Disney's Hollywood Studios: What's Next

[jt04]

Sorry, first time poster. Don't laugh to hard. I like the idea of taking out Backlot and expanding Pixar. Monsters Inc., The Incredibles, and Wall-E would make great editions. It would be nice if Disney/Lucas would come together and expand what they have into something more immersive, such as dining, Streetmasphere (is that right? Do they still that?) and I would absolutely love to see more Golden Age/Silver Age Hollywood represented. It's what I tend to think of when I imagine "a Hollywood that never was..."

Great ideas. Nothing to laugh at but a tough skin is helpful around here. Never take it personally.

Welcome!

 

[Beholder]

Great ideas. Nothing to laugh at but a tough skin is helpful around here. Never take it personally.

Welcome!

 

[Beholder]

Thanks. I've lurked for quite awhile and love the discussions surrounding WDW and the peripherals (DTD, resorts, transportation, etc.).

I love the concept of DHS and it's underlying themes. I love the mythic Hollywood that it tries to present, and I find that entire movie making period (from the distance of time) magical and wonderous. I would like to see, aside from the Pixar expansion and doing something with the backlot, a section or area of the park dedicated to this "Golden" era of movies. I don't know if this would include shows, exhibits, rides, but something bigger than life. Something Hollywood.

And please bring back item specific stores that sell things that are representative of the park such as movie memorabilia, the movies themselves, and perhaps limited items based on movies experiencing significant anniversaries, like fedoras for Indiana Jones, die cast African Queens, or replicas of the Nautilus from 20,000 Leagues. Just ideas, but I'm a sucker for that sort of thing.

 

[Cybercat]

I don't want a drastically changed Great Movie Ride. They can refurb things, but if they take out the Alien scene, I'm going to not be a happy camper. Hopefully, they're smart enough to do that after Prometheus was a big success.

 

[Beholder]

I don't want a drastically changed Great Movie Ride. They can refurb things, but if they take out the Alien scene, I'm going to not be a happy camper. Hopefully, they're smart enough to do that after Prometheus was a big success.

I agree, leave the GMR alone for the most part, with perhaps a little technological updating and maybe a few "more relevant" movie scenes. And yes, leave the Alien alone!

 

[menamechris]

But.... They are!

And they've not hit high gear yet

Big deal - I am personally waiting on the big news from WDW of what third parties they have suckered into trying to prop up their new, bold DTD...that was be HUGE!

 

[NoChesterHester]

So nine pages of thread to find out nothing but rampant fan speculation.

Sad. MGM Studios circa 1994 was my favorite park.

 

[spacemt354]

Some of my ideas might overlap with some already said but here is what I would do.

1. Indiana Jones Ride - my hope would be for a duplicate of the one in DL. I would also knock down the Backlot Express in order to make room for an extensive and well themed queue

2. Sounds Dangerous conversion into Star Wars themed restaurant. You could have several different themed eating areas inside the restaurant that were featured in the films. Mos Eisley Cantina, Couruscant, Naboo, just to name a few

3. Sci-Fi Theater moved to Sunset Boulevard. Since that area is for the older Hollywood era, I feel a black and white theater would fit the theming over there. Also, use the old Sci-Fi theater for a Lost exhibit, which fits because the ABC commissary is right next to it.

4. Beauty and the Beast stage show - I would remove this and replace it with something that fits better with the Sunset Boulevard, early Hollywood time frame. My idea would be a dark ride that takes you through all of Walt's early creations. Mickey, snow white, pinocchio, etc. The ride could conclude with the One man's dream exhibit and film.

5. Now that the One man's dream exhibit is out of "Pixar Place", the area can now be extended left and right of Toy Story Mania. I would combine the what used to be Narnia exhibit with One man's dream and have a Wall-E dark ride, or a dark ride from a future pixar film. Next to Toy Story Mania, a Monter's Inc doors coaster, which could also include the space currently taken up by the Backlot Pre-show. Then, convert the Honey I Shrunk the Kids to A Bug's Life and convert the Studio Catering Co. to a pixar themed restaurant. I'm not sure why Pizza Planet hasn't been moved to Pixar Place yet, so I would move pizza planet to that location, and convert the old pizza planet into an extension of the muppets area.

6. I would leave the Backlot tour. I think adding a Cars Land to Hollywood Studios is overkill. It should remain in DCA. The only thing I would remove from the Backlot Tour is the Pre-show. Pearl Harbor is an old movie and that area could be used for an awesome monster's inc coaster. I also think a Ratatouille restaurant is overkill, since France is like a mile away in Epcot, so I wouldn't include that in the Pixar Place expansion. Plus, leaving the Backlot tour means you get to keep the streets of america, because their purpose is for the Backlot tour ride.

7. I don't like to see empty space, and there is a theater behind the streets of america that used to house the hunchback of notre dame stage show. Maybe it could be part of the extension of Pixar Place? With an Up show or Incredibles show in it?

Even though a lot of these things require moving places around, mostly all of the sturctures are there. The only sturctures disney would have to build would be Indiana Jones, Monster's Inc, and the new Sci-Fi theater. Then they would just enclose the Beauty and the beast area, with maybe a little extension in the back. The rest of it would just be retheming the inside and outside of the original buildings. Hopefully at least some of this comes true because that would really bring the park the face lift it deserves.

 

[djlaosc]

No idea. I was told the first "bigger" thing should start quite soon but I have no timeframe.

Looking forward to it!

 

[dlpwishes]

Even though more rides would be great, I still think there's an interest in how movies are put together, otherwise why would there be extras on DVDs? So I think DHS should be both a dive into the movies but also behind. So this is what I'd love to see:

Hollywood Blvd.

• A refurb of all existing stores, spruce them up to be a match to BVS at DCA.
• Remove the blasted Hat (no moving, just...gone) and create a new central plaza, with a fountain/planters to lead up to the...
• GMR, which would also have a facelift outside, as well as a full refurb of the ride, to update the technology as well as changing out a few scenes (not sure which ones) so that newer 'classics' could be included.

Sunset Blvd.

• Keep ToT & RnR as they are
• Replace BatB with a new One Man's Dream attraction. Repurpose the Carthay Theatre, so that the lobby is the pre-show, which would be the exhibition space, detailing Walt's arrival in Hollywood & early career before guests board vehicles that take them through his best work in a dark ride and film combination, utilising robotic arm tech seen at WWHP. The post show would be in the actual 'theater' showing what has been done since/ the legacy etc. Exhibits on what's to come at the parks would be moved to a new location near the main entrance.
• Complete overhaul of Fantasmic! so that it doesn't so closely mimic the DL version in style - bring in WoC tech, remove Pocahontas and replace with maybe Nemo or something completely different. The mountain could be a great projection-mapping surface so there are all sorts of possibilities. Also, re-orchestrate the music to the TDS version of the main theme but keep the current main song, if that makes sense

Echo Lake

• Either bring Indiana up to date or replace it with the DL ride, although I know Dinosaur basically uses the same layout I doubt guests would really notice as the rides are so different.
• Remove AI and Sounds Dangerous and put in an attraction that uses both spaces. Maybe a look behind-the scenes of star wars, allowing guests to take part in a variety of famous scenes from the films. It's a tough one for that space I think.

Streets of America

• Bring in more streetmousphere to the area, with film crews coming in to use the street to film so that it feels like something is actually going on around there. This will be part of the new backlot.
• Expand the Muppets area so that it mimics the Muppet Studios seen in the film, including moving Pizza Planet over to Pixar Place

Backlot

• Don't scrap the backlot tour but bring it back closer to its former glory. Remove the pearl harbour scene for Pixar Place. Guess would board on the Streets of America instead, with a new queue building/area constructed. Guests would then take a tour of how a live-action film is made, travelling down the street as actors/film crews are shooting. This would double up as streetmousphere for the guests walking around the area. The canyon would be updated and new scenes added along the route. This would become a flagship attraction once more
• It would be really cool to combine LMA and BT but I'm not sure how it could be done if it's meant to be a full-blown show.
• Access to the play set would be cut off.

Baclot leads nicely onto or from the animation part of the park - Pixar and traditional.

Pixar Place

• Extend the area out to include the old OMD location and to incorporate the old Backlot area.
• This would be the location for the MI coaster or attraction, based around the many rumours & plans so no need for explanation
• The old OMD area & Prince Caspian building could be used for a Wall-E 4D attraction
• The play area would become A Bug's Set, as if kids are actually within the filming of A Bug's Life and therefore linking the backlot into animation

Animation Courtyard

• With the LMA at MK, replace this show with either Tangled or Princess at the Frog - I think both could work as a show but PatF has more feet-tapping songs
• Bring the Animation building back to life as animation has made a come-back recently. Show guests once more how the films are put together, with interactivity at the heart to bring it up to date. It's a huge building with a lot of potential.
• Replace Disney Junior with Animagique from WDS - a similar sort of show for the age range but a lot more whimsical

 

[Prototype82]

I'd rather see a new ride go to Epcot. For now, I'm content with the earth-shatteringly awesome new Star Tours. (rode it for the first time last weekend)

 

[J03Y]

No

No. You aren't putting anything new into the idea, you're keeping the 'park' as the same old thing with more clustered up ideas. This new "Hollywood Studios" thread is to make it more like a park rather than just show we're trying to add in rides and not more shows. Plus the main thing is to remove the backlot.

well we don't want to drastically change the park, there are a lot of other good things that are the reason people even go to the park now, like Fantasmic, Great Movie Ride, Muppets, and Toy Story Mania. and why get rid of the backlot? this is supposed to be on par with Universal Studios. guess what? they have a backlot tour. why shouldn't Disney have one?

 

[J03Y]

my mom and i got into a discussion about this and i think she brings up a point, Hollywood Studios should be the park up against Universal Studios. given this, it should have more rides that seem interesting and bring in the thrills instead of being family oriented. of course, i do want more of Pixar Place, but i do agree it needs more thrills in say maybe Streets of America.

 

[marni1971]

well we don't want to drastically change the park, there are a lot of other good things that are the reason people even go to the park now, like Fantasmic, Great Movie Ride, Muppets, and Toy Story Mania. and why get rid of the backlot? this is supposed to be on par with Universal Studios. guess what? they have a backlot tour. why shouldn't Disney have one?

Because Universal Orlando, like D-MGM, decided the backlot tour was an outdated waste that wasn't worth the hassle. Except DHS still flogs the dead horse.

 

[Lee]

and why get rid of the backlot? this is supposed to be on par with Universal Studios. guess what? they have a backlot tour. why shouldn't Disney have one?

Uni Orlando closed their backlot tour years ago.
Uni Hollywood still has an awesome backlot tour because...well...it's a real studio where they actually have a working backlot.

Real backlot tours (Uni, WB) - Awesome.
Fake backlot tours - Fail.

 

[Beholder]

Backlot had it's day, when it made sense. Now it's just a shell of it's former self. I'd rather see an expansion of some sort go here than this "attraction" keep going. Updating or modernizing the theme parks should be a matter of course, but like in any business, if a perceived financial incentive isn't immediately obvious, the will to do something is often lacking. Wasn't always this way...

 

[mickey2008.1]

I agree with Lee, working vs nonworking studio. Give it up already and make it a theme park based on movies, television, musicals, and what not.Make an attraction based on making movies in a thrill perspective or dark ride, not a boring BLT.

 

[RSoxNo1]

After seeing that Singing in the Rain is coming out on Blu Ray, I thought that a kiosk or shop at the end of The Great Movie Ride should feature DVD and BLu Ray copies of all of the movies represented. I have no idea what be required for licensing rights, but I think this would be a cool merchandise opportunity.

 

[Beholder]

After seeing that Singing in the Rain is coming out on Blu Ray, I thought that a kiosk or shop at the end of The Great Movie Ride should feature DVD and BLu Ray copies of all of the movies represented. I have no idea what be
required for licensing rights, but I think this
would be a cool merchandise opportunity.

This! This! This! These are the things I wish Disney would do. Simple, logical elements that would add so much to the overall experience. Promote it, sell it.

 

[culturenthrills]

While RSR would fit, WDW already has it's version in TT. What to do with DHS is any ones guess. Definitely a new Fantasmic show and updated GMR. Backlot tour could become anything, it just needs to be something. Bring the INDY ride, or some immersive thrill ride based on movies. It just has to be outside, not a dark ride like RNR. High speed coaster through different lands, even worlds, all based on movies.

Just because they use the same ride system doesn't mean it is the same ride. When will people get over that. They use that excuse for Indy. We all know it is not because Dinosaur is in AK it is because TDO is too cheap to bring one of the best attractions WDI has created in the last 20 years. DHS is in dire need of another E ticket or a couple of C and D. The one problem with the Monsters Inc door coaster is it is another low capacity ride that will have lines that are too long. DHS needs a blockbuster E ticket that will pull people to the park and would be a 1500-2000 per hour capacity. But we know this will never happen. If anyone had a brain and some balls at TDO they would be pushing for a version of Carsland at DHS or a full blown Lucas land with more Star Wars and an Indy ride. Something heavily themed, immersive and with unique merchandise that people will want. Star Wars weekends have shown that there is a demand for more Star Wars. That is what they should be doing at WDW not Avatar. Harry Potter, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings these are rare franchises that come along once in awhile that will retain their popularity for years. Disney has Star Wars and they could mint money if they could create a Star Wars land as immersive as Harry Potter. End of rant.