Archives Who Wants to be a Millionaire — Play it! Mickey Avenue Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Who Wants to be a Millionaire — Play It! closed on August 19, 2006.

INTRODUCTION

A live, interactive variation of the popular ABC-TV game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? officially opened in the Disney's Hollywood Studios on April 7, 2001. The Disney's Hollywood Studios version is Who Wants to be a Millionaire — Play It! It gives guests the chance to sit in the Hot Seat, answer questions and win prizes based on the number of points they earn and is held in soundstages along Mickey Avenue.

ATTRACTION

Who Wants to be a Millionaire — Play It! — A replica of the television show's high-tech set, complete with its dramatic lighting, music and "Hot Seat," has been constructed in conjunction with Walt Disney Entertainment in Soundstages 2 and 3 along Mickey Avenue.

The 30-minute show operates much like the TV version — there's even an emcee trained to perform like the original television show's famous host, Regis Philbin. Unlike the TV show, however, all 600 members of the audience have the chance to play along and earn points based on how quickly and accurately they answer the questions using the keypads at their seats.

The two "lifelines" known as 50/50 and Ask the Audience, which allow a contestant to receive help in answering a question, function as on the TV show, but instead of the Phone-A-Friend option, the Disney show has "Phone a Complete Stranger." The contestant has the chance to make a call, which rings at random at a phone near the entrance to the Millionaire Soundstage on Mickey Avenue.

Phone a Stranger Phone

Once a contestant in the Hot Seat wins the grand prize (three nights for four persons on the Disney Cruise Line, including airfare!), gives a wrong answer, or walks away, the guest in the audience who has accumulated the most points is called to be the next contestant in the Hot Seat. If a contestant is in the Hot Seat at the end of the show, he or she is held over until the next show.

There is one show each hour. Shows run continuously throughout the day.

Prizes for participating in the show range from pins, lanyards, caps and other exclusive merchandise, all the way up to the grand prize — a three-night cruise on the Disney Cruise Line!

For show times and information on Disney's Hollywood Studios Live Entertainment, Visit Steve Soares' WDW Entertainment Website.

TOURING TIPS

To avoid crowds and have a better chance at getting into the Hot Seat, consider visiting this attraction first thing in the morning. The first show is usually around 10:30 a.m.

Each of the seats in the audience is numbered and has its own panel. The panels are not active, however, unless they are lit — it does no good to press the A, B, C, or D buttons until they are lit up! Be sure to press the button with the corresponding correct answer as soon as the panel lights, which is usually as the host is reading the last possible answer.

Don't worry that the questions will all be Disney trivia — they aren't, even though the first few questions in each game are usually easy and Disney-related. As in the original gameshow, though, questions do increase in difficulty with increasing point levels. In addition, questions are not repeated from show to show.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS:
— Which Disney film featured a pig herder who went to find his missing pig? Correct answer: The Black Cauldron
— Which sister was the oldest in the book "Little Women"? Correct answer: Meg
— Who was the first African American woman pilot? Correct answer: Bessie Coleman
— Poaching involves cooking something in what? Correct answer: Liquid
— Who played Zorro in Disney's old television series? Correct answer: Guy Williams

Assistive Listening Devices from Guest Services Are Available for Use Here.

Guests using wheelchairs/ECVs may remain seated in them and will be seated in a special area of the theater.

KIDS AND CHARACTERS

Children are eligible to participate in Who Wants to be a Millionaire — Play It! and can even make it into the Hot Seat!

Disney Characters are found along Mickey Avenue in front of the Who Wants to be a Millionaire studio periodically throughout the day. Check your daily Guide Map for specific times and locations.

DINING

There are no places to dine in the immediate area.

SHOPPING

There are no places to shop in the immediate area.

INTERESTING FACTS

There are six Cast Members who rotate as the "host" of this version of the gameshow.

Premiering as a regular ABC series in January 2000, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? soared in popularity to become the most watched television series of the 1999-2000 season. It is now a daily syndicated television show hosted by Meredith Vieira.

If you have comments or tips to share with others about touring Disney's Hollywood Studios, please email me. Thank you.