Disney rushed to open its studio theme park before rival Universal Studios could open its Orlando park, which followed a year later, in June 1990. Initially conceived as an entertainment industry pavilion within Epcot's Future World, what became Disney-MGM got promoted to a full gate when then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner ordered Walt Disney World to prepare a preemptive strike against Universal's entry into the Orlando market.
It's hard to believe now, but back in the 1980s Disney didn't have the line-up of A-list live-action movie IP that it has today. Disney was known as an animation studio that also produced a few B-list family movies. (Heck, to this day, Disney remains the only major studio never to win the Academy Award for Best Picture for a film released under its name.) So Disney partnered with MGM to bulk up the park's IP, most notably with the inclusion of several MGM classics (such as The Wizard of Oz) in The Great Movie Ride.
But the highlight of the park was the Backstage Studio Tour, a two-hour-plus guided view of Hollywood movie and TV production that included a tram and a walking tour. Disney-MGM Studios was intended to serve as a working movie and television studio, so that visitors could see actual shows in production. Disney assigned a crew of animators to work in the Magic of Disney Animation Tour building, and the Orlando crew helped produce several Disney animated pictures, including Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, and Brother Bear before Disney closed it in 2004. But for live action production, Disney didn't have much to show opening-season crowds, eventually sticking the Disney All-American College Orchestra to rehearse in one of the sound stages, simply to give guests something to see in it.
Let's look at the opening day line-ups at each of the Orlando area theme parks... and what's still left open of them at each park today.
Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios)
Closed:
The Great Movie Ride
Backstage Studio Tour
Magic of Disney Animation Tour
The Monster Sound Show
Superstar Television
Universal Studios Florida
Disney's rival doesn't have much left from its opening day, either, though a cynic might note that USF didn't actually have much open on its opening date at all.
Still open:
E.T. Adventure
Renamed and with new scripts:
The Phantom of the Opera Horror Make-up Show (now the Universal Horror Make-up Show)
Animal Actors Stage (now Animal Actors on Location)
Closed:
Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies
The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera
Murder, She Wrote Post Production
Production Studio Tour
Ghostbusters Spooktacular
Kongfrontation
Earthquake: The Big One
Jaws
SeaWorld Orlando
This one's tough for me to track, as I couldn't find a definite list of its opening day attractions. I know that the Sky Tower was there on opening day in 1973, and that the original Shamu Stadium (officially, the Whale and Dolphin Stadium) is now the Dolphin Theater, so the park has not had a Disney-MGM-level turnover. Of course, shows change every few years at the park, and shows vary from performance to performance, as is to be expected when animals are involved. I will update if anyone can provide more detailed information.
Update: From reader Michael G.: "The sea lion stadium was there when the park opened. Its name was 'Seal and Penguin Stadium.' The dolphin nursery was there and was called 'Dolphin Feeding Pool.' Seaport Theater was also there but was called 'Fountain Fantasy Theatre.'"
Let's continue with the other parks...
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Still open:
It's Tough to Be a Bug!
The Boneyard
Renamed:
Countdown to Extinction (now Dinosaur)
Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail (now Pangani Forest Exploration Trail)
Wildlife Express to Conservation Station (now Rafiki’s Planet Watch)
New scripts:
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Flights of Wonder
New location:
Festival of the Lion King
Closed:
Discovery Riverboats
Journey into Jungle Book
Dinosaur Jubilee
Pocohontas and Her Forest Friends
Epcot
Still open:
The American Adventure
Impressions de France
New narrators and revised scripts:
Spaceship Earth
Listen to the Land
Closed films, but their theaters remains open:
O Canada!
Wonders of China
Magic Journeys
Revamped:
El Rio del Tiempo (now Gran Fiesta Tour)
Closed:
Universe of Energy
World of Motion
Kitchen Kabaret
Symbiosis
Magic Kingdom
Still open:
Walt Disney World Railroad
Jungle Cruise
Swiss Family Treehouse
Mad Tea Party
It's a Small World
Renamed, but the same ride:
Cinderella's Golden Carrousel (now Prince Charming Regal Carrousel)
Grand Prix Raceway (now Tomorrowland Speedway)
Slightly revised, but still going:
Haunted Mansion
Hall of Presidents
Country Bear Jamboree
Tropical Serenade (now Enchanted Tiki Room)
New location:
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Closed:
Mike Fink Keel Boats
Diamond Horseshoe Review
Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes
Mickey Mouse Review
Snow White's Adventures
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Skyway
Universal's Islands of Adventure
...which brings us to the park that remains most like its opening day self, though it has seen at least one substantial addition over the years.
Still open:
Doctor Doom's Fearfall
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
Popeye & Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges
Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls
Jurassic Park River Adventure
Eighth Voyage of Sindbad
If I Ran the Zoo
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Caro-Seuss-el
The Cat in the Hat
Rebuilt, but the same ride:
Incredible Hulk Coaster
New script:
Poseidon’s Fury
Renamed, but soon to be closed:
Dueling Dragons (now Dragon Challenge)
Closed:
Island Skipper Tours
What's your favorite "opening day" Orlando theme park attraction? And which retired one do you miss most?
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I would have loved to see opening day Epcot. Sounds like it was a wonderful place.
I debated The American Adventure, but ultimately thought that those changes to the end film montage were so minor compared with all the other changes in various attractions.
Also "Wonders of China" gave way to "Reflections of CHina" if you wanted to count that.
Of course, Journey into Imagination should be mentioned.
Another opening day attraction at SeaWorld that is still present, but had been notable changed is Pelican Point near the entrance to Manta. Originally the pool had tall walls and was the Seal and Sea Lion feeder pool. In 1992 when Pacific Point Preserve opened, the original Sea Lion pool turned into Turtle Point before becoming a home for rescued Pelicans.
Universal Orlando is an interesting read since I heard that ET was basically forced to stay there by Spielberg. It is also an interesting case study in rail rides since its as popular as ever (along with rival Peter Pan's Flight down the road).
This list also made me think about EPCOT who really hasn't changed that much over the years. Most of their changes seem to be tweaks of the current theme. The only "major change" was Horizons to Mission Space.
Fred Roy only about 35% of the 27,000 acres that make up Walt Disney World have been developed. They're still far below the 50% mark. It's highly unlikely that they will reach 50% in our lifetime, if ever.
Dueling Dragons/Dragon Challenge is gone at the end of the month, and the Lost Continent probably doesn't have more than a few years before it's similarly gone. Jurassic Park has been rumored to undergo a transformation for years, as has Toon Lagoon. Suess Landing could use a new anchor attraction, and who knows what the future holds Marvel Super Hero Island since any major modifications could risk losing the powerful license.
Parks evolve and change, and that's all this really shows. Also park concepts change over time, and I think we're moving into a trend of IP parks instead of parks designed and built around a single unifying concept. Whether the pendulum swings back the other way is unclear, but what is clear is that if you don't have a bankable IP these days, you're dead in the water (Sea World).
https://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/florida/placesweprotect/the-disney-wilderness-preserve.xml
What about the Orange Bird walk-around character from Magic Kingdom's early days? I know he is not an attraction, and that he has made a return in adventureland in terms of merchandise and signage, but I have a soft spot for him! I hope they bring the walk-around character back so people (like me) can take photos with him!
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