
KA-CHOW! Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy made its debut Sunday, March 31, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort. This new show experience invites guests into the world of Pixar Animation Studios’ Cars films as they become rookie racers and learn the rules of the road from Piston Cup Champion Lightning McQueen.
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is located next to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. When guests cruise inside, they will come face to face with Lightning, who appears live on stage. The theater features a 17-foot-tall wraparound screen that stretches more than 200 feet end to end, enveloping guests in high-octane fun.
Disney Parks Live Entertainment worked closely with the creative team at Pixar to bring this completely new Cars story to life. Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy will run continuously throughout the day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
And when the race is over, guests can continue to immerse themselves in the world of Cars in the courtyard outside Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy, where they can meet Cruz and snap a photo with the champion racer, or dance with DJ, the ultimate party on wheels. DJ made his way east across Route 66 and will now bring his own music mix to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In addition, several times daily Lightning McQueen’s Pit Crew will arrive on the scene for “DJ’s Ready! Set! Party Time!” that invites guests to gather around DJ for Cars-inspired dances and games.
The debut of Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is the latest chapter in the multi-year transformation of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which will mark its 30th anniversary on May 1. Guests can let their adventures begin by immersing themselves in their favorite stories – they can feel like a toy in Toy Story Land or, starting Aug. 29, live their own Star Wars adventures in the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.