The Disney Friends for Change Games, a five week multiplatform event, officially culminated on Sunday, July 31st with a finale that drew 3.6 million total viewers (with 1.9 million K6-11 and 1.6 million Tweens 9-14), making it the top show on cable in its time slot.
Overall, the event was a huge success with a series of shorts that aired on the Disney Channel and Disney XD, reaching more than 37 million viewers. As reported by Cynopsis, the Disney Friends for Change website had more than 22 million page views and almost 4 million game starts of three featured games which kids can plan to donate points to one of four charities.
Disney Friends for Change, image from disney.go.com/projectgreen/
Over four weeks in July, Disney Channel stars from around the world competed in the Friends for Change Games, a competitive sporting event with an eco-friendly twist, which aired on the Disney Channel. The final on-air score had the Red Team (World Wildlife Fund) decimating the competition with 1025 points, compared to the Blue Team’s (Ocean Conservatory) 700 points, the Yellow Team’s (UNICEF) 550 points, and the Green Team’s (Fauna and Flora International) 500 points.
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1558
The Walt Disney Company excels at bringing magic to life and helping families create lifelong memories of enchantment and wonder. For a price.
As anyone who has ever been to Disney World can attest, Disney has commoditized every experience imaginable, from PhotoPasses and private tours to princess makeovers at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Disney has a million ways to wring every last cent from families willing to invest more in their vacation than the price of theme park tickets.
Screenshot of a customized Magic Kingdom Map from customizedmaps.disney.go.com
And now, in addition to the hundreds of customizable gifts you can design and purchase at DisneyPhotoPass.com, you can customize your own Disney World Keepsake Maps. Only this time, the maps are free. Yes, FREE.
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1611
The waiting period between planning an exciting Disneyland vacation and actually going on the vacation can be excruciating, especially for families who book months or years in advance in order to take advantage of exclusive discounts and special offers.
In What to Watch Before Disney World, I recommended one way to while away the weeks leading up to a Disney World vacation: watch all of the films and TV shows which inspired – or were inspired by – attractions at the four major Disney World theme parks. As a companion piece to that entry, below is a chart of all the rides at Disneyland and California Adventures and the movies and TV shows that inspired them. Attractions that have closed are designated with an asterisk(*).
Try catching one or two movies per week while gearing up for your trip. Enjoy – and happy watching!
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1613
Recently, I visited my old blog and I stumbled across an entry I wrote about the children’s book Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which inspired the movie musical of the same name. I was embarrassed to see that I had incorrectly attributed the film to Walt Disney Studios, when it was actually produced and distributed by EON Productions and United Artists. But my mistake is understandable. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a magical, family-friendly musical starring Dick Van Dyke and released in 1968, four years after the release of that other magical, family-friendly musical starring Dick Van Dyke: Disney’s Mary Poppins (1964).
Screenshot from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
When I was growing up, my VHS home video collection was an equal mix of Disney- and non-Disney productions, and even though I know my Disney Animated Classics by heart, I’m still a little iffy on which live action films from my childhood were made by Disney and which weren’t.
As a companion piece to Animated Movies NOT By Disney, I present some of the live action family-friendly favorites from my childhood that had nothing whatsoever to do with Disney. What are some films that you were surprised to discover weren’t made by Disney?
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1598
While it’s entirely possible to plan a last-minute fantasy vacation to the Disney World Resort in Orlando, most families spend months or even years planning and saving for their Disney World trips. Last year I started planning my September honeymoon visit in April, and the six months of waiting I had to endure was agonizing.
One idea I had to while away the weeks was to watch all of the films and TV shows which inspired – or were inspired by – attractions at the four major Disney World theme parks. I didn’t end up committing to this last year as I was too busy planning my wedding, but I think it’s a great way to get amped for a Disney visit, and it’s the perfect excuse for a marathon of Disney’s best!
Depending on how long you have until your trip, try watching one or two films per week. Movies that aren’t already in your home video collection can be rented through Netflix.com or purchased on Amazon.com. Films that are currently in the Disney Vault may be tricky to get your hands on without paying premium prices from online dealers selling used copies. If you’ve been to the parks before and have a soft-spot for attractions that have previously closed (Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, etc.), challenge yourself by watching those films too, in homage to the rides that once were.
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1571
