Theme Park Tourist explores potential new names for Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM Studios).
What will that new name be? A park undergoing a major rebirth deserves a moniker that will clearly explain what it is and why people should give it another chance, but what can possibly sum up the major changes that are taking effect? Here’s a look at some serious and not so serious guesses culled from the fan community.
Disney’s Hollywood Adventure
Of course, Disney could always decide to give in to the reality that its third gate will forever be known as a movie park, no matter how different a direction it chooses. The movie park at Disneyland Paris has the elegantly simple name of Walt Disney Studios Park. It doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not, instead celebrating the legacy of family fun behind the Disney Studios name. A reasonable choice, but not one that seems to mesh with the direction the company has chosen to take with its Florida movie park.
Walt Disney Studios Park
Of course, Disney could always decide to give in to the reality that its third gate will forever be known as a movie park, no matter how different a direction it chooses. The movie park at Disneyland Paris has the elegantly simple name of Walt Disney Studios Park. It doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not, instead celebrating the legacy of family fun behind the Disney Studios name. A reasonable choice, but not one that seems to mesh with the direction the company has chosen to take with its Florida movie park.
Star Wars Land
We know that one of the biggest changes coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the radical expansion of the park’s Star Wars area. Already drawing massive crowds for Star Wars Weekends, and anchored by the recently revamped Star Tours-The Adventures Continue, Star Wars Land will soon take up a major chunk of real estate. Why not appeal to the devoted fans who make the pilgrimage to Star Wars Weekends each year by simply naming the park after what will surely be one of its most popular lands?
Pixar Place
On the other hand, Pixar is no slouch in the fandom department. We know for sure that the wildly popular Toy Story Midway Mania is receiving a third track to help alleviate its crowding. We also know that the existing Pixar Place is set for a major expansion, adding a variety of all-ages attractions to help the park return to Walt’s original ideal that families should have fun together. So why not go after the family crowd by renaming the park to reflect these changes?
Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Wonderland of Fun
The unexpected smash success of Frozen led Disney to shoehorn Anna and Elsa into every available spot in an effort to meet guests’ expectations. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, last year’s Frozen Summer Fun gave way to the permanent For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. With the sisters already taking over the former Maelstrom attraction at Epcot, is it really that far-fetched to believe they could become the key marketing ploy in bringing new guests to the already-confused movie park? OK, probably not, but I wouldn’t put anything past Disney these days when it comes to wringing every cent out of the Frozen phenomenon.
Only time will tell how Disney plans to tie its new enhancements and expansions together at the beleaguered movie park. But one thing is certain: whatever they choose can only be an improvement over the identity confusion we have today. What are your thoughts for a new name?
What would you name the Park?
#Disney World is making changes to Hollywood Studios, even it's name. Learn a potential new name here: https://t.co/cQYigmGzaA @theinquisitr
— Kaylee Hauesler (@KayleeHauesler) April 8, 2016
