Disney World

The Jonas Brothers have a few criteria when it comes to dating girls — don’t nag and be nice to mom. While on MTV’s TRL this week, Kevin Jonas said he doesn’t appreciate people who complain a lot, revealing, “We’re not ever really with people ’cause we’re always traveling. And you get on the phone and they’re like, ‘My day is awful, blah,’and you’re like, ‘This is not what I need right now!’” Same goes for Joe Jonas, who said when it comes to potential girlfriends, “This is hard, but if they are nagging and annoying, you’re like, ‘Go away.’” Nick Jonas adds, “They have to be good to their moms.”

The Jonas Brothers will soon have their own Disney Channel TV series. It was supposed to be titled J.O.N.A.S. (standing for Junior Operatives Networking As Spies), but Kevin says the concept has been tweaked a little because the band has changed over the last year. He said, “We’re going to be the Jonas Brothers going through life — like, going to school, but still being the Jonas Brothers.”

In other news, the Jonas Brothers might team up with Ben Stiller for a movie. Joe said they met up with Stiller recently and that a collaboration could be in the works.

The group’s tour stops in Bethel, New York tonight (Thursday, August 14th).

The Jonas Brothers released a new album this week called A Little Bit Longer. So far, they have one big supporter — actress Selena Gomez, who’s reportedly dating Nick. She recently made a YouTube video hyping the set, saying, “If you already bought it, buy another one. And if you’ve already bought another one, get another one after that.”

The trio will team with Miley Cyrus for a special Concert for Hope benefit on September 14th.

Disney Institute is bringing its renowned professional development program, the Disney Keys to Excellence, to Oxnard Friday, Sept. 12. Sponsored locally by the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce, the full-day event will give area professionals an opportunity to experience the business behind the Disney magic proven strategies and best practices that are easily adaptable to their organizations.

This is the only program that Disney Institute brings to the local business community, said George Aguel, senior vice president for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts who also leads the Disney Institute. Participants from the Ventura County area will discover Disney practices they can incorporate into their own businesses. These strategies and tactics have been proven successful for more than 50 years.

Disney Institute programs are unique in the world of training. What makes the Disney learning experience so different and meaningful is we dont simply teach theory, said Aguel. We give participants an insiders look at business philosophies that have helped Disney to consistently rank as one of the worlds most admired companies and brands. Engaging content is presented in an entertaining fashion and provides participants with tools that can literally transform their organizations.

The full-day Disney Keys to Excellence program is made up of four 90-minute sessions:

Leadership, Disney Style Highlights how effective leadership has been the catalyst at Disney to drive employee and customer satisfaction from the companys inception to today. Participants discover how Disney leaders exhibit values and behaviors that generate bottom-line results.

Management, Disney Style Examines the importance of integrating an organizations corporate culture into selection, training and care. Participants gain insight into ways Disney fosters a supportive environment that inspires employee pride and ownership.

Service, Disney Style Explores world-renowned Disney principles for service excellence. Participants learn how to leverage a service infrastructure and service standards to constantly exceed expectations.

Loyalty, Disney Style Showcases practices that have helped Disney build and sustain loyalty while creating one of the worlds most trusted and revered brands. Participants discover ways to create powerful relationships that can help retain customers for life and techniques for effectively delivering a brand promise.

Program registration is $395 per person and includes all course materials, groups of 8 or more from the same company are $385 per person. Lunch is $35 per person and parking is free. For more information or to register, call 805-983-6118.

Since the premiere of its first professional development program in 1986, millions of business leaders have attended Disney Institute programs. Today, that portfolio has grown to encompass a wide range of workshops, presentations, behind-the-scenes tours and fully customized programs. Programs are available at Disney Resort Destinations around the world or can travel to client sites. They are also accredited by numerous professional bodies, including the American College of Healthcare Executives, Human Resource Certification Institute, National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences. For more information about Disney Institute, call 407/566-2620, or visit www.disneyinstitute.com.

The Oxnard Chamber of Commerce promotes the business and economic well-being of the community to benefit its enterprises through advocacy, services and education, business exposure and promotional opportunities. For more information about the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce, visit www.oxnardchamber.org or call 805-983-6118.

Mickey Mouse, Tinker Bell, Aladdin and about 1,000 of their supporting friends held up traffic in Anaheim on Thursday evening.

The union representing workers at three Disneyland hotels marched from the Paradise Pier Hotel to the Disneyland entrance on Harbor Boulevard from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the union’s 15th protest. Anaheim Police Sgt. Rick Martinez said at least 28 people were arrested for disobeying police orders, blocking streets and standing in the roadway.

Unite Here 681 has been in contract talks with Disneyland management since spring. About 3,000 workers have been working without a contract since January. Union leaders have stopped short of threatening a strike vote.

Hotel service workers, union members of Local 681 and supporters marched along Katella Avenue from the Paradise Pier hotel waving signs that read “Disney is unfaithful. Unite here!” in a Disney-like font.

The crowd for a while blocked some cars at the Katella Avenue and Harbor Boulevard intersection with some motorists cheering on the marchers with honks.

Leaders said before the protest that they intended to get arrested by police for standing in the middle of Harbor Boulevard even after being asked to leave.

The 1,000 marchers neared the Disneyland Resort entrance at Disney Way and Harbor Boulevard and took to a run to charge then stand and sit in the middle of the intersection. A march organizer grabbed a megaphone and rallied the crowd, saying that by not meeting the union’s demands, “Disney has forsaken the image of its characters.”

After several minutes, Anaheim police ordered the crowd to clear the streets. While most of the marchers left to stand on nearby sidewalks, a somewhat predetermined group sat down and held hands as an intended disobedience of police orders.

Police then arrested those sitting in the street – including people dressed as Mickey Mouse, Tinker Bell, Peter Pan, Minnie Mouse, Aladdin and Snow White.

Martinez said the protesters were arrested and would next be booked and released, so long as the people had proper identification and no outstanding arrests. The protesters were arrested for three offenses: a misdemeanor for not following the orders of police officers, an infraction for obstructing a roadway and an infraction for standing in a roadway.

Martinez said 35 officers were on hand to watch the crowd and make arrests, while 12 officers worked traffic control to direct vehicles around the protest.

Ada Briceño, the Unite Here 681 president, said Disney’s proposals would bring in new workers at a lower wage and make them pay $100 to $250 per month for health care.

“On the healthcare front, they don’t want to pay,” she said. “Now, there is no cost to the employee for healthcare. We have a very good plan, but that’s all we have. The rest of our contract is very low-paying jobs.”

Disneyland representatives say management is frustrated that union leaders have insisted on negotiating their contract in the media. Disney spokeswoman Lisa Haines said none of the proposals under discussion are final, and that the next negotiating session is scheduled for Aug. 22.

“We’ve met for negotiations 11 times, and they’ve had 14 protests,” she said. “They’ve had more protests than time spent at the negotiating table. It’s unfortunate that they’ve resorted to these types of publicity stunts. They’re not productive, and they’re very disruptive to the resort area.”

The combination of artistic ice-skating and lively music took centrestage at Disney’s High School Musical (HSM): The Ice Tour in Bukit Jalil last night.

Some 8,000 people thronged Stadium Putra to watch the show, which featured an entertaining mix of songs, dances and team-spirited fun from the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel movie, and its sequel High School Musical 2 (HSM2).

The ice tour had everything from young love, teen angst, rivalry and friendship to a whole lot of high-energy skating. The performance was divided into two acts: the first resembling HSM and the second, HSM2.

All the popular songs – We’re All in This Together, Get’cha Head in the Game, Start of Something New, Breaking Free, What Time Is It?, Fabulous, You Are The Music In Me and All for One – were also there.

The audience, comprising mainly teens and young children, were excited to see HSM’s main cast – Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan and Chad on ice skates.Throughout the 90-minute show, staged here for the first time, the skaters performed daring twists, spins and lifts.

With lighting effects and props, the ice ring was transformed into a basketball court, golf course, country club and school – all settings from the two movies.

The ice show is produced by Feld Entertainment and Kenny Ortega and mounted in cooperation with Disney Theatrical Productions.

The global tour played in more than 100 cities in 2007, including the worldwide premiere at Madison Square Garden in New York and across the world in Europe, Canada, Mexico and Australia. Besides Malaysia in Asia, HSM: The Ice Tour has been performed in Manila and Singapore. Kuala Lumpur is the last stop in the Asian leg of the tour.

With the ruins of ancient Rome, the splendor of Vatican City and countless Renaissance art treasures, what does Italy’s capital lack to attract tourists?The answer, according to the mayor’s office, is a Disneyland-style theme park.

“The model is Euro-Disney in Paris,” said Deputy Mayor Mauro Cutrufo, announcing plans to build a vast ancient Rome theme park just outside the city which he says could be up and running within three to four years.The park would provide family-friendly attractions to show visitors what life was like in the Rome of 2,000 years ago.

To be built on an as yet unspecified 400-500 hectare (1,000-1,200 acre) site, it would put a Roman twist on rides like Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean, in which visitors float on boats through a fantasy pirate world.”You would relive scenes from the Colosseum, from ancient Rome, gladiators or maybe Julius Caesar or other things,” a Rome city official told Reuters.

A decision on whether to go ahead with the park could be made as early as next month after market research has shown potential demand for the plan.But the park has already run into some opposition.

The government of the Lazio region, of which Rome is the capital, is run by the centre left and they are hostile to the proposal from the city council which is in the hands of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s centre right.

“I say no to Americanization,” said Claudio Mancini, a member of the Lazio council, who hopes the project will be stopped at the planning stage.”There are planning considerations to weigh up because 500 hectares isn’t nothing,” he was quoted as saying in the Corriere della Sera daily.

Disneyland Resort Paris welcomed its 200 millionth visitor today, 16 years after opening its gates in 1992.

The red carpet was rolled out for one lucky French family who were given free entrance and a special dinner.

Chief executive Karl Holz said: “We are very proud to reach this symbolic milestone of 200 million visitors, it is proof that the Disneyland Resort Paris unique experience is ever-growing as we continuously strive to offer new and exciting entertainment to our guests.”

The resort has added to its portfolio of attractions this year with more Disney character experiences and live entertainment.

These include the launch of Stitch Live!, a real-time interactive experience starring animated character Stitch and the premier of one of Disney’s most popular attractions worldwide, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

For more information about family holidays to Disneyland Resort Paris call 08448 008 111 or visit www.disneylandparis.com

A troupe of dancers from Northampton are preparing for the biggest performance of their lives at Disneyland Paris this Thursday. A total of 28 girls from the Gaye Stanley Dance School, based in Acre Lane, Kingsthorpe, will be dancing on the Fantasy Festival stage at the theme park, which has 40,000 visitors per day.

The girls, aged from eight to 21, have been practising since January and will be performing six different routines in 20 minutes.

The performance in Paris was organised by Gaye Stanley, manager of the dance school, after she visited Disneyland Paris two years ago.

She said: “I thought it would be lovely to dance there. It has been very fraught getting it all in place but we are all very excited about going.”

With drinks like the Antioxidant Cocktail, entrees such as whole-wheat linguine with clams, rock shrimp and fresh thyme in chunky tomato broth, and crispy almond-raisin “baklava” for dessert, The Wave brings a surge of new dining ideas to Walt Disney World Resort.

Located in Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the new restaurant is “bold cooking inspired by fresh markets,” said Dieter Hannig, vice president of new concepts for Walt Disney World Food & Beverage. “America is more and more a melting pot, and The Wave features American cooking with world flavors.”

Guests enter the stylish new space on the first floor of the hotel through a brushed steel arch “tunnel” into The Wave’s lounge, one of the largest at Walt Disney World Resort. The sleek, serene décor is earthy browns and golds, with frosted glass lamps for soft ambient light and a copper-colored metal ceiling. Banquettes and booths line the perimeter of the dining room, and wooden tables are set with white linen napkins. A large central table is draped in sheer fabric in purples and golds.

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the 220-seat restaurant takes casual dining into the health-conscious 21st century. The classic American breakfast menu includes plenty of egg creations, but guests also can make their own Wave muesli or sip a Beta Berry Smoothie with raspberry puree and non-fat yogurt blended with Odwalla Berries GoMega (a great source of Omega-3). The Pure Sunshine breakfast cocktail features organic vodka and orange juice topped with Vitamin Energy Drink. Coffee is organic Colombian (fair trade and “Smithsonian-certified bird-friendly”) and teas are whole leaf Pyramid bags in flavors from chamomile blossoms to monsoon chai.

At lunch, light eaters might enjoy lettuce wraps with sautéed lamb and bay scallops, or a lump crab cake with crispy papaya slaw. Entrées include oversized salads and a vegetarian sandwich with grilled tofu, roasted veggies and herb goat cheese on multi-grain bread, but guests also can chow down on an Angus chuck burger with cheese and Applewood smoked bacon, or a classic grilled Reuben.

The dinner menu offers a delicious spin on comfort classics such as pan-seared Alaskan black cod with corn and edamame (soybean) stew with cilantro chutney; braised lamb shank with bulgur lentil stew and red wine sauce, and a nouvelle chicken pot pie with thyme pastry. Sides at both lunch and dinner include braised greens and roasted sweet potatoes and carrots.

“Lots of stocks, lots of broths and seasonal ingredients keep the menu well balanced,” said Chef Frank Brough. “We are sourcing ingredients locally and regionally to create fresh flavors, and our fresh catch of the day features sustainable seafood.”

Desserts continue the theme with a dozen choices for mixing and matching three mini-favorites for one price. From chocolate mousse with chocolate ganache, to yogurt sorbet with blueberry compote and coconut panna cotta with passion fruit, guests can indulge their sweet tooth without a big hit in calories. Or go overboard with a dessert cocktail like the Mudslide martini: Baileys Irish Cream, vanilla vodka, Kahlúa and vanilla ice cream.

Wine ‘With a Twist,’ Innovative Spirits Menu

The wine program, with only screw cap wines, is cutting-edge and supports sustainable agriculture, says Master Sommelier John Blazon, manager of wine sales and standards for Walt Disney World Resort.

“The surge in the use of the screw cap is nothing short of a revolution in wine packaging,” says Blazon. Industry experts say that the screw cap is the most significant technical evolution in the wine industry since the glass bottle was introduced 250 years ago.

And the options for screw cap wine are growing, said Blazon. The Wave serves no California wines (California Grill on the resort’s 15th floor has a corner on the California market), but instead focuses on bright-style New World wines from the Southern Hemisphere, including Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

Sparkling wines from Tasmania, Rieslings from South Australia, floral New Wave whites from Argentina and pinot noirs from New Zealand are among the interesting choices, with 50 available by the glass. A flight of 3-ounce samplings and dessert wines, ports and sherries round out the wine list.

For beer fans, certified organic ales from Orlando Brewing are on the menu. Produced in Orlando, these handcrafted ales use only American-grown certified-organic barley malt. Three Orlando Brewery ales are available on tap, including Blonde Ale, Pale Ale and Blackwater Dry Porter. Also on the menu is gluten-free Redbridge lager.

Trendy cocktails are served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Start the day with a Pomegranate Splash (vodka, pomegranate liqueur, cranberry juice and soda water) or the Ultimate Bloody Mary (organic vodka, Bloody Mary mix and a dash of red chili sauce).

“Natural and flavorful are the buzzwords for cocktails,” said Stuart McGuire, director of beverage sales and standards for Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts. The Pure-tini mixes organic vodka with organic mango and passion fruit liqueur. The Antioxidant Cocktail features wild berry vodka, black raspberry liqueur, açai juice with agave, lychee, aloe juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

The Wave is part of a revitalization at Disney’s Contemporary Resort that includes a makeover of the hotel’s fourth floor with a new game arcade and new quick-service eatery for salads and sandwiches (replacing Concourse Steakhouse). The popular Chef Mickey’s restaurant and the monorail station anchor that family-friendly area.

His voice is associated with the sounds of Disney’s hit “High School Musical,” but 26-year-old Drew Seeley has other aspirations outside of high school.

Seeley began singing and acting at age 11 while living in Canada. He got a lucky break recording for a yet-to-be released Disney project about students navigating their way through the halls of high school set to music. Seeley’s recordings were blended with Zac Efron, who played Troy in the movie, to create the finished version.

“You always hope that everything you do is not a waste of time,” said Seeley. “It didn’t immediately open doors.”

The movie’s success led to a couple sequels, an ice tour and a concert series. For Seeley, it also allowed him the chance to focus on his own music. On Monday, his voice can be heard on the San Mateo County fairgrounds as he performs on Kids’ Day.

Seeley will bring a mix of his work with Disney and personal songs into the mix while performing while gauging the crowd to decide what’s going to get the audience excited. Just having the opportunity to tour is not lost on Seeley who remembers working as a food runner only a year and a half ago.

As a result, his voice can be heard on seven Disney CDs. Additionally, he co-wrote “Get’cha Head in the Game,” a song for High School Musical, with Ray and Greg Cham. The song earned a 2006 Emmy nominee for outstanding original music. Seeley also took over the role of Troy in the “High School Musical: The Concert,” tour while Efron was shooting “Hairspray.”

The stadium tour put Seeley before crowds of up to 60,000 per show.

Fairs give Seeley a chance to create a more intimate performance. He plans to keep it high energy. If attendees are lucky, Seeley may throw in a song or two from the upcoming movie “Another Cinderella Story,” in which he plays Prince Charming alongside Selena Gomez. Seeley sings, acts and dances for the movie due out in September. The soundtrack, however, will hit airwaves later this month.

Drew Seeley will perform at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11 on the main stage. Concerts are included in fair admission price. Premiere seating is available for an additional charge. On Kids’ Day, all kids 12 and under get into the fair for free. For more information visit www.sanmateocountyfair.com. For more information on Seeley visit www.drewseeleystreetteam.com.

The Walt Disney Co. is closing down all three McDonald’s outlets at its Disneyland resort in Anaheim, Calif., on Sept. 2 as part of a planned refurbishment, the company said.

Disney said the move is not related to its push, announced in 2006, to promote healthier eating choices for children at restaurants at its parks.

“We make enhancements throughout the park on a regular basis,” Disneyland spokeswoman Lisa Haines said Friday. “We’ll continue to offer guests a wide variety of food choices.”Disney announced its healthy food guidelines the same year it wrapped up a cross-promotional relationship with McDonald’s Corp., with the last joint marketing campaigns on “Cars” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.”

There is still a McDonald’s outlet in each of Disney’s four theme parks in Orlando, Fla., and one at Disneyland Resort Paris, the company said.

Two years ago, Disney announced a plan to eliminate added trans fats from food served at its parks by the end of 2007, and the company said it had met that goal.On Monday, the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest said 93 percent of kids’ meals at 13 major restaurant chains, including McDonald’s, had too many calories.