If I had to rank the four Walt Disney World parks just in frequency of my visits, Disney’s Hollywood Studios would place third. It’s not that I don’t enjoy being in the park, it’s just that the things I do enjoy always sends me walking from one side of the park to the other based on the show schedule, fastpass availability, and availability of decent counter service with air-conditioned seating. The haphazard nature of DHS’s pathways are an artifact of its status as a working studio during its initial years. But this park is top of my list for a drastic new series of placemaking.
Alas, my armchair Imagineering will have to wait for another day, today I have a photo update capturing a few of the changes since my last visit.
We’ll start our tour at The Magic of Disney Animation, which now features this Campus Map. Note how it shows that guests can now skip the movie to get into the main building. It also specifically lists the characters inside by name. So it looks like it will be a while before we see a replacement for Winnie The Pooh. Important to note if an autograph with Winnie the Pooh is a must. You can avoid the crowds at the Magic Kingdom and get it at DHS.
The biggest change inside the Magic of Disney Animation was the updated Animation Gallery. A new exhibit called ‘Setting the Scene’ has been installed. You can still see some of the Academy Awards Disney has won, but everything else is changed.
Also new in the Magic of Disney Animation is this office setting. It used to feature storyboards, but now resembles a digital animators work station.
The production gallery has been installed with art from Pixar’s Brave. Gone is the big display in the middle, instead there are two smaller displays on the sides. (Click either to see the display up close)
This isn’t that new. But I don’t believe I’ve posted it before. Plus I have a question I’m hoping someone can answer. This is the model for Under The Sea: Journey Of The Little Mermaid (note the “Under The Sea” part of the title is an acknowledged tribute to the old attraction that used to be in that space “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea Submarines”). This actually looks like the model for “The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Under Sea Adventure” that was displayed at DCA. I’ve heard that our version will get a new room just before the end that shows the climatic battle scene that was left out of the DCA version. Can anyone confirm that? UTS:JotLM is supposedly already passed all its tests and is ready to hand over to operations once the queue is finished. So someone should know.
Sadly, it’s been a long time since I’ve ridden Toy Story Midway Mania. That’s mostly because my son’s current obsession is Rock-n-Roller Coaster. So we choose to get those Fastpasses instead. The downstairs queue looked pretty good with most of the wear and tear I remember seeing in the queue either fixed or the item removed. But the upstairs queue is still failing to pass the muster when it comes to encounters with guests. There were two big tears, plus you can see where they just painted over other tears in the wall instead of fixing them correctly. Not good show.
A new bank style queue has been set up for Hollywood Scoops Ice Cream. This does fix the problem of having to open or close windows with guests in line. I generally prefer this sort of queue at food establishments instead of forcing the guest to choose a line and hope someone in front of them isn’t ordering food for 40.
Another new food development at DHS is the Hot Dog cart. I’m sorry, but as they are set up today, they absolutely don’t belong inside at Disney park. There’s no theming and they look downright tacky sitting right out there in the middle of the pathway.
I understand that there is a need for access to more food during the busy season. I’d much rather see a ‘Food Truck’ with a graphic wrap to make it look like a movie set catering truck. Set it up right here in the ‘studio’ portion of the park and add more park benches in the back.
The sad thing is that none of these locations had menus with what food was available and prices. The one sign I did see was an outrageous price for a chili-dog combo, unless that beverage was a beer. I didn’t see a single person in line at any of these locations either.
That’s it for today. Thanks for coming with me on my walk through DHS.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is our #1 favorite park (well, probably tied with Epcot, but I digress).
Different strokes for different folks, but we go often enough (4-5 times a year for short weekend getaways) and really try to take it slow.
We avoid Magic Kingdom (too many kids) & Animal Kingdom (too hot, not enough to do — but we’re not “animal” people).
As far as DHS goes, we LOVE the Citizens of Hollywood. We could sit and watch their skits all day, every day.
A typical day at the Studios entails getting early to snag a Toy Story Fastpass (then getting in line immediately), catching Star Tours (if the line isn’t bad), and then catching the Citizens shows (with a stop at Tune-In Lounge for a cocktail in between).
sad to see that the once working animation studio that produced hits like Mulan and Lilo and Stitch is relegated to a museum.Then again, so is the Burbank Studio since once again abandoning traditional animation, where disney is the industry leader, to an also ran in cg animation
My sister works at DHS, in the outdoor food part, so she works at the carts selling popcorn, ice cream, and hot dogs. We both agree with you on the price for a hot dog, and she refuses to buy one. And a plain hot dog is $6.
Anyways, I want to know what they are planning on doing with both the areas where Prince Caspian used to be, and what used to be Millionaire. That sound stage has been marked “Hot Set” for years. Do you have any idea?
The old Millionaire area is being used by Imagineering for some testing around the ‘Next-Gen’ technologies.
Love your idea about the themed food trucks! Very cool idea! Plus, you could have a wide variety of food trucks available and people would love that!
I want to like Hollywood studios and I think its got a great BASE , but its by far the worse park out of all the Disney parks WORLDWIDE. Its the ONLY disney park in Florida and Japan that I dont go to EVERY YEAR. I go to this place once every 5 years, each time hoping that it finally is worth it and each time going away completely unsatisfied.
If you like sitting around watching shows for most of the day, this is a great park. I like a few shows and lots of RIDES. This place drastically needs a DCA type overal hall plus New section. While Id like to see Cars land stay in California and something else come to DHS , I wouldnt mind seeing it come if nothing else. Now that they Have avatar coming to Animal Kingdom, DHS really needs something now
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