Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios has recently opened some instant classic attractions, such as Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Slinky Dog Dash, and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
But you can’t beat the classics, and that’s definitely the case for the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. However, that doesn’t mean that the classics shouldn’t receive an update here and there.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is easily one of Hollywood Studios’ most beloved attractions. This elevator-style thrill ride captivates audiences with the exhilarating lifts and plunges and the immersive ambiance that genuinely makes you feel as if you’ve entered an episode of the Twilight Zone featuring the Hollywood Tower Hotel.
Everything from the Cast Members’ excellent acting to the eerily cobwebbed furniture in the lobby to the haunting music playing in the queue will bring Guests into the fifth dimension. It’s no wonder everybody wants to experience this ride!
However, there are drawbacks to this attraction’s popularity.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is meant to operate four different elevator-style ride vehicles at once, but for months, only two have been operating, leaving the classic attraction at half-capacity. This has led to longer lines and longer wait times, giving fewer Guests a chance to experience this thrill ride.
But reportedly, all four elevator shafts are back in business, meaning the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is up and running at total capacity again for the first time in months!
At the end of January, Disney announced that the new table service restaurant, Roundup Rodeo BBQ, opening in Toy Story Land, will open to guests on March 23, 2023. Until now, we didn’t know when reservations would open up for the restaurant. Thankfully, we now have a date.
Below, Disney also shared a behind-the-scenes look at the restaurant.
Walt Disney World has announced that its popular attraction, Rock’ n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, will close next month as part of an extended refurbishment, and Guests who love the Disney’s Hollywood Studios thrill ride should take the opportunity to enjoy it while they can.
Located in Disney’s Hollywood Studios Park at the Walt Disney World Resort, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith allows Guests to “race along the darkened freeways of Los Angeles” with the band to their concert after visiting their Hollywood music studio. Of course, passengers living “life in the fast like” get the full star experience, including three thrilling inversions as they “maneuver past traffic jams” to the tune of Aerosmith songs such as “Walk This Way,” “Dude (Looks Like a Lady),” “Sweet Emotion,” “Back in the Saddle,” and the semi-original “Love in a Roller Coaster,” which the famous band rewrote for the attraction.
Originally, Walt Disney Imagineers designed the concept as part of an ongoing theme for Hollywood Studios to transport Guests into the world of movies and all-star fame. As a result, areas such as the Hollywood Backlot and Animation Courtyard allowed Guests a tour within the cinematic realm of Hollywood backlots and movie magic similar to that of EPCOT’s World Showcase for international destinations.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios tells Guests that the thrill ride includes two rollover loops and one corkscrew, challenging them to “make it to the year’s biggest concert in time.” What’s more, the limousine-style ride vehicle includes a “125-speaker, 24-subwoofer, 32,000-watt audio system,” perfect for jamming along to your favorite Aerosmith tunes in a coaster complement to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror’s drop ride experience.
However, some Guests worried that soon this jam session with the band would not be possible after Disney added a statement to the webpage for the attraction reading: “Beginning February 20, 2023, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith will be temporarily closed for refurbishment. This rocktastic attraction will resume its super-stretch limo rides in summer 2023.” Truly, it seemed possible that in addition to continued maintenance for the ride’s technical aspects, a retheme could be underway to “modernize” the ride’s storyline or update the musical artist.
Indeed, Disney’s Hollywood Studios has changed a lot since its inception, now offering full immersion into some of the best cinematic universes like Disney Pixar’s with Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, for example. In fact, even Walt Disney Imagineering admits that as Park goals evolve, the theming focus has adapted to include less behind-the-scenes action such as that found in Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.
In addition, Disney Parks seems to have shifted its focus onto its own intellectual property, utilizing concepts it does not have to license from others, which, combined with the recent controversy surrounding frontman Steven Tyler, could mean curtains for Aerosmith’s run very soon. Even so, as of now, nothing about the statement inherently suggests Disney has plans to retheme the ride… yet.
Guests can ride Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith at Disney’s Hollywood Studios from now until February 20, 2023.
Out of all the other Parks that make up Walt Disney World Resort (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and EPCOT), Hollywood Studios is probably the one with the most iconic entertainment performed by live actors. The classic Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage is a stunning theater adaptation of the classic Walt Disney Animation film.
Not only that, but there’s For the First Time In Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, full of fan-favorite songs and characters, giving Guests a chance to join in the fun. There’s also the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, which provides Guests with an inside look at how stunts are performed on action movie sets. The most iconic of them all is Fantasmic!, a classic nighttime spectacular including our favorite Disney characters and songs.
However, there’s one show that’s missing from this list: Voyage of the Little Mermaid, located in the Disney Park’s themed area, Animation Courtyard.
Voyage of the Little Mermaid was a live show with a runtime of approximately 14 minutes, and it was so popular that it ran for nearly 20 years! The show consisted of special effects, live performers portraying the iconic Disney Princess and Prince Eric, as well as intricate puppets, including an intimidating 12-foot-tall Ursula who performed the classic song, “Poor Unfortunate Soul.”
However, after Walt Disney World Resort reopened during the pandemic, the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show (like most live entertainment) was missing. Just a few months ago, rumors were circulating, claiming that the theatre itself was infested with mold. To make matters worse, Voyage of the Little Mermaid was removed from the official Walt Disney World website.
According to a report made by Inside the Magic, the puppets used for the live show have been sold, confirming that this classic attraction has taken its final bow.
An official opening date and menu details have been revealed for the long-awaited Toy Story-inspired restaurant, Roundup Rodeo BBQ, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios… and we can’t wait!
Walt Disney World Resort is preparing for a new Disney dining experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that will feature one of its most popular franchises… Toy Story!
Get ready to experience a fun rodeo-themed table service restaurant that the beloved Andy from Toy Story (1995) has built for his pals, including Sheriff Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Bo Peep, and more. The colorful interior is a perfect match with its location in the Disney Park’s Toy Story Land.
The big news coming from @DisneyParks, as they shared on social media, “Howdy, partners! Get ready for some mouthwatering BBQ and all the fixin’s at Roundup Rodeo BBQ opening Mar. 23.”
Keep in mind while there are colorful images of Toy Story characters throughout the Roundup Rodeo BBQ restaurant, this is not a character dining experience. Instead, the table-service restaurant will feature family-style dishes for the whole party to enjoy.
And if you’re a fan of mouthwatering BBQ and fixin’s to go along with it, the menu for Roundup Rodeo BBQ looks delicious! Disney Parks Blog reports the menu with images as follows:
Salads
Tomato Salad:Tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickled red onions tossed in a white balsamic vinaigrette and garnished with fresh dill (plant-based)
Rex’s Romaine and Kale Salad:Romaine and kale mixed with green apples, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries tossed with green goddess dressing
Watermelon Salad:Cubed watermelon garnished with freshly torn mint leaves (plant-based)
House-Smoked Meats
Evil Dr. Smoked Ribs: Fall-off-the-bone pork ribs, slow-cooked for hours in our onsite smokehouse
Buttercup’s Beef Brisket: Hand-sliced beef brisket, smoked then slow-cooked to juicy perfection
There’s a Sausage in My Boot:Spiced pork sausage fire-grilled over live oak to give it an added kick
BBQ Chicken – with Style! Chicken brined for 48 hours, rubbed with our secret backyard BBQ spice and smoked to tender juiciness
Plant-Based Offerings
Slow-smoked Cauliflower topped with sweet harissa drizzle and crunchy walnut gremolata
Oven-roasted “Bratwurst” that is tender and juicy, sliced to perfection
Impossible “Rib Chop” seasoned with spices, then roasted and glazed with sweet BBQ sauce and skewered on a sugar cane “bone”
Choose Four Sides for the Table
The Married Spuds:Loaded potato barrels drizzled with green goddess dressing, cheese sauce, and seasoned BBQ spices
Force Field Fried Pickles: Jumbo pickle spears coated with a dill-flavored breading and fried to perfection
Slinky Doooooooooog Mac & Cheese: Spiral pasta in a creamy house-made cheese sauce topped with crumbled cheddar crackers
Buckin’ Baked Beans:A traditional BBQ picnic favorite (plant-based)
Cowpoke Corn on the Cob:Grilled and seasoned with a chili-lime spice blend, cilantro, cotija cheese, and lime juice
Mean Old Potato Salad:Homestyle with red-skinned potatoes
Veggie Slaw:Crunchy shredded veggie slaw that is a summertime favorite! (plant-based)
Campfire-roasted Vegetables:A variety of roasted seasonal vegetables (plant-based)
Desserts
Cupcake à la Forky: Forky is up to something sweet! A classic chocolate cake with a gooey chocolate ganache center topped with velvety graham cracker buttercream and a sugar cookie
Lemon and Blueberry Cheesecake: An iconic creamy dessert that balances the tanginess of the cheesecake with the natural sweetness of blueberries and lemon
Billy’s Chocolate Silk Pie: Layers of graham cracker crust and silky chocolate mousse topped with chantilly cream
Goat’s Apple Pie: A picnic classic! Tart apples and warm pie spices balance perfectly with the creamy sweet filling under a crumble crust
Gruff’s Peach-Strawberry Pie:With its silky sweet peaches and tartness of strawberries, this dessert is a fruit-centric delight! (plant-based)
Cocktails
Snake Eye Margarita:Inspired by a summertime BBQ featuring watermelon, smoke, and a bit of spice!
Rum Punch: Rum punch with vibrant flavors of passion fruit and pineapple finished with a smoky spiced garnish
Chocolate with a Grown-up Twist: A blend of chocolate rum, horchata liqueur, cocoa, and flavors of toasted marshmallow
Frozen Peanut Butter & Jelly: A fun frozen twist on the classic peanut butter & jelly featuring peanut butter whiskey
Whiskey Lemonade: A fresh take on a strawberry lemonade made with Tennessee whiskey and Italian bitter aperitif
The Rodeo Mule: A classic “patio sipper,” this mule mixes vodka with fresh juices and ginger beer
Nonalcoholic Offerings
Molly’s Frozen Iced Tea:A frosty concoction with iced tea and citrus flavors
Frozen Cocoa:A frozen blend of cocoa and vanilla topped with miniature marshmallows
Partysaurus Rex:Strawberry lemonade is even more fun when you garnish it with gummy worms!
It all sounds so enticing! With the opening on March 23, 2023, booking dates for reservations have yet to be announced. We do suspect, however, that when dining reservations do open for Roundup Rodeo BBQ, they will be extremely popular.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ Toy Story Land is a very busy portion of the theme park as Disney welcomes Park Guests to explore Andy’s backyard, which is filled with “toys” such as the Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster, Alien Swirling Saucers attraction, and the fan-favorite Toy Story Mania ride experience. Additionally, Woody’s Lunch Box is a quick-service restaurant in Toy Story Land that has proven to be a very popular restaurant option. We expect the same popularity for Roundup Rodeo BBQ.
