Great Movie Ride closes for Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway

[skier_pete]

I think maybe 20 years ago GMR was an e ticket but because it hasn't been updated and has lost popularity I wouldn't classify it as one anymore.

Would agree - rides can definitely drop from the E-ticket list - as I've pointed out before - Country Bears was an original E-ticket. When the park opened with almost nothing in it, it was definitely an E-ticket.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I gotta ask:

Have you been to MGM lately?

Because that being opened or closed really doesn't affect the mess.

They are best to get all of this stuff done now...as quickly as possible.

"The needs of the many..."

Last trip was 2011. I'm not actually opposed to it closing. I like it but I don't love it. Maybe because I felt the live actors idk..I just would get a great one and then next time not a so great one. It's more or less because when I go ALL the construction that would be going on. It was at least a ride that I would be willing to go on and in my response to rteez I mentioned GMR closing would mean 2 actual rides that I would still personally want to ride with my husband willing to ride would be 4. To me it's not really the money aspect of getting your monies worth it's more or less 1 less thing in an already very very very reduced park to do during my upcoming trip though I honestly agree in getting it all done now just sucky timing for me.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I shouldn't reply but of course it had to be Joe.

I was over at DAK last weekend...I spent a good hour or so (done with the lion king show...) looking around as best I could...ducked into an "open door" or two...

Where is the billion? That's a dead honest question...

Final judgement reserved for when it opens...right after rivers of light

 

[rteetz]

I was over at DAK last weekend...I spent a good hour or so (done with the lion king show...) looking around as best I could...ducked into an "open door" or two...

Where is the billion? That's a dead honest question...

Final judgement reserved for when it opens...right after rivers of light

All that concrete isn't cheap

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Last trip was 2011. I'm not actually opposed to it closing. I like it but I don't love it. Maybe because I felt the live actors idk..I just would get a great one and then next time not a so great one. It's more or less because when I go ALL the construction that would be going on. It was at least a ride that I would be willing to go on and in my response to rteez I mentioned GMR closing would mean 2 actual rides that I would still personally want to ride with my husband willing to ride would be 4. To me it's not really the money aspect of getting your monies worth it's more or less 1 less thing in an already very very very reduced park to do during my upcoming trip though I honestly agree in getting it all done now just sucky timing for me.

I see your point...

But Here's the real beef of it:

They have for far too long delayed/cancelled/cut short ride closures to try to keep all the puppies drunk off the milk...credit boom/housing boom/Brazilian sugar boom/Britain before isolationism/high octane Canadian dollars...

While also not expanding or adding much of note...going on a score of years now...

So if anything can be taken as an overall positive (jury WAY out on toy story land (looking like Chester and Hester: part deux) and I'm not sold on Star Wars concepts being a longtime loyal and addicted Star Wars kid/adult)...it's that they have finally dumped the stupid, insulting construction progress schedules and are back to doing things - thank you, xfinity.

So it's really for the best. You may have ak additions to ease your pain. You got springs...bring your wallet.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

All that concrete isn't cheap

It seems to me that they have two wreckless 9 year olds locked in the toy store all weekend...with the keys to the safe.

I surely hope this is the last time. I only have a modest amount of shares...but I don't want people like that spending my money anymore. Spend it more economically somewhere else

 

[lockedoutlogic]

The great movie Ride with partial recorded narration stinks...by the way. Just thought I'd mention that.

Just like the land

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Would agree - rides can definitely drop from the E-ticket list - as I've pointed out before - Country Bears was an original E-ticket. When the park opened with almost nothing in it, it was definitely an E-ticket.

It's kinda unforgivable that they haven't added/updated that ride in 27 years though...isn't it?

Really embarassing for the people who "do it best"

Ten years ago I would have accepted it that they weren't gonna do AA ride through anymore...with the closures in Epcot...that I could buy.

But now we are getting lower forms of it...under the sea and the Norwegian boats to hell...
Which are nothing but robots singing the 5 song greatest hits from the movie as you ride but In fast forward.

Nothing with a story like the classic dark rides...

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I see your point...

But Here's the real beef of it:

They have for far too long delayed/cancelled/cut short ride closures to try to keep all the puppies drunk off the milk...credit boom/housing boom/Brazilian sugar boom/Britain before isolationism/high octane Canadian dollars...

While also not expanding or adding much of note...going on a score of years now...

Yeah that I completely agree with. They sat complacent for far too long and now it's catch up time. I was actually watching WDW Podcast and quite honestly I'm mostly in agreement with how Pete was depicting WDW right now; feels to me they've backed themselves into a corner and now are trying what they can to get out of it.

So if anything can be taken as an overall positive (jury WAY out on toy story land (looking like Chester and Hester: part deux) and I'm not sold on Star Wars concepts being a longtime loyal and addicted Star Wars kid/adult)...it's that they have finally dumped the stupid, insulting construction progress schedules and are back to doing things - thank you, xfinity.

Yeah we'll see how Star Wars land as a whole works. I enjoyed the original ones, the prequels...yeah not so much..and I enjoyed that most recent one for the most part. I was never a big fan of Toy Story *gasp* so I'm kinda indifferent to that new area. Maybe if I have kids when I next go I might feel differently. I'm glad they are getting things finally done but just like I said sucky timing for me.

So it's really for the best. You may have ak additions to ease your pain. You got springs...bring your wallet.

Yeah I'm really hoping that Pandora is open in September 2017; I'd take it if something was open but would really love the whole thing *me holding my breath here* (ETA: would be nice as I already found out that Fast and Furious ride at Universal got delayed til 2018). As for Disney Springs I'm actually really excited as in 2011 we found the place to be better than CityWalk but just so so. The new shopping that just opened up..eh doesn't appeal to me as much I'm wayyyyyyy too cheap to even set foot in a non-outlet high end store and even then..I'm more interested in Disney souvenirs than high-end clothing I can get elsewhere, but at least there will be plenty of new things to see since my last trip.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

The current offerings at springs offers nothing more in the way of Disney souvenirs...

I had hoped that the Large expansion would lead to more partnerships with the third party vendors if nothing else...let alone some real increase in quality beyond the Awful state of park merchandise...it hasn't happened as of yet.

I went into the Tommy store and I would have sworn that I was in some boutique mall in Texas or on duval street in key west. Really bland retail store with an anteceptic feel and clubbing Music. Didn't even bother to carry the shirts that they sell in the poly for the last year...can't see why not.

The Lilly store was worse. Cramped version of king of Prussia.

The area was mobbed with foreign travelers (frankly) and some younger locals looking to look cool (not shopping...typical orlandoeans). Architecture and design overall pretty bad...pathways inadequate. "Springs" all but useless.

Dining was the high spot...ate at three new places. (3 words: Art Smiths Homecoming) they were all solid and what I felt was reasonable.

Perhaps the west side of PI will yield more gains as a hole.

They will have to redo marketplace and west side now...those areas don't fit...look out of place.

Sorry for the hijack.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The current offerings at springs offers nothing more in the way of Disney souvenirs...

I had hoped that the Large expansion would lead to more partnerships with the third party vendors if nothing else...let alone some real increase in quality beyond the Awful state of park merchandise...it hasn't happened as of yet.

I went into the Tommy store and I would have sworn that I was in some boutique mall in Texas or on duval street in key west. Really bland retail store with an anteceptic feel and clubbing Music. Didn't even bother to carry the shirts that they sell in the poly for the last year...can't see why not.

The Lilly store was worse. Cramped version of king of Prussia.

The area was mobbed with foreign travelers (frankly) and some younger locals looking to look cool (not shopping...typical orlandoeans). Architecture and design overall pretty bad...pathways inadequate. "Springs" all but useless.

Dining was the high spot...ate at three new places. (3 words: Art Smiths Homecoming) they were all solid and what I felt was reasonable.

Perhaps the west side of PI will yield more gains as a hole.

They will have to redo marketplace and west side now...those areas don't fit...look out of place.

Sorry for the hijack.

Yeah I was more meaning the new shopping part I would like skip entirely because the shops are not my cup of tea I mean maybe I would venture into the stores if they were more about offering Disney-themed stuff. From what I've heard most believe they put the high end stores in to stop people from going to the outlet stores. I don't shop at the high end stores at home and I'm not going to just start because they are at Disney Springs. But that being said I'm really excited about all the new dining places and aside from the new shopping part I think I'll enjoy the ambience at least compared to what it was in 2011.

*sorry for the off-topicness*

 

[raidermatt]

This makes me more sad and angry than any other move they have made. Further, it's really sad so many are so clueless as to why it sucks.

 

[Budshark]

Mickey Ride? #BringBackTheHat (Someone had to say it!)

Honestly, we are all "failures" (at least those of us who spent too much time looking at this stuff). We shouldn't seen this one coming a mile away. What is the biggest gap with the Studios? No iconic center piece. They ripped out the hat, and we all said Earful Tower. They tore down the tower, and we all said... Hmm.. Ok, well I guess the icon is the Chinese Theater. All the while, Disney was ripping out and tearing down everything they don't own (ahem, ToT)... and here it was a park with a replica of a non-Disney property as its center piece?

But... rip that out, redo the facade in a Mickey-esque fashion? Give your new park a brand spanking new identity, with a brand spanking new Mickey centerpiece... Sold and sold.

So when does the E-Ticket Mickey Ferris wheel go in?

By the way... whats left that isn't "Disney-esque"? Aerosmith... Come on BH6 San Fransokyo Launch Coaster!!!!!!! Its coming boys and girls, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of our lives...

 

[Delirium]

I guess the expiring contract is the driving force behind the timing, but not sure how much upheaval Hollywood Studios can take at one time. Would have been better if one (or both) of the new lands was up and running before this happened.

 

[rteetz]

Mickey Ride? #BringBackTheHat (Someone had to say it!)

Honestly, we are all "failures" (at least those of us who spent too much time looking at this stuff). We shouldn't seen this one coming a mile away. What is the biggest gap with the Studios? No iconic center piece. They ripped out the hat, and we all said Earful Tower. They tore down the tower, and we all said... Hmm.. Ok, well I guess the icon is the Chinese Theater. All the while, Disney was ripping out and tearing down everything they don't own (ahem, ToT)... and here it was a park with a replica of a non-Disney property as its center piece?

But... rip that out, redo the facade in a Mickey-esque fashion? Give your new park a brand spanking new identity, with a brand spanking new Mickey centerpiece... Sold and sold.

So when does the E-Ticket Mickey Ferris wheel go in?

By the way... whats left that isn't "Disney-esque"? Aerosmith... Come on BH6 San Fransokyo Launch Coaster!!!!!!! Its coming boys and girls, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of our lives...

Well the Chinese theater is staying...

 

[Bethislucy]

I kind of like this.

 

[Moliphino]

It's kinda unforgivable that they haven't added/updated that ride in 27 years though...isn't it?

Really embarassing for the people who "do it best"

Ten years ago I would have accepted it that they weren't gonna do AA ride through anymore...with the closures in Epcot...that I could buy.

But now we are getting lower forms of it...under the sea and the Norwegian boats to hell...
Which are nothing but robots singing the 5 song greatest hits from the movie as you ride but In fast forward.

Nothing with a story like the classic dark rides...

Under the Sea takes you through the whole Little Mermaid story, no different from Peter Pan's flight. I haven't ridden Frozen yet, but I'll agree that there doesn't seem to be much of a story on that one.
Having ridden Snow White and the Pinocchio ride recently, I'd say those are less coherent in telling the stories than Under the Sea.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Under the Sea takes you through the whole Little Mermaid story, no different from Peter Pan's flight. I haven't ridden Frozen yet, but I'll agree that there doesn't seem to be much of a story on that one.
Having ridden Snow White and the Pinocchio ride recently, I'd say those are less coherent in telling the stories than Under the Sea.

To be honest...you're comparing a modern weak effort to older weak efforts.

I noticed you didn't mention pirates or haunted mansion...which of course are the gold standard of dark rides

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I guess the expiring contract is the driving force behind the timing, but not sure how much upheaval Hollywood Studios can take at one time. Would have been better if one (or both) of the new lands was up and running before this happened.

All WDW parks are a captive audience.

Having just been...the current state of studios hasn't made too much of a dent. Crowds are down - but they were everywhere.

MGM didn't have much before...it has slightly less now. Taking great movie ride offline won't change much.

 

[rteetz]

All WDW parks are a captive audience.

Having just been...the current state of studios hasn't made too much of a dent. Crowds are down - but they were everywhere.

MGM didn't have much before...it has slightly less now. Taking great movie ride offline won't change much.

I agree people will go anyways to DHS because of the "Star Wars offerings" just like they did with Frozen summer fun.