After 37 Years, Disney World Makes Major Change at Hollywood Studios
A quiet change has taken place inside one of Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ longtime merchandise locations, as fresh flooring installed this week may signal the permanent removal of a checkout counter that’s been missing for months.
A Summer of Gradual Updates
Walt Disney World Resort has spent the past several months slowly refurbishing the connected Darkroom and Celebrity 5 & 10 shops along Hollywood Boulevard. Disney Dining previously reported that one of two missing checkout registers had returned to The Darkroom earlier this year, though the second register remained conspicuously absent.
That absence now appears more permanent than temporary.
New Flooring Erases All Signs of the Old Register
According to a WDWNT report from September 13, Walt Disney World Resort has replaced the flooring throughout the Celebrity 5 & 10 portion of the shop — the exact spot where the second missing register once stood. With the new floor installed, every trace of the former checkout counter has disappeared.
The updated design features large beige, black, green, and blue tiles arranged in a square pattern, a departure from the previous gray, black, and rust-toned flooring with a triangle-and-diamond design. Where the register used to sit, Disney Park guests will now find only a golden outlet cover embedded in the floor, hinting that the permanent checkout station may be gone for good.
Walt Disney World Resort could still choose to bring in a temporary register during the holidays or other especially busy periods.
No Disruption to the Shopping Experience
Despite these changes, both The Darkroom and Celebrity 5 & 10 remain fully open and operational, continuing to offer Disney Trading Pins, housewares, Mickey and Minnie Mouse ears, and other classic Disney Parks souvenirs.
Walt Disney World Resort has not commented publicly on this refurbishment, which is typical with smaller projects that don’t require closures or significantly affect the overall guest experience.
Have you noticed any other changes at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Let Disney Dining know in the comments!
