Mickey's Birthdayland/Starland/Toontown Fair

Matsuriza

Always fun to catch the Matsuriza drummers in the Japan pavillion at EPCOT.  They always put on a great show.

The Backlot

The Disney's Hollywood Studios has probably changed more than any other park over the years.  This was especially true in the first few years after opening.  During those first couple of years things seemed to change almost weekly (since that was about how often I would visit, it was very noticable).  The Backlot area of the park was probably the most affected.  Initially, the Backstage Studio Tour was a two hour combined tram and walking tour that began with the tram portion which boarded  in the Animation Courtyard.  The tram tour ended near the Looney Bin where you could take a shop, use the restroom, or grab a quick snack at the Studio Catering Co. and then begin the walking portion of the tour.  You couldn't walk on New York Street (the trams actually toured it), there were no Muppets, Honey I Shrunk The Kids playground, or Star Tours.  There was no Mickey Avenue.  As crowds increased and more space was needed for guests to wander around all of this changed.  Parts of New York Street were opened for pedestrians (and eventually all of it was opened).  Mickey Avenue was opened providing traffic flow between the Animation Courtyard and the Backlot.  And eventually Commisary Lane opened.

These photos are from the area that would later become Commisary Lane.  This was a cul-de-sac off New York Street that the tram initially drove down but that was quickly opened for pedestrians.  The Monahan's Freight Company facade was later moved between the Looney Bin and Mickey Avenue to serve as the entrance to the Backlot Tour.  The Dipmobile would later be moved to Washington Square on New York Street and the Pacific Red Car to the Boneyard behind Residential Street.

Here is the fountain from Splash which is located just outside the Looney Bin.  The first picture is from April 1989 shortly before the official opening of the park.  I assume the giant Godzilla like thing in the background was simply to add interest.  The inflatable is sitting in what would be Mickey Avenue and which is now Pixar Place.  The second picture is probably from early 1990.  The final picture is a much more recent photo of the fountain from 2008. 

1986 Ticket Brochure

Today we have a ticketing brochure that would have been handed out at the Auto Plaza on the way into the parking lot back in 1986.  Take a look at the price of a 4-Day World Passport back in 1986.  It is about the same as a One-Day ticket today.