Changes

What is today known as the Echo Lake area of Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened with the rest of the then Disney-MGM Studios on May 1, 1989<ref> http://www.thisdayindisneyhistory.com/Disney-MGMGrandOpening.html </ref>. On the first Disney-MGM Studios maps, the area was not called Echo Lake, but instead referred to as the Backlot Annex/Lakeside Circle (despite the fact that Echo Lake itself was present and called such on Disney-MGM’s opening day)<ref> http://www.florida-project.com/images/guidemaps/ds/disney-mgm-studios-guidebook-1989-mid-02.jpg </ref>. When the park debuted, Lakeside Circle was home to the Monster Sound Show and Superstar Television<ref name= "map2"> http://www.florida-project.com/images/guidemaps/ds/disney-mgm-studios-guidebook-1989-mid-06.jpg </ref>. On the Monster Sound Show attraction, guests were recruited to add sound effects to an "all-star haunted house mystery"<ref name= "monster"> http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id69.htm </ref>. Similarly, Superstar Television was another interactive attraction that had guests recreating some of televisions greatest moments<ref name=Superstar"> http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id68.htm </ref>. Also located in the land were the restaurants: Hollywood and Vine, The 50s Primetime Café, the Tune In Lounge, Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner, the Backlot Express, and Dinosaur Gertie’s Ice Cream of Extinction<ref name= "map2"/>.

On August 25, 1989, the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! debuted on the Backlot Annex<ref> https://d23.com/a-to-z/indiana-jones-epic-stunt-spectacular/ </ref>. This new attraction had originally been intended as an opening day attraction, however when the show was deemed unready, its official opening was delayed<ref name= "Martin"> http://www.martinsvids.net/?p=757 </ref>. Despite this, since the park opened guests had been able to visit the Stunt Spectacular, and look in on “live rehearsals”<ref> https://www.mouseplanet.com/11330/The_Premiere_of_DisneyMGM_Studios </ref>.

Later in 1989, on December 15, Star Tours made its debut in the Echo Lake section of the Disney-MGM Studios<ref> https://d23. com/a-to-z/star-tours/ </ref> Originally opening in Disneyland on January 9, 1987, Star Tours is a motion simulator attraction set in the world of George Lucas’ Star Wars franchise.

The next major change to Echo Lake came on December 16, 1990 when the Commissary restaurant opened<ref> https://d23.com/a-to-z/abc-commissary/ </ref>. Subsequently, on July 1, 1997, the Monster Sound Show closed<ref name= "monster"/>. The show was briefly replaced with the One Saturday Morning Sound Show from July 1, 1997 until February 20, 1999<ref name= "monster"/>. In this incarnation of the attraction, guests added sound effects to the Disney cartoon 101 Dalmatians: The Series. At this time the name of the theater was changed to the ABC Sound Studio. On April 22, 1999, the One Saturday Morning Sound Show made way for a new attraction- Sounds Dangerous with Starring Drew Carey<ref> https://d23.com/a-to-z/abc-sound-studio-sounds-dangerous/ </ref>. This new attraction took place almost entirely in the dark, as guests followed the adventures of undercover detective Drew Carey. Like the Monster Sound Show, by the late 1990s, Superstar Television was also seeing a decline in popularity. On September 26, 1998, the attraction closed to make way for a new show titled Doug Live! Based on the ABC cartoon, Doug Live ran until May 12, 2001. The short lived Get Happy with ABC then opened on July 1, 2001. More or less a 25 minute advertisement for ABC’s 2003 TV lineup, Get Happy with ABC closed October 5, 2001.

The next addition to Echo Lake came in 2007 in Like the from a permanent home for Monster Sound Show, by the Jedi Training Academy. Originally late 1990s, Superstar Television was also seeing a part of Star Wars Weekendsdecline in popularity. On September 26, 1998, the Jedi Training Academy is attraction closed to make way for a live new show that allows young guests to discover their inner Jedititled Doug Live! <Ref> http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id68.htm </ref>. Based on the ABC cartoon, Doug Live ran until May 12, 2001 <ref> http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id176.htm </ref>. The short lived Get Happy with ABC then opened on July 1, 2001. More or less a 25 minute advertisement for ABC’s 2003 TV lineup, Get Happy with ABC closed October 5, 2001 <ref> http://allears.net/tp/mgm/m_happy.htm </ref>.

The next addition to Echo Lake came in 2007, in the from a permanent home for the Jedi Training Academy <ref> http://allears.net/tp/mgm/jedi_mgm.htm </ref>. Originally a part of Star Wars Weekends, the Jedi Training Academy is a live show that allows young guests to discover their inner Jedi.  Following the closure of Get Happy with ABC, the Superstar Television Theater that housed the attraction remained mostly closed (except for occasional special event use) until The American Idol Experience opened on February 14, 2009<ref> https://d23.com/a-to-z/american-idol-experience-the/ </ref>. Based on the popular television singing completion, The American Idol Experience allowed guests to audition, perform and watch the show. The American Idol Experiences ceased operations on August 30, 2014 <ref> http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-blog/os-disney-american-idol-experience-closing-20140815-post.html </ref> in order to make way for “For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration”, a musical stage show based on the 2013 Disney film “Frozen”. Following the removal of The American Idol Experience, the ABC Sound Studio was rechristened the Hyperion Theater<ref> http://thedisneyblog.com/2015/06/17/hyperion-theater-debuts-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/ </ref>.