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Shows and attractions at Disney-MGM Studios

Shows

Shows that once were seen at the Studios:

– Ace Ventura Pet Detective: Live in Action
– Bear in the Big Blue House
– Dick Tracy Diamond Double-Cross
– Doug Live!
– Here Come the Muppets
– Hollywood’s Pretty Woman: (September 24, 1991 to November 3, 1991)
– Hunchback of Notre Dame: A Musical Adventure
– Muppets on Location: The Days of Swine and Roses: (September 16, 1991 until 1994.
– Spirit of Pocahontas
– Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles


Oasborne Family Spectacle of Lights!

The Osborne Family Lights is an incredible display of over 5 million lights, which has been seen on Residential Street at the Disney-MGM Studios since it as purchased by Disney in 1995. The spectacle of lights was born in 1986 by Jennings Osborne, who created a 1,000 light display as a Christmas gift to his 6 year old daughter, Breezy.

And so a new family tradition was born. By 1993, this little Christmas gift turned into more than three million lights, and could be seen by planes flying 80 miles away. Well, three million lights might make a few people stand up and take notice… and they did. While some people came from miles away just to visit the the lights, other neighbors, filled with the holiday spirit, decided to take legal action to make him take them down. And no, they wouldn’t stop until it went all the way to the Arkansas Supreme Court (an appeal to the United States Supreme Court was denied by Justice Clarence Thomas).

After fighting the good fight and paying fines, (one of which was $10,000.00), Jennings Osborne thought that his gift to his daughter, and so many others who looked forward to the annual light   display, was done for good.

Step up and take a bow, Mickey Mouse…

In 1995, Walt Disney World purchased the entire light display from the Osbornes, and brought it to the Disney-MGM Studios. That holiday season, more than 4 million lights adorned Residential Street , making it the third largest attraction in the park!

The lights have no grown to over 5 million, and Disney has enhanced the spectacle with free holographic glasses, and even nightly snowfalls!

It takes 21,000 hours and 10 weeks to install the 5 million lights at the Osborne Family Spectacle Of Lights at Disney-MGM Studios.

More than 350 miles of Christmas lights wrap around the Osborne Family Spectacle Of Lights display. Don’t forget the 71 miles of extension cables, either!!!


Parades

Parades from the past at the Disney-MGM Studios

The “Aladdin’s Royal Caravan” opened on December 21, 1992 and ran until August 27, 1995 . Floats included the genie, spitting camels (which later appeared at the Soundstage Restaurant and are now found at the Magic Carpets of Aladdin in Fantasyland). of course, Aladdin and Princess Jasmine rode in grand style upon an elephant float. And what about Jafar and Iago, the villains? They were there, too… at the end… sweeping up after the elephant!

The “Toy Story” parade ran in 1996 after the Aladdin parade closed, and offered numerous opportunities for guests to meet and get autographs from Buzz, Woody, and a variety of other Toy Story characters.

“Hercules Zero to Hero Victory Parade” meandered through the park twice a day starting on June 27, 1997 . It included a number of floats, headed by a lucky “Theban Family of the Day,” selected from the crowd. There were also giant balloons and cheerleaders (well, the balloons were giant, not the cheerleaders). The parade closed less than a year later in anticipation of the upcoming Mulan parade.

The “Mulan” parade ran from June 19, 1998 for three years, and included characters from the movie, as well as traditional Chinese parade elements, such as a 150-foot long dragon and performers representing the Great Wall of China.


Restaurants

Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano at the Disney MGM Studios serves 720 pounds of pasta everyday. Thatsa lotta pasta!

At least 125 orders of meatloaf and mashed potatoes are requested every single day at 50’s Prime Time Cafe at the Disney MGM Studios.

(And one of my favorite places to eat at the parks! But be sure to eat all your vegetables, or no dessert for you!… Oh, yeah… keep your elbows on the table and see what happens…)

The Hollywood Brown Derby pays homage to the second Brown Derby restaurant (1929), once located at 1624 Vine Street, just south of Hollywood Boulevard.

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About Lou Mongello

Lou Mongello is a former attorney who left the practice to pursue his passion, and is now a recognized Disney expert, author, speaker, and host of WDW Radio. Learn more…

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