| It's
"on with the show" at Disney HollywoodStudios where guests of all ages
are immersed in the glitz, glamour and excitement of show business --
strolling down Hollywood Boulevard, surrounded by the sights, sounds and
personalities of Tinseltown in the 1930s; watching as classic Disney
characters are brought to life through the magic of animation; or blasting
off on a wild limousine ride with America's premier rock band, Aerosmith, as
their guides. |
|
Hollywood Boulevard
- At Disney
Hollywood Studios, guests enter the turnstiles onto the main street,
Hollywood Boulevard. A walk along this "Golden Age" boulevard blurs the line
between audience and performer -- guests are surrounded by the sights and
sounds of show business! This giant movie set straight out of the fabulous
'30s and '40s is a crazy quilt of flashy neon, chromed art deco and
streamline modern architecture. "Detectives," "starlets," "cabbies," "cops"
and even superstar memorabilia salesman "Sid Cahuenga" can be found prowling
the streets. |
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Sunset Boulevard
- Around the corner, Sunset Boulevard pays tribute to the glamorous theater
district in all its glory. It also includes a shopping area with gifts
themed to classic films and Disney characters. Light dining and snacks are
available at the outdoor Sunset Ranch Market. Standing at the end of Sunset Boulevard, like an ominous beacon straight
out of an episode of a television thriller, is the Hollywood Tower Hotel. It
beckons guests to experience The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Climb into a
creaky elevator in the abandoned Hollywood Tower Hotel. Suddenly, the lights
go out. The elevator lurches. Shudders. And shakes. You fall 13 stories
faster than gravity itself. Then you're up. You're down. Then up. Are you
falling or flying? Fear every drop. Nearby is the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith. This "whirl'd"
tour through Tinseltown will take you from 0-60 in 2.8 seconds. You'll hit
4-G turns in a car crammed with 125 speakers that will rock your world with
the sounds of Aerosmith. |
|
Mickey Avenue
- At the end of Mickey Avenue, guests can board the Disney
Hollywood Studios Backlot Tour. The 25-minute tram tour takes guests behind the scenes of a
staged movie production in Catastrophe Canyon and past vehicles, costumes
and props from some of Hollywood's hottest films as well as television homes
of popular sitcoms. Innovative design allows theme park guests to peek in at shooting on
state-of-the-art soundstages and sprawling backlot sets. Feature films such
as "Instinct," "Marvin's Room," "Honey, I Blew Up the Kid," "Passenger 57,"
"Oscar," "Quick Change," "Ernest Saves Christmas," the acclaimed ABC-TV
mini-series "Separate But Equal" and the award-winning Home Box Office
production of "From the Earth to the Moon" all used the sound stages or the
backlots for shooting. Some of the many television shows which have taped at Disney-MGM Studios
include: "ER," "Full House," "Wheel of Fortune," "Thunder in Paradise,"
"Miss Collegiate African American Pageant," and the "ESPN College Football
Awards." Star watching is a popular attraction at Disney-MGM Studios, where
celebrities appear regularly in "star" motorcades on Hollywood Boulevard,
placing their hands in cement and participating in photograph, autograph and
interview sessions with park guests. The full-scale re-creation of the famous Chinese Theater is the gateway
to one of Disney's most elaborate ride-through attractions. The Great Movie
Ride showcases the charm, romance, suspense, intrigue and blazing
six-shooter action of some of Hollywood's most memorable cinematic moments.
The courtyard of the Chinese Theater features handprints of numerous show
business stars who have visited the studios, including Alan Alda, Lauren
Bacall, Robin Williams, Charlton Heston, Samuel L. Jackson, Sylvester
Stallone, Bette Midler and Tom Cruise. Guests can experience what it feels like to be the size of an ant as they
make their way through giant blades of grass in the "Honey, I Shrunk The
Kids" Movie Set Adventure. It's a jungle out there as guests experience
hidden slides, caves, spider webs, a "leaky hose," tunnels and ants in a
"backyard" from the hit film, "Honey, I Shrunk The Kids." The Muppets star in "Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3D." For the first time
ever, Jim Henson's puppets and special-effects wizardry combine with
Disney's famous Audio-Animatronics technology, explosive in-theater effects
and the most advanced 3-D action and animation on 70mm film, all to showcase
the wild antics of Jim Henson's legendary Muppet characters. The stunts are left to the pros in the "Indiana Jones Epic Stunt
Spectacular!", an action-packed live show that re-creates the death-defying
heroics of classic adventure films through movie stunt demonstrations. Nearby, Star Tours invites theme park guests to embark on the wildest
galactic journey ever to depart from this side of the continent. Star Tours
combines flight-simulator technology and an action-packed, thrill-a-second
motion picture to create a "Star Wars" experience that transforms the
audience into passengers aboard a careening spacecraft on an uproarious
flight to the Moon of Endor. |
| Another major attraction in real-life film making is The Magic of Disney
Animation, where guests get an insider's view of animators and talented
production artists at work producing the next generation of Disney animated
feature films and short subjects. The tour includes displays of Oscars won for the many classic Disney
films produced over the years and artwork from Disney's most recent animated
film, "Tarzan." From the Oscar-winning films "Beauty and the Beast," "The Little Mermaid"
and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," Disney's beloved animated characters
spring from the big screen and come to life on stage in other theme park
shows. "Beauty and the Beast -- Live on Stage" captures the spellbinding story
of Belle and the Beast in a 25-minute Broadway-style musical extravaganza at
the Theater of the Stars. "Voyage of the Little Mermaid" features dazzling
special effects which combine with puppets, Audio-Animatronics figures, live
performers and favorite clips from the film to tell the tale of Ariel. "Fantasmic!", a nightly spectacular featuring Sorcerer Mickey in a tale
of fantasy and fright with lasers, lights, fire and water, is presented
nightly in the new 6,500-seat Hollywood Hills amphitheater. In a dream-world
battle of good versus evil, Mickey's imagination comes to life -- from the
whimsical ways of his colorful friends to the darkness of the Disney
villains. Join Bear, Tutter, Pip & Pop, from the popular Disney Channel series, for
a delightful, interactive, musical, "Bear in the Big Blue House - Live on
Stage."A "Disney's Doug Live", you'll see Doug and his friends from the ABC
cartoon, star in a don't miss stage show combining live action with
animation. You may even be chosen to join the show."Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame: A Musical Adventure" takes guests
to the catacombs of 15th century Paris in a colorful, 32-minute musical
featuring the lovable Quasimodo and enchanting gypsy dancer Esmeralda, with
several shows daily at the Backlot Theater. Other behind-the-scenes treats include regular appearances by Mickey
Mouse and other Disney character stars on Mickey Avenue. |
| Shops and restaurants continue the adventure through Tinseltown history
and lifestyle. The Brown Derby faithfully recalls the landmark Hollywood
restaurant, meeting place of the stars where gossip washed down the
signature Cobb salad and grapefruit cake. "California crazy" architecture on a quiet lake serves up snacks and
desserts from buildings created in the form of a tramp steamer and life-size
dinosaur. Around the bend, the 50's Prime Time Cafe takes guests into the
kitchenettes of '50s sitcoms for dining atop laminated tables next to
old-fashioned TVs tuned in to reruns of long-ago shows. Other themed dining opportunities include: Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater
Restaurant, Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano, Toy Story Pizza Planet,
Backlot Express, ABC Commissary and Hollywood & Vine. Hollywood & Vine
features meet-and-greets with characters including Minnie Mouse, Pluto and
Goofy. Disney HollywoodStudios immerses guests in the glamour of show business 365
days a year with thrilling attractions, incredible Broadway-style shows,
world-class atmosphere entertainment and interactive film, television, radio
and animation production facilities. The theme park and working production
facility is part of the 30,500-acre Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando,
Fla. |
