Backlot Tour Closing?

[invader]

So does anyone have more info on what this thread was originally about? Is it closing? Is it not?

 

[cw1982]

So does anyone have more info on what this thread was originally about? Is it closing? Is it not?

I think it's too soon to make any assumptions. I've noticed in other threads lately where other attractions were listed as being closed on certain dates, and come to find out those attractions weren't supposed to be listed as closed at all. IIRC that was for a show at the MK?

Someone else posted a thread where they said that they couldn't get a FP for VOTLM for an upcoming trip, and I have a hard time believing that we wouldn't have heard about it by now if there was something more to that.

I'm not claiming to have any kind of information on this one, because I don't... but until we hear some kind of announcement or see a post from one of our insiders or WDWMagic, I'm not holding my breath one way or another.

 

[seascape]

I would love to see the back lot tour close and use the area for a major expansion. Also take away the lame driving stunt show that was nice the first time I saw it and okay the second buts I just don't want to see it again and it doesn't draw the crowds it used to. Use the car show area for the Indiana Jones ride and the back lot area for Pixar additions and build start wars land where the area by the Indian Jones stunt show. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY DO IT RIGHT.

 

[DocMcHulk]

It needs to be put out of it's misery. It's been dying a slow death for over 10 years now.

It died when the houses were removed for a car stunt show.

 

[WDWVolFan]

I remember back when I was a kid and MGM Studios was a working studio, that's when the park was in its prime. I would imagine that the attendance has gone down. I still remember making a day out of that place or at least spending allot more time there. There was even a time where that was my favorate park, as of now I haven't been there in over 5 years.

I remember riding it around Christmas time in 1994 and seeing the section of the costumes and some other stuff where people were actually working there and doing stuff...rode it in 2012 and everything is static and the props left outside look like poop! Soon Walt's airplane will rust to death.

 

[sshindel]

Here we go. Time for Disney to drop about $10 billion! Transition plan.

1) Close Future World for a complete overhaul. Because everyone loves it, I'll allow them to reroute the Soarin' entrance into World Showcase and keep that attraction open, as long as it coincides with the Soarin' over the World update.
2) Close the entire Southern portion of DHS. No one will bemoan the loss of the Muppet theater more than me, but maybe we can still salvage it after the redo. I'd prefer to leave the attraction and the current film, only update Waldo with more modern digital puppetry techniques. I don't want to lose Jim's last Muppet film, but Waldo could be updated.
3) Build a temporary transportation system to shuttle people between World Showcase and the remaining half of DHS. Maybe take a cue from UNI and make it an attraction on it's own.
4) Now we effectively have 3 full parks that can be visited by the public, while we give proper attention to two massive revisions.
5) Spend a good 6 billion on Future World
6) Spend about 4 billion on Star Wars Land
7) Reopen both, and bask in the renewed attendance boost that is brought in!

Hurm. Probably should move this post over to the Imagineering thread, since what will likely happen is both parks will be left to suffer, a 1/2 done Star Wars land will be built in DHS, and nothing will be done in Epcot.

 

[lebeau]

I don't care what everyone says on here, those movies are old and my generation knows nothing about almost any black and white movie in the world xD

You may not know anything about movies made before you were born. But you don't speak for your generation.

There are millennials who are well-versed in cinema just as there are members of my generation (Gen X) who aren't.

 

[lebeau]

HAH xD Well spoken!

I'm not saying I don't particularly appreciate the old movies, but I do not know a single friend who has seen Gone with the Wind, Tarzan, Singing in the Rain, or a majority of the other films. Heck, even Fantasia. Unless they took a music class in high school.

But, maybe i'm just too young to realize it at the moment. Maybe everybody ends up watching these movies in their 20s and 30s eventually? I dunno! Haha, I just can't picture too many people walking out of the great movie ride my age saying "Man.. I remember The Public Enemy! I loved that movie!" Because teenagers just really don't want to appreciate classic movies.

You're not supposed to say, "Man I remember The Public Enemy". You're supposed to say, "Man I should check out The Public Enemy."

 

[R W B]

Yeaaa...I kinda like Backlot Tour, guess I'm 1 of only a few who does lol. Idk though, I've always had to wait in the que atleast 1 ride to get on (not counting the group in the water show when I walk up). Maybe I like it as it is because I don't know anything else? I only started going in 2010, I've been 8 times since then. I don't remember much from my first trip in 2006 either. I'm guessing it holds a lot of people at once though and that's a big reason they keep it going? How many trams do they have running normally?

 

[Rasvar]

The Backlot Tour made a lot more sense when the Studios first opened and it was more closely tied in with the park idea and part of the longer behind the scenes tour. Now it is just a sad remnant of a past time. It is to the studios what Mission to Mars was in the MK in the 90's. Although, I would still go on Mission to Mars for air conditioning.

 

[Gabe1]

No, i had a cm in april!

We did in April too! I was wondering if the auto spiel was malfunctioning.

 

[cw1982]

We did in April too! I was wondering if the auto spiel was malfunctioning.

That makes sense... we had the audio recording in early June, so I can't see why else they would switch something like that back and forth so quickly.

 

[Bairstow]

I remember riding it around Christmas time in 1994 and seeing the section of the costumes and some other stuff where people were actually working there and doing stuff...rode it in 2012 and everything is static and the props left outside look like poop! Soon Walt's airplane will rust to death.

The costume department, as I understand it, is still very much active and busy, just not for movies; most of the costumes for the various shows/parades on property are still made there, and the need to be constantly producing replacements and spare outfits keeps the place very occupied. I'm just not sure if the areas you see on the tram ride are the workshops they usually use.

...doesn't justify there still being a "studio tour" attraction to pass by it, though.

 

[ToTBellHop]

You're not supposed to say, "Man I remember The Public Enemy". You're supposed to say, "Man I should check out The Public Enemy."

I get the impression that today's generation has lost its inquisitiveness and yearning to learn. It's been replaced with "what's the bare minimum I need to do to get by?" Ask any teacher.

 

[Cesar R M]

I get the impression that today's generation has lost its inquisitiveness and yearning to learn. It's been replaced with "what's the bare minimum I need to do to get by?" Ask any teacher.

Agree, the mdonalization of everything is pretty sad.
bare minimum with massive production lines of generic stuff.

 

[lebeau]

I get the impression that today's generation has lost its inquisitiveness and yearning to learn. It's been replaced with "what's the bare minimum I need to do to get by?" Ask any teacher.

They said the same thing about Gen X. We turned out fine. This generation will too.

Every generation thinks the next generation is going to ruin everything. I don't believe the millenials are any less inquisitive than we were. When I see some of the goofy stuff they do, I sometimes have to remind myself of that.

 

[ToTBellHop]

They said the same thing about Gen X. We turned out fine. This generation will too.

Every generation thinks the next generation is going to ruin everything. I don't believe the millenials are any less inquisitive than we were. When I see some of the goofy stuff they do, I sometimes have to remind myself of that.

My colleagues who have been teaching for 30-40 years have a more cynical view than you, but I hope you are right.

 

[FrankLapidus]

It really would be the kindest thing for it.

Seeing it in the state it is now is just painful.

 

[cw1982]

I get the impression that today's generation has lost its inquisitiveness and yearning to learn. It's been replaced with "what's the bare minimum I need to do to get by?" Ask any teacher.

OMG this mentality drives me insane. I see it all the time... if a student of mine earns a 70 on their essay, they aren't upset that it wasn't a "B" or better; many times, unless we're talking about the gifted/advanced students, they're just thrilled that they passed the thing. Same thing for multiple choice tests. Then we as teachers get judged by how much our students learn, when the students just want to do the bare minimum. Sometimes I think it's laziness, and sometimes it's a lack of confidence... it varies from kid to kid and assignment to assignment, but the end result for many of them is the same.

Sorry... rant over

 

[lebeau]

My colleagues who have been teaching for 30-40 years have a more cynical view than you, but I hope you are right.

Over 30-40 years, cynicism sets in.