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• “Mickey’s Sweatshop,” “Tink My Ride” and … “Enchanted 2” ?!

  Want a peek at The Walt Disney Company’s future? Then take a look at this list of recently registered domain names that Jim Hill just compiled Read More... Posted Thursday, August 20, 2009 12:00 AM | 4 Comments Filed under: Disney, TV, Disney Channel, Walt Disney Pictures, Disneyland, Tinker Bell, The Walt Disney Company, Disneyland Resort, Kevin Lima, Hollywood, movie, Disney Channel Original, 2007, TV show, TV movie, animated series , home premiere, 2012, 2010, Disney Studios , domain name , domain names, Walt Disney Company, Enchanted, 2013, Ever After, Ever, Disney XD, TV series, Disneyland Park

• "Dream Castle Lights" dazzle at night, disappear during the day

  Jim Hill talks with Rob Hamberg, veteran WDW Entertainment show producer. Who discusses the development of this new holiday spectacle for the Magic Kingdom Read More... Posted Tuesday, December 02, 2008 12:00 AM | 3 Comments Filed under: Disney, Walt Disney World, The Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disney Resort, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, WDW, Tokyo, Christmas, 2008, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, 2007, December , November, Cinderella Castle , 2006, August, Disney Weddings, Disney theme park, holiday, Walt Disney World Resort

• Monday Mouse Watch : Waiting for the "Dawn"

  Jim Hill shares the latest news on the third installment of "The Chronicles of Narnia" film series, which has yet to officially be greenlit by Walt Disney Studios Read More... Posted Monday, November 17, 2008 12:00 AM | 11 Comments Filed under: Disney, movies, Save Disney, Pixar, Bob Iger, Walt Disney Pictures, Michael Eisner, Pixar Animation Studios, The Walt Disney Company, Walden Media, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, movie, 2008, 2007, film franchise, film franchises, Roy O Disney , National Treasure 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 4, 2010, Toy Story 3, 2004, TR2N, Tron 2, 2013

• "Disney Dogs" showcases canine cartoon stars

  Jim Hill reviews this new hardcover from Disney Editions, which takes a detailed look at all of the dogs who have appeared in Disney animated shorts & features over the years Read More... Posted Wednesday, October 29, 2008 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, Walt Disney Pictures, Beauty and the Beast, Lady and the Tramp, 101 Dalmatians, Hidden Mickey, Peter Pan, Walt Disney Productions, The Aristocats, Lady, concept art, Animation Research Library, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, Bolt, 2008, Mouse House, animated feature, 2007, The Fox and the Hound, animated short, animated features, Goofy , visual development, model sheets, model sheet, butler, conceptual paintings, conceptual painting, Pocahontas, The Little Mermaid, The Art of Bolt, Disney Dogs, Disney Book Group, The Disney Book Group, Pluto, Perdita, Freckles, Lucky, Penny, Patch, Pepper, The Great Mouse Detective, thumbnails, rough animation, Nana, canine, canine cartoons, canine cartoon, canine cartoon star, canine cartoon stars, Hollywood Hound, Hollywood Hounds, Mouse House Hound, Mouse House Hounds, Rolly, Edgar, Ratigan, Basil, Dodger, The Dodger, Melissa Mathison, Tod, Max Azria, Basil of Baker Street, Percy, Ratcliffe, Governor Ratcliffe, Little Brother, Baker Street, Zero, footstool, dog

• Want the full picture when it comes to Disney's "Morning Light" ? Then see the movie AND pick up its companion book

  Jim Hill reviews this new true-life documentary from Walt Disney Pictures. Which -- to be honest -- could have used some of the stories that Jeff Kurtti included in "What the Sea Teaches Us: The Crew of the Morning Star" Read More... Posted Wednesday, October 22, 2008 12:00 AM | 0 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, Walt Disney Pictures, Roy E. Disney, Long Beach, Jeff Kurtti, Disney Editions, Hawaii, film, movie, 2008, 2007, New England, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, motion picture, the real world, Morning Light, What the Sea Teaches Us: The Crew of the Morning Light, documentary, buoy, Diamond Head, yacht, Transpac, Transpacific Yacht Race, Real World Hawaii, MTV, Leslie DeMeuse, companion book, Hingham, MA, South Shore, limited release, true-life documentary, 1954, catamaran, off-shore, the Cheyenne, Cheyenne, The Morning Light, Jeremy Wilmot, open ocean, ocean, sea, Kay, The New Avengers

• 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

• Monday Mouse Watch : Disney's "High School Musical" cancels "Christmas" ?!

  Jim Hill's back with a tale that reveals the true power of the "HSM" franchise. Which has a Massachusetts theater postponing its long-proven holiday moneymaker so that it can then present the stage version of Disney's "High School Musical 2" Read More... Posted Monday, October 20, 2008 12:00 AM | 7 Comments Filed under: Disney, theater, A Christmas Carol, musical, High School Musical, Disney Theatrical, High School Musical 2, Tarzan, High School Musical 3, High School Musical 4, High School Musical franchise, Christmas, New Year's Eve, Disney's High School Musical on Tour, stage version, HSM, 2008, 2009, Thanksgiving, 2007, holiday classic, Gabriella , Camp Rock , stage show , stage, East High, creative team , rehearsal, theater community, musical theater, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Music Theatre International, Fabulous Fox Theatre, Theater of the Stars, regional theater premiere, Salt Lake City, Temple Square, Charles Dickens, regional theater, professional production, Ebenezer Scrooge, North Shore Music Theatre, holiday traditions, high school students, high school student, rehearsals, Camp Rock 2, Atlanta, Carol LaRosa, Gloucester Times, Jon Kimbrell, Beverly, Tiny Tim, NSMT, holiday, Disney's High School Musical : On Tour, High School Musical On Stage, High School Musical : On Stage, Disney's High School Musical On Stage, Disney's High School Musical : On Stage, Disney's High School Musical 2 On Stage, Disney's High School Musical 2 : On Stage, High School Musical 2 On Stage, High School Musical 2 : On Stage

• A special "May the (Stephen) Schwartz Be With You" edition of Why For

  Jim Hill's back with even more answers to your Disney-related questions. This time around, he talks about "Enchanted" 's score evolves over the course of that motion picture, where Stephen drew his inspiration for "Out There" as well as talking up an event that's being held at Woodbury University this coming Monday night Read More... Posted Friday, October 17, 2008 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, music, Broadway, musical, Disney Theatrical, Beauty and the Beast, Alan Menken, Kevin Lima, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, James Baxter, James Baxter Animation, Stephen Schwartz, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Paris, Kiss the Girl, ASIFA-Hollywood, panel discussion, stage version, ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive, 2008, October, animated feature, 2007, Happy Working Song, So Close, That's How You Know , animators , Mulan, Belle, Warner Bros. , 2010, Don Hahn , stage, Woodbury University, Pocahontas, Broadway-bound, The Little Mermaid, Snow White, Disney Music , Carol de Giere, Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked, Enchanted, The Alchemy of Animation: Making an Animated Film in the Modern Age, Craig Lucas, James Lapine, Cathedral of Notre Dame, Out There, Quasimodo, Hunchback, Mike Belzer, Nik Ranieri, Fletcher Jones Foundation Library, Fletcher Jones, Ever After, Ever

• Will the Credit Crunch & tech troubles trip up Disney's new Blu-ray push ?

  As the Hi-Def version of "Sleeping Beauty" hits store shelves today, Jim Hill talks about some of the issues that Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has been dealing with lately Read More... Posted Tuesday, October 07, 2008 12:00 AM | 23 Comments Filed under: Disney, movies, Beauty and the Beast, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, WDSHE, Blu-ray, DVD, film, movie, 2008, Thanksgiving, 2007, Pinocchio, Hi-Def , President, Paramount , Fantasia 2000, Iron Man, Fantasia, BD-Live, Jon Favreau, social networking, interactivity, Bob Chapek, Paramount Home Entertainment, Blu-ray player, Blu-ray players, Wall Street, Credit Crunch, Big Box, Big Boxes, Black Friday, Thanksgiving sale, Thanksgiving sales, post Thanksgiving sale, post Thanksgiving sales, Movie Chat, Movie Challenge, films, technology, home entertainment system, Platinum Edition, Platinum Editions, PC, iPhone, Blackberry, real-time, networked player, networked user, Disney Movie Rewards Live

• "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

• "Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland" showcases Mary Blair's concept art

  Jim Hill reviews a brand-new picture book which is built around the amazing artwork that this Disney Legend created for that 1951 animated feature Read More... Posted Wednesday, September 17, 2008 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, Walt Disney, Disney Press, Peter Pan, Disney Legend, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Mary Blair, concept art, Walt Disney Studios, 2008, 2009, animated feature, 2007, picture book, artists , 1951, bookshelf

• "High School Musical 5 & 6" ?! "Beauty & the Beast" headed back to Broadway ?!

  Jim Hill shares some of the domain names that the Walt Disney Company has recently registered. Including a new year-long promotion for 2009 that looks & sounds an awful lot like 2003's "Magical Gatherings" campaign Read More... Posted Tuesday, June 03, 2008 12:00 AM | 22 Comments Filed under: Disney, Broadway, musical, High School Musical, ABC, Disney Channel, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney Theatrical, Beauty and the Beast, Anaheim, Orlando, The Walt Disney Company, High School Musical 3, High School Musical 4, High School Musical franchise, Disneyland Resort, Jay Rasulo, Disney Parks & Resorts, Aida, WDW, Year of a Million Dreams, hotel, Broadway musical, Disney Channel Original, 2008, 2009, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, 2007, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Broadway production, 2003, on property, TV movie, TV movies , hotels, 2006, Disney franchise, theatrical release, 2010, My School Musical, High School Musical: Get in the Picture, High School Musical 5 , High School Musical 6, Wildcats, East High, Matt Prokop, Justin Martin , Jemma McKenzie-Brown, HSM3, domain name , Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas - The Musical, St. James Theatre , Paul Kolnik, Big Apple , holiday treat, seasonal run , seasonal production, revival , Old Globe Theatre, Hilton Theatre, national tour, Magical Gatherings, Disney vacation, Disney's Magical Celebration, Disney's Magical Celebrations, Regular Unleaded, gasoline, DP&R, year-long promotion, heads in beds, consumers, theme park tickets, plane reservations, hotel rooms, birthday buttons, pins, plush

• 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

• Toon Tuesday : Was John Lasseter stung by that mean caricature of him that appears in "Bee Movie" ?

  Did an awkward conversation between Jerry Seinfeld & John Lasseter at Vanity Fair's 2006 Oscar party actually lead to an unflattering joke being inserted into this DreamWorks Animation release ? Jim Hill shares the story that's making the rounds in Hollywood Read More... Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 12:00 AM | 32 Comments Filed under: Disney, John Lasseter, DreamWorks Animation, A Bug's Life, Toy Story, Bee Movie, Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger, Disney / Pixar, animated feature, 2007, Disney Feature Animation, animated short, Tin Toy, 2006

• Monday Mouse Watch : Will a new name really be enough to boost ticket sales for WDW's "Pirate & Princess Party" ?

  Jim Hill brings you a pile of "Pirates of the Caribbean" -related news. Including the tabling of the "Tortuga" restaurant project Read More... Posted Monday, March 03, 2008 12:00 AM | 39 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Visual Effects, fireworks, Pirates of the Caribbean, Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom, Best Buy, The Magic Kingdom, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Jack Sparrow, Disney Princess, restaurant, WDW, Disney Blu-Ray, Blu-ray, The Crystal Palace, movie, The Walt Disney World Resort, ticket sales, 2007, merch, full service, Saturday , Tuesday , merchandise , WDW management , Captain Jack Sparrow, The Black Pearl, Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Pirates 4, 2006, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirate & Princess Party, Disney's Pirate & Princess Party , Disney franchise, Disney's Enchanted Adventures Parade , fireworks extravaganza , Music Magic and Mayhem, Walt Disney Creative Entertainment , hard ticket , after-hours event, break even , Rivers of America, Hershey's Treasures , WDW officials , financial success , Monday, Friday, April , Mickey's Pirate & Princess Party, POTC, Tortuga project, Adventureland Veranda, Adventureland , Cinderella's Royal Table, dining experience, Caribbean cuisine , rum , development pipeline, mock-up , test kitchen, Bonfamille's , French Quarter , Disney's Port Orleans Resort, Disney's Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter, test meal , face character , quick service restaurant , full service restaurant, Liberty Tree Tavern , lunch , dinner , dining facility , occupancy rate , 2012, Pirates of the Caribbean films, retail chain , Hi-Def , disc player, flat screen , HDTV , retail world, equation