Disney fans the world over are mourning this weekend's closure of The Great Movie Ride, a popular attraction at Disney Hollywood Studios. The ride, which has enchanted cinema fans for nearly 30 years, was the only original attraction to remain from when the park first opened its doors as Disney-MGM Studios 28 years ago. For many, it was the defining ride for the park.
Still, with a play list that honored such films as The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Singing in the Rain, The Raiders of the Lost Ark, A Fistful of Dollars and Alien, among others, the attraction did have a somewhat dated sensibility. While It had enough emotional pull to drive a strong sense of nostalgia, it was hardly a blockbuster draw.
While nostalgia is good to an extent, the near-constant buzz for the upcoming Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge lands and the excited chatter over the technology powering the new Pandora-The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom are proof enough that Disney is not immune to the theorem, "evolve or die."
Enter Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, the first-ever attraction dedicated to Mickey and friends, which will replace The Great Movie Ride at a date yet to be determined. Details are still sparse, but the ride will draw inspiration from the Mickey cartoon shorts that appear on the Disney Channel.
And it promises to feature "new technologies" galore. So much so, that Walt Disney Imagineer Kevin Rafferty called the attraction "game-changing" and a "dimensional display of amazingness."
"This is one of the boldest...most impossible things I've ever worked on in almost 40 years of being an Imagineer," said Rafferty. "And you know what? That's what I love about it. Well, that, and Mickey. This is not going to be a small attraction, it's going to be game-changing."
Among its defining features is a new technology that Disney is billing as 2-1/2 D. In other words, advanced projection techniques will emulate the 3-D experience but without the need for the specialized eyewear.
The ride is just one of a number of changes coming to Disney Hollywood Studios, including a new Toy Story Land, opening next summer and the much-anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, slated to open sometime in 2019.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Star Wars Shines at Disney's Galactic Nights[/READMORE]
Also, joining the Disney obituary page this week is Ellen's Energy Adventure, a 20-year old attraction in the Universe of Energy Pavilion at Epcot. Starring Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Nye, Jamie Lee Curtis and Alex Trebek, the 45-minute-long attraction took guests on a behind-the-scenes look at how energy is produced and preserved.
This attraction will make way for a new Guardians of the Galaxy inspired-attraction which promises to adhere to the "original vision of Epcot's Future World as the place to experience the excitement and adventure offered by space travel."
The closure of both rides was first announced at last month's D23 Expo, the epic annual Disney fan fest held in Anaheim. Other announcements made during the event include the introduction of "Minnie Van" service-an Uber-style transportation option, a new experiential Star Wars-themed resort at Walt Disney World Resort and an expansion of the super hero line up at Disney's California Adventure.
Until Disney brings some of its newest projects online, we'd love to know your thoughts on The Great Movie Ride. Are you in the "Disney attraction that closed way too soon" camp or the "it's time for a much-needed upgrade" camp? Drop us a line and let us know your thoughts below.
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