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  • Blog Post: From the JHM Archives: Exploring Marc Davis' Enchanted Snow Palace

    Go ahead. Ask a Disneyana fan who Marc Davis was. Better yet: Find yourself a comfy chair, sit down, and THEN ask a Disneyana fan who Marc Davis was. Marc Davis shows Walt one of the Audio Animatronic figures that were built based on his designs for Disneyland's "Pirates of the Caribbean"...
  • Blog Post: Are the Imagineers taking another shot at getting a shoot-the-chutes built at a Disney theme park?

    It was supposed to be Disneyland 's first thrill ride: Monstro the Whale ... Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved Which - in much the same way that Dumbo the Flying Elephant ... Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved ... was just a Disneyified version of that amusement...
  • Blog Post: The post-Christmas origin of character dining at Walt Disney World

    It's one of those must-do aspects of a Walt Disney World vacation. Especially if you've got young kids. Character dining . That pricey breakfast, lunch or dinner which is periodically interrupted as Disney characters come by your table, pose for pictures and sign autographs. Copyright Disney...
  • Blog Post: Huffington Post - Jim Hill : "The Muppety makeover of Disneyland that almost happened"

    "The Muppety Makeover of Disneyland that Almost Happened" Can you picture a Kermit -green version of the Matterhorn ? Or -- for that matter -- Miss Piggy standing in for that winkin' Cleopatra that you see as you float through " it's a small world " ? Or Animal filling in...
  • Blog Post: Why For did Epcot's Future World not turn out as WED had originally planned?

    Epcot Enthusiast wrote in this week to say: I saw a Tweet today that said that you and Len Testa were touring Future World and World Showcase recording stories for a new " Unofficial Guide Disney Dish with Jim Hill" podcast. Epcot is my very favorite WDW theme park. Could you please share some...
  • Blog Post: Why For aren't more Disney World attractions cloned for Disneyland?

    Maddy Mouse wrote in to say: I have kind of a weird question for you to answer. I notice that Walt Disney World has lots of rides, shows and attractions that the Imagineers originally designed for Disneyland . But when it comes to rides, shows and attractions that the Imagineers originally designed for...
  • Blog Post: Will a holographic version of Blackbeard soon begin appearing in Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride?

    Given that the pirate Angelica has begun making appearances in the Adventureland section of WDW 's Magic Kingdom Park as well as in New Orleans Square at Disneyland Park .... The face character version of Angelica has begun appearing at the Disney Parks. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights...
  • Blog Post: Garner Holt to talk about the future of AA figures at Saturday's Marvelous Mechanized Magic Kingdom event

    Before we get today's article started, a quick word of warning: Today is the very last day you can purchase tickets for Saturday's Marvelous Mechanized Magic Kingdom event. And if you're a theme park history buff and you don't attend this multi-media extravaganza (which is being held...
  • Blog Post: Disney Legend Harriet Burns: A model (maker) of a mother

    If you ask Pam Burns-Clair to describe her mother, she’ll tell you that Disney Legend Harriet Burns was not your typical 1950s housewife. “When I was a girl, the shows on TV were Ozzie & Harriet , Leave It to Beaver and I Love Lucy . These women were very much stay-at-home moms with the chocolate...
  • Blog Post: The Disneyland expansion plan that never happened

    Danni T writes in to say: You've been posting an awful lot of Disney World stories lately. Isn't it time that you wrote something about Disneyland again? Maybe do another one of those stories where you talk about rides, shows or attractions that never got built? Ask and ye shall receive. The history...
  • Blog Post: Remembering Harriet Burns (1928 - 2008)

    This past Friday, the Disney community lost one of its celebrities. Harriet Burns passed on at the age of 79. She was the first woman hired by WED as an artist. She was born in San Antonio and remained in Texas for most of her young life, venturing only to Dallas to pursue a college degree in art in...
  • Blog Post: Toon Tuesday : Getting a head with Blaine Gibson

    Like most old guys, I tend to get my brain stuck in a certain time frame. So I didn't immediately recognize the man sitting in the limo. For some odd reason, I expected to see the guy I remembered. The slender, dark haired young man with the horn rimmed glasses. However, this older gentleman didn't exactly...
  • Blog Post: Woo Hoo ! "The Simpsons Ride" officially opens at Universal Studios Florida

    In God's Waiting Room (AKA Florida), you're bound to run into a few blue hairs over the course of your day. Though -- that said -- one wonders what the AARP would make of the bunch pictured below. Photo by Nancy Stadler Believe it or not, the multiple Marges that you see above aren't actors. They were...
  • Blog Post: National Treasure 3 & 4 ?! Big Thunder Mountain ... The Movie ?!

    Marvin T. writes in ask about " National Treasure: Book of Secrets ." What do you make of the last scene of "Book of Secrets" ? The one where the President of the United States asks Benjamin Gates about what he thought about Page 47 in the President's book. And the historian / treasurer hunter replies...
  • Blog Post: Remembering Bruce Gordon (1951 - 2007)

    Bruce Gordon was this great big bear of a guy. Ask anyone who was ever in a meeting with Bruce when he was fighting for an idea that he believed in. They'll tell you that this man was tenacious. Whether it was getting Disneyland's first flume ride built and/or preventing that theme park's "Submarine...