Disney Online (DOL), a division within WDIG, is responsible for developing magical experiences on Disney.com where kids and their parents connect with the Disney brand to play, learn, and explore. Currently, there are 45 Disney branded Web sites around the globe. DOL works closely with all of the strategic business units of TWDC to deploy and integrate world-class Internet sites that expand the distribution channels of each individual business unit, linking them as a whole in a cross-promotional home on the Internet.
In February 2007, WDIG launched a new version of Disney.com. Already the number one online entertainment destination for kids and parents, the new site includes exciting features for Disney fans of all ages. In addition to being the online gateway to all things Disney, the site uses the latest technologies, bringing together community, self-expression, personalization, and a vast array of compelling content to create a truly unique experience online. A key broadband feature of the site is Disney Xtreme Digitalsm, or Disney XD for short, which offers a totally customizable entertainment and social networking experience specifically designed for how kids want to use the Internet.
In March 2007, WDIG also launched the beta version of Disney Family.com (www.family.com), a new site that blends content, search and community elements to provide parents with an easy to use, one-stop “best of the Web” resource of family relevant information on topics ranging from education, food and parenting, to travel, entertainment and shopping. Content includes a diverse range of original and aggregated content from a variety of reliable resources, as well as opinion pieces from parenting bloggers. Users also can search for answers to everyday parenting questions using the site’s search tools, including the Disney Family 1,000, a collection of useful sites rated and recommended by parents – from high-profile to hidden gem Web sites. And community features are woven throughout the site, allowing moms to connect with others with shared parenting experiences. Users can create profiles, comment on and rate articles, recommend Web sites, and, starting this summer, contribute to the ParentPedia, a family wiki of parenting topics that combines expert advice with everyday parents’ advice to provide practical information for daily life.
WDIG also produces FamilyFun.com (www.familyfun.com), the premier online family resource for creative solutions, Wondertime.com (www.wondertime.com), dedicated to helping parents nurture their children’s love of learning, and Movies.com (www.movies.com), a leading site for movie fans that provides a broad array of news, original content and services.
As part of one of the world’s leading family entertainment companies, WDIG leverages libraries of online and offline assets to create premium broadband content that truly realizes the promise of online entertainment. WDIG is committed to developing and delivering products for broadband distribution and to working with service providers to help drive demand for broadband services. High-quality, recognizable content can help broadband providers demonstrate the benefits of broadband by providing a comfortable first-look for mass market consumers.
Currently the suite of premium broadband products includes:
* ABC News Now — ABC News Now is a 24-hour news and information channel that delivers live breaking news, headlines every half hour and over 25 original news, lifestyle and entertainment programs such as “Politics Live,” “What’s the Buzz” and “Money Matters.” Currently, ABC News Now is available on digital cable as part of Verizon’s FiOS expanded basic package, and to over 25 million Internet homes through an ABCNEWS.com subscription, as well as through Comcast.net, SBC Yahoo! DSL, Bell South DSL, and Verizon FiOS customers. ABC News Now provides extensive video on demand programming from all ABC News programs including “Good Morning America,” “Nightline,” and “World News Tonight.” ABC News Now is available across multiple platforms, including cable, satellite, broadband, IPTV, and wireless.
* ESPN360 — ESPN360, which relaunched in Jan. 2005 (ESPN Broadband, the precursor to ESPN360, launched in 2001) is available in more than 15 million homes to fans who receive their high-speed Internet access via ESPN affiliated providers. In 2006, the service delivered more than 200 live sporting events – including 2006 FIFA World Cup soccer, college football and basketball, IRL racing, collegiate wrestling and baseball, UEFA Champions league soccer, Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and more. The service also brings sports fans distinctive views of events such as in-car cameras for Indy Car races and driving range practice sessions from the U.S. Open, and features on-demand access to full episodes of popular ESPN programming such as “PTI” (Pardon the Interruption), the World Series of Poker and The Contender. Sports fans also can get extended interviews, expert commentary, award-winning “This is SportsCenter” advertisements, coverage and much more.
* Pirates of the Caribbean Online — Set to launch with the third Pirates of the Caribbean film, Pirates of the Caribbean Online (www.piratesonline.com) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game based on the popular theme park attraction and movie franchise. Online players can create their own pirate character and live the life of a pirate alongside Jack Sparrow, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann.
* Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online — The critically acclaimed Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online (www.preschooltime.com) is a subscription-based broadband Internet service for preschool-aged children. The service was developed with education experts and features popular characters from Disney Channel’s Playhouse Disney programming block, offering fun learning activities in a safe, ad-free and personalized environment.
* Disney’s Toontown Online — Disney’s Toontown Online (www.toontown.com) is the first massively multiplayer online game created specifically for kids and families. In 2004, the first international version of Toontown Online launched in Japan via FLET’s provided by NTT East and NTT West, and is now available in France, Mexico, the UK and Southeast Asia, including in Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia.
* Disney’s Game Kingdom Online — The new Disney’s Game Kingdom Online (www.gamekingdom.com) is the “coolest” online destination where kids can create their own amazing world. The subscription-based site offers access to high quality downloadable games and allows subscribers to adopt pets, decorate a house and more.
* Disney Connection — Disney Connection, a broadband entertainment portal for families, is available through many of the most significant high speed Internet providers in the U.S. and offers exclusive access to premium content, including television episodes and online games. Additionally, Disney Connection recently launched personalized content offerings for a broad audience, including kids and families. DisneyBB on FLET’S, the first local-market implement of this product, launched in Japan for the 10.8 million users of FLET’S, a high-quality broadband access service provided by NTT East and NTT West. The DisneyBB service includes video, rich graphics and music from many of the different divisions of The Walt Disney Company. This service also is available in Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Argentina and Australia.
* DIG Motion — DIG Motion, a proprietary, patent-pending Internet technology that allows high-quality video to be integrated into a Web page is currently used by millions of people each day across Disney.com, ESPN.com, FamilyFun.com and Movies.com. On ESPN.com alone, fans view sports-related videos tens of millions of times each week and monthly usage of video tripled in 2006.
In May 2006, WDIG announced an agreement with Shanda Interactive Entertainment to develop and distribute a Disney-branded online casual game in China. The game is scheduled to be available in 2007.
