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"We currently have no traditional hand-drawn animated motion pictures in production or development." Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved I'm paraphrasing what Disney CEO Robert Iger said at the recent shareholders meeting in Phoenix, AZ . But whether he knew it or not, the Disney chief executive had just announced the sad death of an art form that had once been the foundation of this prestigious media company. And with the passing of a unique art form that had been...

This past Saturday night, I got to do something very fun. As part of the press event for the kick-off of this year's Mardi Gras celebration at the Universal Orlando Resort ... Copyright 2013 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved I got to go backstage at Universal Studios Florida to see the floats to be featured in this year's Mardi Gras parade before they rolled through that theme park. Photo by Angela Ragno I have to admit that -- having seen a number of these units in years previous...

It was a bright, sunny morning in Carlsbad, CA today, when LEGOLAND California held a brief presentation outlining the upcoming plans for the resort in the next year, including a new 4-D experience based on their new Chima series & toys and the opening of the first LEGOLAND Hotel in the United States. General Manager Peter Ronchetti spoke, outlining the successes of the past year and unveiling the new attraction, which will open to the public March 7 at LEGOLAND California and the LEGO Discovery...

My daughter and I attended the launch of Disney Infinity , Disney Interactive 's new platform at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood Tuesday. In a kind gesture to the Disney fan community, members of D23 , the official Disney fan club, were invited to attend and watch the proceedings from the balcony. Where they then received a shout-out from the stage from John Lasseter. John Lasseter at Tuesday's Disney Infinity preview event. Photo by Alice Hill John Pleasants , John Lasseter and John...

I know that it's usually not cool to peek at your Christmas presents. But given that Ephinany comes at the very tail end of the holiday season ... Well, I'm hoping that it'll be okay if I reveal what Disneyland Park has planned for this weekend's three day-long Three Kings' Day celebration. Starting today, Frontierland 's Big Thunder Ranch will be decorated with huge hanging papel picado banners ... Photo by Alice Hill ... and fresh flowers ... Photo by Alice Hill ... as this...

My animation friends & colleagues can pretty much tell the same story. All of us benefited greatly by having the opportunity to work side-by-side with seasoned veterans.Our careers were enriched by the tips and techniques they generously shared with us over the years. However, there was one other important benefit. a benefit rarely talked about. "Old Timers" Don Griffith and Al Dempster . There was more to life than just cartoons. You see, unlike most of us kids, these animation professionals...

In early December, a pal and I decided to close out the year with a week-long Disney Cruise to the Mexican Riviera, the last time (at least for the near future) that the Wonder will be making this voyage. As with the parks, the holidays were in full swing on board, and we even got to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah our last night on board. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved In the lobby, there's a huge, beautiful Christmas tree - and the scrollwork on the base matches...

It's become a constant theme in my writing this past year. I've been comparing today's animation studios to the cartoon factories of years past and the changes I've observed. Most noticeable are the amazing technological advances as cartoon making has moved from traditional hand drawn production to today's digital process. You can't walk through a modern animation studio without seeing rows and rows of animation artists working away on their computers and Cintiq Tablets. What's...

I recently learned of the passing of my friend and colleague, Ginny Tyler . Ginny and I shared our love for Disney. And I always regarded her as a true talent as well as one of the chief Mouseketeers much like the original head mouse, Jimmie Dodd . Back in the 1960s, Ginny performed live segments from Disneyland during the re-edited and repackaged syndication run of the original Mickey Mouse Club . It was during this time she became known as the Disneyland Storyteller and was even praised by Walt...

Jordan Hembrough always loved toys. What kid didn't? As a child, his room was filled with Mego Star Wars toys, superhero toys, the staples of the American boy (or tomboy) of the seventies. Like many of those kids, he loved his toys and hung on to them. "Toy Hunter" host Jordan Hembrough. Copyright 2012 Scripps Network, LLC. All rights reserved In college, Hembrough quickly found a job as Head buyer for a chain of sci-fi/comic collectible stores, and began traveling the country looking...

How do you train a dragon? Very carefully. The life-like Nadder in the DreamWorks How to Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular. Photo By Nancy Stadler Especially when you have to make sure that twenty-three of the beasts need to breathe fire, roar, flap their wings, blow smoke rings, wag their tail, laugh, grunt, pass gas, blink and -- oh yeah -- actually walk at precisely the right moment. Which is exactly what the cast and crew / dragon tamers of the DreamWorks "How to Train Your Dragon Live...

The two young executives stood admiring the impressive artwork that lined the walls of the studio conference room. Of course, it's a studio that shall remain nameless. Clearly taken aback by the beautiful artwork and the stellar concept designs on display, the managers were eager to know the person responsible. The senior executive wearing the "serious" dark suit turned to her colleague with an important question. True story. Actually overheard this conversation by two executives "Who...

Being green typically isn't all that fun. It usually means going without (i.e. reusing your bath towels during a hotel stay) or having to do something that can sometimes be kind of gross (EX: washing out pet food cans so that they can be placed in the recycle bin). But what if I were to tell you that there was now a colorful, even fashionable way to go green? And best of all, you could actually do something to help improve life elsewhere on this planet by shopping at a Disney theme park? Photo...

Jim is in Anaheim getting ready for the grand opening of Cars Land but wanted me to share this fun new video with you - the story of the journey to Cars Land through the lens of the biggest (and youngest) fans. Be sure to stick around to the end of the video for a fun easter egg!

By now, you've no doubt seen some of the photos which came out of this past weekend's preview events at Disney California Adventure Park . Photo by Noe Valladolid If you look around the Web, 90% of the images that have been posted focus on Cars Land ... Photo by Noe Valladolid ... which is understandable. Given that Cars Land features that spectacular new attraction, Radiator Springs Racers ... Photo by Noe Valladolid ... not to mention all of that terrific-looking neon which comes on every...

Disney Interactive has embraced the social gaming concept in a big way, and they were eager to show off their newest games at E3 this week. Following the success of Gardens of Time , a Facebook game from their Playdom studio that beat out Cityville last year as Facebook 's Most Popular Game of 2011, they stepped up the Disneyfication with Disney's Animal Kingdom Explorers , a very similarly-played game of garden/zoo-building and finding hidden objects while cooperating with other players...

Greetings from this year's E3 . Mind you, there's always a bit of a line as you try and enter the Los Angeles Convention Center . Photo by Noe Valladolid But it's always worth it once you get out on that show floor, where you're then surrounded by all these amazing displays which have been assembled by the top companies in the video game industry. Photo by Noe Valladolid All with the hope that E3 attendees -- once they go home with bags filled with spectacular swag and/or have used...

As I sat at my drawing board wildly sketching away on a new feature film idea, I suddenly glanced up to see two visitors in the room. It seems they were scrutinizing the sketches, models and story boards in my cluttered office. The two older gentleman were wearing the pastel colored garb usually sported by retirees living in the nearby beach community. But, who were these codgers, I wondered. And why would they have any interest in an obscure little cartoon studio in Newport Beach? I could tell by...

Universal Studios Hollywood transformed its Lower Lot yesterday, rolling out yards & yards of red carpet right next to the Starway escalator, so that celebrities like Holly Robinson Peete ... Holly Robinson Peete and her son Roman & Robinson. Photo by Shelly Valladolid ... as industry legend Frank Welker (who has voiced characters in both the "Transformers" animated series as well as the feature films ) ... Frank Welker at yesterday's event at Universal Studios Hollywood. Photo...

So why exactly did so many reporters & photographers make a special trip out to Anaheim last Thursday? Was it because some star was making a special appearance at Disneyland Park ? Photo by Noe Valladolid Well, not a star per se. But -- rather seamstress to the stars, Disney Legend Alice Davis . Who spent much of the 1960s creating colorful costumes for the Audio-Animatronic figures found in " Flight to the Moon ," " Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress " and -- of course...

Did you love Epic Mickey , Guilty Party or Disney Sing It ? Would you like a chance to play some of Disney Interactive 's games early, before they're released to the general public? Would you like to help keep Disney Interactive's games bug-free and fun to play? There's a little-known way to do so, if you fit the testing parameters. Simply go to disneyplaytesting.com and fill in your information (If you're ages 3-17, your pet grown-up has to do it for you). Copyright Disney Enterprises...

Disney Interactive Media Group and game designer, master storyteller and huge Disney geek Warren Spector announced the sequel to last year's Wii game " Disney Epic Mickey ," with some changes that fans will love - or hate. The problems with the camera that plagued Epic Mickey will be a thing of the past, and Oswald will be a playable, speaking character. Traditionalists may argue that since Oswald never had a voice in his Disney shorts, he shouldn't talk now. However, the majority...

Is it just me or has animated cartoon film making finally evolved into something else? With motion pictures like " Rango " and " The Adventures of Tintin " finding a home in the Academy Awards animated film category I can't help but wonder how these movies are all that different from their live action counterparts. In years past I remember audiences going to animated movies because they were NOT live-action and they weren't real. There was something fanciful and delightful...

Given that " John Carter " is mostly set on the red planet, it's only appropriate that the stars who attended Wednesday night's premiere of this Andrew Stanton film ... Photo by Shelly Valladolid ... walked down the red carpet at Regal Cinemas L.A. Live . Walt Disney Pictures really went all out for "John Carter" 's LA premiere. Persuading Academy Award-winners like Helen Mirren to come for this event ... Photo by Shelly Valladolid ... not to mention crafting a giant...

The other evening, a pal who works for an animation studio that shall remain nameless was telling me about the project he was developing. It was great news to hear he had garnered the attention of the studio bosses and was moving into development on his new movie. But I couldn't but think how things have changed in the cartoon business. People constantly tell me how much "The Jungle Book" impressed them. We thought it was okay. But this movie made a ton of movie back in 1967 and helped...