50 Teachers Celebration: It's Hot in Hollywood

The first time I went to Disney's Hollywood Studios, it was known as Disney/MGM Studios was on my honeymoon almost 31 years ago.  The park had just opened for the first year, and we fell in love with it.  We especially enjoyed the street characters who harkened back to the Golden Age of Hollywood movie-making.

Back then, the park was all about making movies, complete with a backlot tour with a glimpse into a soundstage, movie vehicles and structures, and a presentation about disaster special effects.  We also liked the Foley soundstage show and things that surrounded it, but that, too, has given way to a theater where they just show another cartoon.  The big signature ride, The Great Movie Ride has been transformed into a ride with a bunch of projection screens, and is basically a ride through Mickey cartoon (Don't get me started on the new look for Mickey and the gang!).  That ride does not even fit the setting of the iconic Grauman's Chinese Theater.  It seems that much of what our group with the 50 Teachers Celebration learned about theme park design, last month, was lost in the design and planning of Hollywood Studios.

A lot has changed in three decades, and now the park really seems unorganized.  It's not at all about making movies anymore, and the fact that there is really no shade can make for a miserable visit.  The park seems to dead end in a number of places, and many of the shops are closed.  Maybe that's a result of the pandemic, but I didn't notice the same issue at the other parks.

I wasn't interested in a lot of what Hollywood Studios had to offer, but I did want to soak in the theming of the area.  The Muppet 3D show has always been a pretty decent way to get out of the sun, but this show is getting old and desperately needs to be updated.  The whole area around the theater is now a Muppet area, and the theming is apparent if you know much about the franchise, but again, some of the shops were closed, and much of what is there is just facade.

Nearby is the underpass to another land that has made Hollywood Studios into a must-visit destination for many fans.  It is the Star Wars section of the park.  

Visitors will schedule a time to stand in line to pay good money to build a light saber in this section, and it blows my mind.  None of the rides has short wait times, and since I am not a fan of the franchise, I didn't need to spend much time here.

I did circle back to do the original Star Wars ride, Star Tours, which has been revamped and improved since my other visits, but that was enough for me.  It's not even in the Star Wars portion of the park.

Then I stumbled, completely by exploration, on another Star Wars feature, on the opposite end of the park.  This was a little museum with models of some of the vehicles used in the franchise, including a land speeder that I presume was screen used.  No one else was around this area, and it was not on the app map, so why was it here?

In fact, I think the display took the place of Pixar Studios, where guests used to take tours of the animation process, talk to illustrators, and catch some behind-the-scenes looks at upcoming Pixar features.  Sadly, that has also fallen by the wayside.

Instead, there is Toy Story Land.  Going from Star Wars to Toy Story is a harsh transition.  This decor of the area is well-themed, but there is not much to do if you don't want to stand in line for a Slinky Dog roller coaster or a couple of other rides.

Other Pixar films were also recognized, such as a Cars attraction, which sits adjacent to the famous Rock-and-Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith. It's as if the powers-that-be just closed their eyes and pointed randomly at a park map to decide where to include this, and there is no rhyme or reason to the location.

One might think The Incredibles would be terrific fodder for an attraction, but the only think I spotted was this gate to a backstage area.  There was hardly even any merchandise for sale branded to these superhero movies.​

Finally, I stumbled into some treasure, and I know it doesn't attract money by the truckloads, but it was something to see.  It is a smallish building marked "Walt Disney Presents", and most people find it completely by accident and do not intend to spend any time in there at all.

It was air conditioned, though, and it finally brought me back to a bygone era.  It is a peek into the Disney archives, and I think some of the artifacts inside are worth me appreciating.  I wish there were more.

I was especially enamored by Walt Disney's second grade desk, complete with his initials carved into the work surface.  Also here was original Silly Symphonies sketch and a scale model of Marceline, Missouri, upon which Main Street USA is based.  He is a famous Missourian, you know.

Also present were movie props from the classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, as well as an original model of the Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom.  I was impressed to see the original programming console for the audio-animatronic of Abraham Lincoln, created for the 1964 World's Fair.  Right next to it was the original, skinless body of the 16th president, which moved and talked to audiences almost 60 years ago.  I wondered at how much the technology has improved for the new audio-animatronic humans still entertaining in various park attractions today.​

There wasn't much more for me to do, and I had a $200 gift card burning a hole in my pocket, but I did get to appreciate some cement impressions left in front of the Chinese Theater and in another location.

The other location has sentimental value for me, as my wife and I enjoyed sitting there 31 years ago to see the brand.  When we dated, one of our favorite movies was the then-new Beauty and the Beast, and now we were getting to see a live version of the show.  A few years later, we attended the live on-the-road performance of the Broadway version.  We even built the set, repaired costumes, and dressed actors for a later touring production.

It was a pleasure to get to see this, costumed musical review again.  Hopefully, none in the full audience noticed the sentimental tears in my eyes.  Truth is, I didn't care if they did.  I love connecting to stories so closely, and this was a moment for me to celebrate the family that was absent from me during this trip.

The Tower of Terror is also in the area - now the symbol for the park due to its height.

After this, I was off to Disney Springs for a look around.  For transportation, I chose the Skyliner and rode the cable over the headwaters of the Everglades.

On the way, I stopped at the Art of Animation resort to catch a connecting bus.  This resort had an interesting vibe in the Finding Nemo area.  I wanted more time to explore other locations.

Thirty-one years ago, this was known as Pleasure Island, and the specially-themed clubs were unique - though off of Disney's traditional brand.  The crowds, this time, were elbow-to-elbow.  Part of my over twelve and a half miles of walking on this day were spent walking the length of the entire facility.

I found Disney Springs to be crowded, hot, and mostly generic - like a mall one could visit in any major city, with only a few unique items sprinkled once in a while.  I picked up a couple of t-shirts at the world's largest Disney Store.  The supply was still limited, and I couldn't find a Beauty and the Beast or Tangled shirt for my wife and daughter.  I felt like the subtle "Single Rider" shirt was appropriate for this trip I experienced by myself.​​