Star Wars' The Mandalorian now the world’s top TV show as a petition starts for Disney to launch its Disney+ streaming service in South Africa.

by Thinus Ferreira

The new top TV show in the world is one South Africans can't see but that thousands of people across Africa are now pirate viewing - with a petition that has been created for Disney to please make its Disney+ streaming service available in the country so that consumers can watch Star Wars' The Mandalorian.

Just three weeks after Disney+ launched as the new global streaming service of The Walt Disney Company, The Mandalorian - the first live-action Star Wars TV drama series - is the new top television series according to market research from Parrot Analytics. 

The new show is more buzzed-about and sought-after than Netflix's Stranger Things.

With a fascinating new story and new characters - including an utterly adorable "Baby Yoda" whose unknown origins is part of a new mystery - The Mandalorian quickly surged to become the most sought-after TV show in the United States as well as in the rest of the world. 

According to Parrot Analytics' tracking The Mandalorian is 31.9 times more in demand than the average of the other most popular series until now which include HBO's Game of Thrones and Chernobyl and Netflix's Stranger Things and The Crown. 

On the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes The Mandalorian is rated 95% "fresh" on the average audience score. At a cost of $100 million that Disney sunk into the production it's the most expensive TV show made yet.

Meanwhile thousands of frantic consumers in South Africa and across Africa have resorted to illegal means of pirate viewing new Disney+ content like The Mandalorian, High School Musical - The Series and other shows since Disney+ decided not to make its streaming service available anywhere on the continent.

Disney+ launched with 500 films and 7 500 episodes of various TV series, including new original Disney+ content. Disney chose not to make any of its new content like The Mandalorian available through its international distribution network to any pay-TV operators like M-Net or MultiChoice's DStv.

After launching since 12 November in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia and Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Germany and Italy will get Disney+ by the end of March 2020.

While South African consumers and viewers in sub-Saharan Africa are missing out with no definite launch date, a Disney+ boss has now been appointed for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, which bodes well for a potential future launch.

While its content is being pirated across the continent The Walt Disney Company Africa has no possible launch date to share for South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa and says in a statement that "All Disney+ originals are exclusive to the Disney+ service. At this point, we have no news regarding this service launch in Africa".


Disney+ petition started
On Wednesday the South African Aidan Welman started a "Get Disney+ in South Africa" online petition, imploring Disney to bring it streaming service to the country and others, with the petition already amassing signatures.

"Imagine my disappointment when I saw and still see all over social media the 'memes', pictures and videos of people enjoying every bit of Disney+ and me not being able to download the streaming service, PAY for it and use it," says Aidan Welman.

"Spoilers are being posted everywhere and Baby Yoda is the most trending fictional character at the moment. There is a huge market in South Africa and in many other countries where Disney+ is not set to be released in more than two years if at all, for Disney, and I believe that there will be great benefit in releasing it to South Africa and many other countries."

"Netflix was a great success when it was first released in South Africa, there’s not a person I know that doesn’t have the streaming platform. I’m concentrating more on South Africa because I’m from there, we just really want Disney+ to be made available for your loyal South African fans."

"Believe it or not, there are thousands upon thousands of us here. Go have a look at box office sales for all the Marvel movies in South Africa, I’m pretty sure it should give an idea of how many Disney fans there really are," Aidan Welman writes in his petition.

Walt Disney Company Africa not involved with and had no prior knowledge of the shocking Winter in Disneyland Polokwane sham show; is investigating the trash-bad brand theft done dressed in Chinese shop onesies.

The Walt Disney Company on Monday told TVwithThinus it's not involved with and had no prior knowledge of the shocking Winter in Disneyland Polokwane sham show in South Africa that took place this weekend and that the company is investigating the disgusting Disney brand theft.

Shock turned into outrage as children and parents who've paid R250 stared in disbelief on stage at a botched Mickey Mouse, a lethargic, yellow front-zipped Winnie the Pooh, and an orange awfulness looking like a Tigger rip-off, dressed in what looked like Chinese shop-bought onesies and badly dancing to house music.

TicketPro sold tickets ranging from R50 to R250, promising "Winter in Disneyland Polokwane" while paid visitors got trash-bad performances to inappropriate music on a barely-there stage, like a Chinese-in-Africa mimicking Disney event.

While people wanted and paid for Disney, they got trash, as well as organisers hiding in a room without wanting to face paid customers who wanted to know what is going on. TicketPro had no statement on Monday.

The Walt Disney Company Africa on Monday told TVwithThinus that "Disney Africa confirms that this event was neither run nor sanctioned by The Walt Disney Company Africa." Disney said it's currently investigating.

Here it is us pic.twitter.com/P42Z8KVBRc

— SG❄️🏳️‍🌈🇿🇦 (@Seago_SG) August 4, 2019

So Disney is here in polokwane n this is what we got. R80 adult R50 child.
What an immature event.
So disappointing 😥😥😥 pic.twitter.com/8XeAl4V6VQ

— sabina (@BontleWaMatsie) August 3, 2019

#disneypolokwane the organizer couldn't even explain herself, guys I want to know the company that was responsible they must be named and shamed such failure is unacceptable pic.twitter.com/XZ3lmAnGGo

— Motheo (@Motheo61626652) August 5, 2019

Organizers don't want to come out pic.twitter.com/FEIXVD1KML

— Legodi Tiego (@LTiego) August 3, 2019

Disney Africa to celebrate Mickey Mouse's 90th birthday in November in South Africa with exhibition of statues customised by local artists, Mickey's 90th Spectacular TV special on M-Net.

The Walt Disney Company SA will celebrate the 90th birthday of Mickey Mouse on 18 November in South Africa with a nationwide exhibition of 10 localised Mickey Mouse statuettes by local artists, as well the American TV special, Mickey's 90th Spectacular, that will be broadcast on M-Net (DStv 101).

18 November marks 90 years since the first appearance of Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie in November 1928 with a series of worldwide celebrations that will also include South Africa to mark the 9 decades of the Mouse House's most iconic character.

Disney will broadcast special programming Mickey Mouse's birthday on 18 November across its set of Disney channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform and in the days leading up to it on the Disney Channel (DStv 303), Disney XD (DStv 304) and Disney Junior (DStv 309).

Disney currently has the Mickey Mouse cartoon series on the Disney Channel and Mickey and the Roadster Racers on Disney Junior.

The 20-hour American TV special, Mickey's 90th Spectacular that will be broadcast in the United States on 4 November, will also be shown later this year on M-Net (DStv 101) with the special to celebrate the character's 90-year history that will be filled with star-studded musical performances, tributes and never-before-seen short films.

In a local design project, Disney Africa asked 10 South African artists to apply their own inspiration and artistic interpretation to 182 centimetre high Mickey Mouse statues.

These 10 statuettes, once revealed to the public as part of Disney Africa's "Mickey the True Original South African Exhibition, will form part of a nationwide exhibition that will be at Sandton City centre court (28 September - 14 October) in Johannesburg, the Gateway Theatre of Shopping's Expo explore court (19 October - 11 October) in Durban, and the Canal Walk's centre court (16 - 26 November) in Cape Town.

In Edgars Disney will have a new special collection of fashion, accessories and footwear for families, inspired by Mickey Mouse.

"Binding generations together more than any other animated character, Mickey Mouse is the true original who reminds people of all ages of the benefits of laughter, optimism and hope," says Christine Service, the senior vice president and country manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa.

"With his universal appeal and ability to emotionally connect with generations all over the world, no other character quite occupies a similar space in the hearts and minds of a global fan base and we are thrilled to be sharing these local festivities."

Disney says South African fans can share their Mickey Mouse moments on social media during November with the hashtag #Mickey90Africa.

How Disney South Africa failed to do due diligence with Disney Channel's Descendants 2 on DStv as far as communicating with the media went.

As far as South African TV critics and several journalists covering television are concerned, Disney South Africa messed up last week with its haphazardly executed media plan for Descendants 2, the first Disney Channel (DStv 303) made-for-TV movie for which The Walt Disney Company SA brought American stars to South Africa.

Disney South Africa's PR and media management didn't bother to tell TV critics, journalists and publications outside of Johannesburg that the Descendants 2 stars Dove Cameron, Cameron Boyce and Thomas Doherty would be flying to South Africa for a "red carpet cinema premiere".

Yet after a MultiChoice City headquarters visit at DStv that wasn't communicated as a basic media advisory either, and an evening Montecasino film premiere last week, Disney South Africa late on the Tuesday night bizarrely sent out just images of the stars posing in front of Disney's step-and-repeat Descendants 2 banner.

This was the very first time that multiple members of the Press Covering Television realised that not only were Descendants 2 stars for The Disney Channel actually in South Africa, but that they were in South Africa - past tense, and meaning opportunities to unlock mutual value, coverage and stories lost.

It was only late on Tuesday night long after the premiere banners were packed up that a lot of media realised that Disney South Africa did nothing to offer any interviews, more information, and in this instance couldn't be bothered to alert press about the talent visit that happened.

Then, presumably, Disney SA wanted TV critics and journalists to not just like, but to cover Descendants 2 and feel good about it.

"Good luck with that," snarked a longtime TV writer not based in Johannesburg on Whatsapp to me late last Tuesday.

"Didn't know, don't care," responded another newspaper TV critic when TVwithThinus reached out to ask several if they even knew beforehand that Disney would be bringing Descendants 2 stars for a media event.

It's not just media based outside of Johannesburg. At least two Johannesburg journalists working at newspapers and magazines covering television in South Africa this week told TVwithThinus they also didn't know. "Just bad," was one's response.

Why it matters and why it's striking, is that it marks the very first time that American Disney teen stars for a Disney Channel made-for-TV movie ever came to South Africa.

For Disney Channel it should be a very big deal but how it failed to communicate it and in the way it deliberately decided not to liaise and alert the media, it doesn't come across as if Descendants 2 and actual press coverage was a priority for Disney SA.

Disney acted like the Facebook friend having a birthday who can't be bothered to invite or just tell and warn, and then out of the blue shares photos afterward with "friends" who discover there was a party - but end up struggling to understand why they matter for that and how real the friendship is.

Even more ironic is when Disney South Africa's terrible Descendants 2 fail is compared with what M-Net for instance did in the same week.

Actress Kim Engelbrecht currently in the 4th season of The Flash jetted to South Africa last week and on Thursday M-Net also had media at an event similar to what Disney did at MultiChoice City where she did a media appearance (and interviews).

However, M-Net also very professionally organised phoner interviews with media across South Africa and alerted the national press covering television days beforehand that it would be happening and asked who wanted to partake, what media wanted, and scheduled it.

What makes Disney's bad The Descendants 2 "bubble world approach" so odd is that Disney South Africa is much, much better than this when it comes to letting the media know what is going on and what Disney is busy with.

Disney South Africa is usually very good at how it communicates, updates the media and primes the press about upcoming television, films and other roll-outs, but with Descendants 2 and the overseas talent making an appearance, it weirdly failed to communicate that it's happening - let alone trying to secure wider press coverage to try and get more viewer to actually tune in and watch.

I asked Disney what happened and Disney South Africa responded that the amount of time with the talent in South Africa was very limited.

That sadly doesn't explain why Disney SA couldn't just communicate that ahead of time - or in fact communicate anything about Descendants 2 that would have helped to manage expectations, to maintain existing public relations with media and to keep the press at the bare minimum, informed.

Disney also explained that it doesn't issue national communication regarding a talent tour until the talent are in the country, which was Tuesday.

At this point to give any more coverage to Descendants 2 or to tell about it would be giving the Disney film that The New York Times described as "colourful tuneful fluff" more exposure than what it or Disney South Africa deserves for this.

Apparently only kids in Johannesburg watch The Disney Channel on DStv, and apparently only Johannesburg media matter.

For Disney SA, the media that it works with wasn't good enough to know, respected enough to be involved, or valued enough to even be told about Descendants 2 beforehand. Yet they were considered good enough to be sent photos and captions for publication afterwards.

No word yet from Disney on whether there will be a Descendants 3 film on The Disney Channel.

If there is, and if some cast members were to visit South Africa, be assured that if you're media you will most likely be told on that day, and only if you're in Johannesburg.

MultiChoice and Walt Disney opening up The Disney Channel for a month from 5 September to DStv Extra, DStv Compact subscribers for channel's 10th anniversary.

MultiChoice and The Walt Disney Company are opening The Disney Channel (DStv 303) on DStv for all DStv Extra and DStv Compact subscribers for a month in September to market the brand and celebrate the channel's 10th anniversary in South Africa.

MultiChoice added The Disney Channel on 25 September 2006 to DStv in South Africa. The premium mouse ears channel that's for DStv Premium subscribers will be opened for DStv Extra and DStv Compact subscribers from 5 September to 10 October to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Among the content that DStv subscribers will be able to watch are Disney Channel original movies on weekends at 17:25, including the 100th original Disney Channel movie, Adventures in Babysitting on 23 September at 17:25 with Sabrina Carpenter and Sofia Carson.

The new live-action comedy series Stuck in the Middle starts on 22 September at 18:15 and follows middle-child Harley in a family of seven siblings.

After having started on SABC2 on Fridays afternoons in July, Disney's first long-form series, Disney Cookabout is being repeated on The Disney Channel from Thursday 8 September at 18:40 in which teen "cooktestants" in the Western Cape find local ingredients and cook recipes in the Magic Kitchen.

Classic Disney films will also be shown like Full Out (9 September 17:25 and 10 September 10:40), A Bug's Life (16 September 17:25 and 17 September 10:40) and Ratatouille (24 September 17:25 and 25 September 10:40).

Disney Africa's first long-form local South African show, Disney Cookabout on SABC2, goes on a youth cooking adventure through the Western Cape.

Disney Cookabout that just started on Fridays at 15:30 on SABC2 is Disney Africa's first long-form series produced in South Africa and is a weekly youth food preparation and cooking adventure game show.

Produced by Penguin Films for The Walt Disney Company Africa, Disney Cookabout presented by Kirsten Mohamed and Mthunzi Ntoyi, travels across the Western Cape in the 26 half-hour episodes with a group of young "cooktestants" all in search of the freshest ingredients.

Halfway through every episode of Disney Cookabout a 3-minute Disney Channel Mickey Mouse animation appears, before returning to the show to follow the progress of the "cooktestants".

Each week the "cooktestants" battle it out to take home the Silver Spoon as they carry out challenges at the various locations and attempt to create the tastiest dish in the kitchen – all in a race to be awarded the Cookabout Golden Trophy.

"Through Disney Cookabout’s action-packed, fun-filled approach to sourcing food and creating delicious and nutritious meals, we hope that kids and families will be inspired to take an active interest in their well-being and encouraged to lead healthy lifestyles," says Christine Service, the senior vice president and country manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa.

"With exploration, comedy and fascinating insights added into the mix, we are thrilled to be presenting something fresh, new and entertaining for South African audiences."

"As our first ever local, long-form television series production, Disney Cookabout reaffirms Disney's commitment to contributing to the local creative community, creating and distributing content that is not only globally connected but locally relevant too."

During production with executive producer Roberta Durrant, Disney Cookabout visited 21 locations, including organic farms, spice shops and food markets across the Western Cape with nearly 200 kids who auditioned to be a part of the show. Disney Cookabout was filmed over 32 days and 78 meals were cooked.

Disney's Star Wars: The Force Awakens obliterates South African box office records as it powers to the 4th spot of biggest grossing films ever in the country.

May the 4th be with you: Star Wars The Force Awakens continues to obliterate box office records in South Africa and internationally, and has now become the 4th biggest grossing film at the South African box office ever with a staggering haul of over R44 million - and counting.

The new Lucasfilm Star Wars film with director J.J. Abrams continues to enthrall audiences in South Africa and around the world with Star Wars The Force Awakens that has now become Disney's biggest film release ever in South Africa.

Up to and including Monday 11 January, Star Wars The Force Awakens has amassed an astounding R44 956 610 at the South African box office and shows no sign of slowing down, with repeat moviegoers streaming to see it despite the end of the December holidays.

While currently at 4th place in South Africa, Star Wars The Force Awakens with a global haul of $1,76 billion is now holding the 3rd spot on the list of highest grossing films ever, just behind James Cameron's Avatar in the first place, followed by Titanic with $2,1 billion.

In South Africa Star Wars The Force Awakens also shattered other box office records. It's South Africa's all-time biggest December opening ever (Wednesday 16 December to Sunday 20 December with ticket sales of R16 443 117.

Star Wars The Force Awakens now also holds the record for the biggest opening Wednesday in South African box office history with R4 726 865 and over 70 000 fans who flocked to movie threates.

The film also achieved the highest pre-ticket sales for any IMAX film screened at Ster-Kinekor in South Africa ever: 27 700.

Internationally, Star Wars: The Force Awakens has made more than $179 million from 940 IMAX screens globally.

"We are thrilled at the reception South African fans have given Star Wars: The Force Awakens," says Christine Service, the senior vice president and country manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa.

"As the next installment in Star Wars saga, the release of this film means that every generation will now have their own Star Wars story to experience," she says.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens from Disney and Lucasfilm shatters its opening day box office in South Africa with a haul of R4,72 million in Wednesday ticket sales.

Disney and Lucasfilm's Star Wars: The Force Awakens has shattered its opening day box office in South Africa where the latest 7th film in the Star Wars film franchise raked in a massive R4,72 million on its Wednesday opening day.

What is means is that Star Wars: The Force Awakens has become the biggest Wednesday film draw in South Africa's cinema's history.

The Walt Disney Company Africa announced that Star Wars: The Force Awakens has broken the record for the biggest opening Wednesday in South African box office history, pulling in R4 726 865 on its first day of release in South Africa alone.

In South Africa, Africa's most sophisticated consumer film market, over 70 000 moviegoers flocked on Wednesday to specifically see Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Ticket tallies for other African countries besides South Africa are not yet available but its a given that Disney's latest Star Wars film from producer and director JJ Abrams will set new African records - especially in South Africa where Star Wars: The Force Awakens also shattered records for ticket pre-sales, as well as for IMAX and 3D screenings.

Similar to its American and other international Disney counterparts, Walt Disney South Africa and Walt Disney Africa was cautious to make any statements pre-release of the movie in a bid to contain and manage box office expectations, but now Disney is talking.

"We are thrilled at the reception South African fans have given Star Wars: The Force Awakens," says Christine Service, the senior vice president and country manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa in a statement released on Thursday.

"As the next instalment in the Star Wars saga, the release of this film means that every generation will now have their own Star Wars story to experience."

Earlier this year M-Net's M-Net Movies division and MultiChoice launched a successful Star Wars pop up channel on DStv in South Africa and throughout Africa showing the previous Star Wars films as well as other related Star Wars content on a dedicated channel that ran for a month.

Like elsewhere in the world, Star Wars fans embraced , dressing up as characters and attending fan events like in Sandton, Johannesburg at the Nelson Mandela Square on Wednesday.

Urban Brew Studios producing I Love Violetta; the companion teen lifestyle show will start on 25 September on Disney Channel on DStv.

The Walt Disney Company South Africa commissioned Urban Brew Studios to produce I Love Violetta, the weekly companion series which will be broadcast in conjunction with the third season of the Disney Channel's (DStv 303) telenovela Violetta from September.

In I Love Violetta three local presenters will be talking about a wide range of topics related to Violetta.

"For a South African production company to be awarded international work is a great achievement in itself, but for that work to come from undoubtedly the biggest family brand in the world, that is an incredible milestone," says Urban Brew's Freddy Louw, executive producer of I Love Violetta.

"We're so proud that the production house's journey of 25 years in television production has finally put us on the road with Disney."

"Urban Brew Studios have experience working with broadcasters and producing a vast range of programming in different formats," says Deirdre King, the head of marketing for Walt Disney Company Africa.

"They bring all that local production knowledge, creative and technical expertise and a positive energy to their productions."

"The show is a great example of the many local activities The Walt Disney Company Africa is bringing to South African audiences."

A special preview of I Love Violetta will be broadcast on the Disney Channel on Friday, 11 September at 17:00.

The third season of Violetta will start on Monday 21 September on weekdays. I Love Violetta will start on Friday 25 September with a new episode every Friday.

The Walt Disney Company creating Star Wars Land as a new immersive experience; will be the biggest Disney theme park expansion ever.

The Walt Disney Company announced that it's building Star Wars Land, its single biggest theme park expansion ever.

[Click on individual concept art images to see them bigger]

Star Wars Land will be constructed at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, as well as at Disneyland in Anaheim, California and will transport visitors to George Lucas' galaxy far, far away.

The existing Star Tours, last updated in 2011, will again undergo changes to incorporate new elements as well as the inclusion of characters from the upcoming new Star Wars movie, Star Wars: The Force Awakens which opens globally in December.

Bob Iger, The Walt Disney Company chairperson and CEO announced the news at the D23 EXPO 2015 and showed concept art of the new Star Wars Land he promised would be an immersive experience unlike anything people have experienced before.

"We'll soon be transporting our guests to some of the most anticipated worlds – a story that translates across time and place. Who wants to go there?” asked Bob Iger amidst loud applause in front of a crowd of 7 500 people. 

The immersive environment of the theme park will introduce visitors to a Star Wars planet never seen before, a gateway planet located on the Outer Rim, full of places and characters "both familiar and not so familiar".

"For our guests every encounter will bring more of the Star Wars story to life you can explore like never before."

"The inhabitants of this remote frontier town, one of the last stops before wild space will operate every single store and restaurant – every single thing will be 'in story'. As you explore this new planet, each experience will literally be out of this world."

"Simply setting foot in this land is going to be amazing."

Visitors visiting this world filled with aliens, droids and other creatures will be able to join in two experiences. The first will be to fly a mission on the Millennium Falcon.

The second is billed as an epic Star Wars adventure, putting visitors in the middle of a climatic battle between the First Order and the Resistance, the opposing sides appearing in the new The Force Awakens film.

"Lands of this scale and detail will obviously take some time to create and we know we have to be brave, but our ambition is up to the challenge," said Bob Iger.

No official opening date for Star Wars Land has been announced.

In anticipation of Star Wars: The Force Awakens M-Net and The Walt Disney Company are creating a Star Wars pop-up channel for MultiChoice starting on 31 August on DStv on channel 109 for DStv Premium subscribers.

Sky in the United Kingdom will be running a similar Star Wars channel. 

Disney will be rolling out the second season of Star Wars Rebels in which Darth Vader makes his first appearance on Disney XD (DStv 304), as well as new animation show, Droid Tales.

TOLDJA! The Disney Channel in South Africa on DStv finally also changes its on-air logo after the logo changed in May in America.

The Disney Channel (DStv 303) seen in South Africa on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform suddenly changed to its new logo on Monday without any prior warning or notification to the press.

The Disney Channel's brand-new logo was unveiled in May and Disney Channel for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region then told TV with Thinus that the logo would change in winter for South Africa but claimed a date for the change is not known.

The new wider Disney Channel logo is part of a redesign to help with a contemporary new look for the unified global business and to look better in the 42 places where The Disney Channel is broadcast as a high definition (HD) channel.

The Disney Channel is not broadcast in South Africa (yet) as a HD channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

Tricia Wilber, the chief marketing officer for The Walt Disney Company EMEA, couldn't be bothered to communicate or notify about the upcoming logo change of The Disney Channel for South Africa and Africa beforehand, but suddenly released a statement on Monday, saying "South African audiences will recognise some familiar scenes as the new look rolls out over the next few months".

Unlike the American press who were told, notified and shown the logo before it actually changed on-air in May in the United States, the Walt Disney Company and The Disney Channel EMEA strangely doesn't show the same respect to South Africa's media and couldn't be bothered to inform the press similarly beforehand - a weird double standard when it comes to marketing and publicity.

According to Tricia Wilber, "a series of spots" were filmed on Blouberg Strand in Cape Town "earlier this year" with South African children playing on the beach.

The rest of today's stale statement from Disney is the old drop-in quotes already used and read in May globally of Ron Pomerantz, the vice president of marketing and creative of The Disney Channel saying: "The dynamic new logo is a combination of two classic Disney icons – the distinct signature stroke of company founder Walt Disney and the three-circle shape evocative of Mickey Mouse".

"Our viewers have great affinity for two heritage elements that have long created a 'story' during our daily programming schedule - the four note music mnemonic and the beloved 'wand ID' in which our stars form our Disney Mouse ears with a wand. We are looking forward to introducing these elements in an exciting new package".

Very special 2012 Christmas wishes from Disney - hey look, it's Revenge! It's Once Upon a Time! It's Jessie!

Maybe it because it's Disney, but oh boy, do 'em mouse people do the best annual Christas card or what!

As usual, The Walt Disney Company South Africa has send over an electronic Christmas card to me, and once again it's one I can and will share will everyone for your own enjoyment if you click RIGHT HERE.

Disney's happy holidays Christmas card for 2012 include some cool surprises, ranging from Spider-Man and penguins, to special wishes from the stars of TV shows such as Revenge (on M-Net), Once Upon a Time (on M-Net Series) and Jessie (on The Disney Channel).

Nobody does (and utterly overdo!) glitter like Disney does. And that's a good thing.

I don't know, but I don't think Jedi (what's the plural of those protectors of that galaxy far, far away? Jedii) do Christmas (besides that 70's Christmas special with Bea Arthur).

However, with The Walt Disney Company having acquired LucasFilm, hopefully at the end of 2013 (if those Mayas were wrong and we're still here) Disney's anually delightful Christmas wishes might include an R2D2 jarble-electro-gurgle or some Obi-Wan wishes.

Disney also sent over the non-video card below:

BREAKING. Disney done with junk food adverts; Mickey Check coming for Disney packaged products by the end of 2012.

Disney is done with junk food - The Walt Disney Company is banning junk food ads from its TV channels for kids and websites The New York Times reports today, and I can reveal that Disney in South Africa will be following a similar stricter approach in future.

Under The Walt Disney Company's new rules and policy to help fight childhood obesity, TV commercials will have to comply with stricter nutritional standards for Disney to consider them for any of its platforms. The biggest problem products Disney will no longer allow advertisements for include carbonated drinks, fast food and certain cereals.

Disney also plans to introduce the "Mickey Check" from the end of 2012 - a specific logo on Disney products' packaging with Mickey Mouse ears which would indicate that the product meets certain stringent limits regarding calories, saturated fat, sodium and sugar.

"The emotional connection kids have to our characters and stories give us a unique opportunity to continue to inspire and encourage them to lead healthier lives," says Robert A. Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company in a statement.

The decision will negatively impact Disney's ad revenues over the short term but will enhance the company's already solid reputation as a safe and trusted brand for children as well as their parents.

While The Disney Channel (DStv 303) in South Africa as well as in America don't accept and run TV commercials in the traditional sense of the word, promotions and sponsorships do take place, and commercials are included in other channels and programming such as Disney XD and Disney Junior.

I asked The Walt Disney Company Africa today what the plans and implications of this Disney move is, and means, for South Africa specifically and whether South Africa will follow.

"This is the next step in Disney's healthy foods initiatives - which range from overall food policies to healthy food partnerships. Today's announcement addresses the US market and Disney will be adapting this to other markets and South Africa in due course," says Disney.