Category — Disney Channel

To celebrate the recent release of the soundtrack for the hit show, Phineas and Ferb, Walt Disney Records is giving away a Fender Stratocaster (Squire) with custom hand illustration from the show artists.

Phineas and Ferb is an example of one of the Disney XD channel’s fun shows. My son watches it so I’ve seen some of the episodes. It throws in a little educational material around the edges, but the primary focus is on having fun.

Phineas and Ferb is Disney’s most popular show for boys 6-11 and tweens 9-14. You can check out this youtube vid of one of the show’s most popular songs, “Squirrel in My Pants.”

Enter the contest here.

I grew up watching reruns of the Mickey Mouse Club and the Sunday night Disney Family Movie. Films like the Apple Dumpling Gang, Parent Trap, or My Dog The Thief (who can forget that one) were decidedly bland compared to some of the other offerings of the day. But that was okay, life was pretty bland.

It’s obviously a different world today. Everything is faster paced. Kids grow up faster and pop-stars grow up just as fast. And on screen. Few fit that description better than Miley Cyrus, Disney’s current teen superstar. Her first-ever full-length theatrical movie as Hannah Montana – “Hannah Montana: The Movie” – is available for a limited time only in a Three-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack that includes the film in both Blu-ray and DVD formats, as well as Two-Disc and Single-Disc DVD editions. Both the Blu-ray Combo Pack and Two-Disc DVD include DisneyFile, a digital copy of the movie that can be viewed on an array of electronic devices.

The plot of the movie is actually fairly simple, hearkening back to those Disney films of yore. Being a superstar as well as a normal teenager is getting even more complicated for Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus). Her crazy double life as pop sensation Hannah Montana is taking its toll on the teen and her family. So Miley’s dad, Robby Ray Stewart (Billy Ray Cyrus) decides a visit to the family farm in Tennessee to celebrate Grandma Ruby’s (Margo Martindale) birthday will bring his little girl back down to earth. Far away from the bright lights and the big city, Miley reconnects with childhood friend Travis (Lucas Till).

Their budding romance, along with the love of her family and friends, gives Miley some much-needed perspective on life. But when her pushy publicist (Vanessa Williams) comes calling and a smarmy reporter (Peter Gunn) tries to dig up the dirt on Hannah, Miley is forced to make the hardest decision of her life. Cyrus is joined in the film by her stellar cast mates from the hit Disney Channel series including Emily Osment, Moises Arias, Mitchel Musso, Billy Ray Cyrus and Jason Earles.

In addition, fans will enjoy special appearances by Lucas Till (Walk the Line), Vanessa Williams (”Ugly Betty”), Tyra Banks (”America’s Next Top Model”), Barry Bostwick (”Nancy Drew”), Melora Hardin (17 Again), and hit recording artists Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts.

Even if you’re not a fan of the television series, I think you’ll find Hannah Montana: The Movie a good fit for your Disney DVD Collection. It’s another successful property for The Walt Disney Company.

Follow below the jump for some of the excellent bonus features available:

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If there’s something you can’t miss, it’s the biggest Disney collaboration of its actors/singers, ever. A behind the scenes teaser clip of the new song “Send It On” released August 6 brings together Miley, Demi, Selena, and the Jonas Bros to the same stage – and it’s definitely a stage Disney wants to begin to be recognized on.

“Friends for Change: Project Green” is a social campaign bringing renowned Disney stars to promote one goal, and that is environmental awareness. Other Disney stars involved include Brenda Song, Mitchel Musso, Emily Osment, David Henrie, and Sterling Knight. In this effort to not only reach out to today’s youth but also connect to older generations, Disney is using its star power with purpose. A new site www.disney.com/projectgreen allows individuals and their friends to register and pledge to simply help the environment.

Take it from Joe Jonas: “Turning the lights off when you leave the room and turning off the faucet when you’re finished with it” can be easily done, but often neglected. By turning the world’s attention to the spotlights at Disney, Disney has also brought spotlights to the attention we need to pay to this planet. How can you make a contribution to preserve Earth’s life? Reg & pledge today.

The new song “Send It On” will debut on Radio Disney August 14th, and expect Disney channel viewers to encounter an increased promotion for its ad campaign when the full music video is released.

I’ll admit that as the father of a young boy, the modern Disney starlet doesn’t show up on my radar much. Sure we’ve watched an episode of Hannah Montana or two but we’re just not the target of much of the product coming out of The Disney Channel right now.

So when I saw down to watch Princess Protection Program I didn’t have very high expectations. As I said in my review, I was pleasantly surprised. A large part of that came on behalf of the talent of one Demi Lovato.

Lovato has been tapped as the next big thing for Disney and so far she’s living up to the billing. This week she was profiled by the New York Times, always a sign that your star is on the rise. Any of her fans out there reading this care to share what you see in her?

I sat down to watch my DVR’d version of Disney Channel’s “Princess Protection Program” with my 6 year old son tonight with low expectations of it keeping our attention. But I need not have worried. PPP is a great movie in the classic Disney mold that we both enjoyed watching all the way through. In the 60s or 70s PPP would have been released to theaters, albeit with slightly better actors in the villain role, it is that good.

Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez, the two actors who are asked to carry this film, have both been labeled as Disney’s hope for the future when Miley Cyrus finally moves on to her next thing. Gomez had the more meaty roll and really carried the film, a good sign for future work from her. Lovato definitely had the poise required to be a princess, but lacks the acting chops of Anne Hathaway in the Princess Diaries, but the fact that she compares at all says something.

Once you get past the films main conceit, the existence of, and need for, a Princess Protection Agency, the plot flows naturally from there. The adventure comedy is about two very different girls – a princess from a small kingdom and a small town girl who, when fate brings them together, must team up to help the would-be queen pass for a regular teen. Lots of great lessons are included in the film, but they mostly avoid hitting you over the head with them. Always a bonus.

As is Disney’s habit these days, they’ve already released a DVD with extra features you don’t get on The Disney Channel just 4 days after the movie’s cable debut.

The full press release is below the cut:

Update: I had the actors reversed as to which was the princess Rosie. That’s what I get for writing so late at night. It’s fixed now

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Do you want to know who at the Walt Disney Company is making the decisions that entertain your kids across all the Disney Channel platforms? 47-year old Rich Ross is the man. He’s successfully transformed The Disney Channel into a tween girl magnet and is working on changing Disney XD into the same thing for tween boys. Even if you miss the Disney Channel programming of old, you have to admire his ability to attract eyeballs to the Mouse House’s TV shows.

For more on where Ross is coming from and where he’s taking Disney, read this LA Times profile.

Beginning tomorrow the Walt Disney Company will launch “Disney’s Friends fro Change: Planet Green” a new multiplatform environmental initiative across the Disney Channel, Disney XD, Radio Disney and Disney.com featuring a star-studded lineup of Disney’s young talent pledging environmental stewardship and encouraging other kids to do the same. Along the way kids’ votes will determine how Disney will divide $1 million in donations to green causes.

Disney stars Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers, and Demi Lovato are among the 29 young stars participating in outreach messages as part of the Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green initiative. Young people will join together to help the environment across four key areas: climate, water, waste and habitats. Kids will learn practical ways to preserve the planet, track their collective impact and have the opportunity to vote on how $1 million in donations from Disney will be divided and invested in various environmental causes over the course of a year.

If 500,000 kids participate in Disney Friends for Change: Project Green events, together they can:

• Prevent approximately 100,000 tons of CO2 per year from polluting the air by adjusting their home thermostats.
• Save 5 million gallons of water in a single day by reducing shower times.
• Prevent 1 million pounds of waste from entering landfills by bringing trash-free lunches for a week.
• Create new habitats for local animals by planting 500,000 trees.

“With Disney’s Friends for Change, we’re empowering kids to tap into the potential that lies within each and every one of them to make a difference,” said Bob Iger, president, The Walt Disney Company. “Building on our recently announced environmental goals, this program highlights what is possible as we leverage Disney’s reach to educate and inspire environmental stewardship in others.”

Starting tomorrow visit Disney.com and look for this logo to join Disney’s Friends for Change:

Disney Channel wants to make sure you keep your head in the game when it comes to the High School Musical franchise. They’re rolling out a fourth movie in the series. It will begin production later this year and premiere in 2010.

A Disney Channel release stated that the new musical will feature a new cast of characters and focus on a cross-town school rivalry. I’m sure there will be the requisite angst, choreography, and catchy songs as well.

Looks like the series is returning to the cable channel as well. Number three had its premiere in movie theaters.