Who’s Gonna Call???

Can’t get your tween out of bed to head back to school? Need to remind kiddo that they have cooking club after school? Or do they just need to be reminded to do their back to school shopping? Well, WalMart and Hannah Montana have teamed up to remind junior for you. Up to five calls are free with a reminder that WalMart is the place to get Hannah Montana gear. Want to sign up?

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Miley Cyrus Ends of Performing at Disney Games and Waiting on Report Card

Happy Cinco De Mayo!


After saying that she wouldn't appear, then just not walk the red carpet, I couldn't keep up but the show went on for Miley Cyrus. She performed at a concert along with the Jonas Brothers and Cheetah Girls for the Disney Games on the Disney Channel. She did not take any questions from the media regarding the recent controversy regarding photos in the media.

Wall Street Waiting to See How Disney Parks are Doing CNN Money is reporting that Wall Street executives are waiting to see how Disney reports it's quarterly earnings on Tuesday. Particularly, they will be waiting to see how the parks are faring in the face of the current economy.

Pixar Place open to Cast Members, Miley's appearance Canceled and Disney takes back Disney Stores

WDWNewsToday is reporting that castmember previews of Toy Story Mania and Pixar Place will begin today at 11 am. Details about Toy Story Mania should start to trickle out of Disney by the end of the day.

Miley Cyrus will not be appearing at the red carpet or the Disney Games according to Disney. No explanation has been given for the cancelation of her appearance.

From May 1st through June 30th WDW annual passholders can enjoy at 15% discount at all Disney Stores. As of yesterday, Disney has taken back ownership and management of the remaining Disney Stores.

More Miley Troubles and Armored Car Robbery at Grand Floridian

Several foreign news agencies - News Australia and E Canada Now, among others - are reporting that Disney is going to remove Miley Cyrus from the spotlight as a result of here recent controversies. E! online, however, is reporting that Ms. Cyrus will continue to work for
the Mouse at least during her upcoming scheduled, and no doubt contractual, appearances, particularly at the Disney Games this weekend.

An armored car was robbed at the Grand Floridian on Wednesday. One man was arrested and two others were being questioned in what the Orange County Sheriff's office is calling an "inside job". The sheriff's deputies were called to the scene around 3 am after an undisclosed amount of money was stolen from the vehicle while a drop off was taking place.

More Miley in the News, Eisner Gets a Star

Miley Cyrus is currently the wealthiest child in the world and Pr-inside.com is reporting that she will be a billionaire by the end of the year. There is also an article in yesterday's Sunday New York Times about Miley Cyrus' pseudo-topless photo (with Miley wrapped in a sheet), taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz, that will appear in next month's Vanity Fair. Some parents are reportedly outraged by the photo, stating that Miley is supposed to be a role model and the photo
tarnishes her squeaky clean image.

Michael Eisner received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last Friday. John Travolta and Bob Iger were on hand to help him with the unveiling. The star is across the street from the Kodak Theatre which is the home of the Oscars.

Miley Cyrus to write Memoirs

This one caught me off guard but 15 year old Miley Cyrus has signed a book deal with Disney. She will be writing her memoirs, according to the press release, focusing on her relationship with her mom. Miley was quotes as saying she wants to, "motivate mothers and daughters to build lifetimes of memories together and inspire kids around the world to live their dreams."

Hannah Headlines Kids' Choice Awards and Hallmark Channel Acquires Rights to 99 Disney Classics

Hannah Montana is scheduled to headline Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards, this Saturday March 29th. Hannah is also up for three awards, including Best Show.


The Hallmark Channel has acquired the rights to 99 Disney classic movies. Some of the movies include such Disney live action classics as: Freaky Friday, The Love Bug, The Shaggy Dog, White Fang, The Parent Trap, Flubber and Old Yeller. Some contemporary hits included are: The Santa Clause and The Princess Diaries. The movies are expected to be marketed toward Baby Boomers.

No seat belts for Miley and Dad

There was a bit of a ruckus on the web yesterday, after Consumer Reports, a magazine that reviews products for potential buyers, slammed Disney, Miley Cyrus and her father for not wearing seat belts in the new Hannah Montana Movie. CR reported that, "65 percent of the 13-to-15-year-olds killed in auto accidents in 2006 were not wearing seat belts." Buckle up folks!!

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Hannah Montana Movie Extended, Disney Stocks Upgraded? and Eli Manning Did Not Go to Disneyland

With all the hubbub over getting tickets to the Hannah Montana Movie this last week, it was no surprise to this writer that Disney extended the one week run of Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert movie (wow that's a long title!). Disney will now allow the movie to run it's course, meaning it will play like any other movie until they can't more money on it. I do feel for parents who were scrambling to get tickets for their tweens and now know that they didn't have to make themselves crazy. They have my sympathy, I'll be joining your ranks in about 5 years.

It seems that just as one talking head downgraded Disney's stock to "sell" last week, everyone else is tripping over each other to say positive things about its value. Here is the link to yet another article once again affirming Disney's profit margin in the last quarter and discussing it's CAPS scores (I have no idea what these are but apparently they are good). The analyst, Anders Bylund, has nothing but great things to say about Disney's potential earnings.


Finally, flights were delayed in Phoenix and Eli Manning, Super Bowl MVP was not able to make the scheduled parade in Disneyland yesterday morning. Instead, Disney honored 18 players and 4 coaches of three Tustin Pop Warner football teams. They were treated like Super Bowl champs and according to the OC register reported they, "felt famous". That's a little of the Disney Magic turning lemons into lemonade.

Mighty Montana

750 Wal-Mart's across the country will be sporting Hannah Montana Shops that will carry unique Hannah themed merchandise. This linewill include clothes, bedroom accessories, music and games. Wal-Mart will also be giving out "all access passes" on February 1st that will allow kids to download exclusive Hannah videos online.

In more Hannah news, the LA Times is reporting that parents are being asked to pay as much as $20 for their little princesses to see the Hannah Montana Movie in 3D. The Times is also reporting that the timing of the release, in concert with two other movies "The Eye" and "Over Her Dead Body", are making up a chick flick weekend at the box office, an alternative to the Super Bowl. It was also noted that Disney may extend the week long run of the Hannah Montana movie if the run is positive. With Fandango reporting that more than 1000 showings of the movie were sold out as of last Friday, I can't imagine what more would need to happen to make it a "positive run". This feels a little bit like raising the price on "that toy" at Christmas.

Thoughts?

Disney’s Top IT Executive leaves for Microsoft, Stage 9 Production Postponed and Hanna Montana Movie Tickets are Hard to Get

Tony Scott has been tapped by Microsoft for their CIO (Chief Information Officer). Scott was the first CIO at Disney and now will be managing 4000 employees and will oversee systems that support world wide sales for Microsoft.

Stage 9, a Disney production unit charged with developing programming for an online series, has stopped work. Speculation for this change generally points toward Disney not wanting up upset the unions during the writers strike.

Tickets for the The Hannah Montana Movie which opens February 1 and will only run for one week are tough to get. Fandango, an online ticket company, has been selling out shows so quickly that movie theaters are having to add additional showings. Many parents are getting tickets for kids that were disappointed when they were unable to get concert tickets for the Best of Both Worlds Concert.

Quick Note and More Hannah

DIZNEWS: First, I wanted to let all of you know that I will be away next week, I am going to see the Mouse but I am leaving you in the capable hands of one of my co-moderators Billie. She will be writing the Daily Dose until my return. I hope to bring back some pictures and maybe even a
report or two from the World!

Disney has scheduled new Hannah Montana `Best of Both Worlds' tour dates for January. This is presumably in response to fans, particularly fan club members, who have not been able to get tickets.

Enchanted #1, Three productions on Schedule Despite Strike and Hannah Montana Casting Call

DIZNEWS: Not a lot of Disney news this holiday weekend. `Enchanted', Disney's latest live action princess movie, came in #1 at the box office taking in $50 million gross since its opening last Wednesday. The number two movie, `This Christmas' took in half what `Enchanted' did this weekend.

Bob Iger announced that the Disney productions of `High School Musical 3'; `Cheetah Girls 3: Indian Adventure' and `Dadnapped' are all on schedule for their respective release dates despite the writers' strike. Iger also stated that he did not expect the writer's strike to effect film production until 2009.

Finally, looking for work? `Hannah Montana: The Movie' is currently being casted for production starting January 2008. Here is a link to the Disney casting blog with all the specific casting contacts and information. http://hannahmontanacasting.blogspot.com/