LOS ANGELES—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Audiences eager to see Disney/Pixar’s upcoming summer comedy “RATATOUILLE” will get an early summer treat on Tuesday, May 1^st when an extended 9-minute sequence from the film will debut exclusively on Disney.com. In an innovative cross-media promotion intended to make sure that audiences won’t miss this special online debut, Disney will launch a day long television advertising campaign on Tuesday, which will be highlighted by a :90-second commercial during “American Idol,” all of which is designed specifically to drive audiences to Disney.com and view the exclusive footage.

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“We really feel like we’ve got the most original movie of the summer and we can’t wait to show it to people,” said Jim Gallagher, president of Walt Disney Studios Marketing. “In a summer of sequels, we believe that inviting users to sample a chunk of the next masterpiece from Pixar is the most impactful way of demonstrating the film’s fresh comedy and originality. The Internet gives us the opportunity to do this without the limitations of traditional media and we think that this stunt allows us to cut through an increasingly crowded marketplace.”

“The new Disney.com allows us to deliver unique online experiences around highly-entertaining properties like ‘RATATOUILLE,’” stated Paul Yanover, EVP and managing director of Disney Online.

“The synergy being executed between the Motion Picture Group and Disney.com is extraordinary,” continued Gallagher. “With the Disney.com re-launch earlier this year, they have truly become the number one destination for families online. They have done everything possible to ensure that every guest arriving at Disney.com sees the exclusive clip.”

Beginning at 12:01AM PDT on May 1^st, the video playlist on the homepage of Disney.com will be roadblocked to include only the 9-minute scene for a 24-hour period. Additionally, there will be a “RATATOUILLE” custom background skin, permanent homepage promotional units, and character integration into their very popular segment pages, geared specifically towards boys, girls, kids & teens, families and Disney fans.

Additionally, the site’s Disney Xtreme Digital(SM) (Disney XD), a highly interactive broadband experience, will launch an exclusive “RATATOUILLE” XD Channel. The customized channel will include a customized video playlist, character widget where users learn about the characters from the film, a speed chat room to include select French phrases, and many more games and activities.

Launched earlier this year, the new Disney.com has received a positive reception from fans, with the average time guests spend on the Disney.com home page increasing 85% and registrations at the site up 10 fold (March 07 vs. March 06 – internal tracking).

About “RATATOUILLE”

Academy Award®-winning director Brad Bird (“The Incredibles”) and the amazing storytellers at Pixar Animation Studios (“Cars,” “Finding Nemo”) take you into an entirely new and original world where the unthinkable combination of a rat and a 5-star gourmet restaurant come together for the ultimate fish-out-of-water tale.

In the hilarious new animated-adventure, “RATATOUILLE”, a rat named Remy dreams of becoming a great chef despite his family’s wishes and the obvious problem of being a rat in a decidedly rodent-phobic profession. When fate places Remy in the city of Paris, he finds himself ideally situated beneath a restaurant made famous by his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau. Despite the apparent dangers of being an unwanted visitor in the kitchen at one of Paris’ most exclusive restaurants, Remy forms an unlikely partnership with Linguini, the garbage boy, who inadvertently discovers Remy’s amazing talents. They strike a deal, ultimately setting into motion a hilarious and exciting chain of extraordinary events that turns the culinary world of Paris upside down.

Remy finds himself torn between following his dreams or returning forever to his previous existence as a rat. He learns the truth about friendship, family and having no choice but to be who he really is, a rat who wants to be a chef.

Disney/Pixar’s “RATATOUILLE” releases in theaters nationwide on June 29^th.

About Disney Online

Disney Online (www.disney.com), a division of the Walt Disney Internet Group, produces the number one kids’ entertainment and family community destination on the World Wide Web. Launched in 1996, Disney.com is the online gateway to all of the company’s Disney-branded entertainment initiatives, providing comprehensive access to, and information about Disney movies, travel, television, games, mobile, music, shopping and live events. Disney.com also features Disney Xtreme Digital(SM) (Disney XD), a highly interactive broadband experience that will let Disney.com guests create their own customized online channel with games, videos, music, and chat — all of which can be enjoyed simultaneously in an immersive environment.

In addition, Disney Online develops and publishes a range of online products and services including Disney’s Toontown Online, Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online, Disney Game Downloads, Disney’s Blast, Disney Connection and Hot Shot Business.