INSIDE THIS MONTH ...

New at Disney-MGM Studios: JoJo and Goliath, fresh-roasted coffee, and café-sized" portions of world-famous Cobb salad

$ure cure for the $ummertime blue$: $pecial $aving$ on Disney golf

'Togethering' at Disney: The trend is growing

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The Laughs Are Still Fresh as "Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue" Celebrates 30 Years and More Than 28,000 Performances

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- How time flies when you're leaving 'em laughing in their spare ribs and fried chicken: Disney's "Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue" dinner show celebrates a milestone 30th anniversary on June 14.

The Pioneer Hall Players -- an ever-changing cast of singers, dancers and musicians with a passion for whimsy -- will mark the occasion as they have in more than 28,000 performances: with guffaws as fresh (and silly) as they were when Disney entertainment gurus created "Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue" as a college workshop program in summer 1974.

When summer ended, the show did not. On Sept. 5, 1974, a professional troupe of Disney entertainers continued the roles of Six Bits (and his bear jokes), the darlings Dolly and Flora and giggling Clair, and Johnny and Jim Handy.

The rest is hysteria. Mass hysteria, in fact -- an audience during 30 years in excess of 8 million people laughing and chowing down at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground.

Seatings are at 5, 7:15 and 9:30 p.m. daily in rustic Pioneer Hall -- where all 360 seats are routinely filled with vacationers for the first two shows. (Even the late show frequently has a big audience -- folks who enjoy a late-evening repast of salad, fresh baked bread, smoked BBQ spare ribs, fried chicken, corn and baked beans -- all topped off by a memorable act that involves the cast delivering strawberry shortcake.)

The dinner show, including tax and gratuity, costs $49.01 for ages 12-up and $24.81 for ages 3-11. Reservations, which are required, can be arranged by calling 407/WDW-DINE.

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Disney Channel Series Stars JoJo & Goliath
Join Disney-MGM Studios Family

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Two of the preschool crowd's biggest stars have joined the Disney-MGM Studios family of stars as JoJo and Goliath -- the popular pair that headline the hit Disney Channel series "JoJo's Circus" -- now appear daily in "Disney Stars and Motor Cars" parade.

On the show, JoJo, a six-year-old clown girl who sports a blue beret and bright red locks, joins her 'toon-proportioned pet lion, Goliath, in a variety of "do-along" movement activities, encouraging young viewers to join in the fun along the way.

Set in JoJo's hometown of Circus Town, the stop-motion animation series became an instant hit when it debuted on the Disney Channel in the "Playhouse Disney" block of programming in late 2003.

In summer 2004, the pair also will begin making meet-and-greet appearances in the theme park.

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'Disney Bear' Makes Meet-and-Greet Debut
at Walt Disney World Resort Toy Store

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Like a storybook springing to life, a new Disney character -- the popular "Disney Bear" -- now makes meet-and-greet appearances at Once Upon a Toy, the Downtown Disney Marketplace toy shop that sells his plush likeness.

The huggable bear with Mickey Mouse-shaped markings on his furry face and paws makes surprise appearances inside the 16,000-square-foot toy store, posing for photographs and greeting young guests. In June, appearances will take place on Wednesday through Saturday evenings between 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

With Disney Bear's debut at Once Upon a Toy, he joins a select cast of Disney characters who are featured in meet-and-greet appearances but have not appeared in a Disney animated feature film or short subject.

The Disney Bear plush toy made its debut at the grand opening of Once Upon a Toy in July 2002. Since that time, the toys have grown in popularity and expanded to a line that now includes a large variety of colors, sizes and styles -- from the traditional brown and tan teddy bears to a bright pink Disney Bear and a "My First Disney Bear" for pint-sized guests. Key chains, pencils and other accessories also feature his now-familiar face.

As Disney legend has it, the lovable plush is Mickey Mouse's very own teddy bear and received his signature markings after a magical sprinkling of pixie dust from Tinker Bell.

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Cobb Salad, Handcrafted Chocolates Add to Menu
at Starring Rolls Café

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- A new "star" was recently born at Disney-MGM Studios when the quick-service nook known for years as Starring Rolls Bakery re-opened with a new look, an expanded menu and a new name to reflect the additional offerings.

Starring Rolls Café features sandwiches and salads plus pastries, desserts, gourmet chocolates and a house-blend coffee that is roasted on-site. House-made sandwiches -- including roast tenderloin, turkey on focaccia, vegetarian on flatbread and smoked salmon on a bagel -- are offered along with the signature salad of The Brown Derby restaurant at Disney-MGM Studios, the world-famous Cobb salad.

The Cobb salad, a mouth-watering blend of chopped lettuce, watercress, bacon, chicken, cheese, egg, avocado and more, is the most popular salad ordered by guests anywhere at Walt Disney World Resort. Chefs at the adjacent Brown Derby restaurant hand-prepare the Cobbs, which are served in a smaller portion size at the new Starring Rolls Café.

Pastry Chef Isaac Tamada, who also served on the opening team at Kona Café at Disney's Polynesian Resort, has created a palette of handmade and handcrafted chocolates, pastries and "mini-desserts" such as tiramisu and flourless chocolate cake.

Menu items vary in price from $.99 (mini-pastries) to $8.99 (tenderloin sandwich platter).

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ESPN Golf Schools to Debut Junior Golf Academy
at Walt Disney World Resort

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- ESPN Golf Schools Presented by Lexus, a leader in instructional programs for golfers and corporations, will debut the Junior Golf Academy at the Magnolia and Palm golf courses at Walt Disney World Resort this summer. The seven-day academy -- weekly sessions June 20 through Aug. 15 -- will feature comprehensive four-day instruction and three days at the Disney theme parks. The academy is designed for golfers ages 9-17. Tuition includes both instruction and accommodations at Disney's All-Star Sports Resort.

ESPN Golf Schools launched January 2003 with three-day resort schools and one-day touring schools for adults and for juniors at premier golf courses and facilities nationwide. ESPN Golf Schools are led by a newly created team of top instructors, including Hank Haney, Mike McGetrick, Jackie Gallagher-Smith and Dr. Rick Jensen.

For additional information, log on to www.espngolfschools.com.

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Disney Golf Plans Series of Weeklong Day Camps For Juniors

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- A series of five-day junior golf camps for youngsters (ages 8 to 15) will be presented by Walt Disney World Golf this summer. Each week is filled with instruction from members of Disney's PGA Teaching Staff. Lessons will focus on rules, safety and etiquette and will include swing drills, skills competitions and general play on Disney's Oak Trail course.

The first Monday-to-Friday camp will be May 31-June 4. Other sessions: June 7-11 and June 14-18. The camps are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The weeklong program costs $275. To reserve a spot or obtain additional information, guests may call 407/938-3435 or visit disneyworldsports.com/golf.

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Disney's Popular 'Summer Price Slice' Returns

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Summer Price Slice is back with special-value greens fees on tee times after 10 a.m. daily through Sept. 30 on Disney's five championship courses.

Golfers can test the premier Osprey Ridge course after 10 a.m. for $65 (compared to a normal seasonal greens fee of $119) or Eagle Pines for $50 (compared to a normal seasonal fee of $109). Post-10 a.m. rounds on the Magnolia, Palm or Lake Buena Vista courses are $45 (compared to a normal seasonal fee of $99). Cart is included.

Disney's Summer Price Slice also gives golfers the opportunity to play afternoon rounds late into the day. Golfers can take on Osprey Ridge after 3 p.m. for $35 ($30 after 5 p.m.). Eagle Pines, Magnolia, Palm, Lake Buena Vista start at $30 after 3 p.m. ($25 after 5 p.m.).

For tee times, guests may call 407/WDW-GOLF. For information on the Walt Disney World Resort golf courses, visit: disneyworldsports.com/golf.

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Magical Gatherings at Six Months:
Disney's New Way to Vacation Is Winning Fans

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- What launched six months ago as a new way for friends and family to vacation as a group at Walt Disney World Resort is winning fans -- and making memories to last a lifetime. Magical Gatherings is gathering steam.

And it validates the hot travel trend of "togethering," the growing tendency of leisure travelers to vacation as multi-household groups. Whether with friends or neighbors, classmates or cousins, more travelers are extending the family vacation beyond the immediate family.

In fact, momentum for this type of vacation is shifting into high gear, according to the results of a national survey conducted in January by Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell, a marketing communications firm that specializes in the travel industry. According to Peter Yesawich, whose firm co-authors the widely quoted National Travel Monitor, "69 percent of leisure travelers are now 'very/extremely interested' in 'togethering' on vacation with family, extended family or friends during the next two years. And 42 percent of them identify Walt Disney World Resort as the destination they would like to visit -- the top U.S. mainland destination for survey respondents."

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"it's a small world" Closed For a BIG Refurbishment

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- "it's a small world" in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort is getting an "extreme makeover" -- the first top-to-bottom overhaul of the hugely popular Fantasyland attraction since it opened in 1971. The refurbishment by Walt Disney Imagineering will keep the attraction closed until spring 2005.

When "it's a small world" reopens, some of the features will be:

state-of-the-art digital sound capturing the original stereo soundtrack guests heard in 1964 when the attraction was a hit at the World's Fair in New York;

refurbished characters and sets indoors;

a redesigned entrance area featuring enhanced accessibility and more stroller parking.