Why'd They Call It MGM Studios?

[mickeymania1]

I don't understand why they call it Disney-MGM Studios. The Walt Disney Company doesn't own the MGM company & I hardley see any attractions or shows related to MGM movies. I think it would've made more sense calling it like, "Walt Disney Studios" but I'm not saying I don't like the name now in fact I even think someday The Walt Disney Company should buy MGM. Can anyone give me the scoop on why it's called MGM Studios?

[CostaFreak]

When they built the park, Disney wanted to use scenes from MGM movies on their rides (ex: Great Movie Ride, Backlot Tour). They partnered up with MGM, and they had to put in the MGM name for copyright reasons.

Other than that, Happy National Hangover Day!

[ryguy222]

^^LOL!
Yea that is the reason they have that name, too bad huh? But what else would they have called it.

[ah92us]

Shouldn't the MGM name be off soon?

At least, that's what I hear...

[Ezra]

The liscencing agreement between Disney and MGM expired on June 27, 2005 and will not be renewed. There's a two year grace period written into the agreement, so the park's name will have to change this year.

At the time, 1985, Disney Studios was probably at it's lowest point in popularity, so they entered the agreement with MGM to add the draw of another 'Classic' Hollywood name to the park. I doubt it's needed now.

[Pinocchio85]

They wanted the MGM name because they wanted the park to encompass all of Hollywood and not just Disney. MGM was the perfect choice because it is the most famous and popular studio in Hollywood history and brings up fond memories of Hollywood's Golden Age.

[GreenLantern13]

and FYI, Turner bought MGM and took its movie library, and then Sony bought MGM for the studios. Disney isn't getting their hands on it anytime soon.

[linklewtt]

the whole MGM-Disney thing seems stupid to me. Disney should never have used scenes from MGM movies. why? cuz those movies aren't Disney!

supposedly the studios are to lose the MGM. good. change it to Disney studios, shut down the Great Movie ride and turn it into the Great Disney Movie Ride. have scenes from classic Disney movies, both live action and cartoon. that would be so cool to me and Disney of course!

[ah92us]

Well, undoubtedly, there's going to be a change in some of the attractions so that it doesn't include anything from MGM.

Of course, the park could be changed to Disney-Turner-Sony Studios. LOL!

But, I doubt it. They'll probably change it to the name they use on everything else: The (Walt) Disney Studios.

We'll see; there's only ~6-7 months left, so changes probably will begin soon!

[Pinocchio85]

Disney does not have to change the Great Movie Ride because of the MGM issue. The rights to use those films in the Great Movie Ride is a separate agreement. I have heard Disney can use those films as long as they wish.

MGM does not have the rights to most of those films anymore. There are only a few in the finale such as The Terminator and Thelma and Louise that MGM (now Sony) still owns.

I hope they do not make the Great Movie Ride a Disney only ride. The purpose of the ride (and the park) is to celebrate all types of movies and why we love them. Believe it or not, people do like non-Disney films as well. Besides, they have a whole other park with dozens of rides that are only Disney.

[DisneyParksFan]

Since MGM is known as being a clasic Hollywood Movie Producing Company, it did help match with the rest of the park's classic charm. MGM was a name that almost everybody could relate to somehow or in someform.

We'll see what the new name will be. I wounder if they will completely change every little thing in the park that has the name 'MGM' appearing on it. We will just have to wait and see.

My guess though is that the park will be renamed to simply Disney Studios because that is how they were referring to the park about a year or two ago. Maybe the calling of it 'Disney Stuios' was just a temp title.


~DisneyParksFan

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Look for the new name to be "Disney Studios" or "The Disney Studios".

Our hotel room in FL had a WDW Top-7 show looping non-stop 24-7. It was rather nauseating to watch, but that show referred to what we know as "Disney-MGM Studios" as "The Disney Studios".

-- PMM :cool:

[k_peek_2000]

When you look at two of the most succesful movie studios of all time, and team them up. One with imagination and the other with huge star power, your bound to create an amazing park, thus Disney MGM Studio. But the contract ends so it will be Walt Disney Studios pretty soon.

[Alex_Toto_Disneyland]

Well, somebody know the exact date when the name will be changed?

[Ezra]

If the honor the contract explicitly,
the date would be June 27th, 2007

[mickeymania1]

Coolie!
Say, do you think when the MGM name changes, they'll remove the scenes from different studios & replace them with movie scenes from Disney movies?

[ohtherain]

Sounds funny, now doesn't it?

[Pinocchio85]

Coolie!
Say, do you think when the MGM name changes, they'll remove the scenes from different studios & replace them with movie scenes from Disney movies?

There are dozens of Disney rides all over the Resort. The whole point of the Great Movie Ride is to celebrate ALL movies. I seriously doubt they will change anything especially since the name change has nothing to do with the ride.

[ah92us]

Umm... could someone please confirm that after the grace period ENDS, then they have to remove all of MGM + the stuff related to it (movie names, etc.)?

[Ezra]

I'm not sure what you looking for in way of confirmation. The new materials for Walt Disney World refer to "Disney Studios" not "Disney MGM Studios". AND if they don't remove the MGM name and logos from everything, the current holder of the name (Sony) would be within their rights to sue Disney.
So.... Disney pretty much has to do it.

[mickeymania1]

Sorry guys, typo. I was asking do you think they'll remove the scenes from the Great Movie Ride since most of them aren't Disney related?

[PeoplemoverMatt]

It will probably need to be significantly altered unless some legal agreement between Disney & Sony can be reached, yes.

-- PMM :cool:

[GreenLantern13]

Agreements were already made between Disney and MGM before Sony owned it. Just because they remove MGM from the park's name will not mean they have to change the great movie ride. The visiting public probably won't think about any legal issues they'll just think it's a ride about the movies and stop there.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

It's a little more involved than simply removing MGM from the park's name. There are a lot of trademarks in the park not owned by Disney & MGM's departure throws all of them into question unless there's some prophetic legal agreement already in place regarding what to do if MGM departs.

-- PMM :cool:

[Ezra]

Suppose Sony decides to get nasty about protecting their newly aquired copyrights?

[PeoplemoverMatt]

That's what I was talking about. I would think it's more likely to see GMR altered than anything else. It's not like Disney can simply buy out MGM like they did Pixar.

-- PMM :cool:

[Pinocchio85]

MGM does not own the rights to any of the films in the Great Movie Ride. MGM did in fact produce Singin in the Rain, Tarzan and the Wizard of Oz, but Warner Brothers now owns the rights to those films. So then there is no way that Sony could force Disney to change those scenes because they do not own the rights. They only own the rights to a few of the films used in the film montage.

In case anyone was wondering Footlight Parade, The Public Enemy, The Searchers and Casablanca are also owned by WB. Alien is owned by 20th Century Fox and Raiders of the Lost Ark is owned by Lucasfilm and distributed through Paramount.

[GreenLantern13]

Aye, exactly. When turner first bought MGM he did so with the philosophy that all that was important was the library and he was mostly correct. He kept the library and sold MGM off to Sony.

[California Dreamin']

I really do don't see what the big hoopla is about, I've always liked it as Disney-MGM Studios. I guess that name change will take some time to adjust to but why does everyone want them to revamp to the park so it is TOTALLY Disney? And yes, I realize it's a Disney park but the fact that they celebrate all movies and just Disney makes it all the more special to me. If you guys want it to be totally Disney, why don't they take out the Indiana Jones Stunt Show, that's Lucas, or Rockin' Rollercoaster, that has a Aerosmith theme and Tower of Terror is based off Twilight Zone, owned by CBS. Seriously, leave the park alone. It's fine just the way it is.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Well it's all about the legality. Not being in the company, we really don't know what agreements are with what regarding who. Right now we're conjecturing that since MGM is leaving and going to build their own park elsewhere, that they'll want to take everything with their copyright on it with them. It may or may not happen for whatever reason. We'll have to see.

-- PMM :cool:

[CostaFreak]

When MGM leaves, the park doesn't need to change. If everything single thing there was disney, trust me, the park would suck.

But some new stuff to come would be a nice change.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Well just about everything in every other park is Disney & they seem to be doing alright. Just about everything in there is Disney anyway, so not all that much would be different. The only thing that I can think of that might change is the Great Movie Ride & I really doubt an alteration of that would be a dealbreaker for most WDW guests.

-- PMM :cool:

[macdillatc]

I heard that Disney is in the process of renaming MGM to Disney-Pixar Studios... Sometime this or next year.