Jim Henson Studio Removal

[wiihoo888]

It was a nice tour, and the history video was hilarious, but it is not going to make me change my mind about my upcoming trip.

Good feedback to hear as well. I’m not planning on cancelling my trip. However, I do want them to know how much I was looking forward to seeing the studio. I also still do feel that the replacement is not worth the same and does not have the same feeling of exclusivity

 

[Kit Jackson]

I feel like the selling point for this trip in particular is doing things you can't just book as a regular tourist, both in Hollywood and at the parks. If Disney doesn't have any other exclusive sites, then maybe some kind of filming location tour. Or you flip some other things around and make it over to Disneyland earlier the following day.

I haven't done this ABD tour yet, but I agree. The selling point is things you can't do as a regular tourist. Are there enough Disney movies that have been filmed in the area that are still around to tour? I also like your idea of getting to Disneyland earlier and maybe adding in another special behind the scenes Disney tour.

 

[Rowlf the Dog]

Oh wow, that's so sad. I'm really glad, I did the tour last year. Visiting the Jim Henson studios was one of my main reasons to book this tour as I'm a big Muppets fan. Hope they can find a better replacement than the Motion Academy tour...

 

[wiihoo888]

i called and spoke with a Vacationista at ABD this morning. I started by making a point of saying that I was not calling to shoot the messenger. However, I did want to pass along my feedback (as well as some of what you all contributed) as I know that is the only way that things can be heard and effect change

I did find out a few things on the call. The core item was that the Henson Studio lot was not currently up for sale…it has been sold. Every tour from this date forward will be affected for obvious reasons due to this. Further, no date of return to touring at a new location is available

Her suggestion was to pass along feedback to your travel agent. Sometimes when things are heard in numbers, as is the case with someone who does bookings en masse, things can change. She also made a point of saying that “Backstage Magic” could happen anytime during this period. That comment made me smile, so I hope it does the same for anyone with a current booking

 

[floribr1]

i called and spoke with a Vacationista at ABD this morning. I started by making a point of saying that I was not calling to shoot the messenger. However, I did want to pass along my feedback (as well as some of what you all contributed) as I know that is the only way that things can be heard and effect change

I did find out a few things on the call. The core item was that the Henson Studio lot was not currently up for sale…it has been sold. Every tour from this date forward will be affected for obvious reasons due to this. Further, no date of return to touring at a new location is available

Her suggestion was to pass along feedback to your travel agent. Sometimes when things are heard in numbers, as is the case with someone who does bookings en masse, things can change. She also made a point of saying that “Backstage Magic” could happen anytime during this period. That comment made me smile, so I hope it does the same for anyone with a current booking

Thanks for coming back to let us know about your call. I was under the impression that Henson Studios was going to lease back the property that was just sold... But based on this intel, that does not appear to be the case.

 

[KyleD]

Can anyone propose a tour/attraction/sight other than the academy museum that a group of 42 could go to? Perhaps we could start a grass roots campaign. Of course there are logistics, insurance and safety concerns that AbD would have to take into account.

 

[Eeyore's the Best]

We are going in November of 2024, it doesn't make or break my trip either but I don't feel the replacement offers the same "value", and we paid a whole lot of money for this trip lol. I also sent an email expressing my displeasure with the replacement. I did this tour in 2015 so I've been to the studios, hoping like someone said there will be some other "backstage magic" that they have planned to make up for it.

 

[jimmymc]

Can anyone propose a tour/attraction/sight other than the academy museum that a group of 42 could go to? Perhaps we could start a grass roots campaign. Of course there are logistics, insurance and safety concerns that AbD would have to take into account.

1. I would be happy with the museum if they offered a behind the scenes tour or walking around the museum with the curator.
2. Pre-opening tour of the Griffith Observatory. They could also shuffle the schedule around so the group visits after the welcome dinner, then push back the theater visits in the morning and let people sleep in.
3. Fox Studio Lot tour, which would be an ABD exclusive.
4. Los Angeles Philharmonic, either a behind the scenes theater tour or watching a rehearsal.

I'm not sure if all of these are possible, but they would be a lot better than the standard museum visit.

 

[Mathmagicland]

I’d throw out, Disney’s first LA house, on Woking Way. While it wouldn’t be a Disney exclusive, it is unique and open infrequently. Hard to get tix.

https://www.sfgate.com/disneyland/article/Inside-Walt-Disney-LA-mansion-17171805.php

 

[jimmymc]

I’d throw out, Disney’s first LA house, on Woking Way. While it wouldn’t be a Disney exclusive, it is unique and open infrequently. Hard to get tix.

https://www.sfgate.com/disneyland/article/Inside-Walt-Disney-LA-mansion-17171805.php

Thank you, I thought about this as an idea too, but I couldn't tell if the house was open to the public or on the market for a lease.

 

[Kit Jackson]

1. I would be happy with the museum if they offered a behind the scenes tour or walking around the museum with the curator.

I agree with this. I am okay with the Academy Museum visit as part of the ABD tour/trip, but it should offer something beyond what you could do on your own.

3. Fox Studio Lot tour, which would be an ABD exclusive.

That sounds awesome.

 

[mlayman7]

We did the tour in March. The studio visit was great, sad to hear it won't happen. As to the Griffith observatory replacing it.. we hiked up there on our free time day 1. It has great views some cool history, but nothing there goes along with what this tour is about, no connecting to walt disney (although I'm sure they could find something); even if it is a pre-opening, just wasn't that impressive to us.

 

[OKW Lover]

nothing there goes along with what this tour is about, no connecting to walt disney

The tour is supposed to be about Hollywood OR Disney.

 

[AquaDame]

Adding a meal at club 33 or the Magic Castle would give me pause. I’m glad we also took this tour earlier now. I’m sorry to everyone who booked when it was still in the itinerary but hadn’t actually gotten to go.

 

[floribr1]

The tour is supposed to be about Hollywood OR Disney.

I can't remember a single thing on our tour that did not have some tie-in to Walt Disney, or at least Disney in general.

 

[peppers]

I wonder where the Henson studios are looking to move to. If it's somewhere nearby maybe things can be worked out. But if it's back in NY then goodby.

Burbank, so I do think there is hope that one day in the future they will offer something again.

The Loews Hollywood Hotel included a little discount flyer for the Dolby Theatre tour with our room key cards, so my dad and I did the tour on the Monday of the trip after the Disney activities for the day were over (it was a tight window, but we made it in time for the last tour of the day). We truly enjoyed that tour and told our Adventure Guides about it. I think that would be a fun activity for Disney to add. It was neat to walk on the stage and be able to walk the path that Oscar winners get to take.

 

[Kit Jackson]

Burbank, so I do think there is hope that one day in the future they will offer something again.

The Loews Hollywood Hotel included a little discount flyer for the Dolby Theatre tour with our room key cards, so my dad and I did the tour on the Monday of the trip after the Disney activities for the day were over (it was a tight window, but we made it in time for the last tour of the day). We truly enjoyed that tour and told our Adventure Guides about it. I think that would be a fun activity for Disney to add. It was neat to walk on the stage and be able to walk the path that Oscar winners get to take.

That sounds awesome.

 

[Steven G]

Burbank, so I do think there is hope that one day in the future they will offer something again.

The Loews Hollywood Hotel included a little discount flyer for the Dolby Theatre tour with our room key cards, so my dad and I did the tour on the Monday of the trip after the Disney activities for the day were over (it was a tight window, but we made it in time for the last tour of the day). We truly enjoyed that tour and told our Adventure Guides about it. I think that would be a fun activity for Disney to add. It was neat to walk on the stage and be able to walk the path that Oscar winners get to take.

in the past, we did do the Dolby Theater tour during the ABD, I believe it was the first time I went on it (I've been on the ABD tour 3 times). we also spent quite a bit of time on that stairway going over the history of the oscars. I am not sure why they dropped it. I also am not sure if it was identical to the tour that you could do yourself directly, since I have never done that tour. There were a few things we did on that first tour, that were not done again on the 2nd or 3rd (example, going in the 1901 lounge in carthay circle, doing a behind the scenes at Soarin' including getting a chance to smell up close all the scents, have a behind the scenes of where they launch the fireworks including chatting with one of the pyro guys, going to the wax museum at night in hollywood (ok, this one wasn't great)).

On an interesting note, every time we have gone to the Jim Henson studios specifically, although maybe 70% of the tour was going over the same places or doing the same things there, each time we got to visit a different section of the studio, so each time it was different. No matter what we saw, it was always a highlight of the tour.

 

[jimmymc]

in the past, we did do the Dolby Theater tour during the ABD, I believe it was the first time I went on it (I've been on the ABD tour 3 times). we also spent quite a bit of time on that stairway going over the history of the oscars. I am not sure why they dropped it. I also am not sure if it was identical to the tour that you could do yourself directly, since I have never done that tour. There were a few things we did on that first tour, that were not done again on the 2nd or 3rd (example, going in the 1901 lounge in carthay circle, doing a behind the scenes at Soarin' including getting a chance to smell up close all the scents, have a behind the scenes of where they launch the fireworks including chatting with one of the pyro guys, going to the wax museum at night in hollywood (ok, this one wasn't great)).

On an interesting note, every time we have gone to the Jim Henson studios specifically, although maybe 70% of the tour was going over the same places or doing the same things there, each time we got to visit a different section of the studio, so each time it was different. No matter what we saw, it was always a highlight of the tour.

Did you also do both the El Cap and Chinese Theaters on your first tour? I know that has varied in the past.

 

[Steven G]

Did you also do both the El Cap and Chinese Theaters on your first tour? I know that has varied in the past.

I don't believe we did the El Cap on my first trip, but we did do Chinese Theater, they talked about the El Cap on the bus though, and recommended it if we wanted to go see a movie there. I don't think we went to a movie there the first time, but did on the second and third times.

We did have the Ghiradelli ice cream social each time though.