:

Under Academy rules, “in any year when 8 to 15 animated features are released in Los Angeles County, a maximum of 3 motion pictures may be nominated.” Had one more feature qualified, the number of nominees would have expanded to five features.

The biggest losers in this scenario are the indies like Bill Plympton’s Idiots and Angels, Sylvain Chomet’s The Illusionist and Paul and Sandra Fierlinger’s My Dog Tulip, as well as the sleeper anime hit, Mamoru Hosoda’s Summer Wars. A field of five nominees would virtually guarantee one or two of them a nomination, but they face an uphill battle now.

Disney is pushing hard for a Best Picture nomination for Toy Story 3. With the Academy expanding the Best Picture nominations to ten films beginning last year, there's a good chance they'll get it.

But they'll have to settle for, at most, a Best Animated Feature win. The Academy would be loathe to deliver Best Picture to an animated film.

Growing Backlash Against TSA Body Scanners, Pat-Downs

"We certainly understand the challenges that DHS confronts, but the question remains, 'where do we draw the line'? Our country desperately needs a long-term vision for aviation security screening, rather than an endless reaction to yesterday's threat," the statement said. "At the same time, fundamental American values must be protected."

If you're planning on flying this holiday, might I direct you here.

UPDATE: Also, here.

Disneyland Fantasmic! Dragon Returns

"Murphy" returned to the show last Friday.

Glad to see him back.