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By Marni Rose McFall
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The iconic Hollywood Studios archway has been demolished at Walt Disney World, saddening fans.
The archway had been a feature of the Florida park since the MGM Studios area opened in 1989, providing access to Animation Courtyard and symbolizing for many both the park's Hollywood glamour and the journey from the ordinary world into the realm of the imagination.
Newsweek has contacted Disney for comment via email outside of regular working hours.
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Why It Matters
Walt Disney World opened in 1971 and enthusiasts have become emotionally attached to its prominent landmarks. The archway provided access to Disney-MGM Studios which opened in 1989 and was renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2008.
Disney doesn't publicly release attendance figures, but the 2024 Theme Index report, cited by Disney Blog Magic Guides, showed Magic Kingdom visits rose from 12.7 million in 2021 to 17.7 million in 2023, with a peak during the summer vacation period.
Changes made to Disney World this year—including closing the Rivers of America—have sparked criticism from fans.
What To Know
The archway's demolition comes as the land around it is being redeveloped into a new area—the Walt Disney Studios Lot, inspired by the real-world Disney studio campus in Burbank, California.
In other changes to the park, the new Monstropolis area—a fictional city from the Monsters, Inc. franchise where monsters live and work—is replacing what was previously the Muppet’s Courtyard. Nearby, Star Wars: Launch Bay closed last month and is being turned into The Magic of Disney Animation with attractions based on Disney's animation heritage.
The archway had remained a constant since 1989—albeit one that went through different design phases, with its signage being rebranded from "Disney MGM Studios" to "Disney Hollywood Studios" in 2008 and with the originally featured figure of Mickey Mouse being removed altogether in a later redesign.
But when the park opened on Saturday morning, Disney fans expressed sadness that the archway had been demolished.
The account @DrewDisneyDude shared news of the demolition on X, in a post shared 2,000 times. "That’s a wrap," he wrote.
One user replied to this writing: "It’s going to feel so weird not seeing it anymore." Another replied: "Ugh. That SUCKS."
Meanwhile, the X account @bioreconstruct shared aerial pictures showing where the archway once stood and images showing the demolition in process.
What People Are Saying
@DrewDisneyDude, in a post on X viewed 175,000 times, wrote: "Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ archway was demolished overnight after standing for over 36 years. That’s a wrap."
@BoardwalkTimes wrote, in a post on X viewed 70,000 times: "End of an Era."
@TRVLtruth wrote in a post on X: "At this point, they are simply putting the arch out of its misery."
@billyotwsk8 wrote in a post on X: "It sucks but the arch lost most of its character when they got rid of mickey and repainted it imo."
What’s Next
The Walt Disney Studios area is set to open next year featuring shaded seating and immersive animation experiences.
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