Chapter 9 - Hollywood Studios - Sunset Boulevard - Part 2
                                                                                                      posted Feb 2021

Let's add a little music to our tour.
Looking for the up to date map: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/hollywood-studios/maps/
As we’ve done before, we are going to go through Sunset Boulevard on one side of the street first, then the other. Here are the locations we will visit:
 
Sunset Boulevard – Sunset Boulevard – Left Side
  • Sweet Spells
  • The Beverly Sunset -This store offers Disney merchandise, including a wide variety of villains based and Fantasmic! Souvenirs.
  • Villains in Vogue (now Reel Vogue) - Formally known as Villains in Vogue, this shop now sells collectibles, plush and other Disney merchandise.
  • The Scary Apothecary
  • Disney Vacation Club
  • Sunset Ranch Market - Sunset Ranch Pins and Souvenirs - As its name suggests, this shop sells pins and other Disney collectibles.
  • Rosie’s Red Hot Dogs (now Rosie’s All-American Café) - This quick service location specializes in hamburgers and chicken.
  • Catalina Eddies - This quick service stand offers guests a variety of pizzas.
  • Anaheim Produce - This stand offers guests fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other snacks.
  • Toluca Legs Turkey Company - On August 1, 2016 Toluca Legs Turkey Company closed. Two days later, on August 3, a new snack stand called Sunshine Day Cafe opened in Toluca's former location [13].
  • Fairfax Fare - This quick service stand features a barbecue menu. The restaurant was known as Fairfax Fries from 2001-2007, during which time it was sponsored by McDonald's.
  • Hollywood Scoops Ice Cream - This snack stand serves ice cream and other desserts.
  • Sunny Day Café / Sunshine Day Bar - The newest dining location on Sunset Boulevard, Sunshine Day Cafe sells desserts and alcoholic beverages.
  • Theater of the Stars - Beauty and the Beast Live On Stage- A live Broadway-style show based on the 1992 Disney movie Beauty and the Beast. The show runs for approximately 30 minutes.
  • Fantasmic
The Beverly Sunset
Chapter 3 - Hollywood Studios - Hollywood Boulevard - Part 2When Sunset Boulevard opened in 1994, on the left side just after the Hollywood Junction (see Chapter 4 – Hollywood Boulevard – Part 3) is another Theater façade called Beverly Sunset. The Beverly Sunset is the name of an actual in Beverly Hills. The Sunset Boulevard theater front was inspired by that movie house and on its marquee were the names of the three shops. “Sweet Spells” (a delicious candy and snack counter), had everything from Goofy’s Candy Company to caramel covered popcorn, chocolate, cotton candy and more. The shop in the middle, “Villains in Vogue” Disney Villain themed t-shirts, mugs, and sold the latest collectible craze, Vinylmations. Directly next to Villains is “The Scary Apothecary” featuring Nightmare Before Christmas themed merchandise, including clothing, mugs, and many other villain items.
Sweet Spells
As guest enter under the marquee, just inside was the Sweet Spells, where they could find a large variety of candy, chocolate, frozen drinks, caramel apples and everything in between.  Also they could watch a cast member in the process of making various candies or candy apples. The aroma inside this small shop was simply amazing and makes it difficult to walk out without a tasty treat.
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As guests proceed toward the Villains in Vogue part of the shop, they’ll notice around the upper part of the walls were portraits of infamous Disney Villains.
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Beverly Sunset façade
The Beverly Façade on Hollywood Studio Sunset Boulevard was inspired by the Warner Beverly Hills Theater that was located on Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills
The 1,500-seat movie palace, which opened in 1931, designed by B. Marcus Priteca was considered "The Pride of Beverly Hills.". Priteca designed 22 theaters for Pantages and another 128 for other theater owners on the west coast. The Warner was a classic example of art deco design and shared its design with its sister theaters in Huntington Park and San Pedro, California.
 
Warner Beverly Hills Theater was demolished and turned into a parking lot.
 
Note: Pantages was a vaudeville impresario and early motion picture producer. He created a large and powerful circuit of theatres across the western United States and Canada in the 1920’s and 30’s.
References:
Villains in Vogue
Villains in Vogue is part of the Beverly Sunset building and a Disney Villains-themed shop which opened September 1998.
The center façade had the Villains in Vogue sign. Inside, a striking sculpture of the Siamese cats from Lady and the Tramp sat atop a merchandise fixture.
 
Most of the shop was dominated by Nightmare Before Christmas merchandise, Shirts, hats, the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series items, as well as candy.
Villains in Vogue sold the newest collectible craze, Vinylmations. They were added a while ago and were the top sellers in the shop. Also available were comics, Tron merchandise, and Disney Pirate apparel.
 
Unfortunately, the Villains craze has subsided, and like many shops in Walt Disney World, they change merchandise as the guests’ buying habits change.
There were always promotional and seasonal changes to the displays.
Reference:
The Villains in Vogue building was modeled after the Pasadena Winter Garden Building, 171 S. Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena, which was a former Ice Skating rink. It was built in 1940, and became the home of the Blade and Edge Figure Skating Club and is most renowned for being the original home of World and Olympic champion Peggy Fleming.
At the end of 1966, the ice rink closed and the building became a U. S. Postal Service sorting facility. Eventually, the Postal Service moved out and after sitting vacant for a decade, it became a storage facility.
 
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The Scary Apothecary
The third façade is the home of The Scary Apothecary, it featured Villain themed merchandise, including clothing, mugs, and many other villain items.
On the back wall before the large white Vinylmation sign was put up, there used to be a movie screen which ran a 15 minute multiple choice quiz on the Disney Villains, keeping the guests amused while they shopped.
The Scary Apothecary wasn’t only scary in name. Towards the back of the store is a display that still evokes that "evil" theme the store once prominently had. In this alcove, guests could find what could only be an evil do-ers storage of special potions. The first potion is "laughing potion" and underneath that we find "Strength Potion #3" (I guess #1 and #2 didn’t work out so well), an unmarked potion and "Sleeping Potion" (a favorite of evil witches).
Across from these potions guests could find "Aging potion" along with the instructions to "Handle with care" which is next to a glass full of the elixir and above it we also find some test tubes with no-name potions on and behind it "Shrinking potion". The names of these potions aren’t specifically named in a Disney film, but they are clearly the sort of items a Disney Villain would have in their possession just in case it’s needed to get rid of a pesky do-gooder.
In fact, among the many concoctions available on the Apothecary’s shelves, several mixtures, including a sleeping potion, have gone missing.
Store front window displays are also changed to reflect the Seasons or special promotions.
The Evil Witch from Snow White appears in the store window of the Scary Apothecary promoting the Vinylmation figures.
Sources:
The Scary Apothecary façade of doesn’t have a sign, except for the second-story window signs. There are two entrances to this part of the shop, one is inside from the Villains in Vogue store or the door facing the Sunset Ranch Market.
The inspiration for the façade was the 35er bar situated on historic US Route 66 in Old Town Pasadena. It’s been in business since 1962, the family-owned and operated 35er enjoys the title of the oldest cocktail lounge in Pasadena. The building’s history before 1962 is more of a mystery. The Designated Historic Properties List of the City of Pasadena includes the 35er, but only identifies the year it was built as circa 1950 and does not identify the architect.
The unusual architectural ornamentation at the top of the building appears to be almost closely reproduced by the Imagineers, except for the more striking colors of the Disney version. 
 
Reference:
Beverly Sunset Boutique
Sweet Spells Candy store in the Beverly Sunset Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios closed on Apr. 2018, to become Beverly Sunset Boutique.
In preparation of Toy Story Land the Beverly Sunset Sweet Spells on Sunset Blvd will be closing permanently on April 16 2018 to make way for a Pixar store.
The shop was known for it’s the scary and sweet treats that lurk inside the “theater” as well as Disney Villain merchandise and house-made candy.
After the refurbishments finished the shop became the only place in the park where you would be able to find Pixar Merchandise other than Toy Story Land itself. The Sweet Spells production kitchen was removed.
Some of the movie memorabilia was left in place as a reminder of the original concept of Hollywood Studios.
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Reference:
Reel Vogue
The location next to the Beverly Sunset Boutique was previously known as Villains in Vogue before changing to Reel Vogue on July 2015. Inside Reel Vogue guests will still find a variety of Disney merchandise and gifts including Disney character clothing, apparel, headwear, home goods, toys, plush and much more.  
During the refurbishment in the summer of 2018, all three shops, Beverly Sunset Boutique, Reel Vogue and The Scary Apothecary, were merged internally to feature Pixar, along with other Disney Merchandise
 
Reference:
Beverly Offices
Hollywood Studios pays homage to Golden Age of Hollywood by recreating famous Hollywood facades, landmarks, and billboards to convey messages from 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s Hollywood. In addition, the Imagineers placed Hollywood movie references throughout.
International Brotherhood of Second Assistant Directors
One of these references is on the window above The Scary Apothecary. During the 1920s, nepotism (the act of hiring family members whether they were qualified or not) was a widespread practice in Hollywood. It was said that often the “not so talented” family member would be given the fancy title of Second Assistant Director and the responsibility of standing behind the director while holding their coffee for them. The catch phase on the bottom of the window stating: “We’re Standing Behind You!” was a reference to the job duties of the Second Assistant Directors.
 
Note: Second Assistant Director is a real job title for people in the film and television industry today.  The humorous job duties of the “not so talented” family member is not intended to belittle the duties of the present day Second Assistant Director
Muscle Beach Bodyguard Service
Next to it a window that references an area of Southern California that has become known the world over. Muscle Beach Bodyguard Service, obviously, makes reference to Muscle Beach. Beginning in the 1930s an area of Santa Monica, with Hollywood springing up all around it, the beach-front park quickly became popular with tourists, stuntmen and film stars alike. And as that popularity grew and grew, gymnastic and acrobatic exhibitions were routinely held there and bodybuilders began bringing their own dumbbells to the park. Between the well-muscled bodybuilders and the strength of the gymnasts and acrobats, the name Muscle Beach was perfectly fitting. Bodybuilders began highlighting their skills further south at the Venice Beach Weight Pen, leading to area earning the name Muscle Beach Venice, this new Muscle Beach become a frequent haunt of famous bodybuilders, including the future Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Guests would definitely feel safer with the clientele of Muscle Beach protecting them as bodyguards.
Max's Directing Academy
The movie Sunset Boulevard was a showcase for Gloria Swanson, portraying a faded silent movie queen who becomes infatuated with a down-on-his-luck screenwriter played by William Holden. While the name of Swanson's character, Norma Desmond, has found a place in pop culture. Desmond's butler, Max von Mayerling, is not nearly as well known. According to the story, Max, played by Erich von Stroheim, was in fact a movie director, having worked with Desmond at the height of her silent-era stardom.
Sunset Boulevard was directly inspired by the iconic Tinsel Town street of the same name, and a second floor window above the Sunset Beverly Shops pays subtle homage to the classic 1950 Paramount film Sunset Boulevard.

Max's Classic Directing Academy employs the latest movie techniques. Its motto: "Are you ready for your close-up?"
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Sunset Boulevard Movie
This was significant in that Stroheim had been a director of silent movies and had worked with Swanson on a number of films during the 1920s.

The motto on the window refers to Swanson's famous line at the end of Sunset Boulevard, "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close up."

A clip from Sunset Boulevard appeared in the montage at the end of The Great Movie Ride, in which Swanson, when talked of silent films, told co-star Holden, "We didn't need dialog, we had faces."  (See Chapter 6 – Hollywood Studios – The Great Movie Ride – Part 2)
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Disney Vacation Club
As guests move further down Sunset Boulevard they will pass the Disney Vacation Club Booth. They can always stop by to get information on the DVC, also what is interesting is the Taxi parked next to the booth.
The Taxi cab is a 1940’s Checker Cab set to match the theming of Sunset Boulevard. As we discussed in the last Chapter (Chapter 7 – Sunset Boulevard – Part 1), there were several cars on Sunset Boulevard that provided accent to the theming during the earlier days of the Boulevard.
We also discussed that early plans included several Dick Tracy attractions, so the Cars were intended to introduce these plans.
Research:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checker_Taxi
Trolley Car on Sunset Boulevard
As guests walk down Sunset Boulevard to either the Tower of Terror or Rock 'n Roller Coaster, they’ll pass by a souvenir cart resembling a Trolley Car that has a significance to unique theme of Sunset Boulevard and the Movies.
The backstory focuses around the Pacific Electric Railway Company that was slowly going out of business (much like in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?).
 
If guests look closer at the Car, they’ll hopefully note some more significant facts on the cart. The Imagineers adorned it with signs, color and other essentials to complete the theme, including the trolley car number. The number on the car, 694, which refers to the date when Sunset Boulevard opened up in June of 1994.
The Paramount Pictures lot sits on the corner of Gower Street and Melrose Avenue; further north, the Sunset Gower Studios (formerly the Columbia Pictures lot) sit on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Gower.
 
The bright red cart sells mostly pins and refreshments.
 
 Sources:
In the golden years of Hollywood one of the most convenient means of transportation was trolley cars. Sunset Boulevard is no different with a red trolley parked near the end of the street.
 
The trolley car isn't just random, but plays a role in the backstory that started back up the street at the corner of Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards.  There, with the Tip Board and Guest Services counter all fitting in with the of a Pacific Electric Railway station theme, Imagineers added to the theming a cart that looks like the Pacific Electric cars. (See Chapter 4 – Hollywood Boulevard – Part 3)

The Trolley Car also pays tribute to many of the original Hollywood movie studios that were located on or near Sunset Boulevard, Gower Street and Melrose Avenue.
Billboards on Sunset Boulevard
Imagineers often let guests know when a new attraction, park, restaurant, etc. is introduced in subtle ways.
Paradise Pier, opened with Disney's California Adventure in 2001. During the summer of 2018, Paradise Pier in Disney California Adventure was completely updated to a new land known as Pixar Pier featuring familiar experiences with new storylines.
Scattered throughout the Hollywood Studios, are billboards on top of buildings that reference the former Paradise Pier.
Above the Beverly Sunset building there's a billboard that advertises Paradise Pier. On this billboard guests can even find attractions in the background including California Screamin', The Golden Zephyr, and the original Sun Wheel!
Cuties® are America’s original clementine brand. In 2018, Cuties® became the Official Citrus Fruit of Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort, with Billboards throughout the parks have been promoting it.
Then during the Holidays there will be billboards wishing guests Seasons Greetings.
 
Reference:
Sunset Ranch Market
 In 1934, during the height of the Great Depression, a group of farmers set up some stands at Third and Fairfax. It quickly caught on as a cheap place to get something to eat with the Hollywood crowd.
The Sunset Ranch Market on Sunset Boulevard is the location for various quick service dining.
The Sunset Ranch Market is based on the famous Farmers Market at the corner of Fairfax and Third in Los Angeles.
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Original Farmer's Market in Los Angeles
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Stands located in the Sunset Ranch Market in Disney's Hollywood Studios include:
Fairfax Fare-This quick service stand features a barbecue menu. The restaurant was known as Fairfax Fries from 2001-2007, during which time it was sponsored by McDonald's.
Hollywood Scoops- This snack stand serves ice cream and other desserts.
Rosie's All American Cafe- This quick service location specializes in hamburgers and chicken.
Catalina Eddie's- This quick service stand offers guests a variety of pizzas.
Anaheim Produce- This stand offers guests fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other snacks.
Sunshine Day Cafe- The newest dining location on Sunset Boulevard, Sunshine Day Cafe sells desserts and alcoholic beverages.
Sunset Ranch Pins and Souvenirs
As its name suggests, this shop sells pins and other Disney collectibles.
Sunset Ranch Pins and Souvenirs is located on Sunset Boulevard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios next to Anaheim Market.  Sunset Ranch Pins and Souvenirs is essentially your one stop pin shop.  Here you will find new, limited edition, mystery boxes as well as lanyards, pin accessories and more.  Even if you don’t collect or trade pins, check out the selection.  The artistry that goes into designing some of these pins is pretty amazing.
 
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Rosie’s Red Hot Dogs (now Rosie’s All-American Café)
This quick service location specializes in hamburgers and chicken. When the location opened it was known as Rosie’s Red Hot Dogs, and featured a hot dog menu.
Rosie's All American Cafe is decorated with both authentic and Disney created WWII memorabilia.
Inside Rosie's All American Cafe, guests can see a WWII insignia created by Disney and featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and a Gremlin
Near Rosie's All American Cafe, guests can find Rosie's Victory Garden, which features various vegetables being grown to help the war effort.
While “Staying True to the Red, White, and Blue,” Rosie rolls up her sleeves to serve hungry guests some classic American fare!
 Rosie’s shares a large shaded outdoor seating area with the other counter service eateries that make up Sunset Ranch Market.
Rosie’s Backstory
During World War II, the term “Rosie the Riveter” was created by the government to represent the many patriotic women who took temporary jobs on the assembly lines of various industries to free up men needed in the military.
 
Rosie’s All American Café is an homage to this well-known feminist icon. Part of the Sunset Ranch Market area in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Rosie is depicted in the Café on the sign as a smiling redheaded welder heating up a frying pan which is meant to imply that she has experience handling flames and is a good cook.
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The interior of the quick serve location is decorated with some authentic World War II memorabilia alongside some “Imagineered” items relating to the fictional life of the woman owner.

Several signs including “Keep ‘Em Flying”, “V for Victory” and “Stay True to the Red, White and Blue” adorn the outside. Even the outside condiment bar is topped by a glass enclosed case featuring metal toy soldiers and other authentic artifacts from the 1940s.
 
In 1942, Pittsburgh artist J. Howard Miller was hired by the Westinghouse Company's War Production Coordinating Committee to create a series of posters for the war effort. One of these posters became the famous "We Can Do It!" image, an image that in later years would also be called "Rosie the Riveter"
 
The scarecrow in Rosie’s Victory Garden” wears an old U.S. flight suit including goggles, helmet, oxygen mask and inflatable yellow life vest from Rosie’s boyfriend who was still serving his country as a pilot overseas.
There is an Uncle Sam wind spinner whose unpredictable movement is also meant to scare away pests. Rosie’s garden tools are hanging along the side of the Catalina Eddie building right next to the garden.

Reference:
 
For current menu:
Catalina Eddies
This quick service stand offers guests a variety of pizzas.
Catalina Eddie’s is located next to Rosie’s All-American Cafe.  Catalina Eddie’s is a quick service counter restaurant that serves a variety of fresh items including a hot deli sandwich, pizza, desserts and beverages.  There are a large number of outdoor tables available in the area that can get busy during peak meal times.
The nautical pennants hanging overhead spell “CATEDDIES”. The slogan for the eatery is “Harbor Your Hunger”. Despite an anthropomorphic flying fish in a sailor cap next to the sign, ironically the restaurant doesn’t sell any kind of fish item.
Catalina Eddie is a reference to a Southern California weather condition that sometimes occurs.
The Catalina eddy, named for the Catalina Islands off the coast of Los Angeles, is an occasional phenomenon of coastal southern California south of Point Conception. Where a relatively low pressure offshore draws cool marine air up the coast from the south. The marine air–brings a fog–that spirals around creating the eddy and bringing cooling winds to the Los Angeles basin.

Source:
 
Current Menu:
Anaheim Produce
This stand offers guests a healthier snack for on-the-go at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guests will find fresh fruit, veggies and dip, packaged trail mix and more. But they also have Mickey Pretzels and frozen margaritas if that’s what they need.
Current Menu:
As with all farmers markets, Los Angeles’ began with well-worn, and well taken care of, trucks loaded down with crates of produce occupying a vacant lot in the predawn hours of the day. The Sunset Ranch Market, on Sunset Boulevard, has kept this tradition alive with several produce labels plastered on the walls, and a truck loaded down with various crates of crops. Coincidentally, all of the labels found on the crates are authentic reproductions of actual brand logos that could be found in Southern California during the 1930s and 1940s, the precise era represented by this corner of Sunset Boulevard.
Timex US/CAN
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Toluca Legs Turkey Company
Sunset Ranch Turkey Legs opened in 1998. In 2001, Toluca Legs turkey Company replaced Sunset Ranch Turkey Legs. Toluca Legs Turkey Co. was located next to Anaheim Produce.  Toluca Legs Turkey Co. was a quick service kiosk restaurant that features the famous Disney turkey leg as well as a hot dog meal.
When Fairfax Fries closed in 2009, Toluca Legs Turkey Company relocated to the fry stand's former location and former location of Toluca Legs in the park’s Sunset Ranch Market is now Fairfax Fare, with a good variety of counter-service fare.
 
In August 2016 Toluca Legs Turkey Company closed. Two days later, a new snack stand called Sunshine Day I opened in Toluca’s former location. Hollywood Studios no longer serves Turkey Legs. 
 
This was the spot to visit at Disney’s Hollywood Studios when you’re craving a Jumbo Turkey Leg.
Fairfax Fare
This quick service stand features a barbecue menu. The restaurant was known as Fairfax Fries from 1998 to 2009, during which time it was sponsored by McDonald’s.
The Fairfax Fries quick service had a limited menu of just fries and drinks.
 
Fairfax Fare provides a variety of quick service options featuring some Tex-Mex inspired choices to the simple things in life, like and Chili Cheese All-Beef Hot Dog!
Subsequently, a new stand named Fairfax Faire opened in the former Toluca Legs Turkey Company Location.
The famous Los Angeles Farmers Market was the inspiration for the Hollywood Studios’ Sunset Ranch Market. The Market is located at Fairfax Avenue and Third Street in Los Angeles. The name Fairfax Fries (now Fairfax Fare) is a tribute to Fairfax Avenue and the style of the building is a nod to the Farmers Market.
 
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Current Menu:
Hollywood Scoops Ice Cream
Hollywood Scoops is right next to Fairfax Fare and serves Hand scooped ice-cream in a variety of flavors, as well as, other great desserts.
Hollywood Scoops Ice Cream begins serving Disney World guests in 1999.
 
Current Menu:
Sunshine Day Café / Sunshine Day Bar
The newest dining location on Sunset Boulevard, Sunshine Day I sells desserts and alcoholic beverages.
 
Sunshine Day Cafe in Hollywood Studios replaced Toluca Legs in August 2016. Sunshine Day Cafe was a seasonal location operating on peak crowd days.
 It became the Sunshine Day Bar in December 2018 and serves up a small assortment of cocktails menu.
 
Current Menu:
The Hollywood Bowl
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Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles
Well at the corner by the Carthay Circle Shops is a traffic light with street signs on top, Highland Ave and Sunset Boulevard. The Hollywood Bowl in Las Angeles is located on North Highland Avenue.
 In Hollywood Studios, Highland Avenue is one of the entrances to another Sunset Boulevard theater, 
The Theater of the Stars its design is based on the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA. Highland Avenue also leads to the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater where Fantasmic is presented. (More about the Fantasmic show below)
 
Reference:
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It’s not so strange that we should be talking about The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles while touring Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood Studios. Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood Studios is meant to represent Hollywood's theater district, the Boulevard is home to many replicas of famous theaters. So why shouldn’t there be reference to another famous venue, the Hollywood Bowl. Since its opening in 1922, the Hollywood Bowl has been the premier destination for live music in Southern California, under the iconic arched shell it has hosted famous entertainers from Billie Holiday to The Beatles to Yo-Yo Ma.
Theater of the Stars
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Original Theater of the Stars on Hollywood Boulevard - Disney/MGM Studios
Reference:
The Theater of the Stars, originally, was located in the area where Customer Relations and Hollywood Junction is at what is now the entryway to Sunset Boulevard from Hollywood Boulevard. (See Chapter 3 – Hollywood Boulevard – Part 2) The Theater of the Stars was in this located from 1989 to 1993, when it was removed and rebuilt at its current location on the new Sunset Boulevard expansion.  The Theater of the Stars debuted in 1994 on Sunset Boulevard.
The Theater of the Stars is a large 1,500 seat amphitheater.
While the theater was located on Hollywood Boulevard it played host to several shows including "Hollywood! Hollywood!", "Dick Tracy in Diamond Double Cross," "Hollywood's Pretty Woman," and the Star Conversation series. During the Grand Opening week of the Studios, LIVE with Regis and Kathy Lee broadcast from this stage. (Details on these shows is in Chapter 3- Hollywood Boulevard – Part 2)
Theater of the Stars Shows

  • Hollywood! Hollywood! A Star-Studded Spectacular (May 1 – August 31, 1989)
  • Dick Tracy starring in Diamond Double-Cross (May 21, 1990 – February 16, 1991)
  • Hollywood's Pretty Woman (September 24 – November 3, 1991)
  • Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage (November 22, 1991 – present)
  • Used for seasonal special events: Star Wars Weekends, etc. (2015)
  • The Music of Pixar Live! (May 26 – August 27, 2017)
  • “The Disney Society Orchestra and Friends” (August – October 3, 2020)

The theater is also used for occasional corporate, seasonal, promotional and internal events, and presentations.

Resource:
Beauty and the Beast Live On Stage (November 1991 – present)
A live Broadway-style show based on the 1991 Disney movie Beauty and the Beast. The show runs for approximately 30 minutes.
 
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage opened in November 1991 in the original Theater of the Stars on Hollywood Boulevard. The premiere took place on the same day that the film Beauty and the Beast was released. The original show featured five songs- Be Our Guest, "Belle" / "Gaston", "Something There", "The Mob Song", and "Beauty and the Beast". It was initially considered as a temporary attraction, but the immense popularity of the show led it to become permanent.
In 1993, the Theater of the Stars was closed to make way for the construction of Sunset Boulevard. In May 1993 Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage was temporarily moved to the Backlot Theater on New York Street, then moved back into a newly constructed Theater of the Stars on Sunset Boulevard in 1994.
The biggest change to Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage took place in March of 2001, when the structure of the show was changed. The new show featured songs in a more chronological order, making it more like the film. Besides reordering the songs, a new prologue song titled "Prologue: The
Enchantress" and the song "Belle (Reprise) were added to the attraction.
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Reference:
Microsoft
Four for a Dollar (1994-2008)
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Four for a Dollar were an incredibly entertaining a cappella quartet that opened for the Beauty and the Beast show at the Theater of the Stars in Hollywood Studios.
 Typical opening would start with a guy looking like a stage tech walking on the stage, the audience would be completely surprised by what happened next.  The Four for a Dollar performers would trick the audience into believing they were stage techs setting up and testing the sound system.  Dressed in a uniform of black shorts and shirts, they were funny, and remarkably talented.  They made you laugh and drew you in…then blew you away with their singing!  Visitors of all ages enjoyed the Four for a Dollar.  The act was discontinued after an outstanding 14-year run
 
Post Studios: the group continued to appear in the Orlando area by their non-Disney name, Return 2 Zero.  They performed once more at Walt Disney World in the summer of 2013 (as Return 2 Zero) at the American Adventure in Epcot.
The Music of Pixar Live! (May 26 – August 27, 2017)
 “The Music of Pixar LIVE! A Symphony of Characters,” was a limited-time summer concert event that showcases music from Pixar Animation Studios films, it ran at The Theater of the Stars in Hollywood Studios from May 2017 to August 2017.
 
The show featured a live orchestra and appearances  major Pixar characters, it was presented three times nightly following the regular daily performances of “Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage”.
It was a celebration of the music, animation and characters of Pixar films.
Guests were greeted by Green Army Men from Toy Story as they enter the theater.
The show featured character moments and animated scenes on large video screens, a full orchestra performs selections of the great scores from films such as "Toy Story," "Up," "Finding Nemo," "Finding Dory," "The Incredibles" and "Cars."
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Throughout the show, beloved Pixar characters added moments of comedy and fun before their featured segment. As an example, Mike and Sulley took the stage to collect laughs as Mike tries stand-up before the "Monsters, Inc." segment comes on-screen. Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear unwrapped the "Toy Story" segment and "Up" was fronted by a special appearance of Carl Fredricksen and Dug.
 
The finale was Toy Story's You've Got a Friend in Me, during which the audience is encouraged to sing along as a number of Pixar characters join in on the stage.
“The Disney Society Orchestra and Friends” Performance at Hollywood Studios (August 2020 – October 2020)
The song set comprised of If I Didn't Have You, Cantina Band, Under the Sea, The Muppets Theme, You've Got a Friend in Me, Be Our Guest, and Beauty and the Beast.
The role of "...and Friends" were filled by characters from the Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage show. Toward the end of the performance, Chip, Cogsworth, Lumiere, and Mrs. Potts took the stage to dance along with the music.
Beauty and the Beast was temporarily replaced by a new entertainment offering at the Theater of the Stars — The Disney Society Orchestra and Friends!
 
The Grand Floridian Society Orchestra stopped playing at the Grand Floridian in July 2020.  The musicians moved to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where they played with The Disney Society Orchestra and Friends. The Grand Floridian Society Orchestra played their final performance in October 2020.
Sources:
Natural, plant-based home care & cleaning.
Fantasmic! is a nighttime show at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It features fireworks, characters, live actors, water effects, pyrotechnics, lasers, music, audio-animatronics, searchlights, decorated boat floats, and mist screen projections. The narrative of Fantasmic centers on a voyage through Mickey Mouse's imagination that climaxes in a battle against the Disney Villains.
The show takes place at the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater, with a rocky mountain and a facade of trees serving as the setting.
Hollywood Hills Amphitheater
The Hollywood Hills Amphitheater is located off of Sunset Boulevard, between The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Beauty and the Beast stage show.
The Fantasmic! stage features a man-made, 50-foot-tall mountain on which Sorcerer Mickey stands and from which the dragon emerges.
The amphitheater opened on October 15, 1998 to host the Fantasmic! Show, but was also designed to hold concerts such as the 2008 Night of Joy. The amphitheater has 6,900 seats, with room for an additional 3,000 people standing. The seats are centered in a crescent around a moat-surrounded island where the live action of Fantasmic! takes place. The moat around the island itself can hold 1,900,000 U.S. gallons of water.

Reference:
The Show
FANTASMIC! begins its 25-minute performance with a dreaming Mickey Mouse on a darkened island. Mickey acts as a conductor as music fills the air and the waters surrounding the island begin to dance.
 
Suddenly, screens of water emerge and a multitude of images are displayed upon them such as Sorcerer Mickey in his famous “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” scene from Fantasia, Simba and Nala romping from the Lion King, and the undersea creatures from The Little Mermaid, and many more.
At one point large animals suddenly appear on stage, while Rafiki from The Lion King sails by on a barge. 
 
The water screens begin again and the mood shifts when a frantic Jiminy Cricket becomes trapped in a large bubble, then is pursued by Monstro the whale. Monstro lifts himself out of the water and lands with a crash, which splashes unsuspecting front row Fantasmic! guests with real water!
The waters calm, but a cannon blast erupts. Live characters re-enact battle scenes from the movie Pocahontas, followed by John Smith and the Native American heroine dancing to Colors of the Wind.
Three barges then sail out onto the water, as romantic Disney music swells. See Belle and the Beast, Ariel and Price Eric, and Snow White and the Prince dance on the barges, each accompanied by their classic love songs.
Mickey’s dream continues on its nightmarish journey as eerie music begins and the Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs concocts a spell amidst pyrotechnics and other special effects.
She invokes some of the most infamous Disney Villains: Ursula, Cruella de Vil, Scar, Frollo, Jafar, Maleficent and Hades each make an appearance, cackling menacingly. But these bad guys are no match for Mickey – not even Jafar, who turns into a writhing sinister cobra.
Finally, a triumphant atmosphere prevails amid a flurry of fireworks. Beloved Disney characters glide past the audience aboard the Steamboat Willie River Boat, as Fantasmic! concludes with a triumphant Mickey rejoicing at his victory over evil.
click to enlarge
Alternate show: "Taste Of Fantasmic!"Because of the unpredictable weather, Florida has a four-minute-long substitute show that plays when inclement weather prohibits the presentation of the regular show. The alternative show does not showcase any of the performers, floats, or puppets. Instead the ancillary show is a brief summation of the conventional show; including a fountain display synchronized to "Little April Showers", a sequence integrating the "Night on Bald Mountain" music, and a finale orchestrated with all of the usual pyrotechnics and musical fanfare from the original show's conclusion.
Show Soundtrack
Fantasmic! Pre-Show Music
  • Heaven's Triumph
  • The Rainbow Connection
  • Mickey Mouse Disco
  • Baby Mine
  • Let it Go
  • How Far I'll Go
  • Pecos Bill
  • Friend Like Me
  • Immortals
  • Step in Time
  • Mickey Mouse March
  • Remember Me
  • The Muppet Show Theme
  • Alan Menken's Disney Acapella Medley: Part/A Whole New World
  • When She Loved Me
  • I See the Light
  • Speechless
  • Mickey Mouse Revue Exit Music: Disney Fantasy Medley
  • Saludos Amigos
  • Try Everything
  • Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah
  • Bug-A-Boo
  • Bundle of Joy
  • Lava
  • Little Toot
  • You've Got a Friend in Me
  • Ride
  • Once Upon a Dream
  • Get The Money (Uncle Scrooge's Money)
  • The Nightmare Before Christmas Overture
  • Bumble Boogie
  • Ducks Dance Too
  • Pig Out
  • Into the Unknown
  • Real Gone
  • Keep On Tryin
  • Tweedledee and Tweedledum
  • DuckTales Theme
  • Perfect World
  • It's a Small World
  • Woody's Roundup
  • Armed Forces Medley
  • Watch Out For Goofy!
  • If I Didn't Have You
  • The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy
  • We Belong Together
  • Life Is a Highway
  • Our Town
  • Down to Earth
Disney's Hollywood Studios Production - Featured Disney films in Fantasmic
  • Fantasia - The sorcerer scene at the beginning of the show
  • Montage sequence with moments from:
  • The Lion King
  • The Jungle Book
  • Dumbo
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • Alice in Wonderland
  • Hercules - Hades is also seen during the villain segment
  • Pinocchio
  • Aladdin - Jafar is also seen during the villain segment
  • Mulan
  • Cinderella
  • Lady and the Tramp
  • Fantasia
  • Tangled
  • The Princess and the Frog
  • Bambi
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • The Little Mermaid
  • Frozen
  • Frozen 2
  • Pocahontas - a fight between John Smith and the Native Americans seen in the film. Pocahontas stops the fight with "The Colors Of The Wind"
  • 101 Dalmatians - Cruella DeVil is seen during the villain scene
  • The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Judge Frollo is seen during the villain scene
  • Steamboat Willie - This ship replaces the Mark Twain Riverboat
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Snow White and her Prince Charming close out the show with "Someday My Prince Will Come"
  • Encore: Classic Disney from The Magic of Disney Animation (Water Projection Screen only)
"Taste Of Fantastic!" Alternate Production
  • Bambi - "Little April Showers"
  • Fantasia - "Night On Bald Mountain"
Voices Cast
Disney's Hollywood Studios
  • Wayne Allwine – Mickey Mouse (Wayne has been the voice of Mickey Mouse for 32 years, and was married to voice actress Russi Taylor, who voiced Minnie Mouse from 1986 until 2019.
  • Jane Ethridge Correa – Female Vocalist (Princess Medley)
  • Louise Chamis – Evil Queen/Old Hag (Louise also is the voice of the Evil Queen/Witch in Disney's House of Mouse animated TV series)
  • Tony Jay – Magic Mirror, Judge Claude Frollo (and Shere Khan in The Jungle Book 2) 
  • Eddie Carroll – Jiminy Cricket (a role he played for over 35 years.
  • Corey Burton – Chernabog (also is the voice of Ludwig Von Drake, Dale, Captain Hook and others characters for The Walt Disney Company,)
  • Linda Gary – Maleficent, Opening Announcer (did several guest voice-over appearances in such Disney television series as Darkwing Duck, DuckTales, TaleSpin, The Little Mermaid series and Bonkers)
  • Pat Carroll – Ursula (and also  in The Little Mermaid)
  • Susan Blakeslee – Cruella de Vil
  • Jonathan Freeman – Jafar
  • Jim Cummings – Scar (voice actor, who voices almost 400 roles, including Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, and the Tasmanian Devil)
  • Linda Hunt – Grandmother Willow
  • David Ogden Stiers – Governor Ratcliffe, and voiced Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast (was cast as Major Winchester, on the television series M*A*S*H)
  • James Woods – Hades
Fantasmic Facts
  • Fantasmic! premiered at Disneyland in California in 1992. It debuted at the Disney’s Hollywood Studios in October 1998.
  • The Disney’s Hollywood Studios version of Fantasmic! features some unique elements, incorporating scenes from animated releases such as “The Lion King,” “Pocahontas,” “Hercules” “Mulan” and “Frozen.”
  • Fantasmic! features 50 performers. In the grand finale, at least 26 Disney characters cruise across the moat aboard an 80-foot replica of the Steamboat Willie boat.
  • In the scene where the villainous Jafar turns into a cobra, he is 100 feet long and 16 feet high. The mechanical Maleficent dragon in the climactic good vs. evil scene weighs 32,000 lbs.
  • Pop Secret is the official sponsor of Fantasmic! at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
 
Reference:

Finale

Well, we finished our tour of the Shopping, Dining and Theater Districts of Sunset Boulevard. In the next Chapter we will travel to the end of Sunset Boulevard where the Hollywood Towers Hotel looms and see if our rooms are ready.

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    Let us know what your thoughts, suggestions, ideas, and absolutely, if we've missed anything.
Afterword:
WDWMousing.com is designed to be a tour of Walt Disney World through photos. We have been to Walt Disney World countless times over the past 25 years and accumulated a magnitude of photos in that time. This website is an intention to combine two of our favorite pastimes, Walt Disney World and photography, and provide an insightful pictorial tour.
While doing so, we've done an extensive research of the internet and literary sources for background information on each area and atrraction. The information is available, but most bits and pieces are scattered all over. WDWMousing doesn't intend to rewrite the stories, legends or data, but to try and collect it into one location with reference and links to the original articles and authors. And giving rightful credit. We've stumbled through quite a bit of mis-information, most of which came to life by fans because the origins were lost, forgotten or no one seems to remember. Over the past 25 years we've also lost most of the great Imagineers that helped develop, design and build the original concepts of Walt Disney World. So we believe it's extremely important to make sure that their efforts, intentions, details and creativity in making this Happiest Place on Earth isn't lost.
So we ask for feedback, insights, and suggestions.

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