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• Why For

• 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 | 5 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 Not-So-Scary Halloween Party", "Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party", Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, 2007, "The Lone Ranger", Captain Jack Sparrow, "Pirates of the Caribbean 4", "Pirates 4", Pirates 4, 1996 , 2006, Pirate & Princess Party, "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" , 3-D 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, "Music, Music & Mayhem", Magic and Mayhem"

• Tween favorites draw huge crowds to the 2008 Disney Channel Games

  Jim Hill looks back on last week's events at Disney's Wide World of Sports. Which culminated in a concert that sent thousands of Central Florida tweens into a Disney Channel-induced frenzy Read More... Posted Wednesday, May 07, 2008 12:00 AM | 7 Comments Filed under: Disney, Disney Channel, Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney World, Orlando, Disney's Hollywood Studios, "Cory in the House", "Hannah Montana", Miley Cyrus, Mickey Mouse, Central Florida, WDW, Disney Channel Original, JHM, 2008, 2009, Disney World, TV special, tween, concert , TV movie, cable channel, tweens, concert film, "Camp Rock" , production team, Jonas Brothers, Disney's Wide World of Sports, 2008 Disney Channel Games , squealing , the Jonas Brothers , the Cheetah Girls , Cheetah Girls, "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" , "Wizards of Waverly Place" , Disney Channel Games , Mitchel Musso , Disney Channel star, Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas, Selena Gomez , "Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place" , Disney Channel Games Parade , Champion Stadium, Central Florida sun , favorite performer, TV taping, PA, safety , buffer zone, performers, WDW Security, Sabrina Bryan, Kiely Williams , Adrienne Bailon, "See You Again", "Cheetah Girls – One World", "One World" , water , Demi Lovato , stage, Beatles , Beatlemania, 1960s, Jonas Brothers 3-D movie, 3-D movie, Disney officials , "Go" project, go project , taping , commemorative poster, Disboards , 2009 Disney Channel Games, ears ringing

• Monday Mouse Watch : "Camp Rock 2" ? A Jonas Brothers concert in 3D ?

  Jim Hill talks about the Walt Disney Company's future plans for some of the Disney Channel's most popular performers & programs Read More... Posted Monday, April 14, 2008 12:00 AM | 14 Comments Filed under: Disney, "High School Musical", Disney Channel, Walt Disney Pictures, "High School Musical" franchise, "Hannah Montana", Miley Cyrus, Walt Disney Studios, movie, Disney Channel Original, 2009, "Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both World Concert" , Disney Digital 3D, "Camp Rock" , Jonas Brothers

• Remembering Charlton Heston (1924 - 2008)

  Jim Hill looks back on the career of this 83-year-old Academy Award winner and his rather unique ties to the Walt Disney Company Read More... Posted Monday, April 07, 2008 12:00 AM | 18 Comments Filed under: Disney, Walt Disney Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Walt Disney Productions, The Walt Disney Company, "Hercules", Walt Disney Studios, film, Academy Award winner

• As Disney begins to get nervous about "Narnia," Pixar now sets its sights on "Mars"

  Jim Hill brings you the latest buzz from Burbank. Which suggests that -- unless "Prince Caspian" does huge business when it's released to theaters in May -- Disney may opt to pull the plug on the "Narnia" series. Replacing that film franchise with a trio of Pixar-produced "John Carter of Mars" movies Read More... Posted Monday, March 17, 2008 12:00 AM | 87 Comments Filed under: Disney, Pixar, Walt Disney Pictures, promotion, "Ratatouille", Brad Bird, "The Incredibles", Mark Andrews, Pixar Animation Studios, marketing, "WALL * E", "John Carter of Mars", Edgar Rice Burroughs, Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, "1906", Walden Media, "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian", film, movie, 2008, Disney / Pixar, film franchises, Andrew Stanton, nomination , nominee, Oscar, 2011, 2010, Jim Morris

• Tune Tuesday: Get ready for the stage version of "High School Musical 2"

  Jim Hill shares all sorts of tidbits from the Disney Theatrical side of the fence. Including the tour schedule for both the North American & UK version of "Mary Poppins" as well as "The Little Mermaid" CD release celebration Read More... Posted Tuesday, February 19, 2008 12:00 AM | 3 Comments Filed under: Disney, theater, Broadway, "High School Musical", ABC, Walt Disney Pictures, Disney Theatrical, "The Little Mermaid", "High School Musical 2", The Walt Disney Company, "High School Musical 3", "High School Musical" franchise, New York City, Washington D.C., Australia, Chicago, "The Lion King", Los Angeles, "Mary Poppins", NYC, LA, Broadway musical, stage version, Disney Channel Original, 2009, October, Cameron Mackintosh , Broadway Cares / Equity Fights Aids , autographs, co-production, stage show

• National Treasure 3 & 4 ?! Big Thunder Mountain ... The Movie ?!

  Why For returns with answers to your Disney-related questions. This time around, Jim Hill talks about the company's plans to expand its "National Treasure" franchise as well as reveals the studio's next theme park-based film. WARNING ! There be spoilers ahead ! Read More... Posted Friday, February 01, 2008 12:00 AM | 20 Comments Filed under: book, attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean, Imagineering, Jerry Bruckheimer, Walt Disney Pictures, The Jungle Cruise, Disney Press, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End", Big Thunder Mountain, Jack Sparrow, WDI, Imagineer, Walt Disney Imagineering, writers' strike, movie, WGA, theme park attraction, the Writer's Strike , books, "National Treasure", "National Treasure: Book of Secrets", "National Treasure 3", "National Treasure 4", "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl", "The Lone Ranger", "Big Thunder Mountain", "Big Thunder Mountain: The Movie", "The Jungle Cruise", "The Jungle Cruise: Heart of Darkness", "The Jungle Cruise: The Movie", Nicholas Cage, John Turtletaub, "Midnight Ride", "Changing Tide", "National Treasure" book series, Aqua de Vita, The Water of Life, Water of Life, Fountain of Youth, Atlantis, The Fountain of Youth, Captain Jack Sparrow, Barbossa, Captain Hector Barbossa, The Black Pearl, Black Pearl, "Pirates of the Caribbean 4", "Pirates 4", Pirates 4, "AVP", "Alien vs Predator", Captain Barbossa, Benjamin Gates, Ponce de León, Page 47, "National Treasure" theme park attraction, The Gates Family, Gates Family, Gates Family Mystery, Gates Family Mysteries

• Animation fans prematurely shoot off their mouths about "Bolt"

  Jim Hill points out the parallels between what WDAS's next release is now going through and "Beauty & the Beast" & "The Lion King" 's troubled productions Read More... Posted Wednesday, January 02, 2008 12:00 AM | 18 Comments Filed under: animation, Disney, movies, Pixar, DreamWorks, computer animation, John Lasseter, "Shrek", Walt Disney Pictures, "Beauty & the Beast", John Musker, "The Little Mermaid", "Ratatouille", Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, DreamWorks Animation, "Aladdin", Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Jeffrey Katzenberg, "Toy Story", WDAS, "The Lion King", "Who Framed Roger Rabbit", WDI, Ed Catmull, Walt Disney Imagineering, Walt Disney Studios, "Bolt", Academy Award, film, movie, 2008, animated feature, Richard Purdum , "Cranium Command", Kirk Wise, Gary Trousdale, award, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Disney Feature Animation, "Mulan", "The Emperor's New Groove", "Kingdom of the Sun", "Kiskaloo", blind men and the elephant, Indian fable, pre-release image, teaser poster, November 2008, Bolt the dog, Mittens the cat, Rhino the hamster, Chris Williams, "American Dog", Chris Sanders, quirkiness, Jan Pinkava, George Scribner, Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers, S Gross, lemons into lemonade, November 28

• Will the writer's strike force production of "High School Musical 3" & "The Hannah Montana Movie" to be postponed ?

  Jim Hill shares the grim news coming out of Burbank. Which suggests that -- unless the WGA returns to work early in 2008 -- Walt Disney Pictures may have no choice but to push back production of the big screen versions of these two Disney Channel favorites Read More... Posted Thursday, December 20, 2007 12:00 AM | 17 Comments Filed under: Disney, Disney Channel, Walt Disney Pictures, "High School Musical 3", "High School Musical" franchise, television, "Hannah Montana", Miley Cyrus, "The Hannah Montana Movie", Burbank, Walt Disney Studios, writers' strike, film, movie, 2008, television program, tween, WGA

• Suffering from "Pirates" withdrawal? Then treat yourself to a peek at "The Secret Files of the East India Trading Company"

  Jim Hill reviews this entertaining new interactive volume from brecker&mayer! LLC. Which brings the world of Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" to life right in your hands Read More... Posted Wednesday, December 12, 2007 12:00 AM | 7 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, Pirates of the Caribbean, Walt Disney Pictures, Disney Press, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End", film, movie

• Could you please have the Rat whip me up some crow?

  Here (finally) is the JHM column that Pixar fans have been waiting for. Where Jim Hill talks about how well "Ratatouille" has been doing overseas ... as well as other Disney-related matters Read More... Posted Friday, November 23, 2007 12:00 AM | 31 Comments Filed under: Disney, movies, TV, Visual Effects, Gore Verbinski, Walt Disney Pictures, "Ratatouille", Brad Bird, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Pixar Animation Studios, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End", television, "The Game Plan", Hollywood, WDSHE, DVD, box office, film, movie, Thanksgiving, leftovers, crow, international, worldwide box office, Disney / Pixar, animated feature, production costs, release date, stateside, exhibitors, ticket sales, top selling, FX, effects, The Michael Eisner building, Michael Eisner building, character-based merchandise, 2007, "Wild Hogs", "Wild Hogs 2", titles, floss, promotional costs, "The Best Reviewed Film of the Year", domestic performance, The Ivy, opening weekend grosses, opening weekend, Hollywood Reporter, Variety, strip-mining, wild-assed guess, Magic 8 Ball, television program, TV show, television programs, TV shows, The Hollywood Reporter, The Nielsen ratings, Nielsen ratings, domestic box office numbers, entertainment industry, initial domestic run, evergreen title, franchise, film franchise, film franchises, merch, nuturing, long term profit potential, long term profitability

• A special "Toon Much of a Good Thing" edition of Why For

  Jim Hill's back with even more answers to your Disney-related questions. This time around, Jim talks about why Walt Disney Home Entertainment stopped producing 2-disc versions of those new Disney / Pixar DVDs as well as revealing that Walt Disney Animation Studios may already have a second traditionally animated feature in the works Read More... Posted Friday, November 02, 2007 12:00 AM | 30 Comments Filed under: animation, Disney, DVD / Video, theme park, Pixar, traditional animation, computer animation, CG, John Lasseter, Walt Disney Pictures, Disney-MGM Studios theme park, Robert Zemeckis, Ron Clements, John Musker, "The Princess and the Frog", "Cars", "Ratatouille", Brad Bird, "Enchanted", Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Hollywood , Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Walt Disney Animation Studios, "The Incredibles", Pixar Animation Studios, Russia, WDAS, Burbank, "WALL * E", WDW, Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Home Entertainment, WDSHE, WDHE, Disney Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, "The Magic of Disney Animation", Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida, "How to Hook-Up Your Home Theater", "Prep and Landing", "The Ballad of Nessie", Loch Ness, "Glago's Guest", close encounter of the third kind, Walden Media, "A Conversation with Disney's Mark Zoradi", Heartland Film Festival, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group, Mark Zoradi, "Bolt", Glen Keane, "Rapunzel", "A Christmas Carol", Dean Wellins, ImageMoversDigital, "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian", DVD

• Toon Tuesday : Mary in the morning, Ellenshaw in the afternoon

  Looking for a fun way to spend a Saturday in the Bay Area? Then let Jim Hill plan out October 27th for you. Starting with a new exhibit at the Cartoon Art Museum, an artist's signing at Where the Magic Begins and ... Would you believe a wedding? Read More... Posted Tuesday, October 16, 2007 12:05 AM | 8 Comments Filed under: Disney, Walt Disney Pictures, Anaheim, Orlando, "Peter Pan", Disney Legend, Cartoon Art Museum, "Cinderella", "Alice in Wonderland", Mary Blair, Burbank, San Francisco, Peter Ellenshaw, Harrison Ellenshaw, Michael Young, Collectors Editions, Disney Art by Ellenshaw, Preston Blair, Kevin Blair, Cindy Russell, "Where the Magic Begins", "it's a small world", "The Art and Flair of Mary Blair", Livermore, Bay Bridge, Bay Area, Southern California, Central Florida

• Toon Tuesday: Wanna see what the first few minutes of "Enchanted" looks like?

  Jim Hill shares some images from the animated portion of this new Kevin Lima film. Which the Mouse hopes will get today's audiences excited about the idea of seeing Walt Disney Studios do traditional animation again Read More... Posted Tuesday, October 09, 2007 12:00 AM | 24 Comments Filed under: Disney, movies, traditional animation, Walt Disney Pictures, Dick Cook, Andreas Deja, "Beauty & the Beast", "The Little Mermaid", Alan Menken, "Enchanted", "Aladdin", Walt Disney Animation Studios, "The Game Plan", Kevin Lima, Amy Adams, James Marsden, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon, "Cinderella", "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", "Sleeping Beauty", "The Pacifier", "Three Men and a Baby", "Who Framed Roger Rabbit", Oren Aviv, James Baxter, James Baxter Animation, Andy Fickman, Vin Diesel, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Rotten Tomatoes, Chris Chase, Jason Reed, Nina Jacobson, Bill Kelly, Barry Josephson, Stephen Schwartz

• Toon Tuesday: Will "Enchanted" 's health-conscious promotional campaign ultimately result in robust box office receipts for this new Walt Disney Pictures release?

  Jim Hill wonders: Can a feel-good movie actually be used to encourage healthier eating habits? For that seems to be a key component of the marketing plan that Disney has cooked up for its big Holiday 2007 release Read More... Posted Tuesday, September 25, 2007 12:00 AM | 25 Comments Filed under: movies, TV, ABC, Bob Iger, Walt Disney Pictures, promotion, "Enchanted", marketing, television, Nutrisoda, Kevin Lima, The Little Gym, McDonald's, Happy Meal, "Enchanted: The Video Game", "Dancing with the Stars", childhood obesity, Amy Adams, James Marsden, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon