Category: Hollywood Studios

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Celebrates 31st Birthday amid COVID-19 Closure

Hollywood Studios is celebrating its 31st anniversary today and to celebrate, Walt Disney World President Josh D’Amaro visited the iconic park and made the now-empty space a little louder.

The Disney Parks Blog posted on its Instagram a video of D’Amaro saying he’s heard from many people asking how it sounds inside the Disney parks, so for just a few minutes, he wanted to share a little music and magic from inside Hollywood Studios with the world on its birthday.

Take a look at the video below:

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A post shared by Disney Parks Blog (@disneyparksblog) on May 1, 2020 at 7:39am PDT

The video ends with D’Amaro saying he can’t wait for the time when he can share the parks with everyone.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened to the public on May 1, 1989, as Disney-MGM Studios.

May 1, 2020
New Mickey Mouse Attraction Now Open at Disney World

Last night, Disney’s Hollywood Studios threw a red-carpet premiere nearly a century in the making with a special dedication ceremony for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and today the attraction has officially opened to the public at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is the first ride-through attraction in Disney history starring Mickey and Minnie. You’re invited inside the park’s re-creation of the Chinese Theatre to see the premiere of “Perfect Picnic,” a new “Mickey Mouse” cartoon short written by Walt Disney Imagineering and produced by Disney Television Animation.

With a little Disney magic, suddenly you’re taken through the movie screen and into the “Mickey Mouse” cartoon world, where “mouse rules apply” and anything can – and does! – happen. Engineer Goofy invites you aboard Runnamuck Railroad to join Mickey and Minnie on their search for the perfect picnic spot in Runnamuck Park. And with Goofy at the controls, what could possibly go wrong?

“Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a crowning achievement in the multiyear transformation of Disney’s Hollywood Studios,” said Walt Disney World Resort President Josh D’Amaro, who participated in the ceremony along with Mickey, Minnie and lots of other Disney pals. “What was once a theme park that took you behind the scenes, now puts you in the center of your favorite stories.”

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a vibrant, joyous adventure the whole family will enjoy – from grandparents to grandchildren and everyone in between. Tonight’s celebration featured song, dance, fireworks and a bit of Disney magic worthy of this historic new attraction.

March 4, 2020
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Light Up Ear Hat Coming to Disney World
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is opening on March 4 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney has announced the latest Mickey Ear hat will be themed to this all-new attraction as part of the Disney Parks Designer Collection.

Designed by Disney Imagineer Kevin Rafferty, Executive Creative Director for the attraction, this ear hat will be released on March 5 at Walt Disney World Resort and online at shopDisney.com.

This colorful ear hat features Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in the setting of “Perfect Picnic,” the cartoon featured in the finale of the attraction, and continues to delight as it lights up with bursting fireworks by the flip of a switch! Take a look below:

The back of the ear hat features the saying “Nothing Can Stop Us Now” from the attraction’s loveable theme song and displays a picturesque car ride inside the hat itself!
Want to add this zany ear hat to your collection? Be sure to visit shopDisney.com or purchase it at various locations at Walt Disney World Resort including:

Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
- Stage 1 Company Store
- Legends of Hollywood
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway kiosk
Disney Springs:
- Ever After Jewelry Co. & Accessories
Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Available on March 6):
- Discovery Trading Company
EPCOT (Available on March 6):
- Art of Disney
- MouseGear
Magic Kingdom Park (Available on March 6):
- Uptown Jewelers
Celebrating the opening of his latest project, Kevin Rafferty will appear at Stage 1 Company Store in Disney’s Hollywood Studios to sign the newest ear hat and his book, Magic Journey: My Fantastical Walt Disney Imagineering Career, on March 5 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Opening March 4, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will take guests of all ages on a whirlwind ride through a world where the rules of physics don’t apply! Inspired by the award-winning Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts, the ride-through attraction is the first at any Disney park to star Mickey, Minnie and their friends.

Get ready for even more releases in the Disney Parks Designer Collection coming throughout the year, including:
- John Coulter – March 14, 2020 (Available Disneyland Resort & shopDisney.com)
- Her Universe – April 2020
- Joe Rohde – April 2020
- Her Universe – May 2020
- Cupcakes and Cashmere – Summer 2020
- Lily Aldridge – Summer 2020
- Bret Iwan – Summer 2020
- Alex Maher – Summer 2020
- Karlie Kloss – Fall 2020
- Vera Wang – Fall 2020
March 3, 2020
New Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway-Inspired Merchandise Available at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on March 4
All aboard! When the attraction debuts on March 4, Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests can head to the Chinese Theatre to experience Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Along with this new attraction opening, guests will be able to purchase new merchandise inspired by Mickey and Minnie’s wacky cartoon world!

One of the cutest pieces from this collection is this wacky attraction-inspired headband featuring engineer Goofy, along with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. Along the side of this headband, guests can find an embroidery of the attraction’s theme song: “Nothing Can Stop Us Now!”
Within this collection guests can purchase an array of items inspired by the attraction train locomotive including a whistle, ornament, pull back toy, MagicBand and sculpted mug!
Attraction-inspired tees will be available featuring Mickey, Minnie and Goofy showcasing the zaniness featured in this attraction. New plush featuring Mickey and Minnie with Chuuby perched on her shoulder will also be available.
Match your new Mickey and Minnie plush with these classic sequined headbands – perfect for any adventurous duo!
Just in time to hop on board for opening day, one of the new #DisneyParksWishables collections for this month, inspired by the attraction is available on March 4 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and online at shopDisney! This collection offers the open-chase edition of engineer Goofy, with Mickey and Minnie in a car, Daisy, Chuuby and the train locomotive in the blind bags
Walt Disney World Passholders can celebrate Mickey and Minnie’s first-ever-ride through attraction with all-new Passholder exclusive attraction merchandise including a T-shirt, limited edition pin and limited edition MagicBand. Plus, they can use their 20% discount on all this featured merchandise!
Looking to commemorate the opening day for this attraction? Be sure to check out this 2020 dated limited edition pin.

Find all these wacky treasures across Disney’s Hollywood Studios and select items on shopDisney.com on March 4. All merchandise available while supplies last. Share all your looks with the #MouseRulesApply hashtag and keep checking back to Disney Parks Blog for more excitement surrounding Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway!
March 2, 2020
FastPass+ Finally Coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Disney World

Been waiting to fly the “fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy?” Guests can now reserve Fastpasses for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

FastPass+ reservations for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run are available in the My Disney Experience app for those planning visits on or after Feb. 19.

Similar to other theme park offerings, when making FastPass+ plans for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests can select between either Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run or Slinky Dog Dash (pending availability). Then, they can add additional experiences to plans, including Toy Story Mania, Alien Swirling Saucers, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Fantasmic! and more.

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run combines immersive storytelling with interactive gameplay and makes guests the protagonist of their own Star Wars adventure! When it’s time for the mission to begin, guests will be assigned one of three critical roles: Pilots, Gunners and Flight Engineers. The goal is to smuggle goods while avoiding any unnecessary entanglements.

Also, please note that during this grand opening period of Disney’s popular new attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, they will continue to operate a virtual queue, but they may transition to FastPass+ in the future.

January 23, 2020
Disney Makes Changes to Virtual Queue and Boarding Groups for New Star Wars Ride
The newest attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney World has gotten off to such a popular start that Disney has made some new changes to its virtual queue system and boarding groups that they hope will make things run more smoothly.

“As more and more guests ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, we’ve been testing new ideas to make the overall experience the best it can be, according to Disney Parks Blog. “We’ve been learning so much and are focused on continuing to make the process of getting into the park and onto the attraction even better every day and want to ensure all of our guests know what to expect when visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios.”

Here’s what to know:
- Virtual queue will be available at the published park opening time. We may welcome guests onto Hollywood Boulevard prior to opening the rest of the park, and limited nearby locations will be open for your convenience. This includes Trolley Car Café where you can pick up a beverage for your own personal “jump to lightspeed,” and if you need to grab a few galactic gifts, Keystone Clothiers will be available.
- At the park’s published opening time, the virtual queue for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opens along with offerings throughout the rest of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guests must be in Disney’s Hollywood Studios to access virtual queue in the My Disney Experience app.
Due to the incredible popularity of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Disney will continue to distribute backup boarding groups after the initial planned groups have been filled. Backup boarding groups will only be called if all of the initial planned boarding groups have been called back and there is capacity for more riders that evening. If we are able to accommodate boarding groups that evening, guests will be notified through the My Disney Experience app by a push notification (if enabled).

For anyone with questions or needing a hand with the virtual queue, the members of the Guest Experience Team are available throughout the park to assist. And while people wait for their turn to rise up with the Resistance, there’s plenty to do around Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Here are a few of our recommendations!
December 20, 2019
VIDEO: First Look at Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Coming to Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort

During the Disney Channel holiday special, “Disney Channel Holiday Party @Walt Disney World,” viewers got a special look at Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway rolling into Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida on March 4, 2020.

As we’ve previously shared, this will be the first Disney ride-through attraction featuring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse that will draw guests inside a Mickey cartoon for a fun-filled adventure where “Mouse rules apply” and anything can happen.

Check out a first-look video below, hosted by Disney Channel’s “ZOMBIES 2” stars Meg Donnelly and Milo Manheim.

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway opens at Disneyland park in California in 2022.

December 14, 2019
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Debuts at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Today

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance made its public debut Dec. 5, 2019, inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida and this is the Disney attraction you’re looking for!

After years of anticipation for this groundbreaking new attraction, guests will now become heroes of the Resistance in a climactic battle with the First Order.

During a special dedication ceremony Wednesday night inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Bob Chapek lauded the attraction’s immersive storytelling and technological innovation.

“Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance sets a new standard for what a theme park experience can be,” Chapek said. “Tonight, we’re welcoming the world to experience the Star Wars galaxy like never before, with the opening of the most ambitious, immersive, advanced, action-packed attraction we’ve ever created.”

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is one of the most ambitious attractions ever created for a Disney park. The thrilling action takes place in massive sets that give guests the feeling of stepping inside a Star Warsfilm as they elude the clutches of Kylo Ren and the First Order in a mad dash through a Star Destroyer.

The new attraction adds to the adventures that await inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the 14-acre land that opened earlier this year at both Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guests become part of their own Star Wars stories as they take control of the fastest ship in the galaxy in Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, sample galactic food and drink, craft their own lightsabers and build their own droids in interactive retail experiences, and encounter some of their favorite Star Wars characters.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the latest chapter in the collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm Ltd., a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production, including the Star Wars franchise. The work on Star Wars between these two creative powerhouses dates back to 1987, when the groundbreaking Star Tours attraction opened at Disneyland.

As a reminder, guests at Disneyland park in California can begin enjoying Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance when the attraction opens there on January 17, 2020.

December 5, 2019
New Passholder Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway MagicBand Coming to Hollywood Studios
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will open March 4, 2020, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and of course that means lots of merch and today Disney revealed a new Passholder exclusive MagicBand that is just perfect!

The new MagicBand will be available along with all of the other ride exclusive merchandise when the attraction opens in March.

Take a look below at some of the other amazing merch being released for the opening:
This will be the first Disney ride-through attraction featuring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, that will draw your guests inside a Mickey cartoon for a fun-filled adventure where “Mouse rules apply” and anything can happen!

Stay tuned to Disney Dorks for more updates on the transformation happening at Walt Disney World, as the Most Magical Place on Earth experiences its most significant period of growth in the past two decades.
December 4, 2019
NEW Green Alien Holiday Ears Land at Disney World

Oooooohhhh!!! The claw has dropped some festive new Mickey Ear headbands at Hollywood Studios and they are going to light up your night!

The new ears have buzz and woody Christmas ornaments on both ears as well as a cut Green Alien themed ornament. These ears also light up! With a quick flip of the switch on top you can light up the night with holiday cheer!

You can find the ears in Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios and they will cost you just under $20.

December 4, 2019