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Tom Corless··53 Comments·1 min read

“Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” Playground and Several Other Studios Attractions Also Close 4/2/16

It has been a fairly rough day for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but besides the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show and the Earful Tower, several other park mainstays will be leaving us on April 2nd as well.

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Among the offerings closing will be the “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” Movie Set Adventure, the Monsters Inc. meet and greet, Studio Catering Co., High Octane Refreshment, Youse Guys Moychindise, the Streets of America, the Prop Shop, The Writer’s Stop, and Watto’s Grotto (formerly AFI Showcase).

Disney today claimed the entire expansion, including both the Star Wars-themed land and Toy Story Land and whatever else the park may add will encompass 25 total acres. In order to make room for all of that, it is now official that everything north of the Great Movie Ride between Muppetvision 3-D (which Disney has now confirmed to be safe) and Toy Story Midway Mania will be bulldozed.

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Tom Corless
Tom has been regularly visiting the Walt Disney World® Resort from the time he was 4 months old. While he made countless visits in that time, he did not become a truly active member in the Disney fan community until the summer of 2007, when he decided to launch the WDW News Today website. Tom has since become an Orlando-local and is a published author on Walt Disney World. Contact Tom at [email protected]

53 Comments

  1. Bummed! Just booked a summer trip…and park is shrinking everyday! Hollywood studios used to be my favorite!

    1. It is shrinking now so it can grow in the end. The outdated and shrinking back lot tour was not a featured attraction any longer, the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground will be replaced in the new Toy Story Land with “Andy’s Backyard” where you’ll be in an oversized backyard environment (sound familiar?). The only things that will be ultimately gone will be the Stunt show and backlot tour and some of the shops, which you know will be replaced by others in the expansion. Yes, it stinks for those going now, but in a few years, it will make Hollywood Studios that much better.

    1. considering that the stunt show hasn’t changed an inch since it first opened would signal that it’s probably on the way out.

    2. There was a rumor the stunt show was gonna go, but also the Indy ride would come to the park in its place or some where else in the park. The show aspect of this park is over I think they will all go aside from Fantasmic.

  4. In looking at the map, seems silly that MuppetVision will stay given that everything around it is closing. I know you guys say it is safe but it is now in the middle of dead space and it doesn’t feel safe.

    2. I heard a rumor that Hollywood Studios will be getting a Muppets Land, but it hasn’t been announced yet. Probably is totally up in the air pending a final determination on how well the TV show does.

  6. Wow; with all of the other closures (Magic of Disney Animation, Animation Academy, Back Lot Tour, Pizza Planet, Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights, etc.), these additional closures are really going to impact whether people visit the park – there isn’t much in their place unless you are an avid Star Wars fan (and even that is minimal right now). Can’t justify the cost of the ticket anymore. The “Hollywood” seems to be getting drummed out of this park. I suppose there will be a new name soon. Sad

    1. This isn’t true. If you are a thrill ride seeker, Hollywood Studios contains 2 of the more thrilling rides on property in Tower of Terror and Rockin’ Roller Coaster. Sadly, with the expansion the park may have made itself a half day park for the time being, but once complete, it sounds as if there will be more things to do than there are currently, pre-closures… Toy Story Land alone is supposed to feature 4 rideable/playable attractions, and I haven’t even heard the expansion plans for Star Wars land. As for the name, it has already changed once, as it is no longer a working studio. I remember visiting when the animation studio was still present and they were finishing up a little film called Beauty & the Beast and we were watching them work on it…and being that Star Wars and Toy Story are both movies, they fit in the concept of the park, just in a different way.

    2. How is Star Wars fan activity minimal, exactly? It’s the 3rd highest grossing film ever. They are catering to one of, if not the, biggest fan bases there is and Hollywood Studios is probably going to rake in so much from this, just like Harry Potter World did for universal.

      1. I think the pm meant there’s a minimal amount of Star Wars stuff available in the park at the moment, not that a minimal amount of people like Star Wars.

  7. This really stinks. I actually have zero interest in the Star Wars movies so I wouldn’t make any time to go through that part of the park. Walt Disney would not be happy about this. So much for following his vision.

    1. Walt Disney was long dead before this park was even a thought being that he never even saw Magic Kingdom much beyond groundbreaking. Walt had no hand in this park, so saying it isn’t keeping with Walt’s vision isn’t accurate. Yes, Star Wars is an outside, purchased entity, and frankly thought that they might have decided to open a 5th park solely dedicated to the franchise, but so is the Muppets, Indiana Jones, etc. that Hollywood Studios is keeping. The Toy Story Land is going to be very family friendly from the sound of it, so it will reintroduce new family options back into the park, including a playground where objects are oversized called “Andy’s Backyard”.

  9. Looks like it will be a 2 hour park and then off to another one….. So sad to see all of this go…..

  10. Make way for progress! So excited for all the changes happening to this park…it will return to greatness :)

  11. They can keep ‘Hollywood Studios’ – and just call it Star Wars World!!

    UNIVERSAL STUDIOS is looking better all the time!!

    They are tearing down EVERYTHING ‘family’!!! Shouldn’t be surprised!

    1. Star Wars is not taking all that space, Toy Story Land is taking up quite a bit and the whole point of Toy Story land is family friendly attractions, including a playground area called “Andy’s Backyard” where you’ll be toy sized in Andy’s backyard with oversized objects (sound somewhat familiar?). Considering they are replacing the playground, what is really being removed? A stunt car show and a boring backlot tour that at this point showed you next to nothing? Pizza Planet I’m sure will be back in the new Toy Story land, and probably better themed. Yes, losing the Osborne Lights will stink for those who go during the holidays. Adding the 3rd line to Toy Story Midway Mania takes the most family friendly popular attraction and will hopefully dramatically cut the 90 minute waits that families have to endure. This expansion is not solely 100% Star Wars, though given that the new movie became the 2nd highest grossing film in a matter of 3 weeks, do you blame Disney for trying to make the most of their ownership of such a lucrative franchise? Most of Universal’s new attractions have seemed to be focused around a certain teenage wizard…

  12. Why not just close the park altogether and get the work done quicker? There is really little else left and Toy Story Mania will be even worse to get on than before. Very poor planning.

    1. the parks are already crowded to the gils as it is, i can’t imagine they would ever consider closing one entire park. fact is, they need a 5th park to alleviate crowd levels.

    2. Part of the expansion is the addition of a 3rd rail to the Toy Story line to make lines shorter… it is supposed to be complete by end of year from what I last read. You don’t close the park when you still have Tower of Terror, Rockin’ Roller Coaster, Toy Story Mania and Star Tours, along with other things that people enjoy such as the Jedi Training Academy, Fantasmic, etc.. As the other poster said, they almost need to consider a 5th, and potentially 6th park instead of closing one, even if it is short term. Frankly, I’m surprised Star Wars didn’t get its own stand alone park instead of a “land” inside of an existing one.

      1. Or instead of just Star Wars land, a Sci-Fi themed park. Get the right to Doctor Who, throw in some Marvel, heck get the rights to the old Trek attraction in Vegas. Nerd like me will throw money

        1. Unfortunately, Universal negotiated the rights for the rides from Marvel pre-acquisition. One of the caveats in the contract is that there cannot be another Marvel themed ride within something like 250 miles of Universal Orlando, meaning that Disney can put up Marvel themed areas in every Disney property BUT WDW.

  13. protecting muppet vision 3D is a tribute to jim henson directly and i am so glad to hear it. while it’s location might be in question, the fact that it will be staying is a big deal. maybe it will get moved, but as long as it stays, i’m fine. i also heard that the earful tower might not be gone permanently, it might be moved as well, which makes more sense to me.

  14. Change is necessary to make the place something you will want to return to see. We went in December and then 4 weeks later and things had changed at HS. Can’t wait for a 3rd rail on Toy Story! Love that Disney always has something new to enjoy!

  16. That’s leaves shopping and some eating; should get a discount on tickets and annual passes

  17. I wonder where they will put the mermaid statue. I would be willing to take it off their hands.

  18. im confused. is that happenin at all the parks or just a specific one, for example disney world in orlando, florida or disney land in california?

    1. Kara, this article is referring to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida exclusively. Hollywood Studios is getting the massive facelift, that’s it. Disneyland is getting some added Star Wars space, but this article is exclusively dealing with Hollywood Studios.

  19. We was there last March the only good part of it was the tower of terror toy Story mania the ride was in line for 3 1/2 hrs to tell us to leave it wasn’t working right well guess what the same thing the year before I will not waste my money to go there for star wars

  20. Pingback: “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” Playground and Several Other Studios Attractions Also Close 4/2/16 | Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Guide

  23. Does that mean the “Singing in the Rain” umbrella will be gone? Have never seen that and was hoping to in July! :(

  25. I love that so many people are miserable about the changes. Makes a little more space for my family. Hollywood Studios is my favourite park even with the recent changes and I can’t wait to see what is in store.

  27. I don’t get why they have to make a Star Wars Land anyway!!!! Star Wars is not Disney!!!!! it’s messed up!!! Toy Story is fine because it’s Disney Pixar, but Star Wars?????? What gives?????

    1. Because it’s a such a big franchise and is awesome just chill okay avatar isn’t either but it still will be just as amazing as any other Disney Property represented in the parks.

  28. Call it Hollywood springs , since they seem to like overusing that venue….
    Why did they change downtown disney to disney springs? Really????
    Are we going to have magic kingdom springs, and EPCOT springs?
    Hollywood studios was my least favourite, just making it less appealing.
    Can’t believe they are eliminating Osborne familylights

  29. Does anyone know where the bartenders from High Octane at Hollywood Studios were relocated to? They made the best drinks in Disney.

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