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• Marty Sklar to pay tribute to Disney Legend at Ryman Arts fund-raiser

  Jim Hill talks up next month’s event at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Where this recently retired Imagineering Ambassador will discuss Herbie Ryman’s creative legacy Read More... Posted Thursday, November 26, 2009 12:00 AM | 3 Comments Filed under: theme park, Walt Disney, Disneyland, Marty Sklar, Disney Legend, Walt Disney Productions, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Herb Ryman, Southern California, Walt Disney Imagineering, 2009, Thanksgiving, Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress, fundraiser, artists , high school, 1955, 1989, student, theme parks, Walt Disney Company, 1991, artistic development, Walt Disney World Resort, Thanksgiving Day, fundraising event, carousel, artwork, Contemporary Resort Hotel

• 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

• Marty Sklar honored with Window on Main Street

  On the occasion of this Disney Legend’s retirement, Jim Hill uses a Newsreel from 1983 to reflect on the Company’s past, present and future Read More... Posted Friday, July 17, 2009 12:00 AM | 4 Comments Filed under: Walt Disney, Imagineering, computer animation, CG, John Lasseter, Walt Disney Pictures, Disneyland, Marty Sklar, Disney Legend, Walt Disney Productions, The Walt Disney Company, Main Street U.S.A., WDI, Imagineer, Walt Disney Imagineering, Walt Disney Studios, computer, Glen Keane, 2009, Golden Horseshoe , Main Street USA, Where the Wild Things Are, The Brave Little Toaster, retired, 1955, Tron , Tron Sequel, choreography, choreographer, Golden Horseshoe Revue

• 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

• 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

• Tune Tuesday : "Hello, WALL-E! Well, Hello, WALL-E ..."

  Forget about Pixar's latest production. Jim Hill talks about the many other ways that Jerry Herman's Tony Award-winning musical has popped up at the Mouse House Read More... Posted Tuesday, July 01, 2008 12:00 AM | 20 Comments Filed under: movies, Pixar, musical, Imagineering, CG, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, 20th Century Fox, Magic Kingdom, James Bond, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Productions, The Magic Kingdom, New York City, Main Street U.S.A., Eddie Sotto, Euro Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, television, The Haunted Mansion, Rotten Tomatoes, Tony Award winner, WDI, WDW, Imagineer, Walt Disney Imagineering, film, movie, 2008, 1970s , opening weekend grosses, opening weekend, Disneyana fans, Main Street USA, Tony Award, Andrew Stanton, Tony Award-winner , CG feature, 1970 , Imagineers, Disney Pixar , Kung Fu Panda, WALL-E, New York, domestic release, 1969, Jerry Herman, showtunes , futuristic fable , Put on Your Sunday Clothes, It Only Takes a Moment, CHUD, robot, Elegance , Before the Parade Passes By , area music , E.J. Peaker , Disneyland Showtime , The Wonderful World of Disney , Donny Osmond, Merrill Osmond , introduction, Miss Molloy, dress shop , Minnie Fay , movie star, Love Bug Parade , Condorman, spoof , 1981, Woody Wilkins , Michael Crawford , Barbara Carrera , Cornelius Hackl , original Broadway production, Phantom of the Opera, Dolly Levi , extras , senior Vice President of Creative Development , Tony Baxter , turn-of-the-century , Gene Kelly , Barbara Streisand , price tag , Hello

• Toon Tuesday : Are you ready for the walkaround versions of the Disney Fairies ?

  As the Disney theme parks get ready for the Fall arrival of Tink & her pals, Jim Hill shares some shots that he's received of these new face characters Read More... Posted Tuesday, May 06, 2008 12:00 AM | 26 Comments Filed under: Disney, fireworks, Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, Orlando, Disney Fairies, Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Walt Disney Productions, The Walt Disney Company, WDW, Ariel's Grotto, Ariel, Walt Disney Home Entertainment, 2008, 2009, 2005, home premiere, 2011, Disney franchise, face character , 2010, Disney characters, 1951, animated version, pixie, fireworks display, fireworks displays , Disney's Character Programs & Development , Character Programs & Development, walkaround version, CG version , walkaround face character , Iridessa, Rosetta, Silvermist , Fawn, Tink , Judge's Tent, Mickey's Toontown Fair , Pixie Hollow, virtual world , Internet-connected toys , Clickables, Tinker Bell: North of Never Land, Tinker Bell: A Midsummer Storm, Tinker Bell: A Winter Story, remote control , WowWee , FlyTech , faith hope and pixie dust

• Remembering Suzanne Pleshette (1937 - 2008)

  Jim Hill looks back on the Disney-related portion of this Emmy nominated actress's career as well as commenting on the role that smoking may have played in her untimely demise Read More... Posted Monday, January 21, 2008 12:00 AM | 4 Comments Filed under: Disney, TV, Universal Studios, Walt Disney, ABC, Disneyland, Walt Disney Productions, television, Burbank, film, movie, TV show, Disneyana fans, condolences, Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette , Emily Hartley, Bob Hartley , The Bob Newhart Show , Dean Jones, 1966 , The Ugly Dachshund, 1968, Blackbeard's Ghost , 1975, The Shaggy DA, Roddy McDowell , 1967, The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin , The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, Noah Cyrus, Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away, Tony Curtis , 40 Pounds of Trouble, 1962 , Norman Jewison , Damon Runyon, Little Miss Marker , St. Joseph's Hospital , studio , Roy O Disney , Peter Ustinov , Disney lot, James Garner, Laura Hennessy , West High Knights, ABC sitcom, sitcom , Virginia Davis, smoker, lung cancer, smoking-related illnesses , Emmy-nominated

• Why For aren't there more countries in Epcot's World Showcase area?

  As Jim Hill recounts, it wasn't for lack of trying on Walt Disney Productions' part. Jim talks about the lavish four-day-long party that the Mouse threw back in 1975 in an effort to convince more nations to become part of the project Read More... Posted Friday, September 21, 2007 12:00 AM | 12 Comments Filed under: theme park, Why For, WED, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Anaheim, Walt Disney Productions, Epcot Center, Disney's Contemporary Resort, World Showcase, Card Walker, The Magic Kingdom, Washington D.C., The Matterhorn, Eyes & Ears, Hoop de Doo Revue, The Walt Disney Story, Bay Lake, big fig, Buena Vista Club, Brazil, Canada, Donn Tatum, Egypt, France, Future World Theme Center, Goebel, Greece, Guest Relations, Gulf Hospitality House, Hummel, Indonesia, International Street, International Land, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, McCoy Airfield, Morocco, Orlando International Airport, Pakistan, Pioneer Hall, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain , Sweden, The Middle East, Ticket & Transportation Center, Top of the World, Venezuela, Zaire

• "Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering" looks to be worth the wait

  Jim Hill interviews Jeff Kurtti, the author of this long-delayed Disney Editions book. Who explains how expanding the scope of "The Genesis of the Disney Theme Park" wound up putting this eagerly-awaited paperback behind schedule Read More... Posted Wednesday, September 12, 2007 12:00 AM | 16 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, theme park, Walt Disney, attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean, Imagineering, Disneyland, Marty Sklar, Walt Disney Productions, Jeff Kurtti, Bruce Gordon, Claude Coats, Harriet Burns, Fred Joerger, Eddie Sotto, Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, Julie Riehm, Buddy Baker, George Bruns, X Atencio, Plaza Inn Restaurant, Euro Disneyland, Disney Editions, Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park, Herb Ryman, Disneyland Paris, The Matterhorn

• The Kingdom That Never Came : Disney World expansion plans circa June of 1982

  Jim Hill shares an interview with Dick Nunis from the early 1980s. Where the then-president of WDW goes into great details about the many new hotels & attractions Walt Disney Productions has in the works for its Central Florida resort Read More... Posted Friday, August 31, 2007 12:00 AM | 24 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, attraction, resorts, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Dick Nunis, Walt Disney Productions, Epcot Center, The American Adventure, The Living Seas, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Wilderness Lodge, United Kingdom pavilion, Canada pavilion, China pavilion, Norway pavilion, Italy pavilion, Germany pavilion, Mexico pavilion