American Idol Experience
| American Idol Experience | |
|---|---|
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Attraction entrance
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| Disney's Hollywood Studios | |
| Area | Echo Lake |
| Coordinates | 28°21′23.45″N 81°33′34.59″W / 28.3565139°N 81.5596083°W |
| Status | Closed |
| Opening date | February 14, 2009 |
| Closing date | August 30, 2014 |
| Replaced | Doug: Live!, 1999-2001; Theater vacant from 2001-2008 |
| Replaced by | For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, June 17, 2015 |
| General statistics | |
| Attraction type | Live singing auditions |
| Designer | Walt Disney Imagineering |
| Theme | American Idol |
 FastPass+ was available |
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 Wheelchair accessible |
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The American Idol Experience was a theme park attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort. Inspired by the popular American television series American Idol, the attraction invited park guests to audition in front of live audiences who would vote for their favorite singers.
The attraction was announced on February 7, 2008, although specifics were not made public at that time. American Idol season six winner Jordin Sparks unveiled its official name and projected opening date during the American Idol season seven finale on May 21, 2008.
Disney licensed the show's logos and set design from American Idol's production companies, 19 Entertainment and FremantleMedia. The attraction is located in the "Superstar Television Theater" (formerly the "ABC TV Theater"), which originally was home to Superstar Television, one of the first attractions to open at the park in 1989. The show took place of Doug Live!, which ran from 1999 to 2001.
The attraction's grand opening took place on February 14, 2009, with occasional preview performances in the weeks leading up to the official opening. A press event just prior to the official opening featured many "Idol" celebrities, including all seven winners, numerous finalists, host Ryan Seacrest, judge Paula Abdul and "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller.
The American Idol Experience has been promoted by winners of the American Idol from Season seven onwards by appearing in commercials and announcing "I'm going to Disney World!".
In June 2014, Disney announced that the show would close in January 2015, then two months later they moved up the closure date to the end of August 2014. The show's final performances were on August 30, 2014.
Park guests age 14 and older auditioned before a Disney "casting director" who judged singers based on their ability to sing and perform in front of an audience. As with the auditions for the television show, initial auditions are a cappella. Selected singers advanced to a second round for an audition with a "producer", where they select from a song list (see photo right) provided by the producers which included pop, country, rock, Latin, R&B as well as Disney songs and then audition again, this time with pre-recorded music; to ensure that guests hear a wider variety of songs, singers could only select songs that have not previously been chosen that day. Those who pass the second audition would be scheduled into one of the preliminary shows each operating day. Guests could only enter the competition twice in a seven-day period and if they win the dream ticket not again for a year.
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