Search Results for: blog villagers ejected from the most magical place on earth

Shanghai Disneyland to Open in 2015

In 2015, a brand new Disneyland will open its gates.  Don’t believe it?  Did you think you would have heard of something so momentous happening sooner?   At the end of 2015, Shanghai Disneyland will be open for business. It was easy to forget about the at-times controversial park, because it’s been years since we’ve heard more than a peep about it.  But now that we’re getting closer to its opening date, more details are beginning to trickle in.  The Disney Parks blog has a snapshot of the Shanghai Disneyland model, or at least a portion of the model, focusing on … Continue reading →

Disney Characters in North Korea

The kind of thing Disney’s after This is a story too bizarre not to report: on Monday July 9 Mickey Mouse, along with other Disney characters, appeared on North Korean television with the country’s new leader, Kim Jong-Un (son of Kim Jong-Il). No, Disney is not sending representatives to the isolationist country. These were images of Walt Disney Company characters used without permission. The use presents some interesting questions that reflect upon Disney’s own corporate policy. The New York Times’ Media Decoder explains. You see, Disney is very strict about unauthorized use of its properties. The company complained to Mexican … Continue reading →

Potential Expansion for Disneyland Paris

After remaining quiet for half a decade or so, construction vehicles on Disney parks are really revving up again. We have the major Fantasyland expansion currently underway in Disney World, a new Disney park planned for Shanghai, and now, a potential new theme park for Disneyland Paris. The U.K.’s Telegraph newspaper reports that Euro Disney – the European corporate branch of the conglomerate – has reached a deal with the French government allowing it another 20 years during which to build on the lands surrounding the park. The government owns all of the land around Disneyland Paris and previously only … Continue reading →

Disney a Most Trusted Company

Last week I mentioned that Forbes Magazine named the Walt Disney Corporation as the world’s third most trusted company. I promised I’d elucidate the idea further. The parameters of the study, which was actually carried out by the Reputation Institute (a company which “helps corporate clients manage their images”), declared these companies the ones that “consumers like, trust, and respect the most.” Disney, following Google and Sony, earned a global reputation score of 77.97. Unfortunately the study doesn’t specify what that’s out of; I’m assuming out of 100 but list topper Google only ranked a 78.62 so it might be … Continue reading →

Disney English Learning Centers in China

I know I haven’t been very supportive of Disney’s business deals in China, but recent news from The Washington Post finds me giving at least a partial thumbs up to one of Disney’s latest branding efforts there. In fact, this particular story starts in the city about which I blasted Disney’s efforts to build a new theme park: Shanghai. While there’s not much more news on Disney building its second Chinese theme park there, and whether it’s improved its dealings with the locals it would be displacing, in 2008 Disney did do something good for the city of Shanghai: open … Continue reading →

Disney Resort to Open in Hawaii

Because it’s a cold February for most of us (it’s currently snowing outside my window), I’ve decided to name this Hawaii week at the families.com Disney blog. Today and Friday I’ll post articles about what Disney’s got going on in Hawaii, and those of us freezing elsewhere in the country can squeeze our eyes shut and pretend we’re somewhere sunny and warm. First up is Disney’s announcement that in Fall 2011 they will open a resort on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The resort’s full name is Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, Ko Olina, Hawaii. According to Disney officials … Continue reading →

Higher Prices, Lower Crowds at Disney World

Things are going up and down at Disney World these days. The first thing that’s up is the general ticket costs. That shouldn’t be news to anyone who’s considered a Disney vacation in the past few years. Every year Disney keeps raising their prices; since the last time we covered this topic, a one-day one-park adult admission price has gone up again. Now it costs adults $79 to visit a single park for one day, and child tickets have climbed to $68. And that’s not the only price hike that happened in ’09. Many of the prices for the park’s … Continue reading →

Filming the Disney Christmas Day Parade

Growing up, I hoped that one year I could spend my Christmas watching the Disney parade from the sidelines instead of my couch. If I’d ever gotten my wish, my young self would have been disappointed. That is because Disney does not hold their Christmas Day parade on Christmas Day. Instead, they film in nearly a month in advance. Tomorrow the parade you’ll see on your screens was taped on December 3-5. Disney usually announces the dates for their annual taping near the end of October. Those interested in obtaining tickets for the event should keep close watch on the … Continue reading →

Villagers Ejected From Future Site of the Most Magical Place on Earth

At the beginning of the month Disney made an announcement I initially decided not to cover on my blog: plans to build a new theme park in the Pudong district of Shanghai, China. The announcement basically consisted of just that, with little additional information, and I wasn’t sure how many of our readers would ever have the chance to visit the park. Now I’ve learned something about the Shanghai Theme Park Project that makes me want to bring it to the attention of our readers. The future site of Disney Shanghai is currently occupied by the villages and fields of … Continue reading →