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• Let George Do It: One-time WDW busboy becomes Disneyland’s newest president

  Jim Hill looks back over this Park & Resorts vet's 38-year-long career with the Company. In particular why George Kalogridis was chosen to help guide the Disneyland Resort through its upcoming transitional period Read More... Posted Tuesday, October 13, 2009 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: Disney, Downtown Disney, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Disney's California Adventure, The Walt Disney Company, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris, Disney Parks & Resorts, Disneyland Hotel, Walt Disney Studios, cast members, cast member, 1971, 1976, 2009, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, pin, 2012, 2010, Rich Ross , pins, 1988, millennium celebration, opportunity, Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Park, Chairman of Walt Disney Studios, DLP, Ed Grier, regional theme park, Al Weiss, George Kalogridis, busboy, senior management, senior management position, UCF, Contemporary Resort Hotel, Disney Wonder, University of Central Florida, training issues, adversity, Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadershio Strategies from a Life at Disney, transition period, transitional period, Winter Olympics, Nagano, Olympic pins, IBM, Coca-Cola, Happiest Place on Earth, Resort Operations, maintenance, general manager, 15th anniversary, Sunshine Plaza, Anaheim property, Grand Flo, development team, Disney's World of Color, gay

• Wine & dine & run for your lives! Mickey may be getting into the blood-sucking business

  Jim Hill reviews some of the domain names that The Walt Disney Company recently registered. Several of which suggest that the Mouse House now has a vampire project in the works Read More... Posted Monday, October 12, 2009 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, Disney Channel, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Robert Zemeckis, Columbus Day, ImageMoversDigital, film, Mouse, Disney World, Mouse House, October, TV show, theme park attraction, Mickey, books, 2011, domain name , domain names, trio, Disney XD, Walt Disney World Resort, Hyperion, Disney's Fishhooks, Fish Hooks, Fishhooks, Disney's Fish Hooks, new worlds, Disneyland Marathon, WDW Marathon, Yellow Submarine, marathon, marathons, Adrian Phoenix, Rush of Wings, In the Blood, Disney World Marathon, vampire, wine dine and run, vampire rock star, Dante Baptiste, rock star, Epcot's International Food and Wine Festival, International Food and Wine Festival, Heather Wallace, special agent, FBI, Food and Wine Festival, Charlie Fletcher, Disney Fishhooks, Disney Fish Hooks, Stoneheart, Stoneheart trilogy, Cheetah Chug, Ironhand, Summit Entertainment, Twilight, Silvertongue, ImageMovers, Race for the Taste, blood-sucking, 10K, 3K, The Maker's Song, endurance event, endurance events, book series, young adult fantasy, fish, pet store, Twilight saga, The Twilight Saga

• Gary Vaynerchuk wants you to think outside of the box wine

  Jim Hill reports in from the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Where the “King of Social Media” held court this past Friday Read More... Posted Monday, September 28, 2009 12:00 AM | 0 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Orlando, World Showcase, Brazil, Mickey Mouse, Hollywood, 2009, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, international, Variety, November, Food & Beverage , Green, Red, marketplace, Walt Disney World Resort, rock star, Epcot's International Food and Wine Festival, International Food and Wine Festival, Food and Wine Festival, wine seminar, education, entertainment, Gary Vaynerchuk, Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, sheep butt, socks, Odyssey, Odyssey restaurant, vintage, vintages, WDW visitor, King of Social Media, mantra, You gotta try new things, chianti, Chianti Classico, Shiraz, Green Point Reserve, Green Point Reserve Shiraz, Satori Di Verona, wine world, wine, Napa, Washington State, Walla Walla, reds, white, whites, vintner, vintners, authentic experience, Misha, WDW visitors, food, drink, U.S., Pinot, varieties, webcast, The Thunder Show, confidence, box wine, cuisine, international marketplaces, marketplaces, Rio de Janeiro, Bangkok, foodie, 14th annual International Food & Wine Festival

• Why the bloom is never off the rose at Epcot's International Flower & Garden Festival

  Jim Hill chats with Eric Darden, horticultural manager for this WDW annual event. Who reveals what goes on after-hours so that Guests will always see beautiful bedding plants whenever they attend this 75-day-long festival Read More... Posted Thursday, May 21, 2009 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Walt Disney World, Epcot, WDW, theme park visitor, 2009, The Walt Disney World Resort, 2006, Epcot Flower & Garden Festival, theme parks

• D23 unveils its Summer 2009 Special Events calendar, with Disney-related fun being offered all around the country in the coming months

  Jim Hill shares the latest news coming out of “The Official Community for Disney Fans.” Which will be presenting private screenings as well as offering exclusive backstage experiences all over the U.S. now through September Read More... Posted Thursday, May 14, 2009 2:00 PM | 6 Comments Filed under: Disney, Broadway, Disneyland, Epcot, The Lion King, Chicago, Las Vegas, Broadway musical, Mary Poppins

• The Disneyland expansion plan that never happened

  In this week's "Why For" column, Jim Hill talks about the contents of a three ring binder. Which contains WED's plans -- circa 1982 -- to radically expand Disneyland's capacity until this theme park could comfortably handle 17 million Guests every year Read More... Posted Friday, November 14, 2008 12:00 AM | 4 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean, Michael Eisner, WED, Disneyland, Epcot, America Sings, Country Bear Playhouse, Frank Wells, Walt Disney Productions, Epcot Center, The American Adventure, World Showcase, Tokyo Disneyland, France, WDI, it's a small world, Walt Disney Imagineering, attractions, shows, rides, ride, show, Mary Poppins, 1981, Tron , 1982, Tomorrowland

• Seldom-seen concept art a highlight of "The Imagineering Field Guide to Disneyland"

  Jim Hill checks out the latest volume in Alex Wright's "Imagineering Field Guide" series and finds that this 128-page paperback does an excellent job of summing up the history & the appeal of the Happiest Place on Earth Read More... Posted Wednesday, November 12, 2008 12:00 AM | 5 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, Imagineering, Disneyland, Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, The Magic Kingdom, Disney Editions, Herb Ryman, John Hench, Disneyana, WDI, it's a small world, WDW, Imagineer, Fantasyland, 2008, 2009, The Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyana fans, 1955, Imagineers, April , hippo

• Is everything on display in DCA's "Blue Sky Cellar" actually going to get built? Maybe. Maybe not

  In this week's "Why For," Jim Hill looks back over the history of the Disney Parks & Resorts at the rides, shows and attraction (some of them announced by Walt Disney himself) that ultimately didn't get built Read More... Posted Friday, October 24, 2008 12:00 AM | 4 Comments Filed under: Disney, Walt Disney, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Disney Theatrical, Disney's California Adventure, The Jungle Cruise, Anaheim, Orlando, Disney Press, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Productions, High School Musical franchise, Sleeping Beauty Castle, International Street, Alice in Wonderland, Disneyana, Disney Parks & Resorts, WDW, DCA, Disneyland Hotel, 1974, JHM, Disney World, Frontierland, Disneyana fans, attractions, shows, rides, New York Times, 1966 , Disneyana community , Rivers of America, shooting gallery, Walt Disney Company, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

• "Creating Magic" reveals how the modern Magic Kingdom really operates

  Jim Hill reviews Lee Cockerell's new book, which recounts the many lessons that this Disney vet learned while he was the Executive Vice President in charge of Operations at the WDW Resort Read More... Posted Wednesday, October 15, 2008 12:00 AM | 7 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, parade, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Tinker Bell, The Walt Disney Company, The Magic Kingdom, Euro Disneyland, Cinderella, 9/11, Walt Disney : The Triumph of the American Imagination, The Animated Man : A Life of Walt Disney, Neal Gabler, Michael Barrier, WDW, cast members, cast member, David Koenig, Realityland: True-Life Adventures of Walt Disney World, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, September, guest, guests, Disney Publicity , publicity, 2006, pins, 1994, Lee Cockerell, Trapper Keeper, Charlie Ridgeway, Spinning Disney's World: Memories of a Magic Kingdom Press Agent, MMO, modern Mouse House, Doubleday, Grant's tomb, Alice Marriott, millennium celebration, Euro Disney, Publicity Department

• WDW officials knew that '09 was going to be a real challenge

  Jim Hill talks about the cost containment procedures that Mouse House managers put in place over the past nine months, as they prepared for the current economic downturn Read More... Posted Friday, October 10, 2008 12:00 AM | 8 Comments Filed under: Disney, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, The Magic Kingdom, character dining, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, Disney Parks & Resorts, WDW, promotional campaign, 2008, 2009, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, September, Pleasure Island, Rock n Roll Beach Club, reservations , February , WDW officials , Liberty Tree Tavern , January, WDW executives, PI, What Will You Celebrate, Wall Street, economic downturn, Walt Disney: One Man's Dream, bookings, Fantasmic, Garden Grill

• Just how spectacular was WDW's Bicentennial spectacular?

  In this week's Why For column, Jim Hill looks back to July of 1976. To be specific, all of the advance preparation that WDW officials put into that resort's Bicentennial fireworks display Read More... Posted Friday, July 18, 2008 12:00 AM | 6 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Why For, parade, fireworks, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, promotion, Disney's Polynesian Resort, Disney's Contemporary Resort, World Showcase, World Showcase Lagoon, Sleeping Beauty Castle, Seven Seas Lagoon, WDW, cast members, Jeff Lange, cast member, hotel, 1974, Crowne Plaza, 1976, theme park guest, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, show, staging, WDWCelebrations , fireworks extravaganza , parades, fireworks display, water , lagoon show, water pageant, lagoon , sound check, soft opening, January, audience, water skiing, JeffLangeDVD, visually stunning

• Monday Mouse Watch : Disney World's new grim grinning gracious ghosts

  Forget about fright. Now it's all about being polite. Or so says Jim Hill as he talks about the new spiel that cast members are expected to recite whenever they work at this Magic Kingdom attraction Read More... Posted Monday, June 02, 2008 12:00 AM | 14 Comments Filed under: Disney, attraction, Imagineering, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, The Haunted Mansion, WDI, WDW, Imagineer, Walt Disney Imagineering, The Foyer, The Portrait Gallery, The Entrance Hallway, Liberty Square, cast members, Jeff Lange, cast member, JHM, guest, guests, butlers, maids, acting classes, Imagineers, CD, script, The Ballroom, wretched bodies, Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen, guest complaints , gruesome gags , PR team , acting coaches , dialogue , spiel , show narration , The Stretching Room, final arrangements, maid, butler, please, Prince Arthur, grim grinning ghosts, grim grinning gracious ghosts, polite, fright, retraining, plussing, fashion, The Story and Song from the Haunted Mansion, fireplace, MouseSteps, JeffLangeDVD, photos, screensaver, Epcot Flower & Garden Festival, disc, Denise Preskitt

• Monday Mouse Watch : It's lights out for DAK's "Rivers of Light" parade, while Beastly Kingdomme makes a character-based comeback

  Jim Hill brings you the latest news on Disney's Animal Kingdom. Including how WDW has been meeting with DAK curators to see who'd be willing to go take care of the animals that will soon be on display over at Disney's Night Kingdom Read More... Posted Monday, March 24, 2008 12:00 AM | 36 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, parade, attraction, Imagineering, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Dinosaur, The Magic Kingdom, Disney Parks & Resorts, WDI, it's a small world, the boys: the sherman brothers' story, WDW, Imagineer, Walt Disney Imagineering, Beastly Kingdomme, DAK, Finding Nemo -- The Musical, Rivers of Light, Dan Haskett, theme park visitor, theme park guest, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, theme park fans, attractions, rides, ride, show, theme park attraction, Animal Kingdom , WDWCelebrations , A Wild Decade, Pleasure Island, night club, Disney's Night Kingdom, DNK, Imagineers, Steve Davison, It's Tough to Be a Bug, Japanese Lantern Parade, ROL, Pocahontas and her Forest Friends, Festival of the Lion King, Rafiki's Planet Watch, Camp Minnie-Mickey, character greeting area, Quest for the Unicorn, Dragon's Tower, horticulture, nighttime parade, after-hours extravaganza, character-friendly addition, pathway, night clubs, parades, Disney characters, Disney brand

• The story that Walt didn't want you to hear

  Before hitting the road for Orlando, Jim Hill shares an excerpt from a long forgotten Reader's Digest feature condensation: Richard Collier's "Wish Upon a Star: The Magical Kingdoms of Walt Disney" Read More... Posted Thursday, February 07, 2008 12:00 AM | 13 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Universal Studios, Walt Disney, Disneyland, Epcot, Orlando, SeaWorld, Tom Sawyer Island, Spaceship Earth, Main Street U.S.A., The Haunted Mansion, Tutto Italia Ristorante, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Universal Orlando, 1971, JHM, Universal Studios Orlando, Universal Studios Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando Resort, October, television program, Main Street USA, construction site, New Hampshire, camera, pictures, Tuesday , publishing schedule, website , weekend , Orlando Fun Tickets, webmasters, webmaster, Aquatica, Yak & Yeti , hit-and-run trip, hit-and-run, Richard Collier, Wish Upon a Star: The Magical Kingdoms of Walt Disney, The Breakfast Club, issue, Reader's Digest, 1955, Tennessee, leukemia, ergonomics, landscaping , train, Disneyland Railroad , locomotive , coal car , track, skyline, will-o'-the-wisp, Rainbow Caverns, Tom Sawyer's Island, enchantment, childhood, Van France , train ride, worksite, picture, publicity, celebrities, celebrity, charity , charity event , cameras, private

• Do-it-yourself Epcot celebration leads to new fan-based business

  Jim Hill reveals how "Celebration 25" led to the creation of "WDWCelebrations." Which will be presenting "A Wild Decade" at Disney's Animal Kingdom this April in honor of that theme park's 10th anniversary Read More... Posted Thursday, January 24, 2008 12:00 AM | 6 Comments Filed under: Disney, Imagineering, Disneyland, Epcot, promotion, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Orlando, Innoventions, Marty Sklar, The Walt Disney Company, Epcot Center, concept art, 2719 Hyperion, WDI, Central Florida, the boys: the sherman brothers' story, WDW, Imagineer, Year of a Million Dreams, DAK, Figment, Nathan Rose, MagicalMountain, WDWMagic, tourists, promotional campaign, 2008, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, 2007, merch, Disneyana fans, Disney World vacation, Disneyana community , Deb Wills , AllEars.net , Brad Rex, 25th anniversary , The Happiest Celebration on Earth, 50th anniversary , Central Florida resort , Walt & El Grupo, Waking Sleeping Beauty, tourist , Jenn Waitt , discussion boards , Celebration 25, Adam Roth, Jason Diffendal , get-together , Disney webmasters , John Corigliano , Mouse Times, Lou Mongello , Disney World Trivia , Jeff Pepper , day-long event, history walk , dessert party, rededication ceremony, temporary exhibit , props, models , MC , history talks, Fountain of Nations , Mouse Gear, limited edition , merchandise , commemorative , Figment plush , merchandise location , Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, Animal Kingdom , WDWCelebrations , fan-based , signature event , commemorative event, Flashdance, A Wild Decade, guest speaker, registrants , Magical Mountain, The Epcot Thing