Sunset Boulevard
And so our adventure begins (belatedly)….
Guests enjoying the leisurely walk down Hollywood Boulevard won’t notice any immediate changes as they near its intersection with Sunset, unless they happen to look down and spot the rather conspicuous shiny metal rails that appear and beckon further inspection. Instrumental background audio sets the mood while making a right onto the open thoroughfare designed path. The grand signs of Legends of Hollywood and Beverly Sunset Boutique, just waiting to glow with the approaching night sky, welcome passersby as their first experience along the grand boulevard. In the distance, an iconic hotel awaits.
What’s this? The Citizens of Hollywood? That’s right, the motley crew that has livened up Hollywood Studios streets for years appears, with frivolity sure to follow. One of the newer rotating cast, Detective Sam Palmer, tries to play it straight, but it’s entirely impossible with this group. Maybe he was better off with a Plumber/Detective for a partner?
Popping into the Beverly Sunset, guests notice that the recent change to all Pixar merchandise has seen its demise with the store's contents being relocated to an alternate location in additional park updates. In its place, the shop’s interior maintains more of a period presence and now is home to a mixture of music and film offerings. A record booth off to one side provides a chance to survey some tunes. Items on sale range from the 40’s to present day, with the present-day items easily blended into the setting. Of particular note are spoof posters of several high-profile films from the 40’s including Casamousa, Citizen Duck and The Maltese Parrot that advertise popular films of the day.
Across the way, Legends of Hollywood remains largely unchanged, inside and…. *Ding Ding*. What’s this? Approaching from the end of Sunset, shining brightly in the afternoon sun, comes one of the park’s newest additions, the Red Car Trolley. Modeled after Disney California Adventure’s attraction of the same name, Hollywood Studios version maintains the orange accents found on the streetcars found in the area. A part of early park concepts, and obviously found in the myriad of themed elements at this end of the boulevard within Hollywood Studios, it makes too much sense.
While Sunset Blvd did not have its own end to end streetcar line, portions of the boulevard did have rail lines as part of the greater Pacific Electric Railway. Ideally, the streetcar would also traverse Hollywood Blvd but keeping the sight and path lines open towards the Chinese theater help traffic flow in and out of the park. The Trolley Car Cafe makes for an apt terminus of one end of the streetcar’s journey through the park and only enhances the photo opportunities along Sunset. Guests boarding at the Trolley Car Cafe will ride the length of Sunset where the line makes a left onto Nintendo Blvd in front of the Hollywood Hotel and continues on a bit further into the park’s expansion that includes both Nintendo Blvd and an area to be revealed in a future update. It can continue on to its backstage storage barn beyond what is currently the intersection W Showbiz Blvd and Theatre of the Stars Drive after operating hours are completed.
With Legends of Hollywood in the rearview mirror, guests will notice one of the first structural changes on Sunset, but first, a bite to eat. The meal offerings here stay as is, with Anaheim Produce, Rosie’s All-American Cafe, Catalina Eddie’s and Fairfax Fare still in operation. The outdoor dining and shaded options provide ample opportunity to rest, recharge and soak in a bit of the Sunset Boulevard vibes. People watching and the now established Red Car line provide plenty of opportunity to do just that.
Across Sunset, the shop and structure that held the shop Once Upon a Time is no more. In its place, a structure modeled after NBC Radio West’ building that was located at 6285 Sunset Boulevard. The structure was one of the icons that would become the famed “Radio Row” along Sunset that included recording offices for NBC, ABC, CBS and more. More than just a period themed structure, it is also home to Sunset Blvd’s newest attraction……