Disney’s Hollywood Studios didn’t exactly get off to a blockbuster start. Opened in 1989 as Disney-MGM Studios, it was the third park to open at Walt Disney World, hastily conceived as a response to the construction of Universal Studios Florida; when the park opened it only had four attractions.

Today, the renamed park houses the two most thrilling attractions on Disney property—Aerosmith’s Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror—and the setting combines Hollywood’s Golden Age glamour with a sprinkling of Pixar’s modern moviemaking magic.

Although it’s still the lesser of the four parks, it has more than overcome its initial stumbles and now boasts plenty that’s worth seeing.

Special Events

The big seasonal event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights (Thanksgiving–New Year’s). Combining 10 miles of rope lighting, a synchronized musical soundtrack, and 33 snow machines, this holiday display transforms the New York section of the park’s Backlot area into a truly impressive winter wonderland.

ESPN: The Weekend (late Feb./early Mar.) finds the Disney-owned sports network broadcasting programs live from the park, along with celebrity athletes on hand to answer questions and sign autographs.

Star Wars Weekends (late May/early June) caters to an entirely different demographic, as fans of the sci-fi films flock to the park to look at exclusive memorabilia, costumed characters, and the occasional actual star from the films.

Night of Joy (Sept.) is one of two Christian music festivals that happen in Orlando-area theme parks; the other is the Rock the Universe night at Universal Studios, which is usually held on the same dates as Night of Joy. Appropriately, the Disney festival is a little more buttoned-down, focusing less on the sort of alt-rock Christian groups that play at Universal and more on pop-oriented acts.