For over 25 years, the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure was a cornerstone of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, imprinting on millions of guests who remember it fondly to this day.
The area that would become the iconic playground dates from the very beginning of the park’s life. When the then Disney-MGM Studios first opened in 1989, the vast majority of the park’s real estate — and guests’ time spent there — was on the Studio Backlot Tour, which wound through the “real working studio backlot”, including a section of street sets built to resemble New York. However, despite the limited number of attractions, the park was a smash hit, and Disney quickly began working towards adding capacity and attractions. One of their methods of doing so was adding a play area for kids, based on a then-recent film.
Looking to add attractions in the area, Disney turned to one of their surprise hit films of 1989: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The Joe Johnston-directed film was a surprise hit for Disney, grossing over $200 million on a budget under $20 million, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of the year in the United States, and 7th worldwide.
The result was Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure. Surrounded by 30-foot-tall faux blades of grass, the playground featured gigantically scaled props and themed playground equipment that mimicked the scene in the film when the titular shrunken kids make their way through the family backyard.
Some of the massive props and play areas included large ants, explorable anthills, a spider web with climbing ropes, a canister of Kodak film that served as a slide, a giant dog nose that sprayed water, a 52-foot-long “leaking” water hose, 40-foot-tall bumblebees, a scale Oatmeal Creme Pie, giant Cheerios, and a Play-Doh can.
The massive playground, which was initially a way to entertain kids during a break on the Backlot Tour (yes, the original version was that long), opened in 1990 and was in-theme with the rest of the park, as it was themed to be the “hot set” of the film, complete with a theater facade.
By 1991, the tour had been shortened and the Streets of America had been opened up to pedestrians, with the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure along with it. Both the area and the playground remained part of the park for the next quarter century before Disney closed the entire area, including the playground, in 2016 to make room for Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge.
Despite closing nearly a decade ago, the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure has remained beloved among a generation of fans who have fond memories of — and likely tons of photos with — the larger-than-life props and general environment provided by the playground. Stay tuned to AllEars for more on Disney World history.
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Do you have fond memories of the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids playground? Let us know in the comments below.
I still remember playing in that area when I was a kid. Sliding down the large leaves, it was awesome. The whole backlot area is a core memory for me.
It was wonderful to explore, get some shade and relax.