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• NFFC Disney World Holiday Extravaganza places the emphasis on in-park fun

  Jim Hill chats with Anita Schaengold, Special Events Chairperson for the NFFC-Disneyana Fan Club about this year’s programming changes. Which will leave more time to explore & enjoy WDW’s theme parks Read More... Posted Friday, November 27, 2009 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, convention, attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Anaheim, Orlando, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Wilderness Lodge, The Magic Kingdom, Space Mountain, Disney's Yacht Club Resort, The Haunted Mansion, Disneyana, WDW, Christmas, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, National Fantasy Fan Club, Disneyana Enthusiasts, 2009, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, attractions, shows, rides, ride, show, holiday season , Disneyana community , operational issues, theme parks, The Princess and the Frog, Disneyana fan, holiday, Tomorrowland, Walt Disney World Resort, holidays, Disney's Beach Club Resort, Operational

• You don’t know Jack about Disneyland’s “Halloween Screams - A Villainous Surprise in the Skies"

  Jim Hill talks with John Addis, Senior Show Director for Disney Entertainment Productions, about how this new fireworks show came together Read More... Posted Wednesday, October 07, 2009 12:00 AM | 0 Comments Filed under: animation, Disney, theme park, fireworks, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom, Anaheim, Disney Legend, The Magic Kingdom, Disneyland Resort, The Haunted Mansion, Sleeping Beauty Castle, Dumbo, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, WDW, Paul Frees, Ghost Host, Jack Skellington, spider, 2009, Disney World, Halloween, snow, 2005, November, Cinderella Castle , Walt Disney Creative Entertainment , Steve Davison, parades, fireworks display, flight path , trick-or-treat, trick or treat, Zero, Disneyland Park, Castle, John Addis, Scream-Along, shell, public performance, Senior Show Director, Disney Entertainment Productions, fireworks show, magical orb, spectaculars, magical, flight pattern, main street, snow falling, Disney Villains, Ursula the Sea Witch, Oogie Boogie, The Hub, The Ghost Host, Cruella De Vil, trick-or-treating, Ursula, spiders, Castle walls, Haunted Mansion, Halloween fireworks display, Corey Burton, Holidays at the Disneyland Resort, snow falling on Main Street, Halloween Time, Disneyland Guests, Halloween Screams, M.C., Halloween Screams - A Villainous Surprise in the Skies, Disney Villain, Happy HalloWishes, shimmering lights, Happy HalloWishes: A Grim Grinning Ghost Spectacular in the Sky

• The Muppets lead the way with Disney Parks & Resorts' new "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" promotion

  Jim Hill talks up this new Walt Disney Company initiative. Which hopes to inspire a million people to do volunteer work in their local communities Read More... Posted Wednesday, September 30, 2009 12:00 AM | 10 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Muppets, Jim Henson, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, promotion, Anaheim, Orlando, Desperate Housewives, The Walt Disney Company, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Kermit the Frog, Canada, Chicago, Disney Parks & Resorts, Mr. Toad, LA, promotional campaign, 2009, legacy, December , website , worksite, 2010, January, campaign, free admission, birthday, What Will You Celebrate?, What Will You Celebrate, Disney theme park, online, Walt Disney World Resort, Muppet, Robin, framing, Habitat for Humanity, Give a Day Get a Disney Day, Miss Piggy, Mad Tea Party, volunteer, volunteer work, local community, local communities, initiative, Teri Hatcher, James Denton, Bethune School of Excellence, Photo ID, Puerto Rico, Disney Prep and Landing, volunteering, free ticket, terms & conditions, Muppet-themed, terms and conditions, Get a Disney Day, Give a Day

• Disney hopes that our next Commander-in-Chief can inspire some consumer confidence

  According to Jim Hill, Mickey doesn't really care who the next President is. Just as long as this guy can then convince the American people to once again start planning trips to Anaheim & Orlando Read More... Posted Monday, November 03, 2008 12:00 AM | 20 Comments Filed under: Disney, resorts, Bob Iger, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Anaheim, Orlando, The Walt Disney Company, The Hall of Presidents, Disneyland Resort, Four Seasons Hotel & Resorts, Russia, Disney Parks & Resorts, 9/11, WDI, Burbank, WDW, resort, White House, 2009, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, Disney World vacation, high profile project, niche park , advance reservations, advance reservation, WDW vacations, President, Commander-in-Chief, George W Bush, CEO, 2010, President of the United States , consumers, Thomas Staggs, Jungle Trek, Disney's Jungle Trek, Walt Disney Company, Disney theme park, China, Wall Street, economic downturn, economy, fiscal year, Presidential election, consumer spending, earnings, CFO, quarter, Vice President, Vice Presidents, Joe Biden, Sarah Palin, Congress, intellectual property, The White House, piracy, anti-piracy, Valerie Edwards, Director of Sculpture, Barack Obama, chainmail, fashion magazines, Obama Biden, fashion magazine, consumer confidence, recession, Presidential candidate, Presidential candidates, earnings call, Four Seasons, The Four Seasons

• 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

• "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

• Does WDI plan on gagging our next Commander-in-Chief as part of the 2009 redo of WDW's "Hall of Presidents" ?

  Jim Hill shares what he's heard about the upcoming revamp of this Magic Kingdom attraction. To be specific, how the Imagineers are looking to shave a few minutes off of the running time of this 36-year-old Liberty Square show Read More... Posted Tuesday, March 04, 2008 12:00 AM | 50 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, attraction, Imagineering, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom, Anaheim, The Magic Kingdom, Audio Animatronic, Bill Clinton, The President of the United States, WDI, WDW, Imagineer, Walt Disney Imagineering, Liberty Square, wheelchair accessible, AA figure, Audio Animatronics, handicap access, 2009, The Walt Disney World Resort, 2001, show, theme park attraction, WDW guests, Imagineers, July , handicap-accessible, wheelchair-friendly, wheelchair, presidential primaries, presidential primary, primaries, primary, President, Commander-in-Chief, promotional gimmick , Chief Executive , Blaine Gibson , George W Bush, Monica Lewinsky , scandal , Robin Williams, dignity , roll call , speech, THOP, Gettysburg Address, The Gettysburg Address , Great Moments with Mr Lincoln, redo, revamp, recycling , Great Oaks Entertainment, electric convenience vehicle , ECV, ECV - friendly, improvements , doorway , turnstile , The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management, Iago, Uh-Oa, Zzzs , bran muffin

• Disney testing new ways to slow down FastPass counterfeiters

  Jim Hill talks about the plan that Disney Parks & Resorts has in the works to catch folks who are using bogus "Attraction Re-entry" tickets that they've purchased off of eBay. Which will involve scanning each individual FastPass for authenticity before the Mouse then allows that guest to enter a particular ride, show or attraction Read More... Posted Thursday, February 21, 2008 12:00 AM | 34 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, attraction, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, The Jungle Cruise, Anaheim, The Walt Disney Company, FastPass, The Magic Kingdom, Disneyland Resort, Disney Parks & Resorts, WDW, cast members, cast member, Disneyana Enthusiasts, Mouse, theme park visitor, theme park guest, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, ticket sales, theme park fans, attractions, shows, rides, ride, show, theme park attraction, admission , admission fee

• What a doll ! Remembering Joyce Carlson (1923 - 2008)

  Jim Hill pays tribute to this Disney Legend, who passed away this past Tuesday following a long bout with cancer Read More... Posted Friday, January 04, 2008 12:00 AM | 3 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, attraction, Imagineering, WED, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Marc Davis, Anaheim, Peter Pan, Disney Legend, The Walt Disney Company, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disney Resort, John Hench, Cinderella, Mary Blair, Sleeping Beauty, Hong Kong Disneyland, Disney Parks & Resorts, WDI, it's a small world, WDW, Imagineer, Fantasyland, Walt Disney Studios, LaughingPlace, The Walt Disney World Resort, animated feature, ride, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Disney Feature Animation, theme park attraction, Joyce Carlson, 1964 New York World Fair, New York World's Fair, retired, compliment, legacy, humble, concept phase, design phase, Disney Netpal, project development, detailed model, dimensional figure, Jim Korkis, 2003, Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress, doll, condolences, Hospice of the Comforter, Altamonte Springs, obituary

• A PC Haunted Mansion ?! Now that's scary

  Jim Hill talks about the new script that the Imagineers have written for this attraction's Foyer area. Which is reportedly being added to the stateside versions of this classic attraction because a handful of guests complained about the macabre remarks that a few Disney cast members have made over the years Read More... Posted Thursday, January 03, 2008 12:00 AM | 43 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Imagineering, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Anaheim, Orlando, The Magic Kingdom, Disneyland Resort, The Haunted Mansion, WDI, Glendale, WDW, Imagineer, Walt Disney Imagineering, Paul Frees, Ghost Host, The Foyer, The Portrait Gallery, The Entrance Hallway, stretching room, theme park visitor, theme park guest, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, guest, guests, macabre, ghoulish, butlers, maids, ad-lib lines, staging, blocking, acting classes, official script, 1401 Flower Street, sinister, theme park attraction, squeamish

• Planning on dining at any of WDW's buffets during the coming holiday season ? Then Ho-ho-ho ! Get ready to give Mickey more of your dough

  Jim Hill talks about how Disney World's new "holiday premium" program means that -- starting next week -- you'll be paying more for the privilege of dining at that resort's all-you-can-eat eateries during the busier times of the year Read More... Posted Tuesday, November 13, 2007 12:00 AM | 28 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Imagineering, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney's California Adventure, Anaheim, Disney's Contemporary Resort, The Magic Kingdom, restaurant, WDI, it's a small world, WDW, Imagineer, Boma, The Crystal Palace, Christmas, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Memorial Day, holiday premium, Easter, Chef Mickey's

• WDI's X-Scream Makeover of WDW's Haunted Mansion: Part 4

  Jim Hill continues his 5-part series on this recently revamped Magic Kingdom classic. This time around, Jim talks about a gag that the Imagineers finally felt was far too gruesome to be added to this attraction's Attic sequence Read More... Posted Thursday, October 25, 2007 12:00 AM | 4 Comments Filed under: Disney, attraction, Imagineering, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Anaheim, Omnimover, The Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, Audio Animatronic, The Haunted Mansion, Disneyana, Haunted Halloween, WDI, Glendale, WDW, Imagineer, Walt Disney Imagineering, The Portrait Gallery, The Graveyard, stretching room, Liberty Square, Madame Leota, digital projection, Jeff Lange, Doom Buggy, The Attic, The Grand Staircase, Operations, The Séance Circle , M.C. Escher , AA figure, Audio Animatronics, The Grand Ballroom , Tokyo, dark ride, Lexan, Constance, bird cage, wedding band, ring, Hatbox Ghost, Hitchhiking Ghosts, The Yankee Trader, Leota Toombs, trumpet

• 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

• What was it like to be at Disneyland and/or Walt Disney World six years ago today?

  In honor of the sixth anniversary of 9/11, Jim Hill Media reprises a piece from 2006. Where the site's readers remember what it was like to be vacationing at and/or working in Anaheim & Orlando as this tragedy unfolded Read More... Posted Tuesday, September 11, 2007 12:00 AM | 12 Comments Filed under: theme park, attraction, ABC, resorts, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Disney-MGM Studios theme park, Disney's California Adventure, The Jungle Cruise, Tony's Town Square, Anaheim, Orlando, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, The Walt Disney Company, Disney's Polynesian Resort, The Magic Kingdom, New York City, Washington D.C., Shanksville PA, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Cinderella's Golden Carousel, The Rainforest Cafe, Disney's Blizzard Beach, Disney's Yacht Club Resort, Walt Disney World Dolphin hotel, Spaceship Earth, Anaheim Convention Center, Disneyland Resort, the Inn Between, Main Street U.S.A.

• Another Kingdom That Never Came: Disneyland expansion plans circa 1976

  As a follow-up to last week's "Why For," Jim Hill shares some excerpts from the Disneyland Long Range Masterplan. Which goes into great details about such never-built "lands" as the Lost Continent, Big Town U.S.A. and World Holiday Land Read More... Posted Friday, September 07, 2007 12:00 AM | 11 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Why For, attraction, Imagineering, WED, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Disney's California Adventure, California Screamin', The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Anaheim, Mysterious Island, Norway pavilion, The Magic Kingdom, Pinocchio's Daring Journey, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, The Hall of Presidents, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Charles Boyer, American Waterfront, Maelstrom, The Sun Wheel, Discovery Bay, Dumbo Circus