Disney-MGM Studios Map and Brochure (2025 – 1990)
Location: Orlando, Florida
Years Active: 1989 – Active
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division.
Based on a concept by Marty Sklar, Randy Bright, and Michael Eisner, the park opened on May 1, 1989, as the Disney-MGM Studios (Theme) Park, and was the third of four theme parks built at Walt Disney World. Spanning 135 acres, the park is dedicated to the imagined worlds of film, television, music, and theatre, drawing inspiration from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios was initially developed as a theme park inspired by show business and an operating production studio, with active film and television production services, an animation facility branch, and a functioning backlot. Construction on the combined park and studio began in 1987, but was accelerated when the construction of the similarly-themed Universal Studios Florida began a few miles away.
To increase public interest and the variety of film representation within the park, Disney entered into a licensing agreement with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, from which the park’s original name was derived.
The park’s production facilities were removed throughout the 2000s, and many of the park’s soundstages were retrofitted for newer attractions and guest use. The park’s current name took effect in 2008, removing the MGM branding.
In the 2010s, the park began to distance itself from the original studio backlot intention and entered a new direction of immersive theming and attraction development inspired by Hollywood stories.
The park’s icon was originally the Earffel Tower from the park’s opening until 2001 when the Sorcerer’s Hat—a stylized version of the magical hat from Fantasia—was erected in the park’s central hub. It then served as the park’s icon until its removal in January 2015.
In 2018, the park hosted 11.258 million guests, ranking it the fifth most-visited theme park in North America and the ninth most-visited theme park worldwide.
Disney-MGM Studios Map 2025
In 2025, Disney-MGM Studios introduced several major changes. A new live show, Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After, debuted in June featuring Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent. In July, Disney announced the return of the Magic of Disney Animation, reimagined as The Walt Disney Studios Lot in Animation Courtyard. Meanwhile, Star Wars Launch Bay and Disney Jr. Play and Dance! were confirmed to permanently close in September, marking a significant shift in the park’s offerings.
Printable Disney-MGM Studios Map 2025 PDF
Disney-MGM Studios Map 2024
Printable Disney-MGM Studios Map PDF 2024
Disney-MGM Studios Map 2023
Disney-MGM Studios Map 1991
Disney-MGM Studios Map 1990
FAQ
What happened to MGM Studios at Disney?
MGM Studios at Disney was renamed to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2008 after the licensing agreement with MGM ended. The park shifted focus from traditional movie-making exhibits to immersive lands like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land, and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
Is MGM Studios part of Disney?
MGM Studios was originally part of Disney as a licensed name for the park, but it is now called Disney’s Hollywood Studios. While the MGM brand is no longer used, the park remains fully owned and operated by Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
Why did Disney change the name of MGM Studios?
Disney changed the name of MGM Studios to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2008 due to the end of its licensing agreement with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The rebranding reflected a shift in focus from behind-the-scenes film production to immersive storytelling and themed lands.
When did Disney build MGM Studios?
Disney built MGM Studios, now Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and opened it on May 1, 1989. It was the third theme park at Walt Disney World Resort and originally focused on film production, studio tours, and behind-the-scenes experiences.
