Like everything that Disney does, theming is paramount. In this multi-part blog I’ll be touring all four parks and pointing out benches, chairs, and other seating options that have been themed specifically for a land or area. For the most part, I’ll be concentrating on non-restaurant seating.
Part 1 covered the Magic Kingdom.
Part 2 covered Epcot.
Part 3 Animal Kingdom
The final park on our tour of the World brings us to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Like the other parks, there are few seating options near the entrance. The only place to sit here is on the planters located between security check and the ticket booths.
Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards offer “anywhere U.S.A.” city benches. It’s interesting to note that Sunset Blvd. has one of the largest concentrations of benches anywhere. Almost the entire street is lined with these wood and concrete seats.
Characteristic of the real world, a number of these benches display advertisements. If you pay attention, you’ll notice that the locales depicted on the ads all exist on the two streets. Take a look at the last picture. You can tell by the sagging slats that this bench is used frequently. There’s a reason for this. It’s near the restroom where guests wait for others to finish their business.
Near the Tip Board is an art deco style fountain. As the park gets busy, this area becomes a “meeting spot” an seating here is often at a premium.
Near the Tower of Terror, the seating is decidedly formal.
The only seating you’ll find in the Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster courtyard is the planter ledge that lines the front of the building.
On Mickey Avenue you’ll discover the same benches as are used in Innoventions Courtyard at Epcot. And at Pixar Place the seating has a sort of futuristic/cartoon appearance.
You’ll find a different version of the “anywhere U.S.A.” city bench on the Streets of America.
Near Pizza Planet there are a few simple benches and a number of tables and chairs.
Along Echo Lake are umbrella-covered tables and chairs. Buy an ice cream from nearby Dinosaur Gertie’s and enjoy it here.
This concludes my tour of theme park benches. But the detailing doesn’t stop here. The resorts are full of seating options as unique as the ones I’ve presented in this blog. As I always keep preaching, pay attention to the little things and your trips to Walt Disney World will be all that more rewarding
By the way, in order to get pictures of benches with nobody sitting on them, I had to arrive at each park at opening, then make a mad dash around the park before people started tiring out.
Jack, love your eye for detail!
However, I wanted to add that the great seating by Echo Lake resides in a Smoking Area. I don’t know if ALL of it is a smoking area, but after we got our food from Min & Bill’s, we had to walk almost all the way around the lake towards Indy to get a table that wasn’t near a smoker. It didn’t ruin our fun, but for others who can’t stand the smell, they may want to find a seat elsewhere!
Loved the series, I think I have rested on almost all of these styles at one time or another. Thanks for the reminder!!!
The web truly is amazing! My kids always ask, “Dad what is your favorite ride?” Although, I do love rides, I joke with them and say “the bench”. As we approach our Disney vacation, I send out a countdown email and this last one contained a link to this site. Too funny!! I now have a goal to get my photo on each of these benches!! Thanks for adding to the fun.
Jack,
Great information! Having a wife, two kids and one on the way has prevented me from taking everything in a Disney World.
We do plan to go back some time in the near future and I hope to be able to take it one park at a time.
Thanks for the info!
Jack,
Thanks, this series was great. I’m one of those people who likes to take the parks in at a slow pace and check out all the details. This series is perfect for that. Love it.
The reason there are so many benches on Sunset Boulevard is earlier in 2009, Disney moved the benches off Hollywood Boulevard during Star Wars Weekends to allow for the big crowds and for whatever reason, have taken their time moving them back.
I have a wonderful picture of myself, sister and mom sitting along side the fountain at HS eating ice cream on a particularly hot day in August. The slight slash you got from the fountain and the ice cream led to a nice, relaxing moment
Thank you again Jack for such a memorable and fun filled jaunt down memory lane. My family and I are heading to the most magical place one Earth on Jan 21 (after a 4 day Cruise upon the Wonder). My husband, much like Dave in the recent Vacation promo videos is desperately in search of the most comfortable of resting spots. I quickly passed him your seating/resting/uber vacation blogs to him. We have been a fan of Allears since our first family trip back in 2002. And these blogs have filled the gabs between family visits for us. Thanks again and keep up the great blogging.
Scarborough/Shannon family
Wow, I really enjoyed this series. I appreciate your taking the time to show us just how creative Disney gets, even in seating! Next time I’m at the parks I’ll have to stop running from attraction to attraction and smell the roses on some of those seats you so kindly showed me!
How did you get all these pictures with no people around?
Jack’s Answer:
In order to get pictures of benches with nobody sitting on them, I had to arrive at each park at opening, then make a mad dash around the park before people started tiring out.
Hey Jack!
I must admit, when I saw the theme of your upcoming blogs, benches, I was skeptical. I’m not going to waste my time reading about benches….but, I did! I enjoyed it a lot, too! Out of all four parks, I believe my favorite benches were in Camp Minnie-Mickey; the ones made of tree branches. They are just my style and each one is unique. And, anyone who can make benches something worthwhile to read is a very talented writer/photographer! Thanks for your dedication in getting the pictures with no one in them! Awesome!
-Kirstin
The “Have a Seat in Walt Disney World” article with all the photos is a great planning tool for those in your party who tire quickly or just want to sit and people watch for awhile. It does seem that shaded, or covered, seating is rather sparse and at a premium.
We would also like to see an article on restroom locales. Especially, for facilities that are off the beaten path or simply overlooked for whatever reason. Thanks for including all the nitty-gritty (but very important), details that are missing from guide books!
Great series Jack!
Another overlooked bit of detail is trash cans. The ones that stand out most in my mind are on Tom Sawyer Island that look like tree stumps!
There may not be enough diversity to do another series like this, but it is something to look for when going through the parks.
This is strange…I don’t know why in my last trip (Christmas/New Year weeks) I notice the different type of seating, maybe because my dad rested in everyone of them….at this moment I only can say…I want to go back!!!!!! snif!
Thanks for make travel around my memories 😉
Well Jack, leave it you to do a four part serious on benches and still find a way to make it interesting.
I would imagine that the hardest part of writing this article was getting pictures of seating that was actually empty.
People may find it interesting that for New Year’s (Dec 31) all of the benches and seating are removed due to the excessive crowds. I was told this by a Magic Kingdom cast member the day prior, and come the next day, it was true. In their place, chairs were set up in backstage areas for people who want to sit to watch the fireworks.
You are right Jack, Walt Disney World is all about the detail.
Can’t wait to sit my Posterior down on one of your pictured benches next month while I watch the world go by.
Great series Jack
Loved this series! However, I may not have any time to ride rides in October because I’ll be looking at benches, trash cans, lights, etc to see the different themes. Thanks to your blogs, I’m looking forward to spending time looking at the small and overlooked details. Thanks for reminding us to look at the details.
Really fun series, Jack–thanks for putting it together for us!
Thanks Jack…
Great set of articles. As I mentioned after reading part one, there is a lot of extra detail that goes unnoticed in the parks. I love spending time in Hollywood Studios, especially along Sunset Blvd. at night, but I failed to notice the advertisements on the benches. You have also shown me some things to look for on my next trip. Need to open my eyes more.
This was a very fun series, Jack. The seating next to Dinosaur Gertie’s is so cute! Thanks for the reminder to pay attention to the little things.
We appreciate the “mad dash”ing you do for us! I’ll bet after all that running around you had to make use of one of those aforementioned seating options! I hope you treated yourself to a Dole Whip!
I found a great spot at Rock ‘n Roller Coaster. Not being a fan of coasters, I typically wait for my party, usually they are using a Fastpass so it’s not too long a wait-but at the exit from the attraction, there is a low stone wall that is a perfect resting place and is in the shade. Although the wall itself is concrete, it is actually a retaining wall and behind is nice soft loam. It’s one of the more comfortable spots I’ve found in all the parks and is seldom crowded.