Fantasia/2000 Soars Past the $21 Million Mark - LaughingPlace.com: Disney World, Disneyland and More

Fantasia/2000 Soars Past the $21 Million Mark

Fantasia/2000 Soars Past the $21 Million Mark in Just One Month of Release At 75 Venues Worldwide

In just one month of limited release at 75 venues, Walt Disney Pictures' animated extravaganza, Fantasia/2000 has set records at IMAX theatres with its phenomenal worldwide gross of $21,101,440, it was announced by Richard Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group. With only 90 days remaining in the film's exclusive IMAX engagements, advance ticket sales continue to soar and many shows are selling out. For its first month of release, the per-screen average for Fantasia/2000 stands at an unprecedented $281,353.

Commenting on the announcement, Cook said, "The IMAX engagements of Fantasia/2000 are an incredible success all over the world and the response has exceeded our wildest expectations. Moviegoers of all ages are turning out in record numbers to see the film and group sales are continuing to climb on a daily basis. In some areas, entire schools have bought tickets to see the film and have used it to discuss a variety of educational topics. This has been a win-win situation for Disney, IMAX and all the individual theatre operators. With such a high number of sold-out engagements, we encourage moviegoers to order their tickets now to ensure that they get to experience this extraordinary film on the giant screen before its final engagement on April 30th."

Imax co-CEO's Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler added, "Attendance in many locations throughout the IMAX theatre network has more than doubled as a result of the success of Fantasia/2000. Additionally, the experience of seeing the film on the giant IMAX screen is bringing new audiences, and repeat customers, to IMAX theatres in unprecedented numbers."

Among the individual milestones that Fantasia/2000 has set around the world:

  • At the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village IMAX theatre (Dearborn, Michigan), Fantasia/2000 has sold out every weekend show for the first four weekends of the engagement. For the entire four-month run, 90% of the first weekday shows have been sold out to school groups. The theatre's 107,000 advance tickets sales are enough to fill every seat in the auditorium completely for an entire month.
  • Disney's Fantasia/2000 IMAX Theatre, Los Angeles has sold over $1.4 million in advance ticket sales and has sold out every weekend show since opening.
  • At Sony IMAX at Sony Theatres Lincoln Square (New York), school principals have booked tickets for their entire student body for the first time.
  • The Sony IMAX theatres in New York, Chicago and San Francisco all broke weekly and weekend records.
  • In Louisville, Kentucky at the Science Center IMAX theatre, moviegoers are driving up to four-hours to see the film. Every show during the first three weekends has been a sell-out (a first in the theatre's 11-year history).
  • The Empire Theatre in Halifax, Nova Scotia has booked the highest number of school groups in that venue's history.
  • In San Jose, the Tech Museum of Innovation has sold over 89,643 advance tickets with an astonishing 20% of them over the internet.
  • In Japan, Fantasia/2000 has grossed over $1.4 million in four cinemas in 30 days. The Tokyo IMAX theatre posted 24 consecutive sold-out performances.
  • The IMAX theatre at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas has scheduled extra showings -- a record 12 per day -- to meet the increased demand for the film.
  • Regal Cinemas, Inc. reports that Fantasia/2000 merchandise is selling faster than they can keep it in stock.
  • Cinemark Theatres report that IMAX purchases for Fantasia/2000 account for 87% of their internet sales.
  • In Spain, the film set a new performance record for any indoor theatre event in the nation's history. The L'Hemisferic IMAX Theatre has sold over 100,000 advance tickets to date. -- IMAX theatres in Indianapolis, Baltimore, Kansas City, St. Augustine and San Jose have all added additional weekend shows, some as late as midnight to meet demand.
  • In its first 17 days, The Hong Kong Space Museum surpassed the best January performance in its 25 year history.
  • At the Museo del Nino in Mexico City, the first two matinee performances through April 30 are already sold out.
  • In Canada, Famous Players has had to add extra phone lines to keep up with the sales demand.
  • On opening weekend, Edwards IMAX theatres sold out 90 screenings in six IMAX theatres.

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-- Posted January 31, 2000

Source: Company Press Release