Disney's Hollywood Studios Name Change

[lazyboy97o]

What am I denying? The timeline didn't change, the overall motive didn't change and and the conspiracy of wanting to confuse people is tinfoil hat time. I am assuming, yes assuming that MGM had some degree of financial liability for the park, even if it was cheaper cost of paying for the right to use their film library and name. Like I said, in my mind, any attempt to confuse the public can easily backfire, so since they got it going first there was no need to confuse anything.

Disney being first is what you denied but just now reiterated. Universal Studios [Hollywood] was an established concept and even today the whole concept of a studio tram tour remains tied to that specific location. Disney copied the studio tour concept from what was known about Universal's plans for Florida and what already existed in California. The whole point of copying something is create some degree of confusion, to build on the success of what is copied. That doesn't take some grand imaginative leap or delusions of conspiracy; it is a rather basic precept of intellectual property rights. The whole reason Disney-MGM Studios opened first was to try and reduce that perception of copying Universal Studios.

MGM had no financial liability in Disney-MGM Studios. The whole thing was a licensing arrangement based on the recognition of the MGM name and film library.

 

[BD-Anaheim]

MGM had no financial liability in Disney-MGM Studios. The whole thing was a licensing arrangement based on the recognition of the MGM name and film library.

And boy did it ever work well for a number of years. Most people still refer to the park as simply "MGM".

 

[Joshua West]

Disney Cinematic Universe. (Heh, heh.)

I think I like this but if it was maybe, Disney's Cinematic Kingdom.

Which kinda ties into what @ohioguy was saying about the Kingdom theme to the park names, I quite like that idea.

 

[matt9112]

And boy did it ever work well for a number of years. Most people still refer to the park as simply "MGM".

I still call it mgm and I'm only 28

 

[Goofyernmost]

I still call it mgm and I'm only 28

Do you call a refrigerator an ice box still?

 

[lazyboy97o]

I still call it mgm and I'm only 28

It is interesting how even after so many years names can persevere. Euro Disneyland, EPCOT Center and Disney-MGM Studios all continue to be used, and more importantly carry meaning and identity. In order for any new name to succeed it must be tied to a clear identity.

 

[discos]

He pushed to have it open a year before too.

They originally weren't supposed to open that far apart from each other. I believe Universal was set to open later in '89 (Nov or Dec) but their dates kept getting pushed back. But either way, yes, Eisner knew about Universal's plan and made sure it was open before!

 

[Matt_Black]

Do you call a refrigerator an ice box still?

I call it "The confounded cold machine no doubt invented by Old Scratch himself!"

 

[MisterPenguin]

Do you call a refrigerator an ice box still?

I sometimes catch myself calling it a Frigidaire!

But then I use the correct term: Combination Frigeration and Freezer Unit.

 

[matt9112]

Do you call a refrigerator an ice box still?

ice boxes were not a thing when I grew up so no. mgm was.

 

[BD-Anaheim]

Do you call a refrigerator an ice box still?

I call a spade a spade.

 

[prfctlyximprct]

ice boxes were not a thing when I grew up so no. mgm was.

It'll always be MGM to me!

 

[Casper Gutman]

ice boxes were not a thing when I grew up so no. mgm was.

Yeah, refrigerators have an identity and serve a clear purpose. Why, they're even an improvement over ice boxes, so the analogy doesn't really work.

It's still MGM. Or to use the full title, "Less Coherent MGM"

 

[No Name]

I don't get the love for the name Disney-MGM Studios beyond nostalgia. It's not very reflective of the theme of the park, nevermind the attraction lineup. And Disney didn't think their name carried enough weight. Nothing to cherish there. I had great memories at Disney-MGM Studios, but I think a name change was well warranted.

How would you feel about them renaming the park Disney-Pixar Studios? You'd dislike it, and rightfully so.

 

[Matt_Black]

I don't get the love for the name Disney-MGM Studios beyond nostalgia. It's not very reflective of the theme of the park, nevermind the attraction lineup. And Disney didn't think their name carried enough weight. Nothing to cherish there. I had great memories at Disney-MGM Studios, but I think a name change was well warranted.

How would you feel about them renaming the park Disney-Pixar Studios? You'd dislike it, and rightfully so.

Exactly. The only attraction that had MGM IPs was The Great Movie Ride, and that's kaput. As for the Studios part, it hasn't been an actual studio in over 10 years at least!

 

[MisterPenguin]

I don't get the love for the name Disney-MGM Studios beyond nostalgia. It's not very reflective of the theme of the park, nevermind the attraction lineup. And Disney didn't think their name carried enough weight. Nothing to cherish there. I had great memories at Disney-MGM Studios, but I think a name change was well warranted.

How would you feel about them renaming the park Disney-Pixar Studios? You'd dislike it, and rightfully so.

Indeed, I agree.

Furthermore, I'm going to play the "any true movie buff card" here: Any true movie buff would know that except for a handful of dioramas and movie clips in TGMR, that there was nothing at all about "Disney-MGM" that remotely intimated anything related to MGM. Where was: Gone With the Wind; Ben-Hur; Doctor Zhivago; Casino Royale; A Christmas Story; Bond movies; The Philadelphia Story; Network; High Society; Seven Brides for Seven Brothers; Easter Parade; Royal Wedding; An American in Paris; etc....? (Yeah... a lot of the dramas wouldn't have fit well into a theme park, but the comedies and musicals would have.)

The name "MGM" was a ruse from the beginning.

Actually, if Disney had acquired MGM, then DHS might have been much more 'Hollywood' than it ever was.

 

[No Name]

Exactly. The only attraction that had MGM IPs was The Great Movie Ride, and that's kaput. As for the Studios part, it hasn't been an actual studio in over 10 years at least!

Out of curiosity, what do you think should replace the word Studios? You may disagree, but I think Kingdom would be stupid, and I think Adventure is lazy, generic, and does not signify a place. The word studios has a strong connotation to movies and the entertainment industry. I would be open to a change if the replacement is better, but I've yet to hear anything.

It's hard to find a fitting name change for a park thats been practically purged of any theme.

Actually, if Disney had acquired MGM, then DHS might have been much more 'Hollywood' than it ever was.

I do wish they'd done that instead of closing TGMR.

 

[RSoxNo1]

If they called it, " A Salute To All Movies But Mostly Star Wars" I'd be happy.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Out of curiosity, what do you think should replace the word Studios? You may disagree, but I think Kingdom would be stupid, and I think Adventure is lazy, generic, and does not signify a place. The word studios has a strong connotation to movies and the entertainment industry. I would be open to a change if the replacement is better, but I've yet to hear anything.

That's what I don't get about all the talk of renaming the park: no-one seems to have come up with a better alternative to "studios" to sum up the park's content. By now, studio theme parks are pretty well established around the world and I don't think anyone is confused or cares if films and television are actually produced at them or not. It also gives the park a clear identity in the context of the WDW parks in a way that another "Kingdom" or an "Adventure" wouldn't.

They seem to be reinforcing the Hollywood/LA conceit with the new Grand Avenue area and that will likely always be the theming of the whole front section of the park. As it's also still a park whose attractions are only tied together as being from movies & television, I don't really get the problem with the Disney's Hollywood Studios name.

 

[ohioguy]

Why not just call it Disney Studios? The "Hollywood" could be dropped easily. The park's long-term vision is finally being realized, with various IPs in their own immersive territories. They even have an area set aside for more adult "thrill" rides in the Aerosmith/Tower of Terror zone.