BURBANK, Calif., June 30 — Last week Disney Channel’s PRINCESS PROTECTION PROGRAM was crowned royalty as TV’s number one entertainment telecast of 2009 in Kids 6-11 (3.1 million) and Tweens 9-14 (3.2 million) and as cable’s most watched scripted telecast (viewers) when the exciting adventure/comedy debuted. Since its premiere in EMEA in May ’09, and now the U.S. and Canada, Disney’s “Princess Protection Program” has reached 28.1 million unique Total Viewers around the world, including 3.7 million Kids 6-11 and 3.5 million Tweens 9-14 for the June 26th premiere.
Audition Information for ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ Tenth Anniversary Edition Announced
Who wants to be a contestant on “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” Here’s how to apply for the highly-anticipated 10th anniversary edition hosted by Regis Philbin and running for 11 nights in August, Sundays-Thursdays at (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) from August 9 to August 23 on the ABC Television Network.
There are multiple ways (see below) to become a contestant on “Millionaire,” including the original phone game that was used when the show premiered in 1999 and video submissions – an all-new method that will enable people to upload videos of themselves directly to the show’s producers. Would-be contestants can use more than one method to try to get on the show but will only be selected one time. No former “Hot Seat” players are eligible, and you must be at least 18 years old, a legal U.S. resident and meet all eligibility requirements. Continue reading…
HK Disneyland Expansion is On – Disney to Invest $452M for 30 New Attractions, 3 New Lands
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong on Tuesday said the Walt Disney Co will invest $452 million to expand its Hong Kong theme park, seen as necessary to bolster the park’s long-term prospects against a planned rival park in Shanghai.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang said Hong Kong would not invest more capital in the joint venture but would convert a substantial part of its loan to the project into equity.
After Disney’s new investment and the government’s debt to equity swap, Hong Kong will see its stake in the underperforming park fall to 52 percent from 57 percent.
Disney Interactive Studios and Disney Press Announce New Novels Based on the Popular Spectrobes Video Game Franchise
BURBANK, Calif. — Disney Press will publish the new middle-grade series based on Disney Interactive Studios’ best-selling Spectrobes videogames. The sci-fi story of two planetary officers and the mysterious Spectrobes creatures will be told through these original junior novels in addition to the upcoming Wii™ game. Disney Interactive Studios and Disney Press today announced that four Spectrobes junior novels will be available in North America this year.
Spectrobes is Disney Interactive Studios’ original monster battle video game franchise. The first Wii game of the series, Spectrobes: Origins, will be released this fall. More than 1.6 million units of the two Spectrobes Nintendo DS games released in each of the last two years have been shipped worldwide.
New Robert Olszewski Monorail Mark I Sculpture On Sale Online July 1, Signing July 17 at Disneyland
Miniature artist Robert Olszewski will be on hand at the Disneyana Shop in Main Street, USA in Disneyland on July 17, 2009 from 9 AM – 11 AM to sign his latest piece, the Monorail Mark I, commemorating the attraction’s 50th anniversary.
There will be two initial versions of the sculpture. An Annual Passholder’s version will be limited to only 100 pieces while the Open Edition version will be stamped ‘First Edition’ for its first 12 months of production.
Features of the Monorail Mark I sculpture include:
New ABC Reality Experiment ‘Dating in the Dark’ Answers Question: Is Love Blind?
Looks will be taken out of the equation when men and women get to know each other and connect in total darkness on the premiere of the one-hour reality series, “Dating in the Dark,” MONDAY, JULY 20 (10:02-11:00 p.m. ET), on the ABC Television Network.
Hosted by Rossi Morreale, the six-episode “Dating in the Dark” is a sexy social experiment asking the age-old question, “Is Love Blind?” Each week three new single men and three new single women, all looking for love, will live in separate wings of a house and remain totally sequestered from the opposite sex. While they’ll have no chance of seeing each other in the light, they will have the opportunity to date in a completely dark room. The participants won’t be able to see anything, but the audience will get to see EVERYTHING first hand with the help of high-tech infrared cameras.
Disney Interactive Studios Pioneers 3-D Console Experiences This Summer with G-Force and Toy Story Mania! Video Games
BURBANK, Calif. — Three-dimensional experiences are taking over the film experience at movie theaters in 2009 and Disney Interactive Studios is leading the way in video games by introducing innovative stereoscopic 3-D features in two of its premier games this summer. G-Force and Toy Story Mania! both feature revolutionary innovative experiences using 3-D technology and are the first games for next-generation systems to fully feature three-dimensional stereoscopic technology.
G-Force and Toy Story Mania! allow the player to choose to turn on special 3-D features in the games while wearing the enclosed 3-D glasses. Using the anaglyphic 3-D glasses, players will see the action extend forward from their television screens in a three-dimensional perspective while playing the games. Two sets of 3-D glasses will be enclosed in each package for players to experience visuals that seem to pop out from their television sets. The glasses enable both players to experience 3-D during a two-player Toy Story Mania! game or for an accompanying family member to view that perspective in G-Force. Both standard video game 3-D graphics and the stereoscopic 3-D experiences are offered in the games and can be changed by the player.
Hall of Presidents Re-Opens July 4 with New President, New Exhibits, New Movie, New Music, New Storyline, Even a New Name!
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – A remarkably lifelike Audio-Animatronics figure of President Barack Obama enters the spotlight in a revised and refreshed Hall of Presidents show that reopens July 4 in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.
The recently installed figure of the country’s 44th chief executive – which comes to life with recognizable mannerisms and makes comments that were recorded recently at the White House – is only part of an eight-month makeover so significant that the iconic attraction in the park’s Liberty Square has been retitled Hall of Presidents: A Celebration of Liberty’s Leaders. Other updates to the “re-Imagineered” attraction which has been entertaining Magic Kingdom guests since 1971:
* A re-programmed Abraham Lincoln delivers arguably the greatest speech in the history of the presidency – the Gettysburg Address.
* For the first time in the attraction’s history, George Washington stands and delivers a stirring speech.
* Developed with the assistance of Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, the show now tells a moving story of the bond between the presidents and “We, the People,” focusing on the chief executives who have guided America through trying, turbulent times.
Horror Film Legend Robert Englund Guest Stars in Next All-New Episode of The Spectacular Spider-Man
Robert Englund (often affectionately aka Freddy Krueger) guest stars in the next episode of The Spectacular Spider-Man on Disney XD. In the episode titled Reinforcement, Englund voices villain Vulture who helps reconstitute the Sinister Six alongside Sandman, Rhino, Electro and newcomers Mysterio and Kraven. It’s the holiday season and all they want for Christmas is a dead Spidey. Meanwhile, Peter Parker struggles with commitment when it comes to the lovely Gwen Stacy. Here’s a sneak peek of the episode which premieres on Disney XD on Monday, June 29 at 7:30 PM ET/PT:
G-Force Offers Chance to Win a Trip to See Performance of Disney Recording Artist Steve Rushton
Disney Mobile and Walt Disney Studios’ G-Force invite you to enter for the chance to win a three day / two night trip for two, including round-trip airfare and hotel, to an unspecified location to see a live performance of Hollywood Records Recording artist Steve Rushton.
To enter, text MISSION to DISNEY (347639) on your cell phone. Successful entries will receive a message back. Standard text messaging rates apply. Deadline for entry to the contest is 3PM EST on July 12, 2009 and the winner will be notified by cell phone. Open to all legal residents of the United States. For full rules and additional details, see here.
