Disney-MGM Studios changes?

[Fantasmic303]

Friends of our family are visiting WDW for the first time in a while next week and asked me to give them some tips and whatnot for their trip - my prize for helping them will be the Wishes soundtrack, so I'm super excited!! (I asked if they'd pick it up if I gave them money, but they offered to bring it back for me if I helped them have a magical time - of course I was only too willing to help!)

As such, I'm trying to do park guides tailored for them - rides they HAVE to do, things they shouldn't wait in a long line for, secret things they might have overlooked...the usual DIS business. Unfortunately, our most recent trip was in October, and I fear things have changed at Disney Studios. The other parks seem to be generally on target, but I've got some questions.

1 - Is the Magic of Disney Animation anything now? Considering they closed the Florida animation team, I was assuming no, buuuutt....

2 - What's in the Making of the Haunted Mansion Movie attraction? Are the props still set up, or has it been replaced?

3 - Are the New York Street backlots re-opened yet? I know they were working on Chicago and stuff...


Any other new things I should note will be appreciated. I couldn't find a current map anywhere online (unless they really WERE current and I just assumed Animation was closed...)

Thanks for your help!!

 

[tinkerbell81284]

Animation was still open but no animators when I was there in March 2004. It was still interesting, I learned how to draw Goofy after the "tour".

The NY Street had construction guys working too but nothing too bad. You could still walk there and everything.

I didn't get a chance to go into HM Behind the Scenes but that's what I figured was in there. It might be gone by now?!?

Tink

 

[DavidandDenise]

We were there the last week of March and the Animation tour was closed "due to technical difficulties." Whether it opened again or not, I don't know. The HM thing was neat. They have the fireplace and the staircase with the pipe organ sets in one big room. You basically come in and watch a short film and then get to browse around. There are other little costume/prop things along the left wall. It's worth going to see, but they frown on flash photography (even though I got a couple good shots in before she told me)

David

 

[Fantasmic303]

Originally posted by DavidandDenise
We were there the last week of March and the Animation tour was closed "due to technical difficulties."

Um, yes, one would assume that laying off your staff would create a glitch or two in daily activity.


Thanks for the updates, guys!!

 

[Janet2k]

Originally posted by Fantasmic303
2 - What's in the Making of the Haunted Mansion Movie attraction?

Fantasmic303, the movie set is beautiful. If you can tour it, try to do so. I have some photos of it in a few of my on-line photo albums. These photos were taken for me by a Disney photographer (my husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary with a private party there; I wrote about it in my report on the Dis’ Trip Reports board).

To see a slideshow that contains a few photos of the ballroom set, click here. That slideshow should give you a glimpse of how the lighting is adjusted during the tour (the lighting is quite dramatic). To see other photos of the movie set attraction, click here. You’ll find photos in there of various props, costumes, a zombie head, and so on.

 

[QuickGold]

1 - Yes there's an updated attraction that goes through it now similiar to the one in DCA.

2 - It will be up until May 1.

3 - It's not 100% complete. Try http://www.mgmstudios.org/ny.html for more info