[MickeysGirl]

Disney's Beloved Heroines on Track to Achieve $2b in Retail Sales in 2004

BURBANK, Calif., March 31/ In 2000, Disney Consumer Products (NYSE: DIS) brought all of Disney's beloved heroines -- Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Mulan, Pocahontas, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White -- together in a comprehensive collection of fantasy-based girls' entertainment and products called the Disney Princess brand.

"In just three years, the Disney Princess brand has gone from $300 million in global retail sales to $1.3 billion in 2003, making it Disney Consumer Products' fastest growing brand from a revenue perspective," said Andy Mooney, chairman of Disney Consumer Products. "With the support of The Walt Disney Company, the Disney Princess brand will continue to cast its spell on consumers, and we expect it will reach an estimated $2 billion in retail sales in 2004."

Disney's research shows that girls don't want to be just any Princess, they want to be a Disney Princess. A Princess whose personality, dreams, favorites and friends she knows from the stories she loves. And moms embrace the brand because in a time when little girls are maturing at a much faster pace, Disney Princess merchandise lets little girls be little girls longer. The stories behind the Disney Princesses empower girls with virtues of integrity, honor, discovery, friendship and love.

"Starting with Snow White in 1937, the rich storytelling of each of Disney's fairytales has captured the hearts and minds of young girls," said Mooney. "The Disney Princess brand is a natural extension of these timeless stories and characters and enables a girl to become a part of the world of her favorite princess."

Created for girls ages 2 to 8 years of age, Disney will wave its own magic wand over the brand releasing new Disney Princess personal care products, Disney Princess Electronics, theatrical releases, home videos, apparel programs, theme park entertainment, toys, games and a variety of other great products that inspire the imagination.

Following is company-wide information showing the success and the new initiatives behind Disney Princess:

2004
January ~ Party City nearly triples the Disney Princess section, expanding to 16'. Payless expands Disney Princess accessories to all stores.
January ~ Disney Princess pink -- "The fairest of them all" -- remains the No. juvenile paint color in the "Disney Color by Behr" paint program at The Home Depot (has been No. 1 for past 10 months)
January 15 ~ Walt Disney World Resort begins offering Cinderella's Royal Dinner (Grand Floridian) due to overwhelming response to breakfast with Cinderella.
February ~ Sleeping Beauty's Royal Ball at Disneyland Resort
February ~ Disney Princess event on Disney Channel (airing of Pocahontas)
February 17 ~ Christy Carlson Romano from Disney Channel's Even Stevens and Kim Possible debuts as Belle in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway.
February 23 ~ Disneyland Resort debuts Snow White -- An Enchanted Musical.
March/April ~ Disney Princess Magazine's expected to see a 270% increase in circulation for this, the third edition.
April ~ Disney Princess sportswear, sleepwear and underwear, social stationery & accessories debuts at Federated Department stores. First time Disney Princesses will appear on tween apparel line.
May ~ New Disney Princess Electronics debut at Circuit City, Target and Sears.
June ~ Jasmine's Story Telling begins at Magic Kingdom
Summer ~ Disney and Friendly Games, Inc. debuts Disney Princess Checkers
August ~ Expanded Disney Princess product assortment hits Wal Mart store shelves just in time for back-to-school season.
August 11 ~ Princess Diaries II live-action theatrical release.
September ~ Disney and Boom! to introduce Disney Princess personal care products at retail
September ~ Beauty and The Beast on Ice debuts from Disney On Ice
September ~ Buena Vista Home Entertainment launches the Disney Princess Collection on DVD/Video featuring: Disney Princess Sing Along Songs: Once Upon A Dream, Disney Princess Stories and Disney's Princess Party. More titles to come during three releases in 2005.
September ~ Debut of "Disney Princess Anthem"
September ~ Exclusive Disney Princess items and promotional offer available at Toys "R" Us
Fall ~ Disney and Friendly Games, Inc. debuts Disney Princess Dominoes
October ~ Academy Award(R)-winning Aladdin released on DVD for first time
October ~ Mulan Special Edition DVD/VHS released
October ~ Aladdin Platinum DVD/Video re-release
November ~ Disney Princess event on Disney Channel (airing of Mulan)
Holiday ~ Princess Diaries II DVD/Video release

Ongoing Support
* The Disney Princess brand features 25,000 merchandise skus and 300 licensees globally
* "Princess Palace" on http://www.disney.com
* $2.6 billion in worldwide box office revenue for Disney Princess animated films.
* Disney Princess films remain four of the top five direct-to-video premieres of all time, from any company. More than 150 million videos sold worldwide.
* Disney Princess Power Hour. This television entertainment -- Aladdin and The Little Mermaid -- airs 15 times per week with potential to reach 40 million on Toon Disney.
* Disney Princess parades, character visits, character breakfasts and live entertainment are a mainstay at all parks and resorts.
* Disney On Ice presents Princess Classics is a five-year global tour. More than 2.5 million guests are expected to attend each year.
* Radio programming on Radio Disney
* Beauty and the Beast on Broadway -- more than 21 million guests have attended in both the UK and U.S.

Marketing
All of these efforts will also be backed by approximately $100 million in cross-divisional media spend, marketing support and unparalleled synergy that only The Walt Disney Company has perfected.

In total, girls have access to 2 billion hours of immersion into the
Disney experience through theatrical releases, home videos, television, theme parks, consumer products, websites, radio and live entertainment.

In conclusion, it's easy to see how the Disney Princess brand touches every aspect of girls' lives and inspires them to dream.

About Disney Consumer Products
Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the division of The Walt Disney Company that extends the Disney brand to merchandise ranging from apparel, toys, home dicor and books to interactive games, food and beverages, electronics and fine art. This is accomplished through the work of the division's various lines of business: Disney Toys, Disney Softlines, Disney Hardlines, Disney Publishing, Buena Vista Games and Baby Einstein. The Disney Store also falls under DCP and carries mostly exclusive, non-licensed merchandise.

Forward Looking Statements
Management believes certain statements in this earnings release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding future sales. These statements are made on the basis of management's views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the time the statements are made and management does not undertake any obligation to update these statements. There can be no assurance that actual results will be the same as those implied by the forward looking statements included in this release and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences may result from actions taken by the Company, as well as from developments beyond the Company's control, including international, political, health concern and military developments that may affect the consumer products businesses generally and changes in domestic and global economic conditions that may, among other things, affect the demand for consumer products. Changes in domestic competitive conditions may also affect performance of all significant company businesses. Additional factors are set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2003 under the heading "Factors that may affect forward-looking
statements."

For further information, please contact: Gary Foster or Maria Gladowski, both of Disney Consumer Products, +1-818-567-5730.

3/31/04
Source: PRNewswire

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[netenyahoo]

I have contributed heavily to this increase as DD has grown, so Disney can thank me by lowering prices.

[MickeysGirl]

Yeah that'll happen.
More likely, they will encourage you to have another child.

[netenyahoo]

But if we have a boy - no princesses, but then there is Buzz Lightyear...

[MickeysGirl]

Or many other characters from which to choose!

[iluvstitch]

I have loved the princess since I was three, and even if they're a marketing ploy like I know they are, they are somehow irrisistable! I have half of the Disney Princess (boy do we need an abrev for that one) keychains, as well as the Disney Electronic (DE) alarm clock & a Princess DE Phone. And I bet if I were to go back over my entire lifetime of what my family has invested in my royl intrests, I imagine the total would amount to a number slightly higher than the staggering total of my Beanie Babie obsession of the 90s (please understand... I have around 220 of the little guys ). I like the Disney Princess & will probally continue to philander my cash on more princess products.... and hey, it's better than barbie!

[MickeysGirl]

lol! iluvstitch I understand entirely, even though I do not collect the Princesses myself recently I realized that I had an entire page of "Princess pins"
There is something so magical about seeing a "live" Princess at Disneyland.
There is a hush that falls over those in the surrounding area whenever a Princess appears!

[Tinkerbell5]

The Princesses encompases everything a little girl aspires to be. I'm 24 and still entranced by them!

[muchie]

I know I have contributed a lot to the increase. My daughter loves the princesses and anything that is Snow White.

[netenyahoo]

My daughter switches every couple months on which princess is her favorite. For the last few months it has been Aurora. She is so excited to go eat with the princesses on out trip.

[MickeysGirl]

The makeup of the face characters is incredible. Between that & the costumes, the total illusion is complete, you are inside a storybook!

[tinkerbell81284]

I know I've helped with the sales increase this year. I've already bought 3 of the posters in the past 3 months, watched and bought numerous movies and still continue to go to the theme parks! And I have a feeling I'll be buying more next week when I go to WDW's MK for Easter!

[wanditapa13]

My daughter is still too young to be into the princesses. She is much more into Mickey Mouse, Minnie and the Lion King characters. I can't wait until she falls in love with them and is able to tell me which is her favorite. I see it all now...princess bedding, underwear, room decor, costumes, posters, dolls and so on. It really is very cute.
Wanda

[Jesserin]

Personally I would like to see Woody and Buzz double date with Snow White and Ariel. (you know snow white's kind a woodsie gal, she'd be great for woody - and then ariel and buzz could probably connect in some sort of space/ocean dream) OK, I've had way too much coffee this morning! Sorry.

Anyway - I love the princess T's - my hubby likes to tease me - he even wore one into the MK in Dec. - (yes he is straight) just very comfortable in his manhood - I wore his Buzz T and he wore my "Princess's Rule" T

hehehe

[wanditapa13]

Jesserin~I don't think my husband will wear a Princess shirt but you did give me a great idea. I should buy Disney t-shirts at the Disney Store and have all of us,including dh, wear them on the plane trip to Disney. Do you think that is toooo obvious ? heeheehee!!

Wanda