Disney-MGM Studios – WDWNT Archive

Things I Miss (Retired Attractions, Shows, and Events) At Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Tom’s Top 7

WDWNT on May 8, 2017

Welcome to another edition of Tom’s Top 7, a continuing countdown of my favorite (and occasionally, least favorite) things at the Disney Parks around the globe. Why seven? Brakes, brakes… WHERE ARE THE BRAKES?!?

As we celebrate Disney’s Hollywood Studios Appreciation Week here at WDWNT.com, I couldn’t help but get swept up in nostalgia for the park of old, the days of the Disney-MGM Studios, and a theme park that doubled as a working production center. With that being said, I decided to take a look back at my personal most-missed-list of things you can no longer find at Walt Disney World’s third theme park. Here are my Top 7 Things I Miss At Disney’s Hollywood Studios…

1. Who Wants to be a Millionaire – Play It! (2001-2006)

Eventually replaced by PIXAR Place and Toy Story Mania, Who Wants to be a Millionaire -Play It! fit the Studios well. It brought the world’s hottest game show to the parks and allowed guests a viable shot of being in the “hot seat”, and even if they didn’t make it there, they could play along in the studio audience.

2. The Earffel Tower (1989-2016)

One of and arguably the most famous park icon of the Disney-MGM Studios was the Earfful Tower. The 130-foot tower was located in the Studio Backlot Tour backstage area of the park. Originally sporting the Disney-MGM Studios logo, it was altered to reflect the park’s name change in 2008. The Earffel Tower was reinstated as the park’s icon for a bit after the removal of the Sorcerer’s Hat in 2015, but it would be short lived. The tower was removed on April 29, 2016 to facilitate the construction of the park’s Toy Story Land. Its condition and whereabouts are unknown.

3. Disney-PIXAR Block Party Bash (2008-2011)

Replaced by the dreaded (and thankfully defunct) PIXAR Pals Countdown to Fun, this parade with lengthy show stops was a good change of pace for the park. While the floats rolled out down Hollywood Boulevard, unlike normal parades, they stopped for a full show containing interactive segments, dancing, gymnastics, and eventually, an explosive ending that launched logo Nerf balls into the crowd (which made for fun, free souvenir). I know not everyone loved this, but I thought it was a really good offering. Did it fit the park very well? No. Was it fun? Absolutely.

4. Star Wars Weekends (1997-2015)

While overall there were things I didn’t like about it (insane lines to get autographs, merchandise, and park overcrowding), I can’t deny that I have some amazing memories of Star Wars Weekends. Offered periodically at first, the event became an annual tradition in the mid-2000’s and a reason for many Star Wars fans to book a trip to Walt Disney World every Spring. Some of the highlights for me were the Celebrity Motorcade, A Conversation with Mark Hamill in 2014, and the Stormtrooper pre-shows (luckily, all of which I filmed and can share with you below).

Almost deserving of its own spot on this list was the Hyperspace Hoopla, where Star Wars stars danced-off against each other in a theme park comedy masterpiece. Lucasfilm mandated the show be removed after the 2013 event, and has since also eliminated any Disney characters in Star Wars character clothing.

5. Studio Backlot Tour (1989-2014)

An opening day attraction, the Studio Backlot Tour was a half-day experience that slowly was cut away to about a half an hour over 25 years. While I lament the loss of the original tour, I didn’t care much for the final version of the attraction. That being said, my final ride was an emotional one, saying goodbye to the trams, Catastrophe Canyon, the special effects tank, Walt’s airplane, and more of the remaining shell of what once made for a memorable experience. Without Residential Street and actual production to see, it wasn’t much of anything, but it was the last vestige of the “working studio theme park”.

6. Star Tours (1989-2010)

I love Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, but the original Star Tours will always hold a very special place in my heart. While it was incredibly dated by the end of its run, it was undoubtedly a classic that changed theme parks forever. I owe this attraction my Star Wars fandom as I actually rode this ride before I had ever seen a Star Wars movie. I loved the attraction so much that my dad took me to Blockbuster when we got home from vacation and bought me the VHS boxed set of the original trilogy. Kids, ask your parents what Blockbuster and VHS are.

7. (Yeah, Seven) The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights (1995-2015)

I know this one still looms heavy in the hearts of many, myself included. The Osborne Lights were a staple of the Studios before they ever danced, but once the display moved to Streets of America and was sychirmnoized to music, it became an indelible piece of Walt Disney World history. It was everything the holidays at the parks should be: larger than life, covered in lights, a display of cutting edge technology, all while still being incredibly heartwarming. Will they ever return to Walt Disney World? With the amount of money being left on the table by not offering this, I can’t imagine a Walt Disney World theme park won’t someday host the lights one more time.

Sadly, the display was a victim of where it was. The only thing that made the display possible was a large, mostly underutilized empty street towards the back of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Not to defend Disney, but there is nowhere that logistically could make this work today. Disney Springs would be overcrowded as the offering would be made free, no resort hotel has the parking area large enough, and no park currently has a space that could handle it. The only hope I see is a custom built area that is an expansion of a park, otherwise the Osborne lights will likely never return to Disney World.

“Sorry folks, it was my first flight and I’m still getting used to my programming!” – Captain RX-24 (Rex)

While these offering can not be seen anymore at Walt Disney World, an exciting future awaits Disney’s Hollywood Studios. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little nostalgia for what was.

What do you think? Which of these was your favorite? Is there something else from the Studios that you miss? Let me know in the comments below.

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights: Making Disney History

WDWNT on March 18, 2013

Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been the host of The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights since 1995. For nearly two decades, this unforgettable display has been one of Walt Disney World’s main attractions during the Christmas season. Before making its mark on Disney history, the Osborne family light show caused a great deal of controversy in its origins of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Abiding by the request of his daughter, Jennings Osborne decorated his home in 1,000 Christmas lights in 1986. Year after year, Jennings Osborne and his family progressively increased their display, causing it to bring visitors from all areas of Arkansas. By 1993, the Osbornes were using more than three million lights. These not only covered their home, but also spanned both properties adjacent to their house which Jennings Osborne had purchased in order to intensify the spectacle. Osborne showcased his Christmas lights and elaborate decorations, including two carousels of lights and a seventy foot tall Christmas tree of lights, for thirty-five consecutive days from the time of sunset until midnight. The Osbornes lived on a very busy street of Little Rock and consequently the lights caused major traffic congestion, which led to many discontented neighbors and drivers. This growing gripe against the Osbornes eventually turned into a lawsuit against the family, in which the Osbornes were not successful. In the events to follow, the Osbornes’ light show was restricted to 15 days and reduced hours. Osbourne appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court to overturn this ruling, but they refused. The final chance for Jennings Osborne’s Christmas lights display to be unrestricted took place in an appeal to the United States Supreme Court in 1994. One year later, the Supreme Court ruled that Osborne’s display was to be completely abolished.

Osborne received several offers from potential new hosts of the display. It was not until he was contacted by Walt Disney World project director John Phelan that a deal was finalized. Phelan communicated with Osborne’s attorney to arrange for the transfer of the rights to this production so it could be brought to life again in Walt Disney World. The offer made by Phelan was for “The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights” to be placed in (the now former) “Residential Street” of the Studios Backlot Tour in Disney’s Hollywood Studios (at the time, Disney-MGM Studios) by the Christmas season of 1995. Osborne wrongly perceived this to be an offer from Disney to bring his display to a residential street of Orlando. When this misunderstanding was addressed and clearly explained to Osborne, he gladly agreed to the offer.

In 2003, as Residential Street was beginning to be demolished to clear space for the incoming Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show, the new home for the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights was set to be the Streets of America. At the time of this transition, a new effect was added that is now regarded as a classic when visiting the Walt Disney World Resort in the Christmas season: a simulation of snowfall. This winter scene is made possible through one-hundred gallons of fluid placed into thirty-three snow machines on a nightly basis. Now consuming this large area of space, the spectacular was improved in 2006 by allowing the lights to be dimmed electronically. By adding this feature, the lights are now able to “dance” choreographically to Christmas music by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Elvis Presley and more. Hence the display’s current name: The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.

The most recent and notable change to this show took place in 2011. For this year’s display, the lights were all changed to LED bulbs and ropelights, which gave a new aesthetically stunning appearance to the event. Also, the large and notable “canopy” was improved to contain the three primary colors, red, blue, and green, in LEDs. This gave the canopy 21,600 pixels, which can derive up to sixteen billion colors, therefore creating a form of video screen.

Bringing The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights to such a large scale for millions to enjoy took quite some time and unexpected events. Annually, this breathtaking event is made possible through extensive creative efforts and millions of lights. Most importantly, it continues due to the appreciation of Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ guests who return during this season for this highlight of Walt Disney World’s Christmas spirit. What may have originally been seen by the Osborne family as an end to their Christmas tradition was truly an outlet that preserves their legacy of lights.

Tag: Disney-MGM Studios