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Toon Tuesday : Disney tries to figure out why "Bolt" missed its box office target

Jim Hill — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:00:00 GMT

This past weekend, "Bolt" -- for all intents & purposes -- ended its domestic box office run. With the kids now back in school after Christmas break, the potential US audience for this new Walt Disney Animation Studios production has moved on to other things. And while there will still obviously be some tickets sold to this Chris Williams & Byron Howard film in the coming weeks (plus -- of course -- all of the money that "Bolt" will eventually make overseas as well as DVD sales) ... Here in the good ol' USA, this new Disney dog has had his day.

So was "Bolt" a good dog or a bad dog? Well, if you're going just by reviews, this new WDFA production was a very good dog indeed. Rotten Tomatoes gave this animated feature a 85% freshness rating. Which puts "Bolt" well ahead of Disney's last two animated films: 2005's "Chicken Little" (which only got a 37% freshness rating) and 2007's "Meet the Robinsons" (which got a freshness rating of 66%).

But if you're going by domestic box office take, "Bolt" isn't exactly the pick of the litter. "Chicken Little" actually out-grossed Disney's latest animated feature by over $25 million (i.e. $135.4 million versus the $109.9 that "Bolt" has earned domestically to date).

And then when you compare "Bolt" 's domestic box office take to the other animated features that were released in 2008 ...

Title	Domestic box office take
WALL-E	$223.3 million
Kung Fu Panda	$215.4 million
Madagascar : Escape 2 Africa	$177.0 million
Horton Hears a Who	$154.5 million
Bolt	$109.9 million

... this new Disney dog is 'way back in the pack. Currently occupying the No. 19 spot on Box Office Mojo's 2008 Domestic Grosses list, "Bolt" will be soon be knocked out down to the 20th position on this list by yet another dog-based movie, Fox's "Marley & Me" (which -- since its stateside release on Christmas Day -- has already earned over $106.6 million).

Okay. I know. Opening on the exact same day as "Twilight" undoubtedly hurt '"Bolt" domestically. From what some senior Mouse House officials have told me, going head-to-head with that box office phenomenon may have actually cost Disney's latest animated feature $15 - $20 million in ticket sales over its opening weekend.

But what really bothers the suits back in Burbank is the huge monetary gap between what "Bolt" earned domestically and what "Panda," "Madagascar 2" and "Horton" pulled in during their stateside runs.

"Coming in second to Pixar, I can live with. They're the best in the business, after all. Besides, we own them. So all of that money still goes into our pocket," said one unnamed Disney Studio exec. "But to have 'Bolt' earn less than the latest Blue Sky & DreamWorks animated features? That's kind of tough to take."

Especially given the ambitious promotional campaign that Walt Disney Pictures put together for WDAS' latest project. Which even involved John Lasseter, who -- in a particularly memorable appearance on "The Bonnie Hunt Show" -- actually slide down a fire pole in an effort to get would-be moviegoers excited about "Bolt."

But in the end, a significant portion of the audience that should have come out for Disney's latest animated feature opted to stay home instead. Whether it was because of bad weather or the lousy economy or just because these folks decided to wait 'til "Bolt" came out on DVD later this Spring ... Who can say?

Now where this gets interesting is -- when you talk with people who work on the Marketing side of the Mouse House about what happened with Disney's latest animated feature ... Well, these executives have some very definite opinions about why "Bolt" missed its domestic box office target. To wit:

"It's those g**-d****ed Home Premieres. For the past 10 years, we flooded the market with those things and now we're paying the price for them. People just doesn't consider a new Disney animated feature to be all that special anymore. Our films are no longer an event the way the latest Pixar movie is or the newest DreamWorks movies are. We have to figure out how to make moviegoers excited about our pictures again, make Disney's animated features seem special again."

Which you'd think -- given that "The Princess and the Frog" will be WDAS' first hand-drawn animated film since "Home on the Range" was released back in 2004 -- would really work in favor of Disney's Christmas 2009 release. But given that there's so much riding on "Princess" 's success (i.e. the revival of hand-drawn animation at Walt Disney Studios) coupled with the fact that "Enchanted" didn't do as well last year as Mouse House officials had hoped it would ... The folks who work in Disney's marketing department are really sweating right now when it comes to mounting just the right campaign for "The Princess and the Frog."

I mean, when a movie like "Bolt" -- which got great reviews as well as solid promotional support from virtually every division of The Walt Disney Company -- still manages to under-perform, coming in 5th behind "WALL-E," "Kung Fu Panda," "Madagascar: Escape to Africa" and "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who" ... Well, what's it going to take to make Disney's new animated features seem special again? Make these films seem like new Pixar pictures? As in: movies that you have to see on their opening weekend in theaters?

Your thoughts?

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Monday Mouse Watch : Is Disney World trying to coast through the first half of 2009?

Jim Hill — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Last month, the very last piece of track for Manta was bolted into place. Which means that -- starting this summer -- SeaWorld Orlando guests will get the chance to experience this new mega-attraction. Twisting through four different inversions as they whiz along 3,359 feet of track at nearly 60 MPH.

Meanwhile, over at Universal Studios Florida, construction crews are hurrying to get Hollywood Rip, Ride Rockit ready for its May 2009 debut. Which is when this new Central Florida thrill ride promises to take its very first passengers to new heights. Some 17 stories above that studio theme park before this coaster then hurtles toward the ground at 65 MPH.

So what is Walt Disney World doing in response to these high profile thrill rides? Well, the Resort had hoped to begin construction of a "Monsters, Inc." -themed family coaster for Disney's Hollywood Studios sometime later this year. But that project is now on hold as Disney meets with potential sponsors. While the Mouse searches for some corporation in this economy that's still willing to pony up the dough necessary to transform Soundstage One into the Door Hangar from that 2001 Pixar Animation Studios release.

From what I hear, construction on this new DHS attraction will begin just as soon as that sponsor signs on the dotted line. Which means that this "Monsters, Inc." coaster should still be open in plenty of time for WDW's 40th anniversary celebration, which is now tentatively scheduled to begin in January of 2011. But the very fact that Disney isn't willing to proceed on its own with this can't-miss project, that Mickey won't allow construction to begin until outside funding is in place speaks volumes about the Mouse's monetary mindset these days.

Mind you, there are a lot of folks in WDW management who aren't all that thrilled with how tight-fisted the boys back in Burbank have become. They're arguing that -- instead of being so fiscally prudent right now -- this is when The Walt Disney Company really needs to be bold. Greenlighting construction of all sort of E-Tickets for its Central Florida parks which can then open in 2010 and beyond.

"What's so important about 2010 and beyond?," you ask. That's when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is expected to come on line at IOA. And the worry right now -- at least among Mouse House managers -- is that the American Idol Experience, Disney's Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, Stitch's Supersonic Celebration and the Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Street Party won't really be strong enough to go head-to-head with J.K. Rowling's much-beloved characters. And that in spite of all those roadblocks that the Mouse has already put in place (i.e. Disney's Magical Express making it difficult for Guests to get off-property all on their own, the Disney Dining Plan making it seem extremely wasteful to eat anywhere other than the restaurants at WDW's theme parks & Resorts) people will leave Walt Disney World next year and go over to Islands of Adventure to see Harry. And if these WDW Guests like what they see while they're visiting IOA, they may wind up staying at the Universal Orlando Resort rather than Disney World during their next trip to Central Florida.

This is why -- in addition to that "Monsters, Inc." -themed family coaster for DHS -- WDW executives were hoping that Disney Company management would fork over the dough necessary to build a clone of DCA's "The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Adventure" dark ride for the Magic Kingdom. So that Disney World would then have two new high profile attractions featuring well-known Disney & Pixar characters to hype in the face of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Photo by Jeff Lange

But these days, the suits in the Michael Eisner Building aren't willing to look two & three years down the line. They're more concerned with nursing WDW through the next two & three months. Which is why they're insisting on increased efficiency. Putting in cost containment measures wherever they can. Which is why typically 20% of the requisitions that are currently being made for the Resort are routinely rejected for being unessential.

Of course, if on-property occupancy rates start to improve by late Spring, the boys back in Burbank may loosen their vise-like grip on WDW's purse strings and then allow that Resort to move forward with construction of some high profile projects. But what concerns Disney World managers is ... Well, that means postponing any real decisions 'til almost six months from now. A time when two of their Central Florida rivals will have already opened brand-new major thrill rides. More importantly, when the Universal Orlando Resort will be entering the final phase of construction on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Now I know that many Disneyana fans -- given their I-only-pay-attention-to-what-Mickey-is-doing-and-I-don't-care-what-the-Mouse's-rivals-are-up-to attitude -- don't really give a rat's @ss about what goes on off-property. But believe it or not, the executives who run the Walt Disney World Resort don't operate in a vacuum. These folks are always aware of what Universal & SeaWorld are up to. They pay incredibly close attention to their Central Florida competition. Which is why these suits are concerned that the boys back in Burbank -- by putting the brakes on construction of anything of size for the WDW theme parks for at least the next six months -- may unintentionally be hobbling Disney World into 2010 and 2011. And that -- by coasting through the first half of 2009 -- the Resort may then be forced to pay catch-up with its competition for the next five years or so.

Obviously the executives back in California have a very different take on this situation. They argue that -- because the Walt Disney Company is a publicly-held corporation -- that they have a obligation to the company's shareholders to be fiscally responsible. And given that Parks & Resorts' own surveys show that Disney World could go a full six years without adding a new ride or show to WDW's current assortment of attractions before there'd then be any really noticable drop in attendance and/or occupancy levels ... Well, why spend money now on Disney World when the company really doesn't have to? Would it be better -- or, at the very least, more fiscally responsible -- to ride out the current economic situation? And then -- on the other side of this crisis -- re-evaluate. See if it's then really necessary to make any sizable reinvestment in the WDW Resort.

Which is why -- for now, anyway -- there's nothing gone on inside of Soundstage One at Disney's Hollywood Studios. As the Walt Disney Company tries to coast through the first six months of 2009 by spending as little as possible on the WDW Resort.

Your thoughts?

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A special "Gnome place like Home for the Holidays" edition of Why For

Jim Hill — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:00:00 GMT

First up, FatCat2167 writes to ask:

All I keep reading about these days is cutbacks at Disney World. Shows getting canceled, schedules at the parks being shortened. What I want to know is how bad is it really going to get and how soon should we expect a turnaround?

FatCat2167 --

As I tried to get an answer to your question, I made calls to a number of WDW insiders over this past week. And among these folks, the general consensus seems to be that -- while the first three months of 2009 will be extremely tough for the Resort -- things could begin turning around as early as mid-April.

Mind you, the date that I kept hearing over & over again was January 20th. As in: Inauguration Day. Disney execs are extremely eager to hear about the economic stimulus packages that President-elect Obama plans on putting out there during his first 100 days in office.

You see, as of right now (Based on the number of advance reservations WDW already has in the pipeline for the next six months), the Martin Luther King day weekend looks to be extremely busy, as does the February & April school vacation periods. It's all those weeks inbetween that worry Mouse House officials ... Which is why they'd dearly love it if Barack would do something quickly to help bolster consumer confidence. Make people think that it was fiscally sound to once again fly on down to Orlando. That -- by putting a Disney World vacation on their credit cards -- they weren't then cutting in to the kids' college money and/or robbing their own retirement fund.

Disney's doing what it can to get the word
about about this year's "What Will You
Celebrate?" promotion. Even partnering
with Kellogg's to help hype this campaign.
Photo by Nancy Stadler

Now where this gets interesting is that -- while Disney hopes that the Guests who stay in WDW's Value & Moderate Resorts will begin returning to their usual traffic patterns by late Spring / early Summer -- it's those folks who typically book packages for Disney World's Deluxe Resorts that really concern the Suits right about now. Those affluent WDW visitors who got hit hard in their portfolios late last year when the Dow lost 33% of its value. Who now don't feel like they can afford a trip to Orlando. At least not at the level of luxury that they're used to.

With the hope of wooing these high-end customers back ... Well, it was Scott Liljenquist of Mouseketrips who actually pointed this out to me. The 25% discount that Disney World is now offering on its Platinum Package. According to what Scott tells me, this is an unprecedented discount on Disney's part. All in an effort to make the WDW Resort seems as appealing as possible to every market segment during these extremely trying financial times.

Will all of these discounts & promotional offers really be enough to get people to come back to Disney World? Well, they certainly worked for Andrew DaCosta of Seattle, WA. Who showed up at the Magic Kingdom yesterday looking to take advantage of the everyone-gets-in-free-on-their-birthday component of this year's "What Will You Celebrate?" campaign. Only to find that he was the very first Guest to take advantage of this promotion.

Here's some official produced-by-WDW video of this somewhat historic moment. Which first shows Andrew pushing his way through the turnstiles and then shows the DaCosta family strolling up Main Street U.S.A.

Now if a few million people would just follow Andrew's example and head on down to Orlando in 2009, Disney would be in for a very Happy New Year indeed.

And speaking of people who spent New Year's at Disney, Paul B.of Lansing, MI writes to say:

Jim --

Thanks for posting those New Year's Eve tips yesterday. My family and I followed all of Courtney's suggestions and had a great time at the Magic Kingdom last night. We're now coming to the end of a 10 day visit to Orlando and don't really want the holiday fun to end just yet. So you or Ms. Mills have any suggestions about what else we can do to keep Christmas going during our WDW vacation?

Dear Paul --

To be honest, January 4th is pretty much the outside edge of the holiday season in Orlando. So you've really only got another couple of days of Christmas cheer before all of those decorations get packed away for next year.

That said, if you really are still looking for a fun holiday-themed activity for your whole family to do while you're in the Orlando area, you may want to call over to the Gaylord Palms and see if they have any availabilties this weekend. You see, that 1406-room resort is just about to wrap up its Hidden Holiday Gnome Hunt promotion.

Which is sort of a seasonal scavenger hunt. In that Gaylord employees have hidden 20 garden gnomes around this ginormous hotel. And if you can properly identify the location of just 10 of these statues ... Well, you and your family could then win a two night stay in the Gaylord Palms' Presidential Suite, spa treatments, even dinner for two at Old Hickory Steakhouse.

Given the size of this resort, finding 10 tiny garden gnomes may seem like a pretty daunting task. But the folks at the Gaylord Palms do provide a few clues in the form of some rhyming couplets. That -- for example -- this one:

I know why the yellow bird sings...
In the lobby today with no need for wings

And if you check out that enormous antique birdcage in the hotels' lobby ...

Photo by Nancy Stadler

... Sure enough, there's a gnome inside.

Photo by Nancy Stadler

So if you follow the clues as you wander through the Gaylord's Florida-themed atriums, you should soon spot the statue that's hidden in plain sight in the hotel's Key West area.

Photo by Nancy Stadler

No to mention the gnome that's right out in the open in the Gaylord's St. Augustine-themed section.

Photo by Nancy Stadler

There's even a gnome hidden in the hotel's ICE! attraction. Though I would imagine that -- given what's waiting for you at home in Michigan -- touring a 9-degree room that's loaded with colorful ice sculptures wouldn't be all that appealing for you & the family right about now.

Speaking of ICE! ... This seasonal exhibit -- just like the Gaylord Palms' Hidden Holiday Gnome Hunt -- ends on Sunday night. And while that ice sculpture exhibit is open to the public, only guests who are actually staying at the Palms are eligible to take part in this hidden statues sweepstakes.

Here's hoping that you make the most of the rest of your visit to the Orlando area, Paul. More importantly, that you and your family don't have too tough a time digging out once you get back home to Lansing.

Next up, Thomas P. writes in to say:

I really enjoyed Shelly Smith's interview with Tony Baxter about the Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough. Do you have any other articles in the works about Disneyland? If not, I think you need to post more stories about that theme park.

Photo by Shelly Smith

Dear Thomas --

Actually, I do have a few articles about the Disneyland Resort in the works. The first one may turn up on the site as early as next week. But until then, why don't you check this podcast that JHM alumni Roger Colton recently posted over at his Blue Parrot website? Which actually features audio of Shelly & Roger's talk with this veteran Disney Imagineer.

And finally, Frosty the Showman writes in with a loaded question:

You've been writing about the Walt Disney Company for a number of years now. What's the stupidest thing that you ever saw the Mouse do?

Ah, it's a little too early in the year to go so negative. So -- instead of talking about the stupidest thing that I ever saw the Walt Disney Company do -- why don't I talk about one of the silliest?

Seriously, folks. Not three weeks ago, I came across this product in my local CVS.

Photo by Nancy Stadler

No, your eyes aren't deceiving you. This is officially-Disney-sanctioned "Little Mermaid" -themed toilette water.

Okay, I know. Toilette water isn't really toilet water. But -- that said -- isn't this still kind of an odd product to slap Ariel's image on? As the very least, this whole toilette / toilet water thing puts a different spin on that lyric from "Under the Sea" ...

The fish on the land ain’t happy
They're sad 'cause they're in de bowl

... don't you think?

And -- on that somewhat juvenile note -- we now close out this week's "Why For." If you'd like to see your own Disney-related question answered in this column, please send it along to jim@jimhillmedia.com.

Have a great weekend, okay?

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"The Art of Bolt" takes a look at how things have changed at Walt Disney Animation Studios

Jim Hill — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Jim Hill reviews Mark Cotta Vaz's latest volume, which goes behind-the-scenes on Disney's newest animated feature...(read more)

10 Ways to Improve Your New Year's Eve Experience at a Disney Theme Park

Courtney Mills — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

So you're in Orlando right now and really have your heart set on having that once-in-a-lifetime experience. Of ringing in the New Year while standing shoulder-to-shoulder with 50,000 other people inside of a Disney theme park while fireworks explode overhead.

Well, know this: New Year's Eve at Walt Disney World is not for the faint-hearted. The crush of the crowds that you'll encounter tonight often gets to a lot of people and can ruin their enjoyment of this event. Which is why it's important -- before you head out to the parks today -- to do at least some advance preparations.

"What sort of advance preparations?," you ask. In the spirit of the season, here's my own New Year's Eve countdown. Which list the Top Ten things you can do to make sure that tonight's experience is far more enjoyable for you, your friends & your family.

10. BUY YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE -- No matter where you go today at Disney World, you're going to encounter lengthy lines. So why not eliminate at least one of those lines by purchasing your admission to the parks in advance? At...Oh, I don't know... some reputable local ticket broker like...say... Orlando Fun Tickets?

9. ARRIVE EARLY -- New Year's Eve at the Walt Disney World Resort is always an incredibly busy time. But if you can beat the rush, get to your theme-park-of-choice today before the bulk of the crowd arrives, you'll definitely be ahead of the game. So head out ASAP. But please be sure and...

8. BRING ALONG THE PROPER SUPPLIES -- Whatever the weather is like right in Orlando, chances are that -- by midnight tonight -- things will have cooled down considerably; which is why it would be wise to bring along a coat, hat, and gloves today. But also remember that -- in order to hold your spot for tonight's festivities -- you'll likely be standing in the sun for several hours today; so some sunscreen and bottled water will be needed as well. And given that there'll be long lines at all of the parks' restaurants and food service locations, bringing along a few snacks would probably be a smart idea too. Not to mention a book or an iPod, just in case you get bored while standing there. Plus a cell phone (in case of emergency and/or to stay in touch with family & friends) and a camera (to record the event). And don’t forget the extra batteries for your electronics, so that you don’t miss a beat of the event!

Though -- to be honest -- the very best thing that you can bring along today is...

7. A BUDDY -- Someone to hold your place while you slip off to use the bathroom or go to get food & a drink; someone to stay & protect your viewing spot for tonight's fireworks extravaganza. Notice how I keep saying things like "hold your place" & "stay in one spot?” Given the huge crowds that you'll encounter today & tonight, that's why it's important to...

6) HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS -- If you really want to stake out a primo viewing spot for tonight's fireworks, this is not a day that you should plan on experiencing too many rides, shows and attractions. There'll be so many people in the parks today that the lines are just going to be impossible. Even if you make use of FastPass, you're still looking at two and three hour waits.

And it's going to be like this at ALL of the WDW theme parks. So...

5) DON'T PARK HOP -- Pick the one Disney theme park that you really want visit today, the one fireworks extravaganza that you want to see tonight and then stick with that park. Sure, Disney World has a wonderful transportation system. But given the huge number of people who are on property today, it's quite likely that WDW will begin restricting access to its parks by late morning/early afternoon; literally turning people away. So unless you want to wind up on the outside looking in, once you get inside one of the theme parks, stay there.

Photo by Jeff Lange

And once you get inside that park, as soon as possible...

4) STAKE OUT YOUR SPOT -- Think about all of the other fireworks shows that you've seen inside of this particular theme park. What was the best possible location for viewing that show? If you don't know and/or have never been to that Disney theme park before, ask a Cast Member for directions and then head immediately to that location. Find yourself a bench to sit on and/or a fence to lean on and then park it. Yes, it'll be hours 'til the New Year's Eve entertainment is finally underway. But all this extra effort will be worth it in the end.
What's that you say? What if you get there late and then can't find a primo viewing spot for the fireworks. Not to worry. All you have to do is...
3) LET THE THEME PARK'S SCHEDULE WORK FOR YOU -- Here's something that most WDW visitors don't realize. On New Year's Eve, Walt Disney World typically presents two fireworks shows at each of its theme parks; so that those parents who've brought their young kids into the park can then go home happy, knowing that they've at least experienced some holiday entertainment. So keep in mind that a large number of people will be exiting the parks with their strollers around 10 p.m., which means that a lot of spots are suddenly going to open up in the heart of the park right about then. So if you plan your moves accordingly, you may soon find yourself a great spot for viewing tonight's fireworks.
But that being said, you should always...
2) BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS -- Let's remember that you're not the only one who's in the parks today trying to experience New Year's Eve. So please try & be respectful of the other folks around you, which means that you shouldn't continuously fire off your flash and blind everyone else in the crowd. And, please do not hoist your child up onto your shoulders at the very last moment and then block the view of everyone standing behind you. A little courtesy can go a long way in a hyper-crowded situation like this.

And speaking of crowds...
1) BE PATIENT WHILE EXITING THE PARK -- If you're in the Magic Kingdom and/or Epcot tonight, chances are that -- once the fireworks are over -- you'll be one of 50,000+ people who are then trying to get back to their hotel room or car. In a crowd that big, it's easy to get separated or maybe even hurt. Which is why -- if it's all possible -- once 2009 arrives, you should immediately find a bench and sit down for a half hour or so. Do some people-watching while the crowd recedes, grab one last Mickey ice cream bar, or reminisce with your friends and family about your favorite parts of your day at the park. Once the walkways in the Park are wide open again, then head for the exits. That way, your New Year will get off to a trouble-free start, rather than having to push & shove your way onto the Monorail.

What's that you say? This sounds too much like work? And you want to be able to enjoy your New Year's Eve? Well, if that's really the case, both SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Orlando are holding hard ticket events tonight. The SeaWorld New Year's Eve event starts with a reception at Shamu's Underwater Viewing area followed by a buffet dinner. Guests will then be treated to an exclusive interaction with the park's killer whales, then VIP seating to that night's Shamu Rocks show as well as Michael Andrews' 11:45 p.m. concert which will conclude with fireworks.

Meanwhile, over at Universal Orlando, Guests will enjoy an exclusive evening of entertainment at CityWalk. There'll be a live performance by the Doobie Brothers, not to mention all-you-can-eat gourmet fare like filet mignon & jumbo shrimp. Then -- at the stroke of midnight -- there'll be a free champagne toast.

Sounds great, right? Well, just keep in mind that you actually have to pay for all this VIP treatment. Tickets for SeaWorld Orlando's News Year's Eve at Dine with Shamu are $99 for adults and $69 for children (ages 3-9). Tickets for New Year's Eve at Universal CityWalk are $124.99 plus tax. Though American Express cardholders can save $5 on each ticket as well as get express line access into this Universal Orlando event.

Anyway... That's the skinny on spending New Year's Eve at the Orlando area's big three attractions. Wherever you wind up ringing in 2009, please be smart and party responsibly.

From all of us here at Orlando Fun Tickets, have a Happy New Year!

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Tune Tuesday : Does "Disney's High School Musical 2 On Stage" hold the key to the North Shore Music Theatre's survival?

Jim Hill — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Jim Hill reports that the fate of this 55 year-old Massachusetts theater may depend on whether the public buys enough tickets to Disney's newest stage musical...(read more)

Monday Mouse Watch : Numbers did in Disney's version of "Dawn Treader"

Jim Hill — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

According to Jim Hill, "Prince Caspian" 's underwhelming ticket & DVD sales forced Mickey to forgo the "Narnia" film franchise...(read more)

Revamped SEA LIFE Aquarium breathes new life into LEGOLAND California

Shelly Smith — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Shelly Smith makes a special trip to this Carlsbad, California attraction over the holiday season and enjoys all the decorations & improvements...(read more)

All I want for Christmas is a book that collects those Disney holiday comic strips

Greg White — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

JHM guest writer Greg White puts in a request with the folks at Disney Editions as well as sharing some rare collectibles from his Disneyana collection...(read more)

"Howard Sings Ashman" showcases rarely-heard demos for "Mermaid," "Beast" and "Aladdin"

Jim Hill — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Jim Hill reviews this new 2-disc set from PS Classics, which features over 30 test recordings of songs that this Disney Legend wrote for various Broadway shows & films...(read more)

Need a little Grinchmas? Then go check out USH this holiday season

Shelly Smith — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Shelly Smith reports in from Universal Studios Hollywood. Where the Upper & Lower Lot are both celebrating "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"...(read more)

How IOA's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" stage show got put together

Jim Hill — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Jim Hill chats with Michael Roddy, Manager of Show Development for the Universal Orlando Resort. Who talks about how he used the very best parts of the "Grinch" book, TV special and movie to then create a new theme park version of this classic holiday tale...(read more)

"Yes Man" is a very agreeable Jim Carrey comedy

William Carey — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

JHM guest columnist William Carey has some very positive things to say about this new Warner Bros. release...(read more)

DreamWorks Animation bets big on InTru 3D technology

Jim Hill — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Jim Hill reports in from Boston, where Jeffrey Katzenberg just presented 30 minutes of clips from DWA's next release, "Monsters Vs Aliens"...(read more)