DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
TOURING- Guide Map
- Attraction Seating
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Greet FAQ - Extra Magic Hour
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- Overlooked Attractions
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in a
Wheelchair - Ticket FAQ
SUNSET BLVD.
ECHO LAKE
STREETS OF AMERICA
- Backlot Tour
- Honey I Shrunk
the Kids Movie
Set Adventure - Lights, Motors, Action!
Extreme Stunt Show - Monsters Inc.
Meet & Greet - MuppetVision 3D
- Phineas & Ferb
Meet and Play Experience - Pizza Planet Arcade
MICKEY AVENUE
ANIMATION COURTYARD
ENTERTAINMENT
- Citizens of Hollywood
- Disney Channel Rocks!
- Jedi Training
Academy - Fantasmic!
- Pixar Pals Countdown
to Fun Parade
DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD
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OTHER WALT DISNEY WORLD
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PARKS
Backlot Tour
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Introduction | Attraction | Touring Tips |
Kids and Characters
Dining | Shopping | Interesting Facts
INTRODUCTION
Pass under the archway located to the right of the Chinese Theater, make a left, walk past Pixar Place, and there you'll find the home of the 25-minute Studio Backlot Tour. Shuttles take you behind the scenes of a real, working studio and through Catastrophe Canyon for a special effects treat, recreating some intense natural disasters.
ATTRACTION
Pre-Show - While you wait for your tour to begin, overhead monitors show a video on behind-the-scenes special effects and interviews from several recent action/adventure films.
Backlot
Tour - After being ushered into an outdoor viewing area, guests learn
how battles and storms at sea are simulated using large water tanks and
pyrotechnics. Several guests may be chosen from the audience to participate
in these scenes - but raincoats are provided!
From there, your group boards a long, 200-seat tram that winds its way
through many backstage areas, beginning with the wardrobe and props departments.
The tram continues on to Catastrophe Canyon, where a make-believe
crew is allegedly filming a flash flood sequence.
Special
effects, including flaming explosions and a rickety bridge, give guests
a taste of what such a catastrophe would feel like, before the tram moves
on to the Streets of America area and the tour's conclusion.
You exit the tram into the exhibits of the American Film Institute
Showcase.
The American Film Institute (AFI) Showcase - This area features
themed exhibits relating to special effects in cinema. The current exhibit,
Villains, The Characters You Love to Hate, has been updated as of
May 2008 to feature costumes and props relating to some of the most famous
movie bad guys, including Davy Jones of the Pirates of the Caribbean
movies, Darth Vader from Star Wars, and King Miraz from
the new Narnia movie, Prince Caspian.
HIDDEN MICKEY: In the rocks on the left-hand side, as you exit Catastrophe Canyon, you just might spy Mickey if you look carefully.
TOURING TIPS
In my experience, this attraction seems to be least crowded earlier in the day.
During the opening segment of the Backlot Tour, guests standing up front along the railing may get wet. Likewise, if you're seated on the left side of the tram, you may get wet during the flood in Catastrophe Canyon.
Be sure to notice the reproduction of the Nautilus, from the movie 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, in one of the water tanks at the tour's beginning.
These attractions are wheelchair and ECV accessible. If you are able to transfer out of the chair/ECV, you can leave it behind and board the tram. If, however, you are unable to transfer, alert the Cast Member, who will direct you up the ramp to the front of the tram. In the space near the tour guide, your chair/ECV can be strapped down securely at three points.
Guest-activated captioning is available on selected video monitors in this attraction.
Restrooms and telephones are located to the left of the entrance to the Backlot Tour.
KIDS AND CHARACTERS
There are no characters associated with this attraction, however recently there have been appearances by Power Rangers and Kim Possible in the area. Check your daily Times Guide for times and locations of other Character Meet and Greet opportunities throughout Disney's Hollywood Studios.
DINING
Studio Catering Co., a counter service restaurant that features grilled chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, and snacks is a short walk from the Backlot Tour.
SHOPPING
The AFI Showcase Shop, encountered as you exit the Backlot Tour, features TV and movie-related souvenirs.
INTERESTING FACTS
The Streets of America area is home to the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights during the holiday season.
The buildings representing New York, San Francisco, London and other cities are merely facades constructed of fiberglass and Styrofoam.
Forced perspective is used to make the faux Empire State Building appear taller than the four stories it is.
Walt Disney World has 2.5 million garments, making its wardrobe the largest working wardrobe in the world. More than 100 designers produce the costumes for Disney productions.
Some of the vehicles that you see in the "Boneyard" section of the tour were used in the Indiana Jones movies.
If you have comments or tips to share with others about Disney's Hollywood Studios' Backlot Tour, please email us. Thank you.
