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• Will pirates soon be returning to Treasure ... er ... Discovery Island?

  In this week's Why For, Jim Hill talks about the history of Treasure / Discovery Island. More importantly, how WDW Entertainment and Food & Beverage are allegedly thinking of using the "Pirates of the Caribbean" characters to help get this place re-opened Read More... Posted Friday, June 06, 2008 12:00 AM | 14 Comments Filed under: Disney, Why For, Imagineering, ABC, Johnny Depp, WED, Walt Disney World, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Tom Sawyer Island, "Lost", The Walt Disney Company, Disney's Polynesian Resort, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Bay Lake, WDW Entertainment, WDI, WDW, Imagineer, cast members, cast member, Leota Toombs, 1974, 1998, 1976, 2008, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, marshmallows, Food Service, "Blackbeard's Ghost" , 1967, Peter Ustinov , Captain Jack Sparrow, Food & Beverage , Imagineers, April , rum , "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, 1960s, Disney officials , "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise , January, interactive, Capt. Jack Sparrow, Raz Island, "Pirates of the Caribbean", boat ride , treasure hunt , marshmallow, marshmallow roast , Treasure Island, Discovery Island, wilderness preserve , Blackbeard's Island , wizards of WED , 1950, "Treasure Island", Robert Louis Stevenson , Ben Gunn's Cave, Future Attraction, Future Attractions , The Blockhouse , Long John Silver, buccaneer, buccaneers, Spy Glass Hill , Wreck of the Hispaniola, Hispaniola, bird sanctuary , skeleton, aviary, enclosure, buzzard, buzzards , vulture, vultures, treasure map , operational hours , Yo-Ho-Ho , dough-dough-dough, snack bar, honeymoon, honeymoon cottage, honeymoon cottages , interactive gaming , "Myst" , pirate-themed adventure , food component, WDW Food Services, corporate groups, rum drinks , Johnny Depp lookalike

• Why For did the Mouse really rename MGM "Disney's Hollywood Studios" ?

  Did Disney's desire to finally create an after-hours event that would rival Universal's Halloween Horror Nights actually play a part in the renaming of Disney-MGM Studios? Jim Hill shares what he's heard from Mouse House insiders Read More... Posted Friday, October 12, 2007 12:00 AM | 19 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Why For, Universal Studios, Imagineering, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios theme park, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Hollywood , The Magic Kingdom, Tutto Italia Ristorante, Patina Group, L'Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante, Disney's Horrorwood Studios, Disney's Hollyday Studios, Google Earth, Henry Selick, "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas", Glow in the Dark Parade, Haunted Halloween, Halloween Horror Nights, Hong Kong Disneyland, Universal Orlando, Al's Toy Barn, Backlot Theater, The Hunchback of Notre Dame: A Musical Adventure, Muppet Movie Ride, The Boneyard, Pixar Place, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Disney Parks & Resorts, WDW Entertainment, Halloweentown, Generation Gap Bridge, Hourglass Lake, Florida tourism, 9/11, The Legendary Years, The Classic Years, Disney's Pop Century Resort, value resorts, family suites, Disney's All Star Music Resort, Jazz Inn building, Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano, Tim Burton, WDI, Glendale, The Osbourne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

• Why For were there so few stories on JHM this week?

  This time around, Jim explains why JHM has been somewhat erratic over the past seven days, how he blew the Disney Hawaii story as well as why this website is going to continue to post articles about non-Disney films & theme parks Read More... Posted Friday, October 05, 2007 12:00 AM | 19 Comments Filed under: Why For, DreamWorks, attraction, Disney Vacation Club, NBC, Walt Disney World, Epcot, "The Simpsons", Fox, DreamWorks Animation, "Enchanted", Marty Sklar, The Walt Disney Company, The Magic Kingdom, "Bee Movie", The Haunted Mansion, Kevin Lima, Jerry Seinfeld, Disney Hawaii project, Oahu, Hawaii, Honolulu, DCL, DVC, Disney Cruise Line, DVCNews, 2719 Hyperion, Blue Sky Disney, Elvis Presley, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Simpsons simulator attraction, Shelly Smith, The Fabulous Disney Babe, Epcot's 25th anniversary celebration, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, Texas

• 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, Belgium, 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

• Why For the Muppets didn't make it into Tokyo DisneySea

  Jim Hill's back with even more answers to your Disney-related questions. This time around, he shares info about a trio of rides that were supposed to have been built in TDS's American Waterfront area. With at least one of these attractions drawing its inspiration from a Muppet-based show that had originally been proposed for Disney's America Read More... Posted Friday, September 14, 2007 12:00 AM | 12 Comments Filed under: Disney, Why For, Muppets, attraction, Imagineering, Walt Disney World, Disney-MGM Studios theme park, Tokyo DisneySea, American Waterfront, New York City, Tokyo Disney Resort, Oriental Land Company, OLC, Manhattan Motor Mania, Muppet Motor Mania, "We the People", Disney's America, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Cops & Robbers Chase, Beagle Boys, Beagle Boys Jail Break, S.S. Columbia, S.S. Columbia Showcase of Nautical Marvels, Ellis Island, Manhattan, McDuck's Department Store, Tower of Terror, Audio Animatronic, Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Prince William County, Virginia

• 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"

• Why For didn't the Walt Disney Company go forward with construction of the Port Disney project ?

  Jim Hill's back with even more answers to your Disney-related questions. This time around, Jim first takes you on a tour of the Disney Sea theme park. Then he explains why this proposed $2 billion revitalization of Long Beach's waterfront area sank without a trace Read More... Posted Friday, August 24, 2007 12:00 AM | 13 Comments Filed under: theme park, Why For, Pirates of the Caribbean, Imagineering, resorts, Disneyland, Epcot, Anaheim, Long Beach, Queen Mary, California Coastal Commission, Port of Long Beach, Disney Sea, Mysterious Island, Sindbad, The Pike, Oceania

• Are George Lucas and the Walt Disney Company getting ready to expand their (Rebel) Alliance

  The way Jim Hill hears it, "Star Tours 2.0" could be just the start. Hill shares what he's heard about a possible "Lucas Land" area going into Disney's Hollywood Studios as well as Mickey's efforts to land the broadcast rights to George's new "Star Wars" TV series Read More... Posted Friday, August 17, 2007 12:00 AM | 37 Comments Filed under: movies, theme park, Why For, attraction, Imagineering, ABC, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, 20th Century Fox, Fox, Disney-MGM Studios theme park, Anaheim, George Lucas, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Star Tours, "Star Wars", Indiana Jones Adventure, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, ABC Family, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles"

• Monday Mouse Watch : The reel / real story behind Disney-MGM Studios' upcoming name change

  Jim Hill reports on how the lack of film & television production at WDW's 3rd theme park may lead to one more name change in the not-so-distant future Read More... Posted Monday, August 13, 2007 12:00 AM | 38 Comments Filed under: movies, theme park, Why For, Muppets, attraction, Imagineering, ABC, Michael Eisner, Muppet Studios, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios theme park, Orlando, George Lucas, Florida Film Commission, Innoventions, Communicore, Epcot 94

• A special "What's in a name" edition of Why For

  Jim Hill's back with even more answers to your Disney-related questions. This time around, Jim talk about yesterday's Disney-MGM name change announcement as well as revealing how adding the word "Walt" to "Disney's California Adventure" could profoundly change the story that that theme park tells Read More... Posted Friday, August 10, 2007 12:00 AM | 34 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Why For, Walt Disney, attraction, Imagineering, "High School Musical", Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Disney-MGM Studios theme park, Disney's California Adventure, "Cars", Anaheim, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

• Why For the DCA renewal project may be a lot more difficult (more importantly, a lot more expensive) than you might think

  Jim Hill returns with even more answers to your Disney-related questions. This time around, he follows up on last week's "Why For" column. Offering additional information as to why the coming overhaul of California Adventure may be one incredibly complicated construction project Read More... Posted Friday, August 03, 2007 12:00 AM | 21 Comments Filed under: theme park, Why For, attraction, Imagineering, resorts, Downtown Disney, Disneyland, Bob Weis, Disney's California Adventure

• Why For $1.2 billion may not be enough to cover the retheming of Disney's California Adventure

  Jim Hill's back with even more answers to your Disney-related questions. This time around, Jim shares what he knows about the upcoming DCA redo. In particular how some Imagineers are already squawking about money that's being spent to retool California Adventure rides, shows and attractions that don't actually need retooling Read More... Posted Friday, July 27, 2007 12:00 AM | 21 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Why For, attraction, Disneyland, Bob Weis, Disney's California Adventure, The Jungle Cruise, California Screamin', "Cars", Hollywood Pictures Backlot

• Why For Zac Efron doesn't have more fans in Mouse House management?

  Jim Hill's back with even more answers to your Disney-related questions. This time around, Jim talks about which "High School Musical" star is being recruited for "Aida," why California Adventure may seem somewhat familiar to Disney's America fans as well as revealing why "Toy Story Mania" may not open as scheduled next year Read More... Posted Friday, July 13, 2007 12:00 AM | 21 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, TV, Why For, musical, attraction, Imagineering, "High School Musical", Disney Channel, Walt Disney Pictures, Magic Kingdom, Disney-MGM Studios theme park

• As "Tarzan" swings off Broadway, is Beyoncé getting ready to play Aida in Disney's next big movie musical?

  Jim Hill's back with even more answers to your Disney-related question. In this week's "Why For," he talks about how the Wiggles wound up at Six Flags, shares the latest news on the "Song of the South" DVD, sounds off about "Soarin'" & "Der Glockner Von Notre Dame" and ... Oh, yeah ... Reveals the latest rumors surrounding the studio's upcoming big screen adaptation of "Aida" Read More... Posted Friday, July 06, 2007 12:00 AM | 15 Comments Filed under: animation, Disney, DVD / Video, music, theater, theme park, TV, Why For, Pixar, Broadway, musical, attraction, ABC, Disney Channel, traditional animation, computer animation, CG, Walt Disney Pictures, Michael Eisner, Dick Cook, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Epcot

• Why For do the Imagineers keep adding new characters to Disney's classic theme park attractions?

  Jim Hill returns with even more answers to your Mouse-related questions. This time around, Jim addresses Disneyana fans' concerns with the growing number of Pixar-related rides & shows that are being added to the Disney theme parks Read More... Posted Friday, June 22, 2007 12:00 AM | 63 Comments Filed under: animation, DVD / Video, movies, theater, theme park, Why For, Pixar, attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean, Imagineering, traditional animation, computer animation, CG, "Shrek", WED, Disneyland, Walt Disney World