Is this goodbye?
THIS RESTROOM HAS BEEN RETIRED!
With the recent announcement of the Studio Backlot Tour’s closing, I thought it was important to discuss some of the more filled-with-history-and-interestingly-themed restrooms at Hollywood Studios (DDMGMHSS, for short).
My name is Debra (not really) and welcome aboard!
The tale of the Studio Backlot Tour is the tale of two restrooms. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. The best of times, of course, being the restrooms at the exit, in front of Lights Motors Action.
Seriously, the place is massive.
And the worst of times, being around the corner from the entrance to the Studio Backlot Tour, at Studio Catering Company.
Yum?
For you early visitors to DDMGMHSS, you may recall that the end of the riding part of the tour and the beginning of the walking part was this area. You rode first through the Streets of America, then through a suburban area like crappiest version of a “Tour of the Stars’ Homes” ever.
Welcome to New York! Up next, the Golden Girls’ house!
Then you walked through the special effects part, through a bunch of soundstages that are now other things (Frozen Fun Land, Pixar Place, Legend of Jack Sparrow, One Man’s Dream, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, etc etc etc), and back out where you started from in the Animation Courtyard.
Looks different somehow.
But I digress. The current end of the Studio Backlot Tour is/was a museum of non-Disney props for some reason, then you emerged back out to the world to find…
A Pet Stop.
And Lights, Motors, Action with its ridiculous restrooms.
It’s a Matterhorn-like argument. I prefer the left side.
As I said before, Studio Catering Co. used to be the beginning of the walking part of the tour, not the beginning of a crowded disaster (not Universal’s Disaster. A disaster of the masses) that is this restroom. This place is always busy because Studio Catering Co. is always busy. It is a big giant fast food restaurant that is the size of a high school cafeteria and twice as loud.
Even the companion restroom is to be avoided.
Just for good measure, a playground was crammed in around the corner, also serviced by this restroom, just to see how many people could be in one area at one time. Seriously, avoid this place like the plague it is. Instead, before taking your Studio Backlot Tour, visit the monstrosity over to Lights, Motors, Action. If there’s no people in the attraction, there’s no people in the restroom.
I’d like to take a moment here to recognized the Studio Tram Tour at Disneyland Paris’ Walt Disney Studios Park. This is the same idea, with props scattered around, Catastrophe Canyon, and a special bonus ride through a destroyed London from a movie called Reign of Fire. I’ve not seen it either.
I like the Paris version better.
Since that park borrowed from this park, there’s no reason why it couldn’t go the other way either. So while you are avoiding Studio Catering Co.’s restroom, you could also head on up to Pixar Place while you dream about the future of the Studio Backlot Tour.
I’ve got a bad feeling about this.