Tonight, we remember the time the Wizard of Oz took over Las Vegas. No, not this weekend, and no, not the Sphere with the Zaslav Munchkin. In 1993, the MGM Grand opened in Las Vegas with an elaborate, detailed Wizard of Oz theme.

Guests entered the hotel through a lobby with a massive Emerald City, and wax statues that sort of resembled the movie’s cast. (Dorothy in particular…well, that ain’t Judy Garland.) They then wandered down the Yellow Brick Road, through scenes like the movie’s haunted forest with talking animatronic versions of the movie’s characters spread out along the way. At the end of the road? A magic show, The Wizard’s Secrets…and of course a gift shop. Then they were free to go on their merry way to, perhaps, gamble at the Oz-themed chunk of the casino.

The Wizard of Oz era at the Grand was only three years – by 1996, MGM changed their mind and began to remove all of the Oz theming. Now, all that’s left are memories and a handful of home movies like the one embedded or this one.

Have fun posting!