June, 2005

... plus all sorts of other Disney Theatrical-related news, as Jim Hill shares the latest news about what the Mouse is about to do on Broadway....

You may want to bring a helmet along with you when you head out to the multiplex this fall. For -- thanks to the magic of Disney Digital 3D -- it's going to look like the sky really is falling inside your local theater. ...

Jim Hill remembers that great big talent who provided Piglet's very small voice: Character actor John Fiedler, who passed away this past Saturday at the age of 80....

Jim offers a somewhat different perspective on the life of this much beloved performer, in that Hill discusses some of the personal problems that Paul Winchell had to deal with over the course of his career. ...

Before Jim officially relaunches his "Star Tours" stories, Hill shares a few Disney-related stories that he came across while doing some research this week....

Jim Hill continues his multi-part series on the creation of this poular Disney theme park attraction. This time around, Jim talks about how the "Star Wars" creator's very definite ideas helped to shape the story that this new Tomorrowland ride told....

Jim Hill brings you up to speed on what's going on with his new "Star Tours" series as well as reminding all JHM readers that today is the very last day that David Koenig will be making his "30 Golden Goofs for the 50th" article available to anyone who orders the special golden anniversary edition of "Mouse Tales: A Behind the Ears Looks at Disneyland" via Amazon.com....

Never mind about making it into Amazon.com's top 1000. Would you believe that -- thanks to JHM readers and the nice folks over at the Extinct Attraction Club -- the golden anniversary edition of David Koenig's Disneyland book has already made it to 123 on that site's best sellers list? Jim Hill fills you in on all the pertinent details....

In the latest installment of his series about the creation of this popular Disney theme park attraction, Jim Hill talks about how Michael Eisner first tried to talk George Lucas into building a "Star Tours" -themed roller coaster. That is until Disney's new CEO found out how much roller coasters really cost to build....

Then follow the instructions in the article below. Which will hopefully help turn the Golden anniversary edition of "Mouse Tales" into one of the top selling books over at Amazon.com. ...

Continuing his multi-part series on how this popular Disney theme park attraction actually came into being, Jim now reveals all the behind-the-scenes political manuevering that ultimately led to Michael Eisner being able to invite George Lucas to come work on a new ride for the parks....

Jim Hill delivers Part II of this new series. This time around, Hill talks about the interactive "Star Wars" themed roller coaster that the Imagineers once wanted to build. ...

Jim Hill finally delivers on the first installment of his long-promised series about this popular Disney thrill ride. In Part One, Jim talks about how it was Ron Miller who tried to get George Lucas to help the Imagineers create a simulator-based attraction....

... Well, actually just the Egyptian Theater. And only June 24th through July 2nd. But -- even so -- it'll be worth making the trek to Tinsel Town to see Godzilla & pals tear up Tokyo on the big screen. Check this schedule out....

Sure, some of you may know about Mineral King. But what about the second California ski resort that Walt Disney Productions tried to build after the Mineral King project got bogged down in the courts? Jim Hill digs down deep in his files and pull out a July 1974 overview of this proposed project....

Jim Hill takes a look at DisneyToon Studios latest release and really like what he sees. Plus Hill shares some news about the upcoming stage version of Disney's "Tarzan." ...

Jim Hill really had planned on answering even more of your Disney-related questions today. But then the UPS truck showed up with the first season DVD set for this acclaimed Touchstone Television series ... And then that plan pretty much went out the window....

Jim Hill talks up Volume One of a new series of books, which will collect interviews with Disney Legends that talk about what it was actually like to work with Walt....