Credit: DisneyWalk-through gallery spaces at theme parks serve dual purposes that balance guest entertainment with corporate marketing objectives. Disney’s Hollywood Studios houses one such venue in Walt Disney Presents, a facility that functions simultaneously as a museum showcasing Disney history and a promotional platform for current entertainment properties.
The gallery rotates exhibits regularly, bringing in costumes, props, and behind-the-scenes materials from recent film releases, Disney+ series, and anniversary celebrations. These rotating displays create opportunities for guests to connect with their favorite franchises while Disney promotes its latest content offerings.
The challenge lies in determining which properties receive gallery space and how long each exhibit remains before making way for new content that better serves current marketing priorities.
This week, Walt Disney Presents underwent another significant transformation as a new Percy Jackson and the Olympians display debuted, featuring costumes and props from the Disney+ series’ second season. The expanded exhibit occupies nearly every display case at the venue’s conclusion, representing a substantial commitment of gallery space to the fantasy adventure property.
However, this expansion came at a cost to fans of another entertainment phenomenon. The highly popular Taylor Swift Eras Tour costume exhibit, which had drawn significant crowds during the holiday season and even prompted temporary Early Entry access for resort guests, has been removed to accommodate the Percy Jackson materials.
Understanding what the new display offers and what its installation means for guests who hoped to see the Swift costumes provides important context for anyone planning Hollywood Studios visits in the coming weeks.
The New Percy Jackson Display
The Percy Jackson and the Olympians exhibit now dominates the conclusion of Walt Disney Presents, utilizing four separate display cases dedicated entirely to Season 2 materials. The expansion represents a significant increase from the previous Percy Jackson display that occupied this space, offering guests a more comprehensive look at the production design and costume work from the Disney+ series.
Costumes worn by the show’s main cast fill the display cases alongside props used during filming. The materials provide insight into how the production team adapted Rick Riordan’s popular book series for television, translating the mythological world of Greek gods and demigods into physical costumes and tangible objects that appear on screen.
Beyond the static displays, the exhibit includes a 10-minute video presentation featuring behind-the-scenes footage from Season 2 production. Various actors from the series narrate the video, discussing their experiences filming the show and providing context about the costumes and props visitors see in the display cases. This multimedia approach creates a more engaging experience than simple costume displays alone could provide.
The timing of the exhibit aligns with Disney’s promotion of Percy Jackson Season 2 on Disney+, using the Hollywood Studios gallery space to generate awareness and excitement for the streaming series among theme park guests who might not otherwise be aware of the show.
What Happened to Taylor Swift
The Taylor Swift Eras Tour costume exhibit that previously occupied this space has been completely removed to make room for the Percy Jackson expansion. This represents a significant shift for guests who had planned Hollywood Studios visits specifically hoping to see the Swift costumes.
The Taylor Swift display arrived at Walt Disney Presents in conjunction with the release of her Eras Tour concert film and the behind-the-scenes docuseries on Disney+. Featuring actual costumes from the record-breaking tour, the exhibit generated substantial interest among Swift fans visiting the parks.
During the holiday season, crowd levels at the venue became significant enough that Disney made the unusual decision to include Walt Disney Presents in the Early Entry lineup for resort hotel guests.
Early Entry typically focuses on major attractions like Slinky Dog Dash, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and Tower of Terror. Adding a walk-through gallery to this roster represented an acknowledgment of how much traffic the Taylor Swift exhibit was generating.
The 30-minute early access window allowed Swift fans to view the costumes before general park opening, helping distribute crowds more evenly throughout Hollywood Studios during peak holiday periods.
As of January 5, Disney removed Walt Disney Presents from the Early Entry rotation, reverting the venue to standard operating hours opening at 9 a.m. with the rest of the park. This change reflected the transition from holiday crowds to more typical January attendance levels, eliminating the operational need for early gallery access.
Now, just days later, the Swift costumes themselves have disappeared entirely. Disney had indicated the exhibit would have a limited run rather than becoming a permanent installation, but the relatively quick removal may disappoint fans who planned visits expecting to see the display.
The costumes were promotional materials tied to Disney+ content that has now been available for several months, making them less valuable from a marketing perspective as attention shifts to newer releases.
Display Rotation Strategy
The replacement of Taylor Swift costumes with Percy Jackson materials illustrates how Walt Disney Presents functions as a dynamic promotional space rather than a static museum. Disney rotates exhibits based on current marketing priorities, with newer content taking precedence over materials that have already served their promotional purpose.
This strategy makes business sense from Disney’s perspective. The gallery provides valuable exposure for streaming content, theatrical releases, and other entertainment properties. Keeping displays fresh and aligned with current releases maximizes the promotional value of the space. However, it creates disappointment for guests who arrive expecting to see specific exhibits that have been removed without advance notice.
Past displays at Walt Disney Presents have featured everything from Pixar film props to historical Disney animation artifacts. The space includes a small theater screening previews of upcoming Disney+ series and theatrical releases, further cementing its role as a promotional venue within the theme park environment.
Interestingly, Christmas decorations remain visible throughout the gallery despite the holiday season ending weeks ago and Santa Claus meet-and-greets concluding. This isn’t unusual for Disney, as seasonal decor often lingers into early January while crews systematically remove holiday elements across the resort. These decorations will likely disappear within the next week or two as Hollywood Studios fully transitions out of holiday mode.
Some Help Planning Your Visit
For guests interested in seeing the new Percy Jackson display, the exhibit is now open during regular Walt Disney Presents operating hours starting at 9 a.m. daily. No Early Entry access is currently offered, meaning resort hotel guests receive no special advantage for viewing these materials.
The Percy Jackson costumes and props will likely remain on display for several weeks or months, depending on how long Disney determines the exhibit serves promotional purposes for the streaming series. However, the swift removal of the Taylor Swift materials demonstrates that even popular exhibits can disappear with little warning when Disney decides to shift gallery focus.
For Swift fans who hoped to see the Eras Tour costumes, the unfortunate reality is that opportunity has passed. The exhibit served its promotional purpose during the holiday season when Disney+ was actively marketing the concert film and docuseries. With that content now established in the streaming catalog and new properties requiring promotion, the costumes made way for materials better aligned with current marketing objectives.
Were you hoping to see the Taylor Swift costumes at Hollywood Studios, only to discover they’d been removed? Tell us in the comments how you feel about Disney rotating these exhibits without much advance notice. And if you’re a Percy Jackson fan excited about the new Season 2 display, share your thoughts on what you’re most looking forward to seeing. Should Disney give guests more warning when popular exhibits are being removed, or is the surprise element just part of visiting a theme park that constantly changes? Your perspective helps other guests understand what to expect when planning their visits.