High School Musical 3 Rallies into Theaters Oct 24

Right on the heels of the High School Musical covered 2007 Annual Report, Disney announces a tentative release date of Oct 24, 2008 for High School Musical 3. There's also a very vague plot summary:

High School Musical 3 will revolve around seniors Troy (Efron) and Gabriella (Hudgens) facing the prospect of being separated from one another as they head off in different directions to college. Joined by the rest of the Wildcats, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about their future.

I do wonder if this Oct 24 release date will actually stay in place given the current writer's strike.

Side Note: There's a great post defending the High School Musical franchise over at 2719 Hyperion which I thoroughly enjoyed.