LPWire: Disney Online Honored with Seven WebAwards
Disney Online Honored with Best of Show and Seven Additional WebAwards
Disney Online, part of the Walt Disney Internet Group and creator of the No. 1 kids' entertainment and family community online destination (www.disney.com), has been awarded with the highly coveted "2003 WebAward Best of Show," which is also known as the Best of the Web. It is only awarded to one site for their outstanding achievement. Additionally, seven other WebAwards were given to Disney Online for website excellence by the Web Marketing Association (WMA).
Disney Online entered six websites and won awards for each of them. They include the following:
- Best of Show (Best of the Web), Best Education Website and Best Game Website -- Awarded to Hot Shot Business (www.disney.com/hotshot), a site developed by the creative team of Disney Online with the entrepreneurship experts at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Hot Shot Business is an Internet simulation that allows kids to experience the adventure of starting and running their own businesses. It blends fast-paced, fun game play with real-world lessons to teach kids entrepreneurship concepts and skills as they build a virtual business from the ground up.
- Best Movie Website -- Awarded to Movies.com (www.movies.com), a leading site for movie fans offering movie reviews, trailers, local show times and tickets to assist with making the right choice on movie night.
- Outstanding Entertainment Website -- Awarded to Disney.com (www.disney.com) for achievement as an online entertainment platform. Disney Online reflects the magic that has come to be expected of Disney. Its "neighborhoods," specifically designed for each member of the family, include Disney's Blast (www.disneyblast.com) and Disney's Toontown Online (www.toontown.com), both premium subscription services, as well as Disney Store, Destinations, Playhouse Disney, Kids Island, Entertainment, FamilyFun and Main Street Merchants.
- Outstanding Game Website -- Awarded to Disney's Toontown Online, the first massively multiplayer 3D online game created for kids and families. Toontown Online is rated E, for everyone, with comic mischief and cartoon violence and is currently available online at www.toontown.com for $9.95 per month. A retail version of Disney's Toontown Online will be available beginning in October 2003.
- Outstanding Game Website -- Awarded to Disney's Blast (www.disneyblast.com), the leading online club for kids, which offers more than 100 games and activities, in a secure, parent-trusted environment. Disney's Blast is a subscription-based, advertising-free service. A new broadband version was launched in March 2003, featuring additional games, enhanced stories and richer sound effects, which are best experienced via a high-speed connection.
- Family Website Standard of Excellence -- Awarded to FamilyFun.com (www.familyfun.com), the premier online family resource for creative solutions, combining award-winning content and related community features focused on great ideas, practical advice and "fun stuff to do." The site's popular "Solution Centers," which offer parents real answers in real time, include: "Life With Kids," "Recipes," "Travel," "Activities & Crafts" and "Parties."
"The Disney Online team is delighted to be acknowledged again in 2003 by the Web Marketing Association," said Ken Goldstein, executive vice president and managing director of Disney Online. "Our cast members have always been committed to creating quality online experiences for guests of all ages, and we are honored to receive ongoing industry validation of our efforts."
Disney Online
Disney Online produces the number one kids' entertainment and family community destination on the Internet (www.disney.com). It also produces FamilyFun.com (www.familyfun.com), the premier online family resource for great ideas, practical advice and fun stuff to do, and Movies.com (www.movies.com), a leading site that provides a broad array of reviews and information to help movie fans make the right choice on movie night. Disney Online is a part of The Walt Disney Internet Group, which provides integrated strategic and operational Internet services for The Walt Disney Company's Internet initiatives.
Web Marketing Association
Now in its sixth year, the WebAward Competition for website excellence is conducted by the Web Marketing Association, Inc. (WMA), an independent volunteer organization founded with the purpose of evaluating and recognizing and increasing the standard of excellence on the World Wide Web. Its website is located at www.webaward.org.
--Posted September 16, 2003
Updated: September 18, 2003
Source: Walt Disney Internet Group