Apparently, cartoon characters like to throw down some cold ones and be entertained themselves every now and then, as kids will see in Disney’s House of Mouse, a new 2-D animated series (52 half hours) airing in January or February 2001. Animated characters from Disney’s feature films, TV series and cartoon shorts conglomerate at Mickey and Donald’s (they own it together!) new club to blow off some steam. (Often unlikely groups will be sit together, like Timon and Pumbaa from The Lion King hanging with Jiminy Cricket, someone they’d probably rather eat than have a drink with.)

The new show targets two- to 11-year-olds (although it will probably skew to the older end of that spectrum) and will air on ABC in the U.S. for Saturday morning viewing. The club will have musical guests and feature cartoon shorts (old and new Mickey MouseWorks shorts) on its big-screen TV (a cartoon within a cartoon device à la The Simpsons’ Itchy and Scratchy), a ‘live’ show, and behind-the-scene antics resulting from the ongoing rivalry between the co-owners.

Another new Disney toon on deck for the ABC in January or February is Lloyd in Space. The new 2-D series (22 half hours) also targets two- to 11-year-olds and will air Saturday mornings. Lloyd is a teenage alien living on a space station and trying to make the transition from kid to adult. Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere (responsible for Disney’s Recess, Rugrats, The Simpsons and Duckman in various capacities) are producing the show.