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

[RustManFan]

I love GMR and hope it is still there when we go next year. I hate thrill rides personally and am drawn to those that entertain and even educate... even if it is about cinema history.

 

[skier_pete]

OK - I may have said this before - but I don't get the "I don't like such-and-such so I probably won't care for the attraction" attitude. A good theme park attraction stands on it's own without the movie it's associated with.

I think Peter Pan - The Movie - stinks, but I love the ride.
I love the Little Mermaid, but the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show at DHS is kind of mediocre.
My favorite ride is Splash Mountain, based on a movie that I haven't seen in ages and remembered as not being very good at all.
My 2nd favorite ride is Tower of Terror , but was never a fan of the
Mr Toad is a terrible, terrible (1/2) movie, but Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is a classic.
I don't like Alice In Wonderland either, but the Alice in Wonderland dark ride is GREAT.
I never saw the movie "Mission to Mars" but I really like Mission Space.

My point being: Favorite Movie does NOT equal Favorite Ride. A favorite movie can certainly increase the interest behind something, but dismiss it as "meh" before even trying it (or heck, even SEEING it) seems very short-sighted. Not a big fan of Frozen, but looking forward to trying to new ride. Not a big Avatar fan either, but can't wait to see the (hopefully) immersive land.

Back to the subject at hand - really wouldn't mind this change - but still think it's a mistake to close it before at least Toy Story Land opens. (if it does in fact close - remember, this is RUMOR.)

 

[lockedoutlogic]

OK - I may have said this before - but I don't get the "I don't like such-and-such so I probably won't care for the attraction" attitude. A good theme park attraction stands on it's own without the movie it's associated with.

I think Peter Pan - The Movie - stinks, but I love the ride.
I love the Little Mermaid, but the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show at DHS is kind of mediocre.
My favorite ride is Splash Mountain, based on a movie that I haven't seen in ages and remembered as not being very good at all.
My 2nd favorite ride is Tower of Terror , but was never a fan of the
Mr Toad is a terrible, terrible (1/2) movie, but Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is a classic.
I don't like Alice In Wonderland either, but the Alice in Wonderland dark ride is GREAT.
I never saw the movie "Mission to Mars" but I really like Mission Space.

My point being: Favorite Movie does NOT equal Favorite Ride. A favorite movie can certainly increase the interest behind something, but dismiss it as "meh" before even trying it (or heck, even SEEING it) seems very short-sighted. Not a big fan of Frozen, but looking forward to trying to new ride. Not a big Avatar fan either, but can't wait to see the (hopefully) immersive land.

Back to the subject at hand - really wouldn't mind this change - but still think it's a mistake to close it before at least Toy Story Land opens. (if it does in fact close - remember, this is RUMOR.)

Amen, reverend.

See this is a problem with the consumer again...
All the Iger era "rides" and shows are just highlight reels/trailers for shows and movies. There is zero attempt to make them standalone experiences that MAY use some well known IP.

Splash mountain is - I believe - the best thing ever built by wdi. On a movie that will never be shown in the US again. No chance.

They took proven ride systems, added twists to them, and did an incredible job of weaving Disney AA and linear story components in real time throughout it.

Tower of terror is up there too...

Nothing built since outside of the Far East had even TRIED...no attempt. Everest I suppose...I've preached about that enough.

Failure on a lot of levels. I mean...mine train is big thunder 2.0...not a bad ride at all...but a minor C ticket...not a 2 hour wait.

You don't have to have great ip for a great ride...and you don't have to be NASA to use ip effectively.

They are really not doubt either at all.

And I'm trying to be diplomatic...but the frozen overlay is not very good at all. It just isn't. It is an overlay...so you can't expect too much. But I saw the Elsa scene being described as "amazing" a few weeks ago...

What poor imaginations we have...it's an AA Lip syncing while programmed led Christmas lights chase around the room.

No...I mean really that is all...hate to pop the balloon on that.

 

[DanBoris]

Possibly the footprint of DHS is just too constricted, all going back to the hastiness with which it was designed and constructed. Now they have to build a multistory parking garage which is bizarre when you think of how much land Disney owns. But they're blocked on three sides by two highways and a wetland.

Now I understand why they're thinking of dropping movie IP into Epcot. DHS is too restricted to be the future expansion pad for "whatever's hot" movie-based attractions. MK and AK are not as thematically appropriate and are both restricted either by railroad and water for MK or by animal habitats/exhibits for AK.

I think Disney will be very hesitant to add a 5th park. Perhaps only if Uni announces a 4th park and Disney really wants to appear to be always in the lead. So short of a 5th park, I think you're going to see a lot of replacement of older, less exciting and more neglected attractions in the Disney parks. The arms race is heating up noticeably. I would be worried if I was a big fan of GMR, Energy Adventure, Imagination, The Land, The Seas, Carousel of Progress, etc.

The wetlands to the east are no longer a constraint since they had the conservation easement removed from that land earlier this year.

 

[rteetz]

I love GMR and hope it is still there when we go next year. I hate thrill rides personally and am drawn to those that entertain and even educate... even if it is about cinema history.

The Mickey ride wouldn't be a thrill ride.

 

[rteetz]

Amen, reverend.

See this is a problem with the consumer again...
All the Iger era "rides" and shows are just highlight reels/trailers for shows and movies. There is zero attempt to make them standalone experiences that MAY use some well known IP.

Splash mountain is - I believe - the best thing ever built by wdi. On a movie that will never be shown in the US again. No chance.

They took proven ride systems, added twists to them, and did an incredible job of weaving Disney AA and linear story components in real time throughout it.

Tower of terror is up there too...

Nothing built since outside of the Far East had even TRIED...no attempt. Everest I suppose...I've preached about that enough.

Failure on a lot of levels. I mean...mine train is big thunder 2.0...not a bad ride at all...but a minor C ticket...not a 2 hour wait.

You don't have to have great ip for a great ride...and you don't have to be NASA to use ip effectively.

They are really not doubt either at all.

And I'm trying to be diplomatic...but the frozen overlay is not very good at all. It just isn't. It is an overlay...so you can't expect too much. But I saw the Elsa scene being described as "amazing" a few weeks ago...

What poor imaginations we have...it's an AA Lip syncing while programmed led Christmas lights chase around the room.

No...I mean really that is all...hate to pop the balloon on that.

I'd put ToT above Splash but that's just me. Splash was all Eisner, he wanted a flume ride and added song of the south. ToT takes imagineering to a new level. Today it's all about the Ip rather than the ride itself.

 

[Josh Hendy]

Splash mountain is - I believe - the best thing ever built by wdi. On a movie that will never be shown in the US again. No chance.

They took proven ride systems, added twists to them, and did an incredible job of weaving Disney AA and linear story components in real time throughout it.

Not only imaginative, but Splash is a very long - generously long - ride experience. There are actually three episodes or stories being told there ... How Do You Do, Laughing Place and the Brian Patch. For some reason they left out the Tar Baby ;-) Plus a huge finale scene with a wealth of AAs and details.

Obviously people react very positively to a generously long and elaborate attraction and will forgive a long line if they feel like the corp is giving thrm a lot in return for the sacrifice of their time. And conversely they feel cheated if a long wait (or a precious FP) for a much-hyped ride only leaves them feeling, is that all?

Sure, the ride scheduling system resulting in short lines for brief rides in theory puts more money into gift shops and snack stands. But only if you completely ignore the intangibles of good will, and the imprecise but definite limits on how many Disney toys and t-shirts people will actually buy given an almost unlimited amount of time to shop for them.

So I say ... better start extending the tracks, adding scenes and enlarging those ride buildings. Excited, happy guests probably buy a lot more souvenirs in a shorter amount of shopping time than do guests with too much time on their hands in between FP+ times.

 

[PuppyJonathan]

Oh I am but I've never done a dessert party and felt the one to try is at DHS. That's beside the point though back to GMR and Mickey.

Ahh I remember my only desert party. It was during The Florida Project pin trading event in 2011. They either had fancy desert options OR they brought out an ice cream cart filled with the mickey ice cream bars or the mickey cookies and cream sandwiches. I may have outeaten my weight in those that night. Then we sat at the viewing area by international gateway for illuminations. Amazing view, great night. Would recommend desert parties only if they bring that cart out and if they have something exclusive to offer

 

[rteetz]

Dis daily fix thread of the day!

 

[nkosiek]

Which reminds me...you have to go to the left to see the Star Wars show. The launch point is awful and towers
For the show block all the bursts to the right

FYI

Now this is the one thing I wanted your take on. I was disappointed in the show whereas with Frozen I was mildly surprised it wasn't terrible.

 

[saskdw]

Dis daily fix thread of the day!

Nice shout out to our boy rteetz!!

 

[sunset7132]

shame i quite liked this ride, even watching the film bit before the ride, we will see hopefully will get a chance to go on this one last time next October

I'm so glad we are going in dec , I love this attraction

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Now this is the one thing I wanted your take on. I was disappointed in the show whereas with Frozen I was mildly surprised it wasn't terrible.

I thought the show was decent considering it was done rather quickly and low of budget...

Not spectacular...sorcery in the sky remains better...to say nothing of illuminations...but not bad.

It is a big elaborate collections of clips and trailers for the Star Wars movies...but it works ok because it is Star Wars and we haven't been beaten over the head with in Orlando for 2 decades...

I'm Just glad there's no constipated sounding woman saying "we must all believe In our dreams and the power of wishical magic memories of wonder..."

...that's been done until the horse is decomposed.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Nice shout out to our boy rteetz!!

...so that's why he posted it...I was wondering ...

 

[rteetz]

...so that's why he posted it...I was wondering ...

I can't make it the thread of the day without others posting. The analytics and number of posts help it get noticed.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I can't make it the thread of the day without others posting. The analytics and number of posts help it get noticed.

Oh come on...don't apologize for the gloat...take a victory lap.

And stop Being so literal!!!!

 

[StirlingSilver83]

any news on when in 2017 its closing? We are going in March 2017 with my MIL and I know she would get a kick out of this ride. I hope she can ride it before it closes

 

[rteetz]

any news on when in 2017 its closing? We are going in March 2017 with my MIL and I know she would get a kick out of this ride. I hope she can ride it before it closes

No date yet since it isn't official.

 

[KYMickey]

Yet another nail in the coffin of WDW!
New attractions are fine but they need to maintain some of the classics and GMR is certainly one of those. It's basically the ride that gives The Studios it's theme! And the decline continues...

 

[JJZMgailey]

According to several sources on WDWmagic once the Turner Classic Movies sponsorship ends in 2018 the ride will close for good. According to the rumors the facade will stay but the inside will be gutted for something new. No word as to what as I believe it is still in planning stages. Neither Disney nor TCM seem to have interest in extending the sponsorship.

Definitely the hot topic of the week, it seems! Your thread made today's DIS Daily Fix!

ETA: Oops! Sorry, Ryan, I see that you shared this up thread a bit already!