Is ANYTHING new ever coming to MGM?

[wtg2000]

Cinemagique is about the only good thing at Disney Studios Paris, besides the awesome car stunt show. It features Martin Short and Julie Delpy (in a Star Wars Stormtropper outfit!), and is pretty much as described above. There are a couple 4-D effects. However, it is another "film" and these do tend to get old sometimes, and it would trample a bit on the Great Movie Ride concept.

 

[WDWalways]

I would like to see the GMR be updated to include newer movies but not taken out completely - my husband and Mom love that ride!! They definitely need to update or add something to the Backlot tour - something "thrilling" other than Catastrophe Canyon and some newer, updated movie/tv sets/props. I would LOVE it if they could do to the Animation building what they did in DCA - that Animation building is AWESOME!!

 

[candleonwater]

I can't say that I dislike MGM as it is now, but it is not a "major" destination for us... we tend to hit the park later in the afternoons... so it's even less than a half day park for us.

 

[DisOrBust]

I am amazed that there are no CURRENT plans to replace Hunchback! I hope 5 yrs is an over estimate. Isn't there anything little new thing planned? It doesn't have to be an E ticket just something to justify going back?

 

[Peter Pirate]

MGM used to be our favorite park but the closing of Doug & Huntchback has put a serious dent in our opinion. We now like AK best (I know this is unusual) but IMO Disney would have to do so little to make MGM whole again...Namely just replace the two shows...Come on Disney!!!

 

[Rideengineer]

Originally posted by wdwguide
Time to tear down the useless New York Street set and *do* something with that real estate.

Then where would they film amazing promo music videos like the one for "That's so Raven"???

Couldn't resist!

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

Wouldn't it make sense for them to add a version of the Indy ride from Disneyland to MGM?

I think this is basically "Dinasour" in a different setting so would not recommend duplicating something that is already at WDW.

 

[grinningghost]

What I wonder is, how many people read threads like these, and find their view of the park becomes terribly jaded. I know that most of what is said is true, but all in all, it's still a great park and I wouldn't dream of skipping over it on my trip. Has anyone really decided not to visit MGM after reading this thread?

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

Also looking at the remarks about the backlot tour ... talk about things declining over time ...

When the park first opened the backlot tour consisted of:

> Miniatures demonstration (still there in updated version)
>"Blue Screen" demonstration with a couple kids in the "show" based on Honey I Shrunk the Kids
> Visit to a working TV studio (we saw actual filming of show w/ Hulk Hogan) ... including the "sound" studio and a demo of how films are made ("The Lottery" w/ Bette Midler)
> Tour tram including Catastrophe Canyon (still there)

They have basically shortened the "Backlot Tour" by 1/2. I'm thinking that the reasoning was that people didn't want to devote a full 2 hours for this one "attraction".

Thinking back, it is really a shame because this is suppose to be a "Movie/TV" themed park and the original tour really gave you a feel for how movies and TV showed were filmed.

 

[OnWithTheShow]

The Orginal Studios Tour I believe clocked in at nearly three hours. The tour was then split into Backstage Pass, and the Backlot Tour. With fewer and fewer shows/movies being filmed at the Studios and Millionaire taking over two soundstages Backstage Pass was shuttered. There are still a few places where an interesting attraction could be placed in the existing Studios infrastructure. The ABC TV theater sits empty as does the Backlot theater (I have heard rumors of its impending removal). Soundstage One is rarely used for filming anymore and has enough space for either a show, film, or a moderate sized dark ride (I vote dark ride!). And Star Tours could be updated. That is 4 new attractions right there. Who knows when they might happen though.

 

[leanne2255]

WELL........ when i go to MGM i could ride ToT and RNR forever!!! that is all i do when i am there. BUT i do agree, that some of the older rides (not ToT or RnR or some others) need to change...... or they need to get some newer attractions/rides. BUT until then.. i'm gunna spend my time going on ToT and RnR over and over and over!!!!

 

[wtg2000]

WELL........ when i go to MGM i could ride ToT and RNR forever!!! that is all i do when i am there.

I think that's what a lot of people do judging from traffic flow. I wonder if they even realize there's anything beyond Sunset Blvd. I do that sometimes as well. I think any new major attraction would probably go on the other side of the park, otherwise the ground is going to start tipping.

 

[sm4987]

I treat MGM like a half day park. Besides from playhouse Disney and Fantasmic, my children really didn't enjoy the park. They felt Indy was to long, my son got bored with Beauty and the Beast, Star Tours was alright, neither of them are tall enough for TOT or RnR. When I visited MGM 10 years ago I loved it, not it's iffy at best. I will miss Hunchback. It was truly great. I hope that just like the AK, that MGM will start getting new attractions soon!

 

[abeyst]

I agree with all the posts- all 3 parks (minus MK) need work. Epcot and MGM the most. I don't see why they can't throw back in a few shows at MGM to replace Hunchback and Indy while they update Epcot. It's not like they'd be putting in a whole new ride, just updating what's there. That way we wouldn't be waiting years and years and lifetimes before all the parks got something new.

At the rate they're planning to update aka "revitalize", my kids will be grown and never get to experience the same great parks I visited when I was younger.

And if so many parks are going to become 1/2 day parks, there won't be a need to buy passes for your whole trip since you can visit more than one park in a day. I see a money loss!

 

[travelgoddess]

The GMR is kust being updated, it will be reopened the end of June.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Have to admit, w/o RnRC and ToT we would spend next to no at Disney Studios/MGM.
About the only reaon we go back into the New York Streets anymore is just so DH can see what Toy Story things he can buy. He likes their selection back there.
But I do have a great photo with me and Kermit and Miss Piggy! So glad I was back there for that!
The decor and props are great. They just need to make a reason to go there.

 

[CarolynU]

The Studios used to be our favourite park. We always got a fast pass for TOT or RORC and then went to Doug and Hunchback and WWTBAM or Backstage Pass while we waited for the FP time to kick in. We often ate lunch at H&V. With all those attractions up and running we never had a problem filling our day. Also as the shows had such a large capacity the crowds were spaced out. Not so now. With so many things closed WWTBAM is very crowded in the stand by line at peak times and therefore you often have to choose this or TOT. So much has closed now that rather than going to The Studios for three or four days per vacation we now go for perhaps two half days, and eat off site. Shame.

 

[wtg2000]

Or the Indy coaster from DL Paris?

I never liked this coaster, and like it even less since it started going backwards. It just hurts. With an Indy attraction already in place I'm pretty sure we won't see this.

Or maybe even the Roger Rabbit ride from DL?

This I would like to see. I love this ride. After the movie came out, there were all kinds of offical reports of Roger Rabbit attractions, including Baby Herman's Buggy Ride and a Roger Rabbit coaster. For whatever reason, they never happened. Both DL and TDL got Roger but WDW got zilch. There was even a Roger Rabbit store built but a ride never happened.

I'd like to see them do something with the New York street. Now it just lays there.

 

[mudhen]

Disney Studios being considered a 1/2 day
park is all a matter of preference and
perspective.
I can understand this, for me, our local park,
Cedar Point, is no longer a full day park for us.
I've been going 2-3 times per year, for about
20 years.
BUT, for many, it's a 2-3 day vacation destination.
It's hard for me to rip Cedar Point and say they
need new shows and attractions because I've seen
everything by 4:00 (mainly because CP adds new stuff every year or two and it doesn't take them
2-3 years to build it). For most people though, that's just not the case.
Same can be said for the Disney parks. We can only
get to Disney every 3-4 years, so all the parks
are full days, and sometimes we visit all of them
multiple days each trip.

I'll be the first to stand up and say I'd love
to see a new major attraction or updates at the
Studios, but for those who think it's a 1/2 day now, you should have seen it back in 89'-90' when it first opened and they were still charging full price.