Why Didn't This Happen?!?

[Pete C]

GMR is just a bit too boring for the masses. I have taken many people on this ride, and people usually don't seem too impressed. It's not the pacing of the ride, but the content. Pirates is exciting because it is an adventure and has elaborate and fun sets. Haunted Mansion creates a sense of awe as you look at all the rooms and effects. GMR? It just doesn't have much "oomph". People go into these parks wanting to be wowed. The 60+ set will mostly love GMR, but kids? Somewhat. Teens? Not a chance. 20-somethings? Perhaps film buffs, but not much appeal outside of that. Everyone in-between will give you mixed reviews, probably slanting toward "not impressed". I don't really know what they could do to make it better. The live action scene is incredibly lame and cheesy. It doesn't create a sense of danger in the very least.

DHS is really a beautifully themed park, but is the most lacking in E-tickets as everyone knows. Toy Story is not even an E-ticket experience. Star Tours...that is just long overdue and about time. Carsland at DHS would probably be the best announcement WDW could make right now. I would prefer that to any upgrade or addition to any of the other parks just because that park is the most in need.

 

[Magenta Panther]

The more I think about the idea of plussing the GMR the more excited I get. A totally ripped-out, refurbed and elaborately plussed GMR could be the next Tower of Terror (in terms of immersive theming, spectacular effects and state-of-the-art AAs). It'd be cheaper, surely, than constructing a whole new show building, and there are plenty of films to draw on - the only trick would be using them to build up to a great climax and payoff, as ToT does.

In any refurb, though, the Wizard of Oz would have to stay - only plussed, perhaps adding the "twister" scene (what a great effect that could be!) that takes guests to the land of Oz. I think Star Wars should replace Alien, and maybe the ride could have a sequence with the classic Universal movie monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman (maybe throw in Abbott and Costello..that could be fun).

So many ideas...that ride could be AWESOME. I hope the Imagineers will consider refurbing GMR. There's just too much potential there. It'd be a shame to just let it languish.

 

[Chip'N'Dale Fan]

In any refurb, though, the Wizard of Oz would have to stay - only plussed, perhaps adding the "twister" scene (what a great effect that could be!) that takes guests to the land of Oz.

I believe the Fantasia scene was originally supposed to be the tornado. I heard that's why the walls look as they do and why there's a hefty breeze during the scene (of course now it's been repurposed for use during the Sorcerer's Apprentice clips). Apparently the 'tornado scene' wasn't working the way the Imagineers envisioned, so the idea was scrapped and Fantasia was used.

 

[Figment571]

In any refurb, though, the Wizard of Oz would have to stay - only plussed, perhaps adding the "twister" scene (what a great effect that could be!) that takes guests to the land of Oz. I think Star Wars should replace Alien, and maybe the ride could have a sequence with the classic Universal movie monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman (maybe throw in Abbott and Costello..that could be fun).

So many ideas...that ride could be AWESOME. I hope the Imagineers will consider refurbing GMR. There's just too much potential there. It'd be a shame to just let it languish.

They could never do that, well because, the guys who them have a park next door and use them for various things, Including Halloween horror Nights. (Disney needs to get on the ball with the more adult Halloween themed events imo) Also, I beilieve that no Universal movie actually appears within the GMR, I may be wrong but I do think so.

 

[tylers5592]

I think a refurbished GMR with new scenes that incorporates newer technology would be amazing. I love the attraction; however, there is no question that it is outdated. They should add a scene with Nosferatu.

 

[Tom]

They could never do that, well because, the guys who them have a park next door and use them for various things, Including Halloween horror Nights. (Disney needs to get on the ball with the more adult Halloween themed events imo) Also, I beilieve that no Universal movie actually appears within the GMR, I may be wrong but I do think so.

WDW is a family destination. Universal is a "PG-13" destination, with a few things thrown in for kids. WDW's version of Halloween is perfect as it is.

I think a refurbished GMR with new scenes that incorporates newer technology would be amazing. I love the attraction; however, there is no question that it is outdated. They should add a scene with Nosferatu.

YIKES! That would be...interesting. Heck, I always thought the Alien scene was scary when I was a kid (and last January :lookaroun). I can't imagine Nosferatu.

As for updating GMR, as I said before, I agree that there is a little room for updating, but I'd hate to see them start scrapping the sets from the actual classics in the ride, just to keep the kiddies happy and entertained. To me, it doesn't matter how far time progresses - those will always be classic Hollywood movies and worth showcasing.

I understand that WDW isn't a museum, but that doesn't mean things can't still be regarded as "classic" and be left alone. If they want to squeeze in a few newer movies, sure. But they can also update the finale film much cheaper and much more often. New movies come out far more frequently than they did in the "classic" days, so trying to keep the attraction "current" would be an impossible undertaking, and would eventually mean cardboard sets that they could throw away when the next movie-du-jour came out.

 

[Magenta Panther]

They could never do that, well because, the guys who them have a park next door and use them for various things, Including Halloween horror Nights. (Disney needs to get on the ball with the more adult Halloween themed events imo) Also, I beilieve that no Universal movie actually appears within the GMR, I may be wrong but I do think so.

You're probably right about the monsters. Too bad. It could be awesome.

 

[Magenta Panther]

I believe the Fantasia scene was originally supposed to be the tornado. I heard that's why the walls look as they do and why there's a hefty breeze during the scene (of course now it's been repurposed for use during the Sorcerer's Apprentice clips). Apparently the 'tornado scene' wasn't working the way the Imagineers envisioned, so the idea was scrapped and Fantasia was used.

Wow, I had no idea! Thanks for the info.

 

[GLaDOS]

WDW is a family destination. Universal is a "PG-13" destination, with a few things thrown in for kids. WDW's version of Halloween is perfect as it is.

Sorry, but it's not. There's no reason Disney can't do an adult themed Halloween thing at say DHS. But apparently nothing at WDW can happen unless the kiddies want it to or princesses are involved.:lol:

Family destination doesn't mean families-with-kids-under-13-only destination.:shrug:

 

[Oriolesmagic]

At this point, IOA already has another ride that blows Spidey out of the water, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. In my opinion, this ride, pure fun wise is better than any attraction that WDW has to offer. Do I think Disney could do better than Harry Potter? Of course, but as of now, it hasn't happened.

 

[monorail_silver]

At this point, IOA already has another ride that blows Spidey out of the water, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. In my opinion, this ride, pure fun wise is better than any attraction that WDW has to offer. Do I think Disney could do better than Harry Potter? Of course, but as of now, it hasn't happened.

Well said sir, they currently have the two best dark rides in Orlando.

 

[pax_65]

I understand that WDW isn't a museum, but that doesn't mean things can't still be regarded as "classic" and be left alone.

This statement is true, but there are very few things that fit into that category. And most (if not all) of them are in the Magic Kingdom.

Some of the movies showcased in GMR are classics, but the technology used in showcasing them is now 20 years old. I'm not suggesting we lose the AAs (they are still great, and it's what Disney is known for) but surely they can be used along with other technologies to make the ride more immersive, more interactive, more exciting.

I thought Magenta Panther made a good point about the Wizard of Oz. That scene is amazing but wouldn't it be cool if you rode the tornado to get to that scene? Now the ride truly is taking you INSIDE the movie, you're becoming a part of it - which clearly is what the imagineers envisioned when the ride was built.

You could make similar examples for each scene. If the ride was a 3D ride like Spiderman, the chimney sweepers in Mary Poppins could dance and actually jump on and off of your car - "STEP IN TIME!" You have to admit that would be cooler than just looking up at the rooftops at almost-static AAs, mannequins and shadow figures.

I could go on and on. The sad truth is that Universal is pushing the envelope of what's possible in theme park entertainment while Disney is falling behind.

 

[Tom]

This statement is true, but there are very few things that fit into that category. And most (if not all) of them are in the Magic Kingdom.

Some of the movies showcased in GMR are classics, but the technology used in showcasing them is now 20 years old. I'm not suggesting we lose the AAs (they are still great, and it's what Disney is known for) but surely they can be used along with other technologies to make the ride more immersive, more interactive, more exciting.

I thought Magenta Panther made a good point about the Wizard of Oz. That scene is amazing but wouldn't it be cool if you rode the tornado to get to that scene? Now the ride truly is taking you INSIDE the movie, you're becoming a part of it - which clearly is what the imagineers envisioned when the ride was built.

You could make similar examples for each scene. If the ride was a 3D ride like Spiderman, the chimney sweepers in Mary Poppins could dance and actually jump on and off of your car - "STEP IN TIME!" You have to admit that would be cooler than just looking up at the rooftops at almost-static AAs, mannequins and shadow figures.

I could go on and on. The sad truth is that Universal is pushing the envelope of what's possible in theme park entertainment while Disney is falling behind.

I will definitely admit that GMR could benefit from some serious plussing. The black curved wall with Sorcerer projecting on it is....lame, to say the least. A twister scene there would be pretty awesome (and with today's technology, would probably be a lot easier than when they tried it in the late 80s).

 

[pax_65]

A twister scene there would be pretty awesome (and with today's technology, would probably be a lot easier than when they tried it in the late 80s).

EXACTLY! There have been such tremendous gains in technology in the past 20 years. So much more is possible now.

There are two ways you can go. First, you can keep the attraction essentially intact and just make minor improvements using updated technology. This is what I would consider was done in The Haunted Mansion - one of those attractions you could argue is an untouchable classic. The result was great - nobody would want to undo those changes and go back to the way it was before.

The second option is a major overhaul... basically starting from scratch and saying, "If we were building this ride today with today's technology, what would we do?" Then you might re-use parts of the existing ride because it makes sense (such as keeping the Wizard of Oz scene because it's beloved and really strong) but totally changing other parts. This is what I think should be done with GMR (and many other older Disney attractions) but this understandably makes people nervous because they no longer trust that Disney will spend the money to make the attraction as good as it should be. Nightmares like the Spaceship Earth and Imagination refurbs come to mind.

The last option is to do nothing, or next-to-nothing, a minor refurb where you dust and repaint. To me this is completely unacceptable given the age and status of this attraction. But it seems to be the norm in WDW these days...

 

[Thrill Seeker]

EXACTLY! There have been such tremendous gains in technology in the past 20 years. So much more is possible now.

There are two ways you can go. First, you can keep the attraction essentially intact and just make minor improvements using updated technology. This is what I would consider was done in The Haunted Mansion - one of those attractions you could argue is an untouchable classic. The result was great - nobody would want to undo those changes and go back to the way it was before.

The second option is a major overhaul... basically starting from scratch and saying, "If we were building this ride today with today's technology, what would we do?" Then you might re-use parts of the existing ride because it makes sense (such as keeping the Wizard of Oz scene because it's beloved and really strong) but totally changing other parts. This is what I think should be done with GMR (and many other older Disney attractions) but this understandably makes people nervous because they no longer trust that Disney will spend the money to make the attraction as good as it should be. Nightmares like the Spaceship Earth and Imagination refurbs come to mind.

The last option is to do nothing, or next-to-nothing, a minor refurb where you dust and repaint. To me this is completely unacceptable given the age and status of this attraction. But it seems to be the norm in WDW these days...

The fourth option is to gut the building and build a brand new attraction inside. My vote would go to either option 2 or option 4. GMR is out of date and severely needs to be plussed. I'd be happy if they took what was there, changed out a few scenes and added some modern enhancements to the older scenes, but if they aren't willing to do that, I'd take a new attraction over just leaving the old one as is.

 

[Tom]

The fourth option is to gut the building and build a brand new attraction inside. My vote would go to either option 2 or option 4. GMR is out of date and severely needs to be plussed. I'd be happy if they took what was there, changed out a few scenes and added some modern enhancements to the older scenes, but if they aren't willing to do that, I'd take a new attraction over just leaving the old one as is.

I'd definitely be for Option 2. Use many of the sets that are there already, plus them, and replace others with new ones.

The sets I'd like to see kept, at a minimum, would be Mary Poppins, Alien (plus it, make the aliens work), Gangster/Temple, Munchkinland.

The opening scene with the girls dancing and singing in the rain is pretty lame, and only my grandparents even know what's going on there (and my grandparents are also the only people impressed with the robotic characters used).

While Casablanca defines "classic" the scene is a joke. It's a scrim, two robots with moving jaws, half a plane, and a speaker hidden in a crate. They could easily throw in a small but nice set there for something more recent.

Tarzan is sort of lame, in my opinion. That's a good sized room to build a very elaborate set - maybe a collage of Pixar scenes merged into one big set.

And, as discussed, throw the twister scene into the dark room just before Munchkinland. There could be some good CM interaction with Aunt Em and perhaps the farmhands as you ride through - with the CM being Dorothy, just like in the witch scene.

So much potential without gutting the thing and ruining just about the only things left from "MGM" that's worth a damn.

 

[Thrill Seeker]

I'd definitely be for Option 2. Use many of the sets that are there already, plus them, and replace others with new ones.

The sets I'd like to see kept, at a minimum, would be Mary Poppins, Alien (plus it, make the aliens work), Gangster/Temple, Munchkinland.

The opening scene with the girls dancing and singing in the rain is pretty lame, and only my grandparents even know what's going on there (and my grandparents are also the only people impressed with the robotic characters used).

While Casablanca defines "classic" the scene is a joke. It's a scrim, two robots with moving jaws, half a plane, and a speaker hidden in a crate. They could easily throw in a small but nice set there for something more recent.

Tarzan is sort of lame, in my opinion. That's a good sized room to build a very elaborate set - maybe a collage of Pixar scenes merged into one big set.

And, as discussed, throw the twister scene into the dark room just before Munchkinland. There could be some good CM interaction with Aunt Em and perhaps the farmhands as you ride through - with the CM being Dorothy, just like in the witch scene.

So much potential without gutting the thing and ruining just about the only things left from "MGM" that's worth a damn.

Casablanca needs to stay. That is one of the greatest films of all time and the scene is very well done. It may not be the most exciting of show scenes, but it's an excellent representation of the film. Tarzan, Fantasia, Footlight Parade, Alien and the generic Horror scene should go. I would replace Alien with Tron, Tarzan with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or Pirates of the Caribbean, Fantasia would be updated and redone from scratch, Footlight Parade would be replaced with Steamboat Willy and the generic horror scene I would replace with something like Sixth Sense.

If you notice, all of the films I included belong to Disney and can be easily implemented.

 

[ryguy]

Unfortunately this ride is to scary for our family right now, with kids 4 and 7 some of the movie choices are to scary. And also pretty loud which doesn't go over well in our house.

 

[DisneyLeo18]

Sorry, but it's not. There's no reason Disney can't do an adult themed Halloween thing at say DHS. But apparently nothing at WDW can happen unless the kiddies want it to or princesses are involved.:lol:

Family destination doesn't mean families-with-kids-under-13-only destination.:shrug:

As much as I agree, and think it would be good.. it will never happen. Can you imagine all the complaints after a little kid is screaming his face off and crying because he was scared?

They couldn't even keep Alien Encounter around without people complaining it was scary.

 

[Thrill Seeker]

I like my idea to transform Tom Sawyer Island during Halloween Parties into an adult themed haunt. The only way to get there is to ride on the haunted rafts. It would be away from the rest of the party and could make for a really interesting haunt.