Good morning from Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Let’s see what’s going on in the park today.

As you enter the park, you might notice a slight change at the security checkpoints.

The “guests without bags” line has moved to the corner of the new bag check structure. It’s a little awkward at the moment,as it’s on the far right side of the security area, but once the entire structure is finished, it will be centrally located.

Down this direction is still under construction, but should be finished before you know it.

The Early Bird…

There are a couple of benefits to getting into the park early. One of them being how pretty mornings can be in Florida.

The other benefit is being at the front of the pack to race your way towards your favorite attraction. There are a few spots they let guests hang out before rope drop. This one seemed to be the least crowded.

You can see a much larger crowd at one of the other hold points across Echo Lake.

Lines like this tend to be the norm later in the day during the summer. That’s why you get here early.

Merchandise

We stumbled upon this fun Toy Story 4 themed novelty straw at Backlot Express.

Inside Sunset Club Couture near Tower of Terror, they have a nice new selection of hats.

You know I had to get myself the Kermit hat.

Over in Star Wars Launch Bay, they still have a selection of pre-opening Galaxy’s Edge merchandise. This stuff will probably start disappearing once the land officially opens next month.

They also have a selection of pretty understated Star Wars apparel right now as well. It’s a nice change of pace.

Construction

One entire side of Hollywood Boulevard is still closed for refurbishment.

Mickey’s of Hollywood seems to be getting the most severe changes.

It’s hard to tell unless you’re looking at it in person, but this facade is down to the studs.

This project across from Star Tours is finally taking shape. You can see through the scrims in the sunlight an outline of the roofline.

Walls are still up at the Chinese Theatre, too. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway should open early next year, so we shouldn’t expect the walls to stick around too long.

Celebrity Handprints

While we’re at the Chinese Theatre, let’s play a game where I point out celebrities and what Disney attractions they’ve been involved in… (this is why people don’t like going to Hollywood Studios with me).

Steve Martin famously used to work in the Magic Shop on Main Street U.S.A. in Disneyland back in the day.

Jim Henson (and Kermit the Frog!) are both still with us in the form of Muppet*Vision 3D, here in Hollywood Studios.

Paul Reubens, who plays Pee-Wee Herman, could also be seen (and will be seen again soon) as RX-24, the droid from the original Star Tours. He’ll be reprising his role as DJ R3X in Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Martin Short has a long history of hosting things in Disney parks (but alas, they’re all cursed to close.) You can see him currently in O’ Canada in Epcot, but only until the end of July. He also previously hosted “The Making of Me” in The Wonders of Life at Epcot, and “CinéMagique” at Walt Disney Studios in Disneyland Paris.

Michael Jackson, of course, was in Captain EO at Epcot from 1986 to 1994, and then again after his death from 2010 to 2015.

When Captain EO closed the first time, it was replaced by “Honey I Shrunk the Audience!”, where Rick Moranis reprised his role from “Honey I Shrunk the Kids!”.

Last, but most certainly not least, the immortal Robin Williams. Everyone knows he played Genie in Aladdin, but he also was the host of The Timekeeper in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom, and also did the video for the original Animation Studio Tour here at Hollywood Studios (then Disney MGM Studios.)

I could go on for hours about these handprints, but I’ll go ahead and stop for today. Keep checking back with us for more updates and interesting information about Hollywood Studios!

Henry Taylor