News Disney Not Renewing Great Movie Ride Sponsorship Deal with TCM ; Attraction to Close

[MrHappy]

They're just following the MK precedent with a stage in front of the park icon. The problem is that the Chinese theater is so small even a small stage obscures it. They obviously need a bigger icon in that location.

Meh. It's precedent in 1 of the 4 parks to put a stage in front of the "icon." I agree that the stage:icon ratio is off though. My solution is to move the giant stage show elsewhere (to Star Wars land) and give the courtyard ambiance and theming (to whatever the final theme of the park will be).

 

[Bocabear]

They seriously need to move the stage to the left...let it back up to the old American Idol theater... it would be perfect placement and not destroy the park sightlines...

 

[Siren]

Even though it has been taken down, the Earffel Tower will always be the park icon to me.

Hi @Launchpad McQuack! Aww, I totally forgot about the Earful Tower. I miss it, too.

Quaint, lovely, and an endearing reminder of the world that helped influence Walt Disney....

I just love how the icons at the other three parks are immutable. It's a testament to their uniqueness. These unimaginable feats of architecture are the modern marvels of the world. They are iconic and make a statement that distinguishes them from any other structure(s) on this planet.

When people reminisce of Walt Disney -- they think of Mickey Mouse and Disneyland, not the Grauman's Chinese Theater.

"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity leads us down new paths." Walt Disney

"The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique." Walt Disney

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." Walt Disney

Impossible is defined as - not able to occur, exist, or be done.

The opposite of impossible is logical, practical, achievable and manageable. People don't associate this kind of logic with Walt Disney.

I totally adore the Chinese Theater and the Great Movie Ride, but it's evident by Walt Disney's ideology and philosophy that he would not have chosen the theater to be his official park icon.

And, I just hope the GMR or whatever it is will not become an afterthought after Star Wars land opens. I can see Disney using an overhead shot of Star Wars land or the Millennium Falcon as the new park icon.

 

[Bocabear]

But after the new Star Wars Land goes in, do we even have a clue about what the identity of this park is really going to be?
How do we define the park through an icon, if no one really seems to understand what the overall theme of the park is?
That is the biggest problem with the park aside from a lack of capacity...there is no defined direction, and this seems to be happening now to EPCOT too....muddy up the premise of the park, and there is a loss of identity...
Overall I think this is bad for the WDW brand...

 

[Phicinfan]

But after the new Star Wars Land goes in, do we even have a clue about what the identity of this park is really going to be?
How do we define the park through an icon, if no one really seems to understand what the overall theme of the park is?
That is the biggest problem with the park aside from a lack of capacity...there is no defined direction, and this seems to be happening now to EPCOT too....muddy up the premise of the park, and there is a loss of identity...
Overall I think this is bad for the WDW brand...

Good question.
You will basically have 4 areas...per say...
TSL
SWE
Indy Echo lake area
And the area by ToT and RocknRoller coaster.

None of that really screams a single theme to me, other than ...the much non-prefered "hollywood experience" or Adventure...I have seen both.

 

[JustInTime]

Can I just state that the narration ruins the ride? But it was great seeing so many effects working like the slime

 

[wm49rs]

Hi @Launchpad McQuack! Aww, I totally forgot about the Earful Tower. I miss it, too.

I just love how the icons at the other three parks are immutable. It's a testament to their uniqueness. These unimaginable feats of architecture are the modern marvels of the world. They are iconic and make a statement that distinguishes them from any other structure(s) on this planet.

When people reminisce of Walt Disney -- they think of Mickey Mouse and Disneyland, not the Grauman's Chinese Theater.

"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity leads us down new paths." Walt Disney

"The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique." Walt Disney

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." Walt Disney

Impossible is defined as - not able to occur, exist, or be done.

The opposite of impossible is logical, practical, achievable and manageable. People don't associate this kind of logic with Walt Disney.

I totally adore the Chinese Theater and the Great Movie Ride, but it's evident by Walt Disney's ideology and philosophy that he would not have chosen the theater to be his official park icon.

And, I just hope the GMR or whatever it is will not become an afterthought after Star Wars land opens. I can see Disney using an overhead shot of Star Wars land or the Millennium Falcon as the new park icon.

Glad too see you're still able to get hours in while the parks are closed. At least you didn't have to take any PTO, unlike other CMs.

And yet even with the inevitable quotes being tossed about, Walt Disney still built parks full of nostalgia and harkening back to earlier eras. Now nostalgia is a marketing ploy. But, it helps pay your salary, so crack on....

 

[Bocabear]

I agree completely... Seriously... add the Great Mickey Ride to the spot where the Art Of Animation was... with it's own courtyard and make it the portal to the section of the park dedicated to animation.. Disney,Pixar...both...

 

[DinoInstitute]

But after the new Star Wars Land goes in, do we even have a clue about what the identity of this park is really going to be?
How do we define the park through an icon, if no one really seems to understand what the overall theme of the park is?
That is the biggest problem with the park aside from a lack of capacity...there is no defined direction, and this seems to be happening now to EPCOT too....muddy up the premise of the park, and there is a loss of identity...
Overall I think this is bad for the WDW brand...

I mean, I think I kinda of get the theme, it makes sense to me. Assuming the park gets renamed, Hollywood Adventure being the most likely candidate, the park would be divided into two distinct parts- a journey to Old Hollywood, and an adventure into the movies of Hollywood themselves. The first side you have Hollywood/Sunset Blvds and Echo Lake. Then the other side has the different IP lands, SW, TS, and Muppets. All that leaves is the awkward ST/Indy and Animation Courtyard areas that hopefully they have plans for.

At least that's how I'm interpreting it.

 

[DinoInstitute]

I have accepted the fate of GMR and I am looking forward to the new Mickey ride. I just wish DHS had a spectacular icon. The other three parks have an icon that is unique to Disney and the park it represents. Cinderella's Castle - The Tree of Life - Spaceship Earth.

If you show someone a picture a picture of the DHS icon -- they will automatically think it is the Grauman's Chinese theater in Hollywood. It would be nice for DHS to have its own unique identity.

I think ToT makes a good icon. At least that's what they seem to have been using and I've gotten accustomed to it

As far as the Mickey ride goes... I'm halfway there to accepting GMR's fate... Like, when I'm not there I can appreciate how it can be a better ride, but when I actually go the park and ride GMR is when I get sad about it and feel like we really will be losing a classic, integral part of the DHS experience.

 

[Tim Lohr]

If they are getting rid of the Great Movie Ride, why would they keep the Chinese Theater? They way the parks are becoming all about promoting IP's they own the Chinese Theater seems to not fit in so well with that. I think if they are looking for an iconic structure for a park about "Disney" movies, it be animation related... maybe something like this building?

This was built a few years after the MGM Studios opened, but Disneyland Paris' Studios has a version of the Roy E Disney Animation Building

or maybe some version of the original Disney Studios to tie in with the 1930's Hollywood theme, if the build is going to now house a Mickey Mouse ride this might be a more fitting facade

 

[Turtle]

If they are getting rid of the Great Movie Ride, why would they keep the Chinese Theater? They way the parks are becoming all about promoting IP's they own the Chinese Theater seems to not fit in so well with that. I think if they are looking for an iconic structure for a park about "Disney" movies, it be animation related... maybe something like this building?

This was built a few years after the MGM Studios opened, but Disneyland Paris' Studios has a version of the Roy E Disney Animation Building

or maybe some version of the original Disney Studios to tie in with the 1930's Hollywood theme, if the build is going to now house a Mickey Mouse ride this might be a more fitting facade

An elegant version of the Sorceror's Hat (like in the top photo) might be a good idea if the park needs something uniquely Disney as the park icon while moving on from the Great Movie Ride.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

An elegant version of the Sorceror's Hat (like in the top photo) might be a good idea if the park needs something uniquely Disney as the park icon while moving on from the Great Movie Ride.

NO!!!

 

[lazyboy97o]

The Roy E. Disney Animation Building has been despised by animators since Day 1 and was supposed to be replaced. It has no business being replicated.

 

[Andrew C]

The Roy E. Disney Animation Building has been despised by animators since Day 1 and was supposed to be replaced. It has no business being replicated.

why do they despise it? Just ugly or more than that? serious question.

 

[lazyboy97o]

why do they despise it? serious question.

The people in charge of Walt Disney Feature Animation at that time were not people actually involved in animation (the meddling executive ranks that bloated and ultimately sunk Disney's animated efforts) so they did not really understand the process that the building was intended to support.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.lati...imation-20150208-story,amp.html?client=safari

 

[Andrew C]

The people in charge of Walt Disney Feature Animation at that time were not people actually involved in animation (the meddling executive ranks that bloated and ultimately sunk Disney's animated efforts) so they did not really understand the process that the building was intended to support.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.lati...imation-20150208-story,amp.html?client=safari

ahh ok...that makes sense.

 

[Cesar R M]

But after the new Star Wars Land goes in, do we even have a clue about what the identity of this park is really going to be?
How do we define the park through an icon, if no one really seems to understand what the overall theme of the park is?
That is the biggest problem with the park aside from a lack of capacity...there is no defined direction, and this seems to be happening now to EPCOT too....muddy up the premise of the park, and there is a loss of identity...
Overall I think this is bad for the WDW brand...

pretty sure someone already mentioned the real theme.. aka "A park with a bunch of ips that Iger got his hands on".

 

[Tony the Tigger]

But after the new Star Wars Land goes in, do we even have a clue about what the identity of this park is really going to be?
How do we define the park through an icon, if no one really seems to understand what the overall theme of the park is?
That is the biggest problem with the park aside from a lack of capacity...there is no defined direction, and this seems to be happening now to EPCOT too....muddy up the premise of the park, and there is a loss of identity...
Overall I think this is bad for the WDW brand...

But if you complain about it, Darth Vader will do that thing with his fingers and make you choke.

 

[DisneyGentlemanV2.0]

And the Brothers Grimm....

But it's not really stealing something if people deify you...