Disney's Hollywood Studios opened in 1989 with a small lineup of rides and shows. Every one of them has since closed or been replaced, though one famous name came back to the park this fall.
When Disney-MGM Studios opened on May 1, 1989, it was pitched as a real working studio with a theme park attached. Today it's Disney's Hollywood Studios, home to Star Wars, Toy Story and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
So what's left from that very first day? Not much. None of the park's opening-day attractions are still running in their original form.
There is one twist, though. One of those original names came back to the park in 2026.
Here's a look back at the park's grand opening in 1989:
What attractions did Disney-MGM Studios open with?
The lineup on day one was small. Here's what guests could do, and what happened to each:
The Great Movie Ride: the park's big dark ride, inside the Chinese Theater. It closed in 2017, and Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway took over the building in 2020.
The Backstage Studio Tour: a long tram and walking tour of the studio backlot. It was split up and renamed over the years, then closed in 2014. Its land is now part of Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.
The Monster Sound Show: a show about movie sound effects. It ran until 1997, became Sounds Dangerous in 1999, turned into Star Wars: Path of the Jedi in 2015 and is now Mickey Shorts Theater.
SuperStar Television: guests acted out classic TV scenes. It ended in 1998 and was replaced by Doug Live! in 1999.
The Magic of Disney Animation: a peek at real Disney animators at work. It closed in 2015, and the building later housed Star Wars Launch Bay.
Theater of the Stars: an outdoor stage for live shows. It was torn down a few years later to make room for Sunset Boulevard, and the name moved to a bigger theater down the street.
Is The Magic of Disney Animation back at Hollywood Studios?
Yes, sort of. A brand-new Magic of Disney Animation opened on Sept. 14, 2026. It borrows the old name, but it's a new experience, with an Olaf Draws! drawing class, animation exhibits and a short film, Disney Once Upon a Studio.
So the name is back, even if the original attraction isn't.
What's the oldest attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios now?
That would be the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. It wasn't ready on opening day, but it had its grand opening on Aug. 25, 1989, just a few months later, and it's still running.
Star Tours also opened before the end of 1989. The ride was updated in 2011 as Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, but it's still flying in the same spot.
Why did Disney-MGM Studios change so much?
Mostly because the "working studio" idea faded. Disney did film and animate at the park for years, but the production work slowly moved away, and guests wanted rides more than tours.
The park was renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2008. Big additions like Toy Story Land in 2018 and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in 2019 turned it into a very different place from the one that opened in 1989.
What other Disney-MGM Studios landmarks are gone?
Plenty. The Earffel Tower, the water tower with Mickey ears, was a park icon for years until it was removed in 2016. The giant Sorcerer Mickey hat that stood in front of the Chinese Theater came down in 2015.
If you visited in the '90s, the park you remember mostly lives on in photos now. The Chinese Theater is still there, though. Some things are too iconic to replace.
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.
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Hat Tips:
AllEars opening-day attractions and what replaced them
Yesterland Disney-MGM Studios history, Indiana Jones and Star Tours opening dates, Theater of the Stars and Star Wars Launch Bay
Kenny the Pirate (July 28, 2026), the new Magic of Disney Animation and its Sept. 14 opening
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