Hello, everyone! I'm back! Remember how I said I've been considering doing a series of posts detailing how I would lay out Disney's Hollywood Studios had it existed in this "3.0" version of Mirror Walt Disney World? Well, with today marking 34 years since the park opened its gates for the first time, I figured now would be a good time to start sharing it with you all.
As previously mentioned, Mirror Walt Disney World 3.0 is established within the same universe as
@MANEATINGWREATH’s
Mirror Disneyland 2021: Final Draft; and takes place in an alternate timeline where Disney and Universal teamed up on a studios park for Disneyland Resort…and because of this, Disney-MGM Studios, or what we now call Disney’s Hollywood Studios, never came to be. But however, as I was working on Mirror Walt Disney World 3.0, I kept thinking back on Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and how I’d improve it. Admittedly, I am not too fond of my ideas for my original Mirror Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios, which I called “Disney’s Hollywoodland.” Looking back, it was too much at one time. Too many areas for my taste, and the layout would have not gelled well together. Hence, serving as an example of an alternate timeline within an alternate timeline, I decided to create this walk-through, showcasing how I would arrange Disney’s Hollywood Studios had it existed in Mirror Walt Disney World 3.0.
Plus, if you may recall back when I was doing the Animal Kingdom portion of this walk-through, MEW himself came back and expressed hope that he will resume work on his epic Mirror Disneyland project. Where does that factor in to this? Well, I really do think that this 3.0 version is the best version of MWDW I’ve done; and, as I have always done, I wanted it to be within the same universe as Mirror Disneyland. And if MEW does, indeed, resume work on Mirror Disneyland, who knows if Disney-Universal Studios will remain part of it? If not, then MGM Studios goes ahead, just like in real-life.
Regardless, if MEW ever resumes work on Mirror Disneyland; then I intend to do a “3.5” thread for MWDW; because I want very little to change regarding this project. It’s all going to depend on what changes come to Mirror Disneyland
(and if I decide to add anything new that comes to the parks in the future).
With all that said, let's begin!
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Disney’s Worlds of Color
An Alternate Take on Disney-MGM Studios
What makes the Disney parks work so well? I honestly believe the secret to its success is that it was created from the point-of-view of a filmmaker. At Disney parks, everything is a form of storytelling. Everything is crafted the way a film is crafted. Those movies we grew up watching come to life before our very eyes, and we get a chance to explore those celluloid worlds. It is in this spirit of the inspiring world of film-making that I welcome you to the third gate of Walt Disney World: Disney’s Worlds of Color.
Installed in 1984, two years after the opening of EPCOT Center, Michael Eisner, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Frank Wells began a revitalization of the Disney name. During this time, many expansion ideas for EPCOT Center were being considered. But none captured Eisner’s imagination more than a pavilion centered around filmmaking, centered around The Great Movie Ride, a ride devoted to highlighting some of the greatest moments in the history of film. Eisner decided that such an attraction was too good for a simple pavilion, and instead, it should anchor a whole theme park! Thus, the same year, Eisner announced the arrival of a third theme park for Walt Disney World: Disney-MGM Studios, which opened to an excited public on May 1, 1989.
“The World you have entered was created by The Walt Disney Company and is dedicated to Hollywood—not a place on a map, but a state of mind that exists wherever people dream and wonder and imagine, a place where illusion and reality are fused by technological magic. We welcome you to a Hollywood that never was—and always will be.”
– Michael D. Eisner, May, 1, 1989
A stroll down Hollywood Boulevard led the way to all sorts of various movie-making experiences, but the biggest draw was the Backstage Studio Tour, which consumed much of the 135-acre site, and anchored a number of satellite production facilities for films and television shows, a small backlot, and an animation studio used by Walt Disney Feature Animation. As the years went by, the park’s design and mission statement evolved. Like the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT before it, Disney-MGM Studios would only climb to greater heights, eventually downsizing the Studio Tour and “studio-like” attractions altogether for further flights of fantasy, as well as new “lands.” In fact, the more the park changed from showcasing how movies were made to immersing guests in the world of movies, the “Studios” name gradually became more and more outdated; and the name itself would come to be seen as incredibly lazy when MGM ended its contract with Disney, thus causing a rename to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Therefore, on May 1, 2019, the very day the park turned 30, the park received a new name: Disney’s Worlds of Color.
“To all who explore these worlds of adventure: welcome. Disney’s Worlds of Color celebrates the intrigue, romance, imagination, and optimism dreamed up by daring minds such as Walt Disney and those like him who forever changed – and were forever changed by – the magic of cinema. This unique world is a Hollywood that never was, and always will be; and is dedicated to the dreamers that it continues to inspire. May these lands born of imagination be a source of wonder for all.”
– Robert A. Iger, May 1, 2019
Disney’s Worlds of Color has eight lands to it: Hollywood Boulevard, representing Hollywood in the 1930s, a time when filmmaking was attracting people from all walks of life; Sunset Boulevard, representing Hollywood in the 1940s, the glitz and glamour of a bygone time; Walt Disney Studios, honoring the art of animation, and how animated films are made; Muppet Studios, inspired by the works of Jim Henson’s beloved Muppets; Avengers Campus, inspired by the world of superheroes, as seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; Toontown, the land Mickey, Oswald, Roger Rabbit and all their friends call home; and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, inspired by George Lucas’ legendary sci-fi series. Galaxy’s Edge and Toontown, being far more fantastical than the other realms of the park, are separated from the rest of the park by gates or other barriers, in order to fully immerse guests into their worlds.
When Disney’s Worlds of Color opened on May 1, 1989, it was dedicated in the spirit and fantasy of the Hollywood Dream. This is a reverent celebration of Hollywood – not as a place on a map, but as a state of mind. The notion of Hollywood is alive with sights, sounds, glamour, fame, adventure, and mystery. For that reason, you won’t see or hear the term “movie magic”, and you’d be hard-pressed to find studio-rig lighting. Hollywood is a place of enduring hope where stories come to life and viewers escape into impossible worlds of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy. That describes Disney’s Worlds of Color pretty well, too. This is a place where guests can step into the worlds of some of their favorite films, from old favorites to modern-day offerings. You can even learn how to operate a puppet just like Jim Henson or see first-hand how your favorite animated features are created.
With all that said, are you ready? Well, as they say in the movie biz: “Lights, camera, action!”
Imagine...it’s another wonderful morning in Florida. The morning sun is turning the sky a bright blue as Walt Disney World rises to greet the new day. Whether you arrive via PeopleMover, boat, Skyliner or car, all paths lead to the entrance of Disney’s Worlds of Color. The park’s entrance plaza hugs the edge of Crescent Lake. Among the notable features of the skyline of the park entrance is the top of the Earffel Tower, the icon of the park, which sits right on the edge of the lake. It’s basically a giant water tower topped with the iconic mouse ears. The wide pathways lead to a replica of the soaring, teal Pan-Pacific Gates. The gates are modeled after the iconic entrance to Los Angeles’ loved-and-lost Pan-Pacific Auditorium. With a triumphant swell of music, the park is open! Eager are we, ready to explore the world where movies come to life. A world of excitement is just waiting for us.
Passing under the gates, guests enter not into a film set or a studio backlot, but into Hollywood in the 1930s. This is the Hollywood of Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This is a town that once took the heart of a young Walt Disney. The automobile has made way for the Red Car of the Pacific Electric Railway. The shimmer of neon and bustle of traffic have built a fairy-land from a suitcase and a dream, “where any office boy or young mechanic can be a panic, with just a goodlooking pan.” Here, one can go out and try their luck, and most certainly meet Donald Duck. Here, in the year 1937, the stress of our contemporary life fades for a glimpse into a warm embodiment of the “Hollywood that Never Was.” The shimmer of neon and triumph of a dream set our stage for this reverent tribute to the romance, glamour and sentimentality of the silver screen.
In the principle of Main Street, U.S.A. over at the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Boulevard is a sparkling thoroughfare presented in the style and architecture of one historic Hollywood building after the next. The use of Art Deco instills in us a sense of familiarity with a hint of intrigue. The reality of the Great Depression has subdued into the color and excitement of a cinematic Tinseltown. Trolley cables hang throughout the “skies”, while the Red Car Newsboys exclaim the “daily” headlines through song and dance aboard their trolley “stage”. Keystone cops patrol the streets in search of ne’er-do-wells, while an overly-flamboyant movie starlet canoodles her poodle to the adoration of her “fans”. The Citizens of Hollywood simply and thematically add to the immersive environment, all the while setting a period that is further established in Art Deco architecture and rooftop billboards representing fictional and nonfictional products of the 1930s and 40s. Big band beats fill the air, played in crisp, fresh orchestrations rather than crackling radio transmissions. At the center of this entrance plaza is the Crossroads of the World, a clone of the California icon, with Mickey Mouse atop a spinning globe. The location operates as an information station for the rest of the park. Just within the entrance to the park, guests will also find the Movieland Memorabilia shop, which sells generic WoC and Los Angeles merchandise (a perfect place to do last-minute shopping at the park).
Located to the left of Crossroads of the World is Sid Cahuenga’s One-of-a-Kind Antique Shop, which offers signed autographed pictures and posters from celebrities from a huge variety of different movies. Bright light and the crackle of a phonograph welcome us to Oswald's Filling Station. There always seems to be a ‘40 Pontiac Torpedo Coupe out front. Oswald’s is decked “ear-to-toe” in memorabilia of American Car Culture, with the inventory following suit. Oswald himself often frequents the station in full mechanic attire, a rabbit-shaped wrench at hand. As with Oswald, on Hollywood Boulevard, we can “rub elbows” with the Disney stars of celluloid - Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy - dressed in their Hollywood finest.
Speaking of cars, every day, the streets of Disney’s Worlds of Color play host to a very special procession. When the stars of Disney travel to a red-carpet Hollywood movie premiere, they don’t travel in boring, conventional limousines. They travel in cars that reflect who they are. That’s the premise of the Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade. For 25 minutes, you’ll be treated to a cavalcade of Disney stars and their customized cars. Some stars ride in the cars. Others walk alongside them, often interacting with guests.
Hollywood Boulevard is anchored by the lavish Mickey’s of Hollywood, the largest mercantile in the entire park, basically this park’s equivalent to the Magic Kingdom’s Emporium or EPCOT’s World Bridge Mercantile. Mickey’s of Hollywood sells any and all things related to kid-friendly merchandise, from stuffed Mickeys to Disney character-themed clothing. The store also features large statues depicting the Big Cheese in some of his most iconic roles, including him as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Steamboat Willie and the conductor of “The Band Concert”. From here, guests will come across a small off-set to the left, which leads guests to Hollywood & Vine, a buffet style restaurant that is literally located on the corners of Hollywood & Vine. The interior of the restaurant is a quintessential depiction of 1930s Hollywoodland, featuring neon lights and California depictions of the city-scape. The buffet is open regularly for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with Disney Junior characters popping in for breakfast and lunch, and Minnie and her friends hosting dinner. Returning to the main stretch of Hollywood Boulevard, just past the path leading towards Hollywood & Vine, guests will then find the Keystone Clothiers store, which offers a wide variety of clothes and accessories. The interior of the shop is designed to look like an art-deco lounge in Los Angeles, California.
On the other side of the street, you'll find The Darkroom, a shop which features Kodak cameras and video items. This is also a shop for PhotoPass participants, where guests can see and buy their photos taken throughout the park that day. The outside of the shop takes an artistic style from “California Crazy” architecture, which is big, bold and well, crazy. The exterior of the shop is a large camera. The Darkroom than leads to the next store on Hollywood Boulevard, Cover Story. The store feature primarily plush toys and child clothes. Nearby that is Celebrity 5 & 10, which features a wide variety of Disney Studios merchandise, as well as general Walt Disney World merchandise. The shop also features item embroidery. Finally, there's Adrian & Edith’s Head to Toe. From Mickey ears to hand towels, this costume designer-inspired store offers distinctive clothing and keepsakes as well as embroidered towels, aprons and Christmas stockings. From here, the road then splits off to an intersection to the right, where the road then leads down the Sunset Boulevard strip. This is the location for the Trolley Car Café, a good place to get some Starbucks coffee (perfect for those who need that “java jive” to get them going early in the morning). On the opposite corner, surrounding a fountain, is Guest Relations. This is a great location to go to receive any information that you might need while visiting Hollywood.
From here, Hollywood Boulevard then proceeds to split off into the Grauman’s Chinese Theater Courtyard, a much needed expanded courtyard, surrounded with lush, green foliage and planted with lining palm trees. The surrounding area is lined with plains of grass, planted with bountiful trees, illuminated with twinkling LED lights.
Disney’s Worlds of Color is anchored in the remarkable aspiration of a young man who left Kansas City for Los Angeles with big dreams - and little money. His ideas, drive and determination would one day change the world. That man was Walt Disney. Storytellers recalls the moment in which a young Walt and Mickey first laid foot in the City of Angels. The tribute of bronze and plaster has hidden itself among the foot-traffic of the Chinese Theater Courtyard, a subtle reminder that Walt was once such an everyday dreamer as ourselves. An adjacent plaque reads: “It was July 1923. I packed all of my worldly goods - a pair of trousers, a checkered coat, a lot of drawing materials and the last of the fairy tale reels we had made - in a kind of frayed cardboard suitcase. And with that wonderful audacity of youth, I went to Hollywood, arriving there with just forty dollars. It was a big day the day I got on that Santa Fe California Limited. I was just free and happy!” - Walt Disney
To the right of the courtyard, guests will find the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, a lavish restaurant modeled after the truly iconic location, located in the park just up the corner from the Hollywood & Vine streets. The restaurant is famously known for its Cobb Salad, which was apparently Sid Grauman’s favorite snack after he had undergone some dental work. The restaurant features wonderful meals, while completely re-inventing the iconic restaurant, which even includes the classic Bamboo Room, modeled after the VIP Space.
You know, they say the central plaza of Disney’s Worlds of Color looks a lot like Mickey Mouse. If that's the case, there’s one dead-ringer for the right ear: Echo Lake. On both sides of the lake are two eateries, making full use of the “California Crazy” architecture that was popular in the ‘30s. First is Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner, an open-air tramp steamer eatery that pays homage to the 1930 comedy Min and Bill. Serving specialty foot-long hot dogs, pulled pork sliders and delicious vegetarian options—as well as assorted beverages—it’s a perfect place to dock ‘n’ dine! Nearby, shipping crates provide homages to beloved films like Citizen Kane, Casablanca, It’s a Wonderful Life, Gone with the Wind and The Producers. On the other side of the lake is Dinosaur Gertie’s Ice Cream of Extinction. Named after Windsor McCay's iconic Gertie the Dinosaur, this stand is the best place to get a cold treat on a hot day.
Well, we’ve been skirting around it long enough – let’s get to the shining star of Hollywood Boulevard: a life-size replica of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The Chinese Theatre is one of the most famous in all of Hollywood, a theater which has hosted dozens of award shows and numerous movie premieres. It is truly the icon of all of the glitz and glamour that Hollywood could imply. The theater has hosted dozens of award shows and numerous movie premieres, including two Disney films: Mary Poppins in 1964 and The Jungle Book in 1967, souvenirs from which you can find in window displays. It is truly the icon of all of the glitz and glamour that Hollywood could imply. Outside of the theater, instrumental musical pieces from well-known movies play. The actual Chinese Theater in Los Angeles had been studied to be re-created and detailed in exact appearance here at Disney’s Hollywoodland. Not only was the exterior of the Theater created, but even the forecourt was created, having actual celebrity handprints and spurting fountains along the rim of the Theater. Having celebrities arrive to place their handprints has been a time-honored tradition of Disney’s Hollywoodland ever since Opening Day. Some of the first additions include Bob Hope, Alan Alda, Liza Minnelli and Danny DeVito, and some of the more modern additions include the likes of Robert Downey Jr., Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep and Channing Tatum.
Inside the theater, we can take The Great Movie Ride, a 25-minute guided dark ride through the history of cinema, cataloging and bringing to life some of the greatest stories ever told. Brimming with excitement, we enter the lavish movie palace and into a lobby filled with iconic props and posters of the silver screen; Dorothy’s ruby slippers, the Ark of the Covenant, Mary Poppins’ umbrella. An inspired collection of trailers and scenes of classic cinema lead to a soundstage held beneath the Hollywoodland Sign at twilight. Here we board a “traveling theater” for a guided, immersive tour through the world of cinematic history.
Narrated by film historian and longtime Disney collaborator Leonard Maltin, The Great Movie Ride employs the use of Audio-Animatronic figures, practical sets, live actors, projections and special effects in a 25-minute experience. Along the way, we pass screen legends in their most iconic roles; a tableau of film in a timeless snapshot, from one movie to the next. The finale, of course, brings all the films together in a moving montage of what else, but great movies… Such featured films include Casablanca, The Godfather, Singin’ in the Rain and The Wizard of Oz. This is the signature attraction of not just Hollywood Boulevard, but of the park itself.
On the outskirts of the Chinese Theatre, a path leads towards the American Film Institute Showcase. For years, this silver screen museum served as the post-show for the Backlot Tour, but with the closure of that attraction in 2014, it was decided to have it fill the space held by the long-since-vacated Superstar Television Theater; to serve as a post-show space for The Great Movie Ride. In this museum of Hollywood history, we can take a gander at authentic movie props and costumes, and learn about some of Hollywood’s biggest stars from across the generations. A jukebox plays AFI's list of the 100 greatest songs from the movies. A script book on a table features their list of the 100 greatest lines from the movies. A separate wall even features the lists of the 50 greatest stars, 50 heroes and villains, 10 Top 10 and, of course, the 100 greatest movies.
If you need to take a brief respite from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood Boulevard, then take a quiet stroll through the Eastern Gardens. This is a tranquil and gorgeous garden nestled alongside the left side of the Chinese Theatre and into the Hollywoodland Hills, which serve as the street’s backdrop. Under the hill’s uneven letters reading HOLLYWOODLAND are the garden’s walking paths, bridges, streams, pagodas, and waterfalls that serve as a break from the ever-frantic pulse of Tinseltown.
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The name "Disney's Worlds of Color" came from a top-to-bottom DHS refresh Park Lore on Twitter came up with; and the dedication was taken from an earlier DHS refresh he created in collaboration with S.W. Wilson of Ideal Buildout; and for more information on that,
click on this link. And the idea to have the handprint ceremonies continue well on into the park's existence comes from an idea from a concept we had back on the Visions Fantastic forums of old, devised by
@comics101,
@Snoopy, as well as FutureImagineer and Monkey4057.
These posts will be coming on a more sporadic basis compared to the past. I'll work at my own pace, and that will mean less frequent postings, but I hope the end results is worth it. Plus, what better way to prepare for
@Tegan pilots a chicken's "What if..." game than with my own "What if..." for MWDW? So, until the next post, I'll see you all later!