Hidden Details of Hollywood Studios

There are many reasons why the Disney Parks stand apart from other theme parks around the world, but one of the biggest has to be Disney’s incredible attention to detail. You can see the extra mile in the form of details just about everywhere on Disney property, from attractions to parade costumes to resorts to transportation to even the bathrooms! Personally, I love the details. They are not only appealing to the eye and fun to find, but almost always meaningful to the history of an attraction or to the story the Imagineers are trying to tell. For today’s post, let’s take a look at the hidden details of Hollywood Studios!

Near Min and Bill’s Dockside Diner at Hollywood Studios, look for a stack of wooden crates near the water. If you take a closer look, you may recognize who the crates are being shipped to and where they have been shipped from! This crate is being sent to Rick Blaine at Rick’s Cafe Americain in Casablanca, Morocco! Sound familiar? We also found crates being sent to a Scarlett O’Hara at Tara and even one belonging to a Charles Foster Kane! Few guests know about these particular hidden details and it’s really easy to walk right past them, so keep your eyes open.

Outside of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular area are remnants of an archaeological excavation with a dig site, a jeep, crates belonging to the college where Indy was a professor, and a worktable that looks like someone has been been using. It also appears that someone left a familiar fedora behind too. Wonder who that could be?

On Hollywood Studios’ Sunset Boulevard, there is a store facing the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror that’s more significant than many might realize. This store is actually a replica of the famous Carthay Circle Theater in Hollywood that hosted the premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs back in 1937, which was the beginning of Disney’s success. It’s a hidden detail in plain sight!

At the rear of the park are the Streets of America, exterior sets designed to look like downtown streets from New York or San Francisco. They are great places to snap a few photos, but I always suggest directing your camera to the windows, alleys, and fire escapes as they are brimming with details which make this area more realistic and fun! If you visit the Streets of America around Christmastime, you may discover that the different fire escapes and residences have put their own individual spin on holiday decorating, which is definitely worth seeing!

I love exploring the Muppets area of the park, especially the neighboring shops where it appears that the Muppets have run rampant and use to store their stuff! One of my favorite details? A bull horn hanging from the ceiling that has been painted red and actually sports the horns of a bull! Get it? Bull horn. Yeah, it’s cheesy.

Have you ever noticed the arch leading into Animation Courtyard at Hollywood Studios? It’s covered in intricate carvings of Hollywood life, such as directors and actors, spotlights and camera men, and even animators! In fact, if you take the time to get a close-up look at the arches, you may find a few familiar faces, like Donald and Goofy!

Anyone who has ever been in the The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror knows that queue is incredible! There is so much to see in the dusty, creepy hotel lobby, that you have to visit time and time again to see it all; but there’s one hidden detail you may not find unless you are sent to the library to the left, as opposed to the library to the right. If you do get sent to the left, look behind you to see an example of the Hollywood Hotel’s former extravagance, these vintage, albeit dusty, perfumes and accessories on display.

Speaking of awesome queues, Toy Story Midway Mania‘s is one of the best on Disney property. While kids will love being surrounded by giant board games and crayons, adults are sure to feel a bit of nostalgia seeing some classic toys of their youth. One of my favorite details has to be the giant Little Golden Books; but there’s one that you probably didn’t own as a kid. This book has the Tin Toy on the cover, a character in one of Pixar’s original shorts!

Villains in Vogue is a popular stop at Hollywood Studios. In addition to selling some Disney Villains themed merch, it’s also a yummy bakery! One of my personal favorite hidden details is actually the handle of the Villains in Vogue door. They look like the shell Ursula used to capture Ariel’s voice in The Little Mermaid!

So these are a just a few of the many hidden details to be discovered at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Which of these have you found? Do you have a favorite?