When visiting WDW, it is hard not to run for fast passes or rush to that favorite attraction when you enter one of the parks. However, there are so many other forms of entertainment that are available in all of the parks. For example, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a special park for many reasons, but Streetmosphere is something that is definitely a unique experience.
What is Streetmosphere? If you are not familiar with this term, it can easily be explained. Streetmosphere performers are actors who assume a certain persona that is appropriate to the area of the park in which they reside. The characters in Hollywood Studios are all related to different aspects of movie making or people who might have inhabited the Hollywood that never was from the 1940s. You might see a director, a washed up starlet, a policeman, a team of workers from the Hollywood department of public works, etc. All of these characters never lose their personas while they are on stage. They will interact with individual guests, and sometimes they are part of a small show that may spontaneously occur on Hollywood Blvd or Sunset Blvd.
These shows are not listed in the times guide, but castmembers can usually tell you when they are going to be performed. The best part about these shows is the level of guest involvement that is encouraged and required for the show to go on. We have stumbled across many of these shows, and my absolute favorite involved an “episode” of the Hollywood Match Game. For this game, one park guest was selected to be the recipient of a date with the contestant who one the game. The park guest was blind folded, and she sat in a chair on Sunset Blvd facing the Sweet Spells store. After she had been seated and blindfolded, the contestants who could potentially win a date with her came out onto the scene. First, there was a Chef, Ben Appétit, who had a fake French accent and a tiny black mustache, then Leroy Small, who was dressed in a very mismatched getup of garish plaid, and then the policeman, Officer Peabody, who didn’t seem like he could hurt a fly. The host of the show was Shelby Mayer, who is a British film director. All of these gentlemen were hilarious, and each potential date for the guest had to come up with various ways to woo her. They came up with ideas for different types of outings and events, and they each had to answer questions that were posed by their director. In the end, Officer Peabody won, and we laughed so much throughout the show that I was sad to see it end.
In addition to the Match Game, we have seen contests for the funniest Citizen of Hollywood, and we have also seen the department of public works attempt to pick up a piece of glitter from the street. This trio is also hilarious. The group consists of the Boss, Frederick, and Sparky. Both Frederick and Sparky are not too intelligent, and much silliness ensues from them not being able to follow the Boss’s orders for them. Finally, we have seen some magic card trick shows from Jack Diamond, who is a talent agent, but he is also skilled with a deck of cards.
Whenever we go to the Studios, we seek out the Streetmosphere performances because they are so entertaining. Once we even participated in one of the shows. Last 4th of July, we were in Hollywood Studios, and some of the Citizens of Hollywood were pulling people over and asking them trivia about America. We were chosen, and we were asked how many stars were on the American flag. Of course, we responded 50, but we forgot that we were in the early 1940s, and not 2011. Even though we were “wrong,” we still won! What did we win? Well, we left with a whole lot of money, completely fake of course, but we had a blast.
Next time you make a trip to Hollywood Studios, take the time to seek out these Streetmosphere performances. You will laugh, and you will be reminded of what true Disney magic is. Thanks to www.studioscentral.com for the background information on the Citizens of Hollywood. Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!
