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Ryan Peterson, a student at Vassar College, created this animatic (a mini-film of sketches) about the Michael Eisner years at the Walt Disney Company, approximately 1984-2004.

As a discourse on Disney history it does get a few things wrong. Sparky Katzenberg’s influence on the success of early 90s Disney animation is the matter of some debate. Eisner’s dislike for the man is not. There are also a few time line issues and John Lasseter is shown wearing a suit, which he never does, preferring loud Hawaiian print shirts emblazoned with Pixar characters if at all possible.

So why should you watch this film? Because sometimes the truth is funnier than fiction.

My father owns an Export Management Company that distributes tons of products into Central and South America and the Caribbean. Recently he went to a show called “FMI” in Las Vegas, NV and while there Disney had a huge booth that took about 1/3 the convention center. While there Disney announced a new line called Disney Garden, a line relating new food products that are healthy and family friendly. Some of the new products they will be making are: Mickey Burgers, Mickey Pizza, Mickey Ravioli, Disney Raisins, Disney Apple Juice, Donald Duck OJ, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Cereal, and tons more. Super Target has already started selling various of these products, but all of them will be making there way officially toward the end of June 2008. Also, while there, Disney released some numbers that “Business Week” released, here they are:

The World’s Most Valuable Brands

1. Coca-Cola
2. Microsoft
3. IBM
4. GE
5. Nokia
6. Toyota
7. Intel
8. McDonald’s
9. Disney
10. Mercedes-Benz

Best Brands

1. Coca-Cola - 99.8
2. Disney - 99.4
3. Kodak - 99.0
4. Johnson & Johnson - 98.9
5. Microsoft - 97.7
6. Sony - 97.6
7. Wal-Mart 97.6
8. Kelloggs - 97.0
9. Nestle - 95.4

Best Brands Families with Kids

1. Disney - 100.0
2. Johnson & Johnson - 100.0
3. Kodak - 99.9
4. Coke - 99.5
5. Sony - 97.2
6. Microsoft - 96.9
7. Wal-Mart - 96.5
8. McDonald’s 96.3
9. Kellogg’s - 94.3

Disney Brand Equities

1. A Leader - 99.9
2. Friendly - 99.8
3. Authentic - 99.8
4. Fun - 99.6
5. Original - 99.5
6. Cares/Customers - 99.4
7. Innovative - 99.4
8. Unique - 98.7
9. Trustworthy - 94.8

When I get my scanner working later today, I will scan and upload the flyers that I was given while at the show. After the jump, you can find more statitics on Disney products and there consumers. Read the rest of this entry »

So we arrived at the Magic Kingdom around 9:30PM, after a huge security check point, we entered through the back of Tomorrowland thru the theater and we went straight to eat at Cosmic Ray’s, I ate under 5 minutes flat, lol. Soon after that we went around to see what was happening, huge parties at Tomorrowland, Adventureland, and in front of Cinderella’s castle. We then went on the Tomorrowland Speedway, lines where not that long at all. After that we went straight to Space Mountain which had a 90 minute wait, the longest in the park. This was no ordinary Space Mountain, it was Rockin’ Space Mountain, though the only difference was loud music in the queue and strobe lights through the ride. Soon after that we went to Frontierland, but without a stop in Fantasyland to ride Small World, Peter Pan, PhilharMagic, Snow White, and Mad Tea Party. Once done, it was about 11:00 and we went to BTMRR, which was kickin’. Soon after we went back to Tomorrowland to ride the Astroblasters and soon after we went to the main stage in front of Cinderella Castle to check out the Midnight fireworks show, “Graduation Celebration”. AMAZING! Once after that show, we went to Monster’s Inc. Once after we went to PoTC, grab a free coke, after that we went on the Haunted Mansion or should I say, The Rockin’ Mansion . It was LOUD with people, music, and lights. Soon after it was time for Splash Mountain, it was a walk on with all the platforms running, I hadn’t sat down and the boat was already moving, lol. We then met up with some more friends and we went on PoTC and then Splash again . Well, by this time it was already 3am and we needed to start heading out of the park, we went shopping on Main Street, boughta couple of things, and then to the monorail to go to the T&TC. We went back to our buses and even though we were suppose to head out at 4am, we didn’t leave until 6 because one of the 10 buses we had broke down -.-. Anyways, so it was just sleeping on the way back, I must admit that it was a BLAST. I will be back to Disney in May for my birthday . Below is the fireworks show (quality sucks because it was a digital camera), a scan of the special park maps they gave us, and some other photos. Thanks!

“Graduation Celebration” Fireworks Grad Nite 2008:
http://www.wdwnewstoday.com/wdwntube/download.php?view.47

Grad Nite 2008 (April 26th, 2008) Photos:
http://kryptonlogic.com/files/grad-nite/

Grad Nite 2008 Park Maps:
http://kryptonlogic.com/files/grad-nite/grad-nite-2008.jpg
http://kryptonlogic.com/files/grad-nite/grad-nite-2008-2.jpg
http://kryptonlogic.com/files/grad-nite/grad-nite-2008-3.jpg
http://kryptonlogic.com/files/grad-nite/grad-nite-2008-4.jpg

We would like to welcome our first ever sponsor here at Kryptonlogic Studios, MouseMisers. I know you have seen the logo, but I just wanted to take the time to thank them for helping me pay the bills around here, and let you know a little about what they do.

From time to time, Disney releases discounts on their resorts and cruises, and they can be a real money saver when planning your Disney vacation. The problem for most people is finding and deciphering those discount codes. MouseMisers keeps track of all current and upcoming Disney discounts for you, so when you are ready to travel, you can just stop by to see what discounts are available, or what may be coming up. Maybe you have heard of the Free Disney Dining deal for this September? MouseMisers was the first to give you accurate release dates and travel dates, several weeks before it was actually released.

In addition to Disney World Discounts, MouseMisers also offers unique and insightful articles that will help you get the most out of your Disney vacation, whether it is getting a stateroom upgrade on your Disney Cruise or how to save money with the Disney Dining plan.

A big thanks again to MouseMisers, I hope you make them part of your next Disney vacation planning process.

Via GreenDaily:

Yesterday Disney announced a new green initiative — just in time for Earth Day. But while some organizations are “going green” by recycling paper or planting trees, the entertainment mega-giant is taking being eco-friendly one step further — by creating an entirely new, green-focused company. Called Disneynature, the new production banner promises to “go to the ends of the earth to produce major big screen nature documentaries.”

If the above trailer is any indication, this is exciting news for nature lovers everywhere. The preview is for Earth, the first feature-length Disneynature film, set to appear in theaters on Earth Day 2009. Directed by Alastair Fothergill, (whose credits include the Emmy and Peabody award-winning Planet Earth series and The Blue Planet), the new documentary will be narrated by the legendary James Earl Jones, and will “take moviegoers on an extraordinary tour of our home planet as it’s never been seen before.”

This is great news for Disney and love these type of films. I look very much forward to this and future movies Disney might release dedicated to our beautiful planet Earth. For more informtion on this, please visit there official website at “Disneynature“.

As one of our founding guidelines, WDWCelebrations is committed to ensuring that all of our events are approved by Disney management. We are pleased to release the final, fully approved schedule for “A Wild Decade”.

“A Wild Decade”

A WDWCelebrations Commemorative Event celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Park

April 22, 2008

Please note that registration begins at 7:00 am and closes promptly at 8:15 am. We strongly encourage you to be there as early as possible to ensure a smooth process for everyone.

The Group Meal takes place at Flame Tree Barbeque. We have two pavilions, Owl and Spider, reserved for our group. Due to the size of our group, we have designated three dining periods to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to join us. The three periods are 4:00-4:40pm, 4:40-5:20pm, and 5:20-6:00pm. You will be able to choose your preferred dining time at registration, pending availability. Please arrive at registration as early as possible to ensure you receive your desired dining time.

We have also posted a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page for “A Wild Decade” on our website at http://www.wdwcelebrations.com/a-wild-decade/a-wild-decade-faq.html. Please check this page and email us with any further questions. We will update this page as we receive questions, so check back periodically over the next two weeks for updates.

Link

From The Disney Blog:

Some very sad news to impart tonight. Jenny Lerew and a host of other animation sites are paying tribute to Ollie Johnson, who died today at the age of 95 in Sequim, Washington.

Ollie was the last remaining artist from the group that was known as Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men. These were the second generation animators who came to be known for their amazing ability to master the illusion of life through the art of animation.

Ollie contributed to many films including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Bambi and Pinocchio. His last full work for Disney came with The Rescuers but he stayed into touch with the animation community and appeared in many talks and sessions over the years.

Ollie and Walt Disney also shared another passion, trains. Ollie built a 1? scale backyard railroad, with three 1/12th scale locomotives. He also restored and operated a narrow-gauge engine, the Marie-E (named for his wife, that was recently purchased by John Lasseter and sent to operated up in Northern California.

It truly is the end of an era for animation.

This is truly said and he will be missed, there goes the magic of Walt Disney’s animation! But the start of a new group

From blogspot.com:

Its finally time to reveal an exciting project weve been working on for the past several months. Jody and I will release four new collectibles at a special merchandise event in June to honor the 45th anniversary of Walt Disneys Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland. The show in California is still the original mostly and best assuredly, and its probably no surprise to you that it is our favorite place at Disneyland.

And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, come with us… for a preview of new Tiki Room items….

This is easily some of the best official Enchanted Tiki Room merchandise ever released! I’m definitely going to be nabbing one of those fountains and a few of the prints. Check out both links below for all of the goodies that will be available soon.

Link to Blog Preview
Link to Disney Gallery site with Pricing and Availability

From The Orlando Sentinel:

Walt Disney World is negotiating with Orange County on plans to build homes on what was Disney’s Eagle Pines Golf Course. (FILE, WALT DISNEY CO. / February 4, 1998)

Scott Powers | Sentinel Staff Writer
March 28, 2008

Three-story mansions and hundreds of other homes — most valued at millions of dollars apiece — would be built along the banks of Walt Disney World canals and sold to private individuals in a project under review by Orange County.

The homes, mostly single-family residences but including a few condominiums and time-share units, would rise from what was Disney’s Eagle Pines Golf Course — just a jog away from the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Downtown Disney. The adjacent Osprey Ridge Golf Course would be incorporated into the private development, now called the “Northeast Resort.”

Disney insists it is still too early in the planning process to discuss many details. With the country mired in a housing slump, one local expert said luxury homes in the gated community would most likely be marketed to and snapped up by wealthy foreign buyers.

Disney World first announced its intentions in March 2007 to build a luxury housing resort on 429 acres in the northeast corner of the giant resort, but few details have been reported. A year ago, more attention was focused on related plans to build an anchor for the resort — a Four Seasons luxury hotel — which would go up on another section of the former Eagle Pines Golf Course.

Rezoning plans now circulating inOrange County government’s planning division remain limited in detail but suggest a neighborhood like no other: a gated community of estate homes, village homes, courtyard homes, cluster-villa homes and condominiums closer than most of Disney’s hotels to the world’s most popular theme parks. Disney is asking Orange County to rezone the property as a planned development, with areas defined for single-family homes, multifamily homes, time-share units and conservation easements.

Altogether, the project could encompass as many as 373 single-family homes, 200 multifamily homes and 60 time-share units, though the final tallies are expected to be lower.

Earlier forays

Disney World has spun off land for residential development before — notably the communities of Celebration and Little Lake Bryan — but the Northeast Resort would be far more luxurious, said Marilyn Waters, spokeswoman for Walt Disney Imagineering, the Disney office that handles real-estate development. She compared the Northeast Resort concept to the Four Seasons-anchored Aviara community in San Diego, a high-end vacation community for people rich enough to have multimillion-dollar second or third homes.

“This is in essence the coming together of the Disney brand and the Four Seasons brand. This is the first time that has happened,” Waters said. “These are often the types of places people come in for two or three weeks, then they won’t be back for several months.”

William Weaver, a real-estate professor at the University of Central Florida, predicted Disney would market such homes heavily overseas. Disney’s reputation for attention to detail, he said, along with the project’s unique location, should make even mansions easy to sell, regardless of market conditions.

“I can’t see many Americans buying multimillion-dollar second houses on Disney property, not very many. But I certainly can see foreigners,” Weaver said. “As the dollar keeps deteriorating against everything else, it becomes cheaper and cheaper.”

The area would be developed much as Disney developed Little Lake Bryan, Celebration and a couple of smaller projects. Disney would have the property de-annexed from both the Reedy Creek Improvement District — the independent government district created in 1967 to provide countylike services to Disney World — and from Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake, the two cities created back then to provide city services to most of Disney World.

Orange County would then provide such services, including utilities, fire protection and sheriff’s patrols.

Although the area is still within Reedy Creek’s jurisdiction for now, Disney is seeking advance approval fromOrange County officials with a de-annexation in mind. The project is now headed for public hearings before the county Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners.

Getting to work

Earlier this month, Disney World contractors began preparing the site, installing construction fences and doing some light earthmoving on land north of Vista Boulevard and west of Winter Garden-Vineland Road. That work should take most of the rest of the year, Waters said, but actual home construction could start before the year is out.

The vast majority of the homes would be built to order, and the entire community could take up to 10 years to build, though planners don’t expect it to take that long.

The county has recommended a few changes in the plans, yet there appear to be no major concerns,Orange County Planning Administrator John Smogor said.

Built out to the maximum, the area could house an estimated 1,702 people. The county has to review the plans under the assumption that, except for the time-share units, the homes would serve as the owners’ primary residences, Smogor said, meaning a year-round impact on roads and services.

But “if they sell these homes to rich people in Japan, the Philippines, Chicago or New York, and they want to come down here and just have a big house a few weeks a year at Disney, that’s fine,” he said.

I think it’s time to start saving some money, don’t you? Feel free to donate to us

From WDW News Today:

Most of Disney’s Epcot Center lost power this morning, according to park employees and visitors. Power was back on in some parts of the park in the afternoon, but some major attractions were down.

At about 1:30 p.m., Spaceship Earth and Journey Into Imagination were still listed as “down,” according to a park board that updates visitors on the status of rides. Honey, I Shrunk the Audience was closed, but it wasn’t clear whether that was because of the outage. Contacted early this afternoon, Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said she had not yet heard of the outage.

It was not immediately clear what caused the outage. There was a long line at Guest Relations, where some visitors were trying to get refunds or tickets to transfer to a different Disney park. One guest said people were given the option of getting a Park Hopper ticket to use today or a one-day pass to use another day.

Power went down about 11:30 a.m., said Bobbi Baessler, a park visitor from Chicago. “We saw the monorail, and it was stopped,” said Baessler, who was in line hoping for a refund or admission to another park. “We were waving to all the people. At least we weren’t stuck up there.” Baessler said it was her family’s last day in Orlando. “So it’s not like we can come back tomorrow.”

Tom Connelly, of New York, said he was waiting for the Living with the Land ride with his family of five when the line stopped moving. They eventually got out of line and went looking for another attraction. “We were walking around from ride to ride,” he said. “Everything was closed.”

One thing that added to confusion was that many park workers were reluctant to say why rides were closed, Connelly said. He and his family passed the time by going to the World Showcase, which had power. But outside concessions there were closed as well, and many vendors were draining their freezers, he said.

EPCOT without power? For being an “innovative” place where its all future and technologies, its rare to see this. They still aren’t sure what caused the power outage, but that is very weird.