Great Movie Ride Cowboy Scene?

[englanddg]

That part I think I knew, but that just makes my question more confusing. If Tractor and Trailer A leave the loading dock at the same time as Tractor and Trailer B who will get to Chicago first...no, sorry I digressed for a moment there. If I have that part correct, why is it that I only see one CM (driver) in the very first vehicle and no driver in the second one. Or am I just missing that part? Is there a second driver? If A had it's own driver and B had its own Driver AND they A & B get to the Indy scene at different times, then I understand how they set it up. But, and believe me I am quite suspicious of my memory on this, I thought the two section arrived at the same time and only one Indy show happened per ride. If what everyone is trying to say is that they are separate, with separate drivers how do we all get together at the end and seem to only have one driver? I suspect that those two entities remain separate until we get to the montage area where they show the old movies in the big room but it does seem like we all are together at "The Wizard of Oz" part.

Is this perhaps Disney's best kept secret and no floor plans exist for the ride that we curious people can look at and figure out how it all works. They have them for others, why not GMR?

Floorplan, courtesy of @marni1971
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/great-movie-ride-layout.166853/#post-2175144

Another one from @animay , @unkadug , @Rob562
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/great-movie-ride-layout.166853/#post-2175003

Also, I think you are confusing the tractor-trailer units. Each one will have a driver if they are running both of them at the same time. The thing is, the ride doesn't have the volume that it used to, so you may easily be thinking of when they only had one ride vehicle going.

Indy is done separately for each vehicle. The two vehicles don't meet again until the finale movie.

 

[Magenta Panther]

I have seen the cowboy scene only once. The rest of the time it was Muggsy and the gang.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Floorplan, courtesy of @marni1971
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/great-movie-ride-layout.166853/#post-2175144

Another one from @animay , @unkadug , @Rob562
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/great-movie-ride-layout.166853/#post-2175003

Also, I think you are confusing the tractor-trailer units. Each one will have a driver if they are running both of them at the same time. The thing is, the ride doesn't have the volume that it used to, so you may easily be thinking of when they only had one ride vehicle going.

Indy is done separately for each vehicle. The two vehicles don't meet again until the finale movie.

That is the answer I was looking for. Now all I have to do is figure out why I never noticed a second "driver". That one was me not paying attention, I think. I am surprised though because I have been riding GMR since it opened, I've seen both the Gangster and the Cowboy shows, I just don't know how I could have missed something that should be obvious to me.

Thanks everyone for finding the layouts for me, I think I understand how they do it now. I appreciate all the effort. Thanks again!

 

[Rob562]

Indy is done separately for each vehicle. The two vehicles don't meet again until the finale movie.

Almost correct. They meet up in the Munchkinland scene, where they sit through the scene single-file. The driver of the front tram steps out of their vehicle during the scene and grabs a microphone with a long cord and then climbs back in. They use the mic to speak their two lines with the Witch, which goes out over speakers in the scene so that the people in the back tram can hear. Then they put the mic back and each of the drivers use the in-tram mic to ask the Munchkin mayor which way to go.

If you're wondering, here is the sequence:
(and for this explanation, a "tram" consists of two cars linked together that move as one unit. At the loading dock you're loading into two two-car trams)
-Tram A (Bandit) and Tram B (Gangster) leave the loading dock at the same time.
-Tram A goes a little faster through the Gangster scene and through to Western so that Tram B is coming around the corner just as the doors to Western are closing.
-From this point on, if timing is going properly, neither tram will see each other again until approximately Casablanca.
-Both trams are hijacked by their respective hijackers. The Cowboy scene is a little shorter so that Tram A can move on into Alien and be clear of Western before Tram B moves from Gangster to Western.
-Tram A moves through Alien and Indy to the Anubis scene where the Bandit and the original driver swap. They then move out of Anubis very quickly into Tarzan, and then they slow to a crawl through Tarzan and into Casablanca.
-Meanwhile, Tram B has made its way through Western, Alien and Indy to the Anubis scene where the Gangster and Tram B's original driver swap.
-Tram B then continues on into Tarzan where it comes up behind Tram A.
-When the system gives Tram A's driver the green light, he speeds up and drives into Munchkinland, where the two trams park single-file.
-After Munchkinland, both trams drive forward together single-file into the finale room where they park side-by-side. After the finale, they both drive forward and turn left to the loading dock, with Tram B making a wider turn to get around behind Tram A.

Now, couple all that with the fact that there are 4 or 5 different A/B pairs making their way through the attraction all at the same time, and you can see what a delicate ballet of timing it all is. Really none of the trams is supposed to actually stop during the ride anywhere other than the pre-determined stop points, the drivers will just shift the vehicles to its slowest speed. But occasionally they do have to stop at a red light because trams ahead haven't cleared a room yet, a stop that will ripple back through each set of trams. Look for the blocking signals along the floor, they're red X's and green O's.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, while the speed is controlled by the driver, the trams slow down and stop themselves at the appropriate hold-points along the track so that the trams line up with the charging plates in the floor that recharge the tram's batteries at each stop.

-Rob

 

[mergatroid]

That is the answer I was looking for. Now all I have to do is figure out why I never noticed a second "driver". That one was me not paying attention, I think. I am surprised though because I have been riding GMR since it opened, I've seen both the Gangster and the Cowboy shows, I just don't know how I could have missed something that should be obvious to me.

Thanks everyone for finding the layouts for me, I think I understand how they do it now. I appreciate all the effort. Thanks again!

You probably just never noticed the second driver if all vehicles were running. I think that at the loading area when all vehicles have loaded that only the driver of the front vehicle speaks at that point to welcome you on the ride, rather than having both drivers speaking together and competing with each other. If you were situated in the front vehicle, it would be easy to imagine because of this that there was only one driver for all cars. This picture shows the second driver at the loading area right in the middle.

 

[Thrill Seeker]

That part I think I knew, but that just makes my question more confusing. If Tractor and Trailer A leave the loading dock at the same time as Tractor and Trailer B who will get to Chicago first...no, sorry I digressed for a moment there. If I have that part correct, why is it that I only see one CM (driver) in the very first vehicle and no driver in the second one. Or am I just missing that part? Is there a second driver? If A had it's own driver and B had its own Driver AND they A & B get to the Indy scene at different times, then I understand how they set it up. But, and believe me I am quite suspicious of my memory on this, I thought the two section arrived at the same time and only one Indy show happened per ride. If what everyone is trying to say is that they are separate, with separate drivers how do we all get together at the end and seem to only have one driver? I suspect that those two entities remain separate until we get to the montage area where they show the old movies in the big room but it does seem like we all are together at "The Wizard of Oz" part.

Is this perhaps Disney's best kept secret and no floor plans exist for the ride that we curious people can look at and figure out how it all works. They have them for others, why not GMR?

There are always 2 drivers for 2 vehicles. The speed the vehicle is traveling is why they arrive in each scene at different times.

 

[Thrill Seeker]

You probably just never noticed the second driver if all vehicles were running. I think that at the loading area when all vehicles have loaded that only the driver of the front vehicle speaks at that point to welcome you on the ride, rather than having both drivers speaking together and competing with each other. If you were situated in the front vehicle, it would be easy to imagine because of this that there was only one driver for all cars. This picture shows the second driver at the loading area right in the middle.

Nope. Both drivers speak at the same time.

 

[mergatroid]

Nope. Both drivers speak at the same time.

I thought they did usually but I know for a fact that last time we rode in car B our host didn't speak as we were sat right behind her and at the beginning she was having a conversation with a manager whilst the opening spiel took place. This was obviously a one off then rather than a permanent change. All this TGMR talk has really got me looking forward to our September visit

 

[The Empress Lilly]

All this TGMR talk has really got me looking forward to our September visit

Oddly enough, same for me!

I never really thought of TGMR as a favourite, but I guess on some subconscious level I am really drawn towards it. I really want to ride it right now and walk the streets of DHS!

Ah, classic Disney Studios, how I love thee! The park doesn't need a make-over, or be turned into UNI Studios Lite. It just needs some love and some clever rethinking for the studio part.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I thought they did usually but I know for a fact that last time we rode in car B our host didn't speak as we were sat right behind her and at the beginning she was having a conversation with a manager whilst the opening spiel took place. This was obviously a one off then rather than a permanent change. All this TGMR talk has really got me looking forward to our September visit

Yes, I'm not really able to accept the two speaking at once revelation. It's one big room, with loud speakers, sound travels forever unless blocked by an object. It is far more believable that they have a second driver (that I never noticed) that doesn't get involved until the gangster scene and that A & B go to Indy at different times. That completes the picture for me. Thanks again everyone for helping me clear up that brain cramp.

 

[Captain Hank]

Yes, I'm not really able to accept the two speaking at once revelation. It's one big room, with loud speakers, sound travels forever unless blocked by an object. It is far more believable that they have a second driver (that I never noticed) that doesn't get involved until the gangster scene and that A & B go to Indy at different times. That completes the picture for me. Thanks again everyone for helping me clear up that brain cramp.

It's two separate two-car vehicles, each with its own tour guide in the front car. Both hosts spiel the entire show to their respective vehicles, from "Welcome aboard" to "Action!" at the end (with the exception of when they're hijacked, and the host in the "A/Bandit" vehicle spieling for both vehicles when interacting with the Witch). The host for the "B/Gangster" vehicle doesn't just get involved when they're hijacked--they've been spieling their show to their vehicle the entire time.

 

[FettFan]

Once I rode GMR, but they didn't stop in the western scene. The whole scenario played out with the bank robber and deputies shooting each other, but we just passed right into the gangster scene.

EDIT -- The western scenes totally need to add Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder.

Too bad Disney is so gosh-darn Disney.

 

[englanddg]

Once I rode GMR, but they didn't stop in the western scene. The whole scenario played out with the bank robber and deputies shooting each other, but we just passed right into the gangster scene.

The western scene is after the gangster scene, as I recall...

 

[FettFan]

The western scene is after the gangster scene, as I recall...

Hmm. Just checked wikipedia and you're right. I seem to be remembering it backwards because I was sure that the gangster scene went directly into Alien.

Oh well...two weeks and my memory will be up to snuff.

EDIT -- Though I still remember the western shootout playing and we went right through it. I do remember the AA guy behind the crates with the rifle.

 

[Rob562]

Hmm. Just checked wikipedia and you're right. I seem to be remembering it backwards because I was sure that the gangster scene went directly into Alien.

Oh well...two weeks and my memory will be up to snuff.

EDIT -- Though I still remember the western shootout playing and we went right through it. I do remember the AA guy behind the crates with the rifle.

The sheriff and the cowboy behind the crates AA's do a scene when Tram B (the Gangster-hijacked tram) comes through, but it is a different sequence than Tram a (the Bandit-hijacked tram) sees when it stops in the scene. There's no live CM in the scene, and there is no fire or smoke effects from the bank and barn.

It's similar to how Tram A sees a different sequence as they cruise through the Gangster scene than Tram B sees just before getting hijacked. (The car is out in the open as Tram A comes through, with no gunfight, and then the car backs up into the tunnel as Tram A finishes passing so that it's in the tunnel for when Tram B arrives)

-Rob

 

[AswaySuller]

I've not seen the cowboy version for years!

 

[marni1971]

Yes, I'm not really able to accept the two speaking at once revelation..

Not a new revelation. Simply the truth.

Remember the vehicles have onboard speakers at waist height. This helps contain the sound somewhat, but you can hear the other cars narration if you're sat close to the other set.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Not a new revelation. Simply the truth.

Remember the vehicles have onboard speakers at waist height. This helps contain the sound somewhat, but you can hear the other cars narration if you're sat close to the other set.

I guess I've been outvoted. I really am not against anything anyone is saying and I am sure to be looking really close the next time I ride it, now that I have a focus point. I guess I am more bewildered about how I could have missed all that stuff after riding it as often as I have. So much for my powers of observation.

 

[Rob562]

Not a new revelation. Simply the truth.

Remember the vehicles have onboard speakers at waist height. This helps contain the sound somewhat, but you can hear the other cars narration if you're sat close to the other set.

I've found that the two places where it's most noticeable with the two different tram drivers talking is the "which way do we go" line at the end of the Munchkinland sequence, and in the finale room if you're in Tram A you can hear the Tram B driver saying the same line that the Tram A driver said as it's cruising in next to you. (Though as soon as the Tram B driver says the line they sit down so they don't block peoples' view of the screen, so unless you're toward the back of Tram A, you may not see them standing at the front of their tram)

-Rob

 

[Tuvalu]

I've not seen the cowboy version for years!

Saw it on June 6th.