The Earful Tower, one of the long-standing icons of Disney’s Hollywood Studios dating back to 1989, will be removed in the coming weeks.
The area near the Earful Tower is going to become Toy Story Land, meaning the tower would be “visually intrusive” to the story of the land where guests are shrunken to the size of a toy.
Disney has not announced if they will move the Earful Tower, but they have officially stated that it will be removed soon.
That is terrible news :-(
Very disappointing. This was an opening day nod to the Burbank studio lot, where a similar tower stands. Seems to show the total obliteration of any ‘studio’ connection for whatever we’ll call the revised theme park.
Nooooo! Not the earful tower! :(
We keep removing things. So sad. We come yearly.
Goodbye Earful Tower! :(
It is sad to see stuff go…but thats progress! For the parks to attract stellar attendance and charge big prices, they need to stay modern and have new attractions. Star wars and toy story are huge franchises which should help Hollywood Studios do big numbers in the coming years. Would be nice to see a place for it somewhere..along with the dancing lights!
I am excited for Toy Story Land and Star Wars Land as well . But , here is my thing .
How is Disney going to continue to keep the name ” Disney’s Hollywood Studios ” for the park if they are going to keep on removing the elements from the theme park that are based on what an actual studio has ?
I like your comment because I will always be on the side of not being so controlling of the Disney Experience because how we the guests love to have all of the pleasures of visiting the Disney Experiences that we enjoy but we don`t take any part in the creative process and the preservation of those Disney Experiences but when I don`t understand something or am confused about something then I will have to ask questions .
Honestly this made me so sad. I want to be able to let my kids experience something wonderful.. It’s sad how they keep adding new things.. Disney is art. It’s a shame
It’s sad to add new things? Makes no sense. If the parks-scratch that- PARK- looked the exact same as it did on opening day, it would be dead. Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kindgom and every ride/show/attraction they hold were all “new things” at one point. Change is good. Sure it may be sad to see a few old things go, but they will be replaced with bigger and better attractions. And honestly, what kid wouldn’t choose Toy Story Land over a water tower with mouse ears? Come on, be real. I’m psyched to see how amazing the new additions will be once the growing pains are through.
Getting sick of them changing so many great things. Plan stupid. Like the sorcerer mickey hat. What’s next the Castle. Come on. They have alot of waisted space they could use first.
Was it ever a functional water tower???
Nope. Strictly for decoration.
It was supposed to be a water tower for the flammable attractions such as the Backlot Tour but was decommissioned quite fast. As it was the almost ‘symbol’ for the park back then it was kept, but then the Sorcerer’s Hat was built (this is now gone too :( ) It may be being used for the new Disney Springs water tower though!
Ah man that sucks
Don’t destroy it. Move to a new location. It’s an icon. Move it to Frontier land.
To be fair, there are very few places in the park where it’s visible, and the Backlot Tour has been closed for a year and a half, which was the only way to get an up-close look without being a cast member.
Hopefully they move it to another part of the park. For many, including me, it has become a nostalgic symbol of the park. So sad to see it go but I understand the reasons why. :(
Why is this called a Studio?
That’s changing soon
How can anything be an ICON when it is only 26 years old? They are removing it…so what!
Yay! I can’t wait for this place to become my favorite WDW park in a few years. Rockin, Tower, GMR, TSM, Muppets, 3 Star wars rides, Toy Story coaster, I love all of those things. Im hoping for a new Tangled or Tiana show too, since nine-12 attractions is still pretty light even if they’re all good.
I have always felt small under that giant set of Mickey Ears, They should just put Andy in script on the hat and tell everyone it is from when Andy went to WDW…
Oh no no no no that is so wrong
I love the Tower! I realize it won’t fit; I always loved how unique it was as an identifier.
I feel like they are making it less Disney -so sad!
How do you remove the symbol of the park? What will they use instead? Woody’s cowboy hat, or an X Wing fighter ship?
That is terrible, it should be incorporated into the storyline somehow. It’s a landmark.
I realize that they have to remove it so that they can put the toy story land there, but I’m hoping it is not goodbye!!! I am hoping that they move it somewhere else on Disney property!!!!!
This is sad news, but im guessing it will be replaced with a giant death star, if so, im in.
I hate everything they are doing to that park. I love movies and they ate taking all of that away for just two movies.
No lights motor action. …i don’t think disney world is going back in my vacation list
Bahahaha. One less person in line!
I can just imagine Walt rolling around in his grave. Some things you just don’t mess with. Very disappointed in this decision ?
Hi Gayle and everyone else,
I agree with Gayle in regards to “Walt rolling around in his grave”. It is a water tower and I believe it is just going to be dismantled and moved to another location or I so hope. I can understand it would be in the way and true it is not a visible landmark.
Funny… Many many many of Walt’s well-known quotes are very much in favor of change, progress and innovation.
Last 4 years: When are they going to do something about this park? It’s being forgotten and there’s nothing to do for families! It’s so outdated!
Last 4 months: Yay, they’re finally doing something about this park! It’s getting the attention it so desperately needs! Can’t wait for the future!
Last 4 days: This is a disgrace! Why do they have to take away all the classic Disney stuff?! My family will not be coming back! What are we going to do now?
Jeez… You can’t please everyone.
Why not just start a petition on Change.org to save the Earful Tower?
Rally for it and get an many signatures as we all CAN?
Change is good BUT there has to be some of the iconic still standing. I mean really the water tower with Mickey ears in Hollywood Studios is to Epcot the big World and the Castle for Magic Kingdom and the Tree in Animal Kingdom. Something are not meant to change.
Yes change can be good, but change does not guarantee good. Honestly Toy Story land doesn’t interest me at all. It will be a glorified kiddie land, no more no less. My problem is not that it’s geared toward kids. My problem is we already had a kid land based attraction. It’s called Honey I Shrunk the Audience. Al’s barn was already there. It’s not going to be anything that isn’t similar to what they already had but what are we losing? A fabulous stunt show and we already lost a studio backlot tour. Why go to a studio park when it’s just going to be have an area similar to what they already have at the Magic Kingdom called Mickey’s Toontown Fair? The studio’s needs studio attractions, not kiddie land. I’ll hold judgement for Star Wars land but considering they already have Star Tours, that doesn’t excite me much either.
Darren, I totally agree with you. Change is not good if it takes away things that make Disney special, such as the Osborne Lights. I don’t know how Disney can spit all over Christmas like that when it’s their signature holiday event and they just dismiss a 20 year tradition. All for the sake of crappy Toy Story land (I’ve seen the plans, and it’s a joke) made basically for little kids. Is the entire property just going to become Star Wars and kiddie rides? If so, Universal Studios here we come. It’s funny how some of these people are all excited for these announced changes, but I bet once they see them they will realize they are mostly garbage. This is the new Disney under Iger’s management. Over promise and under deliver. Anyone remember that lame Magic Kingdome expansion that took 3 years only to give us a kiddie coaster and another clamshell ride. WOW….that’s the best Disney can do in the 21st century. Guess Iger and the gang didn’t want to cut into their bonuses by actually spending money on good stuff. All I can say is that Disney is lucky Universal does not have the land that Disney does or Universal would be top dog in Orlando. Each year they bring out amazing new attractions and actually spend money to make them state of the art. And Disney rolls out a clamshell ride and tears down their 20 year Christmas tradition. The end of the Iger era cannot come soon enough!!!!
I am so hoping they just move the Earful tower to another location. It’s part of Disney and, in my opinion, should not be permanently removed. Maybe Disney will see these comments. Let’s hope.
Not very happy to hear this…first the hat now the ears!
Geez, calm down. It’s not like their taking down the castle, for gods sake. Bunch of whiners.