Disney Theme Parks Continued…

Today’s Edition: Hollywood Studios

In my previous post I dove into the world of EPCOT, Disney World’s second theme park to open. Today we will be looking at the land of the movies, Hollywood Studios. This has not always been my favorite of the theme parks but now with the addition of Toy Story Land as well as Star Wars: Galaxy Edge opening in late August, this one is making a comeback. Ready Camera, Lights, Action!

Hollywood Studios own Chinese Theater, it’s current icon as well as an exact replica of the Chinese Theater in California

A little background:

Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened on May 1st 1989 under the name MGM Studios and contained real working film building and sets. The park was meant as an immersive experience into the world of the movies. As you enter you feel as though you are in old 1950’s Hollywood with an exact replica of Hollywood’s own Chinese Theater. In oder to make the theater feel even more similar to it’s original, celebrities handprints and signatures are found in concrete out in front (fun fact: Audrey Hepburns handprints are only featured in the concrete outside of Disney World’s Chinese theater and not in Hollywood’s).

Audrey Hepburns Hands in front of the Chinese Theater in Hollywood Studios

Opening attractions featured a back lot stage tour where guests could see movie props, sets of some famous TV shows, and many more secrets into the world of film and television. Also there was an attraction inside of the Chinese Theater called the Great Movie Ride which took you through some of the most famous film scenes with lifelike animatronics as well as some really cool live actors (RIP Great Movie Ride 1989-2017). Star Wars became incorporated into the park a little later on as well as the franchise The Muppets. Needless to say MGM studios had a lot of movie magic for guests to experience.

Well in the early 2000’s it began to fall apart. Eventually the park was no longer a working film set as most production moved exclusively to Hollywood. This in turn ended up bringing down park attendance with one of the biggest draws to the park being this. The backlot express tour obviously became much shorter because there were no longer movie sets to show guests. In 2008 the deal with MGM studios (hence the name MGM Studios) did not become renewed and Disney MGM Studios became Disney Hollywood Studios.

Archway entering into the other parts of the park, showcasing the logo

What the park is like today:

Since the parks name change in 2008, it has slowly been on an uphill climb in terms of regaining its popularity. It terms of the set up of the park it is difficult to explain as something seems to always be changing, but distinctive aspects that are popular would be Toy Story Land (opened in 2018), Hollywood Boulevard (featuring The Tower of Terror, Rock’n Rollercoaster, and the Nighttime Spectacular Fantasmic), Star Wars Launch Bay (meet Chewbacca, Kylo Ren, and BB-8), and soon to open Star Wars: Galaxy Edge. 

Toy Story Land, Hollywood Studios newest land, opening in June 2018. It is currently the most popular in the parks.

The park features a few really good rides but for the longest time it was no more then just a half day park. Now with the addition of Toy Story Land, where you are shrunk down to the size of a toy in Andy’s backyard, and with the long awaited Star Wars: Galaxy Edge guests are making this park a must do and even multiple day park. Galaxy’s Edge will be the go to destination for all Star Wars fans and will remain the most popular land ahead of Pandora in Animal Kingdom which opened May of 2017. 

My sister and I with Chewbacca on our last trip in January 2019

I’m so happy that Hollywood Studios has made a comeback and is soon to be one of the most popular of the theme parks! I can’t wait to visit on my next trip and see Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge! Look out for my next post will I will talk about the last theme park and certainly my favorite, Animal Kingdom!! 

Hope you have a magical day and I’ll see ya real soon!

-Caitlyn