Hollywood Studios’ Echo Lake is getting its water back after a refurbishment that started in August. Gertie got fresh paint, the Dockside Diner boat got a refresh, and Christmas is next.
Good news for anybody who likes a lake with actual water in it. Echo Lake at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is filling back up.
WDWNT spotted crews refilling the lake on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Some parts were fuller than others, but the water is back. WDWMagic followed on Nov. 4, reporting that the refurbishment is wrapping up.
It’s been a long, muddy stretch. WDWNT first reported the lake almost completely drained on Aug. 15, so guests have spent close to three months looking at a dry lakebed in the middle of the park.
Why was Echo Lake drained at Hollywood Studios?
Disney never laid out the full scope of the work, according to BlogMickey. All guests got was a “Please Pardon Our Appearance” sign on the construction fence.
The fan sites pieced it together from what showed up over the fall. WDWNT reports the job included fresh paint on the props in the lake, including the fake tree stumps and logs. The S.S. Down the Hatch, the boat that holds Min and Bill’s Dockside Diner, got a refresh too. BlogMickey spotted rust marks added to the ship in early October and the scaffolding coming down in mid-October.
The good news is that food never stopped. Dinosaur Gertie’s Ice Cream of Extinction stayed open during the work, WDWNT reported in August. BlogMickey said Dockside Diner kept running normally through the construction, too.
What happened to Gertie the Dinosaur?
She got a makeover. WDWNT reports that Gertie, the big green dinosaur that sells ice cream on the lake’s edge, was repainted during the refurbishment.
If you’ve never stopped to look at her, Gertie has a fun backstory. She’s based on Gertie the Dinosaur, an animated short by cartoon pioneer Winsor McCay from 1914. So yes, the ice cream dinosaur has a film history older than Mickey Mouse.
Gertie doesn’t have her Christmas look yet, WDWNT says. Fans who want her in holiday mode can get a jump on it, though. Carousel of Products is taking pre-orders for a Santa Gertie plush.
Is the Echo Lake Christmas tree coming back?
It looks that way. WDWNT reports crews placed a metal bridge in the lake so they can set up the Christmas tree. The tree on the water has been a staple of Hollywood Studios holiday decor, and WDWNT shared photos of last year’s setup alongside its refill report.
WDWMagic also says floating Christmas ornaments are now in place on the lake. We weren’t able to confirm that detail with a second source, so consider it a sneak peek until you see them yourself.
The timing makes sense. Hollywood Studios is about to get very festive.
What’s new at Hollywood Studios for the holidays in 2026?
A lot, and some of it already started. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets got its holiday overlay on Nov. 4, and it runs through Jan. 6, 2027. It’s the coaster’s first holiday season with the Muppets in charge. Alien Swirling Saucers in Toy Story Land also switched to holiday music on Nov. 4.
The park’s after-hours holiday event, Disney Jollywood Nights, opens Saturday, Nov. 7. FantasyLandNews reports it runs 15 nights through Jan. 5, 2027, the first time the event stretches into January. Several nights have already sold out, BlogMickey reports.
New this year, according to FantasyLandNews, are a Kermit and Miss Piggy holiday show at Theater of the Stars and a new lounge called Checkin’ It Twice. Disney World’s wider holiday season starts Friday, Nov. 13.
What else is around Echo Lake?
If you haven’t been to that corner of the park in a while, it’s a busy little neighborhood. The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular sits right nearby. So do Hollywood & Vine, the 50’s Prime Time Cafe and the Frozen Sing-Along Celebration.
The park first opened on May 1, 1989, as Disney-MGM Studios, and Echo Lake has been part of it from the start. It’s a nice spot to grab a cone from Gertie and sit for a minute between shows.
Now that the water’s back, it’ll look a lot more like a lake again. Give it a few weeks, and it should look a lot more like Christmas, too.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
WDWNT (Nov. 3, 2026), refill report, refurbishment work, Christmas tree bridge and Santa Gertie plush
WDWNT (Aug. 15, 2026), first drain report and Gertie’s staying open
WDWMagic (Nov. 4, 2026), refurbishment wrapping up and floating ornaments
BlogMickey (Aug. 20 and Oct. 2026), Dockside Diner staying open, rust marks and scaffolding updates
FantasyLandNews (Nov. 1, 2026), Jollywood Nights dates and new holiday offerings
4K WDW (YouTube, Jan. 25, 2026), park walkthrough
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