So, Disney has decided that its amazingly popular Miley Cyrus concert film (or should that be Hannah Montana concert film?) will play beyond the one week that originally had been scheduled. And millions of young Hannah/Miley fans rejoice.
If I were one of those poor parents, however, who spent untold hours online trying to secure tickets for the "one-week only" engagement - and especially if I had shelled out extra bucks to land a couple of them - rejoicing is the last thing I'd be doing.
I understand Disney's strategy here, of pumping up demand by originally restricting the film to just one week, is simply good marketing, and that extending the run is just good common sense. But it's also crass manipulation of members of a young audience, by a company they've come to trust over the years.
There's no way Disney could have been caught by surprise by the huge demand for tickets - not after seeing the crush of disappointed fans who couldn't get to see her live.
All you Miley/Hannah fans out there, I hope you enjoy the movie and appreciate that you no longer have to sell your souls (or seriously test your parents' generosity) to see it. And maybe next time, the folks at Disney could cut their audiences more of a break?
chris.kaltenbach@baltsun.com