Hmmm. I think the Walt concept is promising ... but would not, alas, save that Park. Nor will any name change. A rose and all that.

Hmmm, and Disneyland Paris has changed its name no less than three times. It must be indeed difficult to catch everything that needs to be changed, because remnants of all four names can be found around that resort to this day.

Hmmm. Interesting, but I always have the same question after I visit the JHM website. What the heck is up with Jim Hill and sentence fragments?!?! I had to stop reading the article lined above because the fragments were driving me to distraction. Causing me anguish. Because they were nonstop. As if he had never taken English. 101. Which is why I couldn't take it anymore.

Which is why they are planning on pouring plenty of money into it, to hopefully add rides as well. I hope they don't plan to just pretty it up and change the name.
I noticed that. Maybe he's in a hurry? As in tired of running the website?

I have made a major decision. As some of you may be aware, I have worked at the Disney-MGM Studios since it opened in 1989. I think it's time for a change. As of January 1, I am transferring to that new park that they are building. Yep, you guessed it I'm transferring to Disney's Hollywood Studios. Supposedly, they're going to have some tall thrill ride that I could work at.

I will be running through this new park on January 13. I will let everyone know how it goes.

I'd keep away, if I were you. Some tell me it's haunted !

The odd thing about the name change is that, for decades, the shorthand name for the Park was "MGM." I guess now people are going to have to call it "The Studio Park" or some such, but it's hard to change a name that everyone's gotten used to.


Everyone calls The Mad Tea Party simply "the Teacups." So if they changed the official name of that attraction to The Mad Hatters Fun Spin, wouldn't people still call it "the Teacups" regardless?

So will people continue to call the theme park "MGM" even when it's no longer part of the official name???

I suspect they will do just that for quite a while. I've been among those who have tried (in vain) to get people to stop calling it MGM, for years. I preferred "Studios," as it better reflected the park. (The actual presence of MGM was extremely minimal - even when we opened. For instance, even The Wizard of Oz, seen on The Great Movie Ride, was a property of Ted Turner back in 1989. Some of the GMR Finale clips are from MGM movies. Out in the park, there's Min N' Bill's Dockside Diner. That's about it.)

I still call the attraction in Tomorrowland 'People Movers," even though officially it's Tomorrowland Transit Authority. "People Movers" is easier to say, more descriptive of what's actually there, and it's more nostalgic. "Teacups" would continue to be descriptive even in the event of a name change. ("Slow Teacups" might be even more descriptive for you West Coasters - :D )

"MGM" on the other hand, well, it was NEVER a good summation of that park. I'll be interested to see what happens.

Trivial Note: Originally, the whole Studios idea was going to be a pavilion in Future World at Epcot. Michael E. was the one to press for a studio park. Imagineers on the project referred to it as "The Studio Tour" during the design phase. Anyway, here's the thing. To this day, certain Imagineers of my acquaintance still call the park "The Studio Tour." They will undoubtedly continue to do so even if the Backlot Tour within the park someday closes down.

Never, ever, ever believe anything you read on Jim Hill's website. He makes things up.... literally. He has quotes for people that he never interviewed. He hears something that came from his best friends sister's boyfriend's brother who once was thought to have seen an email that may or may not have been something to do with Disney... and suddenly that email is gospel! Jim suddenly has 5000 words in extrapolating what was written on said imaginary email.

Every so often he gets a tidbit right, but even a blind man fumbling around in a bathhouse will grab someone's balls eventually.

Thank you, now I'll have that image stuck in my head all day........:eek: