Uncategorized – Page 8 – A Walk With The Mouse

Disney Gets a Big Break in Bringing Back Reedy Creek

Posted on January 8, 2024January 8, 2024 by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

All the way back in April 2023 — which seems like a lifetime ago — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis officially dissolved the Reedy Creek Improvement District. Reedy Creek had been in place since 1967 and essentially allowed Walt Disney World to function as its own government. Reedy Creek would pay its taxes, but they would not have to go through the red tape for things like permits and construction. They were also in charge of Disney World’s electrical grid, internet, first responders, and more.

After dissolving Reedy Creek, DeSantis hand-picked a new board and renamed the area The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

Since then, things have not gone well for DeSantis’ new board. Things with Disney have gone from bad to worse, with the two locked-in dueling lawsuits. Then, there are the mass resignations that are happening within the CFTOD. In less than a year, dozens of qualified employees — some of whom have been there a long time — have quit. They have reported that morale is at an all-time low, calling the CFTOD board members “unqualified and incompetent.”

Since its dissolution, thousands have been fighting to end the CFTOD and reinstate Reedy Creek. The first big attempt to legally bring back Reedy Creek was made in November 2023, but several Republican lawmakers walked out of the meeting. That meant that a vote on Reedy Creek could not take place.

But now, things have changed.

On Friday, January 5, Orange County legislators backed a proposal to bring back Reedy Creek. Orange County is one of the counties where the Walt Disney World Resort is located. State Senator Linda Stewart said that Reedy Creek is essential to the area, because the new CFTOD board is not being “transparent” and they have broken the way the district should operate.

While this is a big win for Disney in its fight against DeSantis and the CFTOD, the repeal is still a long way off from becoming a reality. Orange County is one of the most liberal areas in the state. So, it makes sense that Orange County legislators would back it. However, the deal has to pass through the State House of Representatives and the State Senate.

Both the state House and the state Senate are Republican-controlled, with many of the legislators supporting the dissolution of Reedy Creek. Legal experts think that it is unlikely that they would vote for the reinstatement of Reedy Creek.

Disney Officially Loses Rights To Mickey Mouse, Multiple Characters Next

Posted on January 8, 2024January 8, 2024 by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

Is Disney losing the rights to Mickey Mouse? That seems strange. Well, sadly, it is true Mickey Mouse will be returning to the public domain.

2024 will mark a significant milestone in the world of copyright and intellectual property as Mickey Mouse, the beloved and iconic character created by Walt Disney, is entering the public domain in the United States. This means that anyone, including individuals, artists, and creators, could now use the Steamboat Willie version of Mickey Mouse as a character in their works as long as he resembled the 1928 incarnation.

This may leave fans wondering if Disney is losing the rights to beloved Mickey: Who will be the next character to go? The most popular FAB 5 character that will be returning to the domain soon is Pluto, first seen in 1930 and projected to enter the public domain in 2025. Mickey’s girlfriend Minnie Mouse came alive in 1928 and is projected to enter the public domain in 2024, as well, alongside Mickey. Well, at least this early version of Minnie Mouse.

Last but not least, Donald Duck became a lovable, funny character in 1934, which means Disney will be letting him go in 2029.

Globaltoynews shared a list of the next characters who will be entering to the public domain. The amount of characters that will soon be heading into the public domain is astounding, and includes Superman, Daffy Duck, Batman, The Flash, Captain America, James Bond, Aquaman, and several other characters that will be heading towards the public domain by 2036.

While these characters may go into the public domain, they may be trademarked and protected. Such as Disney may still hold trademarks on the name Mickey Mouse and his distinctive image, which includes his red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves. This means that while you can use the character, you may need to be cautious about how you use his name and likeness to avoid infringing on Disney’s trademarks.

the walt disney company original name roy o disney pixar animation studios bob iger mickey mouse lucky rabbit Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio alice comedies steamboat willie

Since Mickey Mouse going into the public domain means creators can only recreate his image from 1928 this means Mickey will most likely look like the 1928 version of Steamboat Willie, which was the first image of Mickey Mouse.

Mickey Mouse was created in 1928 and saw multiple copyright extensions, leading to his entry into the public domain in 2024. However, the rules are different for characters created later, such as Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and other Disney characters.

Disney Lands Huge Blow as Billionaire Investor Attempts Hostile Takeover

Posted on January 8, 2024January 8, 2024 by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

Nearly one year ago, billionaire Nelson Peltz announced that he would be trying to gain a seat on Disney’s Board of Directors. He said that he didn’t think Disney was going in the right direction and wasn’t making its shareholders enough money. He gave up his fight when Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that he would be eliminating thousands of jobs and cutting $5.5 billion from Disney’s budget.

However, Peltz recently picked up the fight again, but this time, he announced that he wasn’t just targeting one seat on Disney’s board, he was going after several. Peltz said that he had given Iger a chance to “right the ship,” but the embattled CEO had not done so.

But Iger and Disney weren’t going to back down without a fight. The company released a statement, claiming that Peltz only wanted seats on the board because of his close relationship with fired Marvel executive, Ike Perlmutter. They said that Perlmutter had a vendetta against the company and was using Peltz to make that happen.

And now, Disney just got some big backup in its fight against Peltz and Perlmutter. According to Disney, the company has entered into an agreement with investment group ValueAct. Per The Hollywood Reporter:

Disney and ValueAct have entered into a “confidentiality agreement that enables the company to provide information to the investment firm and consult with ValueAct on strategic matters, including through meetings with the Disney board and management,” the company said on Wednesday.

As part of the arrangement, ValueAct also confirmed that it would support the Disney slate of nominees for the company’s board of directors at Disney’s upcoming annual shareholder meeting. The news comes amid Disney’s proxy battle with Nelson Peltz and his firm Trian Partners, an effort backed by ousted Marvel mogul Ike Perlmutter.

Peltz is hoping to get enough shareholders to vote for him and his loyalists so they can have at least two, if not three, seats on Disney’s Board of Directors. Should they be successful, this could mean that massive changes might take place within the company. Ike Perlmutter is an outspoken conservative and a large supporter of Donald Trump.

Disney has been making more content that reflects the world we currently live in — meaning more diverse characters and family units. The company has frequently been accused of being “woke”, which Peltz and Perlmutter might put an end to if they gain those coveted seats.

Nominations for new board members will take place until January 4, 2024.

Disney CEO Bob Iger Announces His Resignation

Posted on December 4, 2023December 4, 2023 by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

In an unexpected but perhaps understandable turn of events, Disney CEO Bob Iger has announced his resignation from The Walt Disney Company, though his departure will not be effective immediately.

Bob Iger became CEO of The Walt Disney Company in 2005 and continued in that role until February 2020, when he abruptly stepped down, effective immediately, just before the dawn of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. Then-Disney Parks President Bob Chapek was appointed to step in as Iger’s replacement, becoming Disney’s CEO on the same day.

In December 2021, Iger finally stepped down from his position on Disney’s board, and retirement loomed on the horizon. During that time, Iger, ever the savvy businessman, considered various ventures with partners before following through and partnering in several of them.

In December 2021, just weeks before he stepped away from his position on Disney’s board following his resignation as CEO, Iger was in talks to consider becoming part-owner of the Phoenix Suns. Then, in May 2022, the former CEO began talks to partner with eBay in the nearly $300 million purchase of the Funko toy company.

But after a tumultuous tenure, Disney’s board removed Bob Chapek from his post, reinstalling veteran CEO Bob Iger at the helm, effective November 20, 2022.

Only days later, Iger found himself tasked with cleaning house at Disney, firing those closest to Chapek, including his former chief of staff, Arthur Bochner, assistant Jackie Hart, and his right-hand man, Kareem Daniel.

During his first term as Disney’s CEO, Iger proved he had a knack for overseeing major acquisitions. He is credited with the successful completion of the following acquisitions by The Walt Disney Company:

Miramax – 1993; $60 million
Capital Cities/ABC/ESPN – 1995; $19 billion
Starwave – 1998; undisclosed amount
Infoseek – 1999; undisclosed amount
Fox Family Worldwide (Freeform) – 2001; $2.9 billion
Baby Einstein – 2001; undisclosed amount
The Muppets – 2004; $75 million
CrossGen – 2004; $1 million
Avalanche Software – 2005; undisclosed amount
Pixar – 2006; $7.4 billion
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit – 2006; traded for the rights to sports broadcaster Al Michaels
Junction Point Studios – 2007; undisclosed amount
Marvel – 2009; $4 billion
Hulu – 2009; 30% purchase (increased to full ownership in 2019)
Wideload Games – 2010; undisclosed amount
Tapulous – 2010; undisclosed amount
Playdom – 2010; $563 million
UTV Software Communications – 2011; $297 million
Lucasfilm (Star Wars) – 2012; $4.06 billion
Maker Studios – 2014; $500 million
Sphero – 2014; unknown minority investment
BAM – 2016 & 2017; $2.58 billion total
21st Century Fox – 2019; $71.3 billion

On Wednesday, Disney’s boomerang CEO announced his resignation from the company, though his departure from the Mouse House won’t be immediate. In an interview in September, Iger said that his departure wasn’t too far off, though at the time, he did not give details about the date on which he would step away.

On Wednesday, during an interview at the New York Times Dealbook Conference, Disney’s CEO said that he will “definitely” step down from his role when his current contract expires in 2026. He also talked specifically about the ABC television network, owned by The Walt Disney Company, saying that despite talk of the potential for a sale, ABC is not for sale.

As part of the interview, Bob Iger further said he was “bullish” about the potential for Disney’s Shanghai park, Shanghai Disneyland, as he explained that he expects The Walt Disney Company to expand the park “relatively soon.”

As for his resignation from his role at The Walt Disney Company, Iger’s employer for a combined total of nearly 50 years, Iger says that he will remain at his post, continuing in his current responsibilities as the company’s chief executive officer until the expiration date of his current contract with Disney.

In November 2022, when he was called back to the role of CEO following Disney’s removal of then-CEO Bob Chapek, Iger signed a two-year contract, set to expire in December 2024. But shortly after Disney’s CFO Christine McCarthy announced her departure in June 2023, Disney renewed Iger’s contract, extending his agreement through the end of 2026.

On Wednesday, Iger said he would step down when that contract expires, which is reportedly on December 31, 2026.

Famed Disney Actor, Dead at 95, Leaves Behind Legacy to 34 Grandkids & 30 Great-Grands

Posted on December 4, 2023December 4, 2023 by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

A famous Disney actor who appeared in more than 130 productions during his lifetime has died at the age of 95, leaving behind an enormous and far-reaching legacy, quite literally.

When it comes to a career as a Hollywood actor and performer, the goals are often simple: make an impression, make a mark, leave a legacy. And since the birth of the film and television industry, countless actors, actresses, and other performers have accomplished those goals, though by varying methods with varied performances and varying degrees of success.

Occasionally, there are actors and actresses who are capable of making their mark in Hollywood while never sacrificing their personal lives and families, and those individuals have a rare talent indeed, and one Disney actor who passed away only days ago was one of those individuals.

Sidney Edmond Jocelyn Ackland, better known as actor Joss Ackland, was born on February 29, 1928, in London. He attended London’s Central School of Speech and Drama, and shortly thereafter, at the young age of 17, Ackland made his acting debut in The Hasty Heart in 1945.

As part of his acting career, Ackland appeared alongside other memorable actors in the business, including Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, and Dame Judi Dench, whose voice can be heard as the narrator in the Spaceship Earth attraction at EPCOT at Walt Disney World.

The acclaimed English actor enjoyed nonstop acting opportunities in the 1960s and 1970s, and over the course of his decades-long career, Ackland appeared in more than 130 radio, television, and film roles, including some for Walt Disney Pictures. According to BFI, Ackland “had a fine line in villainy and accents over many decades of memorable supporting turns in film and television.”

In 1979, he worked on Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, a television special in which he played a sports journalist and British spy. But his career wasn’t over yet, as he continued to build on his acting prowess throughout the 1980s, during which he enjoyed some of his most memorable roles, including those in The Sicilian, Lethal Weapon 2, The Hunt for Red October with Sean Connery, and White Mischief.

He also played the role of author CS Lewis in the made-for-television iteration of Shadowlands before it was turned into a stage play and then a theatrical film in which Sir Anthony Hopkins played the same role. In addition to his film and television roles, Ackland, known for his warm and rich-toned voice, lent that voice to numerous television commercials for Yellow Pages, The Kellogg Company, and others, which aired in Great Britain.

To Disney fans, Ackland will best be remembered for embodying the role of Hans, the owner of the Mighty Ducks hockey team in The Mighty Ducks film franchise, which starred actor Emilio Estevez. The series includes The Mighty Ducks (1992), D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994), D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996), and a television show titled The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.

Mighty Ducks', Joss Ackland, Star Dead at 95

And while Ackland will long be remembered for his contributions to the stage, film, television, and radio, it’s the personal legacy he leaves behind that’s perhaps the most impressive.

Joss Ackland married Rosemary Kirkcaldy on August 18, 1951. He was 23 years old, and she was one year his junior. When she died in 2002, the couple had been blissfully married for 51 years, and Ackland was quoted as saying that though his work saw him traveling often, he and his wife were rarely apart.

Together, Joss and Rosemary had seven children. Ultimately, the English actor became a grandfather of 34 and a great-grandfather of 30, and there’s just something about those achievements that seems to trump even Ackland’s more than 130 performances as part of his decorated career.

Ackland died on November 19, 2023, and our sympathy extends to those who knew and loved him best.