Walt Disney Disney Hollywood Studios for Seniors
Disney-Hollywood Studios was originally designed as a recreation of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Many of today’s seniors will remember the days when new films, particularly “talkies” and those in Technicolor, were the talk of the town. You may have wondered what went on behind the scenes in creating these fabulous new inventions, and Disney-Hollywood Studios gives you the opportunity to find out.
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre
Although The Great Movie Ride gave an excellent history of film, from the time of Busby Berkley to recent hits. The ride was set inside a recreation of the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre of Hollywood. The Great Movie ride was finally retired and replaced with Mickey & Minnie’s Railway Adventure. Outside of the Theatre, you will still find the names of famous actors and actresses that left their handprints in the cement in the same way as in the original theater.
Actors and Characters in the Cement
- Eddie Albert
- June Allyson
- Alan Alda
- Harry Anderson
- Annette Funicello
- Lauren Bacall
- Warren Beatty
- Robby Benson
- Pat Boone
- George Burns
- Carol Burnett
- LeVar Burton
- C-3PO and R2-D2
- Carol Channing
- Cyd Charisse
- Chevy Chase
- Dick Clark
- Jackie Cooper
- David Copperfield
- Macaulay Culkin
- Tom Cruise
- Tony Curtis
- Geena Davis
- Rebecca DeMornay
- Gerard Depardieu
- Danny DeVito
- Neil Diamond
- Phyllis Diller
- Donald Duck
- Patty Duke
- Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
- Jamie Farr
- Harrison Ford
- John Forsythe
- Michael J. Fox
- Estelle Getty
- Bobcat Goldthwait
- Goofy
- Louis Gossett Jr.
- Elliott Gould
- Mark Hamill
- Daryl Hannah
- Jim Henson
- Audrey Hepburn
- Pee-Wee Herman
- Charlton Heston
- Dustin Hoffman
- Hulk Hogan
- Bob Hope
- Ernie Hudson
- Kate Jackson
- Michael Jackson
- Samuel L. Jackson
- Billy Joel
- Van Johnson
- George Kennedy
- Charlie Korsmo
- Dorothy Lamour
- Michael Landon
- Angela Lansbury
- Jerry Lewis
- Ray Liotta
- George Lucas
- Ann Margaret
- Steve Martin
- Rue McClanahan
- Ed McMahon
- Bette Midler
- Ann Miller
- Liza Minnelli
- Mary Tyler Moore
- Rick Moranis
- Pat Morita
- Mickey Mouse
- Minnie Mouse
- Leonard Nimoy
- Donald O’Connor
- Maureen O’Sullivan
- Jack Palance
- Roger Rabbit
- Tony Randall
- Regis Philbin
- Jane Powell
- Jason Priestly
- Burt Reynolds
- John Ritter
- The Rocketeer
- Jane Russell
- Susan Sarandon
- Charlie Sheen
- Martin Short
- The Ruby Slippers
- Sylvester Stallone
- Suzanne Somers
- Sally Jo Sousa
- Sissy Spacek
- Sally Struthers
- Lily Tomlin
- John Travolta
- Cicely Tyson
- Dick Van Dyke
- Jim Varney
- Patrick Wayne
- Betty White
- Cindy Williams
Dining
For a bit of 1950s nostalgia, plan a meal at the Prime Time Café. This table service restaurant is styled as “dinner with the family” circa 1955. The wait staff plays the roles of your sisters and brothers, and Mom and Dad are in the kitchen making the meal. “Elbows off the table” and “clean your plate” are oft-repeated phrases, with the good-natured Cast Members playing their roles. Every table has a television playing a clip of 1950s hit TV shows.
*Tip* Make your Prime Time Café reservations WELL in advance. The restaurant is extremely popular. If you are unable to secure reservations, you can try asking about cancellations on the day of your visit, but this is not guaranteed. If you cannot get in at all, visit the Tune-In Lounge next door, for a sampling of the atmosphere.
Thrill Rides
Although Disney’s Hollywood Studios focused on recreating the nostalgia of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Disney has incorporated some thrill rides in the park as well. Rock n Roller Coaster gives riders a glimpse into the glitz and glamor of the celebrity. The Rock n Roller Coaster is a loud, dark, indoor roller coaster featuring an Aerosmith soundtrack and several inversions. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror allows you to step into the strange world of the classic Twilight Zone. Both are located at the end of Sunset Boulevard and are family-friendly. Tower of Terror is an example of the masterful use of a variety of sensory data for which Disney is world-famous. From the imposing building, through the library preshow, and into the ride itself, this is a Walt Disney World classic ride you just have to experience.
Shows
A great show to take small grandchildren to is the Muppet Vision 4-D. This is an original show featuring the loveable and classic characters of Jim Henson. Allow yourself time to explore Disney’s Hollywood Studios at a leisurely pace. Another great show is the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! Here you watch from the perspective of a director as he directs choreographed stunts. Watch as scenes from the classic movie are recreated in real-life, from fight scenes to explosions!
Star Wars
Finally, get to revel in the land of Batuu, the remote terrestrial planet on the edge of the galaxy’s Outer Rim Territories. With Spires lining the horizon and a realistic Millennium Falcon parked in the bay that you get to jump in and fly. This is every Star War fanatic’s dream! You can also meet some of the classic Star Wars characters at Star Wars Launch Bay.
A Wonderful Park for Seniors
Whether you are a film buff or not, Disney-Hollywood Studios is a wonderful park for seniors to explore. Although it is a smaller park, there is still a lot to be seen and explored here. Many seniors find when they plan their Disney World vacations tend to stay 1 day at the park and take the following day off. This keeps them fresh and well-rested. Many seniors choose to stay in our Orlando vacation home rentals as they find this gives them much more room to spread out and relax on their day off. As a special benefit, all of our homes have their own private pools, which make it really nice on those hot summer days. Plan to visit this park on your next Orlando vacation.