DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

TOURING
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   Greet FAQ
Extra Magic Hour
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Operating Hours
Overlooked Attractions
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Smoking Policy
Special Needs Travelers
   --Studios in a
      Wheelchair
Ticket FAQ

WDW At Large

AT A GLANCE...
Attractions
Restaurants
Characters
Shopping

HOLLYWOOD BLVD.
Sorcerer Mickey Hat
The Great Movie Ride

SUNSET BLVD.
Beauty and the Beast
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Tower of Terror

ECHO LAKE
American Idol
   Experience
Indiana Jones Epic
   Stunt Spectacular
Sounds Dangerous
Star Tours

STREETS OF AMERICA
Al's Toy Barn
Backlot Tour
Honey I Shrunk
    the Kids
Lights, Motors, Action!
  Extreme Stunt Show
Monsters Inc.
   Meet & Greet
MuppetVision 3D
Pizza Planet Arcade

PIXAR PLACE
Toy Story Midway Mania!

MICKEY AVENUE
Journey into Narnia
One Man's Dream

ANIMATION COURTYARD
The Magic of Disney
   Animation
Playhouse Disney Live!
Voyage of the Little
   Mermaid

ENTERTAINMENT
Block Party Bash
Citizens of Hollywood
High School
    Musical 3!
Jedi Training
    Academy
Fantasmic!


SPECIAL EVENTS
ESPN The Weekend
Grad Nites
Night of Joy
Star Wars Weekends
Osborne Lights
Playhouse Disney
  in Concert
Visiting Celebrities

SPECIAL TOURS

ARCHIVES
Backstage Pass
Bear in the Big Blue
   House
Disney's Doug Live!
High School Musical
    Pep Rally
Hunchback of Notre
   Dame
Making of the Haunted
   Mansion Movie
Mulan Parade
Stars and Motor Cars
   Parade
Super Soap Weekend
Who Wants to Be a
   Millionaire? Play It!

OTHER WALT DISNEY WORLD
THEME PARKS
Animal Kingdom
Epcot
Magic Kingdom

OTHER DISNEY THEME
PARKS
Disneyland
Disney's
   California Adventure

Hong Kong Disneyland

Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo DisneySea

Disneyland Paris
Walt Disney Studios Park Paris

STUDIOS EXTRA MAGIC HOURS!
Early morning and late night hours!

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS!

INTRODUCTION

Walt Disney first had the idea for a park based on the movies more than 40 years ago, but it wasn't until May 1989 that the Walt Disney Company unveiled the Disney-MGM Studios, where guests of Walt Disney World could witness the inner workings of living, breathing movie and television production facilities. In January 2008, the theme park underwent a major name change and is now known as Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Through its exciting attractions, like the new Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show, Broadway-caliber shows, and hands-on participation, the Studios not only entertain but educate. The Studios have nearly doubled in size in the last 10 years and continue to expand -- in fact, the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, an indoor roller coaster featuring a high-speed launch of 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds, was part of the largest property-wide expansion in Walt Disney World history.

In October 2001, the Studios became the focal point for the 100 Years of Magic celebration, a 15-month long observance of the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney's birthday. The celebration marked the introduction of a new icon, the giant Sorcerer Mickey hat, as well as an in-depth exhibit on the life and times of Walt Disney called One Man's Dream.

LAY OF THE LAND

HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD: At Disney's Hollywood Studios, guests enter the turnstiles onto the main street, Hollywood Boulevard, where reality blends into fantasy -- neon and chrome, art deco and modern architecture dominate the scenery. To enhance the old-time atmosphere, Streetmosphere characters like 1930s detectives, starlets and gossip columnists, populate the streets, interacting with the crowds they draw. Colorful shops and restaurants reinforce the feeling of yesteryear -- the Hollywood Brown Derby, for example, faithfully recalls the landmark meeting place of the stars, right down to its signature Cobb salad and grapefruit cake.

As you walk down Hollywood Boulevard, immediately in front of you you'll see the park icon, a gigantic Sorcerer Mickey Hat, originally built to mark WDW's 100 Years of Magic Celebration. Behind that is a replica of Mann's Chinese Theater, which houses one of the park's hallmark attractions, The Great Movie Ride. This slow-moving tram ride showcases some of the most memorable moments ever captured on the silver screen. In front of the Chinese Theater, you'll see where numerous celebrities, including Robin Williams, Samuel L. Jackson, Sylvester Stallone, Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley have left their handprints in cement.

ECHO LAKE: The first left you encounter off Hollywood Boulevard takes you past Echo Lake, distinguished by the towering Dinosaur Gertie who serves up snacks and desserts. You pass by a pair of eateries -- Hollywood & Vine, home of a character breakfast and lunch featuring the Little Einsteins and JoJo and Goliath, and the '50s Prime Time Cafe, where the servers treat you like family -- right down to scolding you for putting your elbows on the table! As you follow around the lake, you encounter the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, a live show with death-defying stunts. Nearby, Star Tours takes you on an amazing journey to the Moon of Endor, featuring some of the familiar Star Wars characters. On the other side of the lake is Sounds Dangerous, a showcase for special sound effects featuring funnyman Drew Carey. Next door is the ABC-TV Theater, currently vacant, but soon to house Disney's version of American Idol, the popular Fox Television talent show. In between these two attractions is the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame Plaza, which features sculptures of famous television legends, as well as the second-largest Emmy statue in the world (14 1/2 feet from its base).

SUNSET BOULEVARD: As you make the first right off Hollywood Boulevard, you come upon Sunset Boulevard, with its specialized shops that feature gifts themed to classic films and Disney characters, especially the Disney Villains spotlighted in the night-time show Fantasmic! In fact, the entrance to the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater, home to Fantasmic!, is just a little further down Sunset on the right. Light dining and snacks can be found at the outdoor Sunset Ranch Market on the left. Looming menacingly at the end of Sunset Boulevard, is the Hollywood Tower Hotel, which dares guests to enter The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Adjacent to the Tower of Terror is the Studios' hot thrill ride, the indoor Rock'n'Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. Across the street from this coaster, is the Theater of the Stars, which houses Beauty and the Beast -- Live on Stage, a lovely musical stage show based on the hit Disney movie.

PIXAR PLACE: Behind the Chinese Theater is the former Mickey Avenue, now dubbed Pixar Place, home to the park's newest attraction, Toy Story Mania, open to the public May 31, 2008.

ANIMATION COURTYARD: To the right of Pixar Place is the Animation Courtyard. Here you'll find the not-to-be-missed Walt Disney: One Man's Dream exhibit, as well as the popular Voyage of the Little Mermaid, delighting young and old. Another major attraction in real-life film making is The Magic of Disney Animation, a tour allowing guests to get an insider's view of animators. Across the Courtyard, children can see their favorite characters like the Little Einsteins, Handy Manny, Mickey and Pooh in the Playhouse Disney Live! show.

STREETS OF AMERICA: To the left of the Chinese Theater is Commissary Lane, featuring several dining options, including the Sci-Fi Dine In Theater Restaurant.At the end of Commissary Lane turn right onto the Streets of America, which create the illusion of New York City, San Francisco and other cities using forced perspective techniques. The Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show, inspired by a popular show in Disneyland Paris, debuted in this area in May 2005. With stunt cars and motorcycles, and even some daring jet skis, this show, in a specially constructed amphitheater that holds 5,000, gives an adrenaline rush to the once-quiet backlot area. To the right of the Stunt Show, you'll find the entrance to the Studio Backlot Tour, a 25-minute tram tour that allows theme park guests to peek in at shooting on state-of-the-art soundstages and sprawling backlot sets. Near the entrance, you'll see the new Luigi's Garage, which houses Cars characters Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater.

Kids can spend some time the size of ants winding their way through giant blades of grass in the Honey, I Shrunk The Kids Movie Set Adventure. Nearby, the Muppets star in Muppet*Vision 3D, which combines Jim Henson's puppets and special effects with Disney's famous Audio-Animatronics. Finally, spot your favorite Toy Story characters at the nearby Al's Toy Barn.

For information on Disney's Hollywood Studios Live Entertainment, visit Steve Soares' WDW Entertainment Website.

TOURING TIPS

Disney's Hollywood Studios opens daily at 9 a.m. Closing times vary according to the season, with the park staying open later during summer months and holiday times. Plan to arrive at the Studios about 8:30 a.m., for when the gates open -- even though no attractions are accessible until the ropes officially drop, there are usually plenty of characters milling about at the park entrance!

Fantasmic! is shown nightly at park closing. During busier seasons, Fantasmic! may have two performances nightly. When this is the case, the later show is much less crowded -- consider staying for that if it's practical for you. Or take advantage of the Fantasmic! dinner package for special seating, to avoid the long wait. If you don't mind waiting, though, plan to arrive at the theater early to ensure getting a seat at this popular show.

KIDS AND CHARACTERS

Disney's Hollywood Studios has many opportunities for children to meet and greet their favorite characters, from Al's Toy Barn to the Streets of America area to the Animation Courtyard. Consult your daily Times Guide for times and locations.

Disney's Hollywood Studios Characters at a Glance
Character Meet and Greet FAQ!

INTERESTING FACTS

The HBO series "From the Earth to the Moon", a 13-part drama, was in production in two soundstages throughout 1997.

Films shot at the studios include: "Marvin's Room," "Passenger 57," "Oscar," "Quick Change," "Ernest Saves Christmas," "Splash Too," "Separate But Equal" (Emmy-winning TV mini-series, starring Burt Lancaster) and "Instinct."

Some of the many television shows which have taped at Disney's Hollywood Studios include: "ER," "Full House," "Wheel of Fortune," "ESPN College Football Awards," "Talk Soup," "Step By Step," "Barbara Walters Special," and "Live! With Regis & Kathie Lee."

Among the hundreds of actors, comedians and entertainers who've appeared at the studios are: Charlton Heston, Dustin Hoffman, Bette Midler, Warren Beatty, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Hanks, Liza Minnelli, Billy Joel, Christie Brinkley, Michael J. Fox, Samuel L. Jackson, Lou Gossett Jr., Drew Carey, Oprah Winfrey and Susan Lucci.

What's New?

American Idol Experience -- Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has created an "American Idol" attraction that brings the television and pop culture phenomenon to life at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The attraction debuted February 14, 2009, and follows the model of the high-energy show. Disney guests can experience the challenge of auditioning, the rush of performing on stage in competition, or the thrill of judging the performances in a live interactive entertainment setting with all the glitz and glamour of the distinctive "American Idol" set.

"High School Musical 3: Right Here! Right Now!" is the new street show in Disney's Hollywood Studios. It opened October 24, to coincide with the theatrical release of "High School Musical 3: Senior Year." A cast of 14 singers and dancers perform the show, which takes place on a traveling "rock concert" stage that stops in front of Mickey's Sorcerer's Hat for production numbers featuring six new songs from the movie.

Luigi's Garage is the new home for Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater, stars of the movie Cars. It opened in October 2008, and is located in the Streets of America area.

Journey Into Narnia underwent an overhaul to include scenes from the movie Price Caspian. The attraction, housed in Soundstage 4 on Mickey Avenue, opened June 2008 and now features a meet-and-greet with Prince Caspian himself (pictured right).

Toy Story Mania! is a new Pixar-themed attraction on the site of Who Wants to be a Millionaire -- Play It! It's a high-energy, immersive adventure that puts guests right in the action as their game play triggers fun surprises that provide a fourth dimension of fun. The new attraction opened officially to the public May 31, 2008.

Block Party Bash, a funtastic parade featuring favorite Disney - Pixar characters, officially debuted March 14, 2008. The high-energy extravaganza cranks up the music and excitement to the max, putting guests in the middle of the wildest Disney parade ever – a non-stop musical block party that doubles as a fun-filled interactive street spectacular.

JoJo and Goliath and characters from the Little Einsteins are not only making regular Meet & Greet appearances in the park, but they are the stars of new character dining experiences at Hollywood & Vine as of June 25, 2006. Playhouse Disney's Play'n'Dine at Hollywood & Vine is a character breakfast and lunch buffet.

What's Next?

Walt Disney World recently announced the revamp of the popular Star Tours attraction. The new 3-D version of t will debut at the Disneyland Resort and Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2011. Based on the iconic Lucasfilm "Star Wars" films, the attraction will include immersive new elements that will take guests to many familiar places in the Star Wars galaxy.

For more details on this announcement, click HERE.

What's Going... Going... Gone...?

High School Musical 2: School's Out, which was based on the popular Disney Channel sequel, replaced the High School Musical Pep Rally in September 2007. It in turn was replaced by High School Musical 3, whose debut coincided with the October 24, 2008, debut of the theatrical movie High School Musical 3: Senior Year.

The Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade ended its run in March 2008. It was replaced by the Block Party Bash.

High School Musical Pep Rally based on the popular Disney Channel was performed several times daily in front of the Sorcerer Mickey Hat. The show debuted in the Magic Kingdom in 2006, but moved over to the Studios January 22, 2007. It was replaced by the High School Musical 2: School's Out in September 2007.

Who Wants to be a Millionaire -- Play It! had its last shows on August 19, 2006.

The beloved Hunchback of Notre Dame show closed in September 2002.

The Backstage Pass Tour has been inactive since February 2002.

The Doug Live! Show in the ABC Theater opened in March 1999 and closed May 2001.