MGM - Been there, going back, what's left to do? am I grumpy?

[duffy]

 

[loveysbydesign]

love that thread title...gave me a chuckle! I agree with you.

 

[triciari]

Great post - I've never been to HS, and was wondering what we'd do besides TSM. I think the 1/2 day might work for us. Kids are 7, 5 and 2, and we do want to eat at SCi-Fi, and maybe 50s prime time, too. Want TSM, and one of the stunt shows, thought voyage of little mermain, too. Not at all interested in TofT, maybe slightly intersested in RnR. Yikes! Guess we'll be gettting the park hopper.

P.S. We have GADs, so we'll be able to do TSM 3 times in one day. Maybe 4 if we get the FP.

 

[SaraJayne]

It's a half day or less for our family as well...if we even bother with it. Most times, we completely skip it.

We always leave before meal time and eat somewhere else.

 

[Bouncin-Tigger]

Agree with OP, half day if that and needs some updating and real attractions.

 

[jackemail]

I agree with most of your points. Still like to hit the park for a few things, but most attractions are an every other year thing. Do wish they would make some changes to Great Movie Ride,make a few changes to the Muppets, add to Backlot Tour, and change out entirely the Indiana Jones show. Little Mermaid was better when it was longer.

Hoping the new Star Tours is a WOW.

 

[Got Muchness]

I'm not a big HS fan. We go one day out of nine while we are at DW. Basically we go for the ToT, RnR, and the Jedi thingy. My kids still love that.

ON ANOTHER note....I am not a racing fan (big college football enthusiast) BUT who the HECK is that hottie in your signature? I could watch Racing if I got to look at him!

 

[eliza61]

HS has always been a "visual" park to me. The appeal is the theming (sp?) for me. What kinda gets me ruffled with updates is that there are thing that could be done easily. Like the great movie ride. nowadays with computer generated graphics, I think it would be pretty easy to spiff up this ride. Indiana Jones may be a little harder because it's pretty much "live".

Also bring back the "live" street performers. they used to be every where and were really enjoyable.

I love the Muppets, it's "corneyish" is actually what I like about it.

 

[ilovejsparrow]

OP- I have to agree. We're always rope drop to park close kind of people, and we always struggle to stay busy at DHS. As a kid I remember it being my favorite park-probably because everything was new to me then- but now it's a bore. Plus they took the Golden Girls house out of the Backlot

 

[Scraper]

After countless trips, we also find DHS a half day park. We do the usual: TSMM, ToT, RnR, Muppets. Maybe go see Mushu and get a photo with MM.

My biggest issue is the lack of atmosphere. The park lacks a magical vista where you can passively soak in the magic. At MK I could bench sit to people watch for a long time in various locations and feel it's worth the trip. Epcot, walking the WS is worth it for the view alone. AK, many wonderful lookouts and hidden paths. I always feel the concrete jungle is around me at DHS. I do Disney immersion style -- and DHS isn't an immersion place. I like the street performers and parade/street shows (even HSM). Long way of saying it isn't themed enough for me.

Food choices are poor too (although I like Brown Derby).

Having said all of that, when we "tour guide" family and friends, they really like it and don't have the "lame" park reaction many here do. I think the frustration may be more acutely felt by repeat guests.

This is also how we feel about DHS. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the marvel theme will be coming soon along with new rides. We are repeat visitors and while we can still have a decent day at DHS it does not hold our attention as well as the other parks.

 

[OhThePain]

I'm with you OP. We usually get there shortly after RD. Do MV3D, TSM, walk around a bit, have lunch at 50's and then leave. We do it more just to break up the visits to EPCOT, MK and AK.

 

[Coach81]

Yeah, perhaps it's time to go check out USF??? Change things up a bit??

 

[phyllis1966]

It's a half day or less for our family as well...if we even bother with it. Most times, we completely skip it.

We always leave before meal time and eat somewhere else.

Same for our family...we only went last year to try out TSMM one morning after breakfast, then we left. Another night, we went back 1/2 hour before closing just to see the Osborne Lights. Those are the only 2 reasons for our family to visit DHS (and we still call it MGM, too!).

 

[DreamLiveLoveDisney]

I agree that it could use some updating, new attractions, and definitely a few more dining options, but I really love DHS (which will always be MGM to me).

Plus they took the Golden Girls house out of the Backlot

So funny that you mention this. That used to be my favorite part of MGM when I was younger (I have no idea why; wierd kid, I guess). I was so sad when they took it away.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Totally agree with OP. This used to be my favorite park, back when it first opened. I think the first time I ever went was back in 1990 on a high school trip and I could not wait to take my parents there later that same year and show them this honest to goodness "working" television studio. We might even see some TV stars! Maybe I was a gullible kid, but back then, it actually seemed like a working studio - and it was - but probably not as much as I thought it was. At least they created the illusion back then.

Nowadays we're lucky if we spend 2 or 3 hours there. Some trips we've skipped it entirely and not felt bad for a second. When we do go, we swoop in and ride RnRC, browse a shop or two, and then we're off to another park. The last straw for me was when they tore out all the backlot stuff to put in Lights, Motor, Action. Call me goofy, or maybe a little too nostalgic, but I loved seeing the houses from Leave it to Beaver and the Golden Girls. (If only I knew where those old photos were...) Now, there ain't a lot of backlot to the backlot tour.

I think DHS has the most undeveloped potential. Look at all that space used up by Streets of America. Couldn't Disney put something actually useful and fun there? It seems its only purpose is to sit around and wait for Christmas to come so Disney has a place to put up the Osborne lights. And how about Sounds Dangerous? How long has that been operating "seasonally"? (Is it ever open anymore?) Put in a new 3D show or something using the newer technology. Right now it's another waste of space.

All that said, just like the OP, we'll be going back to DHS. To ride RnRC, to watch Otto VonBonbon direct Toluca Lake in his latest smash hit on the streets of DHS, to see Muppet Vision 3D for the 15th time, to see the gangsters shoot it out one more time...

 

[NHDisneyMom]

I was just thinking this after our trip in Aug/Sept. We hit some of the attractions we have not been on in years and they were the same. Kids liked them, but they were old for DH and I. Otherwise we ride TSM, ToT and RR and then we are done. Food can be a hit or miss in this park. There is not one place I HAVE to go back too each visit - or even every 5th visit. OK, I do like the Brown Derby but can't always afford this one. We have reservations for Feb. and I really hope my expectations aren't out of wack with reality. Don't want to be disappointed.

It seems when they are rehabing some rides, it's just the mechanics and not the things that keep the ride interesting. I think RR needs a few different movies at the beginning - as does TT - so it shakes it up a little and you are not board out of your mind if you have ridden more than twice. Maybe a little of, "which movie did you see" or "I hope I see the movie with ..." I think it would make the wait more interesting.

Disney is still my happy place and I will continue going but I don't bother with doing any of the parks commando any longer. Maybe they have spread out too much. Maybe I'm just expecting too much. Maybe I need to visit Universal next time. I think Disney has to find a way to keep it interesting. Hopefully there is something in the works to wow us. It would be nice if a few things were in the works so the one new attraction isn't a 3 hour wait. Spread the crowd around Disney.

Thanks to the OP for starting this thread - nice to know I'm not alone. Grumpy happens. Maybe it's because I'm not in my happy place right now.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I would agree that you can write this about any of the parks, but I do understand how you feel. After awhile, it just doesn't seem worth it to go back to a park.

But for me, that park is Epcot.

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

We've never been fans of DHS and have flat out skipped it on our last two trips. I will never understand the excitement and passion that people have for TSMM, Rock n' Rollercoaster makes my DW viciously sick to her stomach (it's uncanny, and she can ride any other roller coaster that we have ever encountered) so we don't do that, and the atmosphere has never really done anything for us. We enjoy Tower of Terror, but it's not worth going just for that ride.

We are planning a half day on our upcoming trip, mainly because our friend who we're taking with us wants to eat at '50's Prime Time Cafe, but we expect to leave shortly after lunch.

 

[KellyNY]

OP, I totally agree with you. DHS was the very first park we experienced years ago and my first thought was "Disney is so overrated". I did not like park at all and was depressed that I wasted so much money on that. When we checked other parks I crossed DHS from my list. When we did hoppers we would come stricktly for TOT. This trip we wanted to do TSM so without hoppers we stayed in park. We did TOT, RnR coaster, movie ride and backstage ride(or whatever it is called). TSM did not worse spending a day there. Park looks so old, not old style but old. They have to do something about it. We do not spend much time at AKas well, but at least AK is pleasant to walk around, DHS not.

 

[Ana~n~Joseph]

Ok I'll be in the minority and stand up for my little DHS- I love DHS. I use to not be a fan and we would skip it but then it grew on me. I can ride ToT, RnR and TSM over and over again and I still visit my favorite attractions - I love to draw at the Animation Bldg (skip the show), catch Beauty and the Beast and the Great Movie Ride is mandatory. My all time favorite thing to do though...sit and watch the Citizens of Hollywood - they make my day. Sure, it's not a park where we "go go go", but it's nice and relaxing and fun (to me).