Nostalgia is hard to fight, and although we love all the new changes that have come to Disney World (and the changes that are on the way), we’ll admit that we sometimes miss the way things used to be.
Back in the day, Disney’s Hollywood Studios was Disney-MGM Studios, and we remember that time with fondness. Remember the giant Sorcerer’s Hat at the front of the park? How about The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights during the holidays? Remember when kids could make their way through the Honey, I Shrunk The Kids Movie Set Adventure? Well, if you’re looking to relive those days, we’ve got good news: you can with a little help from Google Earth.
If you use Google Earth, you can take a trip back in time and explore Hollywood Studios as it used to be before its biggest changes happened, before Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was built, and before the Muppets Courtyard got demolished. In fact, we just sat here and stared at this view for a while with a wistful sigh. Don’t get us wrong, we LOVE Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, but The Great Movie Ride still has a place in our hearts.
You can even see the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights, which we know EVERYONE really misses during the holiday season. We’re still upset that Disney no longer has this at Hollywood Studios.
We bet you totally forgot about the Honey, I Shrunk The Kids Movie Set Adventure, right? Well, it existed, and it was a fun playground that kept little ones entertained for HOURS.
You can also see the old Muppets Courtyard, Animation Courtyard before it closed, and more! It’s a fun way to spend some time if you want to take a walk down Nostalgia Street. Just head to Google Earth and use the Historical Imagery tool. You can go back through most of Disney World’s history!
Of course, if you just want to visit Disney World as it is today, you can take a walk through any of the parks as they are now using Google Earth. We’ll keep an eye out for more fun ways to bring Disney World into your home, so stay tuned to DFB for more.
Disney World Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Strategy for 2026
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WE KNOW DISNEY.
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Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
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What do you think? What do you miss most from the old Hollywood Studios? Let us know in the comments!





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