Visiting the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park in the Summer of 1989: A Personal Photo Tour

The Grand Opening of the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park on May 1, 1989 was the most star-studded in the history of the Walt Disney Company. As much as I would have liked to have been there, I didn’t manage to enter through the streamlined gates until July. That summer I made two more visits, the last over Labor Day in September. And I took a LOT of photos.

The following are not all the photos I took. Some things have stayed pretty much the same (the Great Movie Ride, with one vivid exception is virtually unchanged after 25 years), others were off-limits for photos (portions of the Backstage Studio Tour and The Magic of Disney Animation) and others just weren’t all that interesting (the appeal SuperStar Television eluded me, and most other guests as well). That said, I hope you will enjoy this trip down memory lane. Or, Hollywood Boulevard, I should say.

The Study Model

Guests over at the Magic Kingdom had been eying a rather baffling “study model” for some time at the preview center in the Opera House. This white-on-white display was still in place after opening day, complete with labels for the renamed “Art of Animation” pavilion, “Disney Television Theatre,” and “Great Moments at the Movies” attraction. Conspicuously missing was Catastrophe Canyon, although the tram route (marked by a dotted line) showed the location where it was built.

The turquoise, silver and red streamlined architecture that dominated the Disney-MGM Studios design was on full display, even out at the edge of the parking lot. Guests could also arrive via boat. Trams carried guests from the far reaches of the new parking lot to a special entry plaza, on the shores of a small lagoon. Flags were displayed in this exterior plaza.

In two short blocks, Imagineers had encapsulated the glamour of Hollywood Boulevard during the heyday of the film industry. Buildings and facades were either based closely on, or directly copied from, Hollywood and Los Angeles area landmarks. “Streetmosphere” characters were on hand to interact with guests and give the street a sense of community. Shop interiors were given the same lavish detail as the exterior architecture. The candy store looked very much like a classic See’s candy shop. Photo supplies were sold out of a giant camera. And clothing stores vending souvenir t-shirts were given all the glamour and panache of shops on Wilshire.

Halfway down the boulevard a side street offered glimpses of and access to Lakeside Circle and Echo Lake. But most guests surged forward, drawn by the allure of the full-scale replica of Hollywood’s famous Chinese Theatre. The central plaza in front was designed to look exactly like the smiling face of Mickey Mouse, although this could only be appreciated from high overhead. The view back down the boulevard was just as glamorous. At scheduled times during the day you could get a look at actual film and television stars, as they were paraded in open convertibles and participated in the handprint ceremony in front of the Chinese Theatre.

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The Chinese Theatre

Disney was very proud of their Chinese Theatre. Rather than build a scaled-down copy, this was an exact replica, in full-scale, of the Hollywood icon. Out front there were even hand and footprints in the forecourt. A few pre-dated the May 1 opening, as the production facilities had already been in use for a few months. The first “official” handprint ceremony on opening day honored Disney star Annette Funicello.

Inside the theater guests found the Great Movie Ride. The lobby queue featured a series of cases holding iconic props from such Hollywood classics as “Casablanca” (Sam’s piano), “Mary Poppins” (Mary’s carrousel horse) and “The Wizard of Oz” (the ruby slippers). After a short wait in a preview theater, guests boarded massive ride vehicles and passed under a neon lit marquee for “a spectacular journey into the movies.” The ambitious tone of the attraction was set with the very first scene, a lavish Busby Berkeley set piece from Warner Brother’s “Dames.” Gorgeous chorus girls twirled aboard a spinning fountain, surrounded by a glittering art-deco set. From there, the journey continued through films past and present, culminating in a visit to Oz and a specially made compilation of the greatest moment in film.

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Theater of the Stars

There was another theater on Hollywood Boulevard. It was not nearly as prominent as the Chinese, but it was based on another tinseltown landmark, the Hollywood Bowl. The Florida sun was not kind to the open air setting, so unlike the cooler environs of the Hollywood Hills. This venue Initially displayed a lively stage show, “Hollywood! Hollywood!” Disney’s animated stars joined the cast to present the history of film, starting in the silent era and continuing on through a disco-era tribute to Star Wars, featuring a lively Tigger. The Theater of the Stars could be found at the end of Hollywood Boulevard, right between Pacific Electric Pictures and the Brown Derby.

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The Brown Derby Restaurant

The Brown Derby at Disney-MGM may not have been familiar to many guests—it wasn’t shaped like a hat. But for those who knew their Hollywood history, this was a good representation of the more upscale Vine Street location. Inside one could even get the Derby’s signature Cobb Salad and grapefruit cake.

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Studio Courtyard

An imposing gate to the right of the Chinese Theatre led to the Studio Courtyard. This area served as the “lobby” for the Magic of Disney Animation, the Soundstage Restaurant, and the Backstage Studio Tour. A whimsical, spiraling sculpture marked the entrance to the Animation exhibit. Inside, guests were treated to a complete tour of a working animation studio. Outside, you could meet your favorite “toon” stars during their filming breaks. The Soundstage Restaurant was just as billed—a soundstage that had been converted into a restaurant. On opening day, sets from the Touchstone release “Big Business” had been trucked in and reassembled, allowing diners to enjoy their meal amid the splendors of the lobby of New York’s Plaza Hotel. High up under the grid the Catwalk Bar offered adult libations.

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Backstage Studio Tour

The longest line at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park could be found here. Guests had been promised more than just a tram ride through standing sets. They were told to expect an in-depth look at every aspect of filmmaking, from the front of the lot, to the back lot, and into post-production. While standing in line, monitors ran continuous videos of celebrities explaining various processes used in making films. After boarding their trams, guests were directed to a clear view of Disney-MGM’s famous “Earfull Tower,” a water tower that actually served only as a marquee.

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I must take my readers on an aside here. While riding the trams through the Production Center, there were a number of things to see. One of the most unusual during those opening months was what appeared to be a full-sized section of the Earfull Tower, sitting on the ground outside a warehouse. I puzzled over its possible use, and then realized where I had seen it.

During the two-hour TV special that kicked off the Disney MGM Studios, celebrity John Ritter was seen high above the proceedings, directing activities from the rim of the water tower. The camera would do a slow push to the white-clad figure above, and then they would dissolve to a remarkably clear shot of Ritter, gazing down on the activities below. Behind him one could see the words “Disney/Studi.” And this is exactly what could be seen painted on the discarded set piece along the Studio Tour.

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Back on the tour, trams slowly made their way through a residential street, complete with “two-sided” church, and past a number of large scale props and vehicles, including the full-sized space craft from “Flight of the Navigator.” Trams also made their way through the New York Street sets, which were off limits to the public. The “picture perfect” view through Washington Square arch was reserved for riders only. After all, was this not a working studio? Reaching the edge of the lot, trams made their way into another “working set” that proved to be the Catastrophe Canyon special effects extravaganza.

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Within weeks it became plain that the crowds were too big for the theme park’s original footprint. By my second visit in August, guests were allowed to explore half of New York Street, with trams still wending their way past brownstones and Washington Square. The “Dipmobile” from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” had to be confined behind a fence, and guests were able to peer behind the forced-perspective “skyscrapers” at the end of New York Street.

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Backstage Plaza

After an hour of riding the trams, the second half of the tour was on foot. Guests could spend as much time as they wished at the Backstage Plaza. Here could be found snacks, shopping and restrooms, in an area filled with props and set pieces. Sharp-eyed visitors may have noted that much of the décor had been sent straight from the soundstages of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.” It was also odd to note that licensed Warner Brothers products were sold in The Loony Bin shop.

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Special Effects / Soundstages

The latter portion of the Backstage Studio Tour began with a line to get to the Water Effects Tank. Show cars were parked along this area. After the outdoor water tank show, the tour continued into the Special Effects Workshop and Shooting Stage. Sets and props from a specially produced movie starring Bette Midler and a winning lottery ticket were featured. Kids could participate in a blue screen display featuring the giant bumblebee flight from “Honey. I Shrunk the Kids.” Guests were then ushered into the Walt Disney Theater to see special sneak previews of new movies, before exiting back into the Studio Courtyard.

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Lakeside Circle /  Backlot Annex

On the opposite side of the park from the Studio Courtyard was Echo Lake. Two distinctive eateries could be found here: Min and Bill’s Dockside Diner and Dinosaur Gertie’s Ice Cream of Extinction. Lakeside News promised Hollywood’s best selection of comic books. Ranged along one side of the lake were SuperStar Television and The Monster Sound Show. Opposite was a restaurant complex that featured the Hollywood & Vine cafeteria and the 50’s Prime Time Café. Counter service was provided at the Backlot Express, themed to resemble the shops that could be found on any movie lot. Tucked away in the corner was a large building with an alluring poster out front. Star Tours was not open for that first summer, but by September the fences were down, and in December it opened.

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Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular

Another highlight of the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park was the Epic Stunt Spectacular, featuring Indiana Jones. In July they still hadn’t gotten the big boulder rolling, but by August the show was running on all cylinders. The biggest draw was covered seating for a very large crowd. Despite this, the line backed up every day, despite the fact it had ten scheduled shows.

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As the Sun Sinks Slowly in the West

The Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park was originally intended to close earlier than the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT Center. This would give guests plenty of time to get to the nighttime offerings at the senior resorts. As crowds swelled, hours were extended, and a fireworks “Salute to Hollywood” was added nightly at 9pm. Hollywood Boulevard glittered at night, and the streamlined gates looked pretty nifty by moonlight.

And that’s how it looked—driving away 25 years ago.

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