Why Didn't This Happen?!?

[Thrill Seeker]

I found this on Screamscape included in an article about the Magic Kingdom movie:

A decade ago it’s been said Disney Imagineers, tasked to create something to blow Spiderman out of the water, had come up with a new and improved version of the Great Movie Ride. The rumors say the idea was to have guests ride around in the Chinese Theater as it is known today, a large multiplex theater, where they would encounter various heroes and villains from famous Hollywood films, who would cross-over and clash with each other. One famous possible finale scene proposed involved having the guests saved from Darth Vader’s lightsaber by a whip wielding Indiana Jones who distracted Vader long enough for you to escape back out through the movie screen.

This would be a fantastic new E-ticket that would help make Hollywood Studios a much better park. Hopefully if this Magic Kingdom movie happens, this plan might be re-visited...

 

[_Scar]

Sounds more like a nerd's fantasy than a WDI creation.

 

[ERich2010]

i can tell you why it didnt happen

technology, money, copyrights.

take your pick

 

[Thrill Seeker]

Actually, all of the above could exist. Disney already has the theme park rights for Lucasfilm's properties. Just by using their own and Lucus's creations, a good attraction can be made.

The tech could exist, but just hasn't been made public knowledge.

 

[ChrisFL]

yep, it was rumored about a decade ago that the Great Movie Ride would be replaced with C.A.V.E. technology...military derived 3D tech that has a basic form in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at DisneyQuest.

Then IOA didn't get as much attendance as expected and Disney decided to drop plans for that, and a few other big attractions.

 

[bgraham34]

i can tell you why it didnt happen

technology, money, copyrights.

take your pick

I am going to bet its more about Copyrights then money , the tech is here now so that is probably not an issue.

 

[JustInTime]

Honestly, I am GLAD it didn't happen. The GMR encompasses exactly what they were going for and it is perfect for the park. I can't imagine not having a stroll through the movies in a park about movies. However, I still like the idea and a hero's vs. villains ride could fit just about anywhere else in the park. Plus I really don't think the idea fits in the theater anyway IMO.

 

[DisneyLeo18]

Sounds like a "Last Action Hero" attraction.

 

[fosse76]

Copyright is probably the biggest issue, but it also sounds like the attraction would have to have been very close, technologically, to Spiderman. And I'm pretty sure Universal had exclusive rights to that technology for a period of time which also prevented it from coming to fruition.

 

[imagineer boy]

Sounds more like a nerd's fantasy than a WDI creation.

So true! :lol: I'm kinda glad it didn't happen too. I'd much prefer AAs over screens.

 

[wolf359]

I prefer Audio Animatronics over screens too, but I've got to say that the ones in the Great Movie Ride are looking very dated. I hope the money can be found to give GMR a serious overhaul in the AA department similar to the fantastic work done on Spaceship Earth.

 

[Oddysey]

I also much prefer AAs over screens. GMR is very unique, and still a very good experience. It could use some updating, but gutting it for screens does not really appeal to me.

 

[Magenta Panther]

I prefer Audio Animatronics over screens too, but I've got to say that the ones in the Great Movie Ride are looking very dated. I hope the money can be found to give GMR a serious overhaul in the AA department similar to the fantastic work done on Spaceship Earth.

I agree with you. GMR looks very dated and cheezy now, I'm afraid. It's housed in such a magnificent building and yet the ride itself makes DHS look very hokey. After Fantasyland is plussed, DHS's Great Movie Ride should be next. Great things could be done with it. The mind reels with the possibilities...

 

[Mukta]

I also much prefer AAs over screens. GMR is very unique, and still a very good experience. It could use some updating, but gutting it for screens does not really appeal to me.

I agree with this. As great as the rumor sounds, I love GMR. It just needs some updating.

 

[lownalo]

I agree with you. GMR looks very dated and cheezy now, I'm afraid. It's housed in such a magnificent building and yet the ride itself makes DHS look very hokey. After Fantasyland is plussed, DHS's Great Movie Ride should be next. Great things could be done with it. The mind reels with the possibilities...

It's not very kid friendly either, there aren't many movies within the GMR that kids can relate to or have heard of...heck I'm 28 and I haven't heard of some of those movies. While I understand respecting the classics, I think there are enough truly classic movies represented (mary poppings, wizard of oz, casablanca) that they could change some of the sets to more modern movies that people could relate to.

 

[Tom]

I guess I still don't get why everyone's so hard on the GMR. Personally, I love it.

It has some of the most elaborate sets on property, the movies depicted throughout will never actually be "dated" (they happened in the past, and there's no updating required, since the movies never changed since they were made), and the hijacking is always entertaining (especially to first time riders).

I guess they could ADD some movies to the line-up, perhaps replace some sets with more recent movies, but that defeats the purpose of reliving the Hollywood of the past. They can always update the closing film to accommodate newer movies if they need to keep it "fresh".

 

[toolsnspools]

Even an update to the movie theater film would be nice. There is so much material available, and if you have to wait through the theater you see the same clips about 10 times. Why not load up the film with about 30-45 minutes of material so it doesn't repeat so often.

 

[GLaDOS]

It's not very kid friendly either, there aren't many movies within the GMR that kids can relate to or have heard of...heck I'm 28 and I haven't heard of some of those movies. While I understand respecting the classics, I think there are enough truly classic movies represented (mary poppings, wizard of oz, casablanca) that they could change some of the sets to more modern movies that people could relate to.

Seriously? What movies in the GMR had you never heard of?

 

[fosse76]

I guess I still don't get why everyone's so hard on the GMR. Personally, I love it.

It has some of the most elaborate sets on property, the movies depicted throughout will never actually be "dated" (they happened in the past, and there's no updating required, since the movies never changed since they were made), and the hijacking is always entertaining (especially to first time riders).

You're arguing semantics to be argumentative. The films' relevance to pop-culture is what is "dated".

I guess they could ADD some movies to the line-up, perhaps replace some sets with more recent movies, but that defeats the purpose of reliving the Hollywood of the past. They can always update the closing film to accommodate newer movies if they need to keep it "fresh".

But if that "Hollywood of the past" is unrecognizable to guests, what's the point? Contrary to the attitudes and opinions of many of the posters on this board, Walt Disney World is NOT a musuem. The purpose of the parks is to provide family entertainment. And unfortunately for the people who like to live in the past, what qualifies as entertaining changes over time. Whether or not GMR is no longer relevant isn't in my expertise, but if and when it's popularity becomes non-existent because of the show scenes, calling it a "classic" isn't any reason to keep it the same. And while the updates to The Enchanted Tiki Room were an obvious fail, that doesn't mean changes weren't needed.

 

[JustInTime]

I guess I still don't get why everyone's so hard on the GMR. Personally, I love it.

It has some of the most elaborate sets on property, the movies depicted throughout will never actually be "dated" (they happened in the past, and there's no updating required, since the movies never changed since they were made), and the hijacking is always entertaining (especially to first time riders).

I guess they could ADD some movies to the line-up, perhaps replace some sets with more recent movies, but that defeats the purpose of reliving the Hollywood of the past. They can always update the closing film to accommodate newer movies if they need to keep it "fresh".

I agree 100%. The movies in the ride are perfect. The ones that were chosen were picked because they can never be dated and they will always be relevant. Updated the AA's? Sure. Add new movies? Ok, but don't replace any of the others. The ride is not hurting at all because of the lack of updates. People who are smarter and more cleaver than us all made it so that wouldn't happen. And the themeing of the ride's exterior/interior fit perfectly with the park.