Disney Closing "The Great Movie Ride" in August

Probe Droid

Master Member
It's a wrap for The Great Movie Ride, Disney is shuttering it this August 13 to make room for a new Mickey & Minnie attraction.

Yeah, it was hokey, corny, dated, etc., etc., all true, but I still enjoyed it every time I went. Sorry to see it go.
 
It will be greatly missed, and the park will never be quite the same again to me. That ride and Muppetvision were my favorites because they were the ones that really underscored the original theme of the park, namely old Hollywood and showbiz. All of which are pretty much gone now that the park is basically becoming "Look What Third Party IP We Bought" Land.

I've always really been attracted to old Hollywood and the production side of things. I made my first trip to LA last year and spent just a lot of time walking around and soaking in what history was there. That aspect of Disney Hollywood Studios is really gone now.

M
 
It will be greatly missed, and the park will never be quite the same again to me. That ride and Muppetvision were my favorites because they were the ones that really underscored the original theme of the park, namely old Hollywood and showbiz. All of which are pretty much gone now that the park is basically becoming "Look What Third Party IP We Bought" Land.

I've always really been attracted to old Hollywood and the production side of things. I made my first trip to LA last year and spent just a lot of time walking around and soaking in what history was there. That aspect of Disney Hollywood Studios is really gone now.

M

I agree. That was my favorite park because of the old Hollywood theme. I used to leave my desk and work and walk out into the park and just absorb the atmosphere... and it has completely changed. We went last weekend and road the Great Movie Ride and that was the last bit of the old feel left in that park. What a shame. :unsure

I used to love the Animation aspect, as well. It is all gone now.
 
I just realized this means they are probably tearing down the building as well. :(
That was the best part about walking in, looking down Hollywood Blvd., and seeing the theater.
 
I just realized this means they are probably tearing down the building as well. :(
That was the best part about walking in, looking down Hollywood Blvd., and seeing the theater.

No. The Chinese Theater exterior will stay; the interior is being gutted for the new ride however.

M

edit to add - which only underscores how pointless the new ride is in connection with the original overall theme of the park. A grand old Hollywood movie theater, with a Mickey Mouse ride inside that will have nothing to do with the old Mickey cartoons. I thought originally they were going to replace it with a ride that was themed around the old Mickey cartoons, but apparently that is not the case at all. It's purely a thrill ride based around the most recent incarnation of Mickey shown on the Disney Channel.
 
Well... at least the building will remain. Now I need to hit up my friends who work in the employee sale area and see if anything cool from the ride goes up for sale. I must have a piece from the ride.

No. The Chinese Theater exterior will stay; the interior is being gutted for the new ride however.

M

edit to add - which only underscores how pointless the new ride is in connection with the original overall theme of the park. A grand old Hollywood movie theater, with a Mickey Mouse ride inside that will have nothing to do with the old Mickey cartoons. I thought originally they were going to replace it with a ride that was themed around the old Mickey cartoons, but apparently that is not the case at all. It's purely a thrill ride based around the most recent incarnation of Mickey shown on the Disney Channel.
 
I'm glad I had the chance to go on it one last time. My family was there last Tuesday and actually rode it twice. I'm surprised they are shutting it down seeing how it's one of the main attractions there. Hollywood studios seems to be the slowest of the main 4 disney parks. We were able to ride each attraction 2 times compared to the other parks. Magic kingdom was out of control and animal kingdom was almost as busy. It almost appears as if Hollywood studios is gearing up for a make over. They took out alot of the Pixar attractions a d some other fun parts of the park like the honey I shrunk the kids playground. I was disappointed finding they also removed the disney cars set up. Just have the one new car and no McQueen or Mater.
 
It almost appears as if Hollywood studios is gearing up for a make over.

:lol :lol :lol
What gave it away? The walls everywhere that had signs saying "Under Construction"? Or the abundance of news reports discussing that Disney is building that park into 30-40% Star Wars?
 
:lol :lol :lol
What gave it away? The walls everywhere that had signs saying "Under Construction"? Or the abundance of news reports discussing that Disney is building that park into 30-40% Star Wars?
I know, but I only saw the one plywood wall and sign. I guess I was too busy chasing my kids around:lol.

I'm not much of a tv guy or news watcher. I was kind of disappointed with the park seeing how there wasnt much to do. It's a shame they pulled a bunch of the attractions. I don't understand why they feel it nessesarry to remove one of their older attractions like the great movie ride. It's a staple for that park and I don't see the need for another mickey mouse ride.

However , I won't complain if they do turn that park into a star wars land. I'll let the family go to the magic kingdom, and I will go to Hollywood studios :D
 
While bringing on new attractions is always a good thing, they've picked a particularly poor time to close this particular ride. The Toy Story land won't be open until sometime next year, and the Star Wars land not for several years after that. Once they close this ride in a month, that only leaves about 4-5 rides in the park for the next year or so, and this was already a park that was light on attractions, as noted above What's open for the next year, other than the Indiana Jones show and a few other similar things? I can only think of:

- Star Tours
- Muppetvision
- Tower of Terror
- Rock'n'Roller Coaster
- Toy Story Midway Mania

Am I missing anything? While I prefer they not close the movie ride at all, you would think they would at least leave it open until the new Toy Story Lamd opens, just to keep the park from being more than a two hour experience.

M
 
While bringing on new attractions is always a good thing, they've picked a particularly poor time to close this particular ride. The Toy Story land won't be open until sometime next year, and the Star Wars land not for several years after that. Once they close this ride in a month, that only leaves about 4-5 rides in the park for the next year or so, and this was already a park that was light on attractions, as noted above What's open for the next year, other than the Indiana Jones show and a few other similar things? I can only think of:

- Star Tours
- Muppetvision
- Tower of Terror
- Rock'n'Roller Coaster
- Toy Story Midway Mania

Am I missing anything? While I prefer they not close the movie ride at all, you would think they would at least leave it open until the new Toy Story Lamd opens, just to keep the park from being more than a two hour experience.

M

Maybe it's a budget thing. By shutting it down the save on the operating and maintenance costs of the ride until they're ready to start putting the new ride in.
 
Not sure how long it will be for the toy story land however, star wars is supposed to be ready in 2019.
 
Well, the ride officially closed last night. One of my best friends from high school lives in Orlando and has a special-needs child who was obsessed with the ride; they visited the park so often - literally, multiple times a week, when possible, just to ride that ride - that they became part of the Great Movie Ride family. As such, they were allowed to be the very last riders in the last car through the ride last night. Very beautiful gesture by the Disney team.

M
 
I went on Sunday night to ride one last time. 110 minute wait. But a chance to ride one last time was pretty great.
 
I rode it in July for the first time in 27 years. It hadn't aged well, but it was still worthwhile. That old time Hollywood feel. They should've updated it with new animatronics and maybe some different scenes from different films, but to scrap it? For shame. And, for what? Another minute long roller coaster like Rockin? It just feels more and more like Disney keeps moving further and further away from what made it Disney with some of their newer attractions. That magic isn't there the way it used to be.
 
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