Difference between revisions of "Disney's Hollywood Studios"
(→History) |
|||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
| − | === | + | ===Conception=== |
| + | |||
| + | Like most things in Walt Disney World, Disney's Hollywood Studios can trace it's origins back to Walt Disney himself. In the 1960s, Walt wanted to build a theme park that would show guests the movie making process. At the time Universal Studios had a popular backstage tram tour and Walt wanted to do something similar on the back lot Disney Studious. Due to land coasts and potential traffic problems this idea never came to fruition. Although the Disney Studios back lot tour was never built, the idea would resurface later. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The genies for a theme park based on movie making really begins in the mid 1980s. Imageneer's led by Marty Skylar and Randy Bright were given the task of creating two new pavilions for [[Future World]] in [[Epcot]]. One of the pavilions they created was to be called the Great Movie Ride pavilion. The attraction would have taken guests through various movies and was very similar to the attraction that would eventually open at Disney's MGM Studious. Michael Eisner, then the CEO of the Disney Company decided that the idea for the pavilion was strong enough to warrant it's on theme park and told his Imageneers to begin working on it. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Another factor that played a crucial role in the creation of Disney's MGM Studios,was that Universal Studios was planning on building an East Coast theme park. In 1982 Universal began to plan its new park which would also be located in Orlando. Universal was looking for a partner in the venture and approached Michael Eisner who was then the head of Paramount Studios. Eisner declined the proposal and the plans for a Universal East were tabled. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | |||
Disney's Hollywood Studios began with Michael Eisner, who became CEO of the Disney Company in 1984. Prior to his tenure with Disney, Eisner had been Senior Vice President at Paramount. It was there Eisner learned MCA, Universal Studios's parent company, was looking for a partner for a Florida Universal Studios theme park. When he became CEO of Disney, Eisner began planning a Disney park based on film. However, it was not until Universal made an official announcement of their park that Eisner began serious work on his. In 1985 Disney signed a deal with MGM that allowed them to use MGM's name and logo in their park for a relatively modest fee. Disney was able to open their park, now called Disney's MGM Studios, a full year before Universal opened theirs. However, while fans were generally positive about the park they also considered it to be incomplete. At opening, the park had four rides - [[The Great Movie Ride]], [[Magic of Disney Animation]], [[The Backlot Tour]], and [[The Monster Sound Show]]. The park did expand in its first years, including it's first firework show, "Sorcery in the Sky." The most significant addition was in 1994, when Sunset Boulevard opened along with the [[Twilight Zone Tour of Terror]]. | Disney's Hollywood Studios began with Michael Eisner, who became CEO of the Disney Company in 1984. Prior to his tenure with Disney, Eisner had been Senior Vice President at Paramount. It was there Eisner learned MCA, Universal Studios's parent company, was looking for a partner for a Florida Universal Studios theme park. When he became CEO of Disney, Eisner began planning a Disney park based on film. However, it was not until Universal made an official announcement of their park that Eisner began serious work on his. In 1985 Disney signed a deal with MGM that allowed them to use MGM's name and logo in their park for a relatively modest fee. Disney was able to open their park, now called Disney's MGM Studios, a full year before Universal opened theirs. However, while fans were generally positive about the park they also considered it to be incomplete. At opening, the park had four rides - [[The Great Movie Ride]], [[Magic of Disney Animation]], [[The Backlot Tour]], and [[The Monster Sound Show]]. The park did expand in its first years, including it's first firework show, "Sorcery in the Sky." The most significant addition was in 1994, when Sunset Boulevard opened along with the [[Twilight Zone Tour of Terror]]. | ||
Revision as of 14:11, 4 January 2012
Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney's MGM Studios) is a theme park located in Walt Disney World.
History
Conception
Like most things in Walt Disney World, Disney's Hollywood Studios can trace it's origins back to Walt Disney himself. In the 1960s, Walt wanted to build a theme park that would show guests the movie making process. At the time Universal Studios had a popular backstage tram tour and Walt wanted to do something similar on the back lot Disney Studious. Due to land coasts and potential traffic problems this idea never came to fruition. Although the Disney Studios back lot tour was never built, the idea would resurface later.
The genies for a theme park based on movie making really begins in the mid 1980s. Imageneer's led by Marty Skylar and Randy Bright were given the task of creating two new pavilions for Future World in Epcot. One of the pavilions they created was to be called the Great Movie Ride pavilion. The attraction would have taken guests through various movies and was very similar to the attraction that would eventually open at Disney's MGM Studious. Michael Eisner, then the CEO of the Disney Company decided that the idea for the pavilion was strong enough to warrant it's on theme park and told his Imageneers to begin working on it.
Another factor that played a crucial role in the creation of Disney's MGM Studios,was that Universal Studios was planning on building an East Coast theme park. In 1982 Universal began to plan its new park which would also be located in Orlando. Universal was looking for a partner in the venture and approached Michael Eisner who was then the head of Paramount Studios. Eisner declined the proposal and the plans for a Universal East were tabled.
Disney's Hollywood Studios began with Michael Eisner, who became CEO of the Disney Company in 1984. Prior to his tenure with Disney, Eisner had been Senior Vice President at Paramount. It was there Eisner learned MCA, Universal Studios's parent company, was looking for a partner for a Florida Universal Studios theme park. When he became CEO of Disney, Eisner began planning a Disney park based on film. However, it was not until Universal made an official announcement of their park that Eisner began serious work on his. In 1985 Disney signed a deal with MGM that allowed them to use MGM's name and logo in their park for a relatively modest fee. Disney was able to open their park, now called Disney's MGM Studios, a full year before Universal opened theirs. However, while fans were generally positive about the park they also considered it to be incomplete. At opening, the park had four rides - The Great Movie Ride, Magic of Disney Animation, The Backlot Tour, and The Monster Sound Show. The park did expand in its first years, including it's first firework show, "Sorcery in the Sky." The most significant addition was in 1994, when Sunset Boulevard opened along with the Twilight Zone Tour of Terror.
Change of Name
The new name reflects how the park has grown from representing the golden age of movies to a celebration of the new entertainment that today’s Hollywood has to offer—in music, television, movies and theater,— Meg Crofton, President of Walt Disney World Resort
In 2007, Disney announced that it would be renaming the park to Disney's Hollywood Studios. The contract signed in 1985 between MGM and Disney expired in 2005, and Disney chose not to renew the contract. In 1985 the inclusion of MGM gave credibility to a Disney film theme park. Though Disney had some recent successes, such as The Fox and the Hound, they were not as strong of a film company as they had been in 1985. MGM, however, had been the studio most associated with the Golden Age of Animation. By 2005, however, Disney was major player in film, TV, and home video markets. In addition, Kirk Kerkorian, who was the owner of MGM in 1985, had always been unhappy with the deal and was still influential in the company until 2005. This may have affected the decision not to continue the partnership. It is who made the official decision not to renew the deal, or if both parties simply allowed it to expire, but by 2008 the park had been renamed to Disney's Hollywood Studios.
