Edited by Douglas Harbrecht

BUT WILL THE TV CRITICS GET THEIR PICTURES WITH MICKEY?

No one courts the press like Walt Disney Co. So with Disney's ABC network in the ratings doldrums, what better way to curry favor with TV critics nationwide than sprinkle a little fairy dust their way.

That's exactly what Disney intends to do as the Television Critics Assn. gathers in Pasadena, Calif., to see this TV season's upcoming shows --including ABC's new fare.

The critics and their families, at Pasadena's Four Seasons Hotel for two weeks, will be treated to eight hours of rides and special events at Disneyland. Each critic will be toting a special "VIP Back-Door" pass that allows them to skip the lines to get on the park's rides, which include Splash Mountain, the Big Thunder Railroad, and the new Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ride. And they'll be given special VIP viewing for the Hercules Victory Parade, which troops down the theme park's Main Street while promoting the Disney animated flick.

As for "work," there'll be a special panel discussion at Disneyland's Lincoln Theater on the upcoming return of the Wonderful World of Disney show to a Sunday-night TV slot. The theater, which usually houses an audio animatronic attraction featuring a mechanical Abraham Lincoln, will play host to celebrities such as Whoppi Goldberg, singer Brandy, actress Bernadette Peters, and Seinfeld's Jason Alexander. They're among the stars who will appear in movies that Disney is making for its Wonderful World of Disney show this season.

Disney's ABC unit is sparing no glitz in its efforts to warm the hearts of the critics. Miss America Tara Holland will appear at one lunch session, along with executives of the pageant, which appears this year on ABC. And Politically Incorrect host Bill Maher is hosting an evening cocktail reception. But the biggest event of all may come on the last day, when embattled ABC Entertainment President Jamie Tarses is scheduled to speak. She'll talk about the upcoming schedule, which includes 13 new shows, the most on any network. But the questions are more likely to be about the future for Tarses, who is rumored to be on her way out following months of controversy.

By Ron Grover in Los Angeles