4. It contributed to the failure of Disney-MGM Studios as a production facility

At Universal Studios Florida, all of the major attractions were built inside sound-proof structures, so that filming on the park’s backlot sets could take place at any time of day without noise interruptions.

The same wasn’t true at Disney-MGM Studios. The studio’s backlot sets were rendered virtually useless to film crews during park hours due to noise from attractions such as Catastrophe Canyon, and the large crowds that swamped the initially-tiny park made filming during the day impractical.

5. It hasn’t fulfilled its original purpose for years

Prior to its debut, Disney was confident that its Florida studios would be a big success. In September 1988 – still months before the park was due to open – the company said that it may accelerate plans to add more soundstages.

By 1990, however, market observers were already beginning to doubt the commitment of Disney to producing shows in Florida. The company had just announced that game show Let’s Make a Deal would be revived, with filming taking place in its largest soundstage. However, the NBC show would only tape for two days a week. The rest of the time, tour guides would funnel 600 to 700 people into the studio to play the game for themselves. The cameras would roll, but not for real. While it would add to the park’s limited roster of attractions, Let’s Make a Deal would tie up the studio’s soundstage for around two years.

In 2004, Disney confirmed that it would shut down the studio’s animation facility, opting instead to focus production at its Burbank headquarters. Some 260 animators would be laid off, although some took the opportunity to move to Burbank, to rival studios or to short-lived start-up Legacy Animation Studios. While commercials and training videos would continue to be produced at the site, few high-profile features or television series would be made there.