Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway confirmed

[MisterPenguin]

From Disney's PR regarding the D23 Expo:

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Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios​

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The first ever ride-through attraction themed to Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse will delight guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios beginning in 2019. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will feature a new original story and lovable theme song, as it takes guests on a journey inside the wacky and unpredictable world of Disney Channel’s Emmy Award-winning “Mickey Mouse” cartoon shorts. New technologies will transform the two-dimensional cartoon world into an incredible multi-dimensional experience.​

 

[Goofyque']

So glad to see this thread moving again! Watching for details, loved the display at one man's dream. Still remembering the fun at Pooh's Honey Pots at Tokyo, so very excited for this new experience! Still a big fan of Studios, there are attractions that we miss, but so much still there that we love.

 

[CrescentLake]

Is Disney planning on doing anything to hide the GMR ride building left of the Chinese Theater facade? Like trees, or a new facade?

I'd like to know this too. DHS could use some place-making and detail work in the old studio areas. Does anyone know if it will receive it?

 

[Stripes]

I'd like to know this too. DHS could use some place-making and detail work in the old studio areas. Does anyone know if it will receive it?

It'd be relatively inexpensive, and go a long way IMO.

 

[EOD K9]

@marni1971 From what you have seen, does this look like it has the potential to be a fun attraction?

 

[ToTBellHop]

I'd like to know this too. DHS could use some place-making and detail work in the old studio areas. Does anyone know if it will receive it?

No. And it will stay DHS, so the studio theme can be left. Joy.

 

[ToTBellHop]

@marni1971 From what you have seen, does this look like it has the potential to be a fun attraction?

I think it’ll be a blast.

 

[homerdance]

Still wish they would have just rethemed it ILM movie ride. Could have been Disney with the story from star wars to now. Would have been pretty cool.

 

[Rob562]

No. There probably won’t be enough queue space for the popularity of a new attraction having lost the original preshow space.

In looking at aerial views, there's an empty courtyard out back behind the theater facade, pretty much on the other side of the wall right behind the Joffrey's coffee kiosk in Pixar Place. At one time this footprint was mostly taken up by the Sorcery fireworks and inflatable Mickey towers, but now it's probably just used as an outdoor CM break area (you can see one or two umbrellas in the aerial) and perhaps some electrical gear.

I don't see why they couldn't knock out part of the back wall in the first lobby area and either put in a covered outdoor extended queue area, or perhaps even build a true extension onto the building with air conditioning and everything. If you were going through the old queue, this space would essentially be a right-hand turn just after you entered the theater building from the side entrance door.

(That's a pretty large potential queue area....)

Edit to add: To help those visualizing where in the interior it is, here's a pic (pulled from Martin's tribute video). This is immediately inside the side door. The courtyard is through the wall on the righthand side, where the vase is... (The courtyard is a least a few steps below the level of the lobby floor, but that's hardly a huge hurdle to overcome)

-Rob

 

[MisterPenguin]

In looking at aerial views, there's an empty courtyard out back behind the theater facade, pretty much on the other side of the wall right behind the Joffrey's coffee kiosk in Pixar Place. At one time this footprint was mostly taken up by the Sorcery fireworks and inflatable Mickey towers, but now it's probably just used as an outdoor CM break area (you can see one or two umbrellas in the aerial) and perhaps some electrical gear.

I don't see why they couldn't knock out part of the back wall in the first lobby area and either put in a covered outdoor extended queue area, or perhaps even build a true extension onto the building with air conditioning and everything. If you were going through the old queue, this space would essentially be a right-hand turn just after you entered the theater building from the side entrance door.

View attachment 264026

(That's a pretty large potential queue area....)

-Rob

Yeah, but without the outdoor extended switchback in the Chinese Theater plaza, how will people know just how popular the ride is?

 

[marni1971]

@marni1971 From what you have seen, does this look like it has the potential to be a fun attraction?

Oh yes.

 

[MrPromey]

In looking at aerial views, there's an empty courtyard out back behind the theater facade, pretty much on the other side of the wall right behind the Joffrey's coffee kiosk in Pixar Place. At one time this footprint was mostly taken up by the Sorcery fireworks and inflatable Mickey towers, but now it's probably just used as an outdoor CM break area (you can see one or two umbrellas in the aerial) and perhaps some electrical gear.

I don't see why they couldn't knock out part of the back wall in the first lobby area and either put in a covered outdoor extended queue area, or perhaps even build a true extension onto the building with air conditioning and everything. If you were going through the old queue, this space would essentially be a right-hand turn just after you entered the theater building from the side entrance door.

-Rob

I seriously hope they would consider something like this.

Not to be a downer... but my observation is that current management seems comfortable with theme killing rope queues out in front of attractions with castmembers holding signs saying "line starts here" for times when guests spill over past what those can handle as a long-term solution to lines that now commonly can't be contained by their existing queues so I'm not overly optimistic about them caring enough to address this but I sincerely hope they do.

With the front of this attraction being a photo op and in general, having a nice feel (especially with the hat gone) it would be a shame to screw everything up with a bunch of extra switch-backs through there while it is new, which these days, seems to be something that lasts for about the first 5-10 years of an attraction's life (so long as it isn't Little Mermaid, anyway

 

[Andrew C]

but my observation is that current management seems comfortable with theme killing rope queues out in front of attractions with castmembers holding signs saying "line starts here" for times when guests spill over past what those can handle

hah...that is like every line at Disneyland....not that I like it. In fact, it is what probably annoys me most about that park.

 

[MrPromey]

hah...that is like every line at Disneyland....not that I like it. In fact, it is what probably annoys me most about that park.

I get there being busy days and them needing to do something temporary that can easily be removed to maintain crowd-control but when did this become the norm? Among others, I see this for Haunted Mansion, for... People Movier, of all things, all the time now - an honor-system line stretching halfway to Space Mountain with a cast member holding a sign at the very back designating that this line is for the People Mover. It's so far away from the attraction, the sign has to clearly state what these people are in line for since it isn't obvious. :/

... at least in the case of People Mover, it's a fast-moving line but still.

 

[aladdin2007]

I get there being busy days and them needing to do something temporary that can easily be removed to maintain crowd-control but when did this become the norm? Among others, I see this for Haunted Mansion, for... People Movier, of all things, all the time now - an honor-system line stretching halfway to Space Mountain with a cast member holding a sign at the very back designating that this line is for the People Mover. It's so far away from the attraction, the sign has to clearly state what these people are in line for since it isn't obvious. :/

... at least in the case of People Mover, it's a fast-moving line but still.

I noticed this a couple days ago regarding the peoplemover, its horrible. not only that but part of the problem is they are only allowing like 4 people on the up ramp at a time,,so now the line is constantly stopping. Why is this the norm now? It never ever use to have snaking lines that extend towards carousel of progress even on very busy days. The operation of this has really been changed or fallen.

 

[Justin Poirier]

Although I still miss GMR, is anyone else excited to just be inside the Chinese Theater? I’ll be trying to remember GMR’s path and the rooms for sure

 

[Rob562]

Although I still miss GMR, is anyone else excited to just be inside the Chinese Theater? I’ll be trying to remember GMR’s path and the rooms for sure

From what has been posted, don't expect to be able to pick out much of the original rooms and attraction layout. It's not like they're rethemeing an existing ride's rooms and using the same ride system (ala Frozen or Buzz).

They're gutting the building and putting in a brand new ride system. It'd be like trying to pick out where the scenes were in World of Motion while you're riding Test Track. (Though I'm sure @marni1971 could do that... )

-Rob

 

[ToTBellHop]

From what has been posted, don't expect to be able to pick out much of the original rooms and attraction layout. It's not like they're rethemeing an existing ride's rooms and using the same ride system (ala Frozen or Buzz).

They're gutting the building and putting in a brand new ride system. It'd be like trying to pick out where the scenes were in World of Motion while you're riding Test Track. (Though I'm sure @marni1971 could do that... )

-Rob

WoM/TT has a pretty unique building layout, though. MMRR is in a big box.

 

[smile]

It'd be like trying to pick out where the scenes were in World of Motion while you're riding Test Track.

Spoiler

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

I just recently visited Hollywood Studios, was looking for the Great Movie Ride since it was my favorite. Totally forgot they were building whatever this is. Ahhh, was disappointed. Hoping whatever this is is special.