5 Things We’ll Miss About the Great Movie Ride
This is an exciting time at Walt Disney World, as new attractions and experiences have just opened (most notably Pandora), and many more are on the way (Star Wars fans rejoice!). But with progress comes change, and to make way for these new experiences, we’ve had to say goodbye to some old friends. On August 13, the Great Movie Ride in Disney’s Hollywood Studios closed its doors to make way for the new 3D/2D attraction, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. We certainly can’t wait for this new-but-nostalgic attraction, but in the meantime we thought we’d take a look back and remember some of our favorite moments from the Great Movie Ride.
1. The Queue
Disney has redefined the “queue” to be an interactive and immersive part of the attraction, a far cry from the switch back lines of old. These new queues are a wonderful addition, and in some cases just as much fun as the attraction itself. However, the Great Movie Ride always boasted a wonderful queue and waiting area…long before the Mystery Busts and the Ravenscroft Organ came to the Haunted Mansion. The main waiting area was actually an ornately appointed movie theater, and you got to watch clips from many classic films as you made your way to the loading area. But even before you entered the theater, you wound your way through the Chinese Theater lobby where you could see several classic movie props and costumes on display. These would change over time, and at various times you could see the wardrobes from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and a carousel horse from Mary Poppins. But my favorite prop was the hologram game table from the original Star Wars; seeing it in real life was a dream come true! (Today you can find the table in the Star Wars Launch Bay at Hollywood Studios).
2. Hidden Secrets
Like nearly every Disney attraction, the Great Movie Ride was home to several hidden tributes and Hidden Mickeys. But my favorites were the Hidden R2-D2 and Hidden C-3P0 tucked away in the hieroglyphics in the Indiana Jones scene! They were a challenge to find (particularly because you were moving, not to mention it was a bit dark…and the snakes, why did it have to be snakes?!), but when you saw them, you couldn’t help but smile. It was also quite clever too, since the Indiana Jones movies were a team effort from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, so including a nod to Star Wars in the Indy section was pretty neat! (Another interesting bit of trivia was why the word “Hollywood” we misspelled in the mural in the loading area, but that’s a story for another day!)
3. Munchkinland
If you asked people what their favorite part of the attraction was, most would go with the Wizard of Oz scene. Incredibly detailed throughout, this scene put you right in the heart of Munchkinland, where we all got to sing “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” (and admit it, you sang along too!). But the highlight was surely the Animatronic Wicked Witch of the West, which at the time was the most advanced Animatronic ever created by Disney. Eerily lifelike in her movements, the Witch was a brilliant example of the advancements in Animatronic technology. No wonder Dorothy was frightened! As if that weren’t enough, as you left Munchkinland you were treated to a dazzling scene of Emerald City, glittering in all of it’s Wonderful Wizard of Oz glory.
4. The Movie Montage
The final part of our Hollywood journey took us to our own private theater, where we got to see a montage of classic films…everything from old musical and westerns to modern day comedies and adventure films. Even Mickey Mouse got in on the act in a clip from Fantasia (in fact, Mickey’s appearance here, and earlier in your journey, was the only instance of an animated Disney film in the entire attraction…as distinguished from live-action films like Mary Poppins). But our favorite moment, again in the great Star Wars tradition, was the final scene which sent us off in hyperspace aboard the Millennium Falcon. Whew! Now off to Star Tours…
5. The Cast Members
This was the Great Movie Ride’s greatest asset; the Cast Members. Not only did they serve as the guide for tour, they also became part of the show. Much like the Jungle Cruise, the performance of the Cast Members had a lot to do with your enjoyment of the attraction. And just like the Jungle Cruise, the Cast Members here always went all out to give Guests the best show they could. And it wasn’t just about cracking a few jokes along the way; the attraction included a whole subplot where your group was “abducted” by a gangster or cowboy (depending on what path you took), only to be rescued by your original host or hostess in a thrilling moment that would make Indiana Jones proud. Oftentimes these Cast Members’ efforts would go unsung, but they were the true stars of the show, and they were the ones that truly put the magic in the movies. The Great Movie Ride may be gone, but we’ll always have fond memories of our tour through the worlds that were brought to life on the silver screen. But there’s lots of Disney excitement coming our way, and in the words of Han Solo, “Here’s where the fun begins!”