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Blog Post:
When it comes to D23's Fanniversary events, it's all about making those connections
Jim Hill
So what does it actually take for D23 to pull together those Fanniversary events that they've been presenting around the country for the past few weeks? According to Jeffrey Epstein, spokesman for the Official Disney Fan Club, it takes a solid six months of behind-the-scenes effort to produce each...
on
13 Mar 2013
Blog Post:
From concerts to cels, attraction openings to book signings, there's a mighty busy Mouse-related week coming up
Jim Hill
Never mind March coming in like a lion. This month is really more a mouse, given all of the Disney-related events that are going to be happening all over the country in the coming week. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved Like what? Well, for starters, today through Monday, March 11th...
on
10 Mar 2013
Blog Post:
Ron Schneider's "From Dreamer to Dreamfinder" is a hilarious & informative insider's view of the themed entertainment business
Jim Hill
My apologies, folks. I know that JHM has been extremely light on content this past week or so. But I have been traveling. Dear Lord, have I been traveling. I wonder how many Frequent Flyer miles The Dreamfinder racked up while he was flying this contraption around EPCOT Center's Kodak pavilion? Copyright...
on
15 Aug 2012
Blog Post:
Why For did Storybook Circus wind up replacing the Pixie Hollow portion on WDW's Fantasyland expansion project?
Jim Hill
PixiePal 225 recently wrote into say: I've been following the Fantasyland expansion project at WDW's Magic Kingdom for a couple of years now. And while I love the level of design and attention to detail that I've been seeing in the completed portions of Storybook Circus, as a Tinkerbell fan...
on
31 May 2012
Blog Post:
"Be Our Guest" features an unvarnished take on Disney Company history
Jim Hill
I have to admit that It's been kind of amusing to watch the reaction (both here and elsewhere around the Web) that Tuesday's "What's really behind the sudden change in Disney Parks & Resorts' facial hair policy" story has been getting. With all sorts of would-be Disney scholars...
on
26 Jan 2012
Blog Post:
Updated edition of "Building a Dream" covers even more of Disney's world
Jim Hill
Wow. Has it really been 15+ years since Beth Dunlop wrote " Building a Dream: The Art of Disney Architecture " ? Obviously Disney's world has gotten a whole lot bigger since 1996. Which is why I think it's terrific that Disney Editions recently decided to revisit Dunlop's book....
on
10 Jan 2012
Blog Post:
How a Toon Elevator helped Mickey Mouse learn how to talk
Jim Hill
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...
on
7 May 2010
Blog Post:
Disney Legend Harriet Burns: A model (maker) of a mother
Todd James Pierce
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...
on
14 Jan 2010
Blog Post:
Blaine Gibson remembers Harriet Burns, the First Lady of Imagineering
Todd James Pierce
Last year, after Disney Legend Harriet Burns passed away, Pam Burns-Clair decided to put together a book about her mother. Mind you, what Ms. Burns-Clair had in mind wasn't a traditional biography. But -- rather -- a gathering of memories. Which is why -- in partnership with noted Disney historian Don...
on
12 Jan 2010
Blog Post:
How "One Little Spark" nearly fried the Dreamfinder
Jim Hill
As a kid I'd tune in the Wonderful World of Color every Sunday night. Most of the time Walt would introduce some western or historic feature - or some story like "Melvin, the Manic Marmoset" - and I'd switch over to watch Ed Sullivan . He had ventriloquists ! On a good week, there'd be an animated feature...
on
15 Jul 2008
Blog Post:
Toon Thursday : Mermaids, donuts and musical concrete
Floyd Norman
Hey, folks -- Jim Hill here. Before this month's Floyd Norman column officially gets underway, I thought that I'd take a moment to let JHM readers know that Mr. Fun recently launched his very own blog. Appropriately titled Mr. Fun's Blog . So if you want more than just the usually once-a-month dose of...
on
16 Apr 2008
Blog Post:
Filling some awfully big shoes at the Shoe
Jim Hill
Picking up where we left off with last week's tale ... It's one thing to watch your favorite Disney show as a fan. It's quite another to know that -- in 45 minutes -- you're going to be a member of the cast, carrying on a proud tradition started 25 years before by Walt Disney and Wally Boag . It's April...
on
27 Mar 2008
Blog Post:
"We're rollin' on the Mickey's Birthdayland Express"
Jim Hill
Today's lesson: Sometimes our Disney fan obsessions do pay off. When EPCOT Center opened in 1982, Steve Hansen was already an accomplished puppeteer and performer, working as the PuppetMan in World Showcase. Someone as talented & versatile as Steve was bound to go far in the Walt Disney world. In...
on
6 Mar 2008
Blog Post:
A meet the author / artist / filmmaker edition of Where For
Jim Hill
Are you a Disneyana enthusiast who likes to collect the signatures of your favorite authors, artists and/or filmmakers? Well, have I got good news for you? Over the next eight days, there's going to be a variety of events held all over the country that will give you the chance to get up-close-and-personal...
on
6 Dec 2007
Blog Post:
"The Disney Mountains: Imagineering at Its Peak" will be a tiptop addition to any Disneyana fan's library
Jim Hill
Given that the Disney theme parks are now home to a plethora of peaks (i.e. The Matterhorn , Space Mountain , Big Thunder Mountain , Splash Mountain , Mt. Mayday , Summit Plummit , Grizzly Peak , Mt. Prometheus and Forbidden Mountain ), it may seem somewhat bizarre to hear that there was actually a time...
on
18 Sep 2007
Blog Post:
"Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering" looks to be worth the wait
Jim Hill
Are you familiar with the old adage that "Good things come to those who wait"? Well, Disneyana fans have been waiting a long time for " Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park ." And a lot of folks are now wondering why it's taking so long for this Disney Editions...
on
11 Sep 2007
Blog Post:
"Walt's People -- Volume 5" is an entertaining addition to this ongoing Disney history series
Jim Hill
If you've been reading JHM for a while now, you already know that I'm a very big fan of Didier Ghez 's "Walt's People" books . So -- that said -- is it really all that big a surprise that I enjoyed reading " Volume 5 " of this ongoing series. Mind you, at 443 pages in length, this paperback is the heftiest...
on
24 Jul 2007
Blog Post:
"Field Guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom" reveals how the Imagineers built WDW's wildest park yet
Jim Hill
What can you say about the "Imagineering Field Guide" series? It started out strong with the " Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World " guide back in 2005 and then got better last year with the " Epcot at Walt Disney World " guide. And now? " The Imagineering Field Guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt...
on
3 Jul 2007
Blog Post:
Disney's long, long journey to Oz
Jim Hill
It was 50 years ago tonight that the 1939 version of " The Wizard of Oz " was first shown on television. Copyright 2005 Warner Home Video The first-ever telecast of this Victor Fleming film was a rating smash. Over 44 million people tuned in to catch this broadcast (Which was hosted by the...
on
3 Nov 2006