A couple of weeks ago, Hurricane Ian tore through Central Florida, and Disney VoluntEARS were right there to help families both during and in the aftermath. Riding Out the Storm Many Walt Disney World cast members volunteered to ride out the storm at the resorts,… Read More »Disney VoluntEARS Help Central Florida after Hurricane Ian
The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) has a big philanthropic presence, and this week Disneyland and Walt Disney World announced significant donations to local community food banks to support families in need. Disneyland Resort This week Disneyland Resort announced a donation of $5,000 to the Community… Read More »Disney Surprises Local Community Food Banks in Anaheim and Orlando with Huge Donations
The Walt Disney Company has announced the Disney Movie Moments program that provides children’s hospitals with special access to new movie titles from The Walt Disney Studios is expanding to include nearly 100 additional hospitals. What is the Disney Movie Moments Program? Disney Movie Moments… Read More »Disney Movie Moments Program Expands to Additional Children’s Hospitals
In 1964, the newly-built Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles was opened to much fanfare. It was the city’s crowning achievement, having lacked a modern concert hall for many years. Walt and Lillian Disney donated a wad of money to the project and were to be given a personal tour of the hall prior to dedication. I was the PR person for the park’s new “ambassador”, Miss Disneyland, and as such escorted her to the pre-dedication event. There was a bevy of Music Center execs there, along with the press, to greet Walt and Lillian and the photogenic Miss Disneyland.
The music director at the time was the young, Indian conductor Zubin Mehta. He was known for his fiery passion and diva-like temperament. Only 26 years old at the time, he was already considered a musical boy genius. To complete the picture, he usually dressed all in black. That, together with his swarthy dark complexion, made quite an impressive and dramatic presentation.Read More »The Park – Walt and Lillian’s Musical Legacy
Last week Abigail Disney, Walt’s grandniece, published an opinion piece in the USA Today. The subject was the status of the Estate Tax, she’s for it. …the estate tax is an expression of our deepest American values: that we live in a meritocracy, not an… Read More »Abigail Disney speaks out on the Estate Tax, she’s for it
If you’re not in the right circles you could go years without reading about Walt’s grandniece Abigail Disney. But if you’re in the social justice, philanthropy and documentary world, then Disney has really made her mark. Forbes magazine has a great interview and video with… Read More »Abigail Disney profiled by Forbes
Had a hard time crafting a headline for this one, after all when the story lede is “Walt Disney’s Grandniece loses millions in Real Estate“, it’s difficult to stay away from the sensational. The truth is Abigail Disney is just as affected by the lousy… Read More »Philanthropist Abigail Disney deals by economy