David Roberts
Member
I have to say this is the most realistic list of possible movies I've seen someone suggest and I pretty much agree with all of them.
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Be Honest: Your Thoughts on The Great Movie Ride
- Thread starter Chef Mickey
- Start date
I have to say this is the most realistic list of possible movies I've seen someone suggest and I pretty much agree with all of them.
joanna71985
Well-Known Member
The fire is from the western scene, when you are hijacked by the bandit. It isn't run as often as the gangster scene
There are 2 versions and you just haven't seen the other.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
I enjoy the attraction, but have always been confused by the story. Are we entering the movies or watching vignettes? If we're seeing Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver, then we are not being kidnapped by a gangster/bank robber, but a crazed method actor, who our tour guide goes on to kill.
thelookingglass
Well-Known Member
To get the cowboy scene, they have to be running both sets of cars, and you have to be in the front one. It is generally only used on more crowded days.
Crazy Harry
Active Member
It depends on your perspective. If it is a ride about great movies, then you would be correct. If it is a movie ride which is great, then you would be wrong :animwink::ROFLOL:
Walt Disney1955
Well-Known Member
I'll be honest, it's a great ride. It gets a lot of undeserved flack (think Country Bear Jamboree) and I never understand why. This ride is something unique and isn't seen anywhere else in the world.
I agree totally to keep it updated and such because as time goes on, there will still be great movies. So my thought is add new scenes as time goes on, there surely is the space there. Don't get rid of the other scenes because those are still classic movies that withstand the test of time. So far I believe Pirates of the Caribbean looks like it will forever be a classic series, so add stuff like that
I agree totally to keep it updated and such because as time goes on, there will still be great movies. So my thought is add new scenes as time goes on, there surely is the space there. Don't get rid of the other scenes because those are still classic movies that withstand the test of time. So far I believe Pirates of the Caribbean looks like it will forever be a classic series, so add stuff like that
twinnstar
Active Member
Aw, i love this ride! It could use a little love and maybe, at times, some better acting CMs lol....but i love it! If they ever take it down, I hope its only to build a newer and better version...but they better keep old films and not like stuff it with crap like transformers or something :lookaroun
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
I don't love it. In fact I don't think I've been back on it since my then-gf-now-wife and I first went in 2004.
It's easy for me to throw around other people's money, but I think it's the sort of ride that should be updated on a regular basis. So I hold no allegiance to it the way I might for other attractions that feel more "classic" to me. GMR doesn't feel like a classic so much as a celebration of things that are classic.
How I'd change it: Instead of that perpetual loop of clips in the pre-show, I'd set up smaller screens along the way that salute different genres, and rearrange the queue with dividing walls so that a: audio from one screen doesn't bleed through to the next and b: people who are unfamiliar with the experience won't know what's coming next. Each subsection of the queue would celebrate different eras and different genres, different technological breakthroughs. It could be roughly chronological, or each screen could be chronological within a genre (history of animation, history of physical comedy, suspense/thrillers, etc). This would afford Disney the luxury of name-dropping certain movies, even if they couldn't get the rights to use clips or trailers, so it doesn't seem like the history they're presenting is skewed to only celebrate the movies they could get as the best movies ever, but representative of some of the best movies ever. They could name-check Hitchcock without dealing with the headache of licensing clips from Universal, for example.
As for the ride itself, and this is where I commit blasphemy, but I'd set it up to be a combination motion simulator and actual moving ride. Something akin to Spiderman over at IoA, with the sensibility of Fantasmic!. Maybe the gist - which may appeal to you kids with your internets and your youtubes and all - is that you're stuck with 2 people trying to decide on a movie to download/stream on itunes (Aah, sweet, sweet product placement). A fight breaks out, something Tron-like happens, and you get sucked into this virtual world where movies coexist and interact with each other. From there you and these two friends are trying to find their way out, and wind up interacting with recreations of famous movie scenes recreated with a combo of actual movie footage, CGI-recreations and maybe, depending on how old the movies are, even new appearances from people who appeared in those movies, interacting with these intruders (think the commercials that would bring back Sigourney Weaver fighting Alien, or Kathy Bates about to wallop James Caan's legs in Misery, while touting DirecTV).
The best thing about this approach is that, if Imagineers were to plan ahead, it could even conceivably be a modular attraction, making it easier to update, swap out certain movies or certain genres for others - perhaps even allowing a majority rule situation in your vehicle to decide some of the movies or genres that you'll experience. This would also afford guests the luxury of going on again and again and again and never getting the exact same experience twice. And at the end in the gift shop, aside from typical souvenirs of copies of movie props, soundtrack CDs and t-shirts, they cold have itunes-stations set up where you could buy or rent movies (perhaps with a WDW discount) and the ability to send links to the download to your email address at home, an impulse buy that has the added benefit of perhaps exposing people to classic movies they might not otherwise think to watch. And without the danger of forgetting all about the movie 30 seconds after you leave the pavilion (I bet a lot of people even on this site has done something like leave ToT with a desire to track down some Twilight Zone episodes, or get off RnRC with a hankering for an Aerosmith CD, and that urge passes long before you ever get home, and you don't want to pay Disney prices for something you can get on Amazon or itunes, so you forget all about it. This affords you the luxury of getting a movie right away, while the urge is fresh, not having to worry about whether or not its in stock, an option to rent instead of buy so it doesn't bust your budget on a vacation...seems win win to me)
aaaand then Disney pays me a million dollars for my idea, I buy a bunch of DVC points and book a party at the new and improved GMR one night and invite you all so you'll stop hating me for ruining your favorite ride.
It's easy for me to throw around other people's money, but I think it's the sort of ride that should be updated on a regular basis. So I hold no allegiance to it the way I might for other attractions that feel more "classic" to me. GMR doesn't feel like a classic so much as a celebration of things that are classic.
How I'd change it: Instead of that perpetual loop of clips in the pre-show, I'd set up smaller screens along the way that salute different genres, and rearrange the queue with dividing walls so that a: audio from one screen doesn't bleed through to the next and b: people who are unfamiliar with the experience won't know what's coming next. Each subsection of the queue would celebrate different eras and different genres, different technological breakthroughs. It could be roughly chronological, or each screen could be chronological within a genre (history of animation, history of physical comedy, suspense/thrillers, etc). This would afford Disney the luxury of name-dropping certain movies, even if they couldn't get the rights to use clips or trailers, so it doesn't seem like the history they're presenting is skewed to only celebrate the movies they could get as the best movies ever, but representative of some of the best movies ever. They could name-check Hitchcock without dealing with the headache of licensing clips from Universal, for example.
As for the ride itself, and this is where I commit blasphemy, but I'd set it up to be a combination motion simulator and actual moving ride. Something akin to Spiderman over at IoA, with the sensibility of Fantasmic!. Maybe the gist - which may appeal to you kids with your internets and your youtubes and all - is that you're stuck with 2 people trying to decide on a movie to download/stream on itunes (Aah, sweet, sweet product placement). A fight breaks out, something Tron-like happens, and you get sucked into this virtual world where movies coexist and interact with each other. From there you and these two friends are trying to find their way out, and wind up interacting with recreations of famous movie scenes recreated with a combo of actual movie footage, CGI-recreations and maybe, depending on how old the movies are, even new appearances from people who appeared in those movies, interacting with these intruders (think the commercials that would bring back Sigourney Weaver fighting Alien, or Kathy Bates about to wallop James Caan's legs in Misery, while touting DirecTV).
The best thing about this approach is that, if Imagineers were to plan ahead, it could even conceivably be a modular attraction, making it easier to update, swap out certain movies or certain genres for others - perhaps even allowing a majority rule situation in your vehicle to decide some of the movies or genres that you'll experience. This would also afford guests the luxury of going on again and again and again and never getting the exact same experience twice. And at the end in the gift shop, aside from typical souvenirs of copies of movie props, soundtrack CDs and t-shirts, they cold have itunes-stations set up where you could buy or rent movies (perhaps with a WDW discount) and the ability to send links to the download to your email address at home, an impulse buy that has the added benefit of perhaps exposing people to classic movies they might not otherwise think to watch. And without the danger of forgetting all about the movie 30 seconds after you leave the pavilion (I bet a lot of people even on this site has done something like leave ToT with a desire to track down some Twilight Zone episodes, or get off RnRC with a hankering for an Aerosmith CD, and that urge passes long before you ever get home, and you don't want to pay Disney prices for something you can get on Amazon or itunes, so you forget all about it. This affords you the luxury of getting a movie right away, while the urge is fresh, not having to worry about whether or not its in stock, an option to rent instead of buy so it doesn't bust your budget on a vacation...seems win win to me)
aaaand then Disney pays me a million dollars for my idea, I buy a bunch of DVC points and book a party at the new and improved GMR one night and invite you all so you'll stop hating me for ruining your favorite ride.
loveofamouse
Well-Known Member
That sounds awesomely fun and what could be even better is if CMs were acting out the fighting friends at the front of your car as you "sim" through the movies.
I think your idea is great! It would keep the spirit on TGMR while updating it to be fresh and appeal to newer crowds. Those crowds will come in and remember and fall inlove with the old classics.
ChrisFL
Premium Member
It's interesting what high hopes this attraction originally meant for Disney, after it moved from a concept for EPCOT Center and was turned into a "centerpiece" attraction for MGM.
I don't think it ever reached the status of a classic Disney ride the same way as they were hoping when it was built. It's good, yes, but I don't know, there's just something about it, maybe the script of the CM's, maybe how the scenes transition, etc. but it was never a "must ride" for me.
I don't think it ever reached the status of a classic Disney ride the same way as they were hoping when it was built. It's good, yes, but I don't know, there's just something about it, maybe the script of the CM's, maybe how the scenes transition, etc. but it was never a "must ride" for me.
Only have ridden it once
Only have ridden it once and will never do it again. I know there are two different show (not sure what to call it). Cowboys or Mobsters, we did the Mobsters. Maybe Cowboys are better but I'm not taking the chance. The only thing We've seen worse than this is Narnia. Just because something has been there since day one doesn't make it great. This park was just thrown together to beat Universal and this ride shows it. Now Toy Story is a Great attraction.
I'm sure I will take a lot of heat for my opinion but.................
Only have ridden it once and will never do it again. I know there are two different show (not sure what to call it). Cowboys or Mobsters, we did the Mobsters. Maybe Cowboys are better but I'm not taking the chance. The only thing We've seen worse than this is Narnia. Just because something has been there since day one doesn't make it great. This park was just thrown together to beat Universal and this ride shows it. Now Toy Story is a Great attraction.
I'm sure I will take a lot of heat for my opinion but.................
pumpkin7
Well-Known Member
we walked straight on this last august. we had to wait a few minutes at the pre show, where we were at the front of the queue, told to wait, and when the doors opened, we were the only ones who waited because we were told to. everyone else rushed forward like mad. actually, there was a full car behind us, empty. although, we saw the western take over, not the mobster one.
still, i do like this ride. it seriously needs an update though. i remember the ride being exactly the same when we first went in 1997.
they need to sort out the ALIEN segment. ripley needs more movement and a fresh layer of skin. i appreciate that she's meant to look sweaty, but she just looks rubbery. she also needs to do more than just look backwards and forwards. the alien coming out of the ceiling i'm SURE used to 'jump' out at you, and not just sit there in the smoke.
although i will say, i was 110% sure the wicked witch animatronic was a real person when i went in 1997, and on subsiquet visits. it was only this time that i noticed she was an animatronic! so fair play.
and i enjoy the CM interaction with the show itself. a very good idea and makes it a little more interesting.
OH i forgot about the tarzan bit. oh dear, that is cringey. you can SEE tarzan when he's swung and stopped at the other end waiting to come back. it's awful.
and don't complain about the CMs too much, or we might end up with a backlot tour-esq audio commentary. no thanks!
still, i do like this ride. it seriously needs an update though. i remember the ride being exactly the same when we first went in 1997.
they need to sort out the ALIEN segment. ripley needs more movement and a fresh layer of skin. i appreciate that she's meant to look sweaty, but she just looks rubbery. she also needs to do more than just look backwards and forwards. the alien coming out of the ceiling i'm SURE used to 'jump' out at you, and not just sit there in the smoke.
although i will say, i was 110% sure the wicked witch animatronic was a real person when i went in 1997, and on subsiquet visits. it was only this time that i noticed she was an animatronic! so fair play.
and i enjoy the CM interaction with the show itself. a very good idea and makes it a little more interesting.
OH i forgot about the tarzan bit. oh dear, that is cringey. you can SEE tarzan when he's swung and stopped at the other end waiting to come back. it's awful.
and don't complain about the CMs too much, or we might end up with a backlot tour-esq audio commentary. no thanks!
The MadHatter
Well-Known Member
i think there needs to be another spinning/shooting ride
T-1MILLION
New Member
Themed to Toy Story of course.
RonAnnArbor
Well-Known Member
TGMR -- I love it and ride it a few times every visit. I think it appeals to those of us over 40 more than those under...
Does it need a refurb? Sure does, and it most likely will get one now that MGM is no longer that prominent...
I know a lot of people complain about this not working or that not working, but to be perfectly honest, every time I've been there (twice a year ever since I an remember) it has always been working just the same...
Once, the soundtrack didn't come on in the Munchkinland scene (fortunately there were only about 5 of us on the ride, and they fixed it next cycle)-- but the animatronics moved as usual: they are so noisy and squeeky they certainly need refurb -- now every time I ride it, I can hear the creaks and electronic sounds...
But as a whole, I don't think we are going to see too many changes on it, except those that make it less expensive to operate per cycle (i.e. less bubbles, less movement)
Does it need a refurb? Sure does, and it most likely will get one now that MGM is no longer that prominent...
I know a lot of people complain about this not working or that not working, but to be perfectly honest, every time I've been there (twice a year ever since I an remember) it has always been working just the same...
Once, the soundtrack didn't come on in the Munchkinland scene (fortunately there were only about 5 of us on the ride, and they fixed it next cycle)-- but the animatronics moved as usual: they are so noisy and squeeky they certainly need refurb -- now every time I ride it, I can hear the creaks and electronic sounds...
But as a whole, I don't think we are going to see too many changes on it, except those that make it less expensive to operate per cycle (i.e. less bubbles, less movement)