Not enough room @ MGM for two stunt shows?

[Hippychickali]

Do you suspect that Indiana Jones will probably close after the new car stunt show opens at MGM? I would almost bet money on it. What do you all think?

Ali

 

[MrsKreamer]

I have heard that they want to phase out MGM and just make it the Disney studios. I have also heard that the GMR would be replaced with the India Jones Ride like diseyland. So I guess if that happened then the stunt show would close. I don't know it is still pretty popular, but when has that ever mattered...

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Do you suspect that Indiana Jones will probably close after the new car stunt show opens at MGM? I would almost bet money on it.

The Indiana Jones Stunt Show still packs 'em in after all these years. Unless guests suddenly abandon the older show after the "Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show" opens at Disney-MGM Studios, I expect the Indiana Jones Stunt Show will run for many more years. Nothing else has been announced.

Of course, it's possible that the Indiana Jones theater will get a new show some day, There's a lot of money invested in that huge theater, so it will remain a theater. The ride rumors, such replacing the theater with a big new E-Ticket Indiana Jones ride, are just wishful thinking by fans.

I have heard that they want to phase out MGM and just make it the Disney studios. I have also heard that the GMR would be replaced with the India Jones Ride like diseyland.

Maybe Disney will drop the MGM part of the name from Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. Maybe they'll continue to license the name. In either case, it has no bearing on whether Indy stays or goes. The Indiana Jones movies were made by (and are owned by) George Lucas, and were released by Paramount. The future of the GMR wll be determined by financial issues. Depending on the length of licensing agreement with other studios, some scenes may need to replaced some day if the licenses can't be renewed.

But unless somebody coughs up $100 million to replace the interior on GMR entirely, I don't see a completely new attraction happening for a long time.

 

[Hippychickali]

It seems to me that popularity doesn't have that much bearing on Disney's decisions to close attractions. It just seems a bit redundant to have two stunt shows. I mean, I love the Indiana Jones show BUT it's going to be a very similar premise to the new stunt show.

Of course, it's possible that the Indiana Jones theater will get a new show some day, There's a lot of money invested in that huge theater, so it will remain a theater. The ride rumors, such replacing the theater with a big new E-Ticket Indiana Jones ride, are just wishful thinking by fans.

I don't think the other poster was saying that they would replace the theater with a dark ride. I think the idea was that GMR would be replaced with an Indiana Jones-themed ride. There are so many things they could do with the space that the Indiana Jones show is currently in.

Ali

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

It seems to me that popularity doesn't have that much bearing on Disney's decisions to close attractions. It just seems a bit redundant to have two stunt shows. I mean, I love the Indiana Jones show BUT it's going to be a very similar premise to the new stunt show.

It's no more redundant for Disney-MGM Studios to have two stunt shows than it is for Sea World to have a dolphin show and a killer whale show or for the Magic Kingdom to have multiple E-Ticket dark rides. They'll be different kinds of stunt shows with different content.

Actually, Disney-MGM Studios will have three big special effects shows in huge theatres, all with fire and explosions. The third is Fantasmic!

I don't think the other poster was saying that they would replace the theater with a dark ride. I think the idea was that GMR would be replaced with an Indiana Jones-themed ride. There are so many things they could do with the space that the Indiana Jones show is currently in.

MrsKreamer wasn't saying that they would replace the Indy theater with an Indy dark ride, but that idea keeps popping up on the Internet as a rumor or as a wish -- despite that fact that Michael Eisner and George Lucas have reportedly had a falling out.

 

[Hippychickali]

It's no more redundant for Disney-MGM Studios to have two stunt shows than it is for Sea World to have a dolphin show and a killer whale show or for the Magic Kingdom to have multiple E-Ticket dark rides. They'll be different kinds of stunt shows with different content.

Actually, Disney-MGM Studios will have three big special effects shows in huge theatres, all with fire and explosions. The third is Fantasmic!

I have to disagree. First, I don't see Fantasmic as a stunt show and second, I don't think the premises between the new stunt show and the "old" stunt show are all the different. In both cases, it is a behind the scene look at how stunts are performed. I think there are so many other things that could be housed at MGM that just haven't been tapped into. It's really difficult to say whether they will keep Indiana Jones around for a long time to come or not but I have a feeling that it will be gone within the next 5 years or so. Again, this is just a guess.

Ali

 

[dpic]

...despite that fact that Michael Eisner and George Lucas have reportedly had a falling out.

Who hasn't Eisner had a falling out with?

 

[DebbieB]

I noticed on the new DVD that it was just called "Disney Studios".

 

[Hippychickali]

I noticed on the new DVD that it was just called "Disney Studios".

It's like that on last year's dvd as well.

Ali

 

[Chuck S]

It's been called The Disney Studios in marketing promo material for several years, it is part of the licensing/marketing agreement.

 

[Hippychickali]

Interesting...when exactly did they make the change?

Ali

 

[DancingBear]

It seems to me that popularity doesn't have that much bearing on Disney's decisions to close attractions.

Why do you say that?

 

[Hippychickali]

DancingBear, there have been plenty of popular attractions that have gone by the wayside. That's all I meant.

Ali

 

[raidermatt]

Interesting...when exactly did they make the change?

Chuck is right. It's contractual and has been that way for at least 5 years (that's when I started getting the promo videos). In fact, when the show the sign over the entrance to the Animation Courtyard, they actually remove MGM from the sign. (I believe digitally)

 

[Hippychickali]

Chuck is right. It's contractual and has been that way for at least 5 years (that's when I started getting the promo videos). In fact, when the show the sign over the entrance to the Animation Courtyard, they actually remove MGM from the sign. (I believe digitally)

Neat. I thought that the change was much more recent with that. So, the rumour that MGM is pulling out of the theme park seems unfounded, eh?

Ali

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Neat. I thought that the change was much more recent with that. So, the rumour that MGM is pulling out of the theme park seems unfounded, eh?

There's no way that MGM could "pull out" of Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park because MGM has never been "in" to begin with. Despite the theme park's name, it's not a partnership. MGM-UA has never been a financial stakeholder nor a creative consultant to Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. Disney simply licensed the name (much to the dismay of the top guy at MGM). In addition, Disney licensed creative material from various studios for the Great Movie Ride, Superstar Television, Star Tours, and the Indiana Jones stunt show.

As I wrote earlier in this thread, "Maybe Disney will drop the MGM part of the name from Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. Maybe they'll continue to license the name." If MGM is ever dropped from the name, it would be nothing more than a name change on signs and printed material.

 

[Hippychickali]

Ok. "Pull out" might be the wrong term. Would "severe ties" work better?

Ali

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Ok. "Pull out" might be the wrong term. Would "severe ties" work better?

Only if you count three letters on a logo to be "ties" that can be severed.

 

[Hippychickali]

Only if you count three letters on a logo to be "ties" that can be severed.

Well I do but it's more than just using MGM in the logo, I'm pretty sure. Don't they have rights to use clips from some movies and things like that?

Ali

 

[DancingBear]

DancingBear, there have been plenty of popular attractions that have gone by the wayside. That's all I meant.

Ali

Like what? Perhaps 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, which had a number of issues, but the others which come to mind weren't/aren't packing them in---Carousel of Progress, Timekeeper, Country Bears in DL, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Horizons, World of Motion, Superstar Television...