Of the many elements of the original Disney MGM Studios that have been lost to time and the park’s evolution, we may miss the Citizens of Hollywood the most.
The Citizens of Hollywood used to roam the streets of the park’s Sunset Boulevard and Hollywood Boulevard. These performers interacted with visitors while in the guise of classic `1930s Hollywood archetypes, including gossip columnists, reporters, policemen, and starlets. Unfortunately, we have not seen the Citizens of Hollywood for quite some time, and we think we know why.
Over five years ago, in 2020, Disney World shut down for four months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the parks finally reopened that summer, they were changed forever.
Face coverings had to be worn both inside and outside, you needed to social distance, certain rides and dining locations did not open right away, and many forms of entertainment were cut.
Given the guidelines at the time, close interactions with guests would not be allowed. It took some time for entertainment offerings to start returning to the parks. For example, the Beauty and the Beast Stage show in Hollywood Studios did not return until 2021, and Fantasmic! did not return until 2022.
It is hard to imagine the Magic Kingdom without fireworks, but it took a year for fireworks to start to light up the sky again, as they restarted in July of 2021.
However, some shows never reopened. For example, the long-running The Voyage of the Little Mermaid closed and never reopened. In 2025, it was replaced by a new take on the show, The Little Mermaid — A Musical Adventure.
How Disney Tried (and Failed) at Crafting a Working Florida Studio
The Citizens of Hollywood were briefly spotted in 2022, cheering on runners during runDisney’s Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend.
However, as sad as it is, it seems unlikely that the Citizens of Hollywood will return. Entertainment at the parks has seen a huge shift since 2020. With the number of cuts we’ve seen Disney making, we fear our beloved Citizens of Hollywood will not return. But it is not just Disney World that has entertainment cuts, as Disneyland saw a huge reduction in entertainment offerings like Club Pixar and Doctor Strange: Mysteries of the Mystic Arts in recent years.
We love the kinetic energy that entertainment brings to the parks; it makes you feel like you are part of the story. Unfortunately, we fear a lot of the decisions to cut entertainment simply comes down to cost. Many of the entertainment performers who were let go during the closures were equity performers. These performers are paid more than a standard meet and greet Cast Member in the parks. They also follow different rules when it comes to their shifts and breaks than standard Cast Members do.
Could Disney bring more equity performers like the Citizens of Hollywood back?! Would we and many of our readers love to see them back? YES.
Citizens of HollywoodIn the fall of 2025, we received a glimmer of hope that more live entertainment is on the way back to Hollywood Studios. During a recent visit to the park, we encountered a juggler (yes, a juggler).
The Juggler’s theme throughout the entire act is “That’s A Record,” where he checks in by phone with a record keeper when he’s not pulling folks from the audience for help during acts and finding ways to take something that’s already been done before and add something else to it to make it a “record.” At one point, he even brought out a special guest – Donald Duck – to help.
While we are glad to see some form of entertainment has returned, we can’t help but mourn what we lost in the Citizens of Hollywood, and hope they come back one day. To never miss the latest Disney news, make sure to keep following along with AllEars.
Any current updates to report? I literally planned my day at Hollywood Studios so I wouldn’t miss the Citizens of Hollywood. They were such a talented group. Please bring them back!
I don’t know if it helps, but every time I get an emailed survey from Disney after park visit, I indicate less than favorable on the park visit question, which prompts a write in. There I always say that I miss live entertainment, and that the parks suffer tremendously from the absence.
You spent an entire article saying nothing that had anything stated in the title only to infer the reason in one sentence.
“And we know why”? Really??? You can do better.
Bring them back. I always liked interacting with them. I wish disney would listen to people.
Uniqueness is no longer a sought after at the parks. While IP experiences have always held a prominent position @ Disney, the shift is more & more. Creative rides like Soarin’ or Expedition Everest would not be made today unless it could be tied to an IP theme.
It seems to me that not having street performers and parades in all the pars like they used to have is a HUGE VIOLATION OF THE UNDERUTILIZED AREAS POLICY!
Disney is no longer the “gold standard”…unless we’re discussing more ways to gouge “guests” while offering fewer perks.
When the parks reopened after covid, I thought Chapek was the problem. Hindsight being 20/20, I now realize he was a scapegoat and Iger is the real problem. I continue to hope whoever takes his place will help bring Disney back to what it used to be…and that person does not need to be Josh D’Amaro!!!
I am at DW now and no type of this entertainment exists. But… the prices increased again today. A limited season pass now is 489.00 plus tax. It seems the prices get higher, the level of entertainment lower. Yet, I still come. It is getting very close to the time that I will no longer be able to afford it which will be sad. If we are coming close to our financial expenditure imagine what a young family with children is experiencing. Affordability at disney is becoming a thing of the past.
Citizens of Hollywood was one of the greatest things in ALL of Disney World. The fact that they are no longer at studios makes this park the LAST on my list, and the one I spend the LEAST amount of time in. I used to visit (yearly) and this park was #1 on my list solely b/c of the Citizens!
Never heard of them. Sounds kind of lame. The newer generations that come to Disney want good rides and the ability to pay extra for a luxury experience. These guys are relics.
Bring back the Citizens of Hollywood, PLEASE!!!
The Disney corporation is too cheap to pay benefits to human beings. My family seriously misses not only the Citizens of Hollywood who are hilarious and bring life to HS, but the Citizens of Main Street at the MK. We’re also old enough to remember the joy that Push the Talking Trash Can brought to MK and Wes Palm brought to AK. All gone…
We miss The Citizens of Hollywood. They were such an awesome part of Hollywood Studios. We are annual passholders and each time we go to Disney World and go to Hollywood Studios we always hope to see them again. Disney should consider having them return. I’m sure a lot of Disney guests feel the same way.
They were certainly one of the best things at Walt Disney World, and one of the only reasons we visited that Park, particularly in more recent years.
Shame on Disney for this. Do better. They used to be the gold standard.
We loved the Citizens of Hollywood! Whenever we went to Hollywood Studios we would try to catch at least one of their performances. They were always entertaining but the best part was when they interacted with guests, one on one, spontaneously reacting to a random comment from a guest. Improv at it’s best!