OnTheGround: Leave Your Fields to Flower

First published March 19, 2003

By C. W. Oberleitner

With Alice's birthday celebration behind him proud Papa Jim Hill is busy preparing to lead his first-ever Jim Hill walking, talking -- and no-doubt digressing -- tours of Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure. If you missed the earlier announcement of this event and The JimHillMedia Reader's Meet and Greet, our very own DizBiz brings us all up to date in today's installment of his OnTheGround column.

For newcomers to JimHillMedia-dot-com allow me to introduce myself. I am the site's business features columnist, I write the DizBiz column. In addition to my occasional insights into the business workings of The Walt Disney Company I also provide coverage of themed entertainment events and activities that take place around Southern California. This series, called OnTheGround, while hopefully entertaining for everyone is primarily intended for those of you who don't live in the Los Angeles area but are planning to spend some time visiting one or more of our famous attractions.

Like me Jim is well aware that there are an abundance of sites on the Internet that provide avid fans with a bird's eye view of Disney related special events. When Jim first spoke with me about writing the OTG column for JHM he said he wanted our coverage to have a different point of view.

"I want an adult take on events." He said. "If the soda is warm and the bathrooms are dirty I want to say so. I don't want recycled candy coated press releases. I want an insiders point of view, a way to share information and tips about avoiding crowds, staying out of lines and not spending to much trying to have a good time."

So that's how I came to chronicle some of the special events that you, our loyal readers, might want to take in on your next visit to Southern California. And this coming weekend marks one of the biggest events to take place in the LA area this year.

Of course I am referring to the first Jim Hill Disneyland Resort Walking Tours and The JimHillMedia Reader's Meet and Greet events that will take place this Saturday and Sunday, March 22 and 23 at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California

Join Us

Regular readers of Jim's column will recall that JimHillMedia-dot-com is branching out into specialized tours of Disney theme parks. The trial or beta run of the first of these tours will take place this Saturday and Sunday. Jim will conduct walking tours of both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure. More than just walking tours of these two great theme parks Jim will be providing his guests with rare behind the scenes insights into the how, why and what might have been of some of your favorite Disney theme park attractions.

After first being announced the Jim Hill Walling Tours of Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure were almost immediately sold out. Recently, however, due to travel cancellations several guest slots have opened up. There are now two openings for the Disneyland tours on Saturday and Sunday and two openings for Sunday's DCA tour.

As previously mentioned this will be the beta run of what Jim hopes will become a regular service to JHM readers available at both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts. The cost of each tour is $25 and does NOT include admission to either park or parking. Tour fees must be paid in advance.

Fans who would like to attend the first-ever Jim Hill Walking Tour of either Disneyland or Disney's California Adventure should write to Jim today at:

stadlerhill@mindspring.com

JimHillMedia Reader Meet and Greet

Can't make the tours but still want to meet Jim and the JimHillMedia-dot-com gang. Join us Saturday afternoon at XX:XX PM inside Disneyland on the Plaza Garden patio. The Plaza Garden patio is located just off The Hub to the left of Sleeping Beauty's Castle opposite the dance band canopy and just in front of the entranceway to the Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante, hosted by Ortega.

Character photos are always a fun part of any visit to a Disney theme park. This will be your chance to not only complain personally to Jim about his never ending LightMagic series but also to have your picture taken with some real characters. Some of our best known characters will be there, like Michelle Smith, Roger Colton, C. W. Oberleitner and of course Jim Hill*.

*All persons mentioned scheduled to attend. Attendance by persons named not guaranteed. Except of course for Jim who's pretty much already committed to being there no matter what. JHM-dot-com reserves the right to use Internet personality write-a-likes. Offer void in New Hampshire and Tenn.

The tours and Reader Meet and Greet are NOT official Disneyland functions so please do not ask any of the Disneyland Cast Members for times or directions.

By The Way

There is some sort of movie awards thingy scheduled to take place in Hollywood Sunday afternoon. If you aren't going to be at the Disneyland Resort with Jim you might want to avoid Hollywood and the Hollywood freeway. If you're interested in that sort of celebrity thing ABC will be covering the event. Check your local ABC TV affiliate for the time. I guess since ABC is covering this it qualifies as a Disney event.

C'ya real soon!