Welcome to Extinct Attractions. This week, we’ll be looking back at an opening day attraction from Disney-MGM Studios that helped guests become a part of their favorite television shows.
Last week, it was announced that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge would become a part of the video game The Sims 4, where players have the opportunity to simulate entire lives. With less people able to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ and Disneyland’s real-life versions than ever before, I love this idea. You rarely see theme park lands find a home in media outside of the parks, so it will be exciting to see how they are able to bring it to life in a new form.
Galaxy’s Edge is notable for its ability to involve guests in the land, with multiple ways to build a more immersive experience if one so chooses to. However, it wasn’t the first area in the park to immerse guests in an experience, with the first one opening on the park’s opening day of May 1, 1989.
Via All Ears
Superstar Television opened along with the park and gave guests the chance to “appear” in some of their favorite television shows using technology that made them look like they were in the scenes themselves. It was part of the park’s initial goal to teach people how film and television production functioned.
While guests waited in line, they would have a chance to volunteer to be in the show. If chosen, they were taken backstage and given their lines to look over (though they would still have cue cards to go off of during the show).
As you can see in the video, there were a wide variety of shows represented in Superstar Television, with some news broadcasts and sporting events in addition to some scripted classics like I Love Lucy, Gilligan’s Island and Cheers amongst many others. Over 20 different shows were represented in the attraction, so there was truly a little bit for everyone, so I definitely recommend checking out the video for a bit of a blast to the past.
The video above is a feed from one of the eight 100-inch monitors in the theaters that helped translate the filmed action in front of the guests into a “television show.” So guests watching in the audience had the choice to watch the physical taping or these screens, making for a unique experience that we haven’t really seen since. In many cases where guests could learn about the filmmaking process, a packaged video was put together at the end.
I enjoyed Superstar Television even though I never had the chance to experience it. Sure, some of the performances by the guests were a bit rough, but if that were my friend on stage, I’m sure that I would be highly entertained. All in all, I’d say that Superstar Television was probably more fun in-person because you are missing some key elements by not being able to see the filming and how they used green screens and sets so seamlessly. Still, it had a good run at the park, lasting over nine years until September 26, 1998 when the attraction closed to make way for Doug Live.
Superstar Television helped fulfill the park’s original mission of showing how film and television production worked and just like many of its counterparts faded away as the new millennium emerged. Well, that’s all for this week, but check back in a few for the next attraction.
- This attraction was a Universal Studios Hollywood attraction.
- This attraction featured Nickelodeon characters.
- This attraction was a 3D show.
Via Gallery Roulette
Thanks for reading and have a magical day!