Why We Love Hollywood Studio’s Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood Studio’s Sunset Boulevard is named and themed after the famous street in Hollywood, California. On this road, some of Hollywood Studios most thrilling and exciting attractions live. In addition to many quick service meal stops, full service restaurants, and vendors of souvenirs, spirits, and accessories, Sunset Boulevard is home to live shows, a thrilling roller coaster, an abandoned hotel ride, and a nighttime spectacular featuring water effects, classic Disney characters, and fireworks. We have four attractions that we believe make Hollywood Studio’s Sunset Boulevard a must-visit on your Walt Disney World vacation. Beauty and the Beast- Live on Stage, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, and Fantasmic! will have guests wanting to stay and play all day long!
Beauty and the Beast- Live on Stage
This tale as old as time classic comes to life in a Broadway musical unlike any other. The Theater of the Stars seats fifteen hundred guests at scheduled times throughout the day. The theater is covered with a canopy and offers an outstanding view from every seat. The live show premiered in 1991 on the very same day that the feature film was released in theaters. The story of Belle and the Beast is magically recreated in twenty-five minutes with live vocals, dancing, and production. Unique backdrops, costumes, and performers bring this romance to Walt Disney World guests in the most extravagant form possible. Viewers are sure to leave the theater with smiles on their faces and happiness in their hearts.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
The famous and abandoned Hollywood Tower Hotel stands as the end point of Sunset Boulevard. As guests approach the hotel, they will get the sense that things may not be as they seem. The entrance consists of twists through an abandoned garden before finally coming upon the main lobby. Guests will see the furniture covered in dust and cobwebs. In small groups, they are then taken into a dark, creepy library. There, it is explained how this hotel was cursed by five unfortunate souls in 1939. Guests soon make their way into another dimension and enter into: The Twilight Zone! Pathways through a boiler room lead guests to an old-style elevator lift guarded by a bellhop. As lights flicker and shadows lurk, the bellhop seats each guest in the elevator. The journey leads through dark, eerie hallways and into the fifth dimension. Once the thirteenth floor is reached, the elevator begins creeping forward. As the surroundings finally go dark, guests are pushed and pulled up and down the elevator shaft. The elevator doors open, exposing the outside world. With each drop, shrieks are heard as guests hold on tightly. If you cannot escape, you just might become a permanent resident of: The Twilight Zone!
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Have you ever wanted to experience life as a rock star? Back stage passes, fancy limo rides, and V.I.P. treatments await at the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. Upon entering the ride, guests will see a giant electric guitar and a stretch limo turned, literally, upside down! Riders are invited into the G-Force Records studio where they will find the band Aerosmith in a recording session. They are running late for a concert on the other side of Los Angeles, but the band is more than cordial. The band invites all of their guests to come see the show and ride in a super stretch limo to get there! The limo awaits guests in a back alleyway. Once boarding, music blares as the super stretch bolts into darkness at the speed of sixty miles per hour! The coaster zooms, twists, and flips around Hollywood landmarks, street signs, and other glowing objects. The coaster eventually arrives at the concert, and guests exit onto a red carpet. This attraction brings thrill and rock and roll together in an unforgettable roller coaster experience.
Fantasmic!
In the thirty minute nighttime spectacular Fantasmic!, guests can experience Sorcerer Mickey’s dreams come to life! With the assistance of lights, lasers, water effects, and pyrotechnics, Mickey Mouse and his friends fight against the evil villains of classic Disney movies. Dancing water and light projections tell the stories of Mickey’s dreams and bring each classic tale to life. Over fifty performers sing, act, and dance their way though this immersive tale. Mickey’s dreams are turned into nightmares as Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, the Evil Queen, Ursula, Claude Frollo, Scar, and other evil presences try to destroy the magic of Mickey’s dreams. Guests will encounter characters from Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, The Little Mermaid, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, Snow White, and countless others. With a little imagination and a lot of help from his friends, will Mickey be able to save the day?
More Fantasmic!
If guests are looking for a more immersive Fantasmic! experience, there are dinner packages available for an additional price. A three-course dinner will be served in addition to reserved V.I.P. seating in the Fantasmic! Theater. Guests can choose from three of the full-service restaurants in Hollywood Studios to enjoy. A package is also available that will allow guests to meet with Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, Donald and Goofy before the show begins. This package is only available seasonally, and it is recommended to make reservations for both options at least one hundred and eighty days in advance.
Ready to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World to experience the magic firsthand at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Contact your travel agent today for a FREE quote!
Special thanks to Lexsie Ditter for writing this article!