Why Doesn't Hollywood Studios Have a Hollywood Sign?

[Albytaps]

It seem like a natural fit for the park doesn't it? I mean, the Chinese theater was pretty cool until they blocked it with the dumb hat... but even then it would have been cool to see a mountain in the background with the "Hollywood" sign. Maybe they can still pull it off somehow? Or would you consider the ToT the Hollywood sign?

I would love to see a replica mountain of the Hollywood sign. Maybe they can build a cool new "mountain" coaster inside it?

The reason I've been thinking of this lately is because we're headed to California for the first time - DISNEYLAND! I'm pretty excited, and was also hoping to drive by Hollywood and check out some sites... in particular, the Hollywood sign.

I was advised against it because Hollywood seems pretty crappy now-a-days and would be best just avoiding it and going straight for DLR. So it got me thinking about Hollywood Studios and how it's named after Hollywood and doesn't even have the Hollywood sign (except for inside the GMR.)

 

[erionm]

I believe the Hollywood sign is trademarked. Disney would have to arrange a licensing agreement in order to have a copy.

 

[JRawkSteady]

I believe the Hollywood sign is trademarked. Disney would have to arrange a licensing agreement in order to have a copy.

yup

 

[heybravo626]

Isn't the sign used in the mural for the Great Movie Ride loading area in its original form? Maybe that is not the same thing as using an actual sign in trademark law.

 

[Albytaps]

I believe the Hollywood sign is trademarked. Disney would have to arrange a licensing agreement in order to have a copy.

Ahhh, that makes sense. How dare they lol

I guess that's also why in the video game "LA Noire" they use the sign but it says Hollywoodland?

 

[mesaboy2]

Ahhh, that makes sense. How dare they lol

I guess that's also why in the video game "LA Noire" they use the sign but it says Hollywoodland?

That was the original sign. Depending on when LA Noire is set, it might make sense.

 

[magentarhps93]

Also, as I'm sure most people know it wasn't always called Hollywood Studios, but MGM studios, probably another reason why they felt they didn't need it.

 

[erionm]

Ahhh, that makes sense. How dare they lol

I guess that's also why in the video game "LA Noire" they use the sign but it says Hollywoodland?

When first erected, the sign was actually HOLLYWOODLAND.

http://www.hollywoodsign.org/the-history-of-the-sign/1923-a-sign-is-born/

 

[Alesia]

Ahhh, that makes sense. How dare they lol

I guess that's also why in the video game "LA Noire" they use the sign but it says Hollywoodland?

I'm guessing that L.A. Noire is probably set in the 40's when the Hollywood sign was still the Hollywood Land sign.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Sign

 

[Albytaps]

Ahh thanks, yes LA Noire was set in the 40's. Playing it also gave me the urge to visit Hollywood.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

A bit off topic, but not really. My husband and I were at WDW just last week. One day while at DHS, we were getting ready to ride Great Movie Ride. I'm not sure what was going on, but it was clear that there was a bit of a hold up. One of the cast members for GMR, a delightful UK man named Scott, told us all about the mural on the wall and went into great detail about the Hollywoodland/Hollywood sign including why it changed to Hollywood from Hollywoodland and who all is responsible for the upkeep. It was really fascinating.

 

[Albytaps]

A bit off topic, but not really. My husband and I were at WDW just last week. One day while at DHS, we were getting ready to ride Great Movie Ride. I'm not sure what was going on, but it was clear that there was a bit of a hold up. One of the cast members for GMR, a delightful UK man named Scott, told us all about the mural on the wall and went into great detail about the Hollywoodland/Hollywood sign including why it changed to Hollywood from Hollywoodland and who all is responsible for the upkeep. It was really fascinating.

Why did it change?

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Why did it change?

Then sign was put there for the Hollywoodland housing development. It ended up getting really dumpy and messed up as no one was taking care of it. Howard Hughes, I believe it was, ended up having a huge fundraiser and had different people sponsor different letters of the sign to help with the upkeep. The LAND part of the sign was in such disarray that it really couldn't be saved, so they used the parts from those letters to repair the HOLLYWOOD part. Different people in Hollywood still sponsor letters. For example, Oprah sponsors one of the O's.

 

[TreeSapp]

In addition to the mural at great movie ride... You also rode through one of the O's in the sign on Rock n Rollercoaster

 

[john398]

Not sure if I heard it on a Podcast but thought they maybe changing the name of DHS to just Disney Studios

 

[JimmyV]

And Hollywood isn't really dumpy anymore. Don't let its past reputation keep you away. Hollywood Boulevard is definitely worth checking out. Quite a scene. You might even see Spiderman and Marilyn Monroe. Or ten of them.