Disney MGM Studios, Orlando

...my time at the famous Disney attraction "Disney's Hollywood Studios", which is also known as MGM Studios.

History:

Disney's MGM studios were officially opened in 1989, and spans approximately 135 acres in size. It has become one of the main tourist attractions Disney has to offer, attracting millions of people all year round. The parks concept came from the original idea of Epcot, the developers wanted something ...
...you access into all the Disney attractions for that period of time. For instance purchasing a 7 day pass would set you back $219 for ages 10 and over and $182 for under 10's. However, if you were to simply purchase a single day ticket it would set you back $71 for adults.

My Tip: If your staying for a week, purchase the week pass, its not only the cheapest option, but it allows you to explore all the Disney parks, and allows you to ... more

Well this review is focusing on more of my time in Florida, ive been away for a while in Australia, so you will hear some reviews about that in the near future, however I felt I should finish off my whole America experience. This review is on my time at the famous Disney attraction "Disney's Hollywood Studios", which is also known as MGM Studios.

History:

Disney's MGM studios were officially opened in 1989, and spans approximately 135 acres in size. It has become one of the main tourist attractions Disney has to offer, attracting millions of people all year round. The parks concept came from the original idea of Epcot, the developers wanted something different to what Epcot was already offering, and thus they decided on a movie epic concept that would attract a wider range of fans.

Tickets and Prices:

Now the prices of tickets vary from how many attractions you plan on visiting and the duration of your stay. My advice is that if you are staying for longer than 4 days you should purchase a 7 day theme park pass, this allows you access into all the Disney attractions for that period of time. For instance purchasing a 7 day pass would set you back $219 for ages 10 and over and $182 for under 10's. However, if you were to simply purchase a single day ticket it would set you back $71 for adults.

My Tip: If your staying for a week, purchase the week pass, its not only the cheapest option, but it allows you to explore all the Disney parks, and allows you to go back to the park as many times during that week. Always purchase the tickets before hand, it saves you hours of waiting at the front, and gives you more time in the park. You can book your tickets either through the Disney website, or through travel agents who plan your holidays for you.

How to get there:

There are several methods of getting to MGM studios, most common methods include a rental car and public busses. With regards to rental cars, Disney is located towards the Southwest of Orlando, off interstate 4. However, there are plenty of road signs that help assisting you get there. Once there, there is a fee for parking your car there, we paid around $15, which included a valet service.

If you're not up for taking a car, a bus service is also available from almost everywhere, Disney has its own tour buses that will pick guests up from specific areas, however its best to contact your operator or booking merchant to find out were these stops are.

This was my second trip to the MGM studios, once when I was a kid and now, and it never seems to disappoint, theirs more action, more things to see and do, and a great fun filled day out.

The Park:

The park is split into five different sections, like most theme parks, each section has different things to see and do, and caters for both the young and the old. What's great about this park is that there is no specific order one must go in, you could start at the back and work your way forward and so on. Each area of the park blends in with the next and at times it's hard to notice that you're in a totally new section. This section of my review will focus on each area; however I won't go on too much about all the rides, just the main ones I think people will enjoy going too.

Hollywood Boulevard:

As soon as you enter the park, Hollywood Boulevard is the first area that you enter, it's packed with tons of things to see and do. This area is so welcoming and just magnifies the experience your about to have in the park. We were greeted by jazz players, playing on the side of the streets and several stands selling merchandise such as maps, hats, t-shirts and so on. My tip would be if it's your first time, spend some money buying a map, it costs around $3.00, but it's well worth it. Some of the major attractions located in this area include the great movie ride, and the ATAS hall of fame. You will also see a construction site, which is currently building the new American Idol attraction, too bad it's not open until 2009.

The Great Movie ride: This ride is perhaps the main feature of this specific section, and its one I urge you all to go on. It's a ride that takes you across all the famous movies Hollywood has created throughout the years. What's fascinating about this ride is that the queue line is just as exciting as the actual ride, its gets you ready for what's to come. Whilst waiting, you make your way through the queue, were you first get to watch a trailer of varies movies from the past and present. The queue also has several movie props located around, such as props from the Indiana Jones movies, to the merry go round in Mary Poppins. Once you've made your way to the end of the line, you reach a 1930's style Hollywood stage, flashing in red bright lights. You are then told to sit on the seats, which will take you through the different areas of the attraction.
The ride focuses on many movies from past and present such as the famous lamp post Featured in singing in the rain, and when it actually starts to rain you really get a sense that you are in the film. Perhaps the best part of the ride is when the alien from the Aliens movie comes out and just before it attacks you, a character portraying Ripley comes out to save us.

A fantastic ride, which really offers everything, calmness, excitement, fun and thrills.

The BACKLOT:

Moving on from Hollywood Boulevard we now get to The BACKLOT. This was by far my favourite section of the park, because it had the amazing Indiana Jones live action sequence. Other rides include, the star wars tours, Muppets 3D and Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground.

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular:

The Indiana Jones attraction is by far the best thing the park has to offer, and im not just saying that because im a huge fan of the films. It's not a ride as such, but rather a live action performance that shows some of the most famous scenes from all three of the films. This is the most popular ride in the park, so my advice would be to get there early, as we waited well over an hour just to get into the theatre. Once you've made your way through the queue, you're seated in a big platform, with a gigantic stage in front of you.

The opening sequence takes place during the first film, were Jones is in the Peruvian temple. He manages to make his way through the dangerous spikes, and fire balls, and all of a sudden the huge gigantic ball comes out of now where, exactly like the first film. The live action show also shows the fight scenes in the Nazi airstrip during the second film, and the fight sequence, also from the second film.

The live show is simply amazing, it really gives you a feeling of how the film was made, and some of the stunts they took part in during the filming. It's got explosions, which again really make this seem so real, the stuntman even looks like Jones. Add in a little bit of humour and you have one great show, Andrew Lloyd eat your heart out.

I would also recommend the Muppets 3D show, its fun and something that the younger ones will enjoy.

Mickey Avenue:

Mickey Avenue is the next section of the park; this is more of a child zone, in the sense that it caters more for them, no fast rides, but just simple laid back calmness. I liked this area, although no fast rides, it simply gives you a chance to catch your breath back. Mickey Avenue has many small rides, but the major one you should try checking out is the Studio Backlot Tour. Again whilst waiting for the ride to start, you can see many props from famous movies such as Pearl Harbour, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Rock. Once at the front, your places inside a tram, this takes you around the lot, to different film settings from various movies. The first stop is outside the boneyard, which holds a great collection of cars and planes used in films such as Back to the Future and Star Wars. Once past this area, we visit a movie set, which is currently filming a high action sequence; this area is called Catastrophe Canyon. What looks like an ordinary film set soon turns into an explosive action sequence with explosions, surges or water and an earthquake.

Animation Courtyard:

Animation courtyard takes you through a tour of active production studios. This area is one for the younger kids, with cartoon characters, a number of themed playgrounds. As you can see only a little paragraph about this section, that's because I went straight past, didn't even stop.

Sunset Boulevard:

Sunset Boulevard is the last stop in this theme park, and it defiantly finishes with a bang. The main attraction in this themed area is the Tower of Terror. You can notice the ride from a huge distance away, the famous iconic hotel tower, with its sandy pinkish exterior. When you first enter the park, its perhaps the one major attraction that stands out throughout the entire park, your so anxious to go their first, but you can hold till the climax, because you not it's the one your looking forward to the most. Like many other rides, you start off with a pre-show that sets you up for what's about to happen. Once you enter the lift and sit on your seat, you will get an elevator assistant telling you the story about the hotel and the mystery behind what happened here. It takes you to the 113th floor, where the ride suddenly moves inside, towards door 113, its there the ride stops momentarily, before thrusting you back into the elevator and bang, it drops. Ill be honest, I was so shook up by this ride, I actually had to sit down for a few minutes to catch my breath, but it was so worth it, a ride I would recommend to everyone, although don't eat anything before going on board.

Food:

Like most themed parks, there is a wide range of food choices, there are plenty of café's were you can sit down and relax, or there are many fast food areas, serving anything from burgers, chips, pizzas and so on. Disney do allow you to bring in your own food, I would recommend brining in your own water and drinks as they can be very expensive inside the park. One of my favourite dining areas has to be the Sci- fi dine in theatre.

Overall this park is brilliant, it's got something for everyone, from the very young to the very old. It really gives you the Hollywood felling that most of us see in these big budget blockbusters. There are plenty of rides so you're never disappointed, and the staff are very friendly, making your trip more pleasant. 

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