FanBoy's Blog
What I Will Celebrate

I never had a chance to discuss how I felt about the “What Will You Celebrate” campaign.  While I have to admit I am thrilled about the end of the Years of Two Million Dreams, I am a little underwhelmed by this campaign.  The Year of a Million Dreams was designed to kick off marketing the Disney Parks as the place Where Dreams Come True.  While my initial reaction to the celebration was less than enthusiastic, it grew on me as I got to see the bigger picture.  (Though I still don’t agree with continuing it for a second year.) 

Perhaps I will get to see why they are going this route as time goes on and the celebration will grow on me.  I get that they are trying to make Disney Parks a place where you celebrate.  However, isn’t that already the case?  How many birthday, anniversary, and just married buttons do you see on guests as you walk through the park?   I love celebrations and I think the parks do a great job at creating excitement surrounding them.  But these celebrations are only a part of what drives attendance at Disney parks.  You need new attractions and experiences.  American Idol and a few street parties is not going to cut it. 

So in the end the campaign is really about getting in free on your birthday.  And I love getting in to Disney for free and I take advantage of all the discounts I can get my hand on, but is marketing the parks as a value.  I want Disney to be known for quality and not value.  I recently read an article about how high-end steak houses are dealing with the economic slow down.  They are marketing themselves with offers for existing customers but are not trying to show themselves as being a value to the general public.  They do not want to risk losing their prestige by being perceived as a value.  I hope Disney is not making a mistake that the steak houses avoided.  In the end though, it isn’t a Disney value that I will be celebrating in 2009.  I will be celebrating the end of the years of a two million dreams.  At least we will be getting some new banners.   

Quick Takes:

Studio Entertainment:  The Lion King will be coming to Las Vegas in 2009.  The show will replace Mamma Mia at the Mandalay Bay.  Now when Vegas went “family” there was a lot of talk about Disney entering “sin city”.  Now that Vegas has gone the “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” route, Disney is finally making its entrance.  While Disney does not necessarily mesh with today’s Vegas, I wonder if Disney would find other ways to bring their brand to Nevada. 

Media Networks: The baseball playoffs are here!  And while television broadcasts are exiled to TBS and FOX, you can still support Disney by listening to the games on ESPN Radio.  Go Angels!  

Consumer Products: Disney Stores are celebrating their first Halloween back in the Disney fold with exclusive costumes from Camp Rock and Hannah Montana.  I am thrilled.  I want to be the trash can for Halloween.  (If you don’t get it, you need to listen to the podcast more often)

Disney Interactive Media:  Disney Insider reports on the four-legged stars of the most anticipated film of Fiscal 2009 (so far).  Beverly Hills Chihuahua opens October 3 and I can’t wait.  This film is going to be a dog.  I mean, this film is going to be a big dog.   

What to Watch: Is there any question?  Despite it being on TBS (they know comedy, not baseball), I will be watching the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim take on the Boston Red sox at 10:05.  Hopefully Major League Baseball has instituted a ban on Frank TV promos during this year’s postseason. 

Video of the Day: You can catch a glimpse of the premiere of the Suite Life on Deck that was held on the Disney Wonder.  I don’t know if you got a chance to see the show yet, but I really enjoyed the first two episodes.  I liked it a lot more than the original show even though every time I watch I get the urge to go on a Disney cruise.       

News from Around the Web:

ABC News:  As part of the ABC News on Campus program, Nana Duffour reports on interesting Facebook groups such as “When I Was Your Age, Pluto Was a Planet”.  While I am not big Facebook fan, I hope someone starts a “When I Was Your Age, Pluto Was a Dog and I Didn’t Care if Pluto Was A Planet or Not” group so I can join and feel like I have a place where I belong. 

NY Times: The New York Times reports about some last minute changes to the Shrek musical that is scheduled to open December 14 at the Broadway Theater.  Looks like the show may be having some challenges.  I might have a reason to celebrate after all.      

USA Today: USA Today takes a look at the life of Paul Newman.  Of course Disney fans know him from his final role as Doc Hudson in Cars.  When Cars 2 comes out in 2011, it will be missing something truly special.   

LA Times: The LA Times reports on the home grown success the Angels have had developing pitchers in their farm system.  This strategy started in 2000 when Disney owned the team and they moved their focus from buying players like Mo Vaughn to growing their own.  It worked out well for them in 2002 and hopefully Arte’s team will do it again in 2008.

Orlando Sentinel: Disney’s Super Soap Weekend will not be back after this year.  Brian Frons and his ABC Daytime team will be focusing on having more events across the nation in 2009.  I can’t help but wonder why Orlando will not be one of many stops next year, but then I stop looking a gift horse in the mouse and thank him.  I am grateful that I will not have to be inundated with Soap fans next year.  I guess that is another reason to celebrate in 2009. 

Variety: Variety has their review of Beverly Hills Chihuahua.  “Director Raja Gosnell, of the "Scooby-Doo" live-action series, has experience with these live-action/animation hybrids and shows confidence in engineering a crowd-pleaser from the ingredients at hand. Gosnell may not be aiming high, but the pic cuts together smoothly enough, with an added jolt from such obvious song picks as "Rich Girl" and "Low Rider" (but amazingly not dog-movie standard "Who Let the Dogs Out").”  While the review isn’t glowing, the film did not get trashed.  Perhaps this film won’t be awful.  Yet another reason to celebrate.