Disney Says “Let it Go” to "Frozen" on Broadway

by Beth Keating

News 

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 19, 2020

Theatre goers on March 11 had no idea they were witnessing the final performance of Frozen on Broadway that evening. 

The Disney Theatricals production is the first Broadway show to fall victim to the COVID-19 pandemic, with several other expected-to-open-soon New York productions closing before they actually raised their first curtain.  Cancelled shows include Hangmen and a revival of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? A musical about Michael Jackson, and Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite starring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker, have moved production to next year.

As widely reported, a Disney press release late last week announced, "The Broadway production of 'Frozen' will not reopen as a result of the industry-wide shutdown and resulting economic fallout.” One of three current Disney productions on Broadway, the Frozen closure comes almost two years to the day of its Broadway debut. Frozen opened March 22, 2018, and dropped its final curtain March 11, 2020, having performed for 1.3 million guests with 825 performances (and 26 previews).

A musical stage adaptation of Disney’s 2013 mega-hit animated movie, the royal sisters from Arendelle resided at the St. James Theatre, grossing $155,193,552 (as of March 8).  Broadway’s variation of Frozen included additional musical performances to the iconic, earworm-inducing  songs from the original movie. The show had been nominated for numerous Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, and Tony Awards, including 2018 Tony nominations for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score.

Performances of shows on New York’s “Great White Way” have been shuttered since March 12, when theatres went dark in compliance with Governor Cuomo’s stay-at-home edicts. The Broadway League has since announced that shows will remain closed through at least Labor Day, and has begun extending refunds for shows through September 6th.

The North American Tour and international productions of Frozen in Australia, London, Tokyo and Germany are still moving forward, pending scheduling changes due to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to the financial and pandemic reasons for the show’s closing, Disney noted that the timing of the closing will allow the company to economically reuse the costumes and theatre props in other touring productions.

Disney juggernaut The Lion King (the top grossing Broadway hit of all time, running for 22 years since 1997, performing to more than 70 million people with 9,300 showings and six Tony awards including Best Musical) and Aladdin (running for six years since 2014, with more than 2,500 performances and a 2014 Tony for actor James Monroe Iglehart) are expected to retake the stage when Broadway reopens.

Ticketholders should receive automatic refunds, but further refund information is available at https://frozenthemusical.com/

Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

Leadership Changes at the Walt Disney Company

by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 18, 2020

May 18^th brought announcements of big changes in the leadership team at the Walt Disney Company.

First, Kevin Mayer is leaving his position as Chairman of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International division to take the position of Chief Operating Officer of ByteDance and CEO of ByteDance’s TikTok mobile video platform. Mayer led the launches of ESPN+ and Disney+, as well as the integration of Hulu into Disney. For good measure, as Disney’s Chief Strategy Officer, he played a key role in various acquisitions, including 21st Century Fox. When Mayer lost out to Bob Chapek for the position of Disney CEO, there was much speculation as to whether he would stay with Disney to continue to head up Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu, or, as is often the case in the corporate world when losing out on getting the top spot, leave the company for a position elsewhere.

Second, Mayer’s replacement is Rebecca Campbell. She comes from being the President of Disneyland Resort, i.e., running Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, three resort hotels and Downtown Disney.

Third, Josh D’Amaro has been named to Chapek’s old job as Chairman of the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. D’Amaro, who comes from serving as President of the Walt Disney World Resort, will, as noted in the Disney press release, “oversee Disney’s iconic travel and leisure businesses, which include six theme park-resort destinations in the United States, Europe and Asia; a top-rated cruise line; a popular vacation ownership program; and an award-winning guided family adventure business. Disney’s global consumer products operations include the world’s leading licensing business across toys, apparel, home goods, digital games and apps; the world’s largest children’s print publisher; Disney store locations around the world; and the shopDisney e-commerce platform.”

After the CEO job, these are the two big positions at Disney. Campbell and D’Amaro are company veterans – Campbell having 23 years with Disney and D’Amaro 22 years.

Fourth, Jeff Vahle, formerly President of Disney Signature Experiences, will be taking D’Amaro’s former spot as President of Walt Disney World Resort. Vahle is a 30-year Disney veteran. 

Fifth, taking over Campbell’s spot as President of the Disneyland Resort is Ken Potrock, who has 25 years at the company, including as the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Disney Vacation Club.

Sixth, Kareem Daniel was named to head up Consumer Products, Games and Publishing as President. He formerly was President of Walt Disney Imagineering Business Operations, Product Creation, Publishing and Games.

And seventh, Thomas Mazloum, who was a Senior Vice President of Resort and Transportation Operations at Walt Disney World Resort, has been appointed President of the Disney Signature Experiences, which features Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club and Adventures by Disney.

In a statement, Chapek was quoted, “I’m incredibly proud of the new leadership team at Parks, beginning with the segment’s Chairman, longtime Disney veteran Josh D’Amaro, and his newly announced team of Jeff Vahle, Ken Potrock, Kareem Daniel and Thomas Mazloum. These talented executives played pivotal roles while leading our exceptional cast members during the largest period of growth in the segment’s history, which included the expansion of our parks and resorts around the world, the addition of new attractions including two highly acclaimed Star Wars-themed lands, and a shift to more personalized experiences for guests. And I am confident that as they assume even greater responsibility and pursue new opportunities, these proven leaders will have an even bigger impact on the future of our company.”

Regarding Rebecca Campbell, Mayer’s replacement, Chapek said, “As we look to grow our direct-to-consumer business and continue to expand into new markets, I can think of no one better suited to lead this effort than Rebecca. She is an exceptionally talented and dedicated leader with a wealth of experience in media, operations and international businesses.  She played a critical role in the launch of Disney+ globally while overseeing the EMEA region, and her strong business acumen and creative vision will be invaluable in taking our successful and well-established streaming services into the future.”

On May 18, Disney’s stock price increased by better than seven percent.

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solution (now available at a deep discount) and the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

Enjoy a Disney Discussion Doubleheader!

by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 17, 2020

Are you ready for a Disney doubleheader discussion? Ray Keating, publisher and editor of DisneyBizJournal, had the good fortune recently to talk with two big Disney experts – Chris Lucas, author of Top Disney, and Lou Mongello, host the WDW Radio Podcast. Wow!

On the PRESS CLUB C Podcast, enjoy Ray’s discussion with Chris Lucas about his career as an actor, author and Disney expert, as well as Chris’ outlook for Disney amidst the current crisis.

And then kick back and enjoy Ray’s chat with Lou Mongello covering entrepreneurship, opportunity and, of course, Disney stuff.

This is fun made for a relaxing Sunday – or, well, pretty much any other time!

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solution (now available at a deep discount) and the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

The Boathouse Reopening at Disney Springs

by Ray Keating

News/Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 16, 2020

After reporting that Disney Springs in Walt Disney World would be reopening on May 20, the next question for me was: Would The Boathouse restaurant be part of that first-day fun? The answer is: Yes!

As announced on May 15 via The Boathouse Facebook page:

“We are thrilled to announce that The Boathouse will be opening with Disney Springs on May 20th at 11am. We will also be opening our Vintage Amphicar rides and The Boathouse Boatique at the same time. We have opened our reservation book and all reservations will be guaranteed inside seating. We will seat the inside dining rooms at a 25% capacity, so reservations will be limited.”

It also was noted, “We have taken extra precautions to ensure the safety of our staff and customers. With everyone's cooperation we will be able to maintain a safe and comfortable environment.”

Why the excitement? Well, check out my review of The Boathouse – “Restaurant Review: You Must Eat at The Boathouse” – in which I closed out by writing, “The Boathouse now ranks among my favorite restaurants, and not just in Walt Disney World, but among restaurants I’ve experienced across the nation.”

But if you doubt me, then take the word of Lou Mongello, host of the WDW Radio Podcast. Lou, of course, is one of the all-time Disney, Disney food, and food in general experts. Listen to his review of The Boathouse – “WDW Radio Show #448 – Live Review of The Boathouse in Disney Springs.” 

Yes, The Boathouse is another reason to look forward to Disney Springs beginning its reopening on May 20.

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solution (now available at a deep discount) and the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

Theme Parks: Pandemic, Disney and the Little Guys

by Ray Keating

Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 15, 2020

When it comes to focusing on how amusement or theme parks are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, the big emphasis has been on The Walt Disney Company. That makes sense, given that with six resorts and 12 theme parks around the globe, Disney is the Big Kahuna in the theme parks business. 

However, Disney certainly is not alone in the industry. For example, in terms of U.S.-headquartered theme park companies, other major players are Universal Parks & Resorts, Six Flags Inc., Cedar Entertainment Company, and SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

But there are many more theme park operators, and they actually turn out to be much smaller businesses. And without the cash and credit reserves of a Disney (such as accessing $11 billion in debt to weather the storm), these operators face more daunting challenges in this COVID-19 crisis.

Consider the percentage breakdown of firms in the amusement and theme parks industry by size (based on the number of employees), according to the latest data (2017) from the U.S. Census Bureau:

Size of Firms by Number of Employees	Percent of Total Employer Firms in the  Amusement and Theme Parks Sector
Less than 10 employees	54.1%
Less than 20 employees	65.1%
Less than 100 employees	84.8%
Less than 500 employees	94.6%

In 2017, there were 427 amusement and theme park employer firms in the U.S., but only 23 of those had more than 500 employees, while 278 had fewer than 20 employees. Of course, it’s understood that Walt Disney World is a different animal compared to a small, local amusement park, but they effectively are in the same line of business, simply serving different sectors. 

So, while we hear a lot of news about Disney and Universal, for example, during this crisis, like most of the U.S. economy, the amusement and theme parks industry is overwhelmingly populated by small and mid-size businesses. And those firms are hurting, and will be hurting, much more than Disney due to COVID-19 and the related shutdowns. 

For example, it was announced on May 15 that DelGrasso’s Amusement Park in Pennsylvania will not open for the 2020 summer season due to concerns over COVID-19. And in a Coaster101 article, Bill Coan, president and CEO of Orlando-based ITEC Entertainment, a company with a global portfolio of more than 300 guest experiences spanning theme parks, cultural attractions, resorts, and retail, was quoted, “There’s probably going to be real fallout because of these closed seasons and potentially closures for a little bit longer. The real stress on these companies — again, not the big ones, they’ll find other ways to manage themselves — but the second- and third-tier (parks), this is really going to be stressful on those guys to have not only a year that is manageable but maybe even going into the future... This is going to be one of those events that probably we’re going to look back on in 10 years down the stream and say it really had an effect, and the weak players fell by the wayside and only the strong survived. There’s going to be some of that shakeout in the industry I’m sure.”

Whenever the economy takes a hit, small businesses wind up getting hurt most, and that’s no different in the theme parks industry. At the same time, however, there are always entrepreneurs out there dreaming up new and improved ways of entertaining the public – just as was the case with a guy named Walt Disney.

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solution (now available at a deep discount) and the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

“Disney Gallery/Star Wars: The Mandalorian” is Must-Watch on Disney+

by Ray Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 14, 2020

Disney+ aced its first live-action Star Wars series with The Mandalorian (check out our review). And now it’s created an excellent documentary series about the making of The Mandalorian. But this is far superior to the typical “making of” documentaries related to a movie or TV series. Disney Gallery/Star Wars: The Mandalorian ranks as must-watching.

The first two episodes of this eight-part series are available on Disney+ now, with the third coming tomorrow (May 15) and one more on each successive Friday.

So far, the documentary series is mainly focused on round table discussions led by Jon Favreau, creator of The Mandalorian, with the highlights being conversations with the various directors involved in the show’s first season. Those directors are Dave Filoni, Rick Famuyiwa, Deborah Chow, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Taika Waititi. Some other brief interviews and behind-the-scenes footage are worked in as well. But, again, this is primarily about fascinating conversations, with Favreau asking the right questions and ably steering the discussions in interesting directions.

As a result, these round tables are not exclusively meant for the Star Wars fans, but also for those interested in creating movies and/or television shows. Indeed, it’s not only a unique situation to be able to listen to a team of directors who basically worked together to produce an eight-episode television series, but to so clearly see the passion and expertise that each brings to the table.

For good measure, the respect and joy for Star Wars that each possesses clearly helps to inform the creative process, and should warm the heart of every Star Wars fan.

And that brings up the high point so far in this series. I will not spoil it, but check out Dave Filoni’s description of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. In particular, his discussion of the role played by Qui-Gon Jinn. What Filoni says about Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Anakin might just change your take on the Star Wars prequels – indeed, elevating the importance of those films above where they might have previously been held. It was like Filoni was teaching a short class to appreciative students – not only to the viewers, but to his fellow directors around that table as well.

Star Wars fans who have been re-energized by The Mandalorian will be further pulled in by this documentary. And along the way, Disney Gallery/Star Wars: The Mandalorian might wind up creating some new fans.

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solution (now available at a deep discount) and the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

A Chance to Win a FREE Copy of Ray Keating's Forthcoming VATICAN SHADOWS

Ray Keating’s VATICAN SHADOWS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL is coming this summer! Ray, of course, is the publisher/editor of DisneyBizJournal.com.

Want a chance to win a FREE copy? 

Buy anything at www.raykeatingonline.com during the month of May 2020, and you’ll be automatically entered into a prize drawing to win a FREE copy of VATICAN SHADOWS. 

And make sure that you’re caught up on all of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels and short stories!

Chapek Talks Shanghai, Movies and More

by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 11, 2020

Disney CEO Bob Chapek appeared on CNBC earlier today, and answered assorted questions about the re-opening of Shanghai Disneyland, the Disney movie business, and more. 

As is the case when company CEOs come on television, there’s a great deal said without really saying much at all. But there are worthwhile tidbits of information here and there. Following are points that we came away with after watching the conversation.

First, while the government in China would allow Shanghai Disneyland to operate at 30 percent daily capacity – or 24,000 guests – Chapek reiterated that they opened below that, and would raise attendance by 5,000 per week to get to that level. Chapek emphasized going “slow and steady.” What wasn’t mentioned was the number of tickets actually sold for each day this week.

Second, Chapek noted that not only would Disney operations be crucial in terms of operating Shanghai and other parks during this COVID-19 era, but so would “guest behavior.” Chapek seemed pleased with reports on both for day one at Shanghai Disneyland, which followed on the success at Disney Town in Shanghai for the past month. It’s clear that he expects much the same when Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs re-opens on May 20.

Third, in terms of key challenges going forward, Chapek highlighted the fact that both guests and cast members would be wearing masks, and while people in Asia are used to it, to a certain extent, that is not the case in the U.S., including during the humid summer months.

Fourth, Chapek was clear in offering no guidance on when other parks might be opened.

Fifth, on the movies front, Chapek asserted that the step-by-step opening on movie theaters might not be as big of a deal as many suspect given that, as he said, theaters traditionally operate at 25 percent capacity from Monday into early Friday. While true, of course, a big part of the challenge is financial in terms of extending limited capacity into the traditionally busy weekend period.

Sixth, Chapek made clear Disney’s commitment to the “theatrical experience” – in particular when it comes to tentpole movies. At the same time, he added that Disney needed to be “flexible and nimble,” and the Disney+ release option would be decided on a film-by-film basis.

Seventh, when asked about production being halted on movie, Disney+ and television projects, Chapek pointed out that pre-production and post-production were still happening, on that latter point citing Mulan and Black Widow as examples.

Eighth, when asked about pro sports leagues returning, Chapek didn’t comment on specifics, only noting that ESPN was working with leagues and would be ready to bring live sports into people’s homes.

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solution (now available at a deep discount) and the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

Interview with Disney and Entrepreneurship Expert Lou Mongello

In the seventh episode of the PRESS CLUB C Podcast, Ray Keating interviews Lou Mongello - expert on entrepreneurship and all things Disney!

Need some positive stuff right now? Ray did, so he turned to Lou Mongello for an interview about entrepreneurship, opportunity and more, including Disney! Lou and Ray talk about assorted aspects of becoming and being an entrepreneur in tough times and beyond. It’s a positive chat largely focused on opportunity. 

For good measure, Lou and Ray have a bit too much fun talking about Disney, and playing “Tell Me Your Favorites.” To paraphrase what Lou says on his own fabulous WDW Radio Podcast: Sit back, relax, enjoy the conversation, and find out why Lou Mongello has inspired so many.

Disney Family Singalong Volume II Invites You To Be “Part of Their World” on May 10th

by Beth Keating

News 

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 9, 2020

If you enjoyed the first Disney Family Singalong, you weren’t alone. According to Variety, nearly 13 million viewers tuned in to belt their way through the evening with Disney stars including Auli’i Cravalho (Moana; Little Mermaid Live); Luke Evans (live action Beauty and the Beast); Josh Gad (Frozen); and Donny Osmond (Mulan, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat). Michael Bublé, Christina Aguilera, Ariana Grande, Thomas Rhett, and Little Big Town were also among dozens of the night’s performers, singing along with their own families from their living rooms, kitchens and front porches. Oh, and a good number of the wildcats from the High School Musical team showed up, too!

The Disney Family Singalong was the second most viewed show during the week of April 16th. According to Forbes, it topped its Thursday evening showing, enjoying a 2.6 rating in the adult 18-49 demographic, almost double the second ranked show for that night. The singalong posted 10.3 million viewers live, with the live+7 rating at nearly 13 million sets of eyes. And, for good measure, the viewership numbers don’t even include those families who watched the replays on Disney+ over the past two-and-a-half weeks.

The evening was so successful that Disney has choreographed the Disney Family Singalong Volume II.  Set to air on May 10^th (a treat for Moms that evening?), the Singalong will once again be hosted by Ryan Seacrest on ABC at 7 PM EST, and will feature the bouncing Mickey icon so you can sing along (though we’re pretty sure your family already knows most of the words by heart.)  The first Singalong version is still available on Disney+ in case you missed it in its original airing on April 16th.

Singalong Volume II will feature return appearances by Josh Gad, with “When I Am Older” from Frozen 2, and Derek Hough and Julianne Hough, who, with Hayley Erbert, will perform “Step in Time” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins. (Seriously, did they just have those costumes hanging around their house for the first singalong?) 

The sequel event will also include performances by Idina Menzel and Ben Platt (“A Whole New World” from Aladdin); Chloe x Halle and Anika Noni Rose (“Almost There” from The Princess and The Frog); Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Donald Glover and Walter Russell III (“Hakuna Matata” from The Lion King);  Katy Perry (“Baby Mine” from Dumbo); Halsey (“Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid); Rebel Wilson (“Poor Unfortunate Souls” from The Little Mermaid); Miguel and Christina Aguilera (“Remember Me” from Coco); Shakira (“Try Everything” from Zootopia); John Legend and Jennifer Hudson (“Beauty and the Beast” from Beauty and the Beast); Sabrina Carpenter and Lang Lang (“Your Mother and Mine” from Peter Pan); Disney on Broadway stars Merle Dandridge, Heather Headley, Adam Jacobs, Caissie Levy, Kara Lindsay, Kevin Massey, and Josh Strickland (“You’ll Be in My Heart” from Tarzan); and Keke Palmer (“Zero to Hero” from Hercules), with “Dancing with the Stars” performers Lindsay Arnold, Alan Bersten, Witney Carson, Val Chmerkovskiy, Jenna Johnson, Sasha Farber and Emma Slater. The Muppets will also lend a hand to the evening’s festivities. Additional guests continue to be announced.

Along with musical presentations, the event will offer public service announcements for the Feeding America network, helping to make viewers aware of resources in their area.

Settle in with the family for an evening of song, and feel free to dance along if you’d like. Costumes optional. It’s your living room. No one else will know!

Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

Interview with Actor, Author and Disney Expert Chris Lucas on Disney and More!

by Ray Keating

Interview

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 8, 2020

On his PRESS CLUB C Podcast, Ray Keating has the good fortune to interview Chris Lucas, and they talk about several interesting topics, including the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on The Walt Disney Company. 

Chris’s outlook on the theme parks, movies, Disney+, ESPN and more is well-reasoned, well-informed. He makes the case that Disney is likely to handle matters cautiously in coming months. 

Chris also discusses his one-man Walt Disney show, and his book Top Disney: 100 Top Ten Lists of the Best of Disney, From the Man to the Mouse and Beyond. 

In addition, Chris talks about the story of his father, Ed Lucas, a blind Emmy-winning baseball broadcaster, and that Hall-of-Famer Phil Rizzuto became Ed’s mentor, and Ed and Chris working with Derek Jeter and his publishing company.

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solution (now available at a deep discount) and the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

Disney Springs Sets Date to Start Phased Re-Opening

by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 7, 2020

Disney will take a small step forward on May 20 with the start of a phased re-opening of Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida.

As announced on the company’s Disney Parks Blog, “Following the guidance of government and health officials, a limited number of shopping and dining experiences that are owned by third-party operating participants will begin to open during this initial phase.”

It also was noted, “Disney Springs will begin to reopen in a way that incorporates enhanced safety measures, including increased cleaning procedures, the use of appropriate face coverings by both cast members and guests, limited-contact guest services and additional safety training for cast members.”

Disney Springs will have limited capacity, parking and operating hours.

For good measure, there’s nothing in the announcement to suggest that a partial re-opening of the rest of Walt Disney World will soon follow.

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solution (now available at a deep discount) and the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

“Prop Culture” on Disney+ is a Movie-Lover’s Treasure

by Ray Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 7, 2020

Combine movies – even better, some classic motion pictures – with history, and you’ve got me. Toss in a treasure hunt for movie props, meeting some people involved in making those movies, and a likeable and knowledgeable host, and well, how could I resist? And it turns out, Prop Culture on Disney+ is irresistible to the Disney movie lover. 

All eight episodes of Prop Culture dropped on Disney+ on May 1^st. The series host and creator Dan Lanigan is a collector of movie props, and clearly brings his passion to this show. 

In each episode, Lanigan zeroes in on movie props from a particular Disney movie. He travels far and wide in tracking down, saving and/or inspecting assorted props. Lanigan has access to the Disney Archives, and gets in contact with individuals involved with the films, such as directors, actors, Imagineers, and designers. Indeed, as Lanigan has pointed out, the show ultimately is about those people.

It’s clear that Lanigan enjoys what he does, and the viewer is having fun going along for the ride.

The eight episodes cover props from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Mary Poppins, Tron, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Muppet Movie, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Honey, I Shrunk The Kids.

Each episode is a delight, but I particularly enjoyed the ones focused on Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Mary Poppins, The Muppet Movie, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, as I have a soft spot for each film for various reasons.

The emphasis on swords in Pirates was fascinating, and the episode on Who Framed Roger Rabbit reminded me of how much I like that movie and that I’m long overdue for another viewing. As for The Chronicles of Narnia, well, since C.S. Lewis ranks among my favorite authors, it was nice to delve into swords, costumes and see some of the actors today who were children in the movie. I’m of the opinion that The Chronicles of Narnia movie remains underrated.

If you love movies – especially some classic Disney flicks – then binge watch Prop Culture, and hope for a second season.

By the way, tune in to Lou Mongello’s WDW Radio Podcast interview with Dan Lanigan.

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solution (now available at a deep discount) and the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.