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It's the last week of July here in Central Florida. So - what a surprise - it's hot outside. If you're looking to beat the heat during your next Orlando vacation, might I suggest that you employ a little psychology? As in: It might seem cooler outside if you deliberately went to part of a theme park that at least looked like it should be cooler. Case in point: The snow-covered rooftops of Hogsmeade Village at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Copyright 2010 Universal Studios. All rights reserved Okay, so this ridiculously popular addition to Universal's Islands of Adventure kind of redefines crowded right now. But none of that's going to matter once you down your first icy sip of frozen Butter Beer. Copyright 2010 Universal Studios. All rights reserved And do you know where the very best place is to sample this witch's brew? Why, inside of the Hog's Head Pub, of course. Which is directly adjacent to the Three Broomsticks Restaurant. Copyright 2010 Universal...

Let's cut to the chase here: There was just no escaping " TRON: Legacy " at this year's Comic-Con . Even before you entered the San Diego Convention Center , thanks to those banners that seemed to be hanging off of every light post in the city, you found yourself face-to-face with Jeff Bridge's not-exactly-smiling face. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved And then when you got out on the exhibition floor, there was no way you could miss that enormous Recognizer looming over the TRON: Legacy booth. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved And for the full 4 ½ days of Comic-Con, attendees were drawn like moths to a flame to Booth 3712. Where they either "Oohed" and "Aahed" at the full-size replica of Sam Flynn's Light Cycle that was on display there ... Photo by John Shearer. Getty Images for Disney ... or stood on line for hours with the hope that they then might be able to purchase one of the limited edition...

When people get out to Vegas, they're constantly on the go. They're always rushing out the door to see the sights and/or catch some show. Which is why it's good sometimes just to take a break. Get away from the Strip and then do something different. Like - say - whiz around the Las Vegas Motor Speedway at 160 MPH? That sounds outrageous, doesn't it? But that's just what you'll get to do if you decide to try the Ride-Along Experience at the Richard Petty Driving Experience . You'll be buckled into the passenger seat of a 600-horsepower NASCAR-style racecar. As one of RPDE's professional driving instructors then gets behind the wheel and takes you out for a 3-lap simulated qualifying run. Copyright Richard Petty Driving Experience. All rights reserved And let me tell you: When you're riding shotgun in one of those two-seater stock cars, listening to that engine roar as you watch the scenery go blurring by ... there's no bigger thrill to be found in...

I know, I know. For the past week or so, JHM has been running a lot of Comic-Con- related stories . Talking about the various celebrities who made a special trip down to San Diego this year. Well, as it turns out, Anaheim had its own star-studded affair earlier this month. Jennifer Cody (i.e. the winner for this year's Annie for Best Animated Voice Artist for her works as Charlotte in Disney's " The Princess and The Frog ") as well as Michael-Leon Wooley (i.e. the Broadway veteran who voiced Louis the trumpet-playing alligator in that same animated feature) made an appearance at the Crowne Plaza Anaheim Resort on Tuesday, July 13th. Where they then rubbed elbows with members of the NFFC / Disneyana Fan Club at the opening reception for this group's annual convention. Image courtesy of the NFFC / Disneyana Fan Club. All rights reserved The festivities got underway with a sit-down dinner of traditional New Orleans fare. Then after dinner was complete, the Jambalaya Jazz...

In the wake of yesterday's announcement that Guillermo del Toro would be riding herd on a brand-new "Haunted Mansion" movie for Walt Disney Pictures , the film & fan community erupted. And not necessarily in a good way. Guillermo del Toro. Photo courtesy of Walt Disney PIctures. All rights reserved Don't believe me? Then head on over to AintItCool 's Talkback section. Where posters there (who are still clearly pissed off that the director of " Pan's Labyrinth " recently opted out of helming "The Hobbit" ) are accusing Guillermo of grabbing " ... a quick paycheck from Disney ." Meanwhile over at Hollywood Elsewhere , Jeffery Wells -- following yesterday's announcement -- actually posted a piece with a headline that read " Del Toro Cash-In ." Which is just unfair. Given that -- if there's a person on this planet who should be producing, writing and (hopefully) directing a new "Haunted Mansion" movie -...

Wow, July 16-18 was quite a weekend for Disney fans marking the 55th anniversary of Disneyland 's opening. In addition to all of the events at the parks in Anaheim and elsewhere, there were special talks Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Walt Disney Family Museum in The Presidio of San Francisco. Tough choices, but I met a couple of people who attended museum events Friday and Sunday, with a quick plane trip down to Anaheim on Saturday to continue their long-standing tradition of being at the park on its birthday. Retired Imagineer and Disney Legend Marty Sklar was responsible for planting the seeds for the special events at the museum with its co-founder, Walt Disney's daughter Diane Miller, and members of the museum's staff, including executive director Richard Benefield. (L to R) Diane Miller, co-founder of the Walt Disney Family Museum, Disney Legend Harrison "Buzz" Price and museum executive director Richard Benefield. Photo by Joseph Driste, courtesy of the...

With Preview Night at this year's Comic-Con just getting underway, let me offer up a quick cautionary tale to all attendees. Before Nancy and I headed out to San Diego back in 2004, we carefully went over that year's schedule. Cherry-picking all of the panels & programming events that we wished to attend. Copyright Comic-Con International. All rights reserved But then came Preview Night . Which was so crowded & so crazy that the two of us were completely exhausted by the time we got back to our hotel. Which is why - when the alarm went off at 6 the following morning - I hit the snooze button. Figuring that - what with how busy the next four days were going to be - that we could use the extra sleep. Which is how we wound up missing out the very first panel that we wanted to see on Thursday. Which was where ABC was going to screen the pilot of this brand-new hour-long drama. Maybe you've heard of this show since ? " Lost " ? Copyright American Broadcasting Company...

What with " Toy Story 3 " in theaters right now, " Cars 2 " due to debut next summer and a sequel to " Monsters, Inc. " reportedly in the works, one has to wonder what other follow-ups Pixar Animation Studios has planned. Well, based on the domain names that The Walt Disney Company registered today and yesterday, it looks like Marlin, Dory and Nemo may soon be heading off for another aquatic adventure or two. Don't believe me? Then check out the names that Disney's attorneys just registered: Copyright Disney / Pixar. All rights reserved FINDINGNEMO2.NET FINDINGNEMO2.ORG FINDINGNEMO3.NET FINDINGNEMO3.ORG Now please keep in mind that just because the Mouse grabs a domain name does not mean that a motion picture is now in active development. But - then again - let's remember that this is the Company that registered the following domain names ... Copyright 2009 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved PIRATES4MOVIE.COM STRANGERTIDESMOVIE.COM ONSTRANGERTIDESMOVIE...

When so much has already been written about Disneyland , how would you then go about putting together a brand-new book about the Happiest Place on Earth? That was the challenge that Jeff Kurtti faced when the folks at Disney Editions approached him last year about possibly putting together a new hardcover that could then be used to commemorate the Park's 55 th anniversary. "There have been so many great books & articles that have been written about Disneyland over the years," Kurtti remembered. "So knowing that whatever I'd do would then be compared to all these earlier books & articles, it was hard not to be intimidated by this assignment." Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved But then Disney Legend Marty Sklar pointed out the obvious to Jeff. That many of the truly great books that have been written about this theme park (ex: Randy Bright 's " Disneyland: Inside Story " [Abrams, October 1987]) had been out of print for...

Jim Hill directs your attention to an upcoming bone marrow donor drive. Which will be held at the Minskoff Theatre next Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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WARNING !! There be spoilers galore in this review of Jon Turteltaub’s latest for Walt Disney Pictures. So if you don’t want to know how this Jerry Bruckheimer production begins, you’d best steer clear of today’s JHM article

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Jim Hill talks with Rachel DiPaola, Product Director of this new Disney Online effort, about all the challenges that her team faced while creating this virtual version of Carburetor County

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Jim Hill brings you the Mouse House-related highlights from this year’s Comic-Con International. Which will be held in the San Diego Convention Center from July 22nd – 25th...

As part of this week’s Why For column, Jim Hill walks you through some of the Company’s plans to revive & revitalize this corporate icon. He also reminds JHM readers that the deadline for buying tickets to “55 Years of Music Magic” is rapidly approaching...

I realize it’s only summer, but excitement is already building toward the November 19th theatrical release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 . And starting today (Thursday, July 8), ABC Family is giving you a chance to prepare for the newest installment by reacquainting you with the previous six. This cable channel’s “ Harry Potter Weekend ” (which runs through Sunday, July 11) also promises “never-before-seen interviews with your favorite cast members” as well as a “sneak peek” of a scene from the seventh movie. As you watch, see if you notice one theme that seems to dominate all the Harry Potter stories. Do you know which theme I’m referring to? Yes—it’s “death.” As author J.K. Rowling , quoted in London’s Daily Telegraph in 2006, explained : "My books are largely about death. They open with the death of Harry's parents. There is Voldemort's obsession with conquering death...

Jim Hill reviews Michael Singe's latest behind-the-scenes book. Which not only celebrates the poem, scherzo and short that provided inspirational material for this new Walt Disney Pictures release but also reveals how this magical movie was made...

Disney Legend Floyd Norman take a look at the 1950s & 1960s. When – thanks to a few pioneering women -- the Animation Building stopped being a male-only domain...

As a special Fourth of July weekend treat, Jim Hill shares Tim Lewis’ take on what life was like at The Walt Disney Company back in 1995. Back when Mouse House employees weren’t all that enthusiastic about what John Lasseter & Co. were cooking up in the Bay Area...

WARNING !!! This review of Charles Solomon’s terrific new behind-the-scenes book contains spoilers about a certain character from Pixar’s latest production. So proceed with caution...

Looking for a special way to celebrate Disneyland’s 55th anniversary? Then Jim Hill suggests that you check out this fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. Which is being held at the Disneyland Hotel on July 17th...

Jim Hill talks up Saturday’s event at the Stage Nine Entertainment Store. Where Bret Iwan & Bill Farmer will help unveil Disney Fine Artist John Rowe’s latest canvas, “Disney’s Magical Inspiration”...

Jim Hill talks about what he saw & heard in NYC yesterday. Which included official confirmation that John Lasseter is now the co-director of “Cars 2”...

In recognition of today being the official anniversary of the founding of the Walt Disney Archives, Jim Hill shares a few quotes from his recent conversation with Dave Smith ...

Jim Hill shares some of the photographs that he took on Friday. When the very first guests were allowed to visit this brand-new addition to Universal Islands of Adventure...

As he wraps up covering the grand opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jim Hill talks up two fund-raising efforts that are being held on Saturday & Sunday which could really use your support...