Disney's Hollywood Studios: A Throwback to the Golden Era

June 22nd, 2008 - By Austin Phillips

When one thinks about Hollywood's history and the incredible Golden Era films that were produced, Walt Disney World is probably one of the last places to comes to mind. However, after recently visiting the park I discovered that Disney's Hollywood Studios (previously titled MGM Studios) is actually a faithful and spirited reproduction of classic Hollywood that manages to touch on some of the themes celebrated everyday here on The Fedora Chronicles.

The park's focus on films and their creation is immediately evident to anyone who enters and the park wastes no time in reinforcing the fact that it celebrates Hollywood and all of its timeless traditions. The main streets easily resemble the 1930s and 40s, with various vintage signs, stores, and posters for classics such as Casablanca and Angels With Dirty Faces. Along the way there are vintage cars and dazzling lights at night that occasionally pop up to add to the flavor. The park itself is extremely detailed and looks authentic from the outset. For any retro lover or film fan, it's quite a site to take in.

While the main streets of the park are obviously designed to look like buildings from the Golden Era, this enthusiasm carries over into distant corners of the park and even into many of the attractions. The Hollywood Tower of Terror not only looks cool but manages to take guests onto a thrilling trip through an episode of the Twilight Zone, complete with a black and white film before the ride and chilling narration just like the show itself. The Great Movie Ride takes passengers through scenes from famous films, many of which are period pieces or classics from the Golden Era of Hollywood: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Casablanca, Singin' In The Rain, and The Public Enemy are just some of the films featured and the overall result is actually quite good for what could have easily been a boring and predictable ride. The animatronics robots of classic film stars look and act a bit dated by today's standards but that seems to be some of the charm: often times the vintage look and feel

speaks louder than anything modern technology can come up with. Indiana Jones is given his very own stunt show that's fun to watch and the sign for the attraction looms large overhead and is visible for quite a distance, although unfortunately some trees seem to have grown in the way. Many of the films we grew up watching and loving are represented here in one way or another.

Even if one chooses to skip the major attractions, just walking around the park is a joy, especially for the scenery and sounds that abound throughout. Occasionally music from classic films can be heard and the building facades do a great job of recreating the feeling of the 1930s and 40s. I even witnessed some guests wearing fedoras and, although it may not have been intentional, they looked like they really understood what was going on and were working harder than anyone else to live and breathe the atmosphere of the park. I found myself enjoying the sights almost as much as the attractions.

In the end it's obvious that the park is fake and most of what you see isn't real; that's to be expected. However, it's easily my favorite of the four Disney World parks and while walking around I was struck by how much the park represented so much of what The Fedora Chronicles is all about: style, substance, honor, and the values and fashion of the Golden Era. If you're ever in the Orlando area and have a day to spare it's certainly worth you time and money to at least stop by, especially if you're a Retrocentric. Nothing can beat going to real locations but if you're at Disney World or have children it's not a bad way to spend an afternoon. Just bring your fedora and you'll feel right at home.

Products From CafePress help keep The Fedora Chronicles On-Line! Check Them Out!

Your thoughts? Drop us a line on our forum.

More articles from Ren can be found here: The Rant Archive