PHOTOS - Cleared backlot changes the skyline at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Oct 21, 2016 in "Disney's Hollywood Studios"

Backlot cleared ahead of Star Wars and Toy Story Lands
Posted: Friday October 21, 2016 12:04pm EDT by WDWMAGIC Staff

Ahead of construction beginning in earnest on Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land, nearly everything in the former Backlot area at Disney's Hollywood Studios has been cleared.

The New York City backdrop facades have now been removed, along with most of the Streets of America facades. A small section remains opposite the Muppets Courtyard, which is expected to remain with a re-theme.

At the end of Pixar Place, the view out onto the former Backlot Tour and Lights Motors Action area is incredibly stark.

The Writer's Stop has now permanently closed, with a new wall blocking off that area.

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LieutLawwAug 17, 2017

Don't you go bringing sense to the discussion :P

rocketraccoonAug 17, 2017

Shouldn't we just use the dedicated Grand Avenue thread then?

Disney-TrainsAug 17, 2017

Why would you bulldoze a theatre you want to re-use? You would just take away the permanent signage... Like what has happened... Mama Melrose still exists as a non-Muppet themed restaurant. Pizza Planet retheme had more to do with the upcoming toy story land than anything else I think.

LieutLawwAug 17, 2017

Shouldn't this thread be renamed as it isn't Streets of America anymore :p But on a more serious note it seems Disney are trying to make this whole area inc The Muppet's into 1 cohesive whole.

MisterPenguinAug 17, 2017

There are things that make it seem that they're making it easy to jettison Muppets at a moment's notice. But the thing that speaks against that is theming of Grand Ave to match Muppet Courtyard (and vice versa). They doubled down on the urban street motif. So, if there's something in the wings to replace Muppets, what could it be that would fit with the Grand Ave theme? Certainly not an expansion of Indy.

MisterPenguinAug 17, 2017

K, then, here's my updated mock-up...

JohnDAug 17, 2017

Geez. The amount of "The Sky is Falling" here is amazing.

danlb_2000Aug 17, 2017

It definitely looks like incremental steps that would make it easy to eventually remove Muppets from that area.

Horizons '83Aug 17, 2017

If they wanted to do that they would have bulldozed Muppet's theater months ago and not converted Mama Melrose's in Pizza Rizzo.

Disney-TrainsAug 17, 2017

Have they given up on muppets? It sure seems like they are setting themselves up to sweep them under the rug if they want to.

JohnDAug 17, 2017

Disney Parks Blog: More Progress on Grand Avenue. Muppets Courtyard to be renamed Grand Park https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...nue-coming-soon-to-disneys-hollywood-studios/

marni1971Aug 17, 2017

Fire lane. Where the photo was taken will be backstage by Christmas.

MisterPenguinAug 17, 2017

Yep, that's the one...

Jon81ukAug 17, 2017

They were driving round Future World at Epcot last I saw them.