Is Disney's Hollywood Studios' theme a bit loose?

[imagineer boy]

I honestly can't tell what's the bigger freak show, the Vegas strip or Hollywood Blvd. I've been to both places and it's like People of Walmart mutated and exploded all over the streets. I've never seen so many weirdos in all my life.

But keep in mind, DHS is supposed to be "The Hollywood that Never Was" so it's a romanticized version. And that's probably for the best. It's a combination of Hollywood and a movie studio lot. I personally don't think the two themes are meshed together very well, but they can be improved.

 

[mharrington]

Is any theme as loose as "magic kingdom"?

Well, the Magic Kingdom has several individual sections that at least try to each have a consistent theme. The Studios, on the other hand, is a bit of a mess.

 

[lazyboy97o]

A good theme is able to define a place in large part because the theme is itself a place, be it actual, fictional, cultural, etc. The problem with a movie studio is that it is a non-place. What characteristics define and differentiate the aesthetic, experiential and spatial differences between a Disney studio, a Universal studio, a Warner Bros. studio, etc? The nature of the theme means the emphasis has to shift to the individual attractions and not their connective environment, and this is incredibly important as it, not the theming of individual attractions, is what really separates a theme park from an amusement park. This is why, with the failure of central Florida becoming a production center, Universal shifted towards more of a Disneyland model of distinctive lands not necessarily tied together with a specific overarching theme.

Look at Universal Studios Hollywood. You've got The Simpsons, The Mummy, Jurrassic Park, Transformers, Shrek and others all in one park.

Universal Studios Hollywood is a very unique situation due to its authenticity and actuality. Universal Studios Hollywood is the actual studio and therefor is itself a place. It is not a fictionalized representation of the non-place studio.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Universal Studios Hollywood is a very unique situation due to its authenticity and actuality. Universal Studios Hollywood is the actual studio and therefor is itself a place. It is not a fictionalized representation of the non-place studio.

That's true. I was just going to say the studio park theme works better when there's an actual studio.

 

[luv]

Well, I don't much care for the theming at DHS and the park is a mess - poorly laid out, cluttered, confusing. But I'm not sure what the OP means by "loose."

???

 

[Goofyernmost]

I really don't care if something matches the theme. When I watch any of their specials explaining the reasoning, it makes good sense to me. Of course the theming really makes it special, but you could put Pirates by Pooh and it wouldn't hurt my fun.

You have got to understand that all of us wannabe imagineers have a tendency to over think our forms of entertainment. Personally I have never questioned why something was in what land. If I liked it, I went to see it, if I didn't it could have been in heaven and I wouldn't have revisited. (that last one is probably more true than I care to think about about, so I won't) So in a way, this is just a way for the group to spread it's unrequited imagination muscle.

Never once, and I'm being honest here, has the question ever come to my mind...does this thing belong in (whatever park you care to mention)? Not once, did I care. All I needed to know is what park it was in, not why!

 

[Californian Elitist]

Well, I don't much care for the theming at DHS and the park is a mess - poorly laid out, cluttered, confusing. But I'm not sure what the OP means by "loose."

???

By loose, the OP means pretty much anything goes for DHS. Basically any attraction that's based on a movie or a television show will work.

 

[bethymouse]

I guess the only ride to me that doesn't really fit is Rockin Roller Coaster. It's more like the Hard Rock Amusement park ride that was a disaster and closed after the 1st year in MB, SC. The other rides are based on movies and movie magic behind the scenes ( and TV). Perhaps a completely new name? When they dropped MGM, it was hard to get my head around the idea of just Disney Hollywood Studios.

 

[AndyS2992]

I guess the only ride to me that doesn't really fit is Rockin Roller Coaster.

It does in a way since the queue is a recording studio

Perhaps a completely new name? When they dropped MGM, it was hard to get my head around the idea of just Disney Hollywood Studios.

Perhaps, considering half of the properties aren't directly Disney. Examples:
The Twilight Zone is owned by CBS
Aerosmith are signed to Columbia Records/Sony
Some scenes in The Great Movie Ride are owned by MGM and other studios.
American Idol is FOX
Star Wars and Indiana Jones are LucasFilm [Owned by Disney since 2012]
Toy Story Mania is Pixar [Owned by Disney since 2006]
The Muppets are Jim Henson Company
ABC Studio is ABC [Subsidiary of Disney since 1996]
Gertie the Dinosaur is owned by Winsor McCay
Power Rangers used to appear who were originally Saban Entertainment

The only true Disney properties are:
Beauty and the Beast
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Magic Disney Animation
Light's Motors Action
Honey I shrunk.. Play area
Backlot Tour
One Man's Dream
Disney Junior
Jack Sparrow

So by calling it 'Disney's Hollywood Studios' doesn't really make sense since half of the attractions are based on properties that aren't or aren't directly 'Disney'.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Can't we stop being quite so literal. DHS is about entertainment either Movie, TV or live. It would and should include recording studios. It's a general theme, not a specific one and hasn't been since it opened. MGM or other wise.

Instead of nit picking the hell out of everything, why not just enjoy what it does offer.

 

[unkadug]

So by calling it 'Disney's Hollywood Studios' doesn't really make sense since half of the attractions are based on properties that aren't or aren't directly 'Disney'.

It's Disney's "Hollywood Studios"....not "Disney's Hollywood" Studios.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Can't we stop being quite so literal. DHS is about entertainment either Movie, TV or live. It would and should include recording studios. It's a general theme, not a specific one and hasn't been since it opened. MGM or other wise.

Instead of nit picking the hell out of everything, why not just enjoy what it does offer.

No one's nitpicking, the OP was just asking a question and opinions.

 

[AndyS2992]

It's Disney's "Hollywood Studios"....not "Disney's Hollywood" Studios.

Never thought of it like that

 

[erasure fan1]

I don't think the studios theme is "loose". For me, everything fits into the overall theme of Hollywood studios. Now I will say that they could really do a lot to tighten up the theme, and enhance it. Example, If you are going to put up a big sign that says Pixar place, take the time to move pizza planet to that area, or at least re-theme it to the muppets instead so its not out of place.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Can't we stop being quite so literal. DHS is about entertainment either Movie, TV or live. It would and should include recording studios. It's a general theme, not a specific one and hasn't been since it opened. MGM or other wise.

Instead of nit picking the hell out of everything, why not just enjoy what it does offer.

And what if I enjoy themed environments?

 

[Goofyernmost]

And what if I enjoy themed environments?

Easy, find one where it exists not try to force the issue where it wasn't intended. It's areas within a park that need to be themed to the specific topic, not the entire thing themed to one idea. Look at Universal and good old Harry. The entire park isn't themed based on Harry Potter. You have to walk right through Seuss and others to get to it. Once you get to the area it is VERY themed, not before. JMHO!

 

[lazyboy97o]

Easy, find one where it exists not try to force the issue where it wasn't intended. It's areas within a park that need to be themed to the specific topic, not the entire thing themed to one idea. Look at Universal and good old Harry. The entire park isn't themed based on Harry Potter. You have to walk right through Seuss and others to get to it. Once you get to the area it is VERY themed, not before. JMHO!

A studio park eschews lands in favor of attractions. Only Hollywood and Sunset Blvds create a larger whole.

 

[Goofyernmost]

A studio park eschews lands in favor of attractions. Only Hollywood and Sunset Blvds create a larger whole.

I think I see what you are saying, but I don't agree that DHS ever really stuck to any particular aspect of Hollywood except when it first opened, but didn't stick to one theme then either. It was a working studio at the time, and also was a hodgepodge of anything entertainment related, like it is now.

 

[mharrington]

By loose, the OP means pretty much anything goes for DHS. Basically any attraction that's based on a movie or a television show will work.

And so by virtue of the fact that it is based on a movie, then it automatically fits?

 

[Californian Elitist]

And so by virtue of the fact that it is based on a movie, then it automatically fits?

That's what it looks like.

Like I said, the concept works better when the studio is real and working, like USH.