The domain name that stands out the most is BILLIONDOLLARFRESHMAN.COM which sounds like it could be an upcoming film either for Walt Disney Studios, DreamWorks or Disney Channel. Replace the B with an M and you have what sounds like could have been a Kurt Russell live action comedy from Disney in the 70s.

For its Keychest technology, Disney has also registered KEYCHESTLAB.COM and KEYCHESTLABS.COM. It is speculated that Disney will be licensing the technology, so this will probably be an opportunity to showcase or sell the technology moreso than a consumer destination.

Also a standout is TOYSTORYTOONS.COM suggesting we may soon see a series of shorts starring the characters from Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story along the lines of the Tow Mater vehicle CARS Toons.

There is also a series of apparently related names, although it’s really unclear what their objectives are: ASTRORODS.COM, COSMIC3000.COM, COSMICRODS.COM and SPACE-RODS.COM. Something to do with rods in space apparently.

Aside from the party, there were two key events. The first of which was a buffet style dinner inside the Diamond Horseshoe in which D23 head Steven Clark offered a presentation concerning the first anniversary of the first official community for Disney fans.

He followed with a humorous look at what internet rumors had first speculated what D23 would be based on its mysterious Are You 23? campaign, beginning with that it had zero to do with the Jim Carrey film of the same name.

All of this lead into the artwork featuring Disney characters by Disney artist Dave Pachecho after the club was officially announced at the 2009 annual shareholder’s meeting. Then, very seriously, and asking no photos be taken (a request he omitted, intentional or not, from the second seating), Steven told the gathering he would show some of the artwork that didn’t quite make it to the viewing public. What followed were some very funny and quite clever posters parodying Disney animated films, D23 itself and even the legions of company lawyers. The artwork included items parodying DVC (Have You Heard Disney’s Worst Kept Secret?), Finding Nemo (Fans are Friends, not Foood), the merchandising aspect (Bibbidi Bobbidi Buy It, The Greatest Disney Fan Club Ever Sold) and more. One of the well received ones was of Mulan holding a fan with the title We’ll Make a Fan Out of You and the true crowd pleaser, Pinocchio with the words D23: We’ve Got No Strings. As the crowd applauded the artwork, Clark transitioned into the next slide which shows what happened to it after Disney’s lawyers got ahold of it, pointing out in some sub-sub-paragraph that ‘* Strings may or may not be attached.’ Of course Clark identified his favorite of the lot as one featuring Stitch with the title in Stitch’s native language. It failed, according to Clark, because ‘no one got the message.’

THE STATE OF THE D23 EXPO
Next, Clark presented a video featuring guests and clips from the first annual D23 Expo that took place at the Anaheim Convention Center last year. After the video, Clark announced that there was an announcement regarding the Expo that he would like to make, but couldn’t, but it would be made within the next few days (he later confirmed to me that it would take place during the annual shareholder’s meeting on March 10). When I asked him about the recent report about the Expo not occurring again until 2011 as a biennial event despite other recent reports to the contrary, he would only say that there will be another Expo and we would have to wait until the meeting for any information beyond that. After the first presentation, I had received hope that the announcement would be that the 2010 D23 Expo would occur, but after hearing Steven relay the information to the second seating, I began to consider that the reports of no Expo until 2011 has some merit.

THE FANTASYLAND ‘FANTASY FOREST’ EXPANSION
The other key event at the first anniversary was a presentation inside the Mickey’s Philharmagic theater with imagineer Mark Cole. After showing a couple of photos of Walt Disney as he formed WED Enterprises (the precursor to Walt Disney Imagineering), Cole presented a photo of WDI’s past and future accomplishments, which was really just the Inside Walt Disney Imagineering v1.0 video released by Disney Parks over a year ago.

Cole then offered a presentation and information on the expansion, offering up quite a bit of concept art and information that mostly provided details that would not already be known by guests keeping themselves in the loop on the project. Here are some of the highlights of Cole’s presentation:

Cole: ‘We have lots of work ahead of us… I see a rich forest in which our princesses live in… the likes of which probably doesn’t exist in the Magic Kingdom today.’

Offering the disclaimer that he has two young boys of his own and the need to maintain balance in the upcoming princess offerings that many have criticized as being girl-oriented, Cole talked about the various experiences that will be offered beginning with Cinderella.

In an elaborately designed queue, groups of 30 – 40 guests will be led into a room in which Cinderella greets them, dressed in rags. After her story is told, the Fairy Godmother will lead the group of guests in a round of Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo and Cindy’s rags will transition into an elaborate ballgown right before the guest’s eyes. Other reports of the experience have stated that Cindy’s elaborate makeup will also be part of the transformation. After the transformation, Cinderella will engage with the guests, perhaps offering the opportunity to dance with her or offer knight training to help appease the young, macho crowd. Cole would later state that they have already done some testing with this experience and that the dancing opportunity has been extremely well received by both genders.

He then moved on to the Beast’s castle area which features a meet & greet experience with Belle. Guests will enter Maurice’s cottage in which they learn of the magic mirror presented to Maurice by Beast so that he can keep an eye on his daughter. Guests will then enter the mirror (which I would presume to be the same amazing effect that had guests ‘enter’ a wall at the Disney Parks exhibit at the D23 Expo, if not better) and immediately be greeted by Belle who will offer role playing, allowing children to help play out some of Belle’s favorite stories (not unlike Belle’s Storytime which exists in the Magic Kingdom today). Cole then talked a bit about the rest of the area which includes Gaston’s village (no mention of the tavern) and the ballroom of the ‘Be Our Guest’ restaurant which Cole said has so many technological advancements going on, that there simply wouldn’t be enough time to mention it all, but that details would be forthcoming.

The third and final (and arguably weakest) experience is that with Aurora. The concept is that since Sleeping Beauty never had a 16th birthday, guests will throw her a surprise party. Entering the woodcutter’s cottage, guests will have the opportunity to create a greeting card for Aurora and then be led by cast members to the opportunity to throw a surprise party. After Aurora is shocked and honored, she will interact individually with each guest.

‘Unlike the meet & greets as they exist today, ‘we are going to get a chance to spend a significant time with the princesses, [perhaps] up to ten minutes,’ Cole explained.

He then walked us through the Prince Eric / Ariel experience which leads up the ‘E ticket’ attraction Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid and offered some concept artwork of the dark ride.

On the Dueling Dumbos, Cole acknowledged that various generations of the expansion concept art has shown the Dumbos in different places. Disclaiming that everything is subject to change, Cole stated that currently the plan is to have them just above the Mad Tea Party. I later had the opportunity to ask Cole during a Q&A session about the prospects of a water feature in Dumbo like many of the other parks have but Walt Disney World could not have in the current location for various reasons. Based on the model, many have assumed (and with good reason) that Dumbo would have water features based on the blue coloring on the model. In response, Cole simply stated that it has not yet been decided.

Cole then talked about and showed some various close-ups of the model that we so famously first presented to our readers. He explained that the physical model is quarter-inch scale (about 1/48 of actual size) and that the Woodcutter’s Cottage is roughly the size of a beach ball. They are currently working on a half-inch scale model in which the Cottage is roughly the size of ‘a small car.’

In order to further help view the proposed changes from the perspective of the guest, he noted they are also developing a ’soft model’ on the computer which will allow for a virtual walkthrough of the expansion.

Back on the existing model, Cole noted that one of the biggest features is the topography which features rolling hills. On ambient elements such as the rockwork, he noted that they are being very attentive to ensure that everything fits the country of origin of the individual fairy tales.

Cole then conducted a Q&A session with the audience, but reader be warned: ‘it has yet to be decided’ is the re-occurring theme. For example, there is no timeframe for Toontown’s closure (they have recently broken ground in an area currently inaccessible to guests which will be completed first) and the fate of Pixie Hollow is still in very early consideration as it’s part of phase two.

Even so, the ‘it has yet to be decided’ refrain managed to drop a bombshell or two. Despite what was recently reported in D23 magazine, Cole stated that the theming for the Barnstormer is still unknown and that they have ’studied lots of things.’ He was quick to note that the Barnstormer is staying, however, which has been a major talking point for the project since it was first officially announced.

The train station will either be ‘refreshed or replaced’ but will not move from its existing location. Cole also told a questioner that the expansion will be contained by the existing train tracks. Probably most telling on the state of the expansion, however, is Cole’s response to a question regarding just how much space the Fantasyland upgrade will consume. ‘I hesitate to give an answer,’ Cole responded. ‘Every time I think we’re done, we continue to look at things differently.’

Questions I wish had been asked but I don’t believe were addressed by the presentation are whether the Pooh playground and meet & greet will remain (all signs are pointing to yes, but there is some debate over the evidence presented so far) and even the meet & greet with Ariel, which we would almost have to assume to take place, but wasn’t mentioned at all.

But clearly the gem of the presentation was the answer to a question that was asked multiple times by the audience: what will become of Mickey and Minnie’s homes in Toontown? The first time, Cole gave the standard, evasive answer that Mickey and Minnie will always have a place in the Magic Kingdom but they aren’t ready to discuss that yet (we know that Exposition Hall is undergoing a transformation to house the meet and greets but we do not know whether it’s permanent). When asked again, specifically about the houses, Cole outright said that the homes ‘would not be eliminated,’ but declined to explain further.

D23 EVENTS: FUTURE AND POTENTIAL
There will be additional D23 events announced later this year, but being who we are, we don’t mind telling you about some of them now. In addition to the Studios and Archives tour that has already been announced for November, we are told there will be two additional tours offered this year. During his second presentation, Steven Clark mentioned there will be another Magic and Merriment event, but didn’t say whether it would take place this year.

I’m also told by a source that there will be an event held inside The Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. No details were provided, but it may not be unlike the recent event held by Tables in Wonderland or other times when the attraction is used as a venue.

I also hear that under consideration is a series of private screenings of classic Disney films as they have occasionally done on the west coast, this one taking place inside the animation building at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. D23’s concern over this proposal, however, is that they may not be able to offer the additional bonuses such as appearances by talent which is generally afforded by the Los Angeles area.

D23 MERCHANDISE
I must acknowledge and thank Stitch Kingdom reader Cedric who I met at the event for pointing out to me that D23 had set up shop, pre-selling a limited amount of merchandise. Most of the merchandise listed was nothing that wouldn’t have already been offered to existing D23 members (notably charter members who renew) which included all of the back-issues (which can be ordered by D23 members at DisneyStore.com anyway) and the 2010 member gift, the calendar, was also being sold separately for $24.95.

Items such as a storage binder to store a volume of issues in was being offered as well as all of the character art posters for D23 and the D23 Expo (10 in all, $5 each) and there were quite a few items available not on the list including a set of all 6 of the 1955 attraction patches that were distributed to members with the magazine. Selling for $30 for the set, I was assured they fixed the spelling of monorail for this run (unfortunately), but I still hold out for hope. They were also selling the Mickey Mouse bandleader charter pin as well as the D23 exclusive pin from the UP All Night screening event. Bibbidi Bobbidi Buy It!

WHAT HAPPENS IN FANTASYLAND STAYS IN FANTASYLAND
Of course there was the party itself. Attractions, special character appearances and complimentary desserts scattered throughout most of Fantasyland as we know it.

Many have asked which attractions were open during the event and, to be honest, I really don’t know. It appeared many were, but ‘it’s a small world’ was definitely not and I believe I heard Pooh wasn’t running either. Truth be told, I was in it for the characters as D23 vaguely promised some characters that had not been in the parks for a while.

The first character I encountered and met was Bandleader Mickey. Granted it’s virtually impossible to find him at Walt Disney World, he’s a quarter-regular at Disneyland and was at the D23 Expo. Nontheless, he was a good find for the event and was probably a first for many of the attendees.

Other meet and greet opportunities included: Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle the cow; Jiminy Cricket with a very feisty Pinocchio; Anastasia, Drizella and Lady Tremaine; and — the pièce de résistance – Belle with Gaston. As he’ll be the first to tell you, Gaston was particularly amazing, very vocal and true to character, offering classic liners as ‘I’m glad you could meet me’ and ‘I looked good in that photo, Belle. Just like every picture ever made.’ The interaction between the two was also very enhanced, but Gaston made sure he was the star of the show and he can’t blame you for loving him. Here’s hoping he’ll end up being a part of the Beast’s Castle area of the expansion.

Desserts were also widely available throughout the land. Personally, I very quickly became a huge fan of the warm apple funnel cake bread pudding with brandy butter sauce.

All in all, another great event presented by D23 and I very much look forward to being able to attend my next one. Job well done.

Below is our photo gallery of the event. Click on each individual thumbnail to expand it to a larger size, or click on the PicLens link to begin a slideshow.

[View with PicLens]

 

Then it’s reported that Disney Theatrical is working on a staged musical production of Dumbo. Today, we catch a glimpse of  another project Disney Theatrical is apparently working on: Newsies. The 1992 Christian Bale vehicle was a major flop for the Disney Studios but eventually became  somewhat of a cult hit on video.

No doubt this is going to make an awful lot of folks very, very happy if Newsies does manage to finds its way to Broadway, or the musical theater anywhere and Disney Theatrical is working hard to eliminate any doubt that either new proposed show will conduct a national tour, at least through the domain registration process.

Registered yesterday, we have: NEWSIESBROADWAY.COM, NEWSIESMUSICAL.COM, NEWSIESONTOUR.COM, NEWSIESTHEMUSICAL.COM and NEWSIESTICKETS.COM. On the Dumbo front, Disney has now registered the following domain names: DUMBOMUSICAL.COM, DUMBOONTOUR.COM DUMBOTHEMUSICAL.COM and DUMBOTICKETS.COM.

Today we have learned via a report from The Register-Guard that in an agreement reached last week, The Walt Disney Company has agreed that the UO Duck Mascot does not resemble Donald Duck enough to require him to be portrayed in a manner as such and has released him wholly to the University of Oregon.

The agreement covers only the Mascot however. Disney will still maintain an interest in UO Duck-branded merchandising. You can refer to the cited article for further details.

• June 12 – June 19: Stayin’ Alive (Bee Gees)
• June 20 – June 26: Hotel California (Eagles)
• June 27 – July 3: TBD
• July 4 – July 10: Satisfaction (Rolling Stones)
• July 11 – July 17: Slippery When Wet (Bon Jovi)
• July 18 – July 24: 2U (U2)
• July 25 – July 31: Beginnings (Chicago)

Showtimes are scheduled for 5:45 pm, 7:00 pm and 8:15 pm except on July 4 on which shows are scheduled to occur at 5:15 pm, 6:30 pm, 7:45pm and 9:00 pm.

• An Eat Me/Drink Me 59fifty fitted cap from New Era in a New Era zipper black hat case
• A Mad Hatter Kubrick and Chesire Cat Be@rbrick collectible set
• A Mad Hatter tee shirt featuring the Mad Hatter holding a tea cup reading ‘Mad As A Hatter… You’re Mad’ (not pictured, size men’s large)
• Our jealousy* (* cash value: 1/100th of a cent)

Note: Selecting the option of receiving the newsletter will sign you up for a daily digest of Disney news as reported by Stitch Kingdom. This is completely optional and is not required to enter the contest. By checking the box, you will be added to the Feedburner list which will require replying to a verification email to activate the subscription. You can deny the request if you so wish and you can cancel the subscription at any time. Because it is a manual process, it may take some time before you receive the confirmation email. Alternatively, you can sign up immediately by using the sign-up box in the left column on this page.

TO ENTER, FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW.
COMMENTS WILL NOT COUNT AS ENTRIES!

Two lucky winners chosen at random will be able to bring this new Disney animated classic featuring the first Disney princess in ten years and an Oscar-nominated soundtrack by Randy Newman.

Magic, music and romance are waiting around every corner of the legendary Big Easy as Disney’s newest princess sets out on an exciting adventure through a magical  new world. Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose) is a beautiful and hardworking young woman determined to fulfil her father’s dream of owning an elegant New Orleans supper club. When Naveen (Bruno Campos), a handsome prince arrives in town looking for romance, the evil Dr. Facilier (Keith David) hatches a nefarious plot and turns Naveen into a frog. A kiss from Tiana should return him to his true form, but in a hilarious twist on the classic story, she is instead transformed into a frog herself! The pair must travel into the heart of the mysterious Louisiana bayou with only a trumpet-playing alligator and a love-struck firefly as guides to find the priestess who can reverse the curse in order to find their “happily ever after.”

The special blu-ray edition of this magnificent film includes such bonuses as:

• Deleted Scenes
• Audio Commentary by John Musker and Ron Clements (co-writers and directors) and Peter Del Vecho (producer)
• “Never Knew I Needed”- Music video by Ne-Yo
• What Do You See: Princess Portraits — A bayou-style quiz tests viewers’ knowledge of all of  Disney’s beautiful princesses. Ray’s firefly family creates twinkling portraits of each princess and if  the player correctly identifies her, they can enjoy a tongue-cheek mini re-telling of that character’s  story.
• Magic In The Bayou: The Making of A Princess — Co-writers and directors John Musker and Ron Clements take a freewheeling, behind-the-scenes look at the making of Disney’s newest animated film as it grows from an initial concept to a lavish animated film set in the enchanting world of New Orleans and the surrounding bayous.
• The Return To Hand Drawn Animation
• The Disney Legacy
• Disney’s Newest Princess
• The Princess and the Animator
• Conjuring The Villain
• A Return To The Animated Musical
• Bringing Life to Animation with an introduction by John Musker and Ron Clements.
• Deleted Scenes introduced by the filmmakers
• Art Galleries — A collection of storyboard art traces the visual development of The Princess and the Frog’s rich gallery of
  characters and settings.

(Note that the DVD edition does not contain all bonuses listed)

To enter, simply make a wish on the evening star and fill out the form below.

Note: Selecting the option of receiving the newsletter will sign you up for a daily digest of Disney news as reported by Stitch Kingdom. This is completely optional and is not required to enter the contest. By checking the box, you will be added to the Feedburner list which will require replying to a verification email to activate the subscription. You can deny the request if you so wish and you can cancel the subscription at any time. Because it is a manual process, it may take some time before you receive the confirmation email. Alternatively, you can sign up immediately by using the sign-up box in the left column on this page.

TO ENTER, FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW.
COMMENTS WILL NOT COUNT AS ENTRIES!

Through an Instant Win online game, Walt Disney World will be giving 54 pairs of 4 Day Dream Passes (good for one theme park per day, valid from 3/8/10 – 3/26/10 and 4/10/2010 – 5/25/2010). All entrants will also then have the opportunity to compose an original essay nominating a non-profit organization to receive the grand prize of a custom designed garden by Disney’s own professional horticulturists. The garden will even include elements from this year’s Flower and Garden Festival.

Although the contest begins March 8, rules and additional information is available now at EPCOTGARDENCONTEST.COM

According to the article, Broadway director Stephen Daldry was approached for the project and was in talks prior to things breaking down and that the production company is continuing its search for a director to help bring Dumbo to the stage.

Initially meant to be released earlier this year on blu-ray, the home video release of Dumbo has been postponed to an unspecified date in 2011, which would not only help mark the film’s 70th anniversary, but would also provide some room in the bonus features for a teaser on the Broadway production should the project find its wings ears and take flight.

Gary Marsh, president, Entertainment, and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide, presented several new and returning Disney XD and Disney Channel projects. He also showcased the first look at Disney Channel’s next big “break into song” musical, “Camp Rock 2 The Final Jam,” a highly anticipated Disney Channel Original Movie set to premiere in late summer 2010. The projects are:

* “Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension” — new movie based on #1 animated series for Kids and Tweens, on Disney XD and Disney Channel
* “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” – new series from Marvel Animation on Disney XD
* “Pair of Kings” – new live-action series on Disney XD
* “Camp Rock 2 The Final Jam” — new Disney Channel Original Movie
* “Avalon High” – new Disney Channel Original Movie
* “Den Brother” – new Disney Channel Original Movie
* “16 Wishes” – new movie on Disney Channel
* “Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars” – new movie on Disney Channel
* “Fish Hooks” – new animated series on Disney Channel
* “Sonny With A Chance” — second season premiere on Disney Channel
* “Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream 2?– second season premiere on Disney Channel
* “JONAS” — second season premiere on Disney Channel
* “Handy Manny Big Race” – new animated Playhouse Disney primetime special on Disney Channel
* “Handy Manny Big Construction Job” – new animated Playhouse Disney series on Disney Channel
* “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” – new animated Playhouse Disney series on Disney Channel
* “Mickey Mousekercize” – new animated Playhouse Disney short-form series on Disney Channel
* “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Road Rally” – new animated Playhouse Disney primetime special on Disney Channel
* “Hannah Montana” – fourth season premiere on Disney Channel
* “Good Luck Charlie” – new series premiere on Disney Channel

“Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension” – The #1 animated series for the past two years among Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14 has inspired a television movie to premiere in summer 2011 on Disney XD and Disney Channel. In the movie, Phineas and Ferb discover that their beloved pet platypus, Perry, is really a secret agent who battles the forces of evil daily. The boys team up with Perry on a grand adventure through a parallel universe where they must ultimately thwart an even more evil version of Dr. Doofenshmirtz. The feature-length movie is another boon for the animated comedy which will also lead an all-summer 2010 initiative on Disney XD and Disney Channel, including an hour-long episode guest starring Clay Aiken and Chaka Khan. The series continues to create opportunities for other Disney lines of business: the “Phineas and Ferb” characters are at Disneyland Parks and Resorts, Disney Consumer Products debuted a toy line at Toys R Us, and “Phineas and Ferb” is a top selling apparel line at Walmart and Target. Other items include books and comics from Disney Publishing, the #1 Nintendo DS game at Game Stop and BestBuy from Disney Interactive Studios, episode compilation DVDs from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment and a soundtrack on Walt Disney Records which ranked #10 on the Billboard children’s album chart for 2009.

“The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” — Further aligning the strength of Marvel’s hugely popular characters and stories with the burgeoning Disney XD brand and global reach, an all-new animated series, “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes,” will debut in fall 2010 on Disney XD and DisneyXD.com. Beginning with the “Iron Man” and “Incredible Hulk” movies in 2008, the release of “Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” follows Marvel’s overall “Avengers Assemble” strategy introducing the greatest heroes in the Marvel Universe through various content platforms, including the upcoming feature films “Iron Man 2” in May of 2010, “Thor” in May of 2011 and “Captain America” in July of 2011, all building up to the Avengers theatrical film in 2012. Produced by Marvel Animation, the animated series features 52 episodes targeted at kids 9-14, starring Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, Giant Man and Wasp — who form the Avengers, a team assembled when no single hero’s powers can save the world. A 20-part “micro-series” that focuses on each hero’s backstory will roll out in fall 2010 on Disney XD, immediately followed by the series premiere on Disney XD in the U.S. and, shortly thereafter, around the world. Disney XD, the single largest distributor of Marvel content around the world, currently showcases approximately 20 hours of Marvel series (including “The Spectacular Spider-Man,” “Fantastic Four” and “Iron Man”) each week .

“Pair of Kings” – This live-action, wish fulfillment comedy series, scheduled for a fall 2010 premiere, follows two fraternal twins who are living a typical teenage life in Chicago until they discover they’re the successors to the throne of the tropical island of Kinkow. Starring are popular actor and Walt Disney Records recording artist Mitchel Musso (“Hannah Montana,” “Phineas and Ferb”) and Doc Shaw (“The Suite Life on Deck,” “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne”).

“Camp Rock 2 The Final Jam” — Disney Channel’s big event of summer 2010 is “Camp Rock 2 The Final Jam,” a “break into song” musical sequel to the hit Disney Channel Original Movie “Camp Rock,” cable TV’s #1 entertainment telecast of 2008 in Total Viewers (10.1 million) and TV’s #1 entertainment telecast in Tweens 9-14. Among TV’s live action movies, it was #1 among Kids 6-11 for the year.

Presenting empowering themes including teamwork and resilience, the movie is an impressive achievement in music and choreography, geared towards kids, tweens and families and headlined by Demi Lovato, Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas. Joining the cast are Matthew “Mdot” Finley, Chloe Bridges and Frankie Jonas. Also returning to the sequel’s cast are Meaghan Martin, Alyson Stoner, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Roshon Fegan, Jordin Francis, Daniel Fathers and Maria Canals-Barrera.

“Avalon High” – Scheduled for a late fall 2010 premiere, this Disney Channel Original Movie, based on the popular novel by Meg Cabot, follows Allie who, after transferring to Avalon High, is shocked to discover that her new classmates are reincarnations of King Arthur and his Court. The deeper Allie searches these interesting parallels between the past and the present, the more sure she is that her school is a contemporary Camelot, and it’s up to her to solve the mystery before the notorious traitor Mordred wins again.

“Den Brother” – Debuting in summer 2010, this comedic Disney Channel Original Movie stars Hutch Dano (of Disney XD’s “Zeke and Luther”) as a teen hockey star who must swallow his pride and step in to be substitute leader of his little sister’s Bumble Bee Troop. However, when his self-centered antics cost the scouts a spot at Camporee, it’s up to the leader to earn his stripes.

“16 Wishes” – This movie comedy, starring Debby Ryan (Disney Channel’s “The Suite Life on Deck”) and Jean-Luc Bilodeau (ABC Family’s “Kyle XY”), tells the story of Abby, a girl who’s been eager to reach her 16th birthday and has kept a secret wish list since she was a little girl. But, when the big day actually arrives, she makes a wish that changes everything. The movie is a co-production of MarVista Entertainment and Disney Channel, and is slated to premiere on Disney Channel in the U.S. in summer 2010.

“Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars” – Disney Channel will present the world premiere of a spy adventure movie starring Jennifer Stone (“Wizards of Waverly Place”) on FRIDAY, MARCH 26 (8:00 p.m., ET/PT). Based on the popular books by Louise Fitzhugh, it’s a contemporary twist on the iconic character, as Harriet “The Spy” Welsch vies to become the official blogger of her high school class. The movie is a co-production of 9 Story Entertainment and Disney Channel.

“Fish Hooks” — An inventive animated comedy series, set inside a giant fish tank in the center of a pet store, brings an ingenious twist to high school life as seen through the eyes of three teen fish, Milo, Bea and Oscar. Together they experience the typical teen challenges and triumphs, including friendship, dating and sports, along with more atypical teen situations such as giant lobster attacks and school field trips to the hamster cages. The voice cast is Kyle Massey (“Cory in the House”), Chelsea Staub (“JONAS”) and Justin Roiland (“The Sarah Silverman Program”). The series was created by children’s book illustrator Noah Z. Jones and is executive-produced by Adam Burton (“The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy”) and Jones. It is a production of Disney Television Animation and is scheduled to premiere in fall 2010.

“Hannah Montana” – the pivotal fourth season premiere is set to debut in summer 2010 and will introduce all new songs, music videos and sets. The storyline finds Miley Stewart questioning whether she really has the best of both worlds and if she can continue with her alter-ego, Hannah Montana, or leave it forever behind to be an ordinary girl. Among the upcoming guest stars are Ray Liotta, Angus T. Jones, Sheryl Crowe and Christine Taylor. A special episode dedicated to military families depicts Miley bickering with her father until she learns her friend Jesse’s military enlisted father has been deployed for an indefinite period. Miley ultimately comes to realize that she’s lucky to have her father present in her life every day and sets out to put on a Hannah Montana concert for military families. Starring Miley Cyrus in the title role, the Emmy-nominated comedy has dominated the kid and tween business and impacted popular culture since its 2006 debut. Its soundtracks are among the biggest, fastest successes the pop charts have seen in years, and the series provided a springboard for the multitalented Cyrus to become an international superstar with projects spanning Disney’s television, music, radio, consumer products and film divisions, including a #1 debut movie that grossed nearly $150 million at the global box office.

“Sonny With A Chance” – The second season of the hit comedy series “Sonny With A Chance” – highlighted by clever new ‘So Random’ sketches that further showcase the ensemble cast’s tremendous comedic talent – will premiere SUNDAY, MARCH 14 (8:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel. Starring are Demi Lovato, Tiffany Thornton, Sterling Knight, Brandon Mychal Smith, Doug Brochu and Allisyn Ashley Arm. Recurring cast members include Nancy McKeon, Michael Kostroff and Vicki Lewis. The series was recently nominated for a Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award in the Favorite TV series category and its title star, Demi Lovato, won a Teen Choice Award in the Choice TV Breakout Star category.

“Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream 2? – A new installment of the music-driven reality series gives viewers unprecedented access to worldwide superstars Jonas Brothers’ lives on stage and off, will premiere SUNDAY, MARCH 21 (8:55 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel. The 11-episode short-form series offers a revealing look at platinum selling rock stars Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas as they embark on a 16-city European leg of “Jonas Brothers World Tour 2009.”

“Good Luck Charlie” — Disney Channel will premiere this sitcom designed for the whole family to enjoy together – an original live-action series about a family whose lives are turned topsy-turvy with the arrival of a new baby sister — on SUNDAY, APRIL 4 (8:30 p.m., ET/PT). In each episode, big sister Teddy creates a personalized video diary for baby Charlie, with each installment chronicling daily adventures and mishaps for Charlie to use as advice when her big sister is no longer living at home. Created and executive-produced by Phil Baker and Drew Vaupen (“Suddenly Susan” and “What I Like About You”) and executive-produced by Dan Staley (“Cheers,” “Love & Money”), the series stars Bridgit Mendler (“Wizards of Waverly Place”), Jason Dolley (“Cory in the House,” “Hatching Pete”), Bradley Steven Perry, Eric Allan Kramer (“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “My Name Is Earl”) and Leigh-Allyn Baker (“Will & Grace).

“JONAS” – The second season of the Teen Choice Award-winning comedy series, “JONAS,” starring global sensations Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas and popular actresses Chelsea Staub and Nicole Anderson, will debut in summer 2010. The new season finds Kevin, Joe and Nick Lucas spending a summer in Hollywood. The guys have rented a Hollywood Hills house and will experience a summer like no other when their relaxing vacation turns into three life-changing opportunities: Joe lands a prized role in a big Hollywood film, Kevin indulges his newfound passion for the movie business by shadowing a famous director, and Nick takes up surfing and feverishly works on his first passion – writing songs for the new JONAS album. Completing the entourage are the guys’ best friends, Stella Malone, who continues to grapple with being more than just a friend to Joe, and Macy Misa, who keeps all the fans up to date with her JONAS V-log.

Playhouse Disney, the daily programming block dedicated to preschoolers, their parents and caregivers will present several new projects this year:

“Handy Manny Big Race” – Playhouse Disney’s hit Emmy-nominated series “Handy Manny” puts the pedal to the metal with the premiere of the primetime special, “Handy Manny Big Race,” starring Wilmer Valderrama and guest-starring NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Lance Bass, SATURDAY, MARCH 20 (7:00-7:25 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel. In this exciting primetime event for preschoolers and parents, Manny and the tools hit the motor speedway as a pit crew for the highly anticipated Wood Valley 500.

“Handy Manny Big Construction Job” – Marking the series’ third primetime special with its premiere in fall 2010, Manny and the tools leave Sheet Rock Hills to work on a big out of town construction job where they meet new tool friends, Jack the jackhammer and Spinner the power screwdriver. However, when Mr. Lopart starts doing repairs in Manny’s absence, the town begins to fall apart. It’s up to Kelly to convince Manny to come home.

“Jake and the Never Land Pirates” — An interactive animated series for preschoolers and parents, “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” features the music and fun-filled adventures of classic characters Captain Hook and Smee, plus a new crew of kid pirates led by the enthusiastic and courageous Jake. The series will premiere on Playhouse Disney in the coming year.

“Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” & “Mickey Mousekercize” – While the third season of the #1 Playhouse Disney series “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” rolls out, a new physical fitness-themed short-form series, “Mickey Mousekersize,” debuts in November 2010. Supporting Disney’s ongoing commitment to helping kids and parents achieve healthier lifestyles by engaging preschoolers in fun physical activity, the 10-part “Mickey Mousekersize” shorts, hosted by Mickey Mouse, will focus on the fun of exercising and encourage kids at home to get up and move along with Mickey and pals. In addition, three brand new “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” primetime specials will be presented in the coming year.

“Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Road Rally” – In this primetime special airing in fall 2010, Mickey and pals gear up for an exciting Road Rally around the Clubhouse, one which includes Professor Von Drake’s helpful new invention, the Clubhouse Rescue Truck. But then a dejected Toodles leaves the group just when he’s needed most.