Studio Backlot Tour

Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour
The Sign advertising the Backlot Tour
Ride statistics
Attraction type	Tram Tour
Theme	Backlot tour of a working movie stuio
Vehicle type	Trams
Duration	35
Must transfer from wheelchair
Assistive listening available
Closed captioning available

The Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour is an attraction at Walt Disney World's Disney-MGM Studios theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. It is a combination of a walking and tram tour of the backlot area of the park.

The Queue Area

Upon entering the queue, guests are put into four different lines underneath a large canopy. Throughout the area props from different movies, including Pearl Harbor, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and The Rock. A film also loops with producer Michael Bay telling guests how some of the special effects scenes from Pearl Harbor were filmed. While guests are waiting, four volunteers are chosen to be used in the first part of the attraction.

Walking Tour

Template:Spoiler-start A number of guests in each line are taken into a show area with a large water tank in front of them. In the water tank are props reminiscent of Pearl Harbor: the deck and the engine room of a battleship. Cast Members explain how the water tank and props can be used in filming scenes from action films. Using the volunteers from before the guests are shown a special effects demonstration, known as Harbor Attack. One volunteer sits in the engine room and is overcome by a deluge of water (1000 Gallons of Water) coming into the room through a window from two dump tanks. The other three volunteers are standing on the deck when an attack happens. Explosions underwater, simulated torpedo bursts, and fireballs are used to simulate the attack. When filming is finished the footage is put together with previously recorded footage of airplane attacks and dialogue and shown to the guests.

When the demonstration is finished guests move into another line in a prop building. The line moves guests up and down aisles of props used in different Disney productions. Several of the props are tagged with information about each one. At the exit of the building the tram part of the tour begins.

Tram Tour

Catastrophe Canyon before the deluge...

...and during.

As guests exit the prop building they are boarded onto a tram for the main part of the tour. As the driver brings the tram through different areas, another Cast Member explains what is found there and tells the guests facts about it. Guests first travel past the Earful Tower, the former icon of the park. The tram ride is the closest that guests can get to the tower in the park. After the tower the tram drives through the costume and materials building, which has a thru-way for the tram and windows for guests to see the costumes and people working. A highlight in the building is the room full of tires used for the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show.

When the tram leaves the building it brings guest through an outside area named the boneyard (named after an aircraft boneyard. In the boneyard are vehicles which were featured in many films. Included are ships from the Star Wars films, the escape pod from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, cars used in the Herbie the Love Bug films, and boats and other vehicles used in other Disney produced films.

After leaving the boneyard guests are told that they will be entering a current movie set while the cast is on break. It enters into an area known as Catastrophe Canyon, a rocky area with a fuel truck and water tanks inside of it. While the tram is stopped "filming" starts suddenly. An earthquake shakes the tram and causes the fuel truck to explode, sending a fire ball into the air. Then a flood of water comes rushing down from the canyon and from above the tram. When the earthquake subsides and the water stops, the set begins to reset for the next tram and the host on the tram tells guests how it was done as the tram goes around behind the set to show the back of the set.

After exiting the canyon the tram travels through parts of the boneyard again. Guests go past the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show stadium and practice areas. The tram also passes Walt Disney's private airplane. After this part the tram pulls to the exit and that part of the attraction is finished. Template:Spoiler-end

Post-ride

File:AFI Villains.jpg

Sign at entrance of the post ride exhibit

In order to leave the attraction, guests must walk through a museum exhibit based on AFI's 50 Greatest Villains. Many of the villains on the list are represented with life-sized figures in display cases, with drawings and pictures of them from their films. The entire list is presented with pictures of all of the villains on a wall in the building. While guests on the Backlot Tour must go through the exhibit to exit, it is not necessary to go on the tour to see the exhibit, as it is possible to enter it through the exit.

Former Ride

The first incarnation of the Backlot Tour didn't include the pre-show or the large queue area. The tram part of the attraction was the only thing. Guests used to ride through a "Residential Street" where Disney Channel stars were said to live. They would also ride past soundstages, where shows such as Golden Girls were filmed. Catastrophe Canyon, however, has always been in the show. Residential Street was demolished when the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show stadium was built.

External links

• Attraction page at disneyworld.disney.go.com