BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Racers - log onto your computers - and start your engines! Disney•Pixar World of Cars Online (www.world of cars.com), a new online virtual world for kids based on the hit animated movie “Cars,” debuted to fans, car enthusiasts and the press on Wednesday, as announced by Disney Online Studios, a unit of the Disney Interactive Media Group.
The World of Cars Online premiere event featured celebrity guests Cheech Marin and Jenifer Lewis, voices of “Ramone” and “Flo” from the Disney•Pixar animated feature “Cars” and new online video game, as well as Disney Channel stars, the Road Kings classic car club and other Hollywood families and fans. The event was held at California historical landmark, Bob’s Big Boy restaurant in Burbank, a real life example of the 1950s style “car hop” coffee shop, reminiscent of Radiator Springs’ Flo’s V-8 Café depicted in the “Cars” movie and virtual world.
“Our goal with World of Cars Online is to provide a creative and social environment where kids can have fun and use their imaginations in new ways,” says Lane Merrifield, executive vice president of Disney Online Studios. “Our teams worked tirelessly to ensure World of Cars Online authentically represents the characters and storylines that kids and families have come to know and love from the movies, and we’re looking forward to hearing what ‘Cars’ fans think of it.”
“At Pixar, we love seeing the worlds we create in our films extend into other media,” said Jay Ward, Cars Franchise Manager. “We are excited to bring the world of ‘Cars’ to online audiences in a fun and imaginative way.”
World of Cars Online is an expansive virtual world on the Internet that constantly changes with new games, adventures and community activities for kids and their friends to enjoy together. Features include:
•Create a Car – create a custom car with loads of modifications and upgrades to choose from
•Meet “Cars” Movie Characters – engage with quirky “Cars” characters in offbeat adventures and more
•Explore the Open Road – play fun games and activities in Radiator Springs and beyond
•Make New Friends – meet, chat and play with thousands of other Cars or race against them on a variety of tracks
•Start a Racing Career – race to become the new Piston Cup Champ. Cars can work their way up from local dirt tracks to the national circuit
•Build a Yard – outfit a yard for friends to check out and visit, and eventually build custom race tracks
There is no third party advertising in World of Cars Online, it is a free-to-play browser-based game. For access to additional features in the world, a sponsorship subscription of $5.95 a month is required.
A special parents section is featured in World of Cars Online, where parents can learn more about the game and parental controls that are offered. Parents may use the Account Manager to control a variety of community settings for their child’s car, including two chat options, SpeedChat and SpeedChat Plus. In addition to the parental controls, World of Cars Online employs a highly trained, on-site staff to continuously monitor the world and provide personalized player support. More information on the parents section can be found at: www.worldofcars.go.com/parents/.
About Disney•Pixar's "CARS"
Disney•Pixar's "Cars" has become among the fastest growing Disney franchises, generating nearly $2 billion per year in global retail sales of licensed merchandise since the film’s release. “Cars” is an unstoppable force delivering on boys' classic play patterns and fueling imaginations with products that extend the storyline from the film to books and magazines and into the home with a lifestyle merchandising program from toys and home décor, apparel and stationery to food and personal care items. “Cars” continues to resonate strongly with consumers and is supported by a robust line of new titles from Disney Publishing Worldwide and DisneyDigitalBooks.com, “Cars Toons” animated interstitials on Disney Channel that offer ongoing connection with key characters, a franchise site at Disney.com/Cars and a new virtual world, World of Cars Online where users can create and customize their own virtual Car. The highly anticipated sequel “Cars 2” will release theatrically June 24, 2011 and promises to deliver a whole new adventure.
About Disney Online Studios
Disney Online Studios, a business unit of the Disney Interactive Media Group, produces an award-winning portfolio of online virtual worlds for kids and families including Disney Club Penguin, Disney’s Toontown Online, Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow, Pirates of the Caribbean Online and Disney•Pixar World of Cars Online. Guided by an unwavering commitment to safety and creativity, Disney’s virtual worlds offer continuously updated content and endless hours of online fun in rich, story-based environments filled with games, adventures, parties and special events.
Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG) is an affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS - News).
About Pixar Animation Studios
Pixar Animation Studios, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is an Academy Award®-winning film studio with world-renowned technical, creative and production capabilities in the art of computer animation. Creator of some of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time, including Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, WALL•E, Up and most recently, Toy Story 3. The Northern California studio has won 24 Academy Awards® and its eleven films have grossed more than $5.5 billion at the worldwide box office to date. The next film release from Disney•Pixar is Cars 2 (June 24, 2011).
For Game and Event Artwork go to:
•Disney•Pixar World of Cars Online Game Assets: http://corporate.disney.go.com/wdig/virtualWorlds/
•August 11, 2010 – Media Launch Event Photos: http://www.wireimage.com/ and http://bit.ly/9oRxRt
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