I know you’ve heard this one before, but it seems like the Studio Backlot Tour at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is finally closing. A few days ago we told you that once Soundstage 1 at the park moves Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post and Frozen Funland out, work is set to begin on a third track for Toy Story Midway Mania inside of that building. Well, now it seems like the area surrounding Soundstage 1 will be used for the rest of a large-scale PIXAR Place expansion.
Likely coming to the park are some of the small, flat-rides developed for Toy Story Playland at Disneyland Resort Paris and Toy Story Land at Hong Kong Disneyland including RC Racer, Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin, and the Toy Soldier Parachute Drop. The attractions possibly on the chopping block take up much more room than these small rides would, so chances are the remaining space would be used for Cars or Monsters Inc. attractions.
Operating hours calendars released to cast members currently have only a few days of October hours for many of the offerings in that area, including the Monsters Inc. meet and greet, the Studio Backlot Tour, the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure, the Coke Bottle food stand, Studio Catering Company, and High Octane Refreshments next door. All of these attractions have no dates posted past October 11th. So, in short, all of these offerings might be closing on October 11th, one week after the closure of Maelstrom at Epcot. All other attraction operating hours are listed through January, so you can see why it’s awfully suspicious that all of these items in one area are not listed after a date in mid-October.
These operating hours combined with rumblings among Disney employees all seem to point at a PIXAR Place expansion, but nothing is set in stone quite yet and some of this post is pure speculation based on what we have heard so far. We will certainly keep you posted as more develops in this story, but it truly seems like after 25 years that we will see the end of the Studio Backlot Tour.
What do you think? Are you excited for these possible changes?
They should look to put in Crushers Coaster like the studios park in Paris. Would be a fast loading & high capacity attraction that Hollywood Studios is crying out for
That’s such a low capacity ride.. If they want to build a ride like that, they should add more capacity!
It’s a constant loader, albeit with only 4 people per car. Would still be a benefit to the park, should imaginears be able to increase capacity
it’s one of the lowest loading rides on Disney…
I work at Disneyland Paris and the ride is a mess because of its terrible capacity. It’s also not Disney world quality inside.
Not like that small coaster in Dino Land at DAK is any better
Sad to see Holly Wood Studios And Epcot being developed as a “Kiddie Land”.
Mr.Disney wanted the parks to be for family, and children are part of families!
But so are teenagers and if Disney thinks they are catering to the “family” by going for just the children. They are just diging a hole. I Get Magic Kingdom being the kid orented park it is, also how much family friendly animal kingdom is. but lets face it Epcot and Hollwood Studios where just never designed for the part.
as a matter of fact, one of the wonders of disney is to bring the kid in us out, so it actually (and i know it will) be fun to be able to be silly and enjoy all these attractions, not all needs to be “all adult to have fun”
Toy Story Mania has tons of adults without kids and teenagers who LOVE that ride so it is not a kiddie land! You have Tower of Terror, Rock and Roller Coaster and plenty of other rides for adults and teenagers only. And I am not a parent of young kids. Usually its just me and my husband who go to Disneyworld.
I bet 10$ teenagers will still go on the rides.
I think it’s sad, too. I see lots of ‘midway’ kiddie-type rides being developed and put there in place of rides that used to be interesting for people over 25. Kinda boring for older family members.
DHS has 2 rides without a heights requirement. Great movie ride is dated and often too scary for small children and Toy Story Midway Mania is difficult to get a fastpass for and always has a very long standby line. Disney parks have always been intended to be a place “where children and adults can have fun together.” Backlot tour is not a big loss for any demographic. The park will still have Tower of Terror, Rockin Rollercoaster, and Star Tours for the thrill seeking demographic. It would be nice to have a few ride options for those under 40″ so that the park can be more fun for everyone.
Whilst I agree that Hollywood Studios will be a million miles from what MGM was. It’s crying out for attractions & redevelopment. The backlot tour has been a shadow of its former self for years since the working studios were closed. A toy story playground with smaller rides isn’t solution but as part of a larger Pixar place redevelopment along with Star Wars expansion, it’s a good start. I think Indy Stunt show will be next in line, long past it’s best before date now
Indy is scheduled to close in a few month along with American idol experience. It’s part of the Starwars expansion.
Change is always hard to deal with but we often look back and feel that most change is for the best. HS is in need of a refresh. The backlot tour hasn’t been the same since the working studio closed (I can say I saw the ornginal tour at least once). Adding more Pixar items makes perfect sense based on popularity. I do however challenge Disney to find a way to hold on to the “adult” side of this park. One of our favorite things about HS is the character encounters. It has been a great place to meet the non princesses. I would hate to see that go.
I don’t understand why WDW keeps building Disney-fied carnival rides instead of something that will appeal to entire families. It has to know with the invention of FP+ that the demand is there for the thrill rides, which WDW is in dire need of. Putting Woody’s face on the merry mixer or some other lame ride is just Disney cheaping out. So disappointed.
I know the Ratatouille ride from DLP is rumoured for France in world showcase. But would be a perfect E ticket for Pixar Place
The kiddie element is strong with this place. That AP renewal is looking less likely to happen for us.
Is the Backlot Tour that important to you? I mean, truly, what else are you losing?
Yes..we have been watching “re-runs” of The Backstage tour, The Great Movie ride and The Indiana Jones Stunt show for a long time. Except for maybe holiday classics, what movie would you pay to watch over and over for 25 years?
It’s a good start.
“I see lots of ‘midway’ kiddie-type rides being developed and put there in place of rides that used to be interesting for people over 25.” The key there is “used to be.” As D Jackson said, the Backlot Tour is a shadow — a pale, wispy, “is it really there or is it just my imagination” shadow of what it was. There really isn’t a lot at this park for children, so I understand why they want to give it a broader mix.
Backlot tour should have gone long time ago. Sad, but true…. it was done when the put in the stunt show. Which was also a bust, IMHO. Happy to see all that going…. but really don’t want to see another “kiddy land” or DinoLand! Hope they put in some great family attractions and they need another theatre for a live show like Beauty and the Beast!
Hollywood Studios became disjointed after the original idea of a working Disney studio was abandoned. There are a ton of great pieces but they dont flow seemlessly like the lands in the Magic Kingdom parks or Epcot. I understand Disney wanting to define specific areas better by expanding.
Stunt show isn’t a bust every time we go it’s filled up its a quality show that takes great skill to put on leave the show alone but catastrophe canyon is way past it’s years
wish they would have never gotten rid of the Hunchback of Notre Dame show
LOVED! that show! I think I heard it is coming to Broadway!
I know this was originally in Amimal Kingdom but I wish they would bring back “Tarzan Rocks”. That was one of the most enjoyable and entertaining shows around.
Very true. Was shown the door way too early
They usually announce a major expansion and any ride closures well in advance. The omission of dates on the schedule should be checked with the communications department for clarification. Additionally, an expansion of Pixar Place with Toy Story themed rides would not be enclosed, so it doesn’t seem likely they need to tear down buildings to add them. They could actually expand the park, with a Toy Story Land area beyond the park’s current boundary. Also, the popularity of “Frozen” would suggest the addition of a permanent arena for ice skating or other “Frozen” related possibilities, year-round too. Dole Whip arena? Starbucks on Ice?
they should call it the disney mgm holly,wood adventure instead ,
or about disney holly,wood adventure just like the universal have for marvel
Just imagine a DHS with a real Pixar Place AND a Star Wars Land… now imagine Universal tripped and dropped it’s Marvel rights and then DHS had a Marvel Land too… best theme park ever right there.
They will never give up their Marvel rights since Disney owns it now. It would be interesting to see if Disney challenges the park with an addition of its own, regardless of Universals rights to continue to use the theme. Since the one thing Universal can’t do is make new additions. Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant man, Avengers, etc… Disney can probably use those since there are no rides at IOA based on them, so Universal doesn’t have claim. Only Spidey, Fantastic 4, X-Men, and Hulk. Disney would be wise to directly compete with is Marvel additions if it can legally do so.
What they should do is develop a pathway that doesn’t and will not interrupt with foot traffic of future developments and keep the Back lot tour still open with multiple terminal’s around the park, at least 4, so people could still have the back lot tour experience without the main attraction of the cannon, but instead a smaller scale museum style experience that assists with traveling around the park. Each section could have a different themed display building anticipation for the next stop on the tour. some tour wagons can even offer specific destinations to handle overflow by creating a non-stop express tour of the overflow crowd. Kind of like the train at magic kingdom, but without the tracks. At the same time Disney would be providing themselves with a logistics route utilized between tour wagon schedule (while passengers are loading at the terminal).
I think they should stick with the Cars Land idea! My kids love Cars! I think it’s also a shame they are getting rid of Honey, I shrunk the kids park!! My boys will be very disappointed when we go in December and they won’t be able to go in it!
My kids would LOVE more Toy Story anything!! I am excited by this rumor! Hollywood Studios needs more attractions for the smaller kiddos!