Studio Backlot Tour Closing on September 27, 2014

[misterID]

DHS kinda sucked when it opened. I know people -- understandably -- wax poetic about the loss of EPCOT Center, but I'll never understand the fascination with old Disney-MGM. Yeah, the backlot tour was longer and better, but overall the park offered very little for a long time. I'd rather take DHS in its current state over the park in it's opening (or near opening, I'll say when Echo Lake was added) state. YMMV.

Both UNI and MGM were kind of the same when they opened. I went to both before the parks opened to the public for special guests... basically the equivalent of the bloggers today, and people with business relationships with the companies.

The Backlot Tour was fantastic. The bee scene from HISTK was a big deal and everyone wanted that little green screen part. I remember the film narrated by Eisner and Mickey (which was a total ego trip for Eisner, that even as a kid I picked up on). I played Gilligan in one of the shows. The GMR was an incredible experience. I never saw anything like it before, with actors interacting with AAs in a physical scene, and a gunfighter taking over the car from a CM host and interacting with guests ON the ride... At the time it was really like being in a film and I think people forget just how epic it was when it debuted.

Universal had the same vibe. Earthquake was cool, but the ride portion wasn't open yet. Kong wasn't open. I thought E.T. was as cool as the GMR (he said your name! I mean, come on.) and there were a few shows, like, I believe The animal actors show was open. It was cool. I want to say their backlot tour was open as well, I'm pretty sure it was, but I can't say for certain.

But there wasn't much to do. They both felt like rushed openings. They were both very similar. And they also had elements I had never seen in a theme park before, so I understand everyone having glowing memories of the place because it was pretty incredible.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I like this idea a lot. I"m surprised more people haven't suggested Go Seek as a possibility. The infamous door coaster would no doubt be great fun, but very expensive, and doesn't help solve DHS's big little kid problem. Ride and Go Seek, however, is cheaper than a coaster, would be insanely popular (as it's a great ride - assumming it was built to the same standard as in Tokyo) and all ages can go on it.

It really is a lot of fun and probably would be a big hit in Florida.

 

[GoofGoof]

I don't know why everyone is now assuming that Toy Story Playland is the definite replacement. I've read every post of this thread, and the person who brought it up was saying something like "I hope it's not this." Once people started discussing it, someone just assumed that's what was happening and now everyone is talking about how horrible it is that that's the replacement.

It's like a thread version of the game "telephone." Guys, there are ZERO legit rumors that suggest it's replacing this area. Calm down.

This rumor came from a site not to be named. It wasn't based on inside information at all. It was based on speculation. I don't think people here are assuming that this is the definite plan but are just reacting to that rumor thrown out there. No insiders here have commented either way. Right now it's just speculation and discussion around what people would like to see and what they don't want.

 

[GoofGoof]

It really is a lot of fun and probably would be a big hit in Florida.

It's also one of only 3 Disney rides worldwide with the word "ride" in its name.

That's my contribution of useless information for the day

Edit: I agree it would be a welcome addition and exactly the type of ride DHS needs.

 

[BrerJon]

But there wasn't much to do. They both felt like rushed openings. They were both very similar. And they also had elements I had never seen in a theme park before, so I understand everyone having glowing memories of the place because it was pretty incredible.

For me the Animation tour was the thing that set MGM above Universal. To see those guys at work was incredible, and in the pre-internet days, to see an actual Disney animated classic you'd never even heard of being drawn... To this day, I can't think of any studio attraction anywhere that lets guests watch movies in production, not rushed through by a tour guide but able to take their time, watch and learn.

 

[lazyboy97o]

For me the Animation tour was the thing that set MGM above Universal. To see those guys at work was incredible, and in the pre-internet days, to see an actual Disney animated classic you'd never even heard of being drawn... To this day, I can't think of any studio attraction anywhere that lets guests watch movies in production, not rushed through by a tour guide but able to take their time, watch and learn.

With everything being done on computers these days, it'd be kind of cool if it were possible to mirror live feeds of animators' work in Burbank and Emeryville to the Magic of Disney Animation. People seem to take computer animation for granted and there is an opportunity to show that quality always requires work.

 

[Spencerrr]

Maybe none of the shows in DHS need to be permanent. Having rotating shows based on current and classic movies, original experiences, and whatever else could be fun. Play up the show business aspect of DHS and treat it kind of like Broadway with limited runs for each show. Granted, the big shows should have more put into them than this sing-along, but maybe a little distraction for kids like the sing-along isn't the worst thing.

This. It would get me going to the park more than once a year if every 3 or 4 months it all changed. People would get excited and visit for favorite movies and Disney could post a whole years schedule just like traveling broadway

 

[PhotoDave219]

I don't know why everyone is now assuming that Toy Story Playland is the definite replacement. I've read every post of this thread, and the person who brought it up was saying something like "I hope it's not this." Once people started discussing it, someone just assumed that's what was happening and now everyone is talking about how horrible it is that that's the replacement.

It's like a thread version of the game "telephone." Guys, there are ZERO legit rumors that suggest it's replacing this area. Calm down.

That's where I'm at too.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Same here, scoured the entire thread, no one on the inside that I'm aware of nor anyone familiar with those on the inside has done anything to corroborate any rumor of Toy Story Playland. I think @PhotoDave219 was pretty quick to state he's heard nothing of this, and though I'm not placing him on the inside of the Hollywood Studios operation team, he's proven to have decent knowledge of things.
However, if it comes to pass that the Playland is built, and that it stinks like a skunk, I'm going to blame @PhotoDave219 .

I've heard hints of Toy Story but zero details.

 

[ABQ]

I've heard hints of Toy Story but zero details.

Ahh, no, we're a thousand months from anything being done, but when it does happen, my vacation will be ruined and yes, it's your fault.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I've heard hints of Toy Story but zero details.

How many plans has Disney burned through for the back side of the park? I place little stock in anything at this point other than that I might as well plan on spending even less time at DHS this winter than I usually do. I'm sure something will be built eventually, but people freaking out as if we will have that awful U-shaped RC coaster in the park by next Christmas are being a bit ridiculous. Surely, with the move to potentially raise TSMM's and Soarin's capacity, Disney realizes a ride with that capacity has no place in a FL park.

 

[dupac]

So... has anyone made a close all the things meme yet? I've been waiting...

 

[PhotoDave219]

How many plans has Disney burned through for the back side of the park? I place little stock in anything at this point other than that I might as well plan on spending even less time at DHS this winter than I usually do. I'm sure something will be built eventually, but people freaking out as if we will have that awful U-shaped RC coaster in the park by next Christmas are being a bit ridiculous. Surely, with the move to potentially raise TSMM's and Soarin's capacity, Disney realizes a ride with that capacity has no place in a FL park.

Exacty.

This could even be site preparation for whatever comes next five years down the road.

 

[doctornick]

How many plans has Disney burned through for the back side of the park? I place little stock in anything at this point other than that I might as well plan on spending even less time at DHS this winter than I usually do. I'm sure something will be built eventually, but people freaking out as if we will have that awful U-shaped RC coaster in the park by next Christmas are being a bit ridiculous. Surely, with the move to potentially raise TSMM's and Soarin's capacity, Disney realizes a ride with that capacity has no place in a FL park.

Valid point. Flat rides in general have poor capacity, but I do wonder if a collection of rides on the scale of A Bug's Land would make sense -- stuff that has small footprints, so you can at least have multiple all ages rides added, which would still allow for using a significant part of the BLT space for a "better" ride that would hopefully have good capacity.

I know it would drive theme purists insane, but I wouldn't mind a collection of smaller rides from various Pixar movies -- like Mater's ride, one or two of the Bug's Land ones, maybe the Slinky Dog ride -- and couple it with a nice dark ride (say, an PPF type ride for Up) and an "E-ticket" like Ratatouille. I think you could do that (with the requisite food/merch) in the space vacated by BLT, even with leaving LMA intact.

 

[GoofGoof]

How many plans has Disney burned through for the back side of the park? I place little stock in anything at this point other than that I might as well plan on spending even less time at DHS this winter than I usually do. I'm sure something will be built eventually, but people freaking out as if we will have that awful U-shaped RC coaster in the park by next Christmas are being a bit ridiculous. Surely, with the move to potentially raise TSMM's and Soarin's capacity, Disney realizes a ride with that capacity has no place in a FL park.

Yep. Those low capacity rides won't work at WDW. I think the idea of a Pixar expansion here is likely. I don't think an exact clone of Toy Story Playland is very likely. The idea of an area with 3 or 4 smaller rides works for a park that lacks rides but they also need a few rides that are people eaters.

The only difference between this rumor and the past ones is they actually closed BLT. In the past it was just rumored to be closing. I know that they have closed things in the past with no plans for replacement, but I'm cautiously optimistic that isnt going to happen this time. 74 started a thread about DHS having another name change and being rethemed. Closing BLT seems to fit with that rumor as they remove the last remaining elements of the "active studio" theme. I'm just hoping that this is the first shoe to drop on a multi-part rebuild of the park with StarWars Land being the other anchor.

 

[dumboflyer]

So... has anyone made a close all the things meme yet? I've been waiting...

Ask and ye shall receive.

 

[cosmicray]

Not sure if posted already, but main Disney website showing October 5 as last day of the Backlot Tour.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/hollywood-studios/studio-backlot-tour/

 

[GoofGoof]

Valid point. Flat rides in general have poor capacity, but I do wonder if a collection of rides on the scale of A Bug's Land would make sense -- stuff that has small footprints, so you can at least have multiple all ages rides added, which would still allow for using a significant part of the BLT space for a "better" ride that would hopefully have good capacity.

I know it would drive theme purists insane, but I wouldn't mind a collection of smaller rides from various Pixar movies -- like Mater's ride, one or two of the Bug's Land ones, maybe the Slinky Dog ride -- and couple it with a nice dark ride (say, an PPF type ride for Up) and an "E-ticket" like Ratatouille. I think you could do that (with the requisite food/merch) in the space vacated by BLT, even with leaving LMA intact.

That would be a pretty nice expansion. I'd even settle for the smaller rides you described coupled with 2 D ticket classic dark rides (maybe Monsters and Cars). I think they could still keep it mostly to smaller themed areas:

1. You add the slinky dog ride next to the expanded TSMM ride and make that Toy Story area.
2. Have a small Bugs Land with several rides and maybe a water play area for the little kids.
3. Build a slimmed down version of Carsland without RSR but include Mater, Flo's and a cars dark ride which could incorporate some of the elements of the inside part of RSR without the rock work.
4. Turn SOA into Monstropolis and build the Monster's dark ride near it (not my idea - stolen from earlier in the thread)

That gives you 3 or 4 smaller rides and 2 D ticket dark rides in 4 distinct Pixar themed areas. There is plenty of room for that and it shouldn't break the budget either. FLE was basically 2 D's and some smaller stuff but had the expensive rock work and BOG restaurant. I can't imagine they couldn't do this Pixar thing for the same or less money. I have no clue if the budget would be that big, but if they really budget a DCA style makeover at $1.2B I would hope the bulk would still go to SW. Maybe $800M to $400M.

One last thought. I wonder if they would consider converting LMA into some sort of Pixar themed show and keeping the seating area. I don't know if they would keep the stunt cars or make it a completely different show. Just a thought.

 

[dumboflyer]

New rumor: they will bring back a partnership with MGM and bring in a Lion exhibit, slot machines, a boxing arena, and Cirque's KA.

 

[WeLComeHomE OKW]

Not sure if posted already, but main Disney website showing October 5 as last day of the Backlot Tour.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/hollywood-studios/studio-backlot-tour/

That's fascinating! Wonder if they changed their mind. Also gives some validity to those entertainment schedules that suggest October 11th is the last day for HISTK and all the various things around that area.