Video: The Monster Sound Show “Top 10” list

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The Monster Sound Show at Disney-MGM Studios educated guests about how sound was produced for films and TV shows. The pre-show was hosted by late-night celebrity David Letterman with a special “Top 10” list for guests. Jimmy MacDonald, the head of Disney’s sound effects department and voice of Mickey Mouse, joined Dave for a demonstration of how sound effects were created.   Here are some other videos from the early days of Disney-MGM Studios, starting with...Read More...

Video tour of the Magic Kingdom and Mickey’s Starland

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Our first video today is a leisurely stroll through the Magic Kingdom in 1993. Starting on Main Street USA, the video continues through Adventureland, then Frontierland and Liberty Square. There is a brief detour through the Haunted Mansion exit as well as the Columbia Harbor House. In Fantasyland, the video captures the Skyway running, as well as the queues for 20k Leagues under the Sea as well as Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. The tour wraps up...Read More...

Video visit to Tomorrowland

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Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom has seen a number of changes over the years in its attractions. Today we have a few videos from the iconic land. Here is a look at the Space Mountain post-show from 1991, RYCA-1. The scenes depicted what life in a space colony might be like.   Replacing Mission to Mars in 1995, the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter was hosted by an alien company called X-S Tech. They demonstrated their new teleportation...Read More...

Restored videos from Disney-MGM Studios

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Today we take a visit to the Disney-MGM Studios in 1991! The park was very focused on production and offering guests a peek behind the scenes in its early years. The Great Movie Ride was often the first stop for many guests, and offered a spectacular journey into the movies in a classic Disney attraction with detailed sets and Audio-Animatronic figures. The main attraction was the Backstage Studio Tour, a tram ride through various facades and...Read More...

Beauty and the Beast at Walt Disney World

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The 1991 release of Beauty and the Beast was Disney’s most successful animated release to date, and characters from the film were quickly added to Walt Disney World. The Main Street windows had animated scenes from the movie added; you can see the details of each in this short video:   Belle and Beast also greeted guests and took pictures in the Disney-MGM Studios soundstage.   A stage adaptation was also added to Disney-MGM Studios; the...Read More...

Restored films from Walt Disney World in 1971-1973

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We are happy to share a group of videos from the first few years of operation at Walt Disney World. Many of the films we receive contain some common shots – a parade, the jungle cruise, and usually some skyway footage. These are no exception but we’ll point out a few highlights along the way In this film, we start in the car ride to the Contemporary with a nice shot of the monorail running alongside...Read More...

Videos from our Library: Celebrating 33 Years of Disney-MGM Studios

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33 years ago today, the Disney-MGM Studios theme park opened to the world for the first time! To celebrate, here are some great videos from our library. Our own How Bowers and Dave “Hoot” Ensign were among the first visitors to the Disney-MGM Studios theme park on May 1, 1989. This video includes their overnight stay outside of the parking lot so they could be among the first guests in – as well as segments from...Read More...

Videos: The Muppets and Dinosaurs at Disney-MGM Studios

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The Muppets featured prominently in Disney-MGM Studios in its early years. “Muppets on Location: Days of Swine and Roses” was a live action show featuring the Electric Mayhem and the Muppet performers. This video also features footage of the Muppet characters meet-and-greets. Also from 1991 and featuring puppets from the Jim Henson Company, is the Dinosaurs Live! parade. The Sinclair family from the then-popular TV show performed under the guise of being the “surprise family of...Read More...

Video: An Evening in the Vacation Kingdom of the World

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Spend a beautiful evening in the vacation kingdom of the world in this souvenir film. After seeing the entertainment on Main Street USA, there are some scenes from the Mickey Mouse Revue show. Then the film takes us to Tomorrowland for a bit of the Carousel of Progress and a live performance from the Tomorrowland Terrace. There are also some scenes from the Enchanted Tiki Room and the Haunted Mansion. As any good evening does, the...Read More...

Films: A Trip Back to 1971

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As Walt Disney World continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary, we are pleased to share two restored videos from its earliest days of operation. The first video explores Main Street USA, and the park-like setting of the early Magic Kingdom. There are some great shots of the parade, as well.   The second video is a bit longer, and is from December when the Magic Kingdom is well-decorated for Christmas. There are a few shots from...Read More...