Welcome to Jim Hill Media - Entertainment News : Theme Parks Movies Television
Join
Sign in
Jim Hill Media
Search Options
Search Everything
Search Editor In Chief
Home
HOME
ARTICLES
PODCASTS
CONTEST
CONTACT US
ABOUT
More ...
Home
»
Editor In Chief
»
Jim Hill
»
December, 2013
December, 2013
Subscribe via RSS
Email Blog Author
RSS for Posts
OK
2009
2010
2011
ABC
animated feature
animation
attraction
book
Disney
Disney Channel
Disney World
Disneyland
DVD / Video
Epcot
Imagineering
John Lasseter
movies
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios
theme park
Walt Disney
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney World
WDW
Blog - Monthly Archive List
Archives
May 2020
(1)
April 2018
(1)
March 2018
(1)
February 2018
(1)
January 2018
(2)
December 2017
(3)
November 2017
(2)
October 2017
(6)
September 2017
(6)
August 2017
(1)
July 2017
(11)
June 2017
(7)
May 2017
(5)
April 2017
(12)
March 2017
(8)
February 2017
(8)
January 2017
(5)
December 2016
(8)
November 2016
(9)
October 2016
(3)
September 2016
(6)
August 2016
(3)
July 2016
(5)
June 2016
(4)
May 2016
(3)
April 2016
(3)
March 2016
(1)
February 2016
(4)
January 2016
(1)
December 2015
(4)
November 2015
(3)
October 2015
(5)
September 2015
(5)
August 2015
(4)
July 2015
(3)
June 2015
(8)
May 2015
(6)
April 2015
(4)
March 2015
(5)
February 2015
(5)
January 2015
(2)
December 2014
(10)
November 2014
(10)
October 2014
(11)
September 2014
(11)
August 2014
(12)
July 2014
(9)
June 2014
(6)
May 2014
(12)
April 2014
(13)
March 2014
(13)
February 2014
(10)
January 2014
(10)
December 2013
(9)
November 2013
(13)
October 2013
(14)
September 2013
(13)
August 2013
(9)
July 2013
(11)
June 2013
(14)
May 2013
(8)
April 2013
(12)
March 2013
(16)
February 2013
(11)
January 2013
(11)
December 2012
(8)
November 2012
(15)
October 2012
(13)
September 2012
(11)
August 2012
(12)
July 2012
(10)
June 2012
(12)
May 2012
(13)
April 2012
(14)
March 2012
(9)
February 2012
(13)
January 2012
(16)
December 2011
(18)
November 2011
(18)
October 2011
(16)
September 2011
(15)
August 2011
(17)
July 2011
(18)
June 2011
(17)
May 2011
(15)
April 2011
(18)
March 2011
(16)
February 2011
(15)
January 2011
(19)
December 2010
(20)
November 2010
(15)
October 2010
(16)
September 2010
(19)
August 2010
(20)
July 2010
(18)
June 2010
(16)
May 2010
(16)
April 2010
(17)
March 2010
(16)
February 2010
(18)
January 2010
(15)
December 2009
(22)
November 2009
(18)
October 2009
(15)
September 2009
(18)
August 2009
(18)
July 2009
(18)
June 2009
(6)
May 2009
(14)
April 2009
(14)
March 2009
(17)
February 2009
(5)
January 2009
(16)
December 2008
(12)
November 2008
(16)
October 2008
(19)
September 2008
(14)
August 2008
(13)
July 2008
(14)
June 2008
(11)
May 2008
(14)
April 2008
(10)
March 2008
(13)
February 2008
(14)
January 2008
(18)
December 2007
(13)
November 2007
(16)
October 2007
(18)
September 2007
(18)
August 2007
(21)
July 2007
(21)
June 2007
(17)
May 2007
(19)
April 2007
(20)
March 2007
(20)
February 2007
(18)
January 2007
(10)
December 2006
(40)
November 2006
(27)
October 2006
(15)
September 2006
(17)
August 2006
(21)
July 2006
(10)
June 2006
(15)
May 2006
(19)
April 2006
(16)
March 2006
(21)
February 2006
(17)
January 2006
(12)
December 2005
(14)
November 2005
(20)
October 2005
(12)
September 2005
(14)
August 2005
(18)
July 2005
(15)
June 2005
(18)
May 2005
(28)
April 2005
(20)
March 2005
(20)
February 2005
(14)
January 2005
(18)
December 2004
(14)
November 2004
(17)
October 2004
(11)
September 2004
(19)
August 2004
(23)
July 2004
(10)
June 2004
(24)
May 2004
(22)
April 2004
(28)
March 2004
(28)
February 2004
(28)
January 2004
(23)
December 2003
(17)
November 2003
(9)
October 2003
(22)
September 2003
(16)
August 2003
(15)
July 2003
(11)
June 2003
(7)
May 2003
(12)
April 2003
(14)
March 2003
(10)
February 2003
(11)
January 2003
(24)
December 2002
(15)
November 2002
(7)
October 2002
(13)
September 2002
(13)
August 2002
(6)
January 2002
(2)
December 2001
(1)
January 2001
(41)
December 2000
(3)
Jim Hill
Jim's musings on the history of and rumors about movies, TV shows, books and theme parks including Disneyland, Walt Disney World. Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood.
RSS for Posts
Subscribe via RSS
Sort by:
Most Recent
|
Most Views
|
Most Comments
Excerpt View
|
Full Post View
Jim Hill
Though Disney "Frozen" may be the Snow Queen of today's movie box office, "The Lion King" still reigns supreme
Posted
12-30-2013
by
Jim Hill
4
Comments
You have to admit that Disney "Frozen" has already had a pretty spectacular run at the box office. Over the past five weeks, this Walt Disney Animation Studios production has earned an estimated $248.4 million domestically . And then when you favor in the $250 million worth of tickets that foreign film-goers have purchased for "Frozen" to date, that's a half billion dollars right there . And given that this Chris Buck / Jennifer Lee movie is expected to maintain its box office...
Jim Hill
Have a Holly Rolly Christmas by listening to "More Cute Stories -- Volume 2: Animators and Imagineers"
Posted
12-25-2013
by
Jim Hill
0
Comments
If you're like me, you spend a lot of time during the holiday season on the road. Take -- for example -- last night, where Nancy and I drove down to her sister's place in Massachusetts so that we could then spent Christmas Eve with the Moores. Then later today, we'll climb back in the car and once again zoom down to the Bay State. Just so that we can then do Christmas dinner with my family. And given that Nancy and I live 'way the hell out in the woods of New Hampshire (How far out...
Jim Hill
New England Studios hopes to begin producing motion pictures & television series at this state-of-the-art facility in 2014
Posted
12-22-2013
by
Jim Hill
1
Comments
"If you build it, they will come." No, that's not just a phrase that gets whispered to Kevin Costner as he wanders through a cornfield. That's also the dream of would-be entertainment entrepreneuers everywhere. They sincerely believe if they build a state-of-the-art soundstage somewhere other than Hollywood, filmmakers who are tired of dealing with the high costs & hassles of shooting in Southern California will flock to this new facility. Copyright 2013 New England Studios...
Jim Hill
Huffington Post -- Watch Santa give Krampus a seasonal smackdown on "The Aquabats! Super Show! Holiday Special"
Posted
12-21-2013
by
Jim Hill
0
Comments
He sees you when you're sleeping, He knows when you're awake, He knows if you've been bad or good, So be good for goodness sake. This particular refrain from "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" has always kind of creeped me out. Mostly because -- according to European folklore -- St. Nick actually has this sinister sidekick called Krampus . And this horned holiday devil will not hesitate when it comes to dropping the hammer on naughty little girls & boys. So how big a bad-ass...
Jim Hill
Classic Disney characters help turn the lobby of Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children into a more kid-friendly space
Posted
12-18-2013
by
Jim Hill
1
Comments
Let me take you back to March of 1994. I'm in the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children . And because my then-wife Michelle had just begun having contractions, the staff in Maternity had quickly admitted her. And since I wanted to keep both sets of would-be grandparents aware of what was going on in this pre-cell-phone era, I went off in search of a pay phone. Which the woman working at the admissions desk said was downin the lobby. So I hustled down to the lobby, made two phone calls (One to Massachusetts...
Jim Hill
Busch Gardens Williamsburg went right down to the wire while decking the halls for the 2013 edition of Christmas Town
Posted
12-18-2013
by
Jim Hill
2
Comments
I wanted to share a few shots that Nancy and I took last month at Busch Gardens Williamsburg . We were onsite for the official opening day of this year's edition of Christmas Town . Photo by Jim Hill We actually managed to make it inside this 350+ acre theme park before it opened to the public and got to see some of BGW's decorating team at work. Photo by Nancy Stadler I now want to direct your attention to the clock in the bottom-left-hand corner of the above image. Photo by Nancy Stadler...
Jim Hill
Never mind about Emma Thompson playing P.L Travers. Did you hear about the time that this "Saving Mr. Banks" star was supposed to play Mary Poppins?
Posted
12-16-2013
by
Jim Hill
0
Comments
Given that one of the key scenes in " Saving Mr. Banks " is the Hollywood premiere of " Mary Poppins " (which was held on August 27, 1964 at Graumann's Chinese Theatre ), I thought that all of you movie trivia buffs out there might be interested to learn that the 49th anniversary of this Walt Disney Productions' London premiere (i.e. the one that Walt had hoped Pamela Travers would attend, rather than the Hollywood premiere) is today. Yep, according to what Valerie Lawson...
Jim Hill
Huffington Post -- I Remember Papa: Jonathan Winter's Smurfy swan song
Posted
12-08-2013
by
Jim Hill
0
Comments
When it came time to find just the right voice for Papa Smurf, Raja Gosnell and Jordan Kerner were admittedly feeling a little blue. Why For? Because the casting department at Sony Pictures Animation kept coming up short. (L to R) Sony Pictures Digital Production president Bob Osher, director Raja Gosnell and producer Jordan Kerner at the Los Angeles premiere of "The Smurfs 2." Photo by Michael Buckner / Getty Images North America "This was back in early 2010 when we had just begun...
Jim Hill
Huffington Post -- How Josh Gad almost missed out on the chance to voice Olaf the snowman for Disney "Frozen"
Posted
12-02-2013
by
Jim Hill
0
Comments
To be asked to participate in the first reading of a brand-new Disney animated feature was like a dream come true for Josh Gad. "You have to understand that -- when I was growing up -- I was absolutely obsessed with the animated films of Disney's Second Golden Age," Gad explained during a recent phone interview. "I mean, I recall going to see ' The Little Mermaid ' in theaters no less than 20 times. My poor mother had to send me with various aunts and uncles and nephews...
Page 1 of 1 (9 items)