What happened to the MGM?

[ProfGoofy]

Hi All, this is my first post, but I've been reading them for a while now and would like to thank you all for your insights.

My query: I just received the new Walt Disney World Vacation Planning DVD, not a video but a new DVD version and I noticed something strange, all references to Disney-MGM Studios had been changed to Disney Studios. Anytime someone spoke, they said, "Disney Studios." Any sign that I remember written as Disney-MGM Studios when I last visited the park (actually a year ago this week), is now written as Disney Studios in the video (the signs looked the same except the 'MGM' had been removed). I checked the Walt Disney World website and they still refer to it as the Disney-MGM Studios. Did I miss something? Is there a slow change occuring? Has anyone who recently visited the park noticed anything? I did a search and I haven't seen anyone else mention this before. The DVD is copyrighted 2002.

 

[wdwguide]

They've been doing this for many years now - it appears that they lost the rights to use the MGM name on audio-visual promotional materials sometime in the 1990s.

The park itself, and all the signs still say Disney-MGM Studios, and that probably won't change for as long as the Great Movie Ride exists.

 

[doombuggy]

I just got back last week, but didn't really notice. I went with my grama who is now handicapped, so I was paying more attention to her than my surroundings! That and the fact that it was so hot!

I have heard ir referred to as "Disney Studios" though. I didn't even look at the merch to notice if it's different (I have a sweatshirt that I bought in 1992 that has teh MGM lion on it and says Disney-MGM Studios).

This confuses me, as when I hear "Disney Studios" I think of the place i visited in Burbank!

 

[wdwguide]

I did some research on this topic, which I have summarized here. I didn't actually dig through court documents but rather took the information from Masters' Eisner biography, so some details may be off, but the overall picture should be correct.

 

[ProfGoofy]

wdwguide,
Thanks for your researched answer. I guess I wasn't the only one who recently noticed this (KatelynnsAuntie's post).

Prof.

 

[Favorite Auntie]

I know that when I was there a couple of years ago (1999) with my father pin trading there were some CM's that told my dad to get all the MGM pins he could as they would not be making them anymore because it was going to be just Disney Studios...

 

[Spectro is #1]

cool story wdwguide thanks