Of the four Disney Parks at the Walt Disney World Resort, Disney’s Hollywood Studios has become a favorite of many Guests thanks to its unique blend of immersive experiences, thrilling attractions, and unforgettable dining and shopping locations. Guests who spend time in the Disney Park can enter into some of their favorite film and television worlds and live out their own adventures in a variety of ways.
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While Guests spend plenty of time in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, they might not realize that there is a ton of history and small details found in every single corner. From subtle nods to the Disney Park’s early days to details that add layers of depth to the experiences and attractions, there are plenty of things that Guests might be missing! If you think you know everything about Disney’s Hollywood Studios, take this quiz and find out!
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When did Disney’s Hollywood Studios open?
Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened on May 1, 1989 as the third Disney Park at the Walt Disney World Resort with a focus on a romanticized version of the golden age of Hollywood where Guests could step through the camera and into real life adventures. Opening as Disney-MGM Studios, the original name remained until 2008 when it was rededicated as Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
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What opening day attractions still exist?
Disney’s Hollywood Studios has seen tremendous change over the years with the reimagining of some attractions and complete demolition of others to make way for new experiences. With this in mind, there are no opening day attractions from 1989 that are available for Guests to enjoy today. The only attractions that were open for the Disney Park’s first day of operation were The Great Movie Ride which closed in 2017 to make way for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and the Studio Backlot Tour which closed in 2014 for the addition of Toy Story Land.
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Where can you find the Disney Park’s original name?
While Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been operating under its new name since 2008, there is one location on Hollywood Boulevard where Guests can still spot the original name. Across the courtyard from the replica of Grauman’s Chinese Theater is a bronze statue of a filmmaker and his camera from the 1930s and 1940s era of Hollywood. Gazing out at the scene before him, the statue celebrates the history of film and is accompanied by a plaque with the original Disney-MGM Studios name and logo and shares a brief quote from former CEO Michael Eisner’s opening day dedication speech.
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What is the name of the dinosaur in Echo Lake?
Echo Lake is a serene area of Disney’s Hollywood Studios that is home to a large green dinosaur who houses a small walk-up counter that seasonally serves up ice cream treats. This unforgettable dinosaur is Gertie, a cartoon character that was originally created by vaudeville performer Winsor McCay in 1913 who was an inspiration for Walt Disney himself. McCay created a short cartoon film starring Gertie and would perform alongside the screen engaging in certain movements and actions to appear as though he was interacting with her in real time. Gertie is the stuff of Hollywood legends so it is fitting that she has a home in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
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Where can you find several dolls from “it’s a small world”?
One of the most beloved attractions at the Walt Disney World Resort is the classic “it’s a small world” which brings Guests on the happiest cruise that ever sailed around the world in the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland. Many Guests don’t realize that the iconic dolls and song from the attraction can also be briefly spotted in an experience in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Muppet Vision 3D in the Grand Avenue area of the Disney Park brings Guests on a zany and hilarious adventure that only the Muppets could dream up, and the chaotic finale features a brief clip of several of the dolls from “it’s a small world” parading by singing their favorite song.
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What is the official greeting of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge?
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is a completely immersive experience in Disney’s Hollywood Studios where Guests leave our galaxy behind and find themselves in the exotic Black Spire Outpost on Batuu where adventure can be found around every corner. To fully immerse Guests in the experience, certain phrases are used to help create the culture of Batuu including “bright suns” which is the unique way of greeting Guests on this otherworldly planet far, far away.
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How much did Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge cost?
To create such an immersive experience in Star wars: Galaxy’s Edge took an incredible amount of time for design, production, construction, and more. Imagineers dreamed up not only a completely unique environment and architecture, but also amazing experiences like Star Wars – Rise of the Resistance, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, Oga’s Cantina, Ronto Roasters, Savis’s Workshop – Handbuilt Lightsabers, and more. In total, the project cost a billion dollars from start to finish, making it the most expensive attraction and experience ever created for the Walt Disney World Resort.
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What is the name of the hotel on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror?
Sunset Boulevard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios evokes the elegance and romance of the golden age of Hollywood with nods to actual historical locations as well as a fictional hotel looming at the end of the street. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror brings Guests into the fabled Hollywood Tower Hotel which was once the go to accommodation for Hollywood’s brightest stars. After an unfortunate lightning strike and eerie events on Halloween night in 1939, the Hollywood Tower Hotel was quickly abandoned but is once again open for those looking to enjoy a thrilling trip into another dimension.
Where can you find the Carthay Circle Theatre?
One of the most important buildings in the history of the Walt Disney Company was the Carthay Circle Theatre in the heart of Hollywood. This iconic theater featured an art deco design with a pointed tower with tapering levels adding a touch of elegance to the space and was the location for the premiere of Walt Disney’s first feature animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. While the original Carthay Circle Theatre was demolished in 1969, it was recreated on Sunset Boulevard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios as a merchandise location named Once Upon a Time and can be found about halfway down the street on the right hand side.
Where can you find Luxo Ball?
Since the Walt Disney Company acquired Pixar in 2006, favorite characters and experiences have been added to the Disney Parks, creating lots of amazing ways to step into favorite films across the Walt Disney World Resort. Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios brings the beloved characters from the films to life and also features a slew of references to Pixar including Luxo Ball, the large blue and yellow bouncing ball with bright red star. Guests can pose with this massive toy in the heart of Toy Story Land for a great memory to bring home with them!
