With this past Wednesday’s announcement revealing a partnership between Disney and TCM, I thought it would an ideal time to reflect briefly on the history, as well as take a somewhat detailed look at the current incarnation, of this opening day attraction. We’ll also do some speculating on what might be coming soon.

The Great Movie ride opened with Disney’s MGM Studios on May 1st, 1989. It is a 22 minute cast member narrated dark ride housed behind a facade of the Chinese Theater in Hollywood CA. The ride features scenes from dozens of classic moments in film history including Singin’ In the Rain, Casablanca, Mary Poppins and the Wizard of OZ.

Queue:

The current incarnation guides you into the Chinese Theater via the side doors. You then wind through a recreation of the Chinese Theater’s lobby, and have the opportunity to view props from Various films. The current exhibit includes props from Top Gun and Gone with the Wind. (Previous items included Dame Judi Dench’s dress from Shakesphere in Love, Sam’s Piano from Casablanca, Costumes from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Indy’s Machete and monkey idols from the Temple of Doom, as well as the carousel horse from Mary Poppins).

Pre-show:

The pre-show features more winding queues, with great viewing of a large movie screen at one end of the room. The screen plays a continuous 8 minute loop of movie trailers featuring Singin’ In the Rain, Casablanca, The Searchers, and Footlight Parade.

Loading Dock:

The Loading dock is designed to look much like a vintage soundstage, with vintage cameras, and silhouettes of Hollywood Mansions in the background (Tip: Look for Walt Disney world’s only “Hidden Minnie” among the homes. You hear Hooray for Hollywood playing in the background as the vehicle approaches, and prepares to load. Once the vehicle is loaded, you are joined by a friendly Tour Guide who will host your 22 minute tour. The usual safety spiel is given, then off you go. “Ready when you are C.B.”

(Fun Fact: C.B is a reference to Cecil B. Demille, the famed Hollywood director. If you turn around in your seat prior to moving, you will see a cutout of his head attached to one of the rafters above the vehicle).

Musical Street:

Part 1: Footlight Parade “By a Waterfall”

As you pass under the grand Marquee, you come to a scene from Busby Berkley’s Extravaganza, Footlight Parade starring James Cagney, Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell. Bubbles descend from the ceiling as you witness choirs girls “perform” “By a Waterfall.” (Fun Fact: Originally the large cake used to rotate and have water jets attached, the walls were fleshed out in art deco style, and there were 3 mannequin “Dancers” on “Diving Boards. The screen that now obstructs the scene was not there on opening day either. It was added when the rotating cake mechanism would constantly break down causing downtimes, and the water pumps would fail and flood the ride path.

Part 2: Singin’ in the Rain:

As you round the corner, you see an audio-animatronics likeness of Gene Kelly in the iconic sequence “Singin’ in the Rain” from the movie of the same name starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor.

(Fun Fact: Gene Kelly co directed this movie, and was running a high fever the day he shot this musical sequence. We assume that his animatronic likeness is no longer contagious).

Part 4: Mary Poppins:

You then pass into a room dedicated to Walt Disney’s Mary Poppins starting Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. You see the chimney sweeps among the roof tops, and you witness Mary Poppins “Flying” with her magic umbrella. The tour Guide always asks if anyone can tell them what movie it is, sometimes its an honest and correct answer, other times its Cat on a hot tin roof, Fiddler on the Roof, and even Jaws. Interesting choices I assure you, but not correct.

Gangster Ally: “The Underworld”

“Hold on to those wallets and purses folks, this doesn’t look like a very good neighborhood. In fact, it looks a lot like the underworld. The scene of such classic gangster films as The Public Enemy”. You now find yourself in a rundown section of town. Neon lights flickering.
You can see and hear a couple getting into a fight in the second story window of a weekly motel over Patrick J. Ryan’s Bar (A tribute to Patty J. Ryan from The Public Enemy). The bar is closed with a notice on the door “Closed for violation of the prohibition act”. You can hear the subway train passing overhead. To your right are posters of well known gangster films (And Mickey Mouse’s Feet peering out from beneath them), to your left you can see James Cagney talking to someone through a door demanding they open up (If you ride on New Years Eve, he will be wearing that years celebration hat given out in the parks).

As you approach the exit to the scene, a green light turns red. You hear voices from the shadows, “Is it them?” The Tour Guide apologizes for the delay, but advises they don’t want to run a red light, even if it is just a movie. You then hear a very firm voice, “Pssst, Hey You!”, the tour guide then quotes the famous DeNero line “Are you talking to me, are you talking to me?” a 1920’s style gangster appears atop the staircase and states “No Sweetheart/Cupcake/Wise Guy, I’m talking to the dame in the funny looking outfit over there, yeah I’m talking to you, come here!” The tour Guide advises they are charged with their vehicle, and are not suppose to leave it. The gangster pulls out their gun as a threat, and states again, “I said, get over here!”. The tour Guide hastily agrees, “Ok Mugsy, whatever you say”. Mugsy asks the tour guide how they know their name. They state they have seen this movie before. Mugsy realizes the heat’s on, and the Tour guide’s “fancy car” is their ticket out of here, so they better scram. The tour Guide tries to reason once again with Mugsy, but as they try, a car comes screeching out of the tunnel on the right and a shootout ensues. The tour guide exclaims “On second thought, I could go for some popcorn!”. After a few moments of shooting back and forth, the gangster hops aboard the vehicle, shoots out the red light and takes off with everyone in it.

(Fun Fact: If you turn around and look up above the staircase you will see a Hidden Mickey perched in the window).

Western Town:

With the gangster at the wheel, you enter a traditional western scene. The man with no name portrayed by Clint Eastwood is to your right on the porch of a saloon, with John Wayne as Ethan Edwards riding a horse on your left. You pass various western buildings, while John Wayne explains “Long ago I made me a rule, let people do what they want”. Suddenly, a western sheriff appears and exclaims “There he is! It’s the Bank robber, don’t let him get away”. The Gangster tells them right off they “Don’t even work this neighborhood copper!”. After the Sheriff shoots at the gangster for a moment, you begin to exit the scene. The gangster says “This is nuts, I’m getting outta here. Hey, it can’t get any worse”.

(Fun Fact: The belt buckle worn by the John Wayne animatronic is one that was actually worn by the late actor himself).

(Fun Fact: There is a wooden board nailed to one of the buildings that state “Ransom Stoddard Attorney at Law”. This is a tribute to the John Wayne and James Stewart film The Man who shot Liberty Valance).

Note: The western scene is home to an alternate version of the ride. Back on the dock where you load, if there are often two vehicles preparing to load, the front one is the “Western version”, and the rear vehicle is the “Gangster Version”.

In the western version, you proceed right through the gangster ally scene and don’t stop. Once you enter the western scene, your tour guide asks what movie did Clint Eastwood and john Wayne make together? The answer, The Great Movie Ride! As you progress, you come to a stop in front of a western bank. You hear a woman scream, “Somebody is robbing the bank!” Your tour guide becomes very brave, and leaves to assess the situation. As they are looking for evidence of wrongdoing, the bank robber comes bursting out of the bank doors. Your tour guide ducks behind some crates, then tries to sneak away without being noticed. The bank robbers animatronic sidekick Snake rises up from behind the crates, and points his shotgun at the Tour Guide. Suddenly, from a distance, you hear the town sheriff “Hands in the air! Your under arrest!” The bank Robber yells at the tour guide to get inside the bank. After a few moments of gunfire exchange, the bank robber pulls out a stick of dynamite, lights it, and throws it inside the bank. A moment passes, then the bank bursts into flames!

Alien:

Remember how they said it can’t get any worse? Its worse. You have entered the spaceship Nostromo. You are with Sigourney weaver, and something has gone horribly wrong. Somewhere in the ship lies a terrifying creature waiting to claim its next victim. The ships Mother computer warns that the ship will detonate in T-3 minutes. As you pass deeper into the ship, smoke fills the pathway, then suddenly, the creature lunges from the ceiling towards the vehicle. Further along, the creature jumps out from the side. The gangster exclaims “That’s enough creepy crawlies for one day right? Wrong.

(Fun Fact: The names on the consoles on the left of the vehicle are the names of the people that worked on the attraction.)

Raiders of the Lost Ark:

Here you are inside the ancient Egyptian temple in which Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) attempt to remove the Ark of the Covenant. The second room to this scene is the temple of Anubis, an ancient Egyptian god. There is a large alter with a priceless jewel on the chest of the great stone god being guarded by a temple priest. The gangster naturally can’t resist, and leaves the vehicle to retrieve it. As the gangster approaches, you hear a clap of thunder. The temple priest orders the gangster to halt! For if you disturb the treasure of the gods you shall all pay with your lives. The gangster ignores the warning, and attempts to take the jewel anyway. There is a blast of smoke, and the gangster has been turned to bones. It turns out the temple priest was your tour guide, and they return to take you on the rest of your journey. As you exit, you pass a tribute scene to the Horror genre (Apparently the Tour Guides favorite).

Tarzan:

You now enter the jungle home of one of the most beloved characters. No, not George of the Jungle, actually, its Tarzan portrayed by Johnny Weissmuller. You also see Maureen O’Sullivan as Jane sitting atop Timba the Elephant, and the lovely and talented Cheetah the Chimp as herself.

Casablanca:

You enter Casablanca, and pass the farewell scene where Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman bid farewell to each other one final time while an instrumental version of As Time Goes By plays. You see a waiting plane gearing up for the flight in the corner.

 

(Fun Fact: There has been much speculation that the plane in this scene was the original from the movie. There has been no proof of this, however, there is proof this is the front half of the crashed plane in the Magic Kingdom’s Jungle Cruise).

The Sorcerers Apprentice:

In this scene you see a video of Sorcerer Mickey in Fantasia. Wind blows as you pass the sequence.

 

(Fun Fact: This scene was originally suppose to be the tornado scene from The Wizard of OZ.

The Wizard of OZ:

Ding dong the wicked witch is dead. As you enter the scene, you see Dorothy’s house to the right with the Wicked Witch of the East’s feet wearing the red ruby slippers sticking out from beneath it. All of munchkin land is rejoicing. Suddenly, your vehicle stops, and the Wicked Witch of the west appears in a puff of smoke. She demands to know “Who killed my sister? Was it you?) she points to the tour guide. The tour Guide states it was an accident, and they didn’t mean to kill anyone. The witch states she can cause accidents too, but the tour guide tells her off.

They then encourage everyone in the vehicle to share which way they should go to get out of here. The munchkins suggest following the yellow brick road. The song erupts in the room, and off you go.

You then pass a scene of Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin man, Cowardly Lion and Toto looking at the Emerald City. They are almost there!

The Finale:

You enter a large dark theater with stars on the screen while an instrumental version of “That’s Entertainment” plays. After the guide shares some sentiment, the fast-paced 3 minute finale of classic film moments plays. The films featured in the montage are:

The Cure, The Rink, Behind the Screen, The Great Train Robbery, The Birth of a Nation, The Ten Commandments, The Kiss, Wings, The Jazz Singer, Show Boat, 42nd Street, Dirty Dancing, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Grease, Jailhouse Rock, Sister Act, Chicago, Babes in Arms, Cabin in the Sky, Mary Poppins, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Anchors Aweigh, Airplane!, Saturday Night Fever, Cops, Take the Money and Run, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, A Plumbing We Will Go, Blazing Saddles, Arthur, Bright Eyes,A Night at the Opera, Three Men and a Baby, Broadcast News, Arsenic and Old Lace, Beverly Hills Cop, The Live Ghost, Trading Places, The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, Taxi Driver, Shanghai Knights, True Grit, The French Connection, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, North by Northwest, Raiders of the Lost Ark, San Francisco, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Never Say Never Again, The Terminator, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Alien, A Nightmare on Elm Street, King Kong (1933 film), Young Frankenstein, The Wizard of Oz, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Fantasia, Top Gun, The Absent-Minded Professor, Platoon, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Amadeus, Citizen Kane, Chariots of Fire, 10, Tootsie, Funny Girl, Giant, Pal Joey, The Public Enemy, Adam’s Rib, Gone with the Wind, From Here to Eternity, Shakespeare in Love, Pearl Harbor, Wuthering Heights, Notorious, The Way We Were, Lady and the Tramp, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Grand Hotel, Queen Christina, A Place in the Sun, Stagecoach, Sunset Boulevard, Silkwood, The Grapes of Wrath, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Casablanca, A Streetcar Named Desire, Klute, Roman Holiday, Gilda, Hud, Good Morning, Vietnam, Apocalypse Now, All About Eve, Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, Armageddon, Finding Nemo, Thelma and Louise, High Noon, Unforgiven, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Lassie Come Home, Patton, Malcolm X, Forrest Gump, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Sound of Music, The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, and Star Wars

Unload:

Unlike many of Disney’s dark rides, the load and unload area is the same. The attraction also does not empty into a gift shop selling attraction or park merchandise.

All in all, the Great Movie Ride is unlike any other attraction at Disney, and is one of my personal favorites. I feel the partnership with TCM will breathe new life into this special attraction. I’ve always been a fan of classic movies, and while I do not know of what changes, if any, might be to come in the show scenes, it’s a safe bet that the Preshow and Finale film clips will be updated at the very least. The Classic movie photo op at the exit is also a great candidate for an upgrade. With persistent rumors that the Great Movie Ride was on the chopping block for a Pixar Place expansion, I couldn’t be happier to hear that the ride is staying and has a great synergistic parther to help launch the ride into a new era at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

And, perhaps best of all, the sorcerers hat will be coming down from in front of the attraction, once again exposing the beautiful Chinese theater facade as the iconic focal point for the park.

What about you? Are you a Great Movie Ride fan? What’s on your wishlist for updates to this classic attraction?

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