What happened to the Soundstage Resturaunt-MGM?

[Simba's Mom]

I can't believe I missed its closing. But I was thinking of going there for lunch this coming trip, granted I haven't really thought of it for years, and picked up my Birnbaum-it's gone! When did this happen? And didn't there used to be characters there? Playing the piano or something (this goes way back to 1989)?

 

[Chuck S]

Was Soundstage the one that sort of "connects" to the back of the Brown Derby, near the entrance to the Animation pavilion? If so, it is a Bear in the Big Blue House show. I haven't been there since the rehab, I don't know if they serve any food during the show.

 

[meeko_33785]

It closed in 1998 and reopened the next year as the Bear and the Big Blue House live and last year became Playhouse Disney Live. For years it had been a character meal featuring characters from recent Disney movies (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Hunchback of Notre Dame, ect.) before it closed. A lot of the characters that were there arn't in any character meals that are there now (besides the Princesses) so I can't really give a good alternative for it except maybe the Storybook Princess meal at EPCOT.

 

[Dznefreek]

Rumor has it that when "Bear in the Big Blue House" finishes its' run it will become "Animators Pallete" just like on the cruise ships.

For those of you not familiar with Animator's Pallete the Restaurant starts off in black and white (as do your server's jacket) and the room fills with color as well as the paintings on the wall coming to life and showing scenes from Disney movies. I remember on our cruise on the Magic the entire room going "OH" when they showed Mufasa's death from the "Lion King."

Dessert is served on an animator's pallete and the coats of the servers are turned inside out to reveal the color.

 

[sha_lyn]

Rumor has it that when "Bear in the Big Blue House" finishes its' run it will become "Animators Pallete" just like on the cruise ships.

Bear finished it's run about a yr ago. It is now Playhouse Disney. I doubt after spending all the money to redo the show that they are closing it down again.

 

[eeyore0062]

Sadly, the Soundstage restaurant and the Catwalk Bar were overtaken by a Big Bear about 3 years ago when they converted the space into "The Bear In the Big House" show, which has since changed to the "Playhouse Disney" show.

The Catwalk Bar is still set up, but can't be used unless the show isn't showing, and from what I understand, the show is quite popular with the young set, and their parents, so the bar isn't open very often, if at all. A shame, because it was a nice retreat for the adults during the hot Florida afternoons!

As for the character meal that was at the Soundstage... when it closed, that's when they started the character meals with Minnie, Goofy, etc at Hollywood and Vine, which has been a success.