In the early days of Disney-MGM Studios (a mere decade and a half ago), MGM's Leo the Lion held equal billing on nearly all of the theme park's publicity material and branded merchandise. Leo's prominence ultimately faded due to the ongoing legal disputes between Disney and MGM. His final pink slip of sorts came yesterday with the announcement that beginning in January, Walt Disney World's third gate would become Disney's Hollywood Studios.
The change was certainly inevitable, but I have to admit a certain sentimental attachment to the Disney-MGM moniker. I, like many others, will undoubtedly continue to refer to the park as simply "MGM" for some time to come.
And speaking of MGM, a big shout-out to Matt Hochberg, webmaster and all around good guy from mgmstudios.org and host of the WDW Today podcast. Matt featured yours truly and 2719 Hyperion in a recent article at mgmstudios.org. Thanks, Matt!
Meh. At this point, it's really just a theme park anyway. It's not like anything resembling production still goes on there, at least in view of the park patrons.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the shameless plug Jeff
ReplyDeleteI believe the new name fits perfectly. It was never an "MGM studio" anyway, and with the exodus of a truly working studio years ago, the name "Disney's Hollywood Studios" stays truer to park's current theme of being a purely pretend Hollywood-of-yore kind of place. Unlike some others, I am not forever married to hanging onto every 'original' name or attraction; it's not a museum, it's a vibrant, thriving, ever-changing place. I welcome the change.
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