Restored Home Video: Visiting Disney MGM (Hollywood) Studios Walt Disney World Florida in 1997

[@DisneyDave]

For More Walt Disney World & Universal Studios Florida video please see my Home Movies Play List here: kzbin.info/aero/PLtsVlO4CC7-NRn6Kxi1Hgp2gcXJ1THpcz&si=X7MIoILeXE_TrZR3

[@SamuelVOWilliams]

The Disney parades back in the 90s puts the Disney parades today to shame. They slapped hard.

[@itcamefromabox]

Wow, you could see the ground back then!

[@blaster-zy7xx]

I remember all of this stuff. It was great! Disney should have kept these attractions and added to it over time instead of demolishing these great attractions.

[@DisneyDave]

if only they did 😔

[@christianuniversalist]

1997 was a great year. Add a visit to Disney and you just about have the perfect vacation.

[@eviltom17]

This makes me miss the Studio Tour and Great Movie ride so much.

[@DisneyDave]

Both of the rides were the best! 😔

[@josiahgoes9633]

My first time at this park was as an eight year-old in 2008. I believe that year, the name had just changed to Hollywood Studios, they just added the Sorcerer's Hat, and Toy Story Mania debuted that summer. What's funny is my memory of 2008 looks more similar to this video than to my most recent visit in 2023. I miss the Backlot Tour, Streets of America, and the Magic of Disney Animation experience. The park today is still fun, but feels very different and has issues with capacity and wait times.

[@Jacob630]

The Sorcerer’s Hat Came In 2001

[@minarik01]

this is awesome. Days before fast passes and scheduling, and apps and horrible tix prices. When Disney was still magical

[@DisneyDave]

The good old days 👍

[@SuperDesignermatt]

I first visited MGM back in 1996 when I was 12 years old, it was my one and only experience of Orlando. In just over 3 weeks time I’m returning again aged 40 and I can’t fricking wait!

[@jodijohnson3488]

My first visit was at 12 in 1996! Visited from Ireland. Ended up living in Florida and had an Annual Pass. So much has changed. You'll have a blast (including a whole new-to-you park in Animal Kingdom).

[@DisneyDave]

You are going to have the best time! although it has changed so much, Cool profile pic, If your a fan of Star Wars prepare to be blown away, Rise of The Resistance it mind-blowingly AMAZING!! Have a great time 👍

[@UmmYeahOk]

No one back then was complaining about it being a “half day park.” They knew how to make a full day from it. …parades and backlot helped.

[@DisneyDave]

That is so true, I remember visiting back then, staying all day and still not been able to fit everything in! I miss Parades at Disney Hollywood Studios, they were always great to see

[@UmmYeahOk]

@@DisneyDave I had been taking my family almost annually since 2015. We STILL found ways to make the park a full day, even without ToT, RRC, and IJ Stunt Show. My daughter has never experienced these, and probably still won’t, as our last trip in 2022 end up being a full day, yet we got to experience way less, even with the purchasing of Genie+. No time for any stage show with all that waiting.

[@onehorseopensleigh]

Over half of these shows and walkthroughs no longer exist, and they were largely “one and done” for most of the public

[@DisneyDave]

@@UmmYeahOk that's very true & also makes me sad at Disney World now because of the amount of time you have to wait in line

[@UmmYeahOk]

@@onehorseopensleigh maybe for locals, who exist more now than in the 20th century. For those who go several times a year, yes, half day, but for those who’d go once a year the backlot was great, even with the animation tour being separate. Back then, being able to see them actually draw new movies was a way of knowing about upcoming projects, since few people attended conventions, and internet was so bad. The backlot, they tried to update. While seeing how films like Honey I Shrunk The Kids and live action 101 Dalmatians were updated only after a couple of years, the actual back lot itself would update things with newer props. They would try to add newer vehicles to the boneyard, and instead of an actual gift shop, you exited into a showcase of props for updated films. I think the best one was TOUCHSTONES Nightmare Before Christmas, with all its sets and puppetry showcased. The thing is, Disney doesn’t really like it’s annual pass holders very much because they don’t spend as much money as the people who go less often. So adding all these extras for capacity reasons help bring in the “undesirables,” but does little to actually help capacity since there’s now more people in the parks. Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land, Pandora, and the conceptual Zootopia/Moana/Villians/Encanto lands really need to be in a fifth park. That’s the only way to truly help with capacity.

[@DisneyDave]

Hey Everyone, Disney Dave here, Just letting you know this home movie video was filmed in the first 2 weeks of September 1997, If you visited the park around this time let me know in the comments below, I would loved to hear your experiences, Thanks for watching and If you want to see more of my Disney and Universal studios Florida home movies check out the rest of my channel 👍

[@phileagle8432]

We used go visit in May so would have been a couple of months earlier! I was at the head of the queue for the special effects show and had a go in the boat house part of the show! I loved the behind the scenes things they did back then!

[@alexgeorge501]

Great footage of the stage shows on this home movie, Disney was ace at making these kinds of productions back in the day at their parks. Thanks for sharing and keep the magic memories alive!

[@DisneyDave]

@@alexgeorge501 thank you

[@alexgeorge501]

@@DisneyDave you're very welcome. the hunchback show was my favorite part btw, maybe you could find a complete version of the show one day?

[@TheGodDamnJets87]

Was there in August of 1997 10 years old. This brought back lots of memories!

[@amaniscott225]

Wow. This is awesome. My family ended up going to WDW about 9 years after this for the first time in 2006. I don’t remember much at all, but this is really cool and close to that nostalgic feeling I got back in the early 2000s! Crazy to see how calm and collected everyone looks in the parks here, just enjoying the day. It’s so… quiet. Not one electronic device seen, just families taking in the day and making memories. Even crazier to think about the very historical events going on around this time, like Princess Diana’s tragic passing only a couple weeks prior to this video! Man. KZbin really is the closest thing to a Time Machine.

[@Josh-hz8vz]

Ah, I truly loved the great movie ride. Mickey ride replacement is OK, but not the same.

[@DisneyDave]

its so disappointing that its no longer here, It was the best experience! 😔

[@Thehouseoffail]

I've been to Disney 3 times. 1997 was my most vivid memory of the park.

[@stonesfan285]

I remember the Indiana Jones show when I visited. Also rode on Tower of Terror.

[@russella90]

that hercules parade is soooo sick

[@allisonbrown8613]

wow! that Hercules Victory Parade is a gem. It would be so awesome to see these days but, I doubt they kept much of it. Thank you so much for sharing. I had no idea it existed.

[@DisneyDave]

Knowing Disney they will still have parts of it somewhere, either repurposed into something else or in storage

[@ktvd]

THE BEST E V E R

[@diamondxdragons]

Filmed a year before I was born, crazy to think about.

[@DimitriyMykhaylovDisneyFan]

I Really Miss the Old Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park!

[@DisneyDave]

@DimitriyMykhaylovDisneyFan it was the best! 😢

[@ThomasEverAfter]

This is so incredible, Dave! And so nostalgic! MGM/DHS has always been my favorite park and now I work there! I miss so many of the original attractions. Especially Backlot Tour and The great movie ride. Thank you for preserving these memories ❤️

[@DisneyDave]

Thank you, Im with you there with MGM/DHS being your favourite park and so cool that you work there, now that would be my dream job ❤️

[@Jacob630]

DHS?

[@ThomasEverAfter]

@@Jacob630 Disney's Hollywood Studios

[@Jacob630]

@@ThomasEverAfter I Prefer MGM

[@ThomasEverAfter]

@@Jacob630 💯

[@Kira_1987]

I cried a bit because I remembered this as a kid. I loved it back then. Thank you for this video

[@DisneyDave]

I hope it was happy tears 😔 and yes, it was a great time back then

[@Kira_1987]

@DisneyDave it was happy so no worries 😀

[@DisneyDave]

@@Kira_1987 😘

[@Kira_1987]

@@DisneyDave ❤️

[@Jarvel5]

Wow this is amazing to watch. Almost a totally different park now.

[@DisneyDave]

@Jarvel5 very true, the park has certainly changed so much over the years

[@phileagle8432]

These are great! They bring back so many memories!

[@DisneyDave]

@phileagle8432 great to hear they have brought back so many memories for you, Thanks for watching 😊

[@MicaMakes]

Really miss the Backlot Tour and Great Movie Ride. The best attractions they had. Mickey and Minnies Runaway Railway is nice but nothing compared to the Studio Tour

[@DisneyDave]

I'm with your there missing the Backlot Tour and The Great Movie Ride & totally agree with you about Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway

[@VandalDecaProductions]

I first went to MGM the year it opened (and many times since) and this video brought back all the feels. On the backlot tour, when they were walking through the prop house I kept wanting to yell "PAN UP!" to see if Johnny 5 was still sitting there on top of the shelf, haha. The Great Movie Ride still looks as fun as I remember it...I can't believe it's gone and my son will never get to experience it. This footage is a treasure.

[@caroleflynn761]

In 1997 we visited March, August and December we stayed at OKW. Thanks for sharing.

[@DisneyDave]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@MrLyosea]

16:00 I never knew the horse in 101 Dalmatians was fake! I rewinded that movie back and forth like 200 times from 2000-2005 and never thought it was fake. The raccoons I did years later.

[@Clint7777]

Incredible time capsule!

[@DisneyDave]

Thank you

[@tgirard1995]

Backlot tour, Beauty and the Beast, and the Great Movie ride. I remember those like it was yesterday. I started going in 2001.

[@RysoxBattleon]

Brings back so many memories and shows just how much things have changed

[@TarHeelsKenny]

No park has changed more than MGM Studios. The name has even changed lol

[@DisneyDave]

That's very true 👍

[@michaelwhitaker9719]

In so many ways I wish the park was still like this. I'd take the Streets of America/Backlot Tour over Galaxy's Edge and Toy Story Land any day.

[@sarah-seww-creative]

I was there in 1997 and this brings back the feels. I miss that some of these rides are gone now. I loved the backlot tour and the great movie ride.

[@turechthion7521]

Love all the memories. Man do I miss the backlot tour!

[@Sam-ow3zo]

Wow, the backlot tour looks so different. Thanks for the memories!

[@DisneyDave]

your welcome, thanks for watching

[@hireforeign9900]

We first went to Disneyworld in 1989 before our kids. We have loved going there with our girls until they graduated and we hope to start going the 2 of us again soon. Thanks for the video it was a great memory for me to see it. I hope you do more soon.

[@DisneyDave]

Great to hear you will be visiting WDW again soon and I love hearing people say the video has brought back memories, Ive got plenty more videos coming, Look out for my new one on Sunday Visiting EPCOT in 1998 👍

[@danielknott7447]

Absolutely love your videos and seeing parks and places we went to the same year.

[@DisneyDave]

Awesome! Great to hear that, Thank you, Still a few more to come, Tomorrow I'm starting to upload videos from 1998 👍

[@matthewcalland3153]

Wow I have just watched this and brings back loads of good memories from Orlando holidays. I actually did the scene from 101 Dalmatian’s on the bike with the animated background many years ago that I had forgotten about. Thanks for sharing the video.😊

[@DisneyDave]

Great to hear that and so cool your did the 101 Dalmatian's scene on the bike, stuff like that was so good, its a shame there's nothing like that now

[@Mike__B]

Oh man, that brings back memories, my first trip there happened around that time too (may have been in 98 though I forget the exact year), except it was during June. Let me tell you as a guy growing up on the west coast not quite understanding what "high humidity" was that trip wrecked me, I felt miserable, I felt like I had a bad cold the enter time, oh yeah the temperature was also high along with the near 100% humidity. But a few fun things I remember was my girlfriend and I were at the front of a line and got picked for that boat scene on the backlot tour, I was in the fishing boat and remember the guy telling me "whatever you do, make sure you keep facing forward" not knowing why and then found out when a massive gush of water came from the side. Also recall a brief rain storm that lasted maybe 20-30 minutes, everyone was ducking for cover and buying those thin mickey ponchos, girl and I were just happily walking around in it because it was so hot it felt good to get wet 🤣🤣 Fast forward 12 years and I went again with my wife, completely different person from the other girl, and it was in January, the weather was SO much nicer, MGM turned into Hollywood studios and I had money at my disposal to not get so cheap (Prior time I was in my 20s, and "college broke"), and there was also a free dining package, the crowds were non-existent (no more than 20 minute wait for any ride), and it was the best trip ever... and the one I like to remember instead of the earlier one :D

[@fugazi2726]

I worked at Hollywood Studios in the early 2010’s and I can confirm that it was probably the best time to be at that park. It still felt like the old MGM Studios without all the crowds. My first trip was in 98 as well but I was only 7 at the time. I always like hearing peoples stories and memories.

[@Mike__B]

@@fugazi2726 Yeah, and they still had the big Mickey sorcerer hat up! There were basically three rides I believe that people WANTED to ride in that park, Toy Story, Rock'n Rollercoaster, and Tower of Terror. So not too many people wanted to spend a full day there. As someone who grew up on Disneyland though, I gotta say having an actual stadium with seating for Fantasmic is far superior than having to stake out a spot 2 hours before the show on the walkway only to get told 15 minutes before hand "you can't stand there" 🤣

[@thomashauchwitz6244]

What silver spaceship is that at the beginning?

[@DisneyDave]

so cool that you worked at the park, I presume it must have been pretty amazing working there 👍

[@DisneyDave]

Great memories although that Florida weather is exactly what you say! good to hear your experience 12 years later was a better one 👍

[@FrancesRae]

this is so cool. i havent been to disney world since 2007 but i frequent disneyland all the time and there's actually a lot of similarities here to california adventure today!

[@MollyFitzBrown]

My Dad was picked to be the person in the yellow raincoat! Side note, around 2005-2011 I worked in the backlot here at a production studios with my Dad, the editor their said the backlot tour used to go past his edit bay window, too funny. Wonderful look back in time! I'm still searching for young me in the background ;)

[@DisneyDave]

Molly, So cool that your Dad got picked for the audience participation 💕 & wow! I dint know that you used to work at The Backlot Tour, This was always my favourite, I'm going to dig out footage ive got from 2005 - 2011 now & see if ive caught you on tape 👍 videos from 1998 start tomorrow on my Channel Molly

[@MollyFitzBrown]

@@DisneyDave I actually worked at a production studio in the backlot but I saw the tour pass by our building. I remember being in the car in the parking lot about to leave and having to wait for the tour to pass by before we could drive. Made us feel like part of the tour. My Dad drove a white Nissan 350 Z and they’d all stare at us (like who are they??)! My Dad has passed now, it’s wonderful memories ❤️

[@DisneyDave]

@@MollyFitzBrown sorry for your loss Molly 😢 Happy to hear you have wonderful memories 💗

[@brianhejl6886]

i know the video is focus on nostalgia but i also look at all the people young and old. Those who aren't with us 26 years later and those who were young and might have families of their own. everything in between. time sure flies

[@DisneyDave]

It certainly does Brian 👍

[@sarafoster388]

I was there the exact same time with my boyfriend at the time. I really only remember Star Tours, Indiana Jones and Tower of Terror. I also seem to remember an Ellen style coffee/book shop where I had an amazing chocolate brownie. Please correct me if I'm getting my parks muddled up! We did Universal, Sea World, Magic Kingdom, Epcot & Busch Gardens in the same 2 week period! Oh, the energy of youth. Thanks for sharing. I spent most of the film trying to see myself 😂😂😂

[@Kyle_The_Mighty]

Lol Tom Hanks won two Oscars by this point and he’s still “Star of 70s show Bosom Buddies” 😂😂😂

[@SusanCatherine]

Very cool you have this. 1997 was probably a "skip" year for us as I believe we were there every other year in that decade--and just after Thanksgiving. It was nice to see the old backlot tour and the Hunchback show as I had never seen Hunchback live. Thank you for sharing this memorabilia.

[@loogoo]

I remember in the Great Movie Ride, the first scene with the Busby Berkeley number had the alternating rows of chorus girls rotating in opposite directions, just like they did in the actual film. This was back in the late 80s when the park first opened. Looks like by 1997 that part had already broken down.

[@DisneyDave]

Your right there, I do have a video of my channel of when it was working, If my memory serves me correct, that section worked for around a year after the park opened, but that section would continually leak water disrupting the ride and forcing it to close so in the end that part was ended to stop the ride being constantly down

[@Professor_Scott]

Where was the Hunchback show? I don't remember that either, but it's a fantastic stage show!

[@Professor_Scott]

Went in May of 1997, but I think it was before the Hercules Parade (best part!). Levar Burton was the "Star of the Day" back when they used to do that.

[@Trucker2023]

It's hard to believe that I have been going to the parks since 1971, So much has changed I wish they could have left a lot of the old attractions with all the property that WDW owns it's just sitting there ripe for expansions, new parks new entertainment grounds

[@DisneyDave]

Wow! I bet you've see so much change since 1971, It must have been pretty amazing seeing the park when it first opened

[@DillosDiz]

Thanks for sharing! Trying to figure out if I’m in this video at the 45 minute mark lol

[@DisneyDave]

@DillosDiz You will have to let me know when you figure it out! Are you in the parade or the crowd watching the parade? It would be great to know 😊 only last week I had an ex cast member comment saying they were in one of my video, which was great, Ive been hoping for a while someone would say they were in one of my videos, fingers crossed its you 🤞🤞🤞

[@DillosDiz]

In the parade, Hydra section. Hard to tell. Right height, holding it the head a certain way… not sure what day of the week it was so it might be in conflict with my school schedule at UCF!

[@DisneyDave]

@@DillosDiz so cool that you were in a Disney Parade, that's awesome, Ive just been going through some old parking lot tickets, Ive got 3, which makes sense because there was only 3 parks back then, 2 of the parking lot tickets are advertising Walt Disney World Resort 25th Anniversary and the 3rd is advertising Tower of Terror 2, Taken to the next dimension, twice the fright , which I'm thinking may have been the day we visited the park and that was on Friday 12th September 1997 👍

[@rocky.rocks1445]

Ah before rock n roller coaster

[@DisneyDave]

correct, Still a couple of years till it opened in 1999

[@pablopolka9212]

Argentina eva perón ♥

[@ashdoginc]

Reawakens so many memories. Can anybody tell me when going on the backlot tour wasn't there Star wars props in the queue line?

[@DisneyDave]

Hello, I think it was around 2003, Residential Street was walled off from the tour and demolished. The land was used for The Lights, Motors, Action Stunt Show. The addition of the stunt show caused the Backlot Tour to be re-routed to go around the large stadium. Small portions of the former residential street were turned into areas for the tour's relocated and downsized boneyard and for the tram roadways. The addition of the stunt show also caused NY Street to lose its arch, as the area was needed for the tour tram to turn around to arrive at the exit station. Overall, the tram portion of the tour was obviously greatly reduced due to the new stunt show.

[@bluethunder250]

I still can't believe the Tower of Terror has been around since the 90's.

[@DisneyDave]

I know, isn't it crazy to think it celebrates it 30th anniversary next year!

[@WRLeGrand]

How did it get so far away from this...?

[@jeffallen3598]

What was done to restore this video? I have taken video from back in those days and none of my stuff looks that good. Its so clear and crisp.. None of the typical artifacts you would get on that old equipment. I e used AI tools to clean up and enhance my stuff and its nowhere near as good as this. Curious to know what was done. - Thanks!

[@DisneyDave]

Hey Jeff, My process in restoring my tapes, is first I upscale the videos with Topaz Video AI & double the framerate, Then I put the video through my editing software, do some colour correction as well as sharpening the video with Boris FX BCC Magic sharp plug-in

[@madcyrus80]

Universal blows this place out of the water.

[@lenaapple1974]

DAVE!!! You are my hero today. I am so happy I found your page. I can't wait to go over all these videos!

[@DisneyDave]

Awesome! Thank you 💕