Studio Backlot Tour closing for refurbishment in September

[iheartdisney91]

i personally don't see why there is so much "Hate" for this attraction. Then again i don't really remember it all that much before it "changed" all i remember was being afraid that the Cruela costume would come to life and get me. (now idk if i'm even talking about the same tour)
IMO i DO NOT like the opening with the water and flame effects, seeing it over 20 times just makes me bored to tears.(even with volunteers)

Secondly i do agree it needs a referb, but i'm thinking more along the lines of a prop and costume exhibit walk through. My favorite part of the ride is going through the building were it shows the costumes and fabrics, but you cant really tell what any of it is because the tram goes by the windows
in a hurry. I also like the end exhibit (even though you can access it through the shop) with the villains costumes.

in general i like this ride, but i can do w/o the opening scene and the rusty vehicles laying in the grass near the canyons.

a walk through exhibit would be good, filled with movie costumes and props, so that way you can take your own time to see the details in the costumes and movie
memorabilia

 

[lebeau]

I'm all for closing it IF they replace it with something with no height restriction. The Tour was one of the few things we could do with the whole family at DHS. Even though I'm not a fan, I'd hate to lose it with no replacement just on that basis.

 

[iheartdisney91]

So why not make a PIXAR STUDIO TOUR? A full-on FAKE studio tour. I have a few ideas floating around in my head, but I think there could be a lot of possibilities, similar to the Universl Studios backlot tour.

i like your ideas, but they have the animation studio already.
but i do hope you are right, and LMA in my opinion is a waste of time,space and money, if you've
seen the show more than 2 times its nothing special. but thats just how i feel.
i know it VERY well might be someone's favorite, and thats totally fine.

 

[GrumpyFan]

With the success of the Pirates franchise and now the 4th Pirates movie, why can't they at least replace the water scene with something like a Pirates movie set? Surely they could create a short script and build some sets that would look like something out of one of the movies. As for the rest of the attraction, I don't know where to begin.

 

[wsmith1978]

I've only seen this attraction once and that was in February of this year. Seeing how this was my first experience, I'd rate it a 5/10. Not horrible, but not horribly interesting either. Catastrophe Canyon was pretty cool, but that's about it. Oh, and it was really cool seeing the spaceship from Flight of the Navigator. But other than that, probably something I'd only do once every 5 visits.

 

[baymenxpac]

honestly, trying to evaluate this attraction without having been on the original is sort of like gnawing on a bare t-bone and telling us how you thought the steak tasted. it's practically impossible.

i don't mean to sound like a jerk, but i think you'd have a much, much different point of view if you had ridden in the '90s. and no, not because your nostalgia would get in the way of your judgement, but because it was an immersive attraction that fit the original theme of the part. in it's current incarnation, this attraction is dead. haven't been on in years and don't plan to go back. it desperately needs to be replaced.

 

[lebeau]

honestly, trying to evaluate this attraction without having been on the original is sort of like gnawing on a bare t-bone and telling us how you thought the steak tasted. it's practically impossible.

i don't mean to sound like a jerk, but i think you'd have a much, much different point of view if you had ridden in the '90s. and no, not because your nostalgia would get in the way of your judgement, but because it was an immersive attraction that fit the original theme of the part. in it's current incarnation, this attraction is dead. haven't been on in years and don't plan to go back. it desperately needs to be replaced.

See, that actually makes it sound like you're doing exactly what you say you're not doing. Your criticism of the attraction is that it isn't what it once was. This is really irrelevant. The question is, how does it serve the current needs of the park.

It's still a ride (or has a ride component) in a park that has very few rides.

It is one of only 3 rides with no height restriction. (And one of those has prohibitively long lines.)

It adds capacity to the park.

It is arguably a worthwhile experience to newcomers.

 

[BigNorm]

I got to be on the bee back in the day, now that was fun, old school Walt Disney World. On our last visit we didn't even ride (the rain and two cranky three year-olds played a part in our decision) and my wife, who was on her first visit, was a little disappointed. Do you still drive through the wardrobe and prop departments or is it just an in and out to Catastrophe Canyon?

 

[baymenxpac]

See, that actually makes it sound like you're doing exactly what you say you're not doing. Your criticism of the attraction is that it isn't what it once was. This is really irrelevant. The question is, how does it serve the current needs of the park.

It's still a ride (or has a ride component) in a park that has very few rides.

It is one of only 3 rides with no height restriction. (And one of those has prohibitively long lines.)

It adds capacity to the park.

It is arguably a worthwhile experience to newcomers.

yeah, i mean...i suppose a 500 seat theatre showing movies would fit the no height restriction and the capacity guidelines, too. i don't think those factors are what make up the basis of a worthwhile attraction. and that fact that it's arguable whether or not someone who has never stepped foot in the park before should even spend the time to visit it for the first time kind of speaks to the state of the attraction, doesn't it?

i'm not saying don't go on it. by all means. to each their own. i'm just saying i don't really see what it accomplishes any more.

 

[lebeau]

yeah, i mean...i suppose a 500 seat theatre showing movies would fit the no height restriction and the capacity guidelines, too. i don't think those factors are what make up the basis of a worthwhile attraction. and that fact that it's arguable whether or not someone who has never stepped foot in the park before should even spend the time to visit it for the first time kind of speaks to the state of the attraction, doesn't it?

i'm not saying don't go on it. by all means. to each their own. i'm just saying i don't really see what it accomplishes any more.

A 500-seat theater meats some of the same criteria. But the park has lots of shows and a movie already. The tram adds something ride-like to a park that really needs rides. Especially ones the whole family can experience/enjoy together.

I hate to defend it. I really do. But I've taken new-comers. They had no complaints. In fact, they liked it. It's better than nothing.

 

[baymenxpac]

A 500-seat theater meats some of the same criteria. But the park has lots of shows and a movie already. The tram adds something ride-like to a park that really needs rides. Especially ones the whole family can experience/enjoy together.

I hate to defend it. I really do. But I've taken new-comers. They had no complaints. In fact, they liked it. It's better than nothing.

right exactly. i understand what you're saying. i'm just hoping for an extensive refurb or a new attraction. we shall see. but your points are definitely well taken.

 

[lebeau]

right exactly. i understand what you're saying. i'm just hoping for an extensive refurb or a new attraction. we shall see. but your points are definitely well taken.

Sounds like we're on the same page. I don't think anyone (although there's always someone) wants it sticking around exactly as-is if we could get something better in its place.

Of the two, I'd rather get something new. Touring a theme park that nominally served as a studio in decades past just isn't very appealing no matter what they do to spruce it up.

 

[baymenxpac]

Sounds like we're on the same page. I don't think anyone (although there's always someone) wants it sticking around exactly as-is if we could get something better in its place.

Of the two, I'd rather get something new. Touring a theme park that nominally served as a studio in decades past just isn't very appealing no matter what they do to spruce it up.

we definitely are. it's so much underutilized space for a ride that i feel is very much out of context to what the park has evolved into. let's keep our fingers crossed...

 

[Zummi Gummi]

At the very least, they need to replace the Pearl Harbor segment at the beginning of the attraction. The film wasn't that successful, and came out so long ago that most guests either haven't heard of it or don't even remember it.

I like the idea someone had upthread of turning it into a Pirates scene. That would be a very easy, cheap fix to at least make the beginning of the ride current.

 

[theguitarman]

I think we are all on the same page on here. Taking a step back, I think DHS needs to make a decision as to what it is. Is it a "working studio" (even though its not any more)? Is it a tribute to the Hollywood that never was? Once they decide what they want the park to be, then decisions for rides become a lot easier! What is everyone's thought on what the park is, and what you think it should become/what you think Disney will make it?

 

[TDF]

Is this the ride I sleep on? :ROFLOL: In all serious... please Disney... tear that ride down! Sorry... Berlin wall reference.

 

[pumpkin7]

ah man i'd forgotten how awesome the backlot tour used to be... going through the working sets, the giant bee, the costume departments etc. they even had one of the old subs from the 20k ride in the boat bit at the start for a while.
i agree it needs a major update. catastrophe canyon is still as awesome as it ever was, but even that was much better when they didn't have the recorded naration, and you could hear the director yelling 'action!' and the CM in your tram panicing. that's what made it awesome.
now it's just outdated films, outdated probs, disused wardrobe departments... the only ting i really like looking at is the disney plane, and you get to see the earful tower (albeit not very well).
it just sucks now. they need to do something with it.

 

[jjharvpro]

20 days is not nearly long enough for the amount of work it needs IMHO.

Completely agree.

 

[Texas84]

Don't forget the Osborne lights in the residential streets

 

[NewfieFan]

It will be closed for my whole trip and I don't care at all. This is one of the only rides that people won't miss during refurb.

Same way I feel! When I read the news on the front page I was like, "whatever"! I'm more upset the Treehouse is closed for refurb doing our trip!