The Disney Parks Blog has released new photos of Mickey and the Magical Map before it opens on May 25, 2013. DAPs Magic will be covering the world premiere of this new magical show on May 23 and will have coverage posted throughout the weekend. For now, let’s take a few minutes to look at what is coming when guests get to go on this musical adventure with Mickey Mouse and friends.

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Disney Celebrates the 40^th Anniversary of Robin Hood!

Will Be Made Available for the First Time on Blu-ray™ & HD Digital August 6, 2013

Synopsis: To commemorate its 40^th anniversary, Disney proudly presents the unforgettable animated classic Robin Hood on Blu-ray for the first time ever. Experience all the fun, thrills and celebrated music (Academy Award® Nominated Music for Best Original Song “Love” in 1973) of this legendary adventure with perfect picture and sound!

Join Robin Hood, his trusted companion Little John and his hilarious band of Merry Men as they outfox greedy Prince John to save the good people of Nottingham. Dashing from one daring deed to the next, Robin won’t rest until he wins the hand of Maid Marian and restores King Richard to the throne. One of Disney’s most beloved movies is even better on Blu-ray Combo Pack!

Voice Cast: Brian Bedford (Nixon, Grand Prix) as Robin Hood; Phil Harris (Aristocats, The Jungle Book) as Little John; Andy Devine (Stagecoach, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance) as Friar Tuck; Monica Evans (The Odd Couple, Aristocats) as Maid Marian; Terry Thomas (It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, The Abominable Dr. Phibes) as Sir Hiss and Roger Miller (Into the Wild, Broke Back Mountain) as Allan-a-Dale

Director/Exec. Producer: Wolfgang Reitherman (The Jungle Book, 101 Dalmatians)

Writer: Larry Clemmons (The Jungle Book, Fox and the Hound)

Release Date: August 6, 2013 (Direct Pre-book: 6/11; Distributor Pre-book: 6/25)

Product Packaging: 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy), 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD), 1-Disc DVD + Digital Copy, 1-Disc DVD, High Definition Digital & Standard Definition Digital 

Bonus Features: Deleted Storyline “Love Letters” (NEW), Alternate Ending, Oo-de-lally” Disney Sing-Along Song, Disney Song Selection, Robin Hood Storybook, Robin Hood Art Gallery, “Ye Olden Days” Bonus Short & Sing Along with the Movie

Ratings: G

Feature Run Time: 83 minutes

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; French 5.1 DTS-HDHR; Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital

Languages/Subtitles: English, French & Spanish

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On August 6th Disney will release The Sword In The Stone, Robin Hood & Oliver and Company on Blu-ray Combo Pack!

Rediscover The Humor And Magic of The Classic Animated Film

Which Is Celebrating its 50^Th Anniversary

Available for The Very First Time on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack with Digital Copy on August 6, 2013

Synopsis: Disney proudly presents the 50^th anniversary edition of a spellbinding and beloved animated classic. Conjure up magical family fun with the humor, adventure and Academy Award^®-nominated music (Best Score – Adaptation or Treatment, 1963) of The Sword In The Stone – now on Blu-ray Combo Pack for the first time ever!

Take an amazing journey with a young orphan named “Wart” and the extraordinary wizard Merlin. According to legend, only someone with the purest character and inner strength can pull the enchanted sword from the stone and claim the throne of England. Armed with newfound confidence and the power of friendship, Wart discovers his destiny and learns the best magic is the kind you find inside yourself!

Voice Cast: Sebastian Cabot (The Jungle Book, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh) as Sir Ector, Karl Swenson (The Birds, Judgment at Nuremberg) as Merlin, Rickie Sorensen (Tarzan and the Trappers, Tarzan’s Fight for Life) as Wart,  Junius Matthews (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too) as Archimedes, Martha Wentworth (101 Dalmatians, The Stranger) as Madam Mim, Norman Alden (The Transformers: The Movie, Back to the Future) as Sir Kay, and Alan Napier (Marnie, Batman) as Sir Pellinor

Director:  Wolfgang Reitherman (The Jungle Book, 101 Dalmatians)

Writer: Bill Peet (Cinderella, Dumbo)

Release Date: August 6, 2013 (Direct Pre-book: 6/11; Distributor Pre-book: 6/25)

Product Packaging: 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy), 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD), 1-Disc DVD + Digital Copy & 1-Disc DVD

Bonus Features: New Alternative Opening: Where Wart Meets Merlin plus all the original Classic DVD Release Bonus Features including Music and Magic: The Sherman Brothers, Sing-along with The Movie, All About Magic (excerpt), A Knight for a Day & Brave Little Tailor

Ratings: G

Feature Run Time: 79 minutes

Aspect Ratio: 1.75:1

Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 DTS-HDHR, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital

Subtitles: English, French & Spanish

The post Disney’s Sword in the Stone on Blu-ray August 6th! appeared first on DAPs Magic Disney News.

Hi Friends!

I’m back again with an event report! In April, my mom and I went to D23′s Fanniversary event, held at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. When we checked in, we were greeted with buttons, ‘Brave’ and ‘Wreck-it-Ralph’ picture books, and a ‘Frankenweenie’ flipbook. D23 is pretty great with the swag they give out at events! The event itself was really simple, but very fun. They went through a visual history, celebrating milestones of the Disney Company, which is celebrating 90 years this year! Many characters, movies, and attractions were featured during the 2 hour event. I loved singing along to theme songs and attraction tunes, while enjoying hilarious clips of Walt and other never before seen clips. While it wasn’t a huge event, it was great fun to meet other Disney fans and enjoy some Disney history. I will definitely be going again next year!

Until next time,
Caitlyn

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Fans of Star Wars won’t have to wait until 2015 to start getting their fix for new Star Wars entertainment. Today it was announced that Disney has given the go-ahead to Star Wars Rebels. It will first appear as a one hour special on the Disney Channel followed by a series on Disney XD.

The series will take place between Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. This covers approximately two decades and is during a time when the Empire continues to amass power. It also will be seeking out and destroying the remaining Empire. Despite all this darkness, the rebellion will begin to grow from a few heroic people with a vision to the full on armed rebellion that is seen in A New Hope.

Here is what was said about Star Wars Rebels on starwars.com:

Production has begun on Star Wars Rebels, an exciting, all-new animated television series based on one of the greatest entertainment franchises of all time. Scheduled to premiere in fall 2014 as a one-hour special telecast on Disney Channel, it will be followed by a series on Disney XD channels around the world.

Leading the development of the series is a creative team of exceptional talent. Screenwriter/producer Simon Kinberg (X-Men: First Class,Sherlock Holmes, Mr. & Mrs. Smith) is an executive producer on Star Wars Rebels and will write the premiere episode. He is joined by Dave Filoni as executive producer, who served as supervising director of the Emmy nominated Star Wars: The Clone Wars since 2008. Executive producer Greg Weisman brings with him a wealth of animation experience with credits such as Young Justice, The Spectacular Spider-Man and Gargoyles.

Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide, said, “The entire team at Lucasfilm has provided extraordinary creativity and innovation for over three decades, and we’re thrilled to be bringing the expansive and imaginative world of Star Wars to Disney XD’s viewers.”

“I couldn’t be more excited to explore new corners of the Star Wars universe,” said Kathleen Kennedy, president, Lucasfilm. “I think Star Wars Rebels will capture the look, feel and fun that both kids and their parents love about Star Wars.”

The action-filled series is set between the events of Episode III and IV — an era spanning almost two decades never-before explored on-screen.Star Wars Rebels takes place in a time where the Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking shape. Details about the show are a closely guarded secret at this point.

Star Wars Rebels will be produced by Lucasfilm Animation, featuring many of the key talents that made Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Fans attending Star Wars Celebration Europe will be the first to get an exclusive look at the new series. Casting will be announced at a later date. More information about this developing project will be found on StarWars.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/starwarsrebels.

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Where do I even begin on this tour? It was beyond awesome! Lauren and I wanted to do something different when we visited Southern California, and Lauren was interested in doing a studio tour. We looked around at the different studios that offered tours, but Warner Brothers was the only one that offered tours on the weekends. Plus, they had a coupon code, and the tour price was less than $50. You can’t beat that! That morning, we arrived a little early, and moseyed around the gift shop, deciding on what to buy when we finished the tour. The gift shop was also the waiting area for the tours, as well as Starbucks. For the Harry Potter fans out there, they had some costumes worn by the stars, and movie props in the waiting area as well. Once it was our turn for the tour, we went into a small movie theater to see a brief video on the history of Warner Brothers and see clips of what movies and shows have been filmed on the lot. Once the movie finished, we headed off to our golf cart to head to the lot.

Since it was a Saturday, no one was filming and we could go just about anywhere! Our first stop was “the jungle” which is where they have an abundance of trees for filming jungle and woods scenes. Some highlighted spots were the bar from ‘True Blood’, the road where the T-Rex chase scene from ‘Jurassic Park’ was filmed, and the “swamp” where Kermit the Frog sang the original ‘Rainbow Connection’.  We then made our way to the town square, where countless movies and shows are filmed, including the most recent ‘Muppets’ and the show ‘Gilmore Girls’. At that moment, they were all set up for the show ‘Pretty Little Liars’ that would be filming the next week. We toured more backlot areas, like residential and city streets. We even got to go in a house that had been used in ‘Friends’ and ‘Gilmore Girls’. After spending quite a bit of time driving around, we made a stop and were told we were going to go into a sound stage. If that wasn’t exciting enough, our tour guide told us we’d be going on ‘The Big Bang Theory’ sound stage. If you don’t know, that is one of my favorite shows! I was beyond excited, and I can’t remember anything the tour guide said when we were inside because I kept looking at everything on the set! What a thrill!

Our next stop was at the car museum, which housed most of the Batmobiles, as well as other vehicles from popular movies and TV shows. The stop after that was the ‘Ellen’ soundstage, which Lauren was super excited about! We made two more stops before completing the tour,

and one of them was to the costume museum, featuring costumes of movies and shows from past and present. Their most recent addition was a series of costumes and props from ‘The Dark Knight Rises’. Our last stop was probably my favorite, where we were headed to the prop building, but we had no idea what we were going to see. Our tour guide told us that we were going to see a set that had been saved for tour guests, rather than be dismantled and sent to a museum. Little did we expect to walk into the Central Perk set from ‘Friends’. Since Lauren and I both love ‘Friends’,  we couldn’t believe we were there! Not only was that amazing, but we even got to sit on the orange couch they sat on in almost every episode.

We finished the tour with a little more driving around the lot, before we ended back at the gift shop. We had a blast on the studio tour, and I would totally do it again! For the price, amount of people on the tour (13), and the amount of things we got to see, I would do it again and recommend it to anyone looking for something fun to do in the LA area.

Thanks for reading friends!
Until next time,

Caitlyn

Follow me on twitter and instagram; @caitlynnoel

The post Caitlyn’s Trip to the Warner Brothers Studio appeared first on DAPs Magic Disney News.

Welcome to this week’s DAPs Magic DIsney News Update! There’s quite a bit going on and here are the stories Egon Bonkers covered this week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ4Wsz0d1K8

ABC UNVEILS 2013-14 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE: http://dapsmagic.com/news/2013/05/14/abc-unveils-2013-14-primetime-schedule/#.UZZOeitgZbY

Sip, Savor, Repeat! Fresh Global Tastes Tempt the Palate at 18th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Sept. 27-Nov. 11: http://dapsmagic.com/news/2013/05/14/sip-savor-repeat-fresh-global-tastes-tempt-the-palate-at-18th-epcot-international-food-wine-festival-sept-27-nov-11/#.UZZOlCtgZbY

Woody’s All-American Roundup Coming to Disneyland This Summer: http://dapsmagic.com/news/2013/05/13/woodys-all-american-roundup-coming-to-disneyland-this-summer/

Disney Welcomes Merida into the Disney Princess Royal Court: http://dapsmagic.com/news/2013/05/11/disney-welcomes-merida-into-the-disney-princess-royal-court/

Disney’s “Big Hero 6″ First Look Footage: http://dapsmagic.com/news/2013/05/10/disneys-big-hero-6-first-look-footage/

Want More Disney news? Subscribe to DAPs Magic’s YouTube Channel here: http://goo.gl/cWy9k

The post ABC, Princess Merida, Food/Wine, Big Hero 6 – DAPs Magic Disney News Update – Edition 009 appeared first on DAPs Magic Disney News.

Members Will Have Online Access to Vast Array of
Exclusive Disney Content

Disney to Celebrate Expansion With New Free D23 Membership Level

BURBANK, Calif. – May 16, 2013 – On June 17, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, will launch a massive reimagining of its D23.com website, opening up the wonderful worlds of Disney like never before to its members. The site will provide access to newly digitized content that delves deeply into The Walt Disney Company’s vault of material, past and present, along with exclusive glimpses of the future. The new gated content will be free to current D23 Members; plus D23 is launching a new free level of membership, which will include access to this incredible content. D23.com will continue to offer the latest Disney news free to all guests who visit the site. But D23 Members can unlock even more magic in each section by logging in and accessing content whenever a golden key is shown.

“We’re creating a unique destination that celebrates, in all respects, the essence of Disney,” says Steven Clark, head of D23. “We believe the new site will offer one of the most engaging Disney experiences yet—with even more to come in the future. We look forward to debuting the new D23.com to our current members as well as to new ones from around the world.”

The reimagined D23.com will feature exclusive celebrity interviews; vintage film clips; rarely seen artwork and photography; treasures from the Walt Disney Archives; behind-the-scenes previews of new movies and theme park attractions; and more.

Website highlights at launch will include:

·         23 Questions – We enhance our popular feature with audio interviews with Once Upon A Time star Ginnifer Goodwin who reveals her Disney favorites—and what she’s looking forward to in the next season of the hit ABC show. Plus an exclusive with Phineas and Ferb’s popular “evil mastermind” Dr. Heinz Doofenschmirtz, who talks about his truly devious plans… and Christmas.

·         D’scovered – Treasures unearthed by the Walt Disney Archives. In the coming weeks the Archives will share extremely rare imagery from the proposed Mickey Mouse Park, a concept which evolved into Disneyland; spine-tingling alternative dialogue for the Haunted Mansion penned by Disney Legend X. Atencio; the illustrated story script for “The Karnival Kid,” the 1929 short in which Mickey Mouse first speaks; and a very special memento created for Walt by legendary artist Salvador Dali.

·         Disney A to Z – A complete and newly-updated electronic version of the definitive Disney encyclopedia with more than 7,000 entries written by Dave Smith, founder and Chief Archivist Emeritus of the Walt Disney Archives.

·         D23 Presents – A deeper dive into all parts of Disney from the opening of Mystic Manor in Hong Kong Disneyland to rarely seen footage of the former Disney Studio on Hyperion Avenue.

·         Disney Legends and the Walt Disney Archives – Two new microsites; Disney Legends will provide a deeper look at those who’ve made significant contributions to the Disney legacy, and the Archives site will open up the doors of this venerable institution so D23 can share more of The Walt Disney Company’s expansive collections.

In addition, new departments and sections include: Weird Disney, looking at some of the more unusual and outrageous pieces of Disney’s past; Characters, profiling the most beloved characters from television, film and comics with concept art and complete biographies; The Quotable Walt Disney, a digitized version of the out-of-print book featuring some of Walt’s most enduring words; Ask a Legend, a video feature in which Disney Legends like Marty Sklar answer fans questions; First Look, which gives members a glimpse into what’s new and what’s next including Monsters University; Attraction Rewind, celebrating the beloved attractions of Disney’s past which once delighted theme park guests; and Muppetology, which opens up the Muppet-acular universe of our fuzzy friends. D23’s popular video series Armchair Archivist and Disney Geek will also return with all-new episodes.

And that’s just the beginning—on launch day, D23.com will reveal even more surprises.

D23 Free Membership will include:

• Members-Only Website Content: Access to all exclusive content on D23.com.

• Exclusive Merchandise: D23 offers its members access to exclusive, limited-edition merchandise and collectibles.

• Subscription to Weekly D23 FanFare E-newsletter with breaking news and special offers. (You may opt out of receiving FanFare after your first e-newsletter arrives.)

• Discounted tickets to the D23 Expo 2013: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event (For more information click here.)

About D23

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club celebrates the remarkable past, present, and future of Disney, taking its name from 1923, the year Walt Disney founded his world-famous company. D23 brings its members a host of exclusive benefits, including a weekly e-mail newsletter; an array of discounts and special offers; and exclusive, member-only special events.

Disney fans can join the world’s only Official Disney Fan Club by visiting www.D23.com or www.DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow “DisneyD23” on Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

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New Series “Back in the Game,” “Betrayal,” “The Goldbergs,” “Killer Women,”

“Lucky 7,” “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Mind Games,” “Mixology,”

“Once Upon a Time in Wonderland,” “Resurrection,” “Super Fun Night,”

“Trophy Wife” and New Alternative Series “The Quest” Join the Lineup

“America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “The Bachelor,” “Castle,” “Dancing with the Stars,”

“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Last Man Standing,” “The Middle,” “Modern Family,” “Nashville,”

“The Neighbors,” “Once Upon a Time,” “Revenge,” “Scandal,” “Shark Tank,”

“Suburgatory,” “The Taste” and “20/20″ Will Return to the Schedule

ABC Picks Up Special, “Toy Story of Terror,” from Pixar,

Based on the Hit Film and Starring the Original Cast

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The Disney Photopass Service is now available at Disneyland Paris. This service, found throughout the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort will now be providing photographical services to guests making memories at Disneyland Paris.

Have you used the Disney Photopass Service yet in Disneyland Paris? If so, what was  your experience?

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Scotland Marketplace Debuts, Brazil Flavors Return for Encore

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Disney guests can sip and savor fresh flavors from six continents during the 18^th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Sept. 27-Nov. 11, 2013 at Walt Disney World Resort.

Disney chefs will debut the authentic tastes of Scotland at the celebrated 46-day festival known for innovative food, wine, beer, cocktails, music and entertainment.  The sizzling aromas of more than 25 ethnic and specialized marketplaces including Africa, Brazil and Florida Local will tempt guests strolling the World Showcase Promenade.  Celebrity chefs like Warren Brown and Jamie Deen will bring culinary cachet to special festival events and demonstrations.

Festival planners will present a delectable menu of premium programming, plus daily wine tastings and mixology seminars.  Nightly Eat to the Beat concerts will keep the party rockin’, and five bands will make their festival debut this year.  In Future World, the iconic Ocean Spray Cranberry Bog will return for a third year to introduce families to the cranberry’s rich agricultural heritage.

Fresh for 2013:

New marketplace debuts; favorites return -Traditional flavors with a twist will pair with beers, meads and Scotch at the new Scotland Marketplace designed by Walt Disney Imagineering.  Scottish officials were so impressed with the hit Disney film, “Brave,” that they contacted festival planners about participating in this year’s festival.  The Brazil Marketplace returns by popular demand with an exciting new menu following a one-year hiatus.  Hawai’i is back with its flavorful Kalua Pork Slider, and Terra, which debuted last year, returns with vegan favorite Trick’n Chicken Curry.

Fan favorites rock the house at Eat to the Beat! Concerts – “We Got the Beat” with the Go-Go’s (Sept. 30-Oct. 1) and four other musical acts are set to make first appearances at Eat to the Beat nightly concerts.  Also new to the festival stage: Edwin McCain (Oct. 10-11), The Manhattan Transfer (Oct. 12-13), Spin Doctors (Oct. 31-Nov. 1), and Christopher Cross (Nov. 2-3) Nineteen bands are slated, with STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas kicking off the concert series Sept. 27-29.  Returning fan favorites include The Pointer Sisters, Smash Mouth, Boyz II Men, Sister Hazel, Air Supply, Hanson and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Celebrity chefs cook and dish - Renowned chefs like Warren Brown, Paula DaSilva, Gale Gand, Jamie Deen, Robert Irvine, Dean Max, Rock Harper, Jeff Henderson, Art Smith, Buddy Valastro, Allen Susser, “Cake Boy” Eric Lanlard, Duskie Estes and John Stewart, Donald Link, Bryan Voltaggio and Emily Ellyn share their talents during culinary demos and premium events.

Festival Welcome Center buzzes with activities – Guests can make the most of complimentary Authentic Taste seminars.  Culinary demonstrations and wine seminars feature new tastes and sips for a nominal fee.

Reserved culinary events draw foodies — Special culinary programs showcase a lineup of renowned winemakers, guest chefs and speakers like Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson as they participate in elegant dinners, luncheons, seminars and wine schools.

Other festival highlights include:

• More than 270 chefs including Disney chefs and culinary stars from across the country
• A complimentary Marketplace Discovery Passport to be stamped at each international marketplace visited for the perfect scrapbook souvenir.
• Party for the Senses grand tasting events Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26, and Nov. 2 featuring tempting bites from eminent chefs, more than 50 wines and beers and live entertainment.
• Premium events including “3D” Disney’s Dessert Discovery on select Fridays, Cheese Seminars on Saturdays and Sweet Sundays on Sundays.

What’s Included with Epcot Admission:

Authentic Taste seminars, Ocean Spray Cranberry Bog, special book signings, Eat to the Beat! concerts, cultural adventures, Marketplace Discovery Passport and all attractions and park entertainment are included with regular Epcot admission.

Special Programming by Reservation:

The Party for the Senses grand tasting events and other special wine and culinary programs require reservations and separate event admission.  Guests will be able to call 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) to make reservations after an August date is announced.  Information and reservations for select events and programs will be atwww.epcotfoodfestival.com.

The post Sip, Savor, Repeat! Fresh Global Tastes Tempt the Palate at 18th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Sept. 27-Nov. 11 appeared first on DAPs Magic Disney News.

Sheriff Woody, Jessie, and Buckaroo Bob will be entertaining folks who visit the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree this summer for Woody’s All-American Roundup. Woody will be showing off his abilities with the lasso, Jessie with her slingshot, and Buckaroo Bob with his guitar.

Between Woody’s show, Billy Hill and the Hillbillies will be performing throughout the day. Guests will also be able to meet Woody, Jessie, Mickey, and Minnie. There will also be crafts and activities to be enjoyed at the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree.

Woody’s All-American Roundup begins on June 14.

The post Woody’s All-American Roundup Coming to Disneyland This Summer appeared first on DAPs Magic Disney News.

Warren Spector to guide post-baccalaureate certificate program

AUSTIN, Texas – May 13, 2013 – The University of Texas at Austin has partnered with video game industry leaders Warren Spector and Paul Sams to create the Denius-Sams Gaming Academy, the first video game program in the United States led and taught by gaming industry executives.

Spector (M.A., Radio-Television-Film ’80) will guide the curriculum and both he and Sams will serve as part-time instructors for the academy, which begins in the fall of 2014. The academy seeks to support economic growth of the gaming industry in Texas and beyond by creating the unique focus of training students to become game development team leaders.

“What differentiates the Denius-Sams Gaming Academy is that it will focus explicitly on the bigger creative leadership aspects of game development – on the management and production side and on the creative leadership side,” said Spector, who will also serve as co-chair of the academy’s advisory board. “This is a space that’s not being filled by the other programs and it will make the academy unique.”

Spector is a 30-year veteran of the video game industry and is known for his work on the “Ultima,” “System Shock,” “Deus Ex” and the “Disney Epic Mickey” game series. He has worked on more than 20 production teams as a designer, director and producer.

Sams is chief operating officer and a 17-year veteran of Blizzard Entertainment® where he is responsible for the company’s global business operations. During Sams’ tenure, the company has produced some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and commercially successful game franchises including “Warcraft®,” “Diablo®,” “StarCraft®” and “World of Warcraft®.” Sams also shares responsibility for the growth of one of the largest online gaming services in the world, the company’s Battle.net®.

The Denius-Sams Gaming Academy was made possible by the Cain Foundation and Paul and Susan Sams (B.J., Journalism ’92).

“Susan and I believe The University of Texas at Austin has a tremendous track record of building nationally recognized programs that generate the leaders and critical thinkers the gaming industry needs,” Sams said.  ”The program will focus on building the skills required for students to lead teams and develop games from concept to completion, while growing talent for the gaming industry.”

Texas is an epicenter for the computer and video game industry. It has the second-largest concentration of game companies in the U.S., with more than 155 development and publishing companies throughout the state providing around 4,000 full-time jobs, according to the Texas Film Commission in the Office of the Governor.

The academy will be industry driven – instead of a graduate degree, students will earn a post-baccalaureate certificate, which offers fewer restrictions than a traditional academic degree and will enable the program to remain relevant and responsive to industry trends.

The academy will include an intense,12-month program in which students will create a small-scale game from start to finish, working in teams to handle every aspect of the creation. The accelerated timeline will help aspiring professionals acquire the skill they need to join the workforce.

Wofford Denius (B.A., Business Administration ’74) is director of the Cain Foundation and co-founder of the academy. He has a long history of contributing to innovative projects at the university and the College of Communication.

“By combining the best professors with some of the gaming industry’s top minds and contributors, The University of Texas will immediately establish itself on the cutting edge of gaming design technology and the gaming industry,” Denius said. “But even more importantly, the Denius-Sams Gaming Design Academy will help our students by enhancing their marketability and providing them with unique leadership skills to advance as leaders in their employment and in the gaming industry.”

Admission to the academy will be highly competitive, with only 20 spots available for 2014. Admission will be open to U.S. and international students. Admitted students will receive a tuition waiver and a $10,000 stipend to assist with fees and housing expenses – the only game design program to do this.

The academy is a joint effort between the College of Communication, the College of Fine Arts and the Department of Computer Science. It also is supported by the Provost’s Office at the university.

It complements the university’s undergraduate Game Development Program, which offers a capstone project course in video game development.

“The Denius-Sams Gaming Academy will create the most-intense program of its kind, in which aspiring professionals enlist in an all-in adventure, rather than complete mere credit hours,” said Roderick P. Hart, dean of the College of Communication. “The program will prepare students to become creative team leaders who will drive the creation of games in the future, and ensure the vitality of the gaming industry.”

About The University of Texas at Austin College of Communication

One of the nation’s foremost institutions for the study of advertising and public relations, communication sciences and disorders, communication studies, journalism and radio-TV-film, The University of Texas at Austin College of Communication is preparing students to thrive in an era of media convergence. Serving more than 4,600 undergraduate and graduate students, the College is nationally recognized for its faculty members, research and student media. For more information about the College of Communication, visit http://communication.utexas.edu.

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Gymnastics Gold Medalist, Gabby Douglas Hosts Royal Celebration With Her Mom At Walt Disney World On Mother’s Day Weekend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXsoyQZHNIE

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (May 11, 2013) – In celebration of mothers and daughters everywhere, Disney today proudly welcomed Merida from Disney∙Pixar’s Academy Award® winning film, “Brave,” into the Disney Princess royal court.  With her mother Queen Elinor proudly by her side, the ceremony took place at the Magic Kingdom in front of Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort in conjunction with Mother’s Day festivities. Gymnastics Gold Medalist and All-Around champion, Gabby Douglas, hosted the celebration accompanied by her mother, and shared her personal story of strength, perseverance and courage – the true meaning of being a Disney princess.

Watched by hundreds of park guests, Merida’s procession through the Magic Kingdom to Cinderella Castle was led by a troop of Scottish dancers and an authentic pipe and drum band. In true Merida fashion, she forged her own path, foregoing the traditional horse-and-carriage arrival and instead wowing the audience as she rode in on her trusty horse Angus. She was welcomed on stage by the entire Disney Princess court, and was crowned by her mother Queen Elinor in a touching moment of love and respect that highlighted the unbreakable bond between mother and daughter. Over the last few years, the Disney Princess royal court has expanded to welcome new princess characters whose stories, personalities and inner qualities serve as role models inspiring girls around the world.

“I admire Merida for being determined and courageous as these are qualities that have had a big impact on my own life and helped me achieve my goals as an athlete,” said Gabby Douglas, gymnastics gold medalist.  “And like Merida, I have a strong relationship with my mom, whose support and belief in me has helped me recognize my own inner princess qualities. It’s really special for us to be here and share in Merida’s celebration, especially on Mother’s Day weekend.”

“As a Disney Princess, Merida sets an admirable example for all, being brave, strong, passionate, determined and confident,” said Katherine Sarafian, “Brave’s” producer. “When Queen Elinor placed the crown on Merida’s head, it signified a moment of deep connection, as a mother recognized the spirit, heart and true personality of her daughter. It’s moments like these that encapsulate what is special about being a princess, but also resonate with mothers across the world.”

On hand to join in on the festivities were 10-year-old and six-year-old British singers and TV personalities of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Sophia Grace Brownlee and Rosie McClelland, who celebrated their inner princess by performing an original song on stage. Also in attendance were young girls and their families from Give Kids The World, a 70-acre nonprofit “storybook” resort where children with life-threatening illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong cost-free family vacations.

As part of Merida’s celebration, a group of 200 mom bloggers and their families attending the Walt Disney World Social Media Moms conference were treated to a first look at the latest video from the “I Am A Princess” campaign, which features Merida and a real-life young archer. The campaign’s message encourages girls to believe in themselves and their inner strength.

https://

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEn9NAGipxE

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From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Big Hero 6,” an action comedy adventure about brilliant robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who finds himself in the grips of a criminal plot that threatens to destroy the fast-paced, high-tech city of San Fransokyo. With the help of his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—Hiro joins forces with a reluctant team of first-time crime fighters on a mission to save their city. Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action and all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the CG-animated “Big Hero 6″ hits theaters in 3D on November 7, 2014.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSV3laJplpU

Like Big Hero 6 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DisneyBigHero6

Follow Walt Disney Animation Studios on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DisneyAnimation

The post Disney’s “Big Hero 6″ First Look Footage appeared first on DAPs Magic Disney News.

Disney is continuing to innovate and come up with new ways to tell a story. This time, it is through an app called appropriately enough, the Story App. According to the Disney Post, this app will use “intuitive technology to pull from user’s photo and video libraries, Story automatically organizes media into shareable “stories” based on time and location.”

The Story app is free to download and allows users to create their own narrative or instead the app can pull together a story for posting.

Here is a video released by Disney about this app:

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Welcome to this week’s DAPs Magic Disney News Update! We give you the Disney headlines in about a minute. This week, Egon Bonkers is on vacation so Major Tedwardian Minor is standing in. Let’s get to the news.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AidNUzKcvlI

“Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives” Returns to the D23 Expo: http://dapsmagic.com/news/2013/05/09/treasures-of-the-walt-disney-archives-returns-to-the-d23-expo/

Disney Cruise Line Engages Guests and Crew in Annual “Walk for Wildlife”: http://dapsmagic.com/news/2013/05/09/disney-cruise-line-engages-guests-and-crew-in-annual-walk-for-wildlife/

Disney and Electronic Arts Working on New Star Wars Games: http://dapsmagic.com/news/2013/05/09/disney-and-electronic-arts-working-on-new-star-wars-games/

The Walt Disney Company Reports Second Quarter Earnings for Fiscal 2013: http://dapsmagic.com/news/2013/05/08/the-walt-disney-company-reports-second-quarter-earnings-for-fiscal-2013/

The Original “Winnie the Pooh” Coming to Blu-Ray and DVD: http://dapsmagic.com/news/2013/05/06/the-original-winnie-the-pooh-coming-to-blu-ray-and-dvd/

Please subscribe, like, share, favorite if you liked this video. Thank you for your support!  Subscribe to DAPs Magic YouTube here: http://goo.gl/cWy9k

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“TREASURES OF THE WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES” RETURNS TO THE D23 EXPO,

 CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MARY POPPINS, THE ABC HIT ONCE UPON A TIME AND DISNEY’S ENDURING CONNECTION TO THE LAND OF OZ

The spectacular exhibit will feature imagery, costumes, props, set pieces and more, many displayed publicly for the first time by the Walt Disney Archives

BURBANK, Calif. – May 9, 2013 – D23: The Official Disney Fan Club and the Walt Disney Archives are proud to announce the return of the “Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives” exhibit to the D23 Expo. During the D23 Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center, August 9 – 11, 2013, this all-new exhibit curated specifically for the D23 Expo 2013 will feature: the 50th anniversary of Mary Poppins, ABC’s hit television series Once Upon A Time, and a look at the longstanding connection between Disney and L. Frank Baum’s beloved series of books about the land of Oz.

“Treasures” will showcase a selection of crown jewels from the Walt Disney Archives Collection, many of which will be displayed publicly for the first time by the Archives. As the 50th anniversary of Mary Poppins approaches, the Archives will be presenting a wide array of pieces from the Academy Award®-winning 1964 film including concept art and matte paintings, Mary and Bert’s carousel horses, the snow globe from the “Feed the Birds” sequence, costumes worn by many of the central characters and the recently acquired carpet bag, which Mary carries with her when she arrives at the Banks’ household. Also part of the exhibit will be the Fan Art Gallery, themed to Mary Poppins. D23 Members were invited to submit their work as part of the D23 Expo Fan Art Contest, and the winners’ colorful creations will be displayed in this year’s gallery.

On the heels of the global success of Oz The Great and Powerful, the Archives is proud to assemble artifacts illustrating Disney’s long association with L. Frank Baum’s Oz books. Highlights include a costume from 1957’s “Rainbow Road to Oz”—a segment from The Fourth Anniversary Show, which celebrated Walt’s four years on television, starring many of the Mickey Mouse Club’s Mouseketeers—as well as concept art from unrealized attractions and Disney Studio productions. Also featured are props and costume pieces from 1985’s Return to Oz including the Tik-Tok puppet, “Powder of Life” tin, and Dorothy’s costume and slippers. And, of course, there will be an assortment of costumes from this year’s Oz The Great and Powerful.

Now finishing its second hit season, Once Upon A Time has become a huge hit among Disney fans for its ability to remain true to many of Disney’s classic stories while expanding their worlds with a modern twist. The Archives is honored to be presenting a selection of elegantly designed costumes from the show.

The D23 Expo 2013 will also feature the Disney Legends Awards—a tradition that pays tribute to the talented men and women who have made indelible contributions to the Disney legacy; the return of the D23 Expo Dream Store, featuring a wide selection of unique merchandise; an expanded Collectors Forum, where Disney fans can buy, sell and trade Disney collectibles, memorabilia and merchandise—and this year’s Forum will also include the worlds of Marvel and Star Wars—plus amazing live events, special celebrity appearances, panels and presentations and unique experiences from every corner of Disney, from upcoming feature film and television sneak peeks to what’s new and what’s next from our theme parks around the world.

About D23 Expo 2013

The D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings the entire world of Disney under one roof, providing attendees with unprecedented access to Disney films, television and theme parks. For the latest D23 Expo 2013 news, visit www.D23Expo.com. To be part of the D23 Expo conversation, make sure to follow @DisneyD23 and tag your tweets with #D23Expo.

About D23

The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his fledgling studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 88-year history. D23 gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication Disney twenty-three; a rich website at www.D23.com;  member-exclusive discounts and special events for D23 Members throughout the year, highlighted by the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, August 19-21, 2011.

Fans can join D23 at www.D23.com and at www.DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow us @DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube.

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As we continue to crawl closer and closer to the release of Star Trek Into Darkness next week, the good folks at Paramount continue to release more and more bread crumbs to draw us in. Today, a clip was released where Karl Urban goes into who Bones (Dr. McCoy) is. Let’s take a look.

So what do you think?

Dr. McCoy has always been one of my favorite characters in the Star Trek franchise. His passionate truthfulness is endearing. I also love his random phrases he throws out constantly. I feel like Karl Urban has done a wonderful job of continuing the legacy of Dr. McCoy. I’m actually quite curious to see how he ends up fitting into the storyline of Star Trek Into Darkness. I’m sure he will be very much the common sense, moral compass, speak his mind doctor we all know and love. Time will tell though…thankfully not a LOT of time now! What do YOU think?

Make it a GREAT day!

- Mr. DAPs

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CELEBRATION, Fla. (May 3, 2013) – In honor of Earth Month, more than 350 Disney Cruise Line guests and crew members got outside to participate in “Walk for Wildlife” events held onboard the ships and on Disney’s private island in The Bahamas, Castaway Cay.

Organized to encourage crew members and families to connect with nature and develop a lifelong appreciation for the planet, the two-mile walks raised funds and awareness for marine conservation projects supported by the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF).

“Disney Cruise Line is dedicated to promoting positive environmental actions in our guests and crew members,” said Rena Langley, vice president of Public Affairs.  “These annual Walk for Wildlife events have become a tradition, inspiring others to connect with nature and appreciate the natural beauty of the marine environment.”

Started in 2008 as a crew-only event, Walk for Wildlife programs were expanded in 2012 to include guests sailing on Disney ships. To date, “Walk for Wildlife” events have generated more than $35,000 from a combination of company and personal crew member donations

In addition to the walks, Disney Cruise Line made a $5,000 donation to DWCF on behalf of guests and crew who sailed onboard during Earth Day.

Disney Cruise Line is dedicated to minimizing environmental impact through efforts focused on utilizing new technologies, increasing fuel efficiency, minimizing waste and promoting conservation worldwide.  Cast and crew members strive to be positive environmental stewards, and seek to inspire others through programs that engage guests and communities in Disney Cruise Line ports of call.

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The Walt Disney Company has announced a collaboration between Disney and Electronic Arts to work on developing future Star Wars games. The announcement was made on the Disney Post. The goal of this collaboration will be to, “bring an all-new portfolio of games based on beloved Star Wars characters and storylines to fans across the most popular platforms and genres.”

Here is an excerpt of the announcement found on the Disney Post:

Electronic Arts will develop and publish new Star Wars games for core gamers across console platforms, PC, mobile and tablets, while Disney Interactive will focus on delivering new games for casual audiences on mobile, social, tablet and online gaming platforms.

Disney and Electronic Arts are excited to create compelling new interactive experiences to engage and entertain Star Wars fans on their favorite gaming platforms for light-years to come. Both companies will be announcing more game details in the near future, so stayed tuned.

What do you think of this announcement? Are you excited for future Star Wars games?

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BURBANK, Calif. – The Walt Disney Company today reported earnings for its second fiscal quarter and six months ended March 30, 2013. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the second quarter increased 32% to $0.83 from $0.63 in the prior-year quarter. Excluding certain items affecting comparability, EPS for the quarter increased 36% to $0.79 compared to $0.58 in the prior-year quarter. Diluted EPS for the six-months ended March 30, 2013 was $1.60 compared to $1.43 in the prior-year period.

“With adjusted earnings per share up 36% over last year, we’re obviously pleased with our second quarter,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company. “Our results reflect our successful strategy, the strength of our brands and the value of our high-quality creative content, all of which continue to drive long-term growth and shareholder value.”

The following table summarizes the second quarter and six-month results for fiscal 2013 and 2012 (in millions, except per share amounts):

Quarter Ended Six Months Ended

1. Aggregate segment operating income and free cash flow are non-GAAP financial measures. See the discussion of non- GAAP financial measures below.
2. Reflects amounts attributable to shareholders of The Walt Disney Company, i.e. after deduction of noncontrolling(minority) interests.

   EPS for the current quarter includes $102 million of tax benefits related to pre-tax earnings in prior years, a $10 million gain on the sale of a business and $61 million of restructuring charges. Collectively, these items had a net positive impact on EPS of $0.04 in the current quarter. EPS in the prior-year quarter included a $184 million non-cash gain recorded in connection with the acquisition of a controlling interest in UTV Software Communications Limited (UTV Gain) and $38 million of restructuring charges. Collectively, these items had a net positive impact on EPS of $0.05 in the prior-year quarter. The current- year gain on the sale of a business and the UTV Gain are recorded in “Other income/(expense), net” in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

   SEGMENT RESULTS
   

   The following table summarizes the second quarter and six-month segment operating results for fiscal 2013 and 2012 (in millions):

   Quarter Ended Six Months Ended

1. March 30,
   March 31,
   March 30,
   March 31,

   Media Networks
   Media Networks revenues for the quarter increased 6% to $5.0 billion and segment operating income increased 8% to $1.9 billion. The following table provides further detail of the Media Networks results (in millions):

   Quarter Ended Six Months Ended

1. Revenues:

   Segment operating income:

1. Cable Networks
   Operating income at Cable Networks increased $224 million to $1.7 billion for the quarter due to growth at ESPN. Higher operating income at ESPN was due to increased affiliate revenues and, to a lesser extent, higher advertising revenues, partially offset by increased programming and production costs. Increased affiliate revenues at ESPN were primarily due to contractual rate increases, a reduction in revenue deferrals as a result of changes in provisions related to annual programming commitments in certain affiliate contracts and international subscriber growth. During the quarter, ESPN deferred $120 million of revenue compared to $190 million in the prior-year quarter. Growth in ESPN advertising revenues was primarily due to an increase in units sold and higher rates, partially offset by lower ratings in certain of our programming. The increase in programming costs was driven by contractual rate increases for college sports.

   Broadcasting
   Operating income at Broadcasting decreased $91 million to $138 million for the quarter due to higher primetime programming costs and a decrease in advertising revenue at the ABC Television Network, partially offset by an increase in advertising revenue at the owned television stations. Higher primetime programming costs were driven by increased production cost write-offs and higher cost acquired programming. The decrease in network advertising revenue was primarily due to lower ratings, partially offset by higher rates and increased online advertising.

   Parks and Resorts
   Parks and Resorts revenues for the quarter increased 14% to $3.3 billion and segment operating income increased 73% to $383 million. Results for the quarter were driven by increases at our domestic operations and, to a lesser extent, at our international operations. Results at both our domestic and international parks and resorts reflected a favorable impact due to a shift in the timing of the New Year’s and Easter holidays relative to our fiscal periods.
   Higher operating income at our domestic operations was primarily due to increased guest spending and attendance at both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, the addition of the Disney Fantasy cruise ship, which launched in March 2012, and higher occupied room nights at the Walt Disney World Resort. These increases were partially offset by increased costs. Increased guest spending was due to higher average ticket prices, food, beverage and merchandise spending and daily hotel room rates. Higher costs were driven by new guest offerings, including investments in systems infrastructure at Walt Disney World Resort and resort expansion at Disneyland Resort, as well as labor and other cost inflation.
   Higher operating income from our international operations reflected higher guest spending at Disneyland Paris and increased attendance at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, partially offset by the absence of business interruption insurance proceeds related to Tokyo Disney Resort, which were collected in the prior-year quarter.

   Studio Entertainment
   Studio Entertainment revenues increased 13% to $1.3 billion and segment operating income increased $202 million to $118 million.
   Higher operating income for the quarter was driven by lower film impairments, due to the write- down on John Carter in the prior year, and an increase in worldwide theatrical distribution.
   Worldwide theatrical distribution results reflected the strong performance of Oz The Great And Powerful and Wreck-it Ralph in the current quarter compared to John Carter in the prior-year quarter.
   Consumer Products
   Consumer Products revenues increased 12% to $763 million and segment operating income increased 35% to $200 million. Higher operating income was primarily due to increases at Merchandise Licensing and at our retail business.
   The increase at Merchandise Licensing was driven by the performance of Disney Channel, Mickey and Minnie, and Marvel properties, partially offset by lower revenue from sales of Cars merchandise. Merchandise Licensing growth also benefited from a licensee audit settlement.
   At our retail business, higher operating income was driven by higher comparable store sales in North America and Japan and higher online sales in North America.

   Interactive
   Interactive revenues for the quarter increased 8% to $194 million and segment operating results improved by $16 million to a loss of $54 million. Higher operating results were due to growth at our Japan mobile business from a licensing agreement that started in February 2012 and lower acquisition accounting expense at our social games business.

   OTHER FINANCIAL INFORMATION
   

   Corporate and Unallocated Shared Expenses
   Corporate and unallocated shared expenses increased $9 million to $129 million for the quarter. The increase was driven by the timing of allocations to the operating segments and higher charitable contributions.

   Net Interest Expense
   Net interest expense was as follows (in millions):

   Quarter Ended
   March 30,
   2013
   March 31,
   2012 Change
   Interest expense $ (83) $ (126) 34 %
   Interest and investment income 29 31 (6) %
   Net interest expense $ (54) $ (95) 43 %

   The decrease in net interest expense for the quarter was primarily due to lower effective interest rates.
   Income Taxes
   The effective income tax rate was as follows:

   Quarter Ended
   March 30,
   2013
   March 31,

   2012 Change

   Effective Income Tax Rate 28.8% 34.6% 5.8 ppt

   The decrease in the effective income tax rate for the quarter was primarily due to favorable tax adjustments related to pre-tax earnings in prior years. These favorable tax adjustments reduced the effective income tax rate by 4.5 percentage points.

   Noncontrolling Interests
   Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests increased $25 million to $108 million for the quarter due to improved operating results at ESPN. Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests is determined on income after royalties and management fees, financing costs and income taxes.

   Cash Flow
   Cash provided by operations and free cash flow were as follows (in millions):

   Six Months Ended

1. 1. Free cash flow is not a financial measure defined by GAAP. See the discussion of non-GAAP financial measures that follows.

Cash provided by operations for the first six months of fiscal 2013 decreased 7% or $242 million to

$3.3 billion as compared to the first six months of fiscal 2012. The decrease was primarily due to the timing of receivable collections at Media Networks and the timing of disbursements.

Capital Expenditures and Depreciation Expense

Investments in parks, resorts and other property were as follows (in millions):

Six Months Ended

Media Networks

March 30,

2013

March 31,

2012

Capital expenditures decreased from $2.1 billion to $1.1 billion driven by a decrease at Parks and Resorts due to the final progress payment in the prior-year period for the Disney Fantasy cruise ship. The decrease in Parks and Resorts spending also reflected significant spending in the prior-year period for the expansion of Disney California Adventure and for the construction of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. These decreases were partially offset by higher spending in the current year for Shanghai Disney Resort.

Depreciation expense was as follows (in millions):

Six Months Ended

Media Networks

March 30,

2013

March 31,

2012

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This earnings release presents EPS excluding the impact of certain items, free cash flow, and aggregate segment operating income, all of which are important financial measures for the Company but are not financial measures defined by GAAP.

These measures should be reviewed in conjunction with the relevant GAAP financial measures and are not presented as alternative measures of EPS, cash flow or net income as determined in accordance with GAAP. EPS excluding certain items, free cash flow, and aggregate segment operating income as we have calculated them may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

EPS excluding certain items – The Company uses EPS excluding certain items to evaluate the performance of the Company’s operations exclusive of certain items that impact the comparability of results from period to period. The Company believes that information about EPS exclusive of these impacts is useful to investors, particularly where the impact of the excluded items is significant in relation to reported earnings, because the measure allows for comparability between periods of the operating performance of the Company’s business and allows investors to evaluate the impact of these items separately from the impact of the operations of the business.

The following table reconciles reported EPS to EPS excluding certain items:

Quarter Ended Six Months Ended

Favorable tax adjustments related to pre-tax earnings in

prior years (0.06) — nm (0.06) — nm

Tax benefit from prior-year

Restructuring and impairment

charges (3) 0.02 0.01 100 % 0.02 0.02 — %

Diluted EPS excluding certain

items (4) $ 0.79 $ 0.58 36 % $ 1.58 $ 1.38 14 %

1. The prior-year quarter and six-month period consists of the UTV Gain ($184 million). The current six-month period includes the Celador litigation charge ($321 million), partially offset by the gain on the sale of our interest in ESPN STAR Sports ($219 million).
2. Our share of expense associated with an equity redemption at Hulu LLC ($55 million).
3. Charges for the current quarter and six-month period totaled $61 million, primarily for severance costs. Charges for the prior-year quarter and six-month period totaled $38 million and $44 million, respectively, primarily for severance costs.
4. May not equal the sum of the rows due to rounding.Free cash flow – The Company uses free cash flow (cash provided by operations less investments in parks, resorts and other property), among other measures, to evaluate the ability of its operations to generate cash that is available for purposes other than capital expenditures. Management believes that information about free cash flow provides investors with an important perspective on the cash available to service debt, make strategic acquisitions and investments and pay dividends or repurchase shares.

   Aggregate segment operating income – The Company evaluates the performance of its operating segments based on segment operating income, and management uses aggregate segment operating income as a measure of the performance of operating businesses separate from non-operating factors. The Company believes that information about aggregate segment operating income assists investors by allowing them to evaluate changes in the operating results of the Company’s portfolio of businesses separate from non- operational factors that affect net income, thus providing separate insight into both operations and the other factors that affect reported results.

   A reconciliation of segment operating income to net income is as follows (in millions):

   Quarter Ended Six Months Ended

1. CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION
   

   In conjunction with this release, The Walt Disney Company will host a conference call today, May 7, 2013, at 5:00 PM EDT/2:00 PM PDT via a live Webcast. To access the Webcast go to www.disney.com/ investors. The discussion will be available via replay through May 21, 2013 at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT.
   FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

   Management believes certain statements in this earnings release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made on the basis of management’s views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the time the statements are made. Management does not undertake any obligation to update these statements.

   Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences may result from actions taken by the Company, including restructuring or strategic initiatives (including capital investments or asset acquisitions or dispositions), as well as from developments beyond the Company’s control, including:

   • changes in domestic and global economic conditions, competitive conditions and consumer preferences;
   • adverse weather conditions or natural disasters;
   • health concerns;
   • international, political, or military developments; and
   • technological developments.

     Such developments may affect travel and leisure businesses generally and may, among other things, affect:

   • the performance of the Company’s theatrical and home entertainment releases;
   • the advertising market for broadcast and cable television programming;
   • expenses of providing medical and pension benefits;
   • demand for our products; and
   • performance of some or all company businesses either directly or through their impact on those who distribute our products.

Additional factors are set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 29, 2012 under Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” and subsequent reports.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(unaudited; in millions, except per share data)

Quarter Ended Six Months Ended

Weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares outstanding:

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(unaudited; in millions, except per share data)

ASSETS

Current assets

March 30,

2013

September 29,

2012

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

Current liabilities

Preferred stock, $.01 par value

Authorized – 100 million shares, Issued – none — —

Common stock, $.01 par value

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited; in millions)

Six Months Ended

OPERATING ACTIVITIES

March 30,

2013

March 31,

2012

INVESTING ACTIVITIES

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You may remember that I posted a picture here where the Mad Hatter was giving Alice in Wonderland a wet willy. Of course, this deed did not go unpunished and within minutes Alice was returning the favor. Anybody have a caption for this one? Make it a GREAT day! – …

Mr. DAPs –

The post Another Wonderland Wet Willy appeared first on DAPs Magic Disney News.

Paramount continues to release more behind the scenes glimpses at Star Trek Into Darkness. With the amount being released on YouTube now, I can only imagine what the Blu-Ray will be like. I personally am hoping it is loaded with even MORE goodies. The newest release has J.J. Abrams talking about his vision of Star Trek Into Darkness and the experience of making it. Let’s take a look shall we?

So what do you think?

Do you think J.J. Abrams will be successful in upping the anti? Are you happy that they decided to bring a more complex villain into the mix? I personally am liking that there is more thinking involved in this movie. I did enjoy Star Trek 2009 but… I did find myself wanting a bit more from the villain in this movie…. something different… a new story.  Star Trek has had some of the most interesting villains through the years. From Kahn to General Chang to the Borg there has always been an interesting character. I personally think that John Harrison will be a continuation of this, not always successful, trend. From what I’m seeing, I’m going to guess that he is going to be one of the more interesting villains we’ll see in a Star Trek movie. What are your thoughts?

Make it a GREAT day!

- Mr. DAPs

The post J.J. Abrams Talks Vision of Star Trek Into Darkness appeared first on DAPs Magic Geeks Corner.

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Harry Potter fans will be able to experience more of the magic of J.K. Rowling’s world in 2014 when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley opens as an expansion of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida. This new experience will also have some recognizable locations in London from the Harry Potter movies. Interestingly enough, this addition will NOT be adjacent to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Instead, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley will be found in Universal Studios Florida. Guests will be able to travel back and forth though aboard the Hogwarts Express.

What does this mean for Walt Disney World? Despite the recent opening of New Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom, it appears that once again the bar has been raised by Universal. What will Walt Disney World do to counter this? Could there be an announcement for a new Cars Land in Florida? Will a completely new Star Wars land or theme park be announced for Florida? I’d personally like to see this latter idea come to fruition. It’d be new. It’d be exciting. It’d be epic! All of this is providing they do it right and really unleash the imaginations and budgets to do the job right. What do YOU think?

Here is the press release announcing the expansion:

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES:
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER – DIAGON ALLEY
IS COMING TO UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT

‘London’ and Diagon Alley Will Come to Life at Universal Orlando in 2014 World’s First Centrally Themed, Multi-Park Experience

Building on the global phenomenon that is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Entertainment today announced an expansion of historic proportion with the entirely new themed environment, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.

Scheduled to open in 2014, the world’s first centrally themed, multi-park experience expands The Wizarding World of Harry Potter across both Universal Orlando theme parks and allows Universal’s creative team to bring an unparalleled vision to this unique project.  The new area will bring to life some of the experiences and places found in and around London in the Harry Potter books and films, offering brand-new adventures for fans and theme park guests from around the world.

Diagon Alley and ‘London’ will be located within the Universal Studios Florida theme park, which is adjacent to Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park, where guests now experience Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.  The new area within Universal Studios will be just as expansive, immersive and authentic as the existing themed environment.

And – just like in the books and films – guests will be able to travel between ‘London’ and Hogsmeade aboard the Hogwarts Express.

Work on the new area is already underway.  When complete, it will feature shops, a restaurant and an innovative, marquee attraction based on Gringotts bank – all directly inspired by the fiction and films.

More details on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley will be released over time.

To bring Diagon Alley and ‘London’ to life, Universal’s creative team is working closely with Warner Bros. and the production design team from the Harry Potter films – just as it did for Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

“I’m so pleased that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has proved so popular to date, and I’m sure that the attention to detail in creating the new Diagon Alley area will make this an even better experience,” said J.K. Rowling.

“We are continuing the journey and adding an entirely new level of adventure,” said Tom Williams, Chairman of Universal Parks & Resorts.  “And we are bringing the same drive, commitment, enthusiasm and innovation to this project as we did to the first.”

“We are thrilled to offer the legions of fans the opportunity to embark on this new journey and experience Diagon Alley as it was brought to life in the books and films,” said Brad Globe, president, Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

“Our vision is to create two amazing theme park experiences that combine into one, complete, magical journey,” said Alice Norsworthy, executive vice president, marketing and sales for Universal Orlando Resort.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade opened at Universal’s Islands of Adventure in June 2010 as a fully immersive Harry Potter themed environment – bringing to life the bestselling books by J.K. Rowling and the blockbuster feature films from Warner Bros.  Since that time, it has become a global phenomenon, entertaining millions of people from around the world.

Visitors to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter are swept into the adventures of Harry Potter.  They can tour Hogwarts castle, shop in Hogsmeade and dine at the Three Broomsticks.  They can soar above Hogwarts with Harry, be chosen by a wand at Ollivanders, sample Butterbeer and much more.

Here is the complete announcement from the Universal Orlando Resort Facebook page:

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES: THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER – DIAGON ALLEY IS COMING TO UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT.

Building on the global phenomenon that is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Entertainment today announced an expansion of historic proportion with the entirely new themed environment, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.

Scheduled to open in 2014, the world’s first centrally themed, multi-park experience expands The Wizarding World of Harry Potter across both Universal Orlando theme parks and allows Universal’s creative team to bring an unparalleled vision to this unique project. The new area will bring to life some of the experiences and places found in and around London in the Harry Potter books and films, offering brand-new adventures for fans and theme park guests from around the world.

Diagon Alley and ‘London’ will be located within the Universal Studios Florida theme park, which is adjacent to Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park, where guests now experience Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. The new area within Universal Studios will be just as expansive, immersive and authentic as the existing themed environment.”

Make it a GREAT day!

- Mr. DAPs

The post Diagon Alley Joining The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort appeared first on DAPs Magic Geeks Corner.

The post Diagon Alley Joining The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort appeared first on DAPs Magic Disney News.