The Happy Meal® Celebrates 25 Years of Happiness With Sports Stars:

McDonald's® cheers on the Happy Birthday Happy Meal® celebration with a collection of six ESPN25 inspired mini-handheld sports action video games at participating McDonald's, while supplies last. As part of the McDonald's 25 Years of Happiness celebration, each Happy Meal and Mighty Kids Meal® will include one of six ESPN25 sports action, mini-video games featuring the Best in Sports. In celebration of ESPN's 25th Anniversary, McDonald's will offer a one-of-a-kind collection of games featuring basketball great Vince Carter, world-class tennis champions Serena and Venus Williams, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, football star Michael Vick, Olympic soccer star Mia Hamm, and car racing champion Tony Stewart. The action-packed fun begins April 30, 2004, and continues through May 27, 2004.

"In celebration of ESPN's 25th Anniversary we've created an event that brings to life six of the world's top athletes all in one sports-action video game collection," said Kent Voetberg, director of family marketing at McDonald's. "This unique line-up of electronic mini-sports action games from ESPN brings our customers into the virtual game to take on or become their favorite sports heroes. It's a great way to play when you're on the go and can't be on the field."

ESPN electronic mini-handheld games feature a picture of the star athlete and a printed signature replica. Customers will receive one of the following ESPN games with each Happy Meal or Mighty Kids Meal purchase:

Basketball -- This ESPN mini-handheld game features professional basketball player Vince Carter. The game challenges players to move Vince Carter and shoot over defenders. Players make nine baskets and advance to new, faster, exciting rounds.

Tennis -- Venus and Serena Williams, stars of the tennis court, serve up hours of fun on the ESPN tennis mini-handheld game. Players move back and forth to return the tennis ball to Venus and Serena. To win, players must return the ball more times than the Williams sisters.

Skateboarding -- The player maneuvers across the pavement and collect trophies just like skateboarding legend Tony Hawk. One advances to new levels by avoiding breaks in the pavement and sweeping up as many trophies as possible.

Football -- Professional football star Michael Vick is showcased in the mini-handheld football game. As clutch receivers, players move up and down the end zone to catch touchdown passes from Michael Vick. One advances through all three levels to win the game!

Soccer -- Mia Hamm, soccer player extraordinaire, will attempt to shoot and score against players. As goalies, players are challenged to block 10 attempts on goal by Mia Hamm.

Racing -- Just like racing champion Tony Stewart, players are challenged to speed up their racecar by passing other cars. They avoid collisions and cross the finish line first to win.

"The ESPN Happy Meal electronic games are a great way to reach young sports fans," said Ed Erhardt, president, ESPN ABC Sports Customer Marketing and Sales. "This collaboration with McDonald's is an example of how two strong brands can work together and share equity to benefit the customer."

To launch the Happy Meal featuring ESPN25, McDonald's will host an eBay® auction with autographed items from several of the Happy Meal ESPN25 sports superstars including Venus and Serena Williams, Tony Stewart, Mia Hamm, and Tony Hawk. The auction starts the afternoon of Monday, April 26, with bidding ending on Thursday, May 6. All benefits from the auction will be donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities. By creating, finding and supporting programs that directly improve the health and well being of children, Ronald McDonald House Charities is working to better the lives of children and their families around the world. To participate in the Ronald McDonald House Charities auction, visit www.ebay.com/givingworks/ .

McDonald's Global Packaging

The ESPN brand is the second-featured Happy Meal to sport McDonald's new global package design. Sporting the 25 Years of Happiness logo in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the McDonald's Happy Meal, the new Happy Meal box also features children playing sports and having fun with friends. The new packaging is an extension of McDonald's global packaging effort that first launched in December 2003.

The Happy Meal event will be supported by national television developed by Leo Burnett Co., Hispanic television advertising by dRM DDB, and POP and packaging by Frankel.

McDonald's

McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) is the world's leading food service retailer with more than 30,000 McDonald's restaurants serving 46 million customers each day in more than 100 countries. More than 80 percent of McDonald's restaurants around the world are owned and operated by independent, local businessmen and women. Please visit our newly designed website at www.mcdonalds.com to learn more about the Company.

ESPN

ESPN, Inc., The Worldwide Leader in Sports, is the leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring the broadest portfolio of multimedia sports assets with over 40 business entities. The company is comprised of seven domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Now, ESPN Today), ESPN HD (a high-definition simulcast service of ESPN), ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (25 international networks and syndication), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, SportsTicker, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN Zones (sports-themed restaurants), and other growing new businesses including ESPN Broadband, ESPN Wireless, ESPN Video-on-Demand and ESPN Interactive. Based in Bristol, Ct., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

FACT SHEET:

McDonald's® cheers on the Happy Birthday Happy Meal® celebration with a collection of six ESPN25 inspired mini-handheld sports action video games at participating McDonald's, while supplies last. As part of the McDonald's 25 Years of Happiness celebration, each Happy Meal and Mighty Kids Meal® will include one of six ESPN25 sports action, mini-video games featuring the Best in Sports. In celebration of ESPN's 25th Anniversary, McDonald's will offer a one-of-a-kind collection of games featuring basketball great Vince Carter, world-class tennis champions Serena and Venus Williams, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, football star Michael Vick, Olympic soccer star Mia Hamm, and car racing champion Tony Stewart. The action-packed fun begins April 30, 2004, and continues through May 27, 2004.

McDonald's Happy Meal ESPN Toys Feature:

#1 Basketball -- This ESPN mini-handheld game features professional basketball player Vince Carter. The game challenges players to move Vince Carter and shoot over defenders. Players make nine baskets and advance to new, faster, exciting rounds.

#2 Tennis -- Venus and Serena Williams, stars of the tennis court, serve up hours of fun on the ESPN tennis mini-handheld game. Players move back and forth to return the tennis ball to Venus and Serena. To win, players must return the ball more times than the Williams sisters.

#3 Skateboarding -- The player maneuvers across the pavement and collect trophies just like skateboarding legend Tony Hawk. One advances to new levels by avoiding breaks in the pavement and sweeping up as many trophies as possible.

#4 Football -- Professional football star Michael Vick is showcased in the mini-handheld football game. As clutch receivers, players move up and down the end zone to catch touchdown passes from Michael Vick. One advances through all three levels to win the game!

#5 Soccer -- Mia Hamm, soccer player extraordinaire, will attempt to shoot and score against players. As goalies, players are challenged to block 10 attempts on goal by Mia Hamm.

#6 Racing -- Just like racing champion Tony Stewart, players are challenged to speed up their racecar by passing other cars. They avoid collisions and cross the finish line first to win.

McDonald's Global Packaging

The ESPN brand is the second-featured Happy Meal to sport McDonald's new global package design. Sporting the 25 Years of Happiness logo in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the McDonald's Happy Meal, the new Happy Meal box also features children playing sports and having fun with friends. The new packaging is an extension of McDonald's global packaging effort that first launched in December 2003.

McDonald's Happy Meal ESPN event will run from April 30, 2004 through May 27, 2004, at participating restaurants nationwide, while supplies last.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040427/CGTU003-a
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AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

SOURCE: McDonald's

CONTACT: Laura Dihel of JSH&A Public Relations, +1-630-932-9347; or Kent
Voetberg of McDonald's, +1-630-623-7319; or Alison Lazar of ESPN,
+1-212-456-0226, or alison.lazar@espn.com

Web site: http://www.ebay.com/givingworks
http://www.mcdonalds.com/
http://www.espn.com/