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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
