10 More Things You Never Knew About Walt Disney World

There are so many secrets at Walt Disney World... Here are 10 more things you never knew about Walt Disney World.


The Golden Girls lived at Walt Disney World

Okay, so maybe Blanche, Dorothy, Rose, and Sophia didn't call Walt Disney World home, but their house was there; Right on the Disney-MGM Studios backlot! The original Golden Girls house was in Los Angeles, but when the Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) opened in 1989, an exact exterior replica of the Los Angeles house was built on Residential Street, Disney-MGM Studio's neighborhood street set (since demolished to make room for new attractions). From 1989, exterior shots of the Golden Girls house were filmed at the Disney-MGM Studios.


The Contemporary Resort Hotel is a prefabricated hotel

The massive A-frame Contemporary Resort hotel at Walt Disney World is instantly recognisable to most visitors. But what most visitors don't know is that the hotel, build by U.S. Steel, is unique in that the rooms were meant to be removable. You see, the hotel's guest rooms were buily off site and hoisted and slid into the hotel's A-frame during construction. The idea was that when it was time for an update to the guest rooms they would be slid out and replaced with a new, updated room. However, over the years, the rooms have settled and gotten permanently stuck into the hotel's frame so no rooms have been removed since the hotel's opening (they have, however, been updated the old fashion way; one room at a time and on-site).


Two of Disneyland's most beloved attractions had their start at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

Disneyland in Anaheim, California opened in 1955, a full 16 years before Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. As such, most of Disneyland's attractions were replicated at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom for its 1971 opening. Since opening, however, some attractions that got their start at Walt Disney World have been replicated at Disneyland. These include Space Mountain and The Country Bear Jamboree (since closed at Disneyland to male way for a new ride).


Miss some characters from a closed Epcot attraction? They might be working somewhere else at Walt Disney World

When Communicore opened with Epcot Center (as it was called in 1982), one of the stars was SMART-1, a purple robot you could talk to and he would answer back (amazing technology in 1982). However, by the 1990's he wasn't so amazing as technology caught up with him and during a renovation of Communicore into a new attraction, Innoventions, SMART-1 was removed. He can now be found, silent and not moving however, as decoration at Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort hotel.

And remember the famous car crash scene in the now closed World or Motion? Well, when it became Test Track, the was no use for the mechanical chickens used in the car crash scene. Luckily they found a new home at Mickey's Toontown fair in the Magic Kingdom.


Singin' in the rain... Even on a sunny day at Disney's Hollywood Studios

While there are hundreds of lamp posts at Disney's Hollywood Studios, there's one that's different. In an nod to the classic film Singin' in the Rain, there one lamp post with an umbrella attached. When someone stands under the umbrella, it pours down rain; No matter how sunny it is!


Children never get "lost" at Walt Disney World. Really!

With millions of visitors a year, you'd think that there would be at least one lost child, right? But you'd be wrong. Why? It's simple, really, Walt Disney World only has lost parents. That's right, when a child is found alone, it's handled as a lost parent rather than a lost child. The reason is to help the child to feel better about the situation by stating they're not lost, it his or her parents.


See the "real" Epcot in the Magic Kingdom

When Epcot opened in 1982, it wasn't quite as Walt Disney had imagined. Walt Disney envisioned an entire city of the future with people living and working in it. While the Epcot that was built is still a lot of fun and a great place to visit, you can see the "real" Epcot as Walt Disney dreamed it on display in the Magic Kingdom. Just ride the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (formerly the WEDWay People Mover) and in one of the tunnels is a model of a futuristic city. The model is the original Epcot model.


Watch the waters of 22 nations dance at Epcot

the Fountain of Nations in Epcot's Future World is comprised of several fountains that shoot water into the air synchronised to music. However, the water that's used isn't just local tap water. During Epcot's opening day ceremonies, representatives of 22 nations poured water from their homelands into the fountain to create a true fountain of nations.


Can you get into the VIP at Epcot? Probably not.

Sure, we all know about the velvet ropes outside today's hottest nightclubs and lounges. But did you know that there are VIP only areas at Epcot (although there's no velvet rope, there are secret doors and hidden entryways)? Most of the Future World attractions have VIP lounges that offer plush surroundings, free food and drink, and are a great place to cool off and grab a bite to eat. And you can even go directly from the VIP lounge to the front of the attraction's line (no waiting!). The catch? Well, you have to work for the company that sponsors the attraction that the VIP lounge in housed in (or be a guest of the sponsoring company).


Things are not always as they seem in the movies

The Earful Tower, the large water tower with Mickey Mouse ears at Disney's Hollywood Studios isn't really a water tower. It was built to serve only as a landmark for the Disney-MGM Studios (as it was called with it opened in 1989). In fact, it's never held any water. It does, however, sport a Santa hat at Christmas.... size 342 3/8!

10 Things You Never Knew About Walt Disney World

John Lennon officially ended the Beatles at Walt Disney World

It was December 29, 1974 and John Lennon was vacationing at Walt Disney World when the paperwork he needed to sign to officially end the Beatles arrived at his room at the Polynesian Resort
hotel. The other three members of the group had already signed the paperwork in New York, so when John signed it in his hotel room at The Polynesian Resort the Beatles officially came to an end.


Walt Disney World wasn't the original name

Walt Disney wanted more than a Disneyland in terms of size. For his Florida theme park he wanted and entire "world" so he named the 43 square mile development "Disney World." Early preview information refers to the site as "Disney World" but Walt's brother Roy changed the name to "Walt Disney World" after his brother's passing and on opening day in 1971 said "Walt Disney World is in memory of the man who started it all, so people will know his name as long as Walt Disney World is here."


The Magic Kingdom is build one story above the ground

Disneyland opened in 1955, 16 years before Walt Disney World opened in 1971. In those years, there Walt Disney saw things he thought took away from the fantasy he wanted to create for park visitors. He didn't like seeing people in space suits heading for work in Tomorrowland by walking down Main Street USA, nor did he like seeing bags of trash being dragged across the park midday. His solution was to build service tunnels under his new Magic Kingdom to provide access to all areas of the park for employees, trash removal, and restocking of food and merchandise. The only problem was that if you dig just a few feet under the surface in Florida you hit water. The solution was to build the service tunnels on the ground level and build the park on top of the service tunnels; one story above ground.



Mickey Mouse is hidden everywhere

Sure, you know you can meet Mickey Mouse in person at Walt Disney World, but did you know his likeness his hidden all around, too? In everything they build, Disney's Imagineers place "hidden Mickeys" in their work. All over Walt Disney World there are thousands of hidden Mickeys. It can be a lot of fun trying to find them. For example, in many of the fountains, some of the coins you see in the water are actually permanent and arranged in the shape Mickey Mouse. And here's one hidden Mickey to get you started on your search for more... In the Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom, look closely at the dinner party scene. On the table, one of the place settings is arranged to look like Mickey Mouse.



Did you miss the 1964 World's Fair? No worries, it's alive and well at Walt Disney World (sort of)

Walt Disney designed two attraction for the 1964 World's Fair in New York; It's a Small World and the Carousel of Progress. When the World's Fair ended, Walt moved these two enormously popular attractions to Disneyland where they basically remained they same as they did at the World's Fair. In 1973, the Carousel of Progress was moved to Walt Disney World and, expect for the show's final scene, which depicts the future, the attraction remains as it did when it played at the World's Fair in 1964.


Giving credit where credit is due

As you walk down Main Street USA, you'll notice name of the "proprietors" of the businesses on Main Street on the windows above the stores. The names, actually, are the names of people who helped build Walt Disney World or who were important to the resort. The last name on the street, above the ice cream parlor and facing Cinderella Castle is Walt Disney's.


Need a drink after enduring "It's a Small World?" Sorry, you're out of luck

Walt Disney wanted the Magic Kingdom to be a family park and to ensure that he banned alcohol from being served at the Magic Kingdom. Sure, you can buy beer and wine at Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, or Disney's Animal Kingdom, but not at the Magic Kingdom. There was one exception made during the grand opening party in 1971 in which Champaign was served to guests and dignitaries.



Epcot is the Center of Walt Disney World... Just 300 feet off

At least, the center of Walt Disney World is marked in Epcot, sort of. In the plaza between Innoventions East and West there is a design of interconnecting circles that was to represent the center of Walt Disney World. The problem, it's 300 feet off!

The story is that during the design of Epcot, the marker of the physical center of Walt Disney World was to be the true center but all of Epcot was built 300 feet from the where it originally was to be built to protect the habitat of endangered woodpeckers.


There's a private landing strips for airplanes at Walt Disney World

Although not in use, you can still see the private runway next to the Magic Kingdom's parking lot. The runway was originally used for company executives who were flying back and forth between California to Walt Disney World. In fact, you can still see Walt Disney's private plane that was used for these flights on display at Disney's Hollywood Studios.


Need a job? Head to Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World is huge. In size alone, it's 43 square miles, or large enough to place Manhattan twice within its boarders and still have room left over. It also means that there are a lot of people working at Walt Disney World. Walt Disney World is the largest single site employer in the United States with around 55,000

7 Things that Every Walt Disney World Vacation Must Include

I know, it's not 10 items, but sometimes I like to do 7 things, too! Here are seven things that every Walt Disney World vacation must include.

If you're planning on visiting Walt Disney World it can be a little overwhelming deciding when to go, where to stay, and what to do while in Orlando. Hhere I list seven things that you'll not want to miss as you visit Mickey Mouse and his friends at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Expedition Everest (Disney's Animal Kingdom) - Enjoy a scenic train trek to the top of Mount Everest, that is at lest until the infamous Yeti changes the plan. As your train emerges from a cave, riders catch a glimpse of the Yeti's shadow and notice the train track ahead is ripped into two. Unable to proceed, the train starts going backward, downhill into a dark cave and speeds over and around Mount Everest to escape the Yeti.

Space Mountain (Magic Kingdom) - This classic Disney ride takes space travelers on a high-speed, indoor rollercoaster ride through space. As you're rocket is set to "launch," you travel past mission control on your way to the launching pad (and, being this is an attraction built in the 70's, the mission control mannequins are dressed in the finest polyester space crew uniforms of the day). Once at the top, your rocket begins its travels through space as it twists and turns and encounters a few, albeit small, drops along the way.

Wishes (Magic Kingdom) - Exploding above the skies of the Magic Kingdom, Wishes tells the story of the power of dreams through fireworks. Jiminy Cricket and the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio narrate this breathtaking display of dreams in the sky.

Sorin' (Epcot) - Based on the popular attraction at Disney's California Adventure, "Sorin' over California," this flight simulator takes thrill seekers on a hang glider ride over California. Flying high over the major cities, the Napa valley, the coast, orange groves (complete with orange grove smell), and eventually Disneyland, riders have the sensation of flying as the movie screen surrounds the hang glider that is suspended in mid air.

Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade (Magic Kingdom) - This lively parade is presented daily at 3pm in the Magic Kingdom. All of your favorite Disney characters dance and sing along the parade route from Frontierland to Main Street USA as they celebrate you.

Fantasmic! (Disney's Hollywood Studios) - Mickey Mouse's dreams quickly turn in to a nightmare as the forces of good and evil battle for control of Mickey's dreams in the spectacular show at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Presented in the Hollywood Hills Theater, the memorizing show features all of your Disney friends, fireworks, music, floating stages, and patented water screen technology on which clips from classic Disney movies are shown.

It's a Small World (Magic Kingdom) Finally, no trip to Walt Disney World would be complete without a trip on the "the happiest cruise that ever sailed the seven seas." It's a Small World is a classic Disney attraction. Guests board boats and set sail on an around the world adventure. Along the way, different continents and countries are represented by singing dolls all singing along to the infectious "It's a small world after all" song. The cruise ends with a spectacular finale in which dolls from all around the world join together to celebrate friendship and peace.

Top 10 Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

The Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando is known the world over as the home of The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom. Visitors from all over the world come to Disney World to visit Mickey Mouse and his pals at these theme parks.

One of the biggest challenges for a potential visitor is deciding where to stay. While there are hundreds of hotels in the immediate vicinity of Walt Disney World, there 32 actually located in Walt Disney World; with 23 of those actually owned by the Walt Disney Company. While staying in Walt Disney World is exciting, it does not necessarily mean you'll be staying on the doorsteps of one of the four theme parks. After all, Walt Disney World is over 34 square miles in size. However, all of the Walt Disney World Hotels are connected to all of the Walt Disney World theme parks by monorail, boat, and/or bus (and all these modes of transportation are free for guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel).

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is inspired by the grand Victorian resorts of Florida in the late 1800s. The resort, with direct monorail connections to the Magic Kingdom, is located on the Seven Seas lagoon and offers guests white sand beaches, a marina, and two swimming pools. Additionally, as the names implies, the hotel is home to a world-class spa.

Disney's Contemporary Resort

A very distinct landmark at Walt Disney World, Disney's Contemporary Resort is an A-frame hotel in which the Walt Disney World's monorail system glide through the hotel. Situated on both the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake, this resort is prefect for those who want to be in the middle of it all. The hotel is just outside the Magic Kingdom's main gate, and because of that, offers resort guests a spectacular view of the nightly fireworks from the Magic Kingdom (and the music that accompanies the fireworks is even simulcast in the hotel's California Grill restaurant on the 15th floor).

Disney's Polynesian Resort

Situated on the Seven Seas Lagoon and on the Magic Kingdom monorail line, the resort invokes the lush landscaping and hospitality of the Polynesian islands. From the main Ceremonial house to the longhouses in which guests stay, Disney's Polynesian Resort feels like a South Seas hideaway; right in the middle of Walt Disney World.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

This African themed resort sits, aptly enough, near Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park. One of the things that make this report special is that some of the guest rooms overlook a savanna full of animals. Where else at Walt Disney World can you wake up and look out over a vast savanna and see, among other animals, giraffes looking back at you.

Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Modeled after Yellowstone National Park's Old Faithful Inn, Disney's Wilderness Lodge evokes the spirit of the American Pacific Northwest. The hotel features rustic and Native American style all presented in a deluxe resort. The resort is located near Disney's Fort Wilderness (hence the name) and offers easy boat transportation to the Magic Kingdom.

Disney's BoardWalk Resort

Disney's BoardWalk Resort was inspired by the grand boardwalks from the heydays of Coney Island and Atlantic City. The resort features a boardwalk with restaurants, shops, and clubs all set on Cresent Lake. It is located between Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios and both theme parks can be reached by walking or by boat.

Disney's Beach Club Resort

You'll feel like you're spending the summer in Newport during the turn of the century at Disney's Beach Club Resort. It's lush white sand beaches and Stormalong Bay, the resorts pool complex featuring a replica of a shipwreck, all add to what makes this resort one of Walt Disney Worlds top 10.

Disney's Yacht Club Resort

Reminiscent of New England's yacht clubs of a bygone ear, Disney's Yacht Club Resort is located on Crescent Lake next to Disney's Beach Club Resort (both hotels are often referred to together as the Yacht and Beach Club Resorts). This resort shares guest amenities with Disney's Beach Club Resort, including Stormalong Bay.

Walt Disney World Dolphin

Designer Michael Graves imagined this hotel together with its sister hotel, the Walt Disney World Swan. While located on Disney property, the hotel is operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Guests of this luxury resort enjoy all the privileges of a guest staying at a Disney owned resort, including on-property transportation.


Walt Disney World Swan

Like the Walt Disney World Dolphin, this resort was designed by Michael Graves and, while located within the Walt Disney World Resort, is operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts. The 12 story resort is themed after swans in the same manner that the Walt Disney World Dolphin is themed after dolphins.

Planning Your Summer Vacation at Walt Disney World

So it's not a top 10 list, but here I offer some great tips for a trip to Walt Disney World in this article I wrote for another website.

School is almost out for the summer and it’s time to plan your family’s summer vacation at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. After all, is there a better place to spend time with your family that at Disney? In my opinion, not really; however, if you’re going to visit in the summer, be prepared for hot weather, large crowds, and higher than the rest of the year hotel rates.

Sure, there are downsides to visiting in the summer, but there are upsides, too. For one, the four theme parks at Walt Disney World are open later (sometimes until midnight or 1am!). And, because there are more people in the parks, the entertainment in each park such as parades and shows are presented more often (for example, in the Magic Kingdom, the nighttime parade, SpectoMagic, is presented twice nightly during peak periods but isn’t even presented once during times of slow attendance).

Here are some tips to help you plan your summer vacation to Walt Disney World and get the most out of your vacation. (Also, be sure to check out the tips from an article I wrote, 7 Tips for Saving Money on a Walt Disney World Vacation. These money saving tips apply all year – after all, nothing beats saving some money, especially in this economy! http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/623005/7_tips_for_saving_money_on_a_walt_disney.html).

Be Prepared for the Weather

The average high temperature for the summer months in Orlando (June, July, and August) is 91 degrees with the average low temperatures in the mid 70s. And, most summer afternoons in Orlando there are rainstorms. The rain usually lasts only an hour or so, but it can be severe with thunder and lightning.

Be sure you pack light, airy clothes to wear while in the theme parks. While many of the queue areas for the attractions are indoors or undercover, you will find yourself queuing outside, often in direct sunlight. And in the Magic Kingdom, the daily parade is presented at 3pm; a time when the sun in most intense. Because you won’t want to miss the parade, be sure you wear lots of sunscreen (actually, it’s a good idea to apply sunscreen several times daily regardless if you’re in direct sunlight or not – the Florida sun can be intense and nothing ruins a vacation faster than a bad sunburn!).

When it comes to the rain, the best thing to do is to duck into a restaurant for a meal or an indoor show and enjoy yourself as it passes by. Also, don’t wait until you’re in the theme parks to buy rain ponchos. Sure, the ones they sell in the theme parks have a cute Mickey Mouse on the back, but they’ll set you back about $10 each. The better option is to buy yours before visiting from a store like Wal-Mart where cheap disposable rain ponchos will cost around a dollar. Also, rain ponchos are a great way to stay dry (mostly) on those water rides like Splash Mountain or, if you’re visiting Sea World and want to sit in Shamu’s splash zone during the, Shamu show!


Take Advantage of the Water Parks and your Hotel’s Pool

One of the best reasons to stay at a Walt Disney World hotel (and there are many reasons to do so), is that when it’s the hottest during the midday, you can just hop on a monorail or boat from the theme parks and spend some time in the hotel’s pool – all of which are only a few minutes from the parks. Spend some time cooling off and avoiding the crowds (and midday tends to be the busiest at the parks, too). When it starts to cool off, and the crowds start to thin out, head back to the theme park cooled off and refreshed!

Also, there are two water parks within the Walt Disney World resort; Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Blizzard Beach. Both water parks charge admission and are open to anyone regardless if you’re staying at a Walt Disney World hotel or not. Many of the ticket packages you buy for admission to the four Disney theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom) include admission to the two water parks. These places are a great place to spend the day, or just a few hours cooling off. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon (my favorite) is a tropical oasis will sand beaches, palm trees, both tame and wild water slides, and a lazy river that circles the whole park. Disney’s Blizzard Beach is Disney’s version of a ski resort “thawed out” (including a ski jump turned slide!) Most of the other attractions in this water park are similar to those at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon.


Drink Lots of Water

This may sound like a no brainer, but when you’re surrounded by fizzy soda at every turn, it’s easy to forget. It’s hot and your body will be working overtime to stay cool and hydrated. There are water fountains throughout the parks and they sell bottled water, too, at most food locations. The bottled water they sell is pricy, especially since you’ll need to drink several daily. The best thing to do is bring a large bottle of water with you each day (and buy your water from a store and don’t be tempted to take the one that hotels leave in your room; it’s convenient but at several dollars per bottle added to your hotel bill it’s not worth it). When the bottle of water your bring with you to the parks is empty, refill it at one of the water fountains in the parks (don’t worry, either, the water from the water fountains is filtered and just a good as bottled water - after all, do you think Disney would serve bad water and risk someone complaining about the water from the fountains?!).

Above all, have fun. Walt Disney World is a great place to spend time with your family and make memories that will last a lifetime.

10 Must Sees at Walt Disney World

There’s so much to see and do at Walt Disney World near Orlando that it can be overwhelming. There are hundreds or rides, attractions, and shows between all of the four theme parks. Regardless if you’re visiting The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Here are my top 10 things to see and do at the Walt Disney World Resort listed in no particular order.

Disney Dreams Come True Parade (Magic Kingdom) - This lively parade is presented daily at 3pm in the Magic Kingdom. All of your favorite Disney characters dance and sing along the parade route from Frontierland to Main Street USA.

Sorin' (Epcot) - Based on the popular attraction at Disney's California Adventure, "Sorin' over California," this flight simulator takes thrill seekers on a hang glider ride over California. Flying high over the major cities, the Napa valley, the coast, orange groves (complete with orange grove smell), and eventually Disneyland, riders have the sensation of flying as the movie screen surrounds the hang glider that is suspended in mid air.

Mission Space (Epcot) - Feel the sensation of blast off with the same technology that NASA uses to prepare their astronauts for flight. In the space vehicle, each person on the four person flight crew is assigned a task to make the mission successful. As your space craft "launches" into space, you feel the G forces push you back as your window to space shows your progress as you race toward the heavens.

Expedition Everest (Disney’s Animal Kingdom) Enjoy a scenic train trek to the top of Mount Everest, that is at lest until the infamous Yeti changes the plan. As your train emerges from a cave, riders catch a glimpse of the Yeti's shadow and notice the train track ahead is ripped into two. Unable to proceed, the train starts going backwards, downhill into a dark cave and speeds over and around Mount Everest to escape the Yeti.

Illuminations: Reflections of Earth (Epoct) - Each evening the World Showcase at Epcot comes alive with music, fireworks, water fountains, and lasers as the night-time spectacular Illuminations is presented on and above the World Showcase lagoon.

Rock 'N' Roller Coaster (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) - Aerosmith invite riders to be VIP's at their concert. The only problem is that the show beings in just a few minutes. Riders get into a stretch limo and it shoots of from 0 - 57 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds. From there, it's a super-fast journey through the freeways of LA to get to the show on time. Along with plenty of ups, downs, and loops, riders rock out to an awesome speaker system in each "limo" playing some of Aerosmith's greatest hits.

Cirque Du Soleil's La Nuba (Downtown Disney) - While not a "Disney" show, it is at Walt Disney World at Downtown Disney entertainment area, La Nuba is Cirque Du Soleil's permanent show at the purpose built theater in Downtown Disney. If you've seen any of Cirque's other productions, then you know what you're in for; a 90 minutes of beautiful, artistic performance that will take your breath away.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (Disney’s Hollywood Studio) - Find yourself in an episode of the classic TV show "The Twilight Zone." From the moment you step in to the deserted Hollywood hotel, you know something's not right. From the hotel's boiler room, riders are whisked in to a service elevator for a journey to the top of the hotel... 13 stories up. Along the way, the elevator stops on different floors to reveal scenes straight out of the Twilight Zone. Then, without warning, the elevator plunges 13 stories straight down.

Fantasmic! (Disney's Hollywood Studios) - Mickey Mouse's dreams quickly turn in to a nightmare as the forces of good and evil battle for control of Mickey's dreams in the spectacular show at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Presented in the Hollywood Hills Theater, the memorizing show features all of your Disney friends, fireworks, music, floating stages, and patented water screen technology on which clips from classic Disney movies are shown.

Wishes (Magic Kingdom) - Exploding above the skies of the Magic Kingdom, Wishes tells the story of the power of dreams through fireworks. Jiminy Cricket and the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio narrate this breathtaking display of dreams in the sky.

Top 10 Disney’s Hollywood Studio Attractions

Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened in 1989 as the Disney-MGM Studios. When it first opened, it was a real production studio where many TV shows such as the New Mickey Mouse Club (the one with Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and more) and Star Search were filmed. There was even a real animation studio where some of the Disney Classics such as Mulan where made.

Over time, however, most production stopped, and the focus shifted to make the studios more of a theme park and less as a center of production. Because of that decision, many of the great attractions from the early days that revolved around being in an actual studio have disappeared.
Here I list my 10 favorite attractions from Disney’s Hollywood Studio (or some existed when it was called Disney-MGM studios), regardless if they still are in operation or not.

The Backstage Tour – When the studios first opened, the backstage tour was completely different than it is now. The total tour was around two hours and began with a tram ride. While the tram portion still exists (albeit in a much changed format), the original tour also included a walking portion that took you through the sound stages to see actual productions. There was also a great movie starring Bette Midler called The Lottery that explained the film making process.

The Art of Disney Animation – When there was still a working animation studio within the Disney-MGM Studios, the walk through tour of the facilities included a chance to see real animators at work creating future releases. The tour began with a charming film staring Robin Williams as one of Peter Pan’s lost boys. After the film, which explained the animation process, visitors would then “follow” Robin’s character on overhead monitors thought the animation studio seeing artists bringing Disney magic to life.

Star Tours – Climbing aboard a star speeder, visitors blast off into space on an intergalactic adventure. Star Tours is a great ride, and has a wonderful preshow area showing C3PO and R2-D2 as they prepare for the voyage. The problem is the pilot of the star speeder is a newbie and it turns into a rocky ride!

Twilight Zone Tower of Terror - This attraction at the end of Sunset Boulevard takes place in a deserted, and haunted, hotel. Visitors begin by entering the hotel and proceeding to the basement. From there, they board a service elevator and journey up – thirteen stories up. From there it’s a nightmarish is 13 story plunge to the bottom. This ride is not for the faint of heart.

Rock 'N' Roller Coaster - Aerosmith invite riders to be VIP's at their concert. The only problem is that the show beings in just a few minutes. Riders get into a stretch limo and it shoots of from 0 - 57 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds. From there, it's a super-fast journey through the freeways of LA to get to the show on time. Along with plenty of ups, downs, and loops, riders rock out to an awesome speaker system in each "limo" playing some of Aerosmith's greatest hits.

Fantasmic! - Mickey Mouse's dreams quickly turn in to a nightmare as the forces of good and evil battle for control of Mickey's dreams in the spectacular show at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Presented in the Hollywood Hills Theater, the memorizing show features all of your Disney friends, fireworks, music, floating stages, and patented water screen technology on which clips from classic Disney movies are shown.

Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show – A relatively new addition to the studios, this action-packed stunt show was imported from the Disney Studios in the Disneyland Paris resort. The outdoor spectacular shows many of the tricks used to create chase scenes from your favorite movies. This is a fantastic addition to Disney’s Hollywood Studios (although they had to raze the “residential street” which used to be part of the backstage tram tour and included such gems as the Golden Girls house to make room for this attraction.

The Great Movie Ride – One of the original opening day attractions, the Great Movie Ride is mild compared to many other offerings. That said, this ride which is housed in an exact replica of Mann’s Chinese Theater, takes riders on a voyage through scenes from some of Hollywood’s greatest movies. From following the yellow brick road to Oz, to soaring above the rooftops of London with Mary Poppins, this ride is sure to bring back many memories of your favorite movie classics.

Toy Story Mania – The newest attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Toy Story Mania invites guests into the wacky world of Toy Story. In this interactive ride, riders wear 3D glasses and their ride vehicle is equipped with guns so riders can play carnival style games as they progress through the ride. Games such as Woody's Rootin' Tootin' Shootin' Gallery and Pie Throw Practice Booth allow riders to accumulate points throughout the ride.

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular – This is another attraction that’s been around since opening day and is still “wow-ing” guests. In this live action stunt show, guests see how stunts are done and a few lucky guests are cast in a role in this show. Indiana Jones stars are he fights off the bad guys to save the day (and win the girl, of course