Hollywood Boulevard is lined with shops selling Disney merchandise and food. While parades are a major attraction today, the area was not originally built to handle parades, and an appropriate sound system and other facilities had to be retrofitted after initial construction. Michael Eisner, who had a major part in the park's creation ever since the earliest development, wanted the opening land to operate on the same principle as Main Street, U.S.A. — a street lined with shops and food, but in a style more fitting to Hollywood.
Slinky Dog Dash, a family-friendly rollercoaster themed around Slinky Dog. The story goes that Andy used his "Mega Coaster Play Kit" to build around his backyard, and then put Slinky Dog on the track.
Walt Disney Presents, a museum-like walk-through attraction that explores Walt Disney's life and legacy through photos, models, rare artifacts, and a short biographical film narrated by Julie Andrews.[17][18]
Sunset Boulevard
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is a thrill ride which drops guests in an elevator in a randomized set of four sequences- each involving multiple high speed drops and ascents.[19][20]
Fantasmic! – held in the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater, this live show serves as the park's nighttime spectacular; however, due to inclement weather and other scheduling situations, it is not held every night.[23][24]
Originally a portion of the Disney-MGM Studios Backstage Studio Tour (1989-1990), Inside the Magic (1990-1996), Backstage Pass (1996-2000). This entertainment venue is no longer operating as it closed to make room for Toy Story Mania!, which became part of Toy Story Land
Originally a portion of the Disney-MGM Studios Backstage Studio Tour (1989-1990), Inside the Magic (1990-1996). This entertainment venue is no longer operating as it has been demolished to make room for the entrance of Toy Story Land
Walt Disney: One Man's Dream / Walt Disney Presents (2001 – present)
Animation Courtyard Theater (Soundstage 16)
Formerly known as Walt Disney Theater and was the final portion of the Disney-MGM Studios Backstage Studio Tour (1989-1990). This building was originally soundstage 15 until Rock 'n' Roller Coaster opened with its show building labeled as soundstage 15. The Animation Courtyard Theater then became soundstage 16 around 1999.
Here Come the Muppets (May 25, 1990 – September 2, 1991)
Fantasmic! (October 15, 1998 – March 15, 2020; November 3, 2022 – present) – This nighttime spectacle with mist projection screens, fireworks, water fountains, pyrotechnics, and Disney characters has drawn record numbers of guests to the park. The show was updated with new animation and live-action sequences when it returned on November 3, 2022.
Lights, Camera, Happy New Year! (2004–07) – This show debuted in 2004 as the New Year's Eve fireworks display for Disney's Hollywood Studios. A visually similar display was shown on Independence Day until 2011 when it was replaced by a new show.
Rock the Night Fireworks (2008–15) – This was the New Year's Eve fireworks display. The show starred the park's in-house band Mulch, Sweat and Shears, and the fireworks were set to the band's live music performance. Occasionally, the show was performed outside of the New Year's holiday.
Rockin' Fourth of July Celebration (2011–2017) – This is the former Independence Day fireworks display. It starred Mulch, Sweat and Shears, and was a similar set up to the New Year's show.
Frozen Fireworks Spectacular (2014–15; seasonal)
Symphony in the Stars: A Galactic Spectacular (2014–15; seasonal, 2015–16) – A Star Wars-themed fireworks show featuring John Williams' music. This fireworks show was first presented at a private showing on December 17, 2015[29] during an opening night event for The Force Awakens, and had been a nightly fireworks show until 2016.
Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular (June 17, 2016 – March 15, 2020) – A "second-generation" version of Symphony in the Stars and the largest fireworks display in the park's history. The show featured fireworks, projection mapping, fire effects, lasers, fog effects, and searchlights.
Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! (November 14, 2016 – January 5, 2020; November 11, 2023 – present) – A seasonal holiday-themed fireworks and projection mapping display featuring fireworks, projection mapping, lasers, artificial snow, and searchlights, with a story based on the Prep & Landing franchise.[30] On June 15, 2023, Disney's Hollywood Studios announced that the revamped version of the holiday shows will return in a new holiday event, Disney's Jollywood Nights at Walt Disney World Resort, as part of the Disney 100 Years of Wonder celebration.
Here, guests could re-enact famous scenes from television history. Using chroma-key technology, the on-stage guests would be shown on TV monitors in the theatre appearing opposite famous celebrities. For example, a female guest would play Ethel Mertz alongside Lucille Ball's Lucy Ricardo in the famous candy factory scene from I Love Lucy. In another example, a guest would appear on the set of The Tonight Show being interviewed by Johnny Carson. It originally opened on May 1, 1989.[32] It closed on September 26, 1998 and was replaced by Doug Live! The theatre was renovated to host a new live-action show, The American Idol Experience, inspired by the hit television series of the same name, which opened on February 14, 2009.
The Monster Sound Show
Guests could become volunteer Foley artists and add various sound effects to a short comedy film starring Chevy Chase and Martin Short. Sounds Dangerous! used this theatre. It originally opened on May 1, 1989,[32] and was closed on February 20, 1999.
One of the first attractions to make use of the former production soundstages. During Star Wars Weekends, a Star Wars Edition of the game would be played. The game began with Greedo answering questions and a Gamorrean guard in the audience cheering him on, followed by a typically played game featuring all Star Wars questions.[33] The attraction was closed in 2006, and its soundstages were renovated for Toy Story Mania!, which opened in May 2008.
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy
Based on the Cars franchise, this stage show featured an animatronic Lightning McQueen who took the stage teaching guests, dubbed “rookie racers”, how to be a racer on the racetrack using the simulator and also demonstrated how to work as a team with the help of his friends in a simulated race against Chick Hicks.
Soundstage Restaurant
Quick service restaurant
Formerly located in the theatre which currently houses Disney Junior Dance Party! Designed to look like a "live set" for animated feature films such as Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, and before that, the live-action film Big Business.
Catwalk Bar
Bar
Cocktail bar located on catwalks above the seating and service areas for the Soundstage Restaurant. It was reached by a stairway and elevator between the Soundstage Restaurant and the Brown Derby.
Based upon the 1996 animated musical film of the same name, was performed in the Backlot Theatre, which was renovated into the Premiere Theater, currently used for special events.[34]
The Muppet characters were portrayed in life-size costumes and performed songs in a concert form.[35] The attraction was replaced by Voyage of the Little Mermaid in 1992.
Guests could view props and set pieces on display from The Chronicles of Narnia film series, as well as meet the namesake of the second film in the series, Prince Caspian. This attraction was located in Animation Courtyard, and was closed on September 10, 2011. It was replaced by The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow, which opened on December 6, 2012.[5]
A show following Drew Carey through a day as an undercover detective when his video camera fails and the audience is left in the dark wearing earphones, following his adventure through sound cues.[33]
A live show where guests audition in front of live audiences to vote for their favorite singers. Inspired by the television series of the same name.[5]
A walking-tram tour showing how film special effects are produced. Guests saw a scene from Pearl Harbor recreated on the Special Effects Water Tank with volunteers from the audience. After that, guests boarded studio trams and were taken through Catastrophe Canyon, to see fire and water effects, are driven past large-scale movie props, the Earffel Tower and are shown Creative Costuming department along with lighting and grip and the carpentry shop.[36] The Earffel Tower was removed in April 2016.
A short presentation showing how animated films are made. At Animation Academy, guests could take drawing classes from one of the Disney artists and learn to draw Disney characters such as Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, Winnie the Pooh, Stitch and Jiminy Cricket.[32]
A live show based on the teachings and practices of the fictional Jedi Knights from the Star Wars films,[40] depends heavily on audience participation, focusing on children. Each participant is given a lightsaber and Jedi robes and is taught a routine set of sword fighting moves.[41][42]
A live performance that recreated the animated musical film of the same name, in an abbreviated form using puppets, lasers, movies, human actors, and water (mist) in the Animation Courtyard Theater.[43][11] The show closed in March 2020 alongside the resort's temporary closure from the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2023, a mold infestation was reported in the attraction's building and the show's puppets were sold, which confirmed the permanent closure of the attraction.
