Disney’s Online Site Users Will Surpass That Of Others

Disney’s Daily Blast will become the largest Internet subscription service by the end of the year with more than 100,000 subscribers, according to Disney Online president Jake Winebaum. The service will surpass popular sites such as ESPN’s SportsZone and Wall Street Journal Interactive.

Although he would not discuss current subscriber numbers for the month-old site, Winebaum said DDB had 10,000 users during its free preview.

A big marketing push timed to the national release of the “Hercules” animated theatrical feature this week along with additional features such as customized e-mail and chat rooms will cause a surge in subscriber growth, he said.

Subscriptions are $4.95 per month; Microsoft Network subscribers get DDB at no additional charge. The average current DDB subscriber, Winebaum said, spends between 15-20 minutes on the site.

“It’s exceeded expectations,” he said.

Games have been in big demand, with DDB adding a new game each week and learning from users to archive previous games for several weeks so that players can continue to play them as well. Winebaum said the service responds to user input on a daily basis about what kinds of games and elements are most popular.

Mystery games featuring original comic book-like characters and other elements have been added to the site that is already in its third “evolution” since launching in mid-May.

Winebaum said the next major step will be the communications element of DDB, which will offer “D-mail,” “D-Chat” and “D-Phone.” Users may choose sound effects, music, stamps, Disney characters or even paint their own pictures to go along with e-mail or messages sent in chat rooms and through instant messages sent directly to friends online.

Although DDB subscribers will be able to send and receive e-mail to and from non-DDB subscribers, the service is designed to work best with other DDB subscribers.

Winebaum said those services will be introduced later this year.