Great Movie Ride Closing?

[Mad Dog]

Since I have a good feeling, if they do something with this attraction, there's a good chance they will keep the same ride system (just due to factual present trends). A great idea IMO... Since this is the 1st and only true ride in the park from day one, and since I've read the old rumors of closing down One Man's Dream (which in my opinion, it's a sin)... Then GMR should turn into the new OMD. Using props from OMD for the queue and the history of Walt Disney Pictures from then till now. Once you board the ride, you will get a medley of many Disney Movie Scenes today... Nemo, Zootopia, OZ, Alice, hopefully not Frozen . You guys get my idea... it keeps the tradition of the ride itself since day one but adding a tribute to the man who made all this happened while bringing a individual brief experience from today's Disney movies which will definitely attract the new generation attention. Oh yes! and have an Original EPCOT mentality while updating the ride, so it could be easier to replace scenes with new movies as they come out... Bottom line is Disney Pictures and Pixar have been doing pretty good lately, so why not? Besides, Walter E Disney deserves it. Anyway, what major Disney movie was premiered at the Chinese Theater? I get confused with El Capitan. Since the outside theme is the 30's ish I think.

Some of the insiders and posters on Magic were saying there were lot's of physical issues with the ride, trains etc. If that's the case, I would doubt they would use what's there for a replacement attraction.

 

[Disneyhead]

But you got to give it to him, Bob Chapstick is a get'r done kind of guy.

 

[Ashleigh]

I've been following these rumours on various Disney boards also - insiders of at late seem to believe that the ride is going to be completely gutted rather than a re-theme.

I'm sad at the departure of an iconic attraction but also you have to bear in mind the overall direction the park is going in. If the park completely steps away from 'movie history' and 'how movies are made', then it is the right decision to remove it - I'd rather it be absent than adding to a confused and messy overall park concept (Although I think we will be getting that anyway!).

 

[JungleSkip]

I'd rather it be absent than adding to a confused and messy overall park concept (Although I think we will be getting that anyway!).

Yea, we're not escaping that.

 

[ChrisFL]

Interesting that both UOE and GMR run similar technology...maybe they decided to stop supporting the ride vehicles/maintenance issues for those attractions soon which is why we're getting both rumors now?

 

[ChristopherSE]

Wow I really don't want a singular IP to live in the heart of the park. I adore GMR's concept of riding through the history of film. But if they must change it, they should focus on the gangster/western scenes and expand that concept: don't focus on IPs, but focus on genres. Make a fast-paced trackless DR about stumbling onto the sets of different movies in the middle of filming: action, horror, sci-fi, thriller, family-feel-good, summer blockbuster, animated (?), etc. Like a studio tour where - you guessed it - something goes wrong! It would be an appropriate successor to GMR, while still being a big draw for guests, fitting with the current facade (or at least not insulting it), and keeping up with the new vision for DHS

 

[Ultranel]

Some of the insiders and posters on Magic were saying there were lot's of physical issues with the ride, trains etc. If that's the case, I would doubt they would use what's there for a replacement attraction.

Well that's what 27 yrs of running with no updates do to a ride.... This can only be good news then.... or is it? :what:

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Out of all of those, only UoE is in a position where GotG replacement seems imminent.

ToT is beloved and DHS' masterpiece - it's also in a park with only 5 rides and about half the capacity of DCA. So I'd say it's pretty much safe since the GotG E-ticket will be greenlit long before late 2018/early 2o19 IMO.

Ellen is just not popular anymore. It has great capacity... but no one wants to ride it. It runs with empty cars all of the time... and the people who do ride are only using it as a place to nap, play Pokemon Go or use their phone. Few actually pay attention to the attraction anymore. While I'd much rather see a 15-minute Omnimover with colossal sets and updated material replace Ellen and maintain the edutainment aspect of Epcot, I recognize Epcot is in dire need of capacity to relieve Soarin', Test Track, and Frozen Ever After.

Ellen only gets maybe 1/3 of its actual hourly capacity. A GotG E-ticket with 2,000-2,500/hr capacity would definitely draw big crowds and ease wait times for Soarin' and Test Track. It also would draw more people than Ellen and if an edutainment aspect were included, it could actually engage audiences, too.

The part that should make most angry is that Inside Out is PERFECT for an Epcot edutainment E-ticket - unlike most IPs, it's relevant both to Imagination and the old WoL pavilion. Unlike Frozen and GotG, I don't think most would complain about IO getting a family dark ride and rebooted Cranium Command show somewhere in Future World since it's relevant.

Furthermore, IO actually made more money in theaters and on video than GotG did. Yet TDO wants GotG to replace Ellen over IO?? I'd rather see GotG, BH6, Wreck-it Ralph and Incredibles included in a superhero area as DHS' Phase 3.

GMR - I just don't see GotG replacing it. It's an odd fit and UoE/WoL is a relatively dead area of Epcot, while GMR still draws crowds looking for something to do after Toy Story/Star Tours/RnRC/ToT. GMR actually reaches a solid chunk of its capacity, still, while Ellen hardly gets 1/3.

Just to but in and say I cannot see 2000-2500 capacity for anything new from Disney.

 

[JungleSkip]

Okay...IF WDWNT is right and this is a ride based on old Mickey cartoons (not the crap they produced recently), I take what I said back. That's a great replacement

 

[Imperius]

Okay...IF WDWNT is right and this is a ride based on old Mickey cartoons (not the crap they produced recently), I take what I said back. That's a great replacement

I would actually enjoy that much more. It has always surprised me Mickey only has meet and greets and Phillar.

 

[JungleSkip]

I would actually enjoy that much more. It has always surprised me Mickey only has meet and greets and Phillar.

This is something I wanted for Storybook Circus, so I wouldn't complain

 

[Mad Dog]

Just to but in and say I cannot see 2000-2500 capacity for anything new from Disney.

I agree. It seems like capacity is an after though when the design rides now. Most of the recent additions in Anaheim and Orlando have been pretty low capacity. The Mermaid may be the only one that has decent capacity.

 

[OLSinFLA]

Interesting that both UOE and GMR run similar technology...maybe they decided to stop supporting the ride vehicles/maintenance issues for those attractions soon which is why we're getting both rumors now?

ToT uses it too (well, at least in Florida)

 

[belloq87]

Sounds like this is really happening, and I can’t say I’m terribly thrilled. The Great Movie Ride has always been one of my absolute favorites (you will not find a bigger fan of classic cinema than me), and to see Disney once again refuse to actually expand park capacity - rather than replace - is maddening (by the time its supposed “big makeover” is done, DHS will have hardly increased its number of overall attractions!). GMR is one of Disney’s classiest dark rides, and I can only assume the replacement will be a 3-4 minute experience, and will lack the scores of AAs and huge sets in favor of flashy projections. Maybe it will be a fun ride, maybe it won’t, but there’s no excuse for it not being a new build on an expansion pad or a dead area.

Sometimes I've felt that Universal has looked directly into my soul and made conscious decisions to remove my favorite attractions to personally spite me, but this is the first time in a while I've felt that way about Disney. I’m looking for silver linings, but am coming up mostly empty… save the supposed theme of the ride, which I could get behind if it were going someplace else.

 

[Mad Dog]

Sounds like this is really happening, and I can’t say I’m terribly thrilled. The Great Movie Ride has always been one of my absolute favorites (you will not find a bigger fan of classic cinema than me), and to see Disney once again refuse to actually expand park capacity - rather than replace - is maddening (by the time its supposed “big makeover” is done, DHS will have hardly increased its number of overall attractions!). GMR is one of Disney’s classiest dark rides, and I can only assume the replacement will be a 3-4 minute experience, and will lack the scores of AAs and huge sets in favor of flashy projections. Maybe it will be a fun ride, maybe it won’t, but there’s no excuse for it not being a new build on an expansion pad or a dead area.

Sometimes I've felt that Universal has looked directly into my soul and made conscious decisions to remove my favorite attractions to personally spite me, but this is the first time in a while I've felt that way about Disney. I’m looking for silver linings, but am coming up mostly empty… save the supposed theme of the ride, which I could get behind if it were going someplace else.

I like & enjoy The Great Movie Ride. It's one of my favorite Disney attractions, and I've always thought it captured the essence of the Olde Hollywood and classic films. I will miss it for sure.

 

[Ryan]

Okay...IF WDWNT is right and this is a ride based on old Mickey cartoons (not the crap they produced recently), I take what I said back. That's a great replacement

Yeah I was kind of taken aback on that. Sure it's a rumor but hey this sounds pretty neat.

(although I do like the new Mickey cartoons ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

 

[JungleSkip]

(although I do like the new Mickey cartoons ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

I think the animation is HIDEOUS. The content of the cartoons is fine, but I can't get around the bad animation.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

I'm torn. On the one hand Great Movie Ride is a fine attraction that I wouldn't miss much if it left, but there's no reason this couldn't have been built in the Animation Courtyard. Ah well, color me intrigued.

 

[LiamRowbotham]

Wow, shocking news. I'm surprised they can't just update a lot of it?

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

Wow, shocking news. I'm surprised they can't just update a lot of it?

Between this and Energy I think Disney just wants to get rid of the ride system, plus they don't have to pay for film rights (maybe we can get a proper Alien house at HHN? ray