Disney MGM Studios

Disney MGM Studios in Orlando is a theme park at Walt Disney World in Florida. It opened on May 1, 1989. 135 acres in size, the park's theme is Hollywood classic movies and popular TV entertainment.

It is not owned by MGM, but it does have a contract with MGM to use the MGM name as well as some MGM content in a ride called The Great Movie Ride

Attractions - Disney MGM Studios in Orlando Florida

The park consists of five themed areas. Major attractions are listed below.

Hollywood Blvd. - Disney MGM Studios in Orlando Florida

Hollywood Blvd. is lined with shops selling Disney merchandise and food. This is also the location of the 'Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade.'

New York St. - Disney MGM Studios in Orlando Florida

• Sounds Dangerous, a show following Drew Carey through a day as an undercover detective when his videocamera fails and the audience is left in the dark, following his adventure through sound cues
  
• Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, a live-action performance showing how movie stunts are done
  
• Star Tours, a motion ride identical to the one at Disneyland
  
• Jim Henson's MuppetVision 3D, a 3-D movie experience similar to Epcot's 'Honey, I Shrunk The Audience'
  

Mickey Ave.- Disney MGM Studios in Orlando Florida

• The Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour, showing how movie special effects are done
  
• Lights, Motors, Action!, a special-effects show currently under constriction and not yet open to guests
  
• Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - Play It!, a theme park version of the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? game show
  
• Walt Disney: One Man's Dream, a biography film of Walt Disney's life narrated by Disney himself
  

Animation Courtyard - Disney MGM Studios in Orlando Florida

• Voyage of The Little Mermaid, a live performance using puppets
  
• The Magic of Disney Animation, a short presentation showing how animated films are made
  
• Playhouse Disney - Live on Stage!, a live performance featuring
• Disney childrens television characters
  

Sunset Blvd. - Disney MGM Studios in Orlando Florida

• The Great Movie Ride, a dark ride paying homage to several classic films
  
• Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage, a live performance of a simplified version of the film
  
• Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, an indoor roller coaster in the dark with three inversions
  
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, a thrill ride which drops guests in an elevator
  
• Fantasmic!, a nighttime show with characters and fireworks
  

Disney MGM Studios in Orlando Florida Studio Operations and Production

The Walt Disney Company's original concept of the Disney-MGM Studios was not only to operate it as a theme park but also as a full fledged television and motion picture production facility. The studio/production part would house two major television and motion picture production facilities, the Walt Disney Animation Studios which was home to such classic Disney animated films such as The Little Mermaid and Aladdin just to name a few and the Walt Disney Studios Florida which consisted of several soundstages which were used for various Disney projects including the The Disney Channel's All New Mickey Mouse Club and several third party productions. A radio studio is also located on the lot which original housed the first children's radio network Radio Aahs which rented the studio until Disney founded Radio Disney and essentially forced Radio Aahs out of business. Unfortunately Disney management including CEO Michael Eisner decided to downsize Disney's Florida operations by closing the animation studio, laying-off personnel and then moving the operations to the main animation studio in Burbank, California. Radio Disney decided it was no longer profitable to operate in Florida so they moved all of their shows from the Disney-MGM Studios to the Radio Disney headquarters in Dallas, Texas and the once bustling Disney Studios Florida soundstages now sit vacant and unused.

In 1992 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer filed a lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company claiming they violated a 1985 licensing agreement by operating a working movie and television studio at the Disney-MGM Studio in Florida and Disney filed a countersuit saying that MGM (The studio), MGM Grand (Hotel operator) and MGM Airlines had conspired to violate Disney's right to exclusive use of the name MGM at theme parks worldwide and that it would harm Disney's reputation by building the MGM Grand Hotel and theme park in Las Vegas, Nevada On October 23 Superior Court Judge Curtis Rappe ruled against MGM and said that both the Disney-MGM Studios and the then under construction MGM Grand casino in Las Vegas, Nevada could both use the name as long as the park in Las Vegas is not on the movies like Disney's.

Disney MGM Studios Trivia

Each year, Star Wars Weekends bring Star Wars fans and celebrities for special park events. Star Wars Weekends are generally held for five consecutive weekends (including Fridays) through late May and early June; they feature a local Star Wars fan club parading through the park in Stormtrooper costumes, a 'Star Wars Edition' of the 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - Play It!' game where the game begins with Greedo answering questions and a Gamorrean Guard in the audience cheering him on, two Star Wars actors appearing each weekend for photos and autographs, Jedi Lightsaber Training classes for kids, and other assorted events.