When the Disney-MGM Studios opened in 1989 as a salute to “the Hollywood that never was and always will be,” is was conceived as a real working studio. While there were traditional theme park attractions, shops, rides, and shows, the emphasis was on the “behind-the-scenes magic” of making movies. Several of the signature attractions were, in fact, tours that showcased the time, talent, effort, and technology that goes into making films.
The emotional center of the new park showcased the heart of the Walt Disney Company—animation. The Art of Disney Animation featured a working studio, a studio that in its infancy assisted the Burbank studio in the making of classics such as The Little Mermaid, The Rescuers Down Under, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast. Eventually, this little studio that could went on to animate complete feature motion pictures on its own; films like Lilo and Stitch, Brother Bear, and Mulan. When the short-sighted decision was made to abandon hand-drawn animation altogether, this wonderful group of talented artists was disbanded. The lovely building, designed to echo the Disney Studios in Burbank was converted into office space for accountants and executives. The loss of Walt Disney Animation Florida is one that is still hard for animation fans to accept or understand.
The Studio Backlot Tour at Disney's Hollywood Studios closed permanently in September. MousePlanet file photo by J. Jeff Kober.
The other behind-the-scenes attraction on opening day was the Backlot Tour. Built around the concept of movie studios of old, this attraction featured everything from a costume department to a re-creation of that old Hollywood sample, a backlot. Join me in bidding a fond farewell to this last remaining vestige of the original concept of the Studios theme park.
In its original design, the tour began next to the Magic of Disney Animation. Guests boarded tzXrams—much like those found at Universal Studios in California—to begin their journey through the backlot. At one time, this portion of the tour was extensive, showcasing the residential street, complete with facades of the houses from then-current television hits like The Golden Girls and Empty Nest. Guests were also taken to the Streets of America, an area that was once accessible only via the tour. Here, tour guides explained that by simply framing a scene carefully, moviemakers could use the lot to film scenes in a small town or a big city like New York or San Francisco. The facades, or false fronts, of the buildings were exposed as the tram wound its way through the streets, giving guests an opportunity to see behind the illusion of the movies.
This part of the original tour was a letdown for several reasons, the most compelling was that it was all fake. Granted, much of Walt Disney World is illusion, but this area was billed as a real studio, but with very few exceptions, not much was actually ever filmed on the backlot. Compare it to the tour at Universal Studios in Hollywood, and my point becomes much clearer. In Hollywood—at least before the terrible fire at Universal—visitors saw the cozy home of Ward and June Cleaver, the spooky home of Herman and Lily Munster, the downtown and courthouse square from films like To Kill a Mockingbird and Back to the Future. The Disney version never did, and never really could live up to the original backlot tour at Universal Hollywood.
Submarine from “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” was one of the unusual vehicles displayed in the boneyard. MousePlanet file photo by Alex Stroup.
There were, however, some highlights on the tour. The boneyard—a collection of old movie props scattered between warehouses and soundstages—was awesome. Here was real history—vehicles from the Star Wars trilogy, Walt Disney's private jet, and cars and trucks from recent comedies and adventure films. Another aspect of the original tour that worked well included glimpses into the costume department and the other shops—brief looks into the creative process not unlike those tantalizing little bits Walt Disney would showcase himself on the old Disneyland television series. No one knew what those magicians at the Walt Disney Studio were creating, but we always knew that whatever it was, it would be great.
Another area that showcased bits of movie history was the special effects portion of the tour. The actual effects (kids flying on a giant bee filmed against a blue screen) seem primitive today and even in its heyday, and this portion of the walking tour dragged a bit. But for sharp-eyed guests, there were treasures to be found in the props scattered around the special-effects workshop. Bits and pieces from beloved Epcot attractions, like Horizons and World of Motion, characters from 1985s Return to Oz, an actual matte painting by Peter Ellenshaw from Mary Poppins, costumes, and at one time, complete sets from the television hit Home Improvement and the live-action version of 101 Dalmatians. It was possible to tune out the tour guides and their litany of puns, and search for some remnants of real movie magic.
Volunteers take their places in the Harbor Attack set in the special effects section of the Studio Backlot Tour. MousePlanet file photo by J. Jeff Kober.
In addtion to the tram ride, there was an extensive walking tour of the cavernous sound stages, many of which now house actual attractions like Toy Story Mania and Walt Disney: One Man's Dream. At the height of its real working studio phase, these sound stages were the home of several shows, including the 1990s version of the venerable Mickey Mouse Club. It was not uncommon for theme park cast members to encounter the new Mouseketeers in the cast cafeteria. Some of the Mickey Mouse Club cast went on to great success. Actors like Keri Russell and Ryan Gosling, and musicians like Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Christina Aguilera all began their careers on the soundstages of the Disney-MGM Studios.
The action highlight of the tour, Catastrophe Canyon, offered guests the thrill of being in the middle of a highly explosive action scene that involved pyrotechnics, earthquakes, and thousands of gallons of water. In today's world of computer-generative action scenes, Catastrophe Canyon stood as a testament to those moviemakers of old who actually built sets and choreographed complex action scenes.
One of my favorite aspects of the original tours—both of the animation studio and the backlot/soundstages—was the extensive use of film clips to explain and illuminate the tour. These short clips featured Hollywood's A-List at the time, like Goldie Hawn, Warren Beatty, Mel Gibson, Carol Burnett, Tom Hanks, and others. One highlight that showcased the use of the backlot was a short comic film called “The Lottery.” This Garry Marshall-directed gem, starring Bette Midler, illustrated how moviemaking techniques from backlot sets to blue-screen special effects combined to make convincing films.
At one time, guests even toured the sets for the film as part of the tour. How wonderful it would be if Disney would release these short films on DVD in a collection like the old “Vault Disney” collection. And, of course, the much-beloved Walter Cronkite/Robin Williams “Back to Neverland” film—as well as the ensuing series of shorts that explained the animation process—would warm the hearts of animation fans everywhere.
While Disney reimagines the Backlot Tour space, cast members host hula-hoop activities in front of the construction wall. MousePlanet file photo by J. Jeff Kober.
While it is always sad to bid adieu to a Disney attraction, it seems somewhat inevitable that the Studio Tour would make way for more immersive movie-inspired attractions that are in keeping with the current theme of Disney's Hollywood Studios. While I will miss aspects of the behind-the-scenes thrills of the tour, I am looking forward with great anticipation for the wonders that await guests as this are of the Studios is “reimagined for our future enjoyment.”
