Disney Parks Launches Disney Travel on Demand

Walt

Disney

Parks
and Resorts announced Disney
Travel on Demand, a breakthrough in original programming that combines
innovation, storytelling and the power of interactive television to deliver a
soup-to-nuts vacation planning and entertainment experience to television viewers,
starting on two cable systems nationwide. The program mix will include
episodic, reality and special event shows as well as concerts and celebrity
hosts, all focused on the magic of Disney’s destinations around the world.

The
programs are designed to uniquely engage viewers with a variety of
industry-leading interactive and entertaining components that showcase Disney
Parks’ innovation, Disney cast members, and the legacy behind all the magic. It
will first be made available this month on Cablevision and Time Warner Cable network
systems reaching more than nine million viewers.

“More
than 50 years after Walt Disney used the new medium of television to tell the story of Disneyland, we’re tapping
into new media platforms to engage our guests,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman
of

Walt
Disney
Parks
and Resorts. “With Disney Travel on Demand, we’re providing a great
entertainment experience for the whole family and an easier way than ever to
book a Disney vacation.”

The
hallmark of Disney Travel on Demand is a groundbreaking level of interactivity
with audiences. On Cablevision systems, which will carry Disney Travel on
Demand on channel 650, viewers will be able to communicate directly with a
Disney travel representative from the comfort of their own homes with the new
‘Talk To Agent’ feature. With the click of a button on the remote control,
viewers can request to have a telephone call back from a Disney travel
representative to make all their travel arrangements at one of Disney’s
destinations: Walt Disney World Resort in
Florida,
Disneyland Resort in

California,
and Adventures by Disney vacations.

Disney
Travel on Demand Programs

Set to
debut on Time Warner Cable the week of May 21 and on Cablevision the week of May
29 featuring four original, episodic series plus additional programs which are
designed to take viewers behind the scenes and show them how to make the most
of the magic, the original programming includes:

“Making the Magic” Follow Tristan, a hopeful entertainer, as he
tries to fulfill his ultimate dream, to become an elite performer at Walt
Disney World Resort. Unfortunately the road to this dream is paved with
hurdles, competition, and Disney world-class expectations for unparalleled
performances. Will Tristan’s desire fuel his ability? Or will the competition
be too stiff? Find out as this immersive reality show goes behind-the-scenes
showcasing hundreds of performers and weeks of rehearsals all leading up to
opening night!

“Disney Fact or Fiction” Given the magic of
Disney’s theme parks, it’s no surprise that guests often have trouble
distinguishing where fantasy ends and reality begins. Over the years
imaginations have run wild and stoked a number of curious urban legends about
the history and operations of the theme parks. Now, for the first time ever,
Walt Disney Imagineers reveal some incredible secrets as they separate Disney
fact from fiction.

“Dream Makers” -Join celebrity hosts like Joey
Fatone and Michelle Kwan, as unsuspecting guests are randomly surprised with
some of the most extraordinary and unique experiences Disney has to offer. From
spending the night in a brand new royal suite built within
Cinderella
Castle
at Walt Disney World Resort, to taking over the one-of-a-kind Mickey Mouse
Penthouse Suite in
Disneyland, viewers will
get a peek at the excitement behind surprises that are uniquely Disney during
“The Year of a Million Dreams.”

“Disney Travel Insiders” Premiering in June, join The View’s Elisabeth Hasselbeck as she takes viewers
far and wide, offering an array of unique travel tips and tricks for
experiencing a Disney Vacation. From money-saving tips for planning an easily
affordable family visit to Walt Disney World Resort in
Orlando,
zip-lining through a rainforest in

Costa Rica with Adventures by
Disney, to the best ways to take in the magic of Disney Parks with little ones,
Hasselbeck delivers what’s new, can’t miss, must-see and the best ways to
experience it all.

Time Warner
Cable president of media sales Joan Gillman said, “We are proud to welcome
Disney as an anchor destination within Journey TV. Disney recognizes that Video
on Demand is a great way to engage their customers in real time using
informative, entertaining original content and Journey TV joins a stable of
ad-supported on-demand environments that last year alone generated over 13
million views. Our customers have demonstrated a real appreciation for
informative programming and Journey TV delivers.”

“Cablevision’s
interactive fiber optic network makes it possible for a wide range of businesses
to use VOD programming to reach customers in new and innovative ways,”
said Barry Frey, Cablevision’s senior vice president of advanced platform
sales. “Disney Travel on Demand is a perfect example of a preeminent brand
using our advanced platform to have a powerful dialogue with consumers through
the television.”

Disney
Parks’ Technology – Enhancing the Overall Guest Experience

Walt
Disney was a pioneer in leveraging the television medium to showcase his
resorts. More than 50 years ago, he introduced the nation to
Disneyland
Park,
even while it was under construction, through the popular
Disneyland
series that aired on ABC-TV. Once the park was open, Disney continued to promote
the park and showcase its attractions through broadcasts originating from
inside

Disneyland

Park.

The launch
of Disney Travel on Demand is just one step in a series of new media launches
that highlight the latest technologies incorporated into Disney Parks. Whether
it is cable, wireless, online or through the Ipod, the Walt Disney Company has
cast itself as a leader in using new technologies to forge connections with
consumers. Disney Parks continues to exemplify how technologies can be used to
build new connections – from the time consumers begin planning their vacation
on http://www.DisneyParks.com, to
personalizing and sharing their Disney experiences when they return home, using
DisneyLink, a desktop application.