TCM teams up with Disney to refresh Great Movie Ride

[Sage of Time]

HUGELY exciting news. I'm thrilled that GMR is sticking around and getting a little love. Hopefully a lot of love... but I would wait a bit for that.

I'm really reminded of Spaceship Earth and Siemens. They came in in 2005, ordered the demolition of the wand, and THEN refurbed the ride.

Given that the BAH is finally coming down, perhaps TCM has instigated a similar trajectory. It makes sense.

Hooray for Hollywood. Rare that Disney does something this great, these days.

 

[Mike S]

I am talking about replacing scenes with different movies. Maybe incorporating new tech, or new ideas. Maybe even rethink the whole concept of the ride. If it is mainly dusting the props, some new paint, and replacing a few AAs... that is disappointing.

New AA's would actually be great. I don't think the ride really needs a complete top to bottom reimagining, just freshen up what's there. A scene replacement (Tarzan *cough*) would be a great bonus.

 

[sshindel]

A general refurbishment of GMR will probably happen when they are making the changes to the pre-show and finale scenes. I would imagine that to make these changes, they would have to close the ride and that the rest of the ride will get some TLC if the ride is down to make the changes.

If all they are changing are the movies, would they need to shut down the ride at all? I'd imagine the last scene might need a minor shutdown just to make sure the film syncs up right, but other than that, I'd think this could be done fairly seamlessly.

 

[GrumpyFan]

I am talking about replacing scenes with different movies. Maybe incorporating new tech, or new ideas. Maybe even rethink the whole concept of the ride. If it is mainly dusting the props, some new paint, and replacing a few AAs... that is disappointing.

Completely agree! The attraction is in dire need of more than just a little attention, it needs a lot! It has grown quite stale and outdated and needs a complete overhaul from start to finish. I would be okay with keeping some of the scenes, but there are several that could stand to be replaced or at the least refreshed. And, as many have pointed out, the script is utterly groan-inducing with too many outdated puns.

I mean, think about it, this is THE quintessential attraction that essentially represents what the Disney company and now TCM is all about. Shouldn't it be a shining example of some of the best they have to offer?

 

[NJBrandon]

It's cute that people actually think there's going to be any other changes than the pre and post-show movies and a new poster.

 

[Sage of Time]

It's cute that people actually think there's going to be any other changes than the pre and post-show movies and a new poster.

I think the real takeaway from all this is that GMR is actually sticking around and not being altered in any huge way, as rumored. So, excitement is warranted.

 

[donsullivan]

It's cute that people actually think there's going to be any other changes than the pre and post-show movies and a new poster.

I fear that all of this run away speculation is going to leave many very disappointed. Everything I've read says all they are updating is the queue (probably just the exhibits and the movie) and the closing movie; nothing has been said about any updates or changes to any other part of the attraction. I fear that too much wishful thinking is going to lead to a wave of complaining when they do what they said they were doing vs what people wanted them to do.

 

[NJBrandon]

I think the real takeaway from all this is that GMR is actually sticking around and not being altered in any huge way, as rumored. So, excitement is warranted.

True, which also means Jim Hill is wrong yet again.

 

[WondersOfLife]

That's some "okay" news.. I wish there was some kind of major refurb to the actual attraction itself, though. But the film upgrades are step up, I guess!

EDIT: I just realized I can no longer wish for Disney to make the movies more current, being the actual sponsorship of the ride now, dang it! At least it'll feel less dated with TCM sponsoring it. It makes sense for the movies to be old now.

 

[FutureCEO]

That's some "okay" news.. I wish there was some kind of major refurb to the actual attraction itself, though. But the film upgrades are step up, I guess!

EDIT: I just realized I can no longer wish for Disney to make the movies more current, being the actual sponsorship of the ride now, dang it! At least it'll feel less dated with TCM sponsoring it. It makes sense for the movies to be old now.

It's called the Great Movie Ride so there is no way movies of today will get in there. No great movies.

 

[MonorailMan]

If all they are changing are the movies, would they need to shut down the ride at all? I'd imagine the last scene might need a minor shutdown just to make sure the film syncs up right, but other than that, I'd think this could be done fairly seamlessly.

I'm just thinking that they might close the ride for a week or so to do this. Maybe Disney has yet to announce that they are going to do a bit of a refurb on the ride when they update the preshow and finale scenes. I was just speculating what they could do.
But as for changing the scenes during the ride, that will most likely not happen in my honest opinion. The ride is a tribute to great movies of the past.

 

[Marc Gil]

It's called the Great Movie Ride so there is no way movies of today will get in there. No great movies.

Umm have you seen Blue is the Warmest Color?

Seriously some of the best filmmaking I've seen from these past 5 years. The French sure know how to make a picture.

But I think GMR should stick to classic movies from 1920s-1960s

 

[Kman101]

It's cute that people actually think there's going to be any other changes than the pre and post-show movies and a new poster.

Do you know otherwise, though? I agree it's stretching to assume scene changes will occur but we can't say what's going to happen with this in the future.

 

[Kman101]

They could easily close the ride for a week or a few days during the BAH removal. Perfect excuse to close it down.

 

[Kman101]

I like how one article means we'll never see a refurb or scene changes. LOL. Either way (scene changes or no scene changes), it's reaching.

 

[HiYa Pal]

People kill me with wanting to updated GMR with new ( ie more contemporary not different) I think if they upgraded some show scenes with new effects (digital projection mapping or whatever its called on the castle and the mine train could really up some of the scenes) and narration, possibly even adding screens showing movies that were inspired by or fit the genre of the ride scene at the end of the individual ride scenes. Maybe if more effort was put in to the ride to explain why these are such classics, people would "get it"

 

[Marc Gil]

Still don't get why classic movies are considered outdated.... Sure they're irrelevant in modern culture, but seriously? The movies in GMR are timeless, with the exception of Tarzan and that generic Mummy scene.

Footlight Parade is one of the best pre-code musicals of the 1930s.

Singin' in the Rain is the #5 film on AFI

Mary Poppins is Mary Poppins.

The Public Enemy is an excellent picture, although the most iconic "grapefruit scene" was excluded for some reason.

Clint Eastwood is Clint Eastwood.

John Wayne is JOHN WAYNE.

Alien is one of the most iconic Space Horror Flicks out there. Not to mention it's on AFI's list for top SciFi films.

Raiders is one of the most iconic films of all time.

Casablanca, although a tad overrated is up there in the greatest films of all time.

Wizard of Oz... Two words: Judy Garland.

Irrelevant maybe, but makes sense to include the attraction in the "Old Hollywood" section of the park.

 

[Marc Gil]

They should totally replace the Tarzan scene with The African Queen.

 

[sshindel]

I like how one article means we'll never see a refurb or scene changes. LOL. Either way (scene changes or no scene changes), it's reaching.

I'm not saying we'll never see scene changes or a refurb, but I seem to remember reading first quarter 2015* for this change. If they mean calendar quarter (which would be likely given that fiscal 1st quarter is almost over if I remember right), that gives them until end of March to do this. Since I done see any refurb scheduled yet for the ride, and WDWMagic has refurbs listed into March, right now it doesn't look like one is going to happen.

Of course, it doesn't mean that they can't announce a refurb at any time to make it happen, but the short amount of time between now and then would lead me to believe it's just the movie switch for now.


*

The changes for the Disney World ride are scheduled to be introduced in the first quarter of 2015, perhaps in the early spring. What visitors see as they wait for the ride and watch as part of the finale will receive a reboot under the aegis of TCM, playing on its reputation as an expert in classic film.

 

[Kman101]

Oh I don't expect anything right now at all. I can't imagine them taking the ride down for a long period of time at this point only because of the amount of work likely about to happen in the park and they've already closed numerous things, taking away capacity. This is an easy first step.