Earlier this week, we flew over Disney’s Animal Kingdom to give you a better look at the construction of Pandora: The World of AVATAR. Today, we take flight over Disney’s Hollywood Studios to view the wreckage and remains of the Streets of America and Backlot area of the park, with demolition now nearing completion. This land clearing is of course to make way for the Toy Story Land and Star Wars themed area coming to the park in the next few years:
An overall view of the work site, including the tree clearing to accommodate the move of the car toll plaza to a new location, making more room for the Star Wars land.
The viewing area of the former Lights, Motors, Action show is being slowly gutted.
This is the area where the cars once performed for guests, now a pile of rubble.
The backdrop for the tank area at the Backlot Studio Tour remains, but a fair amount of it has been leveled.
Most of this area next to the cast parking garage will be Toy Story Land.
The first pipes and pieces of infrastructure have arrived on site for the new areas.
Just a few structures remain of the Streets of America.
This was a street just 6 days ago.
We also have a short video overview of the demolition to share with you:
As you have probably seen by now, demolition of the Streets of America at Disney’s Hollywood Studios began over the weekend, making room for the Star Wars and Toy Story Lands that will make up the park’s expansion project. On Saturday, we were lucky enough to get a look behind the walls and see the demolition up close and personal. We have some pictures of what we found to share with you today.
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
A whole section of what was San Francisco is now gone as well.
Streets of America demolition
While I’m sure some pieces were saved and sent to various places, large sections of the facade were simply torn apart in a matter of hours.
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
I will be curious to see how they hid the Muppetvision 3-D building from sight in Star Wars Land.
Streets of America demolition
Lights, Motors, Action looms off in the distance…
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
Goodbye Streets of america, you will be missed… but certainly the long overdue expansion of Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be a worth replacement.
For those who were wondering if some of New York Street and the Streets of America at Disney’s Hollywood Studios would survive the upcoming expansion of the park, I think the following photos will answer your question…
The street is being removed to make way for the Star Wars themed land and Toy Story Land that will be added to the park in the coming years.
Streets of America Being Removed
We will provide further pictures and video of the “damage” later today, but it looks like the Streets of America and New York Street could be removed from the park in a matter of days.
Well, the moment has finally arrived. Walls and other items are starting to vanish from New York Street, part of the former Streets of America at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as construction continues on the Star Wars themed land. Also, work continues on PizzeRizzo in the Muppets Courtyard in our latest video update on the expansion of the park:
I made a short trip over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios thsi weekend to see what was new and exciting around the park, and honestly, a lot more had changed in a week than I had expected. This trip, we’ll take a look at the Halloween merchandise the Disney Parks will be selling this year (yes, it is mid-August), some new Star Wars merchandise, the latest progress on the Muppets Courtyard overhaul (including the Muppets eatery, PizzeRizzo), and the rather earnest start to the demolition of the Streets of America area.
Halloween 2016 Merchandise Arrives at Walt Disney World
Halloween 2016 merchandise has landed at the Walt Disney World Resort
A rather large assortment of Halloween merchandise can already be found in the Celebrity 5 & 10 store on Hollywood Boulevard.
Halloween 2016 merchandise has landed at the Walt Disney World Resort
Stitch vampire antenna topper
Stitch vampire antenna topper
Hanging Trick or Treat sign
Halloween 2016 mug
Halloween 2016 mug
Halloween 2016 merchandise has landed at the Walt Disney World Resort
I don’t even really know what this is…
How is this $19.99?
New for 2016 Mickey Mouse Halloween Plush
New for 2016 Minnie Mouse Halloween Plush
Mickey Mouse spider antenna topper
Large metal Mickey Mouse Jack-O-Lantern
Halloween 2016 plate
Halloween 2016 bowl
Halloween 2016 bowl
Halloween 2016 countdown calendar
Halloween 2016 ceramic jack-o-lantern
Halloween 2016 headwear
Oasis Canteen Tries to Dig Up Some Customers
Oasis Canteen
Oasis Canteen, near the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, might have the most reprinted menu in all of Walt Disney World.
Oasis Canteen
The menu was remade once more, this time with pictures of most of the offerings. As good as it might look, stay away from the Mickey Brownie…
New Star Wars Merchandise
New Star Wars toys
All 4 of the Star Wars wind up toys are now on sale at Tatooine Traders.
New Star Wars toys
New Star Wars toys
New Star Wars toys
New Star Wars toys
Streets of America Demolition & Muppets Courtyard Overhaul
Streets of America demolition
Much of the New York Street facade has been gutted of anything useful at this point and is just an empty shell.
Streets of America demolition
Speakers that play the Muppets Courtyard music were ripped from the structure, so they now rest on temporary speaker stands behind the Star Wars construction walls.
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
MuppetVision 3-D
Gone are posters for the ABC television series The Muppets and back are the original MuppetVision 3-D posters.
Railings were installed on the second level patio this week.
PizzeRizzo
The faux fire escape was also installed above the main entrance.
PizzeRizzo
Streets of America demolition
The pile of rubble behind MuppetVision 3-D remains.
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
A rather large wall from a New York Street facade is now missing, likely meaning that the removal of the area has finally begun.
Streets of America demolition
Watch Disney’s Hollywood Studios Expansion Update #8
If you prefer your update in video form, be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube for the now-weekly Hollywood Studios Expansion Update, as well as some other fantastic videos and shows:
While the inside of the park is like a war zone as demolition rages on at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the World Drive entrance of the park isn’t faring much better. Even though the new exit from Osceola Parkway is complete, the World Drive entrance road now merges down to one lane before shifting guests over to the right towards the furthest toll plaza booths and away from the construction zone. However, it does offer guests their very best look at the ongoing work to prepare the park for two new themed lands:
On Friday, we gave you a bird’s eye view of the Star Wars land construction at Walt Disney World, so today we bring you to Anaheim, California to see the latest progress on the site of Star Wars land at Disneyland Park:
The long-standing Skyway chalet in Fantasyland was leveled in the last week, which likely means that all demolition in preparation for the project is now complete, and vertical construction can begin sooner rather than later.
Other than a few mounds of dirt, the land has been flattened and cleared in preparation.
We look forward to watching Star Wars land rise on this site over the next few years!
Thanks to Tim Alcoser and Conner Purzycki for the photos!
The Disney Parks Blog just posted a photo that will take you behind the scenes with a 360 degree view of construction that has begun in Disneyland.
From Disney Parks Blog:
Today, we’re excited to celebrate the official groundbreaking at Disneyland park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida with this exclusive 360-degree photo, produced with help from our friends at Littlstar, from the 14-acre construction site at Disneyland park. Keep a sharp eye out for some of the unique resources that are being brought to the project.
We recently reported that Harrison Ford will have a special segment during the airing of The Wonderful World Of Disney: Disneyland 60 in which he will provide us with a sneak peek and update of the upcoming “Star Wars Land”. A promo video for the special has just been released by Entertainment Weekly and in the video you can see a quick look at the Millennium Falcon Ride rumored for “Star Wars Land”.
The Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60 will air on ABC on Feb. 21 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET.
