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

[Douglas Dubh]

I would temper my enthusiasm if it turns out that the Ratatouille style ride system is not that great, meaning not E-ticket great, or if the Mickey Ride as kitted out is too abbreviated, tacky, overly video-based, and lacking in quality and re-ridability.

The ride system works pretty well. I didn't enjoy Ratatouille as much as Pooh at TDL or Mystic Manor, I think mainly because it was more screen based. I think Pooh is the best of the three because it has the best sets. But Mystic Manor has some nice effects. If a Mickey ride has sets and effects on par with any of the three it should be a very enjoyable and repeatable ride while also being fun for the whole family.

 

[rteetz]

The ride system works pretty well. I didn't enjoy Ratatouille as much as Pooh at TDL or Mystic Manor, I think mainly because it was more screen based. I think Pooh is the best of the three because it has the best sets. But Mystic Manor has some nice effects. If a Mickey ride has sets and effects on par with any of the three it should be a very enjoyable and repeatable ride while also being fun for the whole family.

Something DHS needs however I wish they could do it without taking out an existing attraction.

 

[916chipndale]

Sounds like it will be a good ride... and obviously it's been said before but I really don't know why this has to replace the GMR. Toss this in Animation Courtyard in a brand new building, update GMR and it would be a home run. Wonder if they will show old Mickey cartoons in the pre show or if they will get rid of that.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Something DHS needs however I wish they could do it without taking out an existing attraction.

The Star Wars crowds are likely to overrun the capacity of by far the smallest park...

They need "additions"...not "replacements"

 

[a4matte]

(Not sure if this was brought up in the 8-or-so pages that are already on this thread)
Someone in the News Round Up thread mentioned that it would be awesome to see a ride based on DISNEY'S classic movies.

Whether classics or not, I'd love to see them do something similar with the movies that don't get much RIDE love in the park.
Imagine riding through the wedding/transformation scene from Princess and the Frog, a scene with Rapunzel's hair draped all over the room and glowing while she sings, an expansive scene from Mulan like near the end when the Emperor is giving Mulan his crest and the Red Square bows to her, Pinocchio's puppet show, Lion King where they raise the baby above the crowd from Pride Rock, Cinderella transforming into her ball gown, "Friend Like Me" scene from Aladdin... So so so many awesome scenes they could do from movies that don't really need a FULL ride at the park.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Tangled is about 5 years old...(better than frozen...but whatever)

"Classic" implies a movie with longterm significance or something that provided an innovation in some way or another...

So if you're talking Bambi,Fantasia, sleeping beauty, or the early Mickey cartoons or silly symphonies...I'm with you there.

 

[a4matte]

Tangled is about 5 years old...(better than frozen...but whatever)

"Classic" implies a movie with longterm significance or something that provided an innovation in some way or another...

So if you're talking Bambi,Fantasia, sleeping beauty, or the early Mickey cartoons or silly symphonies...I'm with you there.

Hence the "Whether classics or not..." line

 

[circus4u]

Yep it's supposed to use an LPS trackless system just like ratatouille and mystic manor.

All this talk about trackless ride systems; obviously, there is probably not a visible track, but just what the heck is a trackless system? What are the advantages of it over any other ride system?

 

[a4matte]

All this talk about trackless ride systems; obviously, there is probably not a visible track, but just what the heck is a trackless system? What are the advantages of it over any other ride system?

Usually for trackless things there are guides set into the cement that broadcast radio waves to tell the cars where to go (Or the computer will tell the car to follow guideline A vs B). A warehouse I worked at in college used this for areas that had the multi-story-high shelves very close together. The forklifts were programmed to run on these guides so there wasn't a chance of a human driver running into the shelves. Disney may have advanced this concept to be fully computerized GPS in the rooms - I'm not sure.

It lets the ride cars do things a normal tracked car couldn't do. Things like go different speeds from others, weave between one another, spread out all over, move independently from the others. Removing and adding cars is probably much much faster and easier since they don't need to stop the other cars to pull one from the ride.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Okay lets recap.

Great Movie Ride closes in 2017. TCM sponsorship contract doesn't end until 2018 but that won't matter.

Any hope of it staying open through mid-September 2017? Just wondering as my trip will be early to mid-September 2017.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Any hope of it staying open through mid-September 2017? Just wondering as my trip will be early to mid-September 2017.

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..."

 

[rteetz]

All this talk about trackless ride systems; obviously, there is probably not a visible track, but just what the heck is a trackless system? What are the advantages of it over any other ride system?

This LPS system like ratatouille uses obviously doesn't have a track. This allows the the vehicles to dance, move, interact with other vehicles and possibly give each ride experience something different. The vehicles do follow sensors set up in certain areas.

 

[rteetz]

Any hope of it staying open through mid-September 2017? Just wondering as my trip will be early to mid-September 2017.

Haven't heard anything other than 2017.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Usually for trackless things there are guides set into the cement that broadcast radio waves to tell the cars where to go (Or the computer will tell the car to follow guideline A vs B). A warehouse I worked at in college used this for areas that had the multi-story-high shelves very close together. The forklifts were programmed to run on these guides so there wasn't a chance of a human driver running into the shelves. Disney may have advanced this concept to be fully computerized GPS in the rooms - I'm not sure.

It lets the ride cars do things a normal tracked car couldn't do. Things like go different speeds from others, weave between one another, spread out all over, move independently from the others. Removing and adding cars is probably much much faster and easier since they don't need to stop the other cars to pull one from the ride.

Right...the theory in amusement parks being that you can also redesign the ride/move the set pieces/change the storyline rather easily without heavy amounts of mechanical construction and engineering.

...so joe rohde could change the "plane crazy" scene into "galloping gaucho" in only 28 month on a $227 mil budget

 

[circus4u]

Usually for trackless things there are guides set into the cement that broadcast radio waves to tell the cars where to go (Or the computer will tell the car to follow guideline A vs B). A warehouse I worked at in college used this for areas that had the multi-story-high shelves very close together. The forklifts were programmed to run on these guides so there wasn't a chance of a human driver running into the shelves. Disney may have advanced this concept to be fully computerized GPS in the rooms - I'm not sure.

It lets the ride cars do things a normal tracked car couldn't do. Things like go different speeds from others, weave between one another, spread out all over, move independently from the others. Removing and adding cars is probably much much faster and easier since they don't need to stop the other cars to pull one from the ride.

Got it, thanks. Isn't a similar system used along the parade route for the floats? Seems to me that when the Electric Parade made its debut so many years ago, I heard that this was the way the floats worked - sensors imbeded in main street.

 

[rteetz]

Got it, thanks. Isn't a similar system used along the parade route for the floats? Seems to me that when the Electric Parade made its debut so many years ago, I heard that this was the way the floats worked - sensors imbeded in main street.

Kind of but more advanced. The ride vehicles can do more than parade floats obviously.

 

[rteetz]

Right...the theory in amusement parks being that you can also redesign the ride/move the set pieces/change the storyline rather easily without heavy amounts of mechanical construction and engineering.

...so joe rohde could change the "plane crazy" scene into "galloping gaucho" in only 28 month on a $227 mil budget

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

 

[skier_pete]

So I'm curious - I realize many people like the GMR, but does anyone consider it a true "E-ticket"? (And while I hate that term in referring to new rides - MY definition of an E-ticket is that it ranks as the highest must-do/popular ride.) I myself would put the GMR below every other ride in DHS - below Star Tours, ToT, RnRC, and TSMM. I know it's the ride the park was built around - but we hadn't ridden it in 6 or 7 years until our last trip, when we finally MADE our DD - at 12 - try it. She liked it enough she made us ride it a second time on the trip - and the second time was definitely NOT an improvement.

I'm just saying - not sure what exactly it'll be replaced with, but in my view not difficult to improve on it. The idea of a Mickey's (or maybe Disney's) Greatest Hits concept sounds great, with a trackless ride system. I've for years though a ride that shows the thrill of movies should have some sort of thrill of it's own. NOT a boring ride like this one!

Got it, thanks. Isn't a similar system used along the parade route for the floats? Seems to me that when the Electric Parade made its debut so many years ago, I heard that this was the way the floats worked - sensors imbeded in main street.

Somewhat - but not really. Cars move much faster, and can move in patterns around eachother. The parades do use some trackless guidance systems, but they still move slow because of the unpredictable pedestrians.

 

[rteetz]

So I'm curious - I realize many people like the GMR, but does anyone consider it a true "E-ticket"? (And while I hate that term in referring to new rides - MY definition of an E-ticket is that it ranks as the highest must-do/popular ride.) I myself would put the GMR below every other ride in DHS - below Star Tours, ToT, RnRC, and TSMM. I know it's the ride the park was built around - but we hadn't ridden it in 6 or 7 years until our last trip, when we finally MADE our DD - at 12 - try it. She liked it enough she made us ride it a second time on the trip - and the second time was definitely NOT an improvement.

I'm just saying - not sure what exactly it'll be replaced with, but in my view not difficult to improve on it. The idea of a Mickey's (or maybe Disney's) Greatest Hits concept sounds great, with a trackless ride system. I've for years though a ride that shows the thrill of movies should have some sort of thrill of it's own. NOT a boring ride like this one!



Somewhat - but not really. Cars move much faster, and can move in patterns around eachother. The parades do use some trackless guidance systems, but they still move slow because of the unpredictable pedestrians.

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.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Haven't heard anything other than 2017.

Ok thanks. Here's hoping because otherwise as far as actual rides (excluding shows/small attractions) that I would want to do would be down to 2 (TSMM and Star Tours) though that would still leave 4 that my husband would be ok with doing (TSMM, Star Tours, ToT, and RNC).