Week #2. How would you rate the Great Movie Ride in these 5 categories?

[Kristopher Carter]

Well, it’s Week 2 in our “WDW Attraction Spotlight” series, and that means it’s time to analyze a new attraction. If you’re new here, here is a quick run-down: I will begin looking at attractions at the Walt Disney World Resort. In short, I will feature an attraction and look at 5 categories:

• Queue Line
• Cast Member Costuming and Demeanor
• Animatronics
• Overall Experience
• Nostalgic Factor

Each attraction will be ranked out a score of 100 points (20 for every category) and categorized against each other in the coming weeks. Be sure to comment below with your ranking of each category of this week's featured attraction, as this column will be 100% opinionated. Last week we featured the Jungle Cruise, and out of the 15 people that sent in their ratings, the Jungle Cruise ended with an average of 74/100. Very close ratings last week for the Jungle Cruise! Let’s try to double that number of viewers and set the stage for Week 2 with: The Great Movie Ride (Shout-out to graphite1326 and MonstersUGrad for the suggestion!)

The Great Movie Ride

Opened: 1989

Side-Note: Much like the Jungle Cruise, this attraction can totally depend on the “Stage Crew Cast Member” that you end up getting. Let’s base the Cast Member section on the “best cast member” you have ever had on this ride.

Queue Line:

The queue line of The Great Movie Ride is notable for having a good amount of old, Hollywood-style memorabilia and movie props. The fact that they try to replace some of the props with more generation relevant props is stellar (It keeps the attention of every guest that walks through it).

After coming in through the entrance of the Chinese Theater and getting through the memorabilia, guests are then filtered into a maze in a “theater”. Though The Great Movie Ride has been updated in recent years to be the home of Turner Classic Movies (TCM), the beginning pre-show still makes the usual 20 minute wait time feel like a 5 minute wait time.

The pre-show is definitely a perk to this queue. Guests get to stand in line and watch old trailers like Alien (1979) and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). This queue happens to be at the top of my list, primarily because they have so many vehicles going which causes the line to constantly move.

Overall Queue Line Rank: 16/20

Cast Member Costuming and Demeanor:

This attraction, much like the Jungle Cruise, prides itself on its Cast Member’s. It all depends on the interactions between the Cast Member’s and the guests, as well as the synchronized notion with the animatronics. This is another attraction where you really have to sit and, not only take everything in with your eyes, but also take everything in with your ears. The costuming for the Cast Members is replica to old Hollywood-style movie ushers. Again, the costuming is very iconic for this attraction.

Overall Cast Member Costuming and Demeanor Rank: 13/20

Animatronics:

The animatronics in this attraction really make you feel like you are a part of the scenes that your vehicle is guided through. Most of them are extremely life-like to their corresponding actors, while only a few are static (Footlight Parade).

Some of my favorite animatronics in this park are in this ride, including John Wayne (as Ethan Edwards), Julie Andrews (as Mary Poppins), and Clint Eastwood (as Man with No Name). The most realistic animatronics have to be the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz scene, and both aliens in the Alien scene.

Overall Animatronics Rank: 17/20

Overall Experience:

Now, I know Disney needs sponsorship for its rides, but sometimes it gets ridiculous when you see “Test Track presented by Chevy” or “The Great Movie Ride presented by TCM”. A lot of Walt Disney World’s attractions are being bought out and ran by separate companies (but I do understand they need a constant influx of money to keep the rides as they are). It really takes away from the experience during this ride, especially towards the end when Robert Osborne brings out the final movie montage. It’s just a little reminder that you aren’t really engrossed in the Disney Magic in this one, as much as some of the other attractions.

Also, if you get put in the second car of your 2 car vehicle, you definitely miss out on a lot of the attraction. Your Cast Member sits in the front car, giving movie insight and facts while going through the different scenes AS THEY PASS THROUGH THEM. There’s a good 20 seconds between when the Cast Member gives their facts and when the back car passes through the corresponding scene. I might be picky, but it can be a real deal-breaker for me if I ride in the second car on The Great Movie Ride.

Overall Experience Rank: 12/20

Nostalgic Factor:

I would consider Nostalgic Factor a main ingredient in any Walt Disney World attraction. By this category, I’m expressing certain questions: 1. “Does this ride make you want to ride it over and over again?”. 2. “Is this ride memorable?”. Depending on how good your ride through was the first time you ride it during your vacation, this ride does not need to be ridden more than twice (throughout your entire vacation). You get two options when riding this attraction, either your Cast Member goes off during the Gangster scene or the Wildest West scene, but the most important thing to know here is, they all end the same way.

I would not recommend waiting more than 15 minutes for this attraction. This ride is certainly a bad memory for young ones (especially when the aliens attack or the Wicked Witch of the West makes her grand entry). Now, don’t get me wrong, this is a great ride to escape the crowds and get into a building with air conditioning on those hot days, but this one is mainly for the “movie-buffs”.

Overall Nostalgic Factor Rank: 11/20

Overall Ranking for The Great Movie Ride: 69/100

Be sure to comment below with your own overall ranking of The Great Movie Ride (I am really looking forward to see where it ranks in the reader’s opinions!). Also, be sure to include in your comment, any suggestions for next week’s attraction spotlight.



Top 10 Rankings so far…

Jungle Cruise – 77/100 ; Readers Rating – 74/100

The Great Movie Ride – 69/100 ; Readers Rating - TBD

 

[Chef Mickey]

I think nostalgia should be removed from your ratings because it gives rides an inflated score based purely on the ride being old. You ranked this as relatively low nostalgia, but Jungle Cruise was very high.

Although nostalgia is important to me, too many of DIsney's attractions seem to rely on the, "You've always loved it, so love it today" factor.

 

[Kristopher Carter]

I think nostalgia should be removed from your ratings because it gives rides an inflated score based purely on the ride being old. You ranked this as relatively low nostalgia, but Jungle Cruise was very high.

Although nostalgia is important to me, too many of DIsney's attractions seem to rely on the, "You've always loved it, so love it today" factor.

Excellent point. Duly noted! As much as the nostalgic factor plays a part in Disney's rides, I would consider newer rides like Seven Dwarves Mine Train and Rock N Rollercoaster to have a higher Nostalgic factor (cause yes, I would love to ride those rides over and over again). But I do see your point of the nostalgic factor being biased for WDW's more "classic" attractions. I'll keep that in mind. Maybe I could take the Nostalgic Factor out of it and base it purely on "Repeatability" or "Memorable", rather than Nostalgic. I guess Nostalgic could give the wrong impression. Thanks! Did you have a rating for The Great Movie Ride?

 

[Chef Mickey]

Excellent point. Duly noted! As much as the nostalgic factor plays a part in Disney's rides, I would consider newer rides like Seven Dwarves Mine Train and Rock N Rollercoaster to have a higher Nostalgic factor (cause yes, I would love to ride those rides over and over again). But I do see your point of the nostalgic factor being biased for WDW's more "classic" attractions. I'll keep that in mind. Did you have a rating for The Great Movie Ride?

Since you're taking suggestions, I'd also change "overall experience" to something else such as story, content, etc since the final score out of 100 would indicate your overall satisfaction/experience with the ride.

As far as your ratings go:

• Queue Line - 15/20...I moved it down from 20/20 when TCM took over. The narrator is awful, but they kept scenes like "Ethan no you don't" that I love.
• Cast Member Costuming and Demeanor - 18/20 - They do a consistently good job, with old content.
• Animatronics - 9/20 - The witch is decent and a few other, but Tarzan is awful and everything else is subpar.
• Overall Experience - 16/20
• Nostalgic Factor - 19/20 - I absolutely love this ride because I loved it as a child. This is not necessarily a good thing.

 

[Kristopher Carter]

Since you're taking suggestions, I'd also change "overall experience" to something else such as story, content, etc since the final score out of 100 would indicate your overall satisfaction/experience with the ride.

As far as your ratings go:

• Queue Line - 15/20...I moved it down from 20/20 when TCM took over. The narrator is awful, but they kept scenes like "Ethan no you don't" that I love.
• Cast Member Costuming and Demeanor - 18/20 - They do a consistently good job, with old content.
• Animatronics - 9/20 - The witch is decent and a few other, but Tarzan is awful and everything else is subpar.
• Overall Experience - 16/20
• Nostalgic Factor - 19/20 - I absolutely love this ride because I loved it as a child. This is not necessarily a good thing.

Excellent!

 

[bethymouse]

Queue Line: I didn't like the changes it went through last summer, and especially since they added fast pass! 15/20
Cast Members: They don't seem to be into it as much, kinda boring really. 14/20
Animatronics: Many times, they do not work properly. 13/20
Nostalgia: Not one of Walt's firsts.10/20
Overall Experience: I like seeing snippets of the classic movies. 16/20
Total: 68/100

 

[Kristopher Carter]

Queue Line: I didn't like the changes it went through last summer, and especially since they added fast pass! 15/20
Cast Members: They don't seem to be into it as much, kinda boring really. 14/20
Animatronics: Many times, they do not work properly. 13/20
Nostalgia: Not one of Walt's firsts.10/20
Overall Experience: I like seeing snippets of the classic movies. 16/20
Total: 68/100

You and I see eye to eye

 

[Retroman40]

If I were writing this in 1990 shortly after my first visit to the then Disney-MGM Studios it probably would get somewhere in the 98/100 area. A first time rider to this attraction will most likely be overwhelmed and miss a lot of subtle things. Fast forward to 2016...

Queue - Once you get inside (if the queue extends to the outside I wouldn't recommend getting in line anyway - wait until it dies down a bit) the props are pretty good and the displays museum quality. The old pre-show in the theater was just that - old. The new one is a vast improvement. I need to add in the interest of full disclosure that I really like Robert Osborne as host of TCM. A 20-30 minute wait goes by quick. I'm not sure how it could be much better. I give the queue a solid 18/20.

Cast Members Costuming and Demeanor - The costumes are a bit lame. The Greeters - ok, but the actual ride hosts - not so good. Just like the JC, it's a bit of a lottery as far as how much the CM is "into" it. The live dialogue intertwined with Osborne's commentary seems a bit forced. I give it a 12/20.

Animatroics - Again, a bit dated - The gangster gunfight seems (is) a bit fake. The fire effects in the western robbery scene are better. While all the other scenes are good, they just are nothing special. Overall I give them a 12/20.

Overall Experience - Rather than "living in the movies" I feel more like a drive-by. The ride vehicles are so long that if you are in the back of the last car you are still in the previous scene Again 12/20.

Nostalgia Factor - Hardly a "classic". Of course, I don't feel nostalgic even at the now DHS. 6/10.

Overall - 60/100. If I do happen to be at DHS this attraction is more of a chance to get out of the heat and relax for a while. I wouldn't waste a FP+ and certainly won't wait longer than 15-20 minutes.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Queue 17/20
Fab queue. I love the grand scale of it all, the feel for showbiz and the old Hollywood glamour.

Cast Members Costuming and Dementor, uh, demeanor 15/20
I love how classic DHS made interaction with CM's central to the experience throughout the park. The CM's are not on a separate stage, but the guests is invited to walk on the stage/set instead. The live interaction with the CM is part of the very essence of DHS: you go *into* the movies.

Animatroics 14/20
Any animatronics-driven attraction is awesome by default. The GMR's are as good as any, although they vary from stiff to excellent. GMR suffers fromthe fact that AA's of known people look fake because of it. You know the actual face, therefore the mind can not fill in the blanks to make it appear an actual human being the way it does with unknown AA. Cases in point: Sigourney Weaver, manly man John Wayne.

Overall Experience 16/20
The GMR is a collection of separate scenes, rather than a progression of I n terconnected scenes. The 'movie history' storyline is there, but it doesn't connect in an emotional, narrative way. The lost / re-emerging guide plot is too weak to make up for it. The ride does feel like a drive-by experience, more than having been an actual part of it.
Still, I adore the grand gesture of it all, the Hollywoodness of it, its bold lenght and scale.

Nostalgia Factor 17/20
I can not imagine a DHS without it. The ride is intimately tied with the very land around it, the superb boulevards and Echo Lake; an expression of the very theme and purpose of the park. Also with 1989, of which both the ride and park are such products.
The ride also invokes a sense of nostalgia for a (idealised/invented) time I never lived, like Main Street does. I get a complete emotional kick from the sheer style, beauty, glamour of DHS's classic Hollywood.

 

[Kristopher Carter]

Queue 17/20
Fab queue. I love the grand scale of it all, the feel for showbiz and the old Hollywood glamour.

Cast Members Costuming and Dementor, uh, demeanor 15/20
I love how classic DHS made interaction with CM's central to the experience throughout the park. The CM's are not on a separate stage, but the guests is invited to walk on the stage/set instead. The live interaction with the CM is part of the very essence of DHS: you go *into* the movies.

Animatroics 14/20
Any animatronics-driven attraction is awesome by default. The GMR's are as good as any, although they vary from stiff to excellent. GMR suffers fromthe fact that AA's of known people look fake because of it. You know the actual face, therefore the mind can not fill in the blanks to make it appear an actual human being the way it does with unknown AA. Cases in point: Sigourney Weaver, manly man John Wayne.

Overall Experience 16/20
The GMR is a collection of separate scenes, rather than a progression of I n terconnected scenes. The 'movie history' storyline is there, but it doesn't connect in an emotional, narrative way. The lost / re-emerging guide plot is too weak to make up for it. The ride does feel like a drive-by experience, more than having been an actual part of it.
Still, I adore the grand gesture of it all, the Hollywoodness of it, its bold lenght and scale.

Nostalgia Factor 17/20
I can not imagine a DHS without it. The ride is intimately tied with the very land around it, the superb boulevards and Echo Lake; an expression of the very theme and purpose of the park. Also with 1989, of which both the ride and park are such products.
The ride also invokes a sense of nostalgia for a (idealised/invented) time I never lived, like Main Street does. I get a complete emotional kick from the sheer style, beauty, glamour of DHS's classic Hollywood.

I can see how much you like that old Hollywood style!

 

[Kristopher Carter]

Excellent rating!

 

[fireworksandfairytales]

• Queue Line: 15/20; I love that there's props from classic movies to browse as you walk through the queue and that you can watch clips from classic films while you're waiting to help pass the time, but I do prefer several other queues in WDW.
• Cast Member Costuming and Demeanor: 15/20; I think the CMs that work this ride are pretty fabulous. Every CM I've ever experienced on this attraction has managed to stay in character well. The costumes are okay, but not my favorite.
• Animatronics: 12/20; While I think the Wicked Witch of the West's animatronic is pretty great and I love seeing Mary Poppins, I think most of the animatronics in this attraction lack the lifelike quality that animatronics in other attractions possess.
• Overall Experience: 15/20; I enjoy Great Movie Ride and it's an attraction that I ride almost every time I'm in DHS, but that's not necessarily because I love the ride - it's more because there's not that much to do in Hollywood at the moment. I also liked it better before we had the narrator telling us what was happening through the speakers - I liked when it was fully narrated by the cast member on board. But, overall it's a classic and I'd miss it if it was gone.
• Nostalgic Factor: 5/20; This attraction really doesn't hold much nostalgia for me. I didn't like this ride much at all when I was younger (the Alien scene really freaked me out) and I don't really feel any nostalgia towards the films showcased in the ride (except the clips of Disney movies at the very end).

 

[Kristopher Carter]

• Queue Line: 15/20; I love that there's props from classic movies to browse as you walk through the queue and that you can watch clips from classic films while you're waiting to help pass the time, but I do prefer several other queues in WDW.
• Cast Member Costuming and Demeanor: 15/20; I think the CMs that work this ride are pretty fabulous. Every CM I've ever experienced on this attraction has managed to stay in character well. The costumes are okay, but not my favorite.
• Animatronics: 12/20; While I think the Wicked Witch of the West's animatronic is pretty great and I love seeing Mary Poppins, I think most of the animatronics in this attraction lack the lifelike quality that animatronics in other attractions possess.
• Overall Experience: 15/20; I enjoy Great Movie Ride and it's an attraction that I ride almost every time I'm in DHS, but that's not necessarily because I love the ride - it's more because there's not that much to do in Hollywood at the moment. I also liked it better before we had the narrator telling us what was happening through the speakers - I liked when it was fully narrated by the cast member on board. But, overall it's a classic and I'd miss it if it was gone.
• Nostalgic Factor: 5/20; This attraction really doesn't hold much nostalgia for me. I didn't like this ride much at all when I was younger (the Alien scene really freaked me out) and I don't really feel any nostalgia towards the films showcased in the ride (except the clips of Disney movies at the very end).

Close one! Nice analysis!

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

mince
mince
mince
mince and
added mince

Good concept well past its sell by date in its current form and execution. Sometimes its painful.

 

[Kristopher Carter]

mince
mince
mince
mince and
added mince

Good concept well past its sell by date in its current form and execution. Sometimes its painful.

I'd have to agree. What would you give it out of 100? (Trying to get an average based off people who read this)

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I'd have to agree. What would you give it out of 100? (Trying to get an average based off people who read this)

less than 50/100, The outside is nice but as a foreigner I have no special attachment to it, seen the original what a pooh hole.
I do like the clips and the beginning and end, and surely they should now be digital and subject to frequet change?
I think the CM element is pretty poor throughout. Maybe its me but I think its gotten worse over the years
The animatronic sequences have vague nostalgia for me as my grandparents were big on cinema of that era especially Cagney and Westerns. My kids hadn't a clue who John Wayne was though some familiarity with Eastwood through their maternal grandfather. They have no interest in "classic cinema" and neither had I Bogart etc were wooden to me.

I should say kudos forthe effort in your original post.

 

[Kristopher Carter]

less than 50/100, The outside is nice but as a foreigner I have no special attachment to it, seen the original what a pooh hole.
I do like the clips and the beginning and end, and surely they should now be digital and subject to frequet change?
I think the CM element is pretty poor throughout. Maybe its me but I think its gotten worse over the years
The animatronic sequences have vague nostalgia for me as my grandparents were big on cinema of that era especially Cagney and Westerns. My kids hadn't a clue who John Wayne was though some familiarity with Eastwood through their maternal grandfather. They have no interest in "classic cinema" and neither had I Bogart etc were wooden to me.

I should say kudos forthe effort in your original post.

Excellent!

 

[graphite1326]

Queue Line - 15

• Cast Member Costuming and Demeanor - 18

• Animatronics - 15

• Overall Experience - 20

• Nostalgic Factor - 20

• = 88

 

[graphite1326]

next week POTC?
.

 

[Kristopher Carter]

next week POTC?
.

Absolutely! Excellent rating. Higher than most!