Walt Disney Studios Restructures PR Department

Can Marketing be far behind?

Disney Signs Agreement for Shanghai Theme Park

Reuters:

"For quite some time, we have been involved in discussions with the Shanghai government about building a Disney theme park. We can confirm the statement from the Shanghai government that we have taken another step forward in the approval process," a Disney spokeswoman said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

Shanghai Government to Sign Agreement with Disney Tomorrow

I guess technically it's Friday right now in Shanghai.

People Daily Online:

The Shanghai municipal government plans to sign an agreement with the Walt Disney Company on Friday to lay out the specific structure of the joint venture for the planned Disneyland Park in Shanghai, in line with market speculations. 

The municipal government's spokesperson and Walt Disney could not be immediately reached for comment. The Shanghai Disneyland, which will take up 116 hectares and will be co-invested by Chinese and US companies, was approved by the State Council in November 2009 and is expected to be completed by 2014.

Disney Plans Tron: Uprising Animated Show for Disney XD

A spin-off of Tron: Legacy, launching Summer 2012.

Wired:

Tron: Uprising’s voice cast will include Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood, Emmanuelle Chriqui (who plays Sloan on Entourage), Mandy Moore, Paul Reubens (aka Pee-wee Herman) and Lance Henriksen, the publication reported, with Bruce Boxleitner reprising his role as Tron.

The show will spin out of Tron: Legacy, the highly anticipated sequel to 1982 sci-fi movie Tron. Gary Marsh, president of Disney Channels Worldwide, called the animated series “a culmination of an extraordinary collaboration between Disney Television Animation and our feature film studio.”

Disney sees Tron as their chance at a homegrown franchise for boys to rival the Princesses in popularity. If its as successful as they hope, expect things to move pretty fast in the theme parks.

Disney Introduces Princess Line to Compete With American Girl Dolls

Orlando Sentinel's Daily Disney:

The Walt Disney Co. aims to give Mattel’s American Girl doll franchise a run for its money this holiday season. Disney has introduced Princess & Me dolls into the popular 18-inch doll market, and it’s doing so at a lower price point.

Princess & Me dolls sell for $49.99, compared with American Girl dolls, which start at $95. Girls can choose from Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora, Tiana and Belle. After each doll is registered, its owner will receive a letter on her birthday from her favorite princess.

Can they really be considered competitors, though? The Disney Princess dolls don't even seem to be in the same class.

Disneyland Circa 1971

MiceChat user FREQDUDE posted some photos from his family trip to Disneyland in 1971, including a stay at the Disneyland Hotel.

Love the marina.

Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival Cancelled for 2011/2012

Announced on the official Disney Parks Blog.

I know guests will be sad to see it gone but Disney will too. It was a great revenue generator. But it's not surprising given the already complicated logistics of rebuilding the Park entrance.

I guess this means Buena Vista Street won't be completed until 2012.

Comparing Theme Park Ride Show Building Sizes

Attractions Magazine:

A friend of mine asserted that the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride in Universal’s Islands of Adventure is in the largest show building in the world. That didn’t seem right, so I pulled out my phone and Google mapped to prove what I thought – that the Revenge of the Mummy building at Universal Studios is bigger. Later at home, I decided to compare some other theme park buildings at the same scale. I hope you find this collage as interesting as I do. 

See Tron: Legacy in Your Overpriced Boutique Lightcycle Cufflinks

LATimes.com Hero Blog:

With the opening of “Tron: Legacy” a little more than a month away, the marketing for one of the holiday season’s most anticipated films is in overdrive. As part of the bullish campaign leading to the sci-fi epic’s release, Disney has announced the opening of a “Tron” pop-up shop inside of Culver City’s Royal T Café and gallery.

The shop, which opens Nov. 19 through Dec. 23, is the only one of its kind and will feature a long list of specialty items inspired by the film. But don’t expect flimsy toy Lightcycles or goofy glow-in-the-dark body suits: This pop-up shop is high-end. Just like the aspirations of the new film.

Boo.

Walk Through Frontierland, Walk Through Disneyland's Past

Shawn Slater:

The Big Thunder Trail that wanders between Fantasyland andFrontierland is not only the place to find Big Thunder Ranch, it's a bit of a walk through Disneyland history.

Backstage With the Original Mickey Mouse Club

NPR interview with Why? Because We Still Like You author Jennifer Armstrong on the history and legacy of The Mickey Mouse Club.

Terrorific Night 2

For the second year, Walt Disney Studios Paris hosted a not-for-the-faint-of-heart Halloween party, Terrorific Night.

Halloween at the Paris Resort is much more macabre than anything Disney would allow in the States.

Tron: Legacy Encore for World of Color

Premiered over the weekend.

They moved the never-used projector from the California Screamin' lift hill to the roof of the Toy Story Midway Mania! building. 

Looks impressive.

Disney's Believe

A new show being produced for the Disney Dream cruise ship.

MousePlanet:

Headlining at Walt Disney Theatre, an elegant, 1,340-seat entertainment palace, is “Disney’s Believe,” an original stage spectacular that combines a heartfelt story with a captivating musical score. It tells the story of a workaholic father who, through the power of Disney magic, reconnects with his daughter.

Sounds horrifying.

Details, Details, Details

The "Out of Order" signs in Flynn's Arcade during ElecTRONica are printed using a classic dot matrix printer.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to all! Don't miss the big giveaway at 9. Wear your masks, and watch the magic pumpkin!

Cars Land Topping Off Ceremony

Some photos taken from inside the construction zone.

Actor James MacArthur Dies at 72

Disney fans will remember him as Fritz in Swiss Family Robinson.

He also made Kidnapped, The Light in the Forest, and Third Man on the Mountain for Disney.

Chris Evans is Captain America: The First Avenger

Entertainment Weekly has the first official photos of Chris Evans in costume.

Looks great.

Mary Poppins to End Broadway Run? Alice in Wonderland Waiting in the Wings?

Laughingplace.com:

We have heard that Mary Poppins will close at the New Amsterdam Theater in 2011 due to continuing soft sales. Disney Theatrical Productions are currently assessing replacement shows and the division's president Tom Schumacher is keen to bring Alice in Wonderland to the stage. Tim Burton has already agreed to participate in the production. No word as of yet on composers but many of the original creative team behind the Beauty and the Beast musical have been approached. It was originally envisaged that Newsies would be destined for the Great White Way but that project no longer has momentum for a residency run.

Consider it a rumor, but Laughingplace is well connected and usually gets their information straight before running with it.

Remember when I said that Mary Poppins was a qualified success? Even I didn't realize how lousy sales had become.

How does Tom Schumacher still have a job?

UPDATE: Disney contacted Laughingplace to emphatically state that Mary Poppins will not be closing in 2011. Still, it would not surprise me if it happens sooner rather than later. But they need a project ready to use the vacant theater and they're not there yet.