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And The Academy Award Goes To….Walt Disney!

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:41:45 GMT

With the Academy Award ceremonies just around the corner, several websites will probably discuss the many Oscars won by Walt Disney. In Oscar history, Walt still retains the honor of being both the individual with the most nominations and the one with the most wins. For this column, I will take a look at some of the stories behind those Oscars.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was the concept of the late movie producer Louis B. Mayer, who decided there was a need for such an organization to give status and respect to the motion picture industry. With the help of other prominent figures in Hollywood, the Academy was created and gave its first, then nameless awards, at a banquet on May 16, 1929.

The Short Subjects Awards were first handed out in 1932 in three categories: Cartoon, Comedy and Novelty. Supposedly, the cartoon category was established primarily to honor the work of Walt Disney. For several years most of the nominees and winners in this category were Disney cartoon shorts, with a token nomination or two to other animation producers like Leon Schlesinger.

For instance, in 1938, four Disney cartoons were nominated: The Brave Little Tailor, Mother Goose Goes Hollywood, Good Scouts, and Ferdinand the Bull. Ferdinand the Bull won and spawned a good deal of merchandise. In fact, Disney won in the cartoon Short Subject category every year from 1932 ( Flowers and Trees) to 1939 ( The Ugly Duckling).

The streak was broken in 1940 when MGM’s The Milky Way, about three little kittens who lost their mittens and dream of visiting the Milky Way in a balloon basket, took the award. There were no Disney cartoons nominated that year. The other two nominees in the category were MGM’s Puss Gets the Boot (arguably the first Tom and Jerry cartoon) and Warner’s A Wild Hare (arguably the first “official” Bugs Bunny cartoon).

Academy Awards Ceremony 1932: Mickey Mouse and Flowers and Trees
In 1932, besides Flowers and Trees, the other two nominees in the new category were Disney’s Mickey’s Orphans and Warner’s It’s Got Me Again.

Also that year, Walt received a special Oscar from the Academy for the creation of Mickey Mouse. Actor Charlie Chaplin was originally supposed to present the statuette, but had decided to stay home. This moment was a milestone in Oscar history since it was the first year that one man was given two awards at the same ceremony and only the second time a special Oscar had been awarded. (The first special award was to Chaplin.)

Walt Disney knew ahead of time that he was going to receive two awards. Up until 1941, winners were informed beforehand to help reporters meet their news deadlines.

That year, the fifth annual Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' banquet was held in the Fiesta Room of the Ambassador Hotel on Wilshire Boulevard on November 18, 1932. Nine hundred people attended.

As part of the festivities, and to show appreciation for the honors he was to receive, Walt produced a short color cartoon for those in attendance. Parade of the Award Nominees, a two-and-a-half minute short specially prepared for the ceremony, featured caricatures of those performers nominated in the Best Actor and Best Actress categories.

Mickey Mouse in green shorts led the parade of nominees (with some recycled animation from the 1931 Silly Symphony Mother Goose Melodies) down a red carpet. It was Mickey’s first color film appearance, pre-dating The Band Concert by several years.

In order, the caricatures were Wallace Beery for The Champ (with Jackie Cooper trailing along behind); Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne for The Guardsman; Helen Hayes for The Sins of Madelon Claudet; Fredric March for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; and Marie Dressler for Emma.

One newspaper reported that the film garnered a "huge laugh." Another newspaper reported, "Judging by the applause, the greatest enthusiasm was for Walt Disney, creator of Mickey Mouse, and for Helen Hayes (who won Best Actress)."David Lesjak has written a nice piece about that night on his website.

Academy Award Ceremony 1939: Snow White
At the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles on the night of February 23, 1939, was a nervous Walt Disney. He'd already been the recipient of seven Academy Awards from previous years. That night, Walt was presented with an Honorary Academy Award for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' “significant screen innovation, which has charmed millions and pioneered a great new entertainment field for the motion picture cartoon.”

Snow White was the top-grossing film of all time at that point, and had become so hugely popular and critically lauded that the Academy felt the film deserved some recognition, but didn’t want to give a Best Picture Oscar (or a nomination in that category) to an animated cartoon.

According to his autobiography, Academy President (and legendary film director) Frank Capra was the one who came up with the idea of a special award of a full-sized Oscar statuette with seven smaller ones descending in a row. Even though Walt was adamant that he didn’t make films just for children, but for the entire family, it was felt that the top child star of the time, Shirley Temple, representing all of Walt’s young fans should make the presentation.

According to the caption on a photo distributed to newspapers by Wide World Photos Los Angeles Bureau: “Long applause greeted Shirley Temple when she walked to the rostrum to present a special award to Walt Disney for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which is recognized by the industry as a screen innovation that pioneered a new entertainment field.”

Disneyland to stay open 24 hours on Leap Day

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:26:31 GMT

Disney aficionados can get an extra dose of their favorite theme parks when Disneyland in Anaheim and the Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando, Fla., open for 24 hours straight on Feb. 29, otherwise known as Leap Day.

The event, dubbed "One More Disney Day," will mark the first time in Disney's history that both parks will operate for 24 hours at the same time. It won't be the first time that Disneyland has stayed open for 24 hours. Each year, in May and June, Disneyland stays open throughout the night on selected dates for graduating high school seniors.

On Feb. 29, the park will open at 6 a.m. and stay open until 6 a.m. on March 1. To commemorate the event, the park will hand out special Mickey ear hats to the first 2,000 guests who enter the park.

Expecting big crowds for the event, Disneyland announced that it will allow visitors to begin lining up for the park at 10 p.m. on Feb. 28. Parking and restrooms will be available at the Pumbaa Parking Lot on Disney Way.

Kelly Clarkson Visits Disney World

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:47:37 GMT

Kelly Clarkson certainly got in the Disney spirit this weekend! The singer, who wowed the crowd at the Super Bowl earlier this month with her performance of the national anthem, enjoyed some time at Disney World while in Florida over the weekend. Clarkson even took time to pose with Princess Belle and Beast from "Beauty and the Beast."

It looks like Clarkson is feeling a bit better than she was a few days ago, when she admitted to the crowd during her performance at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in South Florida that she was a bit under the weather.

DISNEYLAND: Celebrate Mardi Gras with Tiana, snacks

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:06:00 GMT

Just because Southern California is nowhere near New Orleans doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate Mardi Gras in style. And Disneyland in Anaheim is pulling out all the stops to make this a Mardi Gras to remember.
On select dates through March 11, the park is celebrating with the New Orleans Bayou Bash. Park visitors can experience tasty treats along with mini-parades and live music. With New Orleans being her home in “The Princess and the Frog,” Tiana will be making several appearances. Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen and Louis the alligator will lead a mini-parade through New Orleans Square on their way to a stage set up near the Rivers of America to sing songs from the film.

Tiana, Naveen and a host of other characters will also be available for pictures at the Court des Anges.
Other live music can be heard throughout the streets of New Orleans Square and the French Market Stage. And park guests looking for something to eat will be in for a treat as all food locations within New Orleans Square have special Mardi Gras menu items just for the event.

The Blue Bayou is offering a Bouillabaisse ($32.99) with lobster, red snapper, clams, shrimp and mussels along with saffron spread dipping bread. For dessert, the restaurant is offering Apple Fritters ($8.99) with vanilla ice cream and a dark cherry gastrique.

The Café Orleans has a Fat City Snapper ($17.99) with a tomato scotch bonnet sauce and mango pineapple relish and a Banana Foster Crepe ($7.99) with caramelized bananas and a caramel rum sauce. The French Market has a number of options including a Creole Mustard French Style Sausage Sandwich ($12.99), Mardi Gras Style Meatloaf ($13.49) and Banana Foster cheesecake ($4.99). Other locations are selling apple fritters and Mardi Gras beignets. But, it’s the food carts where the best snacks reside.

Regular cinnamon churros are boring for Mardi Gras so Disneyland has brought out Strawberry flavored ones ($3.75). Be aware these special churros are smaller than the normal sized ones. You can also purchase a warm chocolate dipping sauce ($1) that turns it into a chocolate covered strawberry churro. Instead of just normal popcorn, there is a cheddar bacon flavor ($5 for a scoop or $6.75 for a bucket). The cast member at the cart was offering free samples so people could try the flavor out before committing to buying it. She event asked numerous times if they were sure. Apparently the flavor isn’t for everyone.

DISNEYLAND: Celebrate Mardi Gras with Tiana, snacks

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:20:06 GMT

Walt Disney World Resort Update

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:44:32 GMT

Just weeks after her husband's policy speech on Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom, First Lady Michelle Obama appeared at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World on Saturday. Mrs. Obama's appearance was in conjunction with the second anniversary of her " Let's Move" campaign to inspire children and families to lead healthier and active lifestyles. Disney has tied into that campaign with the Disney Magic of Healthy Living program.

The event included hundreds of kids from Central Florida, who participated in physical fitness activities and learned a new dance, " The Platypus Walk" (themed to Disney's "Phineas and Ferb") to perform for the First Lady. The event got started with the singing of the national anthem and the reciting of Pledge of Allegiance. Florida Senator Bill Nelson then took the stage, welcomed the crowd, then performed 50 military push-ups to show how seriously he takes fitness.

Emcee Ernie D from Radio Disney then welcomed fitness guru Tony Horton to the stage. Horton led the hundreds of children in a series of high-energy exercises. Ernie D returned to the stage to welcome stars from Disney Channel and Disney XD programs and Rosaro McCoy, the choreographer from the Disney Channel's Shake It Up TV show.

McCoy then taught the approximately 800 kids the Platypus Walk, assisted by Disney Channel stars Debby Ryan, Roshon Fegan, Doc Shaw, Kelsey Chow, and Olivia Holt. After a couple of run-throughs, the group was joined onstage by the "Agent P" Perry the Platypus character for one last rehearsal.

Ernie D then welcomed the First Lady, dressed in a sweatsuit, to the stage. Mrs. Obama then briefly addressed the crowd about the Let's Move program. McCoy led everyone in performing the dance, with Mrs. Obama joining in on stage.

Disney Channel stars (l. to r.) Doc Shaw, Roshon Fegan, Debby Ryan, Kelsey Chow, and Olivia Holt join Rosaro McCoy in teaching the crowd "The Platypus Walk." Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

The children then split into groups around the field, each group doing a different fitness activity. Mrs. Obama worked her way around to each group, participating with some. She appeared to really enjoy the modified tennis game and had to be encouraged by her entourage to move on to the next group. After visiting with each group, the First Lady left the field and headed back to Washington, D.C.

As part of the Disney Magic of Healthy Living program, Walt Disney World has been increasing its focus on healthy eating choices over the last few years, replacing french fries with fruit, and soda with water or milk in kids' meals, improving nutrition in entrees, and increasing the amount of fruit and other healthy snack options, among other changes. A new round of choices for children is being rolled out tomorrow at Magic Kingdom table-service restaurants, as more "non-burger" options join the menus.

Tony's Town Square Restaurant is adding a steak skewer "spiedini" with roasted sweet potato fries and fresh fruit, as well as grilled cheese on multigrain bread "dippers" with tomato sauce. The Plaza Restaurant will feature grilled chicken slices, cous cous and a fresh fruit skewer. Meanwhile, Cinderella's Royal Table gets three dishes: a chicken drumette with rice and broccolini, chicken pot pie with a biscuit crust, and grilled beef skewers with mashed potatoes and corn. Liberty Tree Tavern gets two new kids' choices of its own, with a barbecued chicken and pineapple flatbread pizza with a side of crisp veggies and apples, and oven-roasted turkey with mashed potatoes, veggies, and fruit.

Disneyland Paris overcharges British tourists

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:23:43 GMT

British families are being charged 60 per cent more than the French for Disneyland Paris park tickets. The park’s French site offers special discount offers which aren’t available to customers on the English version.

British customers who try and buy tickets via the French site are blocked from purchasing them, if their credit card is not registered to a French address. A French family of four (two adults and two child) for 142 euros (£119) could get day passes to Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios, taking advantage of an offer allowing children under 12 free entry.

However British families are unable to access this offer and are made to pay £192 for the same tickets, a massive 62 per cent more. Another offer allows French customers to buy a one-day ticket allowing them entry to one park for 44 euros (£37) each, and the price remains the same for both adults and children.

But for British customers similar tickets would cost £50 for adults and £35 for children. This means that a French family of two adults and a child would only pay 132 euros (£111) whereas the same British family would pay £145, 30 per cent more.

Bob Atkinson, travel expert at price comparison site moneysupermarket.com, said that British families expect to access the same deals as the French. “It is understandable that Disney is marketing itself in different markets, but consumers will be scratching their heads and asking why they cannot buy these cheaper tickets when if they had a friend in France they could get the same thing for much less”.

A spokesman for Disneyland Paris said: “We strive to offer all our visitors the best value and flexibility when booking a trip to Disneyland Paris, with a wide range of promotions available to suit visitors’ different needs.

“A variety of promotions are offered at different times of the year to each market to reflect the local needs. In the case of the UK market the most popular promotions are those combining accommodation and/or travel plus park tickets”.

He revealed that a recent UK exclusive promotion offered customers up to 50 per cent off hotel and park tickets, and children under 12 received free accommodation and park tickets.

Your Chance to Win 'Lady and the Tramp' on Blu-Ray

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:38:15 GMT

Disney's classic pooch romance is back on Blu-Ray and we're giving you a chance to win Lady and the Tramp on Blu-Ray, plus some very cute plush animal toys! the Lady & the Tramp Blu-Ray Sweepstakes. One lucky winner will take home one Lady and the Tramp Diamond Edition Plush Set and Blu-Ray Combo Pack, while three runners up will each receive one Lady and the Tramp Blu-Ray Combo Pack.

The charming love story follows the pampered, pedigreed cocker spaniel Lady, who falls for the amorous, street-smart mutt Tramp. After a romantic courtship, real life threatens their relationship and Tramp must set aside his devil-may-care attitude to save the pooch he loves. FOR THE OFFICIAL RULES of the Lady & the Tramp Blu-Ray Sweepstakes. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to US residents 18 and older. Entries must be received by February 12, 2012 at 11:59pm PST to be eligible.

Disneyland on the cheap

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:34:43 GMT

They say that money can't buy happiness, but Disney seems to prove that statement false. As the self-proclaimed "Happiest Place on Earth," Disneyland (along with California Adventure) is indeed a lot of fun for the whole family.

But with exorbitant prices on everything from tickets to food, it could make your available funding fall faster than the Tower of Terror. Luckily, there are some ways to get around these inflated costs. (See also: "6 ways my family scores free travel with credit cards.")

Discounted tickets
Although Disneyland ended its free entrance on your birthday program in 2010 -- as well as its volunteering program in which the first 1 million volunteers to sign up would receive free tickets -- there are still plenty of discounts available. It's especially helpful if you live in Southern California, because residents, select governmental employees and university students in SoCal get special pricing.

Buying tickets online and printing them yourself can save you a little, as can buying through your employer, if it sells them through your company's human resources department. Discounts are also available for AAA and military members. Have a toddler under the age of 3? Then you're in luck -- they get in free.

Eli Manning's Going to Disney World! (I am, too! But I bet Eli's trip is off to a smoother start)

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:46:17 GMT

On Super Bowl Sunday I announced to my family: "I am ready to go into the belly of the beast."The beast in question: Walt Disney World's resort booking system. I love Disney World. It's my all-time favorite vacation destination.

I do not love its reservations system, however. For nearly every one of my vacations there, the reservations process has been miserable. This time might have been the worst, though. To book three rooms each, at two resorts (a total of six reservations, in other words) took hours. I missed the Super Bowl because of it.

I called the reservations line at 4:53 p.m. At 6:05 - one hour and 12 minutes later - my reservation was finally complete. I had to give my credit card number at least six times. I had to give the names of the people in my party, their addresses, their email addresses, umpteen times.

But that wasn't all. Since we've stayed at Disney World before, the reservations system already contained information about us. It turns out that much of it was misinformation - incorrect addresses, incorrect names. It was a mess.

Then, to top it off, the reservation clerk - who couldn't have been more courteous and pleasant - told me that she couldn't find the rate I had seen just 12 hours earlier at www.disneyworld.com. The only available rooms were more expensive - a lot more expensive. I looked on my computer as we talked, and it seemed true: The lower-priced rooms weren't showing up. That seemed peculiar, given that our trip is nine months away.

I booked the more expensive rooms. Then, after hanging up, I brooded. I went back online and found the rooms I wanted at the original, cheaper price. What was up with that?

At 7:43 I called back. I got another agent, who was even more courteous and pleasant. She managed to book the lower rates, but in doing so she had to correct every one of the reservations I'd made just two hours earlier. Names, addresses, titles were still wrong, but in different ways.

The agent was apologetic in the extreme, and efficient, but it took her a long time to fix things, including seemingly endless stretches when she put me on hold while she consulted with the higher-ups in guest services. Finally, at 9:47, the reservation was straightened out. "I just want to give you a big ole hug," the agent said.

Now, Disney World veterans may be asking: Why didn't I just book the rooms online? Here's why: because of a little-known fact. If you are a AAA member, you can get 10 percent off the price of rooms at Disney resort properties (it doesn't work for packages, just room-only reservations). But you can only get the discount by calling; it's not available online. And with three rooms for a total of five nights, that 10 percent added up to a lot of money.

Was it worth 3 hours and 16 minutes of my time? Right now, I'm not sure. On my first call, as the agent and I waited for the computer system to register information, she'd say, cheerfully, "Mickey's working on your reservation."C'mon, Mickey! As the chipper public face of a mega corporation, you can do better.