Disney has always has the ability to take a movie and turn it into a stage production, or ice show, and not have it lose much of its original impact. Once again, they are bringing you a mega-successful movie release to their cruise ships. If you decide this is the year for a family cruise with the young ones, then this is the ship for you. It promises to be as spectacular as any of the past Disney ventures. Disney Cruise Line will transform one of the most beloved animated features of all time into a
stage spectacular aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship when “Toy Story-The
Musical” makes its debut at the Walt Disney Theatre this spring. This is
the first time the popular Disney-Pixar classic has been adapted for the
stage.

Preserving the humor and heart of the original “Toy Story” film from
Pixar Animation Studios, “Toy Story-The Musical” explores the true meaning
of friendship as Buzz Lightyear and Woody transform from jealous
adversaries to best friends with an unbreakable bond. The show’s elaborate
costumes capture the vibrant colors and playfulness of the animated
characters. Guests of all ages will delight in an original collection of
show tunes that retell the story in a fun and energizing way.

“World-class Disney entertainment is an important hallmark of Disney
Cruise Line that sets us apart from the rest of the cruise industry and one
of the reasons guests sail with us again and again,” said Disney Cruise
Line President Tom McAlpin. “‘Toy Story-The Musical’ represents the next
generation of staged entertainment for Disney Cruise Line and a great
enhancement to our incredible array of entertainment aboard the Disney
Wonder.”

Following the storyline of the original Disney-Pixar film, “Toy
Story-The Musical” will give guests a toy’s eye-view of life in Andy’s
room. The musical opens with an introduction to Woody, a pull-string
talking cowboy who has long been six-year-old Andy’s favorite toy.

But Andy’s birthday brings a new arrival - Buzz Lightyear, the coolest
action figure in the universe. Woody’s jealousy gets the better of him and
he schemes to get rid of his new rival, but things go dreadfully awry.
Woody and Buzz find themselves outside of Andy’s room and in a hostile
world. Working together and overcoming their differences, they find their
way back to Andy - along the way developing an appreciation of one another
and creating a friendship.

“The ‘Toy Story’ film offered us a rich story and some incredible
visual elements to build upon,” noted Jim Urry, vice president of
Entertainment for Disney Cruise Line. “The team we assembled created
costumes, set designs and a whole new musical score to literally transport
our guests into the middle of the whimsical world of Buzz and Woody.”

Taking audiences into that world was no small task. Larger-than-life
props help transform the 977-seat Walt Disney Theatre into a toy-sized
world of fun and adventure. A rear projection screen aids the
transformation between human-sized and toy-sized scenes and takes the show
from the comfort of Andy’s room…to the frenzied world of Pizza
Planet…to the frightening room of Andy’s neighbor, Sid.

Using Randy Newman’s Oscar nominated hit song “You’ve Got a Friend in
Me” as a departure point, this production has a new eight-song score that
brings the story to life. New York-based Valerie Vigoda and Brendan Milburn
from the band GrooveLily blended together pop, rock and folk music to
create a contemporary score that truly captures the heartfelt whimsy of the
animated tale.

The costumes for “Toy Story-The Musical” are some of the most complex
ever developed for a Disney Cruise Line production. Costume designer Ann
Closs- Farley created an extraordinary vision for what the characters would
look like on stage. With a combination of articulated puppets and
inflatable costumes, the “Toy Story” characters come to life - including a
nearly 9-foot-tall version of Rex the dinosaur and a 4-foot-round Hamm the
piggybank.

In all, “Toy Story-The Musical” represents one of the largest
productions ever developed for a cruise ship. This is just the second time
a Pixar animated feature has been adapted for the stage by Disney Creative
Entertainment. In early 2007, “Finding Nemo-The Musical” debuted at
Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort and has been a
tremendous success.

“When we first thought of bringing ‘Toy Story’ to the stage, there was
a great deal of excitement about the project,” said Anne Hamburger, Disney
Creative Entertainment executive vice president. “Everyone on our team
could immediately see how the heart and comedy of these characters could
come alive in a memorable way that is unique to musical theatre.”

“Toy Story-The Musical” compliments an already stellar lineup of
entertainment performed every voyage on the Disney Wonder, joining stage
shows “The Golden Mickeys” and the award-winning “Disney Dreams.”

A leader in the family cruise segment, Disney Cruise Line offers
three-, four- and seven-night itineraries to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
Land/sea vacation packages that include a stay at Walt Disney World Resort
are also available.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests
can contact their travel agent, visit http://www.disneycruise.com or call Disney
Cruise Line at 888/DCL-2500.