PLENTY OF FUN SET FOR BIG YEAR DISNEYLAND PLANS 50TH ANNIVERSARY.Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer PASADENA - The Walt Disney Noun 1. Walt Disney - United States film maker who pioneered animated cartoons and created such characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck; founded Disneyland (1901-1966) Disney, Walter Elias Disney Co. on Thursday outlined plans to mark the 50th anniversary of Disneyland with the biggest marketing campaign for Disney theme parks in the company's history. Television spots will debut Saturday for Disney's ``Happiest Celebration on Earth'' campaign, a global effort that is designed to use the anniversary of the original Anaheim theme park to pump up business there and at Disney theme parks in Florida and worldwide. ``This is a great opportunity for us, it's a great backdrop,'' Walt Disney Parks and Resorts President Jay Rasulo James A. "Jay" Rasulo is the chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, the division of The Walt Disney Company that operates or licenses 11 theme parks at five sites around the world. Rasulo became president of the theme park division in September 2002, replacing Paul Pressler. told reporters at a Ritz-Carlton luncheon. ``This is about us seizing an opportunity and this is an opportunity that needed to be seized in a big way. It's going to be a home run.'' Rasulo would not say exactly how much the company will spend on the campaign, which will include spots on Disney-owned ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. and the Disney Channel and a montage to be played in movie theaters before the start of Walt Disney Pictures releases. The spots, which have the theme ``Coming Home,'' feature classic Disney characters including Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck as well as such newer additions as Stitch coming from far-flung locations around the globe to a Disney theme park. Rasulo said the campaign seeks to help people ``rekindle re·kin·dle tr.v. re·kin·dled, re·kin·dling, re·kin·dles 1. To relight (a fire). 2. To revive or renew: rekindled an old interest in the sciences. the lifelong emotional connection'' they have with all things Disney. Media analyst Dennis McAlpine said that even the best-executed campaign would not have as much impact on attendance as a continued recovery of international travel, which plummeted after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, as well as a high-profile new attraction or two at the parks. ``It's not like it's been five years or 10 years since the last anniversary. I think last year was Mickey Mouse's birthday,'' said McAlpine of McAlpine and Associates. ``They have managed to find a reason to have an anniversary or birthday every year. They will still put on a good promotion and a good show and it will help but it's not like it was in a vacuum.'' Disneyland does have more than innovative commercials planned starting with a block party and fireworks fireworks: see pyrotechnics. fireworks Explosives or combustibles used for display. Of ancient Chinese origin, fireworks evidently developed out of military rockets and explosive missiles and accompanied the spread of military explosives westward to spectacular on May 5, the anniversary of the Anaheim park's opening. An upgraded Space Mountain attraction will be opened by then along with the new Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters attraction. Walt Disney World Noun 1. Walt Disney World - a large amusement park established in 1971 to the southwest of Orlando Orlando - a city in central Florida; site of Walt Disney World Resort in Florida will debut several attractions imported from other Disney parks including Soarin' from Disney's California Adventure Disney's California Adventure is a theme park in Anaheim, California, adjacent to Disneyland Park and part of the larger Disneyland Resort. It opened on February 8, 2001. The park is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company. ; Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show from Disneyland Resort Paris; and Cinderellabration from Tokyo Disney Resort The Tokyo Disney Resort (東京ディズニーリゾート . Tokyo Disneyland Park will honor the Anaheim park in the summer with a tribute called Rock Around the Mouse and Tokyo DisneySea will debut a new attraction called Raging Spirits. Disneyland Resort Paris will have a new fireworks spectacular and will launch Space Mountain: Mission 2. The marketing campaign for the 50th anniversary kicks off with an initial 60-second teaser teaser an animal used to sexually tease but not to impregnate the members of the opposite sex. Usually males and they may be surgically prepared to ensure that they cannot mate or are not fertile. spot airing on ABC, CBS (Cell Broadcast Service) See cell broadcast. and NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. during the first break of the Rose Parade broadcast. When the ad airs on television, it will appear simultaneously in streaming video on seven of the most popular sites on the Internet. In some further Disney-Rose Parade synergy, Mickey Mouse serves as the parade Grand Marshal and will perform the coin flip at the Rose Bowl football game. Also Thursday, Rasulo told reporters he does not believe the scheduled opening of the new Disney theme park in Hong Kong or the 50th anniversary campaign will be adversely affected by the tsunamis in Southeast Asia this week that have killed more than 100,000 people. ``I'll be really surprised if people are discouraged from traveling,'' he said. Hong Kong Disneyland Hong Kong Disneyland (Traditional Chinese: 香港迪士尼樂園) is the first theme park inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, which is owned and managed by the Hong Kong International Theme Parks, is set to open Sept. 12 and Rasulo said there are discussions with the Chinese government about a second theme park in that country, most likely in Shanghai. ``Our discussions on this are ongoing and by virtue of the fact that they are ongoing, they have some interest,'' Rasulo said of the Chinese government. Greg Hernandez, (818) 713-3758 greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Disneyland is approaching its 50th anniversary. Television spots are debuting Saturday for Saturday for Disney's ``Happiest Celebration on Earth'' advertising campaign. File Photo |
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