In this, the next post in our series about the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, we’re going to be looking at some of the things that you can see and do in the Echo Lake area of the Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.
Echo Lake
There are four main attractions in Echo Lake area of Disney’s Hollywood Studios: The American Idol Experience; Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey; the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular; and Star Tours.
Echo Lake Rides and Attractions
The American Idol Experience opened in 2009 and is based on the hit TV show. There are two ways of enjoying this attraction – you can audition to perform in the show, or you can watch the show and vote for your favourite singer.
If you audition successfully, you’ll be able to practice your chosen song, spend some time with a vocal coach and have your make-up done professionally before singing in one of the daily shows. The audience votes for their favourite singer and the winners of the shows held throughout the day then get the chance to come back in the evening and compete in the day’s final.
The overall winner (providing they are eligible to compete in American Idol) will receive a “golden ticket”, which will enable him or her to jump to the head of the queue in one of the American Idol regional auditions.
Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey is an audio show which stars the well-known comedian and game show host. The show is 12 minutes long and features biaural audio technology – you’ll be given a pair of headphones when you enter the theatre and the technology means that each earpiece works independently, so you will hear different sounds in each ear and won’t know what you will hear next or in which ear you’ll hear it. The lights in the theatre will go down and you’ll listen to most of the show in the dark, providing you with a strange sensory experience. The show is suitable for both adults and children, although younger children who are scared of the dark may find it too frightening.
The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectactular is an exciting stunt show based on the “Raiders of the Lost Ark” movie. It features rolling boulders, motorcycles and even an aircraft, and members of the audience can volunteer to participate in the 30 minute show.
Image: David Bjorgen
Star Tours is one of the Walt Disney World Resort’s older rides, and was opened in 1989. It’s a 4 and a half minute long simulator ride, which is themed on the “Star Wars” movies. If you suffer from travel sickness or claustrophobia, you may want to avoid this ride, as the simulator is fairly small and continually twists and turns.
According to www.wdwinfo.com, the Star Tours ride in Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be closing on the 8th of September 2010 for a major upgrade. WDWinfo states that the ride will be transformed into a 3D simulation, and one of its highlights will be a recreation of the pod-racing scene from the movie “The Phantom Menace”. The ride is not due to reopen until 2011.
Dining at Echo Lake
There are three different restaurants within the Echo Lake section of the park: Hollywood & Vine; the 50s Prime Time Cafe; and the Backlot Express.
Hollywood & Vine is one of Disney’s Character Dining venues, and younger children can meet some of their favourite Playhouse Disney characters during breakfast and lunch services. However, dinner service does not feature Disney characters. Each meal is served as a buffet, and there is a wide range of food from which to choose. The restaurant has a “Tinseltown” theme, with art deco design features.
For a really entertaining mealtime experience, try the 50s Prime Time Cafe. This table service restaurant is themed as a cross between a 1950s diner and living room, and some of the tables feature TVs which show programmes such as the original “Mickey Mouse Club” show.
The servers become your “cousins” whilst “Mom” is cooking dinner, and will make sure that you mind your manners, keep your elbows off of the table and eat all of your vegetables – if you don’t do as you’re told, you may have to stand in the corner or sing a song! The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, and the menu includes dishes such as beer battered onion rings, “Dad’s Traditional Meatloaf”, “Mom’s Old Fashioned Pot Roast” and “50s Boston Cream Cupcake”.
For a less formal meal, try the Backlot Express counter-service restaurant, which serves hot dogs, cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets and a choice of desserts and drinks.
Shopping at Echo Lake
There are three main shops in the Echo Lake area of the park. Golden Age Souvenirs stocks Disney character merchandise, whilst Tatooine Traders sells Star Wars themed products. You can also visit the Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost to stock up in Indiana Jones themed souvenirs to take back to your hire car or Orlando hotel.
In the next post in this series, we’ll be looking at some of the things that you can see and do in the Streets of America and Commissary Lane areas of the Disney’s Hollywood Adventure theme park.
Tags: 50s Prime Time Cafe, Backlot Express, Echo Lake, florida, Hollywood & Vine, Orlando, Spunds Dangerous with Drew Carey, Star Tours, The American Idol Experience, the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectactular, Walt Disney World Resort
