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I got an e-mail asking me what I thought of that concept painting of the Shanghai Disneyland Resort which was shown at The Walt Disney Company's 2011 Investor's Conference yesterday. Concept art for the Shanghai Disneyland Resort. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved To be honest...

There's this story which dates back to the Fall of 1984. About how Michael Eisner - right after he'd been installed as the new head of Walt Disney Productions - brought his son, Breck along when Eisner did his very first walk-through of WED. And based on this then-14-year-old boy's enthusiastic...

What's the weirdest place you ever got a job offer? Because I bet John Tartaglia has you beat. Let me set the scene for you. It's September of 2009. And the star of " Johnny and the Sprites " - having a fun few days exploring & experiencing the inaugural D23 Expo - was over at Disneyland...

At heart I'm just a kid, and one of the things I most look forward to every year is trick or treating with my young daughter. The first year we took her out, age 2, I realized how much I had missed it. Seems silly, doesn't it? One of the nice things about having a child is that you get to reclaim...

Now let me say from the very start of today's photo essay that the Security Hosts who patrol the grounds of the Disneyland Resort actively discourage people from bringing knives on property (That's why they do those bag checks at Disneyland Plaza, after all). But that said, this time of year...

Yesterday's article about DCA 's entrance complex seems to have struck a nerve with JHM readers. Especially the part of that column which talked about the California Zephyr replica that sits in Sunshine Plaza. I can't tell you how many e-mails I got from rail fans who moaned about how their...

As you walk through Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom these days and encounter all of those construction fences for the Fantasyland expansion project it's kind of hard to imagine what this part of the theme park will look like in just a few years. But me? I can't help but look at the attractions...

Southern California is an incredibly competitive market. Especially when it comes to themed entertainment. So what with the Disneyland Resort rolling out its new World of Color nighttime water spectacular this past June and Mickey's Soundsational Parade & DCA 's " The Little Mermaid...

Wow, July 16-18 was quite a weekend for Disney fans marking the 55th anniversary of Disneyland 's opening. In addition to all of the events at the parks in Anaheim and elsewhere, there were special talks Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Walt Disney Family Museum in The Presidio of San Francisco...

You’re a Disney fan, right? So I’m guessing that I don’t really need to explain the significance of the upcoming July 17 th to you. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved Which brings me to my next question: Where are you planning on spending Disneyland ’s 55 th anniversary? Disneyland...

Given that – numerous times over the past year -- while Disney’s Color of World was under construction, many folks that I spoke with within the Company compared this new nighttime spectacular to the Fountains of Bellagio … Well, that’s where I decided to go Wednesday night. To that 8.5 acre lake out...

By now, you’ve no doubt seen those online videos that made many a theme park fan go gaga. Where a few lucky Guests – as they were making a stop at Mickey’s House at Disneyland earlier this week – suddenly found themselves face-to-face with a NextGen walkaround character. A Mickey Mouse who not only addressed...

Do you remember that moment in Epcot ’s “ Journey into Imagination with Figment ” ride when Dr. Nigel Channing realizes that “ … Imagination works best when it’s set free” ? And then suddenly you’re surrounded by multiple versions of Figment? Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved Well...

From the people who brought you Passamaquoddy , Heffalumps and Woozles as well as Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo , now come Disney Pook-A-Looz . The official tagline for this quirky new line of plush is “Too cute for their own good.” But these classic Disney characters didn’t get that way all by themselves. They...

Given the strong positive reaction that Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman ’s Window on Main Street ceremony received this past Thursday morning, Disneyland Resort President George Kalogridis remarked “ … we should open the Park like this every day.” But – then again -- how could you not love an event...

Though I must admit that back in January, when the D23 Anniversary event at Disneyland was first announced, I was skeptical as to how Disney would put together a three-hour party on a Wednesday that was worth a three-hour drive to the park.Three hours, each way, I might add. Having just attended the...

First up, Davis P. writes to ask about JHM’s American International Toy Fair coverage this week : I thought that Jim Hill Media was a website that mostly covered Disney’s theme parks and animated films. What made you decide to go to New York and cover Toy Fair this year? Dear Davis P. Why did Nancy and...

It was kind of interesting hearing the reaction yesterday when Meg Crofton , president of The Walt Disney World Resort , revealed that the “ Main Street Electrical Parade ” would be returning to the Magic Kingdom this summer. When Ms. Crofton initially made this announcement at WDW’s “What’s New, What...

At the D23 EXPO back in September, I noted – with some amusement – that the new attractions that are now in the works for Hong Kong Disneyland follow the tried-and-true WDI formula. In that the critical event, the thing that sets everything in motion (Be it Albert the monkey opening an enchanted music...

First up, RedRyderBB writes in to say: Disneyland can’t be serious about bringing back “Captain EO.” I saw that 3D movie when it first opened in 1987 and once was really enough. “EO” was just a glorified music video. And even MTV doesn’t show music videos anymore. So what’s the point of bringing “Captain...