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3.  Soundstage Restaurant – Disney-MGM Studios

Let’s take it back to 1989. It was a good year for Disney. The release of The Little Mermaid was taking the world by storm, Pleasure Island became the hot new place to hang out, and a third park, Disney-MGM Studios, was opening its gates to the masses. Yes, the 80s and 90s were a time of immense change for Disney parks and the Soundstage Restaurant was no stranger to these revisions.

The Soundstage Restaurant opened with MGM Studios in May of 1989. It was located near a back corner of the park, just before the entrance to The Magic of Disney Animation. At the time of its arrival, the restaurant was themed to the Plaza Hotel behind-the-scenes set from the 1988 movie Big Business, starring Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin. Though the movie faired well in theaters, it quickly became clear that Big Business did not do enough big business in order to stay relevant at the Disney park and the restaurant was soon shut down temporarily for remodeling.

With the Soundstage Restaurant’s reopening came a new theme centered around the popular animated movie “Beauty and the Beast”. Now, guests were able to sample foods from many small counter-service food courts while surrounded by the charm of the village from Beauty and the Beast. However, this theme was also short-lived and, like the Tahitian Terrace, Aladdin swooped in and the restaurant was rethemed to Agrabah. Eventually, Imagineers decided to scrap the idea all together and replaced the area with a “Bear in the Big Blue House” show. Today, the building is home to Disney Junior: Live on Stage. However, you can still find the golden camels that once graced the Soundstage Restaurant’s entrance still standing at “The Magic Carpets of Aladdin” ride in Adventureland at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom park.

4.  Casa de Fritos – Disneyland

Image: Disney

In Disneyland 1955, next to Aunt Jemima’s Pancake House, held a little gold mine of childhood goodness. The Frito Kid, as he was called, was an audio-animatronic cowboy who, along with his non-visible mining friend Klondike, dispensed bags of Fritos to guests. All one had to do was put a quarter in the machine and the Frito Kid would call on Klondike to send a bag of Fritos down the chute.

For two years, the machine brought joy to guests and it was such a hit that in 1957, the Frito Kid was moved to a more permanent spot in Frontierland and was given his own restaurant: Casa de Fritos. Inside the restaurant, guests could treat themselves to a small variety of Tex-Mex food; tacos with Frito shells, tamales, enchiladas, and, of course, chili Frito pie. Though not incredibly authentic, Casa de Fritos was a hit. Many of the guests in 1950s California had very little experience with Mexican food and they flocked to the location to see the Frito Kid and get a taste of Mexican cuisine.

Casa de Fritos had a good run and the restaurant lasted until 1982 when the Lawry’s food company took control of the location, calling it Casa Mexicana. In 2001, the restaurant turned over again into a dining establishment now known as Rancho del Zocalo, whose menu boasts more authentic Mexican cuisine. Fritos Kid, however, has yet to make his reappearance.

Do you have fond memories of any of these dining locations? Share your stories below! 

 
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Comments

In reply to by Jeff (not verified)

Lets see, some of the meals at places closed I remember are:

Fireworks Factory in the old Pleasure Island (closed long before PI became Disney Springs).

Bonfamille's in Port Orleans (now Port Orleans French Quarter).

Kouzzina by Cat Cora.

I'm sure I will remember others later.

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