Disney's Hollywood Studios facts for kids
| Previously known as Disney-MGM Studios | |
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The Hollywood Tower Hotel, the icon of the park
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| Location | Walt Disney World, Bay Lake, Florida, United States |
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| Coordinates | 28°21′25″N 81°33′22″W / 28.357°N 81.5561°W |
| Status | Operating |
| 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) |
| Theme | |
| Operating season | Year-round |
Disney's Hollywood Studios is a fun theme park located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It's close to Orlando and is owned by The Walt Disney Company. The park opened on May 1, 1989, and was originally called the Disney–MGM Studios Theme Park. It was the third of four theme parks built at Walt Disney World.
The park covers about 135 acres (55 hectares). It is designed to look like an old, idealized version of Hollywood, California. It celebrates the amazing worlds from movies, television, music, and theatre. It takes inspiration from the "Golden Age" of Hollywood, a time when many classic films were made.
Disney's Hollywood Studios was first created to be both a theme park and a real working production studio. It had places for making films and TV shows, an animation studio, and a backlot (an outdoor area with sets). Construction started in 1987. Disney made a deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) to use their name and logo, which is where the park's first name came from. Over the years, the production parts of the park were removed. Many of the studio buildings were turned into new rides and areas for guests. The park changed its name to Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2008. In the 2010s, the park started focusing more on creating immersive worlds from famous stories.
The park's first famous landmark was the Earffel Tower, a water tower with Mickey Mouse ears. In 2001, the Sorcerer's Hat was put up in the park's center. This hat, from the movie Fantasia, became the park's main symbol until it was removed in January 2015. The Earffel Tower was also removed the next year. Now, The Hollywood Tower Hotel is the park's official icon. A replica of Grauman's Chinese Theatre is also a key visual landmark. In 2023, over 10 million guests visited the park, making it one of the most popular theme parks in the world.
Contents
Park 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.
Park History
A team of Disney Imagineers wanted to create two new areas for Epcot. One idea was for a "Great Movie Ride." When Michael Eisner, the new CEO, saw the plans, he suggested making it the main attraction for a brand new park. This new park would be all about Hollywood and entertainment.
In 1985, Disney and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) made a deal. This allowed Disney to use the MGM name and logo for the new park, which would be called Disney–MGM Studios. The park would include real production facilities for movies and TV shows. It also had a special animation studio for Walt Disney Feature Animation. The park officially opened on May 1, 1989. On opening day, the main attractions were the Studio Backlot Tour and the Great Movie Ride. A group of street performers, now called the Citizens of Hollywood, were added a few months later. They are the longest-running entertainment at the park.
In the 1990s, the park became very popular. In 1994, it expanded with the addition of Sunset Boulevard and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride. The park's animation studio helped create famous Disney movies like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. Mulan and Lilo & Stitch were fully completed at the park's studio. In 2001, the Sorcerer's Hat became the park's new icon. However, in 2004, Disney closed the animation studio in Florida. In 2007, Disney announced that the park would be renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios, which happened on January 7, 2008. That same year, the area around the Toy Story Mania! ride was renamed Pixar Place.
In the 2010s, Disney started to remove the "studio-like" attractions. The Studio Backlot Tour, the American Idol Experience, and the Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow attractions all closed in 2014. The Sorcerer's Hat was removed in 2015, bringing back the original view of the Chinese Theatre. In 2016, most of the Streets of America area was closed and taken down. This made space for new lands like Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Toy Story Land. In 2017, the Great Movie Ride closed. It was replaced by Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway in 2020.
The park was closed from March 16 to July 15, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2025, Muppet*Vision 3D and the Muppet-themed area around it closed. This area is expected to be re-themed to Pixar's Monsters, Inc. movies. It will include Disney's first suspended roller coaster.
Park Areas and Attractions
Disney's Hollywood Studios is divided into seven themed areas. These areas are inspired by either real places in Hollywood or imagined worlds from famous stories. The park's original design looked like a large Hidden Mickey from above. However, new construction has changed this shape.
Hollywood Boulevard
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Hollywood Boulevard is the park's main entrance. It looks like the real street in Hollywood. This area is similar to Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom. It has themed buildings and shops selling Disney items. Guests enter through a gate that looks like the Pan-Pacific Auditorium. You can also see a replica of the Crossroads of the World tower. Live street shows and parades happen here throughout the day. At the end of Hollywood Boulevard is a copy of Grauman's Chinese Theatre. This building now holds Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, a ride based on Mickey Mouse animated shorts. Near the entrance to Animation Courtyard is The Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, which looks like the original Brown Derby in Hollywood.
Echo Lake
Echo Lake is inspired by a neighborhood in Los Angeles. It is designed to look like the "California Crazy" style of architecture from Hollywood's Golden Age. The area is built around its namesake lake.
Echo Lake has two main attractions based on characters and films by George Lucas. Star Tours – The Adventures Continue is a 3-D motion simulator ride set in the Star Wars universe. At the Epic Theater, the live Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! show recreates action scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Professional stunt actors play Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood.
The Hyperion Theater hosts For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. This is a musical show based on Disney's Frozen movie. Behind this building is Commissary Lane, which connects Hollywood Boulevard to Grand Avenue. This area has two places to eat: ABC Commissary, a quick-service restaurant themed to ABC TV shows, and the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant. This is a dinner theater with a retro theme, car-shaped tables, and a big screen showing old science-fiction films.
Grand Avenue
Grand Avenue is designed to look like a historic area in downtown Los Angeles. It features BaseLine Tap House, a modern California-style pub. The main street of Grand Avenue leads into a tunnel that connects it to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.
Grand Avenue was originally planned as "Muppet Studios," based on the Muppets. This area was supposed to have Muppet*Vision 3D, a restaurant, and a Muppet ride. However, only Muppet*Vision 3D was built and opened in 1991. The Muppet-themed restaurant became Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano.
The Muppet area became part of the park's former Streets of America section. This area included streets designed to look like New York City and San Francisco. These street facades were once part of the park's working backlot for the Studio Backlot Tour. They opened to guests in the mid-1990s. This area closed on April 2, 2016, to make way for Galaxy's Edge. PizzeRizzo, a pizzeria owned by Rizzo the Rat, opened in 2016. The Muppet-themed areas and a remaining New York block were renamed Muppets Courtyard until Grand Avenue was finished in September 2017. All the Muppet-themed areas, including Muppet*Vision 3D and PizzeRizzo, as well as Mama Melrose's, closed in 2025.
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is set in the Star Wars universe. It represents the Black Spire Outpost village on the planet Batuu. Attractions include Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, a ride that puts guests in a battle between the First Order and the Resistance. Another ride is Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, where guests can pilot the Millennium Falcon. There are also restaurants and shops like Oga's Cantina and Droid Depot. This land opened in 2019. It replaced the park's Streets of America section.
Toy Story Land
Toy Story Land is inspired by Pixar's Toy Story movies. This area is designed to look like Andy's backyard. It has three attractions, each featuring characters from the movies. The attractions are Toy Story Mania!, an interactive 4D game ride; Slinky Dog Dash, an outdoor roller coaster; and Alien Swirling Saucers, a spinning ride. The land opened on June 30, 2018.
Toy Story Mania! was originally a separate ride in Pixar Place. This area was dedicated to Pixar films and looked like Pixar's animation studio. Pixar Place also had Luxo Jr., a six-foot-tall moving lamp character that performed shows.
Animation Courtyard
Animation Courtyard features attractions based on films and characters from The Walt Disney Company. Its entrance has a square "studio arch." This part of the park was originally the starting point for the Studio Backlot Tour.
The former Magic of Disney Animation building now hosts Star Wars Launch Bay. This is a Star Wars exhibit with props and character meet-and-greets with Darth Vader, Chewbacca, and BB-8. Mickey Avenue, a part of Animation Courtyard, has Walt Disney Presents. This exhibit explores the life of Walt Disney through photos, models, and a short film. The Courtyard also has two live shows. Disney Junior Dance Party! entertains guests with characters from Disney Junior TV shows.
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is inspired by the real street and the movie of the same name. It was the first expansion of the park, opening in July 1994. The main feature of Sunset Boulevard is the Hollywood Tower Hotel. This building houses The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, a thrilling drop tower ride. It is themed to an abandoned hotel and inspired by The Twilight Zone TV show. Nearby is Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, an indoor roller coaster themed to the music of Aerosmith. It has inversions and a fast launch.
Sunset Boulevard has two outdoor amphitheaters and one indoor theater. The Theater of the Stars hosts Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage, a stage show based on the 1991 animated film. The larger Hollywood Hills Amphitheater is home to Fantasmic!, a nighttime show with Mickey Mouse, fireworks, lasers, and water effects. The indoor Sunset Showcase is expected to open a new Disney Villains show in fall 2025.
Live Entertainment
Disney's Hollywood Studios has always had many types of entertainment. In its early years, the park had a "Star Today" program. A celebrity guest would visit daily, often taking part in a parade or a handprint ceremony.
Disney has also featured characters and stories that were not originally its own. These included the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and characters from the Goosebumps series. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers also appeared in the park for a time. Live music groups used to perform on the streets or before shows.
Like Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios used to have daily parades down Hollywood Boulevard. These included the Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade and the Pixar Block Party Bash.
Streetmosphere performers have been at Disney's Hollywood Studios since 1989. They are the only opening day attraction still in the park. This improv group was first called Streetmosphere, but later renamed the Citizens of Hollywood. They perform magic, skits, and interact with guests many times a day on Sunset Boulevard and Hollywood Boulevard.
Annual Events
Disney's Hollywood Studios has hosted several special events over the years.
- ESPN The Weekend (late winter) featured commentators from the Disney-owned sports channels and sports celebrities. This event ran from 2004 to 2011.
- Star Wars Weekends (May–June) brought Star Wars fans and celebrities together. It featured the 501st Legion (a worldwide Star Wars costuming group) parading in costumes. Several Star Wars actors appeared for photos and autographs. There were also larger Jedi Training Academy classes for younger guests. Star Wars Weekends ended in 2015.
- ABC Super Soap Weekend was held in November. This event celebrated fans of soap operas from ABC. Guests could meet stars from shows like All My Children and General Hospital. The last event was in November 2008.
- The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights (November–January) lit up the Streets of America during the Christmas season. This display had over five million Christmas lights. The event ended in 2015 before the Streets of America were removed.
- Disney Jollywood Nights: This is a special Christmas event that requires a separate ticket. It started in 2023 and is held on select evenings in November and December.
Park Attendance
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9,699,000 | 9,912,000 | 10,110,000 | 10,312,000 | 10,828,000 | 10,776,000 | 10,772,000 | 11,258,000 | 11,483,000 | 3,675,000 |
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Worldwide rank (2023) | ||||||
| 8,589,000 | 10,900,000 | 10,300,000 | 10 | ||||||
See also
In Spanish: Disney's Hollywood Studios para niños
- Incidents at Walt Disney World Resort
- Walt Disney Studios Park, a similar park at Disneyland Paris
External links
- Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Roller Coaster DataBase
- Conception of Disney's Hollywood Studios at Disney D23
pt:Walt Disney World Resort#Disney-Hollywood Studios
