We've often said that our favorite Disney park is the one we happen to be standing in at the moment, but Disney's Hollywood Studios is one that comes to mind first when we think about that question. Being native Californians, we're always pleased with how well Disney has captured the essence of southern California, especially the ambiance of early Hollywood. Or at least, how we imagine Hollywood would have looked in the 1940s.
This month we're concentrating our Photo Tour on just two streets in Hollywood Studios: Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard. These are the two main streets you'll encounter as you enter the park. Hollywood Boulevard is the street you'll be on when you first enter. It starts at the entrance gates and runs down to the Chinese Theatre.
About two thirds of the way down Hollywood Boulevard, you'll come to Sunset Boulevard on the right. You'll find more shops, some great quick service food, and two of Hollywood Studio's iconic rides, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror.
Hollywood Boulevard
A walk down the real Hollywood Boulevard in California might take you past famous landmarks like Capital Records, the Chinese Theatre, or the El Capitan Theatre. On Hollywood Boulevard at Disney's Hollywood Studios, you'll see several great Disney shops and the park's Starbucks; at the end is a plaza where you'll find the Brown Derby, the Chinese Theatre (the home of The Great Movie Ride), and Center Stage, which hosts various shows throughout the year. Right now the primary show is Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away.
The original Brown Derby restaurant was a coffee shop with an entrance that looked like a hat. The derby was inspired by the hat worn by the then New York Governor Al Smith. There have been several Brown Derby franchises over the years. The most famous of the restaurants is on Wilshire Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Disney licensed this location at Hollywood Studios in 1987.
One of the signature dishes of The Brown Derby is the famous Cobb Salad. This dish was allegedly created by the owner of the Wilshire Boulevard restaurant, Robert H. Cobb, in the 1930s. To remember its ingredients, you can think of the mnemonic, “E.A.T. C.O.B.B.,” which stands for egg, avocado, tomato, chicken, onion, bacon, and blue cheese, then throw in some lettuce.
The Theatre of the Stars is designed after The Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California. Built in 1919, the Hollywood Bowl has hosted The Beatles, Barbara Streisand, and Frank Sinatra. Being a somewhat smaller venue, the Theatre of the Stars in Hollywood is host to a stage version of Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster represents a ride through southern California in a limo as you head to an Aerosmith concert. The ride accelerates from 0 to 60 in about 2.8 seconds as you blast up a ramp to your first loop. It inverts two more times during the ride. On this past March 27, Steven Tyler—the lead singer for Aerosmith—visited Hollywood Studios for his birthday just to check on the ride. Our information is that he occasionally visits Hollywood Studios on or near his birthday for that purpose.
Citizens of Hollywood
As you walk along Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards, there's a good chance you'll run into some characters that look and act like they're straight out of Hollywood in the 1940s. Most of them are from the movie industry, but you can also encounter policemen, utility workers, and so on. These folks collectively are called The Citizens of Hollywood. They show up, unannounced throughout the day and provide a short show for about fifteen minutes, usually interacting with the guests. When you see these performances along the street, it's easy to simply walk around them and move along to wherever you were going, but we recommend that you take a moment and watch these talented people. We've found that their characters are spot on, they're entertaining, and they've become part of the reason we come to Hollywood Studios.
These images represent just a small portion of the entertainment you can find on these two streets of Disney's Hollywood Studios. When you come to Walt Disney World, we think you should plan as much time here as you can. Your efforts will not go unrewarded.
The original Hollywood Bowl is not located in Santa Monica. It is on Highland Blvd north of Hollywood Blvd about 13 miles from Santa Monica or about an hour depending on traffic.
By stan4d_steph
Originally Posted by vbgcoach
The original Hollywood Bowl is not located in Santa Monica. It is on Highland Blvd north of Hollywood Blvd about 13 miles from Santa Monica or about an hour depending on traffic.
Comments
The original Hollywood Bowl is not located in Santa Monica. It is on Highland Blvd north of Hollywood Blvd about 13 miles from Santa Monica or about an hour depending on traffic.
Thanks for the correction.