Fun Facts About Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Originally designed to be a "half day" Park, Disney's Hollywood Studios has had its bumps and bruises since it's start in the mid 1980s, but that doesn't mean that fans don't still love it. The 135-acre park is currently undergoing yet another transformation with the highly anticipated additions of Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land under construction. We thought it was about time to share some fun facts about Disney's Hollywood Studios. That way next time you're strolling up Hollywood Boulevard with your crew you can sound like a smarty-pants.


Fun Facts About Disney's Hollywood Studios


The Park originally opened in 1989 as Disney - MGM Studios, but later it became Disney's Hollywood Studios on January 7th 2008. Did you know, that the Walt Disney Company is considering changing the name of this Park again? Yes, yet another name change may be coming once Star Wars and Toy Story Land near completion.

Located in a replica of the famous Grauman's Chinese Theater, The Great Movie Ride was first suggested as an additional pavilion for Epcot's Future World. When Universal announced it would be building a theme park in Florida, Disney CEO Michael Eisner ordered Imagineers to expend the concept into a full park.

The Hollywood Brown Derby serves up signature dishes from the original restaurant in Los Angeles that was the place to see and be seen for the classic Hollywood glamor crowd. The original Brown Derby is home to two world-famous recipes that Disney recreates in its versions of the restaurant, the traditional Cobb Salad and the delicious Grapefruit Cake.


Right This Way to The Great Movie Ride


Hidden in the mural on the left hand side of the Great Movie Ride's loading area you'll find a rare Hidden Minnie. Tucked in a cluster of trees near the Hollywood sign she's in silhouette and is most easy to spot if you just look for her bow.

That iconic giant rolling ball that cases our hero in the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. Yea - you know the one - it weights a whopping 440 pounds! I sure hope Indy doesn't trip and fall.

The cast members performing in Fantasmic! need to be careful too because the lagoon is a no diving zone. In fact, the water moat around the island stage is only just 1.5 feet deep! Nonetheless, it still holds 1.9 million gallons of water.

The very popular Rock 'n' Roller Coaster was originally built outside; Disney then constructed the enormous ride building around it. When the ride takes off, it really takes off, going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror stands at 199 feet high. The reason that it was capped there is because if it were just one foot taller, the Federal Aviation Authority would require the building to have a flashing red light on the top.


Take a ride on the wild side on Rock 'n' Roller Coaster


The entrance to Pixar Place is a replica of the gateway at company's studios in Emeryville, California. Disney and PIXAR took every effort to make it feel like "home" from the matching bricks used in the area to Luxo Jr. watching over it all.

After guests are settled into ride vehicles on Toy Story Mania, guests momentarily pause in the loading area beneath a large game. On the board game box they will see a larger than life barcode. The numbers of that code actually represent the date the official announcement for Toy Story Mania was made, December 15, 2006.

Toy Story Land will offer a brand new roller coaster called the 'Slinky Dog Dash, and 'Alien Swirling Saucers' that must evade 'The Claw.' The Toy Story Mania expansion has already opened a third track on the ride, which has dramatically dropped wait times.


Toy Story Land Coming To Disney's Hollywood Studios


Star Tours: The Adventures Continue offers guests 54 potential different ride experiences that are created by combining several set scenes in combination. If you wanted to see every possible combination would take almost 4 hours of continuous riding, assuming you didn't repeat any.

New rides coming in the Star Wars Land expansion will put visitors right in the middle of a battle between the Resistance and the First Order, they'll be able to pilot the Millennium Falcon and dine at an alien supper club.

Do you love Disney's Hollywood Studios? Leave a comment below and share your favorite fact about this great Disney Park.