Hollywood attractions

81424_f520 Did you know that Disney’s Hollywood Studios celebrated its 20th anniversary in May of this year? Ever since it was conceived in Walt Disney’s mind 4 decades or so ago, this theme park has reached unprecedented heights: it is now one of the most visited theme parks in the world. As with many other institutions, though, this park has its own secrets, and in celebration of the park’s 20th anniversary, the LA Times treated its readers to these secrets. Here are some of them.

Many buildings in the theme park are not as big as they seem. In fact, many of the architectural structures in Disney theme parks follow the concept of “forced perspective.” Following this concept, buildings have smaller scaling as one goes up. Many a visitor has found his mouth hang open in awe of the buildings thanks to forced perspective.

The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is actually the first ever Disney roller coaster to invert riders. This applies to ALL of the Disney theme parks. So, more than an exciting ride, you’re also getting a piece of theme park history here!

The Sorcerer’s Hat is painted using a unique technique called “chameleon paint.” This hat is the main icon of the studio and was dedicated in 2001 to celebrate the 100th birthday of Walt Disney. The chameleon paint makes the hat change in color as people move from one place to another.

Here’s another piece of trivia about the Sorcerer’s Hat. All other Disney theme park icons have some sort of attraction except for the hat! That doesn’t take away from its popularity, though.

These are only several of the secrets, though. You might want to check the article from LA Times to discover the rest.

Originally posted on November 11, 2010 @ 4:49 pm

Hollywood Wax Museum

Every Hollywood tourist brochure recommends a visit to the Wax Museum, but with an admission fee of $15 (and you can only stay an hour) is it really worth it?

Most visitors say that you go so you say you can go — and to have a lot of laughs. Think of it as a chance to get your pictures taken with celebrities, but don’t be too disappointed if the wax likenesses look like you’ve caught them at their worst. (David Hasselhoff looks like he has jaundice.)

Some of the scenes are pretty cool — like the segment from The Exorcist — others border on the creepy. But since the hours extend till 1 am, and the airconditioning’s fantastic, it’s a quiet, relaxing way to end to a long and frenetic day of touring. Get a shared pass to the Guiness Book of Records museum across the street to get your money’s worth.

Originally posted on August 20, 2010 @ 1:00 pm