Rebekah at LaughingPlace.com just posted the official news, Disney-MGM Studios will be changing its name to Disney’s Hollywood Studios effective January 2008. As I noted the other day, the recently registered domain names for DisneyHollywoodStudios.com was the best indication yet that the name change would be coming. Still no website or redirect for those domain names, however. Maybe the change is still propagating through the DNS servers… if not someone at Disney Interactive should change the Domain Forwarding rules pronto.
The full press release is below the cut!
On With the (Even Bigger) Show! New Name, More Magic to Transform Disney Theme Park
New Attractions, Experiences at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Aug. 9, 2007) — In
the Walt Disney World theme park famous for all things Hollywood, it’s
curtain up on the launch of new attractions, new looks, new
breakthrough experiences…
…and a brand-new name.
Disney-MGM Studios will be renamed Disney’s Hollywood Studios,
effective January 2008, announced Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney
World Resort.
"The new name reflects how the park has grown from representing the
golden age of movies to a celebration of the new entertainment that
today’s Hollywood has to offer — in music, television, movies and
theater," she said.
Framed by the park’s supporting cast of classic Hollywood
architecture are shows and attractions straight from contemporary
Hollywood, such as Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, "Lights,
Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show" and many more. Disney’s Hollywood
Studios is also the place to meet favorite character stars of today
including Lightning McQueen and Mater from Disney-Pixar’s "Cars," Power
Rangers and Little Einsteins.
With exciting coming attractions and experiences, the best and
brightest of Hollywood is about to emerge for park guests, Crofton
said.
"As Disney continues to grow and invest in our family entertainment
business, we constantly explore new ways to deliver high-quality,
immersive experiences for our guests," she added. "As a park all about
entertainment, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will deliver like never
before. Now we can say that Hollywood is literally our middle name."
- Toy Story Mania! Guests get sporty in a new, interactive
"Toy Story" competition inspired by Disney-Pixar’s "Toy Story" films
and hosted by characters like they’ve never before experienced. Past a
queuing area featuring a giant Mr. Potato Head, guests grab 3-D
glasses, board fanciful ride vehicles and zip into a world of exciting
midway-style games hosted by many of their favorite "Toy Story"
characters including Woody, Hamm and Rex. Once inside "Andy’s Toy Box,"
the competition heats up. Who can rack up the most points? Using
spring-action shooters, guests launch darts at balloons, rings at
aliens, eggs at whimsical barnyard targets. Toy Story Mania! takes the
interactive ride-game experience to infinity — and beyond. (summer 2008)
- "Block Party Bash." Play, party and dance as the
Disney-Pixar Film Pals present "Block Party Bash," the wildest, most
interactive parade in Disney history. New to Disney’s Hollywood
Studios, "Block Party Bash" will invite guests to rock to retro tunes,
be dazzled by high-flying acrobatics and join in the fun as more than
20 partying Disney-Pixar Film Pals fill the theme park streets. This
immersive rolling spectacle will feature favorite characters from "The
Incredibles," "Toy Story 2," "Monsters, Inc." and "A Bug’s Life." (spring 2008, replaces "Disney Stars and Motor Cars" parade)
- "Playhouse Disney-Live on Stage!" A whole new cast of
friends from Playhouse Disney fills the popular Playhouse Disney stage.
Children will be on their feet singing, clapping and dancing to
performing stars from "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," "Little Einsteins,"
"Handy Manny" and more. ("Playhouse Disney-Live on Stage!" will be dark most of January 2008, reopens February 2008)
- "Disney High School Musical 2: School’s Out!" With new
songs and a rollicking new spirit, the Disney Channel Original Movie
"High School Musical 2" comes to life on the streets of Disney’s
Hollywood Studios. It is interactive fun as high-energy performers on a
traveling stage invite all ages to catch Wildcat fever by singing and
dancing. (fall 2007, replaces "High School Musical Pep Rally")
- Meet and Greet Adds Handy Manny. And what would a Disney
theme park be without characters? Disney’s Hollywood Studios is center
stage for character meet and greets. Disney Channel stars JoJo and
Goliath and the Little Einsteins welcome guests in the Animation
Courtyard next to "Playhouse Disney-Live on Stage!" and will be joined
for the first time by Handy Manny later this year. (November 2007)
Part of the Disney’s Hollywood Studios magic includes events for
which the park is famous. To a stellar lineup including ABC Super Soap
Weekend, the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, ESPN the
Weekend and Star Wars Weekends, the park reprises the Playhouse
Disney in Concert series with dynamic concerts and special
entertainment for little ones.
Headliners include favorite children’s acts The Doodlebops,
Imagination Movers, Dan Zanes and Friends, and Johnny and the Sprites.
The fun happens on select dates Aug. 30-Oct. 28, 2007, during Little
Ones Travel Time in a 10,000 square foot, air-conditioned performance
venue. For the complete show schedule: disneyworld.com/pdic.
In addition, holidays at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will have a
special sparkle this year as the park hosts the Harlem Gospel Choir
Nov. 30-Dec. 25, 2007.
"This is easily one of the most ambitious attractions rollouts in
the 18-year history of the park," Crofton said. "With so many great
coming attractions, we are thrilled to be launching a Studios year
unlike any other. Wrapped in a brand-new name…Disney’s Hollywood
Studios."
The name seems kind of generic to me. Even Disney Studios Florida or Walt Disney World Studios would have been better. I’m surprised they didn’t go with something that would promote their “brands” more – ABC, Pixar, Touchstone, etc. – as in Disney/ABC Studios or something like that. I know “Hollywood” is a film and record label of Disney’s, but c’mon.
The Wand is coming down, Universal made their official Harry Potter release and now DMGM’s name is being changed, what never-ending rumor will come to an end next? Monorail expansion? Beastlie Kingdomme? :)
Potpourri for the Feast of St Bernard of Clairvaux
Who was St Bernard of Clairvaux? See also. I find it … interesting that the emoticon and the compact disc are turning 25 right about the same time. Disney-MGM…
I think you should leave well enough alone…why change? You did the same thing with Dixie Landings and Port Orleans and I still refer to the original names.
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