This Week In Disney History: February 26th – March 4th

WDWNT on March 6, 2017

For the past few weeks, we have been bringing you a new column on WDWNT named ‘This Week In Disney History.’ Each week is meant to provide you tidbits of knowledge from the history of The Walt Disney Company. Some of these milestones may not be as important as others, but each played a specific or unique role in shaping the Walt Disney Company that we know and love today. In today’s edition of ‘This Week in Disney History’, we cover February 26th-March 4th.

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Walt Receiving the Irving Thalberg Memorial Award from David O. Selznick. (Photo courtesy Walt Disney Archives)

This Week In Disney History: February 26th-March 4th

  • February 26th, 1942 was a very special day. On this day, Walt Disney received the Irving Thalberg Memorial Award. The award, named for the legendary head of the Production Divison of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, is periodically given to “Creative producers, whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production.” The award is presented at the Governors Awards Ceremonies as part of the Academy Awards.  Disney was the youngest person at the time to receive this award. Actress Norma Shearer (the widow of Irving Thalberg) was so touched by the presentation, gave Disney a kiss as returned to his seat.
  • On February 27th, 1987, Tokyo Disneyland welcomed its 40-millionth guest into the park!
  • On February 28th, 2012, Disney Cruise Line’s ship, the Fantasy, docked at New York harbor making it the first DCL ship to ever dock in New York. Also, on February 28th, 2004, one of the most popular restaurants at Downtown Disney, Earl of Sandwich, opened to the public. The sandwich shop is named after British Navy Officer John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who is credited with inventing the ‘sandwich.’ The 11th Earl of Sandwich and his son collaborated with Robert Earl, the founder and CEO of Planet Hollywood, to create this one-of-a-kind eatery.
  • On March 1st, 1930, Ub Iwerks, the very first animator of Mickey Mouse, left Disney to set up his own animation studio.  He eventually returned to Disney.
  • On March 2nd, 1976, Walt Disney World welcomed its 50-millionth guest into the park, who was Susan Brummer.
  • On March 3rd, 1937, Bobby Driscoll, who was the voice and model of Peter in ‘Peter Pan,’ was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Also on March 3rd, 1983, Journey Into Imagination at EPCOT Center made its grand debut to the public. The official grand opening ceremony was held on March 5th, 1983.
  • Finally on March 4th, 2011, author Dave MacPherson visited Disneyland.  Who is Dave MacPherson?  He was the very first paying customer to enter Disneyland when the gates opened to the public on July 18, 1955.

If you would like to read or learn about more Disney history, you can visit the Walt Disney Archives site here.

Tom Staggs Named Chief Operating Officer of The Walt Disney Company

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

Earlier today, Robert Iger announced the promotion of Tom Staggs as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) of The Walt Disney Company. Below is the official press release released by Disney announcing the promotion.

Thomas O. Staggs has been named Chief Operating Officer of The Walt Disney Company, it was announced today by Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

A 25-year Disney veteran, Mr. Staggs is Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, overseeing the strategy, operations and creative development of the company’s iconic travel and leisure businesses. He will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer immediately, while continuing to lead Parks and Resorts until a successor is named. Disney’s senior management team, including all business segment leaders, will report jointly to Mr. Iger and Mr. Staggs, with the exception of the Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel, Chief Communications Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer, who will continue to report directly to Mr. Iger.

“Tom is an incredibly experienced, talented and versatile executive who has led Parks and Resorts during a time of unprecedented growth and expansion, including the construction of Shanghai Disney Resort. His proven ability to lead a business as well as his successful tenure as Disney’s former CFO make him an ideal Chief Operating Officer, expanding his portfolio into all the company’s businesses,” Mr. Iger said.

“It’s a privilege to step into this role, and I am humbled and honored by the opportunity. I look forward to working more closely with Bob and the talented senior management team across the company to continue to build Disney’s future through unparalleled creativity, innovative technology and global expansion,” Mr. Staggs said.

Since 2010, Mr. Staggs has led Parks and Resorts’ global team of more than 130,000 Cast Members, Crew Members and Imagineers, with the segment delivering record revenue, profit and attendance levels. In addition to overseeing the development of Shanghai Disney Resort, and a new Avatar-themed land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park, during Tom’s tenure, Disney has launched two new cruise ships; opened Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, in Hawai‘i; added three new lands at Hong Kong Disneyland; doubled the size of Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom; and completed a multi-year expansion of the Disneyland Resort with the addition of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure Park.

Prior to that, Mr. Staggs served as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Walt Disney Company. He played a critical role in the execution of the acquisitions of Capital Cities/ABC, Pixar Animation Studios and Marvel Entertainment. As CFO for twelve years, he spearheaded the realignment of Disney’s performance goals toward the combination of profit growth and strong long-term capital returns and free cash flow. He has been praised by Wall Street for his financial and communications skills, and was consistently voted the entertainment industry’s No. 1 CFO by Institutional Investor magazine.

Mr. Staggs joined Disney in 1990 as Manager of Strategic Planning and quickly advanced through a series of positions of increased responsibility, leading to his appointment as Chief Financial Officer in 1998. Before joining Disney, he worked in investment banking at Morgan Stanley & Co.

6 Weeks Later, Disney Frozen Stays In 1st Place!

WDWNT on February 18, 2014

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Six weeks later, Disney’s animated feature Frozen is once again holding strong at the first spot at the box office. The domestic box office for the weekend ending January 5 is estimated at $20.72 million. The films domestic total will soon cross $300 million as Frozen’s global box office total soars to nearly $640 million.

Frozen was recently also nominated for a Golden Globe for best animated feature bringing even more attention to the film. With upcoming releases in Asia, the film is expected to reach even higher box office dollars worldwide, and projections speculate it could be up to $900 million.

Source: TV Media Insights

BREAKING: The Walt Disney Company Acquires Lucasfilm

WDWNT on May 31, 2012

I am in shock as I write this, but Disney is going to acquire Lucasfilm, Star Wars and all…

Burbank, CA and San Francisco, CA, October 30, 2012 – Continuing its strategy of delivering exceptional creative content to audiences around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction. Lucasfilm is 100% owned by Lucasfilm Chairman and Founder, George Lucas.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney stock on October 26, 2012, the transaction value is $4.05 billion, with Disney paying approximately half of the consideration in cash and issuing approximately 40 million shares at closing. The final consideration will be subject to customary post-closing balance sheet adjustments.

“Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. “This transaction combines a world-class portfolio of content including Star Wars, one of the greatest family entertainment franchises of all time, with Disney’s unique and unparalleled creativity across multiple platforms, businesses, and markets to generate sustained growth and drive significant long-term value.”

“For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next,” said George Lucas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lucasfilm. “It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. I’m confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney’s reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products.”

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, a leader in entertainment, innovation and technology, including its massively popular and “evergreen” Star Warsfranchise and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, animation, visual effects, and audio post production. Disney will also acquire the substantial portfolio of cutting-edge entertainment technologies that have kept audiences enthralled for many years. Lucasfilm, headquartered in San Francisco, operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, and the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.

Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise. Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.

The acquisition combines two highly compatible family entertainment brands, and strengthens the long-standing beneficial relationship between them that already includes successful integration of Star Wars content into Disney theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo.

Driven by a tremendously talented creative team, Lucasfilm’s legendary Star Warsfranchise has flourished for more than 35 years, and offers a virtually limitless universe of characters and stories to drive continued feature film releases and franchise growth over the long term. Star Wars resonates with consumers around the world and creates extensive opportunities for Disney to deliver the content across its diverse portfolio of businesses including movies, television, consumer products, games and theme parks. Star Wars feature films have earned a total of $4.4 billion in global box to date, and continued global demand has made Star Wars one of the world’s top product brands, and Lucasfilm a leading product licensor in the United States in 2011. The franchise provides a sustainable source of high quality, branded content with global appeal and is well suited for new business models including digital platforms, putting the acquisition in strong alignment with Disney’s strategic priorities for continued long-term growth.

The Lucasfilm acquisition follows Disney’s very successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel, which demonstrated the company’s unique ability to fully develop and expand the financial potential of high quality creative content with compelling characters and storytelling through the application of innovative technology and multiplatform distribution on a truly global basis to create maximum value. Adding Lucasfilm to Disney’s portfolio of world class brands significantly enhances the company’s ability to serve consumers with a broad variety of the world’s highest-quality content and to create additional long-term value for our shareholders.

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Lucasfilm have approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, and other customary closing conditions. The agreement has been approved by the sole shareholder of Lucasfilm.

BREAKING NEWS: Walt Disney Company Acquires Marvel Entertainment!

WDWNT on August 31, 2009

Burbank, CA and New York, NY, August 31, 2009 —Building on its strategy of delivering quality branded content to people around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) has agreed to acquire Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:MVL) in a stock and cash transaction, the companies announced today.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney on August 28, 2009, Marvel shareholders would receive a total of $30 per share in cash plus approximately 0.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share they own. At closing, the amount of cash and stock will be adjusted if necessary so that the total value of the Disney stock issued as merger consideration based on its trading value at that time is not less than 40% of the total merger consideration.

Based on the closing price of Disney stock on Friday, August 28, the transaction value is $50 per Marvel share or approximately $4 billion.

“This transaction combines Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories,” said Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. “Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney.”

“We believe that adding Marvel to Disney’s unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation,” Iger said.

“Disney is the perfect home for Marvel’s fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses,” said Ike Perlmutter, Marvel’s Chief Executive Officer. “This is an unparalleled opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand and character properties by accessing Disney’s tremendous global organization and infrastructure around the world.”

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Marvel including its more than 5,000 Marvel characters. Mr. Perlmutter will oversee the Marvel properties, and will work directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build and further integrate Marvel’s properties.

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Marvel have each approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, effectiveness of a registration statement with respect to Disney shares issued in the transaction and other customary closing conditions. The agreement will require the approval of Marvel shareholders. Marvel was advised on the transaction by BofA Merrill Lynch.

Investor Conference Call:

An investor conference call will take place at approximately 10:15 a.m. EDT / 7:15 a.m. PDT today, August 31, 2009. To listen to the Webcast, turn your browser to http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/presentations.html or dial in domestically at 800-260-8140 or internationally at 617-614-3672. For both dial-in numbers, the participant pass code is 51214527.

The discussion will be available via replay on the Disney investors website through September 14, 2009 at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT.

About The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, interactive media and consumer products. Disney is a Dow 30 company with revenues of nearly $38 billion in its most recent fiscal year.

About Marvel Entertainment, Inc.
Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics).

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this communication may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements relate to a variety of matters, including but not limited to: the operations of the businesses of Disney and Marvel separately and as a combined entity; the timing and consummation of the proposed merger transaction; the expected benefits of the integration of the two companies; the combined company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical fact. These statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of Disney and Marvel regarding future events and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Neither Disney nor Marvel undertakes any obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences may result from a variety of factors, including but not limited to:

* legal or regulatory proceedings or other matters that affect the timing or ability to complete the transactions as contemplated;
* the possibility that the expected synergies from the proposed merger will not be realized, or will not be realized within the anticipated time period; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully;
* the possibility of disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships;
* the possibility that the merger does not close, including but not limited to, due to the failure to satisfy the closing conditions;
* any actions taken by either of the companies, including but not limited to, restructuring or strategic initiatives (including capital investments or asset acquisitions or dispositions);
* developments beyond the companies’ control, including but not limited to: changes in domestic or global economic conditions, competitive conditions and consumer preferences; adverse weather conditions or natural disasters; health concerns; international, political or military developments; and technological developments.

Additional factors that may cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements are set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Disney for the year ended September 27, 2008, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on November 20, 2008, under the heading “Item 1A—Risk Factors” and in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Marvel for the year ended December 31, 2008, which was filed with the SEC on February 27, 2009, under the heading “Item 1A—Risk Factors,” and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the SEC by each of Marvel and Disney.

Important Merger Information and Additional Information:

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. In connection with the proposed transaction, Disney and Marvel will file relevant materials with the SEC. Disney will file a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that includes a proxy statement of Marvel and which also constitutes a prospectus of Disney. Marvel will mail the proxy statement/prospectus to its stockholders.Investors are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available, because it will contain important information.The proxy statement/prospectus and other documents that will be filed by Disney and Marvel with the SEC will be available free of charge at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov, or by directing a request when such a filing is made to The Walt Disney Company, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA 91521-9722, Attention: Shareholder Services or by directing a request when such a filing is made to Marvel Entertainment, Inc., 417 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10016, Attention: Corporate Secretary.

Disney, Marvel, their respective directors and certain of their executive officers may be considered participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Marvel is set forth in its definitive proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on March 24, 2009. Information about the directors and executive officers of Disney is set forth in its definitive proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on January 16, 2009.Investors may obtain additional information regarding the interests of such participants by reading the proxy statement/prospectus Disney and Marvel will file with the SEC when it becomes available.

D23 Annonces Summer Line-Up of Member-Only Special Events

WDWNT on May 14, 2009

Whether you’re in Orlando, Anaheim, Burbank, Las Vegas, New York, or Chicago, D23 members have some very special events coming their way this summer. Here is a press release about the events, as well as an upcoming D23 contest:

DISNEY’S D23 FAN COMMUNITY ANNOUNCES
SUMMER 2009 SPECIAL EVENTS CALENDAR

Unique Experiences Created Exclusively for Charter Members of
“The Official Community for Disney Fans”

BURBANK, CALIF – May 14, 2009 – Disney’s D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans today announced its Summer 2009 Special Events Calendar.  From very special screenings and stepping behind-the-scenes with Mary Poppins to visiting the legendary Walt Disney Studios and Archives to being among the first to experience the new Walt Disney Family Museum, D23’s inaugural slate of Members-only events promises outstanding, unforgettable opportunities that are exclusive to the fan community’s Charter Membership.

“D23 Members are Disney’s biggest fans, and they’re always looking for distinctive, memorable ways to celebrate the things they love most about Disney,” said Steven Clark, Head of D23.  “For our inaugural season of events and contests, we’ve created an experientially and geographically diverse calendar that we know our Members will enjoy and remember fondly for years.”

SUMMER 2009 CHARTER MEMBER-ONLY SPECIAL EVENTS:

May 28 D23 “Up All Night” at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre (FREE)
(Los Angeles, CA) — Theatergoers across the country will soon meet the unlikely duo of 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen and 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer Russell in Disney•Pixar’s latest adventure, Up.   D23 Members will be among the first to see the film at this free event at the historic El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on May 28, 2009.  The fun begins with a special pin trading event, followed by an all new Disney stage show and a screening of the new Disney-Pixar short Partly Cloudy and the highly anticipated and critically acclaimed Up!   And it wouldn’t be a D23 event without a few other special surprises and guests!

May 31          D23’s Flowers & Fireworks Celebration at Epcot (FREE with park admission)
(Orlando, FL) – Join D23 at Epcot at the Walt Disney World  Resort to celebrate its members in all 50 states and more than 25 countries worldwide!  Start the evening at the American Gardens Theatre with reserved seating for the Flower Power Concert Series Finale, starring the legendary Tony Orlando, to close the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.  Next, head to a VIP location to mix and mingle with your fellow D23 members over desserts and coffee, and then enjoy the spectacular nighttime extravaganza IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth from a private viewing area.

June 24         D23’s Supercalifragilistic Night on Broadway
(New York, NY) — Disney’s award-winning musical Mary Poppins recently celebrated its 1,000th performance on Broadway and on June 24, 2009, D23 Members are being offered the opportunity to meet one another and share in the magic with premium seats, merchandise discounts and an opportunity to stay after the show for a special “behind-the-scenes” experience at the historic New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City.  D23 Members also will receive the recently released 2-Disc Mary Poppins 45th Anniversary Special Edition DVD, courtesy of our friends at Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

June 24         D23 and Poppins Breeze into The Windy City
(Chicago, IL) — Mary Poppins blew into the Windy City on March 25, 2009 and original Broadway stars Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee have been delighting audiences at the Cadillac Palace Theatre ever since.  On June 24, 2009, D23 Members will have the chance to experience the “practically perfect” Mary Poppins like never before, with premium seats, merchandise discounts, complimentary souvenir program and a once-in-a-lifetime “behind-the-scenes” experience.  D23 Members also will receive the recently released 2-Disc Mary Poppins 45th Anniversary Special Edition DVD, courtesy of our friends at Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

June 27         D23 and The Lion King Roar in Vegas
(Las Vegas, NV) — After entertaining more than 45 million guests in theatres around the world, Simba and Nala have roared their way onto the world famous Las Vegas Strip.  On June 27, 2009, D23 will host a special night at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, with premium seating for The Lion King, a “behind-the-scenes” experience and more, available exclusively to D23 Members.

June 27 & Aug. 15          D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives (FREE)
(Burbank, CA) — A rare opportunity for D23 Members to enjoy a 2-hour tour of The Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Archives, hosted by D23 and Disney Archives staff.  Only two dates are available for the Summer 2009 Calendar and space is limited.

July 17           D23 presents Disneyland, U.S.A. (FREE)
(Anaheim, CA) — Celebrate Disneyland’s 54th Anniversary with a special screening of Walt Disney’s recently restored 1956 “People and Places” featurette Disneyland, U.S.A., as well as a panel discussion including Imagineer Tony Baxter, Disney Legend and Chief Archivist Dave Smith, and Disney Studios Film Archivist Ed Hobelman.  The event will take place at Disneyland’s Team Disney Anaheim Theater and will be followed by a D23 Member reception.

Sept TBD      The Walt Disney Family Museum Preview (FREE)
(San Francisco, CA) – Prior to its October 2009 Grand Opening, D23 members will have the opportunity to experience The Walt Disney Family Museum, celebrating the life and achievements of the man who raised animation to an art, transformed the film industry, tirelessly pursued innovation, and created a global and distinctly American legacy.  This special preview will be hosted by the Museum’s Executive Director Richard Benefield.  Dates and details will be available soon.

To find out more about D23’s Summer 2009 Special Events Calendar, including admissions and how to register for events, visit www.disney.com/D23 and click on the “Expo & Events” tab.  All D23 Special Events are subject to change without notice, have varying admission fees and registration processes, and may require advance reservations due to space limitations.

SUMMER 2009 CHARTER MEMBER-ONLY CONTEST:

In addition to D23’s inaugural slate of special events, the fan community is also pleased to announce its first Member-only contest.  This summer, one lucky D23 Member and a guest will have the chance to win an incredible getaway package to join the pack at Pride Rock and see The Lion King in Las Vegas including 2-nights accommodation at the Mandalay Bay Resort and much more. To enter, D23 Members are being asked to tell us what they love most about The Lion King in 300 words or less.  To enter, D23 Members are being asked to tell us what they love most about The Lion King in 300 words or less.  A complete list of rules/ regulations and more information will be available www.disney.com/D23 in early June.

Shine On!

WDWNT on May 12, 2009

shine-on

ORLANDO, Fla., May 11, 2009 – Walt Disney World Resort made a clear connection between itself and the recent “shine on” sightings in Central Florida by arriving at the Coalition for the Homeless this morning on a “prize patrol” bus with Mickey Mouse and a check for $60,000 in tow.

“Today is a fabulous day,” says Eugene Campbell, vice president of Community Relations and Minority Business Development for Walt Disney World Resort, with a smile. “We are sharing some of our magic by shining a spotlight on some very deserving non-profits and students who help make dreams come true in our community.”

For the next two weeks, Disney will disperse prize patrols across Central Florida to surprise, reward and recognize award recipients for two of its signature community outreach programs. Disney’s Helping Kids Shine Grants financially support non-profits that are actively involved in improving children’s lives. Disney Dreamers and Doers recognizes outstanding students who help better their communities through volunteer service.

By May 22, a total of 34 Disney’s Helping Kids Shine Grants and 15 top Dreamers and Doers Shining Stars will be awarded. Prize patrol reports and pictures will be posted on www.shineontoday.com so you can follow along on the journey across Central Florida and track the total giving.

Dreamworks Along with Mickey

WDWNT on February 9, 2009

In case you haven’t heard the news over the weekend, Dreamworks pictures appears to have ended its four-month-old deal with Universal Studios and should be announcing a distribution deal with the Walt Disney Company later today. Here is a report from the New York Times on Friday breaking the news:

LOS ANGELES – Steven Spielberg may be moving to the Walt Disney Company.

DreamWorks SKG, Mr. Spielberg’s boutique production company, is in advanced talks on a deal to distribute its movies through Disney, according to four people with knowledge of the talks but who asked for anonymity because negotiations are not complete. A deal with Disney, which could come as soon as Friday, would replace one Mr. Spielberg arranged with Universal Pictures just four months ago after an acrimonious divorce from Paramount Pictures.

Spokeswomen from Walt Disney and Universal declined to comment. Stacey Snider, the chief executive of DreamWorks, declined to comment.

Disney had been a suitor for DreamWorks back in October, and Stacey Snider, the chief executive of DreamWorks, and David Geffen, the co-founder of the studio, were keen to align with the company. But Mr. Spielberg ultimately overruled them, concluding that Universal – where he made his first blockbuster and where he still maintained offices – was the right fit.

Since then, however, the landscape in Hollywood has changed. DreamWorks, running into the buzz saw of the economic slowdown, has been unable to find the motion picture production funds to match the $500 million in funding that Reliance Big Entertainment committed to re-build the studio. Mr. Spielberg has even injected personal funds to buy time.

Disney’s motion picture studio, meantime, has been struggling. In the most recent quarter, Disney reported a 64 percent drop in income at the division, largely due to a decline in DVD sales around the world. The studio’s Touchstone label has been a disaster of late, with the films “Miracle at St. Anna” and “Swing Vote” ignored in the marketplace. Miramax, another Disney division, has had modest box office success with “Doubt,” but has had a diminished profile overall in recent years.

Disney also has room on its schedule to accommodate the four to six films DreamWorks plans to produce. In 2006, Disney limited the number of movies it makes to about 12 from as many as 20 in previous years, choosing to focus more intently on family films made on the Walt Disney Pictures brand.

Update | 1:53 p.m. Universal Pictures issued a statement Friday acknowledging that DreamWorks was shopping elsewhere. “Universal Pictures has ended discussions with DreamWorks for a distribution agreement,” it said. “Over the past several weeks, DreamWorks has demanded material changes to previously agreed upon terms. It is clear that DreamWorks’ needs and Universal’s business interests are no longer in alignment. We wish them luck in their pursuit of funding and distribution of their future endeavors.”

In case your wondering why Disney would want to strike a deal of any kind with Dreamworks, here is a solid report from CNN:

NEW YORK (Fortune) — It’s a no-brainer why DreamWorks wants to ally with Walt Disney.

It didn’t come to terms with preferred partner Universal Studios, and the distribution deal expected to be announced today with Disney should end a period of limbo for the vaunted mini-studio that Steven Spielberg and pals set up 15 years ago. But for Disney, this is an atypical deal that underscores a lot of fundamental changes at the House of Mouse of late.

First off, though, let’s agree that the biggest reason for Disney or anyone else to be in business with DreamWorks is to secure a relationship with Spielberg – duh, he’s the most successful director in history and no slouch as a producer.

That, more than anything else, answers why Disney would want to do a deal like this under which it takes an expected 8% fee for distributing DreamWorks releases but also is expected to provide some debt financing to supplement the company’s new Bollywood backers.

But as I discovered in my recent story on the renaissance of Disney and its chief executive Bob Iger, the way the company thinks about its film business has changed significantly. Disney was among the first of the studios to significantly reduce the number of films it releases this year.

But in doing so, Iger and Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook also decided to refocus the company around the Disney brand – ergo, family entertainment – while significantly cutting the output and investment in films under the company’s Touchstone and Miramax labels.

The mantra at Disney these days is to create cross-company franchises – everything from Pixar’s “Toy Story” and “Cars” to Disney Channel hits “Hannah Montana” and “High School Musical” – that can spawn offshoots in other businesses and around the world.

“I don’t care if a Touchstone movie does $100 million on $30 million of cost,” Iger told me three months ago. “Its success doesn’t breed any other success in the company.”

That’s a bit of a harsh quote – I imagine Iger does just care a little – but the context was the poor reception for recent Touchstone releases like the Spike Lee-directed “Miracle at St. Ana” and “Swing Vote,” starring Kevin Costner.

Partly because of misses, partly because of the timing of releases and largely because of a decline in DVD sales in the past quarter, Disney’s studio segment reported revenue down 26% and operating income off 64%, to $187 million, in the quarter ended December 27, 2008. More worryingly, Sanford Bernstein estimated (before reports of the DreamWorks alliance surfaced last week) that it expects operating income at the studio division to decline to $619 million in 2012 from nearly $1.1 billion last year .

Out of Disney’s four main reporting segments – cable and TV networks, theme parks, consumer products and the studio – the latter is the only one expected to decline in both revenue and profitability terms over that period. In an interview with me last fall, Disney Studios’ Cook said that getting smaller or winning fewer awards – Disney has never won a “best picture” Oscar, though of course Miramax has – did not trouble him.

Declining margins, though, are problematic – and if DreamWorks pans out, it could help both in that regard and, in theory at least, in new material that can be pumped through Disney’s vast consumer products and cross-media machinery. (The DreamWorks news also surfaced speculation about Disney looking to sell Miramax, but a Disney insider says now is not a great time to be selling anything.)

More broadly, like all the media conglomerates, Disney (DIS, Fortune 500) could use all the help it can get in exciting investors about its growth prospects in these gloomy times. Its stock price had a nice run and until recently held up much better than other media conglomerates’. But it has dropped nearly 40% over the past six months, hitting levels last seen in 2003.

Even Disney’s long-held position as the world’s largest media conglomerate by market value has come into jeopardy: It stood at $36 billion on Friday, while Time Warner (TWX, Fortune 500) was nearly $35 billion. (In any event Time Warner’s value will shrink accordingly in a few weeks once it splits off its Time Warner Cable (TWC) unit into a separate public company.)

DreamWorks (DWA) is not exactly what it once was either: Conceived as a full-scale studio, it was most recently aligned with Paramount and is now essentially a shingle for Spielberg and DreamWorks CEO Stacy Snyder to own a big piece of their own projects, which includes the upcoming “Transformers” sequel and a Spielberg production of the Belgian cartoon “Tintin.” (A lesser rationale for the deal, two insiders said, is a desire by Spielberg to produce more family fare than he has in recent years.)

There’s plenty of irony in this pairing, given that former Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg was one of DreamWorks’ co-founders, along with David Geffen, who is no longer actively involved. Katzenberg, of course, now heads up spun-out DreamWorks Animation, which in many ways is Pixar’s chief rival. Indeed, Pixar is the only studio with which Disney recently had a similar distribution deal with – and it went so well that Disney ended up acquiring the company three years ago.

The “DisneyWorks” alliance will probably not result in a similar outcome, but it’s a compelling plot twist nonetheless in an uneasy industry where, these days, you don’t know what’s going to happen next.

One must wonder, what long term effects could this have on the Disney Parks and Resorts? In short, a partnership involving Steven Spielberg could mean the return of Roger Rabbit characters, merchandise, and references to the parks. With the possibility of another Roger Rabbit film being produced, Walt Disney World might even see a “Roger Rabbit” attraction down the road, or at the very least, a scene dedicated to the 1989 film (and its sequel) added to the Great Movie Ride during its upcoming refurbishment in just a few years. Another interesting question would be the future of Spielberg and Dreamworks related attractions at the Universal Studios theme parks. Since I’m not an expert on this situation, I’ll sit back for the time being and watch as this story unfolds. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as we get more information on this major story.

Happy 80th Birthday Mickey!!!

WDWNT on November 18, 2008

Since there doesn’t seem to be any news to report, I’d figured we take a moment to mark the historical importance of today. On November 18, 1928, Mickey Mouse made his grand debut in the now classic cartoon short “Steamboat Willie” at the premiere in New York City. Without this cartoon and the creation of Mickey Mouse, it is doubtful that the Walt Disney Company would be here today, and especially the Disney theme parks we all enjoy so much. As Walt Disney himself said, “It all started with a mouse”.

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It just so happens that it all started with a mouse named Mickey 80 years ago today. Happy 80th Birthday Mickey!