Disney's Hollywood Studios is where the glitz and glamor of the movies meet the magic of Disney. The moment you step through those turnstiles and scan your Magic Band, you're transported from Orlando Florida to a classic Hollywood setting. But don't be too starstruck, because there are more than a few things to feast your eyes on in this park.
Like any other Disney Park, Hollywood Studios is absolutely loaded with hidden wonders and Easter-eggs many guests overlook. So before you start making your way down the boulevard on your way to Star Tours, have a look at these ten hidden gems of Hollywood Studios.
Shallow Waters
Fantasmic is normally how we would end our visit to the park but in this case, we're willing to make an exception. In this truly remarkable Nighttime Spectacular, guests can see Mickey do battle with a sinister selection of Disney's rogues gallery of villains at the lagoon at the amphitheater. But what guests might not know is that the Lagoon isn't exactly a lake.
Though it's able to catch fire, hold several floats, and even Mickey's steamboat, it's only around a foot and a half deep! But with all the lights, music, and dazzling display of pyrotechnics, you definitely wouldn't know it.
Chinese Theatre Footprints
Just like the real deal in Hollywood California, the replica of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood Studios has several footprints of famous stars, including a handful of animated ones. Upon further inspection, though, you'd be surprised to see just how many icons left their mark.
Of course, you have many famous Disney alumni such as Dick Van Dyke, Robbie Benson, and Annette Funicello, but you'll also find the likes of Hulk Hogan, C-3PO and R2-D2, and even Audrey Hepburn gave their contribution to the park's walk of fame. Hopefully, you'll take notice before Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway opens this year.
Giant Footprint in Toy Story Land
While we're on the subject of famous footprints, this is one that many fans overlook, which isn't an easy task given to how incredibly massive it is. If you should venture into Toy Story Land for a ride on Slinky Dog Dash or simply to try your luck at Toy Story Mania, you might notice a strange shape in the middle of the path, Andy's sneaker print.
Since the colorful environment is meant to be Andy's backyard, it makes sense that evidence of the kid's presence would need to be seen somewhere. Let's just hope he doesn't trip over the coaster tracks.
Blasted Hidden Mickey
Galaxy's Edge is the ultimate Star Wars fan service, and if you're anything like we were when we first stepped on the surface of Batuu, you were definitely a little too Star Wars starstruck to notice many small details. One we had to cover was a familiar shape blasted into one of the walls of the city.
Hidden Mickeys are a big part of any Disney park, but we have to give props to the creative use of environment and lore, making a Hidden Mickey out of a trio of blaster holes. Whether it was Han or Greedo, someone needed to work on their aim.
Recycled Droids
While we're at Star Tours, let's take a little peek inside the queue at the various workings and machinations of this little spaceport. There's a boarding screen to a number of familiar planets in the galaxy like Naboo, Tatooine, and the Forest Moon of Endor, C3-PO and R2-D2 running diagnostics on our shuttle, and two peculiar droids running baggage and security.
What you might not know about these droids is that they've been working at Disney long before the Star Wars crew landed. They're actually repurposed animatronics from the America Sings attraction, and little on their build was changed to fit in with the sci-fi backdrop.
Valiant Detective Agency
Of all the movies that deserve a place in this incredible park, Who Framed Roger Rabbit practically begs for it. After all, it's a cartoony crime-noir set during the golden age of Hollywood, the place could practically be a film set. Sadly though, very little notice of the film remains, except for this overlooked Easter-egg.
If you look in the windows of Hollywood and Vine, you can see one advertising Eddie Valiant: Private Investigator. It definitely looks like Eddie's gotten himself sober and back in business. Still, its a shame we don't have a Meet and Greet with Roger Rabbit somewhere nearby.
Willie The Dummy
The Twilight Zone's Tower of Terror is a sci-fi/horror fan's dream. Guests venture beyond the door of imagination and into a dimension of sound, sight, and the mind and into their own episode of the Twilight Zone, hosted by a projection of Rod Serling himself.
What they might miss during this brief trip to and from the Twilight Zone is the various winks and nods to other episodes of the series. The most notable we've found happens to be a mischievous wooden comedian, and we're not talking Pinocchio. Willie the Dummy from "The Dummy" episode can be seen just outside the exit of the elevator.
Mickey on the Map
We know we've mentioned a Hidden Mickey already, but we simply had to include this one. Not only is it one of the most unseen Mickeys on Disney property, but it's also one of the largest as well. Here's a hint for those of you without aerial perception, you're walking on it.
When Disney's Hollywood Studios was first built, it was designed to look like Mickey's face. Over time, new developments and structures were built and they overshadowed Mickey's smiling features. But if you look closely at your map, you can still see the outline of his iconic head and ears.
The Brown Derby
Unless you're familiar with the history of Hollywood, you might not know that the Brown Derby was at one time an actual restaurant where the whos-who of Hollywood would dine and socialize. Unfortunately, the original Brown Derby no longer exists, but its Disney replica does its best to recreate the movie star hangout.
The Brown Derby was perhaps most famous for its wall of fame, photos of regular customers from the silver screen. Disney has recreated that as well, but what you might not know is the photographs in the black frames are replicas, but the gold ones are originals from the old restaurant.
Character Paloozas
If you're a die-hard fan like we are, then you know some Disney characters are harder to access than others. Fortunately, Disney has a little secret for meeting your favorite, less-findable faces from their films. Allow us to introduce you to the Character Palooza.
Character Paloozas are unofficial Meet and Greets that occur between 4:00 and 7:00 before Fantasmic. The characters available are somewhat random, but you're sure to find a few characters you might not find walking about in the rest of the park. The Paloozas are somewhat irregular depending on crowd size, but that shouldn't stop you from searching.