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Backlot Express opened with Disney-MGM Studios on May 1, 1989, as a counter-service restaurant themed to a movie-studio prop warehouse in the Echo Lake area.
Tracked byTheme Park Patch Notes
Menu & change history
the lifetime log- 2020
Backlot Express reopened in July 2020 after the COVID-19 closure as a Mobile Order-only location with updated service procedures, including a QR-code menu sign to reduce crowding.
- 2019
A new menu debuted in January 2019 that removed most Star Wars branding and returned to traditional fare, renaming the Royal Guard Burger to the Backlot Burger and adding items like a Cuban sandwich, Caprese sandwich, and California Chicken Club.
- 2015
For the 'Season of the Force' event that began at Disney's Hollywood Studios in December 2015, the menu was overhauled with Star Wars-themed items such as the Royal Guard Burger, Dark Side Chicken and Waffles, and the Darth Vader and BB-8 cupcakes.
- 1989
That's every change on the record at Backlot Express since 1989.
The spotters in our Discord catch the next one first — and the record only grows when someone notices.
Questions & answers
When did Backlot Express open?
Per the documented record, Backlot Express at Hollywood Studios opened on May 1, 1989.
What changed recently on Backlot Express?
The latest documented change (documented Jul 2020): Backlot Express reopened in July 2020 after the COVID-19 closure as a Mobile Order-only location with updated service procedures, including a QR-code menu sign to reduce crowding.
How many changes are on record for Backlot Express?
4 documented changes, dating back to 1989 — the fan-kept restaurant changelog nobody else keeps.
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