Disney News Blog

Guests Purchasing Select Adventures by Disney Departures in 2010, Receive a FREE* Three-Night Cruise to the Bahamas on Disney Cruise Line

BURBANK, Calif., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Adventures by Disney announced an exciting new offer designed to help parents and children spend more quality time with each other through family vacations. Consumers purchasing select Adventures by Disney vacations between October 26, 2009 and January 15, 2010 will receive a free three-night Disney Cruise to the Bahamas (www.AdventuresbyDisney.com/freecruise).

Realizing vacations are the perfect time to bond as a family, Adventures by Disney developed a unique offer allowing parents and children to embark on two great Disney vacations, providing another opportunity to spend quality time together. Guests traveling to some of Adventures by Disney's most popular destinations, ranging from Europe, China, Australia, Costa Rica and the American Southwest will receive a second vacation - a three-night Disney Cruise to the Bahamas - free*. Families have the opportunity to book the cruise through 2011.

Just as Disney Cruise Line revolutionized - and in some ways defined - the family cruise vacation, Adventures by Disney is recreating the way families think about vacationing together. Adventures by Disney invites travelers to experience the world with guided group vacations created especially for families. Guests meet local experts, receive VIP treatment, enjoy exclusive experiences and discover incredible adventures - including special thrills just for kids.

Each of the 19 Adventures by Disney itineraries are led by two Disney-trained Adventure Guides who handle all the details so families can focus on having the time of their lives. Local experts are also an integral part of every vacation and join guests to share their stories and provide an "insider's" perspective to each destination. Adventures by Disney's "Disney Difference" includes VIP touches, providing special entry to otherwise crowded sites and unique accommodations, such as castles in Ireland and Germany, an authentic Yellowstone dude ranch and lodging at the base of an active volcano in Costa Rica, as well as backstage access in to spectacles such as Disney Theatrical's "The Lion King" in London. Each trip is designed so that families get the most out of their limited vacation time together.

"Each Adventures by Disney vacation offers families experiences that connect them with the world and each other," said Don Gross, Vice President, Adventures By Disney. "And now, families can make the most of their time together with this special offer from Adventures by Disney - literally getting two amazing family vacations for the price of one."

Guests wanting more information about this offer or Adventures by Disney can visit www.AdventuresbyDisney.com/freecruise, call 877/728-7282, or contact their Travel Agent.

*Government Taxes and fees not included. Guests who purchase a qualifying Adventures by Disney land package will receive a free Disney Cruise Line® 3-Night Bahamian cruise. Offer applies to new purchases between 10/26/09 and 1/15/10 of select Adventures by Disney land packages at the non-discounted regular rate departing before 10/2/10. Offer valid on the majority of 2010 Adventures by Disney season departures; please visit www.adventuresbydisney.com/freecruise for a complete list of eligible departures or call 877-728-7282 for more details; Canadian guests please contact your local travel agent. A certificate good for a 3-night Bahamian cruise will be mailed out 25 days prior to the land package departure date. A completed cruise certificate must be submitted to Disney Cruise Line® before 12/31/10 and sailing must occur between 2/1/10 and 12/15/11. The guests in the free cruise party may not exceed the number of guests in the eligible Adventures by Disney land package. Offer valid on ocean view staterooms in the following categories only: 9A, 9B, 9C, and 9D and the number of staterooms available for this offer is limited. Block-out dates apply; see certificate for details. Transportation to and from Port Canaveral not included. Cruise is non-transferable and may not be sold, traded, refunded or redeemed for cash value. Subject to terms, conditions and restrictions of Disney Cruise Line®. One (1) certificate issued per reservation. Certificate not redeemable for cash in whole or in part and will not be replaced if lost or stolen. Advance reservations required. Subject to conditions, restrictions and change without notice. Land package and Cruise fulfillment is subject to availability and restrictions. Void where prohibited. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions.

A vibrant and festive atmosphere abounds with the spirited sounds of New Orleans and the Louisiana bayou in "Tiana's Showboat Jubilee!" -- a new, live musical production that takes place on board the "Liberty Belle" riverboat in the Magic Kingdom. The 15-minute performance features an energetic cast of musicians and singers, as well as characters from the Walt Disney Pictures' animated film, "The Princess and the Frog." The limited-engagement show will be presented in the Magic Kingdom from Oct. 26, 2009 to Jan. 3, 2010.

Led by Donald Duck, a host of Disney and Disney-Pixar characters welcomed Princess Tiana Oct. 26, 2009 after her horse-drawn carriage ride to Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

The R&B group "Boys II Men" (L-R): Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman and Nathan Morris, poses with Princess Tiana Oct. 26, 2009

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Starting Oct. 26, Walt Disney World guests will be treated to first-ever appearances by Princess Tiana, star of the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures animated feature film “The Princess and the Frog.”

Besides meet-and-greets with guests, Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen and other characters from the motion picture will star in “Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee!,” a rousing, colorful procession with a jazz-filled Mardi Gras theme. The good times will roll as festively dressed, bead-tossing revelers lead Magic Kingdom guests to the Liberty Belle Riverboat dock.

The party moves onboard and the Liberty Belle paddlewheels her way along the river with singing and dancing to the sounds of a six-member jazz band. Nearly two dozen Disney dancers join 30 randomly chosen park guests to be part of each show. Original songs composed by Randy Newman for the film liven the production, which will be performed three times daily. Daytime pyrotechnics and whimsical puppetry round out the spirited, 15-minute production.

The 10-week experience at Walt Disney World Resort will run through Jan. 3, 2010. “Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee!” also will dazzle guests at Disneyland Park in California, beginning Nov. 6.

A hilarious movie adventure through the mystical bayous of Louisiana, “The Princess and the Frog” will open in limited release in New York and Los Angeles on Nov. 25, 2009, before expanding nationwide on Dec. 11, 2009.

Beginning Oct. 15, little princesses can enjoy a new Princess Tiana makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at both the World of Disney store and Magic Kingdom locations at Walt Disney World Resort.

Fairy Godmothers-in-Training sprinkle their pixie dust on aspiring princesses with three makeover packages ranging from a combination of hair, nails and makeup to the royal transformation complete with Princess Tiana costume, tiara, wand and more. All children must be at least three years or older to receive the regal treatments.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Magic Kingdom is open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily; theme park admission is required. The Downtown Disney Marketplace salon is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. There is no admission or self-parking fee required at Downtown Disney.

Advance reservations are recommended and can be made up to 180 days in advance by calling 407/WDW-STYLE (407/939-7895).

When guests age 10 or older enter a Disneyland theme park or Walt Disney World theme park from Oct. 5 through Nov. 22 and present their valid theme park ticket at select merchandise locations, they will receive a special card with details on how to get an admission voucher good for up to $8 toward the purchase of one child’s movie ticket when they purchase an adult movie ticket to see “The Princess and the Frog” at participating theaters from Dec. 11 through Dec. 31, 2009, or until “The Princess and the Frog” is no longer in theaters, whichever comes first.

Card quantities for this promotion are limited. Limit one card per adult ticket or annual pass. Admission voucher toward the purchase of a child’s movie ticket to “The Princess and the Frog” is valid for use from Dec. 11 through Dec. 31, 2009, at participating theaters in the fifty United States and District of Columbia. Guests must activate the code printed on the card by registering at www.activaterewards.com/frog to obtain an admission voucher. Only persons 18 or older may activate the code. Parent or legal guardian must activate certificate held by persons ages 10-17. Card, code and admission voucher may not be sold, traded, copied or replaced, or redeemed for cash. Admission voucher may not be transferred. The promotion is not valid for complimentary cast member theme park tickets. Offersubject to restrictions and change without notice. Visit www.hollywoodmoviemoney.com for a list of participating theaters and further conditions and details.

MICKEY MOUSE AND FRIENDS CHEERED ON THOUSANDS OF WALKERS IN
THE CHOC WALK IN THE PARK, PRESENTED BY THE DISNEYLAND RESORT

19th Annual Event was a colorful, unique celebration of children

Anaheim, Calif. (October 18, 2009) – Thousands of participants, including community members, corporate teams, and current and former patients and families of CHOC Children’s, walked a 5K route through Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure theme parks before they officially opened for the day in the 19th Annual CHOC Walk in the Park, presented by The Disneyland Resort. Walkers enthusiastically held banners and signs, and donned colorful t-shirts to celebrate the health and well being of children, and to memorialize those children who bravely lost their battle against serious disease or illness.

Along the route, participants were encouraged by Disney friends, and celebrated the event's conclusion in the Downtown Disney District with a variety of live entertainment, food and fun. Proceeds from the annual event will support research and education at CHOC Children’s, and will also support the Kids Care Fund, which helps provide medical care for all children regardless of their family’s ability to pay.

AllEars® blogger Lisa Berton particpated in the CHOC Walk!

About CHOC Children’s

CHOC Children's is exclusively committed to the health and well being of children through clinical expertise, advocacy, outreach and research that brings advanced treatment to our patients. CHOC’s regional healthcare network includes two state-of-the-art hospitals in Orange and Mission Viejo, several community clinics, a residency program that trains tomorrow's pediatricians, and four centers of excellence - The CHOC Children’s Heart, Cancer, Neuroscience, and Orthopaedic Institutes.

CHOC earned the Silver Level CAPE Award from the California Council of Excellence – the only children’s hospital in California to ever earn this distinction, and was awarded Magnet designation – the highest honor bestowed to hospitals for nursing excellence. Recognized for extraordinary commitment to high-quality critical care standards, CHOC is the first children’s hospital in the nation to earn the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

For more information about CHOC Children’s, visit www.choc.org.

TRAVEL CHANNEL CASTING - SAMANTHA BROWN'S 10th ANNIVERSARY SHOW AT DISNEY WORLD!

Currently casting a special for Travel Channel with Samantha Brown! We are looking for the following:

A) fun, out-going, energetic Disney World family that lives in the Orlando, FL area to be filmed with Samantha Brown

B) fun group(s) of 5-12 women to have sit-down lunch shoot with Samantha Brown

Candidates should live in or near the Orlando, FL area. We will be shooting November 3rd & 4th, 2009. Families will ONLY be needed on ONE of those 2 dates however we require that you have flexibility with both dates for scheduling purposes.

For immediately consideration, please email your name, names of friends &/or co-workers and/or family that you believe would be interested and great on TV for our Samantha Brown special.

Please submit the following by Friday AM, October 23rd to disneycasting@ymail.com:

1) Recent photo of the entire family &/or photo of woman friends (no sunglasses, please)

2) A brief description of who you are (& include your family if you are submitting as family &/or group of friends)

3) A brief description about why you're fond of Disney World & would be interested in being part of Samantha Brown's 10th Anniversary TV show

4) Your contact information so we can reach you right away (include phone number, address and email address)

We look forward to hearing from you!

Friday AM, October 23rd to disneycasting@ymail.com

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the most adventurous characters in
children's literature, Flat Stanley, traveled to the prestigious Library of
Congress today where he, along with the first three books in Flat Stanley's
Worldwide Adventures series, were inducted into the Library to help Adventures
by Disney and HarperCollins Children's Books celebrate an exciting new project
called "The Search for Flat Stanley's Next BIG Adventure."

Due to his peculiar ability to be mailed to different locations, Stanley is
the most well-traveled character in children's literature, traveling around
the world thousands of times annually in an educational project that has
become a classic of the American classroom. Now budding writers and artists
are invited to create their own Flat Stanley story in "The Search for Flat
Stanley's Next BIG Adventure." In this nationwide contest, children ages 7 to
12 can win an Adventures by Disney vacation by creating a specially themed
Flat Stanley and a 150-word story about his "Next BIG Adventure."

Entries will be judged in three age groups - one for 7 to 8-year-olds, one for
9 to 10-year-olds and one for 11 to 12-year-olds. One winner will be chosen in
each age group and each of the three winners can choose one of Adventures by
Disney's 19 worldwide vacations for their prize.

Parents, kids and educators can check out
www.FlatStanleyBooks.com/AdventuresbyDisney for Official Rules and complete
information on the Contest; fun, interactive games; and fascinating
informational resources. The Contest runs through November 30, 2009 and no
purchase is necessary to enter or win.

The Search
At today's launch, more than 20 local third-graders from Washington, D.C.'s
Sheridan School took part in a special reading with the author of the upcoming
Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures #5: The Amazing Mexican Secret, Josh
Greenhut, who colored in his own Flat Stanley with the students. Stephanie
Sprow, from the U.S. Department of Education and Historian John Y. Cole, from
the Library, also joined representatives from Adventures by Disney and
HarperCollins for the special induction.

The ceremony also featured the unveiling of
www.FlatStanleyBooks.com/AdventuresbyDisney, a specially-created Web site
featuring Flat Stanley; backgrounds, clothing, accessories and information
from Adventures by Disney destinations to help kids prepare their Flat Stanley
and stories; complete "Contest Official Rules" and entry information;
interactive, educational games based on Adventures by Disney's destinations;
and a special section for educators with resources explaining how to
incorporate Flat Stanley's adventures into their classrooms.

"Flat Stanley has traveled the globe and experienced much of what the world
has to offer. HarperCollins is thrilled to be teaming up with Adventures by
Disney to give Flat Stanley readers a chance to experience that world
themselves," said Diane Naughton, vice president of marketing, HarperCollins
Children's Books. "We can't wait to see the imaginative adventures readers
come up with for Stanley."

"This promotion encompasses our joint mission - to bring history, culture and
adventure from countries around the world to children, parents and educators
in a creative and engaging way," said Don Gross, vice president, Adventures by
Disney. "We hope to encourage children and families' passion for reading,
travel and knowledge of the world."

Flat Stanley and Adventures by Disney
Flat Stanley was introduced by author Jeff Brown more than 45 years ago and
has inspired a worldwide phenomenon. In what's become a popular tradition,
parents and kids take Flat Stanley with them on vacation or send him to
friends and family in different cities. Flat Stanley's picture is taken in
various locations, and the children report back to their classes on Flat
Stanley's adventures. In Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures, Flat Stanley
continues to inspire creativity in classrooms across America with his
entertaining adventures that are also lessons in geography.

Adventures by Disney introduces families to diverse cultures and exciting
activities with 19 immersive, authentic, fun and educational trips to
destinations throughout the United States and around the world, including
South Africa, China, Australia, Europe and the Americas. Every aspect of each
trip - from excursions to accommodations to dining - is specifically designed
for families traveling together. Immersive activities created just for kids
allow young travelers to learn and have fun in places like museums that aren't
always as entertaining for the younger set. For example, at the Louvre in
Paris, the Junior Adventurers play an Art Detective game throughout the museum
with their Adventure Guides, while adults take a privately guided tour with an
art historian.

GARDEN CITY, NY and CELEBRATION, Fla. (October 17, 2009) – The recently opened Disney Doorway to Dreams offers Roosevelt Field shoppers and New York-area residents a convenient and interactive way to discover the excitement of Disney Vacation Club, an innovative vacation-ownership program that allows families to enjoy flexibility and savings on decades of future vacations.

Disney Doorway to Dreams showcases the spacious, family-friendly accommodations featured at Disney Vacation Club resorts. Through Disney Vacation Club, families can relax and spend quality time together, either at Disney destinations worldwide or at more than 500 other popular vacation locations around the world. Disney Doorway to Dreams’ convenient mall location gives visitors a chance to explore the many vacation choices they have through Disney Vacation Club, including magical stays at the Walt Disney World Resort, relaxing cruises aboard Disney Cruise Line and family-friendly, interactive Adventures by Disney trips where families can choose to travel to one of six different continents.

“Disney Doorway to Dreams gives us a chance to reach one of the top markets for our rapidly growing membership base and help Roosevelt Field visitors discover the many benefits of becoming a Disney Vacation Club member family,” said Disney Vacation Club President Jim Lewis. “We aim to duplicate the popularity of our original Disney Doorway to Dreams location in Chicago with our new location on Long Island, sharing the vacation-ownership experience with a whole new group of people.”

To help families envision the ways Disney Vacation Club Membership can enhance the way they vacation, Disney Doorway to Dreams features a full-scale, two-bedroom model of a vacation villa at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort in Central Florida, one of Disney Vacation Club’s newest resorts.

Located on the second floor near Nordstrom, Disney Doorway to Dreams presents a variety of interactive features, including a wall lined with doors that open to display videos, photos and even touch-screen activities. There’s even a kid-sized door that allows children to look through a portal into the kid’s clubhouse, where they will discover a dry-erase mural they can color.

Once visitors have spent time in the interactive entryway, they will have the opportunity to view a brief video about Disney Vacation Club in a twelve-seat theater. Guests then have the opportunity to meet with a vacation guide to learn about the options available to Disney Vacation Club members.

“Disney Vacation Club has always been both a leader and an innovator in the timeshare industry,” said Howard C. Nusbaum, president and CEO of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA). “Offering full-scale model vacation villas in a mall setting is uniquely Disney and this new Disney Doorway to Dreams location makes it fun and exciting for families to learn about new and memorable ways to vacation.”

About Roosevelt Field
Celebrating more than 50 years of offering more choices, Roosevelt Field is located at the intersection of Old Country Road and the Meadowbrook Parkway in Garden City and is managed by Simon Property Group, Inc., headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The mall offers unparalleled customer service with amenities including Simon Giftcards, good everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted; Ticketmaster at Simon Guest Services; valet parking; complimentary wheelchairs; strollers; and a post office. It is anchored by Nordstrom, Macy’s, JC Penney, Bloomingdale’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods and has more than 270 specialty stores.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Oct. 14, 2009 – Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) today unveiled the Sum of all Thrills™ at INNOVENTIONS at Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort. This new ride is a unique experience that lets park guests custom-design their own thrill ride using mathematical tools, an innovative touch-screen table and a robotic simulator. As the first ride to be located within INNOVENTIONS at Epcot, Sum of all Thrills™ is the latest example of Raytheon’s innovative approach to help educate and inspire young students about the power of math and math-related activities.

“Sum of all Thrills™ is an example of how Raytheon is using innovation to encourage students to develop and sustain an interest in math and science,” said William H. Swanson, Chairman and CEO of Raytheon Company. “By experiencing the “thrill” of math in this environment, students have the opportunity first hand to feel the excitement and possibilities of careers that are possible with math and science. We hope young people and adults alike will enjoy this innovative experience.”

Interactive and customizable, Sum of all Thrills™ lets guests of all ages create their own experience by first choosing a ride theme, including a roller coaster, bobsled or jet plane. Using multi-touch, object recognition tables with instructions available in six languages, guests use math and engineering based tools, such as rulers and speed dials, to design and customize their ride by adding corkscrews, inversions or steep hills. Guests learn and apply mathematical and engineering principles to determine how much energy is needed for a jet to take off or for a roller coaster or bobsled to make it up its first climb.

When the design of the ride is complete, it is saved on a personal card with a unique bar code. The card is then utilized to allow each guest to experience their custom ride from beginning to end on the robotic KUKA RoboSim 4-D simulator. Inside the simulator, guests experience their ride on immersive high definition video combined with stereo sound and controlled air motion for a complete sensory experience. The KUKA RoboSim 4-D simulator creates a four-dimensional experience through 3-D robotic motion and “wind” that controls air movement to stimulate the senses, providing a more realistic simulation experience.

“Disney parks are well known for their creativity and innovation. Raytheon’s Sum of all Thrills™ is a perfect addition to INNOVENTIONS, which was built in part to showcase cutting-edge technology,” said Dan Cockerell, vice president of Epcot. “This immersive experience, our first-ever INNOVENTIONS ride, will inspire young guests to embrace math and science and the important role these subjects play in our lives.”

In addition to the experience at INNOVENTIONS at Epcot, today, Raytheon unveiled a virtual Sum of all Thrills™ experience on-line at MathMovesU.com. The Sum of all Thrills™ world, aimed at middle school students, combines the three ride elements of the theme park experience into one multidimensional ride. Students answer math-related questions to unlock elements that enable them build their own ride on-line.

Sum of all Thrills™ is the latest initiative in Raytheon’s MathMovesU program which is committed to increasing students’ interest in math and engineering by engaging them with activities they enjoy most, such as sports, fashion and music. Sum of all Thrills™ joins Raytheon’s other MathMovesU programs including the “In the Numbers” game, partnership with the New England Patriots on display at The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon, the company’s three year sponsorship of the National MATHCOUNTS competition and the MathMovesU scholarship and grant program, which provides over $1 million in funding to students and teachers each year.

Raytheon also announced today the findings from a study of U.S. middle school students revealing their feelings about math and the need for more innovative approaches to help motivate them around the subject. An executive summary of the survey findings is available at www.raytheon.com/responsibility/stem.

More information on Sum of all Thrills™ can be found at www.raytheon.com.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Oct. 19, 2009 -- Walt Disney World Resort recently welcomed two male calves to the giraffe herd at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Weighing 153 pounds, Bolo was born Oct. 12 to second-time mother Big Girl, who first birthed a female calf in November 2005. On Oct. 5, the Disney’s Animal Programs team helped to deliver 166-pound calf Bruehler from third-time mother Aibuni. As newborns, both male calves stand nearly six feet tall and could grow to be as tall as 15 – 18 feet as adults.

Both calves and mothers appear to be doing well according to veterinarians and animal care managers. The young males, who began nursing successfully soon after birth, are already feisty and very active.

“The next important milestone is for the calves to continue the bonding process with their mothers who will teach them important lessons and guide them as they are introduced to the herd in the coming weeks,” said Matt Hohne, Animal Operations Director at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

These two latest bundles of joy represent the 13th and 14th giraffes born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom since opening in 1998. Giraffes at Walt Disney World Resort are bred through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Population Management Plan, which is a consortium of zoos and wildlife parks working together to conserve and breed animals.

Other Fun Facts about Giraffes
· The typical gestation period for a giraffe is approximately 15 months.
· An adult giraffe’s neck alone can measure up to 7-feet, and their tongues can be as long as 18 inches.
· Each giraffe has a unique set of skin markings, similar to a human fingerprint.
· Same as people, giraffes have seven neck vertebrae bones.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Oct. 16, 2009) -- The ESPN Innovation Lab officially opened today at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort. The Innovation Lab provides ESPN a real-world testing ground to continue developing new ground-breaking on-air products.

“The ESPN Innovation Lab is an extension of ESPN’s commitment to being a leader in technology,” said Chuck Pagano, executive vice president, technology, ESPN. “This cutting-edge production house will foster creativity and the development of new tools to provide fans the best on-air coverage of sporting events.”

The mission of ESPN’s state-of-the-art facility is to enhance the viewer’s experience by utilizing the world-class playing fields and the 250,000 youth and pro athletes who use them annually to develop new products during actual game conditions. This working research facility will also be open at certain times of the year for visitors to view the company’s emerging-technology staff at work and get a sneak peak at upcoming technological advancements.

This past summer, the lab produced two innovative production elements, Ball Track and ESPN Snap Zoom. Ball Track is a Doppler radar hit-tracking system that has the ability to track home runs showing the distance and height of the ball in-flight, updating continuously during the ball’s flight. It debuted on the 2009 “MLB Home Run Derby” telecast on July 13. ESPN Snap Zoom debuted on “Monday Night Football” on Sept. 28 and is a freeze-frame technology that brings the fan closer to the play by zooming in an area of interest and providing insight to a current action on the field, thus giving the viewer a different view on a particular focus of play.

The ESPN Innovation Lab is the first major piece of a re-imagining project involving ESPN and the Disney sports complex, which is already the leading multi-sport venue in the nation. The project aims to create an immersive and entertaining sports experience for athletes, coaches and fans by incorporating the signature elements of ESPN in ways that will connect athletes and coaches with their favorite ESPN programs, personalities and elements. The project is expected to be completed early next year and will provide a one-of-a-kind experience that athletes, coaches and fans can’t get anywhere else except Walt Disney World Resort.

“The versatility of the complex and the enormous diversity of sports events we have there make it the perfect place for ESPN or any company to develop and test their latest product innovations,” said Ken Potrock, senior vice president of Disney Sports Enterprises. “We are thrilled to provide our athletes and coaches with the opportunity to potentially be a part of the development of ESPN’s newest and most exciting on-air products. It’s just one of the many ways this ESPN re-imagining project will help take our youth sports experience to a new level.”

The Disney sports complex has hosted more than 200 annual events in 60 different sports involving athletes from more than 70 countries since opening in 1997. Among those events are the Atlanta Braves spring training season, Chelsea Football Club events, the Pop Warner Super Bowl, AAU National Championships, Varsity All-Star Cheerleading competitions, USSSA events, ESPN RISE Games, Old Spice Classic and the Walt Disney World Marathon, one of the top marathons in the nation. ESPN televised 20 sporting events from the complex in the last year. Walt Disney World Resort and ESPN also annually work together to host the popular ESPN The Weekend event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. To download photos of Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex, please visit http://photos.wdwnews.com/espn/

Did you know?

· ESPN’s Active Player Tracking for the Arena Football League was first tested at the Wide World of Sports. The technology debuted during the 2007 Arena Football season but has also been implemented at the Summer X Games enabling ESPN to capture heights achieved by athletes in the BMX and Big Air event which are then displayed on the ESPN “Huck-o-Meter.”

· The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex was the testing bed for ESPN’s Ball Track technology that debuted at the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby. This was the first time that radar had been utilized to track a baseball in real-time in a broadcast environment.

· At ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, ESPN has access to 16 baseball fields, 25 football/soccer fields, two indoor basketball arenas, one baseball stadium and four tennis courts for real-world testing. Just a short distance from the facility there are lakes and golf courses also used in testing scenarios. Over the past three years, ESPN has taken full advantage of these facilities testing technologies for tennis, golf, baseball, basketball, football and even BASS fishing.

· The Emmy-winning EA Virtual Playbook was first tested at ESPN Wide World of Sports during the summer of 2008 in preparation of the 2008-09 NFL season. Its overwhelming success led the team to develop an NBA version utilized during the 2009 NBA playoffs.

About ESPN Technology:
ESPN Technology develops the ideas and applications that bring the fan closer to the game with new, innovative production enhancements. ESPN’s technology team designed and supports two of the most technologically advanced production centers in the world, the Digital Center in Bristol, Conn., and the Los Angeles Production Center which is the first 1080p capable production facility. In addition, the Emerging Technology Group has developed many on-air advancements over the past 30 years, including virtual graphics applications, “Huck-O-Meter,” and the Emmy-winning EA Virtual Playbook.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Oct. 15, 2009) – Disney’s Endurance series is adding a mouth-watering half marathon to its list of already popular race weekends. The inaugural Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend is set to take place Oct. 1-2, 2010, culminating with a 13.1-mile nighttime race and after-hours party inside the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.

Combining characteristics of some of the most popular races, the half marathon is sure to please runners of all types. Participants will brave the night on a never-before-trekked course through multiple Disney theme parks, with the finish line inside the Epcot Food & Wine Festival for an exclusive after-hours party. Spectators can purchase tickets to the party and help kick off the 15th annual Epcot Food & Wine Festival.

“Teaming up with the 15th Epcot Food & Wine Festival is the perfect way to showcase the wonderful and unique events we seek to offer with our endurance races,” said Disney’s sports event director Paul Lambert. “From food and wine, to theme parks and sports, Disney adds a touch you can’t experience anywhere else.”

Events are planned for the entire weekend, starting with a Health and Fitness Expo hosted at Jostens Center at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex Oct. 1-2. All members of the family can join in on some hauntingly good fun with Disney Kids’ Races and Mickey’s Halloween Family Fun Run 5k. Kids’ Races will take place at the complex while the Family Fun Run 5k takes participants through Magic Kingdom. Both races are during the morning on Oct.2, with staggered starting times to invite participation in all events. The weekend culminates with the half marathon on the evening of Oct.2.

The half marathon will be open to ages 14 and older and offers a relay option for two-person teams. Half marathon registration will open Nov. 16, 2009. To reserve your spot and find out more information on the race, visit disneywinedinerun.com.