Disney stars in Mumbai

     Mumbai: Disney stars such as Mickey Mouse, Mini Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy are in Mumbai, the first leg of their six nation Asia Pacific tour to spread Disney Magic. Kids in Mumbai were in for a special treat as their favorite Disney characters, Mickey and Minie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy met them as part of a special promotion for Disney Channel.

   On the show, Show Manager of Disney Magic, Tom Vazzana said, "When we arrived in Mumbai, it was like the whole of the world opened up to them. All the children and adults were thrilled to see them. So, we are really excited about doing a show here. To remember one thing about the show is that, we actually have a section in the show where we have invited the families to come up on stage and meet Mickey, Mini, Goofy and Donald and spend a little time with them. And that's the most fun about the show." Talking about the response, Vazzana said, "To tell people about the responses, it's as if the children's rockstar are there. If you are a big fan of a rockband and you go to see their concert, how excited you get and it's the same with kids. This is across the world. We have seen it in Paris, States and here. So, we are glad to be here." To celebrate Disney's first year in the country, the cartoon characters will perform 24 live shows in 6 cities across India. They will dance to the desi tunes over the next three weeks. India is the first country where Disney Magic will enthral audiences as part of their 6 nation tour in the Asia- Pacific region. This is also the first ever live performance by Disney characters in India.

   Rajat Jain, Managing Director, The Walt Disney Company (India) said, "It is not only children but adults and grandparents are also excited about it. I think, it's about bringing joy and happiness in people's lives which was the whole mission. Our characters, they live in Disneyland which we say the happiest place on earth. And at the moment these people are coming from Hong Kong Disneyland. We have got a huge response and I think it's going to be fantastic." This is a part of Disney's attempt to use the classic characters to boost their viewership as Disney Channel currently ranks number two- one step below Cartoon Network. The performance in Mumbai is slated for January 7, Ahmedabad on January 11, Delhi on January 14, Kolkata on January 21, Hyderabad on January 26 and Bangalore on January 29, 2006.