An opening day attraction at Disney-MGM Studios, the original Studio Backlot Tour was a cornerstone of the park’s identity as a working production studio. Over its 25-year history, the tour underwent major changes, multiple rebrandings, and eventually closed in September 2014. Originally known as the Backstage Studio Tour, it was later renamed Backstage Pass and eventually simplified to Backlot Tour. Its preshow, Inside the Magic, was even listed as a separate attraction for a time before being folded into the main experience.
The earliest version of the tour featured a tram ride that began at a different entrance than later iterations. Guests traveled through Residential Street, a charming stretch of homes used for exterior shots in productions like The Golden Girls, Empty Nest, and Ernest Saves Christmas. The tram continued down New York Street before arriving at the fan-favorite Catastrophe Canyon, where guests witnessed a dramatic special effects demonstration.
After disembarking, guests entered a break area that led into the walking tour, originally branded as Backstage Pass. This portion took guests through special effects shops, costume departments, and soundstages along Mickey Avenue, with overhead walkways offering views into active production spaces. At its peak, the tour lasted nearly two hours and gave guests a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes magic of filmmaking.
Despite efforts by Disney and the state of Florida to maintain a functioning production studio in Orlando, active filming gradually shifted to other locations. In mid-2003, Residential Street was demolished to make way for Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show, drastically altering the tram route and reducing the tour’s scope.
Areas now known as Animation Courtyard, Studio Catering Co., and the former Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure were once integral parts of the working studio. A detailed breakdown of the original layout and operations can be found at Studio Central.
On September 20, 2014, Disney announced that the Studio Backlot Tour would close permanently just one week later, on September 27. This came shortly after the closure of the American Film Institute Showcase, a long-standing component of the tour. The closure marked the end of an era, and the entire backlot—including Catastrophe Canyon and the beloved Earffel Tower—was demolished to make way for new additions, later revealed to be Toy Story Land.
