Disney Channel Orders Third Season Of Playhouse Disney's Emmy Award-Winning Series "IMAGINATION MOVERS," Starring New Orleans' Alternative Rock Band For Preschoolers

Disney Channel has ordered a third season of its Emmy Award-winning Playhouse Disney series, "Imagination Movers," starring New Orleans' favorite alternative rock band for preschoolers. Production on the third season of music-filled episodes will resume in New Orleans in June 2010. The season will also include the first-ever Imagination Movers concert special. The announcement was made by Nancy Kanter, senior vice president, Playhouse Disney Worldwide.

Kanter said: "'Imagination Movers' is a hit with young viewers and their parents alike. Fans have connected with the personal warmth of the Movers and their unique style of music for kids, as validated by their huge online following and the success of their recent 40-city/54-date tour. Season Three of the series will expand the Movers world beyond the Idea Warehouse and will include more surprise visitors and guest stars."

Walt Disney Records is scheduled to release a new album highlighting songs from the second season of "Imagination Movers" nationwide on June 8. The soundtrack will feature 18 original songs from the series, including "Bounce," "Slip Sliding" and "When You Grow Up."

"Imagination Movers" is a sensation with audiences around the world, airing in over 55* countries/territories and in 12 languages since its September 2008 premiere. In the U.S., the series ranked among TV's Top 15 programs with preschoolers 2-5 in 2009, reaching 40 million unduplicated Total Viewers in the fourth quarter. Globally "Imagination Movers" is the #1 original Playhouse Disney series launch ever among kids and Total Viewers in Australia, and in 3Q09 ranked as the #1 series on Playhouse Disney in Argentina*, #2 in the UK, Denmark and Sweden, while ranking as a Top 5 series in Italy and the U.S. (Source: NMR, U.S. ratings, Live + 7. 2009, as dated. U.S. program ranks based on minimum 10 telecasts; reach based on 6 minute qualifier. (*On the PD Block, premiere to-date.)

The popular Imagination Movers are Rich Collins, a former journalist and father of five young children; Scott Durbin, an award-winning teacher and father of two young children; Dave Poche, an architect and father of two young children; and Scott "Smitty" Smith, a New Orleans firefighter who was a member of the Katrina search and rescue effort.

"Imagination Movers" features the blue-suited band - Rich, Scott, Dave and Smitty - as everyday guy brain-stormers working hard to solve "idea emergencies" in their Idea Warehouse, a place of infinite inspiration. Each 30-minute episode features five songs presented in music video style performances.

"Imagination Movers" airs weekdays at 9:30 a.m., ET/PT and weekends at 10:00 a.m., ET/PT during Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney programming block for preschoolers. Select episodes are also available at www.playhousedisney.com, Disney Channel on Demand and on mobile via Sprint TV, MobiTV and FLO TV. The series carries a TV-Y parental guideline.

Skot Bright and Sascha Penn ("Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream," "Dave Chappelle's Block Party") are executive producers along with Emmy Award-winning writer/producer Rick Gitelson ("Handy Manny," "Rugrats"). Band members Collins, Durbin, Poche and Smith are co-executive producers. "Imagination Movers" is produced by Penn Bright Entertainment and Zydeco Productions in association with Disney Channel.