Great Movie Ride to Close?

[Oriolesmagic]

If they do close GMR, that will mean DHS will be left with zero opening day attractions.

Not that much of an accomplishment, seeing as there were only two attractions.

But I still don't see the Great Movie Ride closing any time soon. With all the construction that looks to be heading to DHS in the future, they're not going to close something that can help eat some of the crowds.

 

[Magenta Panther]

That's precisely what I've always felt.

I'd replace Footlight with an audio-animatronic Cecil B. Demille pointing a camera at you (hey, photo opportunity if I ever saw one).

And the Horror/Tarzan parts are really the only lackluster parts of the attraction and could be easily replaced - that's a nice chunk of space there (at least 3 different scenes could be put in that area, if not more).

One could even change up the two track-split segments and have even more space.

Other than that, some of the scenes need some TLC and/or new animatronics (Aliens for one), but most of the other scenes are just fine.

Well, the Fantasia scene is pretty lame too. I wish TDO would pony up the cash to put the Oz cyclone scene in it, as originally planned.

 

[Oriolesmagic]

Well, the Fantasia scene is pretty lame too. I wish TDO would pony up the cash to put the Oz cyclone scene in it, as originally planned.

Never knew about that, it honestly makes so much sense. Even if they just used the video screen and some lighting effects that would be better than the Fantasia thing they've got going on now.

 

[Tegan pilots a chicken]

Well, the Fantasia scene is pretty lame too. I wish TDO would pony up the cash to put the Oz cyclone scene in it, as originally planned.

Does anyone know why the tornado scene was left out??

 

[THECARISMINE]

Does anyone know why the tornado scene was left out??

To my understanding it was a legal thing coupled with budget cuts. The theater at the end of the ride was going to be the final scene from the movie as well with the wizard and everything. I know there's a thread from way back that details the whole thing.

 

[Matt_Black]

I'm glad they cut it out. As it is, GMR has two Oz scenes. Anymore and it's more "The Wizard of Oz Ride With a Couple of Other Movies!"

 

[RSoxNo1]

I think GMR could work as a smaller vehicle trackless ride. This would truly put guests "in the movies". I recognize that the studio aspect of DHS is gone, but the concept behind the attraction can still work outside of that studio concept.

 

[Hakunamatata]

To my understanding it was a legal thing coupled with budget cuts. The theater at the end of the ride was going to be the final scene from the movie as well with the wizard and everything. I know there's a thread from way back that details the whole thing.

This is correct. There was an original agreement that allowed Disney to do only so much with the license they had for the scene. If I remember correctly, Disney tried to go a bit further than what was in the original agreement. I had not heard that the final scene was going to be OZ, but I knew the tornado scene where Fantasia currently is, was originally supposed to be the OZ tornado.

 

[flynnibus]

I can totally see how the external licensing they don't really control could be seen as 'dead weight' and holding the attraction back from being modernized. So that could be fuel for someone to say 'this attraction needs an overhaul, but we shouldn't perpetuate the ball and chains we have now, so lets reboot the entire thing into something new'. Keep the ride system, redesign the sets to new experiences in the expanded Disney universe of IP. The problem is you would totally lose the 'classic hollywood' angle where it celebrates Hollywood vs celebrating Disney. But you could still twist that story to be about Disney's key place in hollywood history starting all the way back.. and then take you through more 'classic' Disney experiences modern generations will connect with.

Sounds like a slam dunk if someone would fund it. But just how far will they ride GMR down until such a move is 'necessary' vs simply 'desirable'

 

[Tegan pilots a chicken]

I can totally see how the external licensing they don't really control could be seen as 'dead weight' and holding the attraction back from being modernized. So that could be fuel for someone to say 'this attraction needs an overhaul, but we shouldn't perpetuate the ball and chains we have now, so lets reboot the entire thing into something new'. Keep the ride system, redesign the sets to new experiences in the expanded Disney universe of IP. The problem is you would totally lose the 'classic hollywood' angle where it celebrates Hollywood vs celebrating Disney. But you could still twist that story to be about Disney's key place in hollywood history starting all the way back.. and then take you through more 'classic' Disney experiences modern generations will connect with.

Sounds like a slam dunk if someone would fund it. But just how far will they ride GMR down until such a move is 'necessary' vs simply 'desirable'

It's defintiely a balancing act. From the very beginning most DHS content came from outside or acquired IP. Or was dreamed up for the sake of the park. To this day it's nearly the same. There's what, two attractions that are Disney "originals" (for lack of a better word)?

Regardless, the attraction needs some freshening up. If for no other reason than the fact that it's really starting to show its age. it could use a lengthy refurb.

 

[AEfx]

Well, the Fantasia scene is pretty lame too. I wish TDO would pony up the cash to put the Oz cyclone scene in it, as originally planned.

I don't believe it was ever simply about them not wanting to pay more cash - it was that when they negotiated the rights, Turner would not allow them to extend the duration. At the time he was developing other Oz attractions and wasn't willing to give them more. It wasn't a pay-per-second thing, it was heavily negotiated for a specific duration of Oz content, and if they had done the tornado scene, they would have had to make the actual Munchkinland sequence shorter.

That said, I too would prefer that to Fantasia. At this point, since it's doubtful they could renegotiate any of the rights, I'd rather see it used for something else since the tornado likely just isn't possible.

 

[MarkTwain]

Does anyone know why the tornado scene was left out??

I feel like at some point, I read that it had to do with the timespan of the ride and vehicle timing. Turner licensed out a certain number of "minutes" in the ride that could be devoted to Wizard of Oz, and the Imagineers planned it out assuming the ride would be faster than it turned out to be. When the ride ended up being quite slow, it exceeded the timeframe TCM allowed, and the tornado scene had to be cut (and I thought I remember reading the montage room was going to be the Wizard of Oz finale as well). Maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[pumpkin7]

CONFIRMED: Opening in 2016 "The Great Nicolas Cage Movie Ride"

Ride through your favorite scenes featuring one of Hollywood's most esteemed actors, Nicolas Cage!

...

But really, can we just not completely change the Great Movie Ride? Take out Horror/Tarzan and Footlight Parade. Everything else should stay.

 

[Christian Fronckowiak]

I feel like at some point, I read that it had to do with the timespan of the ride and vehicle timing. Turner licensed out a certain number of "minutes" in the ride that could be devoted to Wizard of Oz, and the Imagineers planned it out assuming the ride would be faster than it turned out to be. When the ride ended up being quite slow, it exceeded the timeframe TCM allowed, and the tornado scene had to be cut (and I thought I remember reading the montage room was going to be the Wizard of Oz finale as well). Maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

It had to with the two trams, instead of one, coming together to watch the movie montage at the end. That is what shortened the Wizard of Oz sequence.

 

[RSoxNo1]

It had to with the two trams, instead of one, coming together to watch the movie montage at the end. That is what shortened the Wizard of Oz sequence.

My understanding is that there was a legal debate about how much time can be spent in the Wizard of Oz area. The Fantasia area was intended to be a tornado scene if I recall.

 

[AEfx]

My understanding is that there was a legal debate about how much time can be spent in the Wizard of Oz area. The Fantasia area was intended to be a tornado scene if I recall.

That's my understanding as well. They had exactly 2m15s or whatever to work with, and Turner wasn't willing to extend it when they realized they needed more - at the time he was still exploring his own Oz attraction options (like the defunct casino). It was about the actual show time.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if part of the reason they needed more show time to do what they wanted to do had something to do with the meeting up of the sets of ride vehicles. That part is notoriously tricky for timing - I know I've had quite a few experiences when one car is too soon/too late. So it may very well have been a factor on why they couldn't do all three scenes in the time slotted as they thought they would be able to.

 

[cheezbat]

My understanding is that there was a legal debate about how much time can be spent in the Wizard of Oz area. The Fantasia area was intended to be a tornado scene if I recall.

I remember hearing this but I didn't know it was true until recently.

You know what Disney should do? Bring the tornado scene in anyway now but theme it to Twister in honor of the attraction at Universal that's very likely closing soon! Central Florida needs a Bill Paxton animatronic!

 

[Matt_Black]

Central Florida needs a Bill Paxton animatronic!

I'd prefer his character form Agents of SHIELD. Paxton chewed up scenery so marvelously you'd think he was at a buffet.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I remember hearing this but I didn't know it was true until recently.

You know what Disney should do? Bring the tornado scene in anyway now but theme it to Twister in honor of the attraction at Universal that's very likely closing soon! Central Florida needs a Bill Paxton animatronic!

I thought Bill Paxton was already an animatronic in the pre-show... I think the same design company that made the Gary Sinise animatornic for the Mission: SPACE pre-show worked on the Bill Paxton AA.

 

[pumpkin7]

I thought Bill Paxton was already an animatronic in the pre-show... I think the same design company that made the Gary Sinise animatornic for the Mission: SPACE pre-show worked on the Bill Paxton AA.

Hey, I have seen neither of these animatronics. Where exactly are they??