Walt Disney World

MGM History & Trivia

History
The idea for a park based on favorite movie themes originated with Walt Disney more than 40 years ago when "backlot tours" were limited to a privileged few. He first considered a park on his own backlot, then looked across the river from the Disney Studios in Burbank on land adjacent to Griffith Park. Lack of enough land combined with potential traffic problems caused him to look elsewhere; namely, Anaheim. The result was Disneyland. In the mid '80s, a greatly expanded production schedule for the Walt Disney Company demanded more facilities. Rather than buy expensive land in California, the company realized it had plenty of land in Florida and the opportunity to combine its new production facilities with a chance for Walt Disney World guests to see behind the scenes of movie and television production.

Film and Television Production

• The HBO series "From the Earth to the Moon": A 13-part drama was in production in two soundstages throughout 1997.
• Films shot at the studios include: "Marvin's Room," "Passenger 57," "Oscar," "Quick Change," "Ernest Saves Christmas," "Splash Too," "Separate But Equal" (Emmy-winning TV mini-series) and "Instinct."
• TV shows taped at the studios include: "Sheena," "ER," "Full House," "Wheel of Fortune," "World Championship Wrestling," "ESPN College Football Awards," "Talk Soup," "Step By Step," "Barbara Walters Special" and "Live! With Regis & Kathie Lee."

Celebrity Visits
Among the hundreds of actors, comedians and entertainers who've appeared at the studios are: Charlton Heston, Dustin Hoffman, Bette Midler, Ann-Margret, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Hanks, Liza Minnelli, Billy Joel, Kevin Bacon, Michael J. Fox, Gary Sinise, Samuel L. Jackson, Lou Gossett Jr., Drew Carey, Oprah, Susan Lucci and Britney Spears.