Jim Hill

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Jim Hill

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Toon Tuesday: How to have a rockin' good time on Mickey Mouse’s birthday

Looking for different ways to spend November 18th? Jim Hill's suggestions takes you from a museum to Broadway, from rock 'n' roll memorabilia auctions to theme park attractions Read More...

Posted Tuesday, November 17, 2009 12:00 AM | 5 Comments

Filed under: animation, Disney, theme park, TV, Walt Disney, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disneyland Paris, Miley Cyrus, Chicago, Mickey Mouse, Michael Jackson, Walt Disney Studios, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Paris, animated character, Broadway musical, 1998, 2009, TV show, animated short, Hannah Montana , 1996 , Jonas Brothers, rock 'n' roll , thrill ride, rock legends , rock legend, roller coaster, national tour, theme parks, 1999, Shrek the Musical, Broadway Theatre, Walt Disney Company, 1928, Colony Theater, Steamboat Willie, birthday, 2002, Disney XD, TV series, rock star

Tune Thursday: Why "The Lion King" gets the lion's share of the attention on the Las Vegas Strip

Jim Hill talks about the ambitious promotional plan that the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino and Disney Theatrical put together to help hype this new sit-down production of that Tony Award-winning musical Read More...

Posted Thursday, September 24, 2009 12:00 AM | 3 Comments

Filed under: Disney, theater, Broadway, musical, ABC, promotion, The Lion King, Disney Theatrical, Dancing with the Stars, Julie Taymor, Las Vegas, hotel, Hairspray, The Producers, Broadway musical, stage version, promotional campaign, shows, show, 1997, Avenue Q , Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, lion, stage show , 1996 , stage, Mandalay Bay, Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family, Mandalay Place, Raleigh Studios, The Lion King Exhibit, The Strip, video marquee, key card, Results Show, Las Vegas Strip

The John Hughes / ABC / Walt Disney Company connection

In honor of the passing of this talented filmmaker, Jim Hill shares a few anecdotes that reflect on the times that Hughes worked for the Mouse Read More...

Posted Friday, August 07, 2009 12:00 AM | 3 Comments

Filed under: Disney, movies, Universal Studios, Walt Disney, ABC, Walt Disney Pictures, Michael Eisner, Hollywood Pictures, Disneyland, 101 Dalmatians, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Walt Disney Productions, The Walt Disney Company, Ron Miller, television, Harold Ramis, Jim Belushi, Walt Disney Studios, Home Alone, film, movie, Vacation '58, Mouse House, Walley World, 1950s, TV show, 1997, Mickey, The Absent-Minded Professor, film title, Spaceballs III: The Search for Spaceballs II, writer , The Breakfast Club, 1996 , Robin Williams, Great Oaks Entertainment, Jackie Chan, Warner Bros. , John Hughes, director , Pretty in Pink, National Lampoon, National Lampoon's Animal House, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, vacation, cross country trip , Michelle Pfieffer, The Bee, Flubber, Faber College, slapstick, family vacation, screenplay, script, Curly Sue, motion picture, Jaws 3 People 0, 1990, television show , Ricardo Mestres, 1990s, 1991, films, producer, 1979, Delta House, National Lampoon's Vacation, TV series, Sixteen Candles, Planes Trains and Automobiles, Disneyland Park, Eddie Bracken

Is Disney looking to trade its 5th Avenue store in for a brand-new retail location down on Times Square?

Since the World of Disney's lease is up in 2010, the Mouse is already on the prowl for a new spot to set up shop in NYC. Jim Hill shares what he's heard about these on-going negotiations Read More...

Posted Tuesday, October 21, 2008 12:00 AM | 7 Comments

Filed under: Disney, Broadway, musical, ABC, Walt Disney World, The Lion King, Disney Theatrical, Beauty and the Beast, Lunt-Fontanne Theater, Disney Store, ABC Studios, The Walt Disney Company, New York City, Mickey Mouse, restaurant, New Amsterdam Theatre, Minskoff Theatre, The Legendary Years, Disney's Pop Century Resort, NYC, Times Square, WDW, 5th Avenue, flagship store, World of Disney, Broadway musical, tourists, 2008, 2009, Disney World, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Walt Disney World Resort, Halloween, 2007, Mary Poppins, tourist , retail establishment , stage show , retail dining and entertainment complex, Virgin Megastore, Virgin, 1996 , 2010, stage, 2004, New York, Disney Stores, The Little Mermaid, movie theater, musical theater, 1990s, Wall Street, retail area, negotiations, trick-or-treat, trick or treat, square feet, retail space, commercial retail space, Wart, king, retailer, retailers, foot traffic, exposure, Paul Hoen, HoJos, Howard Johnson, American Eagle, American Eagle Outfitters, Pittsburgh, square foot, lease, Jeff Sutton, SL Green Realty Corp, Vornado, arcade, Alice's Wonderland, Toys R Us, Toys R Us Times Square, Virgin Megastore Times Square, ABC Times Square Studio, ABC Times Square Studios, retail entertainment complex, pre-show, post-show, preshow, posters, The Related Companies, retail presence, negotiating table, Rockefeller Center, Trump Tower, company representatives, real estate opportunity, real estate opportunites, construction project, construction projects

"Defying Gravity" details Stephen Schwartz's sometimes difficult dealings with the Walt Disney Company

Jim Hill reviews Carol de Gieve's career biography of this Academy Award-winning songwriter, which features some great behind-the-scenes stories about the five Disney projects that Schwartz worked on Read More...

Posted Wednesday, October 01, 2008 12:00 AM | 6 Comments

Filed under: book, Disney, DreamWorks, Broadway, musical, Michael Eisner, Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, DreamWorks Animation, Stephen Schwartz, Los Angeles, Walt Disney Studios, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Broadway musical, September, animated feature, 2007, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Disney Feature Animation, Peter Schneider, London, TV movie, show business , 1996 , 1986, Tony, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Academy Award-winning, world premiere, Walt Disney Company, musical theater, musical theater fan, Broadway credits, trio, long running hits, long running hit, hit, Godspell, Pippin, Wicked, Disneyana fan, resume, lyricist, 1990s, 1978, Working, Radiator Springs, Children of Eden, 1991, graduate school, NYU, therapist, Sir Tim Rice, A Whole New World, Kevin Bannerman, Carol de Giere, Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked, Applause Books, softcover, songwriter, career, lyrics, 1992, Shirley Jones, Colors of the Wind, John Smith, Native Americans, Romeo, Romeo & Juliet, Juliet, West Side Story, Something's Coming, creative process, 1994, The Prince of Egypt, China, Matthew Wilder, David Zippel, Written in Stone, Destiny, Geppetto, Academy Award-nominee, Enchanted, Gregory Maguire, middling reviews, rhyme, reviews

Arrrr you ready for an all-Pirates edition of Why For?

There's plenty of POTC-related info to be found in this week's column. Including the current status of "Pirates 4," news on Disney's "Legends of the Brethren Court" book series as well as a review of that I-Drive favorite, the Pirate's Dinner Adventure Read More...

Posted Friday, May 09, 2008 12:00 AM | 6 Comments

Filed under: Disney, Universal Studios, fireworks, Pirates of the Caribbean, Johnny Depp, Gore Verbinski, Walt Disney Pictures, Magic Kingdom, Disney Press, The Walt Disney Company, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, character dining, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Disney Parks & Resorts, AA figure, hard ticket event, The Walt Disney World Resort, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, 2007, The Lone Ranger, Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Pirates 4, 1996 , 2006, Pirate & Princess Party, Disney's Pirate & Princess Party , Disney franchise, Disney's Enchanted Adventures Parade , hard ticket , Mickey's Pirate & Princess Party, Pirates of the Caribbean films, CG version , lagoon show, Halloween hard ticket event , Pirates of the Caribbean franchise , Pirates of the Caribbean Online, MMOG, massively multiplayer online game, Pirates book series , Legends of the Brethren Court, Development , Ted Elliot, Terry Rossio , Prince of Persia, Tortuga restaurant, AA figures, Enchanted Adventures Parade, return on investment, Liberty Square bridge, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Caribbean Beach Resort , Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Buccaneer Gold, 3D helmet, Caribbean, Jolly Roger, I-4 , Gasparilla Extravaganza, Gasparilla season , Tampa Bay, Piratechnics, Bayshore Boulevard, Tampa, Southwest Airlines Gasparilla Pirate Fest , Gasparilla, Southwest Airlines, Gasparilla experience, Pirate's Dinner Adventure, International Drive, acrobats , Freedom Festival, Sebastian the Black, scurvy crew , Princess Anita, audience, Dubai, swordplay, stunts, I-Drive , Magic

Monday Mouse Watch: Let the West Side Waltz begin

Jim Hill brings you an update on what may be in the works for the westernmost portion of Downtown Disney. With the Virgin Megastore possibly exiting this dining, retail & entertainment district to then make room for an ESPN Zone Read More...

Posted Monday, February 25, 2008 12:05 AM | 7 Comments