Hollywood Studios marking 35th anniversary with merch, ceremony

35th Anniversary Ceremony

Disney will host a “special moment” at 11 a.m. on May 1 inside the Theater of the Stars, home to “Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage.”

Details are under wraps about the ceremony, but park anniversary moments of the past (see below) have included remarks from executives and special appearances by characters.

35th Anniversary Merchandise and Virtual Queue

Disney’s Hollywood Studios 35th anniversary merchandise will be available at Stage 1 Company Store, the shop near Muppet*Vision 3D. Items will include a Loungefly mini-backpack, t-shirts, a pin, and a hat.

Guests must join a virtual queue to gain entry to Stage 1 Company Store on May 1, 2024. Disney will utilize the same virtual queue process used for Tron Lightcycle / Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

The virtual queue will open at 7 a.m. Guests must have May 1 park admission to Hollywood Studios to access the merchandise event virtual queue.

To join the virtual queue for Hollywood Studios 35th anniversary merch, follow these instructions:

1. Open the My Disney Experience app.
2. On the home screen, scroll down until you see the virtual queue graphic.
3. Tap “Join Virtual Queue.”
4. At the top of the next screen, tap “Disney’s Hollywood Studios.”
5. On the following screen, the only option listed should be “Disney’s Hollywood Studios 35th Anniversary Merchandise Event,” as the park does not currently utilize any other virtual queues. Tap “Join Virtual Queue.”

Disney said the merchandise will be available “starting May 1,” but only noted specific virtual queue instructions for May 1 itself. It’s unclear if (and where) the merchandise will be available beyond the actual anniversary date.

Stage 1 Company Store has been closed for quite a while; this merchandise event will be a rare opportunity to step inside the Muppet-themed retail location.

Looking Ahead to Hollywood Studios Future

Later this year, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure,” a re-imagined version of the former “Voyage of the Little Mermaid” live show.

The previous production first opened in 1992 and has been closed since the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

Looking Back on Hollywood Studios History

Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened on May 1, 1989, when it was known as Disney-MGM Studios.

Explore past anniversary moments at Disney’s Hollywood Studios with these videos curated from the archives of our Attractions Magazine YouTube channel:

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