Disney's Hollywood Studios
Previously known as Disney-MGM Studios (1989–2008) | ||
Coordinates 28°21′25″N 81°33′22″W / 28.357°N 81.5561°W | | |
Status | Operating | |
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Opened | May 1, 1989 | |
Owner | Disney Experiences (The Walt Disney Company) | |
Operated by | Walt Disney World Key People - Jackie Swisher (VP) Steve Ruffner (GM-Operations)[2] | |
Theme |
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Operating season | Year-round | |
Website | Official website |
Walt Disney World |
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Theme parks |
Water parks |
Other attractions and areas |
Resorts |
Affiliated Services |
Transport |
Disney's Hollywood Studios is a
Disney's Hollywood Studios was initially developed as both a theme park inspired by
The park's original icon was the Earffel Tower, a faux water tower topped with Mickey Mouse ears. In 2001, the Sorcerer's Hat—a stylized version of the magical hat from Fantasia—was erected in the park's central hub and served as the icon until its removal in January 2015.[5] The Earffel Tower was also removed the following year. Since then, the Hollywood Tower Hotel has acted as the park's icon, with the park's replica of the Chinese Theatre serving as the visual centerpiece. In 2018, the park hosted 11.258 million guests, ranking it the fifth most-visited theme park in North America and the ninth most-visited theme park in the world.[6]
Dedication
The World you have entered was created by The Walt Disney Company and is dedicated to Hollywood—not a place on a map, but a state of mind that exists wherever people dream and wonder and imagine, a place where illusion and reality are fused by technological magic. We welcome you to a Hollywood that never was—and always will be.
History
A team of
In 1985, Disney and
Disney later filed a countersuit, claiming that MGM/UA and MGM Grand, Inc. had conspired to violate Disney's worldwide rights to the MGM name in the theme park business and that MGM/UA would harm Disney's reputation by building its own theme park at the
In the 1990s, as the park's popularity and attendance grew, the park saw its first expansion in 1994, with the addition of Sunset Boulevard and
In the 2010s, Disney began phasing out the park's "studio-like" attractions that headlined the park during its early years of operation. This included the closure of the park's Studio Backlot Tour, American Idol Experience, and the Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow attractions in 2014.[15] The following year, the Sorcerer's Hat was removed and the original sightlines from Hollywood Boulevard to the park's Chinese Theatre were restored.[16] In March 2015, during an annual shareholders meeting, Disney CEO Bob Iger hinted at another possible name change for the park due to the changes coming in the near future.[17] However, the company denied the rumors of a name change in February 2018.[18] The park continued to close more studio-themed attraction; in April 2016, the majority of Streets of America—including the backlot street facades, the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show, the Earffel Tower, and the remaining backstage areas—was closed and demolished in preparation for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Toy Story Land.[19][20] In 2017, the Great Movie Ride closed as the final remaining opening-day attraction and was replaced by Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway.[21][22][23]
The park
Park layout and attractions
Disney's Hollywood Studios is divided into seven themed areas inspired by romanticized iterations of either existing locations found in Hollywood and throughout Los Angeles, or imagined worlds from Hollywood-born stories. The park's original layout featured a large Hidden Mickey, which was visible in aerial photographs of the park and on the park's early guide maps, though construction and other park changes have eliminated much of this image.[26]
Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard, inspired by
Echo Lake
Echo Lake, inspired by
Echo Lake features three major attractions based on characters and films created by
The Hyperion Theater houses
Grand Avenue
Grand Avenue is themed as a gentrified historic district inspired by the real location of the same name in downtown Los Angeles. The area is anchored by Muppet*Vision 3D, a 4D film attraction starring the Muppets from Jim Henson's The Muppet Show, that is presented at the Grand Arts Theatre within the avenue's Grand Park, itself also inspired by the real park of the same name. Grand Avenue is also home to PizzeRizzo[27]—a Brooklyn-style pizza restaurant owned by Rizzo the Rat—Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano,[28] and BaseLine Tap House, a modern California-styled pub.[29] The main street of Grand Avenue leads into a recreation of a Figueroa Street Tunnel which connects Grand Avenue to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.[30]
Grand Avenue was originally planned as a themed area called Muppet Studios, following Disney's acquisition of the
The realized Muppet-themed section became a part of the park's former Streets of America area, which encompassed several attractions, including an urban street amalgamation of New York City and San Francisco. The area's namesake street facades were formerly the park's working backlot set, which was originally a component of the park's inaugural Studio Backlot Tour, and opened to pedestrian park traffic in the mid-1990s; this area closed on April 2, 2016.[33][34] The Muppet-themed areas and a single remaining New York block of the Streets of America facades were repurposed into Muppets Courtyard, which served as a placeholder designation until Grand Avenue was completed in September 2017.[35]
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Toy Story Land
Toy Story Mania! was originally a standalone attraction within Pixar Place, an area dedicated to films and characters created by Pixar, resembling the animation studio's
Animation Courtyard
Animation Courtyard is home to attractions based on films and characters created by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Its entrance is marked by a square "studio arch". This section of the park originally was the starting point for the Studio Backlot Tour.
The former
.Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard, inspired by the real thoroughfare of the same name, as well as the film of the same name, was the first expansion of the park, opening in July 1994. The focal point of Sunset Boulevard is the Hollywood Tower Hotel which houses The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, a thrill ride themed to an abandoned hotel and inspired by Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone. Located nearby is Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, an indoor darkened roller coaster themed to the music of Aerosmith, with three inversions and a high-speed launch.
Sunset Boulevard has two outdoor amphitheaters, and one indoor theater. The covered Theater of the Stars hosts
Live entertainment
Disney's Hollywood Studios has featured numerous forms of in-park entertainment throughout its history. During its early years, the park featured the "Star Today" program, with a daily celebrity guest. The celebrity would often be featured in a motorcade along Hollywood Boulevard or would take part in a handprint ceremony at the Great Movie Ride's entrance, or participate in an interview session.
At other times, Disney has imported characters and
Like Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios also used to run daily parades down Hollywood Boulevard. The
Streetmosphere performers have been present at Disney's Hollywood Studios since 1989. They are the only opening day attraction left in the park. The improv troupe was originally called Streetmosphere, but later renamed to the Citizens of Hollywood. They perform magic, skits, and interact with guests multiple times a day on Sunset Boulevard and Hollywood Boulevard.
Annual events
Disney's Hollywood Studios has hosted several events during the years that often draw thousands of fans to the park.
There have also been four former events:
- ESPN The Weekend (late winter) featured commentators from the Disney-owned cable sports channels as well as sports celebrities. The event was started in 2004 and permanently cancelled in July 2011.[44]
- ABC Super Soap Weekend was scheduled in November, the event paid tribute to the legions of fans of soap operas from ABC. Guests could meet stars from All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital. The event's final presentation was in November 2008, with ABC instead planning to schedule multiple, smaller regional events around the country for its fans.[48]
- Christmas lights on more than 350 miles (560 km) of wire.[50]The event ended its run in 2015.
Production history
This section needs additional citations for verification. (May 2018) |
The Walt Disney Company's original concept of the Disney-MGM Studios was to operate it as a television and motion picture production facility, as well as a theme park. In 1988, among the first feature-length movies filmed at the facility, prior to its completion and opening as a theme park, were Ernest Saves Christmas[51] and Newsies.
When the park opened in 1989, the studio/production facilities housed two major components, the first of which was
In 2004, Disney management (including CEO Michael Eisner) downsized Disney's Florida operations by closing the animation studio, laying off personnel and then moving the operations to the main animation studio in Burbank, California.[52][54] A radio studio is also located on the lot, behind "Sounds Dangerous".
Attendance
2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Worldwide rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9,699,000[55] | 9,912,000[56] | 10,110,000[57] | 10,312,000[58] | 10,828,000[59] | 10,776,000[60] | 10,772,000[61] | 11,258,000[6] | 11,483,000[62] | 3,675,000[62] | 9 |
See also
- Incidents at Walt Disney World Resort
- Walt Disney Studios Park, sister park at Disneyland Paris
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