Hey all, I hope you enjoy this very special Episode of Yesterworld exploring the History of the Great Movie Ride! It was a blast exploring the attractions unrealized ideas, unfinished scenes, and fascinating pieces of trivia. I told myself that the only way I'd cover the attraction, is if I felt could bring something new to the table, so hopefully even if you thought you knew EVERYTHING about GMR, there's at least one or two things that will surprise you :) We'll be getting back to the regular upload schedule soon, but I had to make an exception to upload this 30 years TO THE DAY such a beloved attraction made it's debut. Also, if you haven't already, make sure to check out the Yesterworld Podcast (link in the description), and to protect your internet experience while at the same time help support the channel, give NordVPN a try here: NordVPN.com/YESTERWORLD
Just a heads up, there are 360 videos of the GMR available on UA-cam. I'm going to link a few for future viewers: ua-cam.com/video/THF8mGzbSgM/v-deo.html - The Great Movie Ride (Cowboy/Western) ua-cam.com/video/68sF7IHzXxI/v-deo.html - The Great Movie Ride (Gangster) Hope these help! Thanks for all the videos!
I miss this ride, it was the best. I rode it so much I have great memories of both the gangster and Western scenes. This ride and the of universal kong were my fav all time rides. Both are gone but live on in our memories. And maybe one-day they'll find a way to get them out of there, lol. Also amazing work on the vid, I don't know where you find all that old footage.
Thirty years ago today, I was on the opening crew of the great movie ride. It was never my favorite ride, but I spent a 1/2 a year preparing for opening day, and I am happy to have been a part of that history.
I was there as a guest on opening day, but got a job at the Great Movie Ride ~9 months later (February 1990) and was there for 2 years. Did we overlap?
I was on opening crew also.. lol remember all the different scripts we had to learn? and the test of knowledge of the ride ? like the spitoon and cut plug chaw acrss from John? Or the cat trigger "tink tink " sound clues? or how about the day during rehersals some one hit the cowboy cuttoff and we had to evac the building ..
I'll always miss the ominous voiceover in the ALIEN scene. "This is ALIEN...you are with Sigourney Weaver, aboard the space vessel Nostromo...". Sent chills down my spine every time.
I'd say that's one of the few times that having the hijacker guide just wasn't well-placed or helpful to the experience. Just a little too out of place for something so chilling
Since Disney owns pretty much every movie studio, I'm really surprised they haven't made another ride like The Great Movie Ride. It would be so cool to see many rides like this. Have one ride with Great Classic Movies, another with Great Sci-fi Movies, and a third ride with Great Modern Movies. Each have iconic scenes from these great movies and evolution of movie making.
Man, having grown up in Orlando, this ride meant so much to me. It was the first time I’d ever heard of Alien, of Casablanca, and I think of Indiana Jones. It was part of what sparked an interest in me in films and storytelling in general and every time I went I would watch the trailer reel in the queue and try to see if there was anything on it that I hadn’t seen and try to remember the titles for later. It helped spark an interest in storytelling that I still hold on to and hope to put to good use one day, even if for no one’s benefit but my own. I understand the need to innovate and that things can’t last forever, but this ride was the heart of what Disney MGM Studios represented, a celebration of cinema and of he worlds and characters and stories we could lose ourselves in. Updating the ride to improve technology and change out some of the film scenes from time to time would’ve been a great way to keep the ride alive and fresh, as long as the scenes weren’t constantly just used to promote new flavor of the week films. But there could still have been ways to update it with some newer stuff that could draw in a new crowd while introducing them to older films. I’m just sad to see it go, as it really encouraged me as a kid to seek out older media alongside current stuff. It may not have been “cool” anymore, but it was a celebration of an art form and just a small fraction of its history and cultural significance. And the montage of video clips at the end served as a reminder that there was far too much great art and entertainment in the medium to be represented in a single ride.
You took the words right out of my mouth. I don't live in Orlando anymore, and this ride may be gone, but I will never, ever forget the experiences I had riding it.
I agree. While not living in Orlando, when I saw this ride, it inspired my love for practical effects.. I doubt I would even be on my current career path without this ride. It was my favorite ride and your words are so accurate
I shit myself during the Alien show scene… I vividly remember pretending to laugh extra hard at the Tarzan animatronic so I could have some plausible deniability that I wasn’t a pansy and pooped my pants from shear terror. I was only 8, give me some slack… 😒
@@guaceldono7231 funny thing was in my family my mom had wanted to see the show for ages but every time we went something would happen which would cause us not to see it like long lines with no passes or rain so when she finally got to see it in the back of my mind i was like and right as we get in they will say oh and the show is closed forever
There are these rare lightning-strike moments when different forces come together to create something great. Who Framed Roger Rabbit was one such example and The Great Movie Ride was another. It's hard and expensive to create deals where studios allow their licenses to be shared, but it's a magical moment when it happens. TGMR captured everything I love about cinema and I was SO sad when it closed. My favorite part was the montage of ALL the films at the end, breathtaking! At least the ride lives on in memory and in recordings of the tour posted on UA-cam.
@Claudio Bizama I never knew that. It makes me think of how in Child's Play they built sets that were 30% larger and used Ed Gale in a Chucky suit miming to make it seem as if the doll really was alive and walking around and it's really well done:)
So am I. It's been four years I think, maybe a few more, since Snow White at Disney World closed and I loved that ride a lot but I don't find myself crying over it every time I see or hear of it. It's been two years since TGMR closed, I was THERE to say goodbye to it 24 hours before it would close for good and STILL I cry hard like I'm watching the Titanic sink. I mostly miss it for The Wizard of Oz finale. Everything was great about the ride, but that was the best. I can still remember my first trip when I was 9. I had just read The Wizard of Oz for the first time, I had been Dorothy for Halloween when I was 3 years old and I LOVED watching the movie over and over. I had thought to myself that I would never find myself surrounded by the land of Oz quite often, so my jaw FELL open the moment we first rounded that corner and I laid eyes on those ruby slippers poking out on those striped legs from under the house that fell from the sky. I went from being a very quiet and solemn little girl in that instant to the one person belting out "Follow The Yellow Brick Road" at the top of her lungs on our tour. It was the same ever since, each time we went to Disney World. We could NOT not ride The Great Movie Ride, even if Alien terrified me to bits. You could NOT get me away from Oz when I knew it was near. So when I heard it was going to close, I cried, begged and pleaded for my family to take me to say my goodbyes that Summer. I HATED and STILL HATE the notion of knowing that I could/cannot go back to Oz like that EVER again. I remember my final day riding it, I rode it over and over all day and had the hardest time keeping from crying each time I rode, thinking it could be my final ride on it. Then, 9 pm came around and they were having one final ride for the day... I remember breaking down in tears saying goodbye to Oz and I cried quietly all the way to the bus stop... I'm crying even now as I type this comment. I miss Oz and I wanna go "home" to it again. There's no place like Oz. ;n;
I wanted to ride this so fucking bad, and it closed right before my trip. And of course it closes for an IP ride that doesn't fit with the show building at all
You knuckleheads, you do know why they closed it right? They closed down the great movie ride because A) The ride was no longer with the times EVEN after the joint update with Turner Movies which was a flop, B) People had already rode it and could tell what movie it was from before the cast member was able to say what it was like "Oh I know this, it's Tarzan...that's Mary Poppins...we're gonna go into Wizard Of Oz now!" and C) The ride was heavily outdated due to mechanical issues like the cars not going due to power failure etc.
The last time I rode this was in 2016 and it was twice in a day. Whoever your guide was could wildly impact your ride! My first guide was so upbeat and happy. Then the cowboy who took over was so in character and interacted with a ton of us. Then on the second ride, our guide clearly wanted the day to end and our gangster put in such little effort, it was pathetic. So if you ever rode this ride, I hope it was early in the morning.
that might’ve been what it was for me... i only went on it once and i honestly thought it lacked a lot of energy. maybe it was just the performances combined with where we were sitting :0
i guess it just depends on who you get really... i remember one of the last times i rode it getting a gangster girl who was super super into her job and seemed to love every second of it, and that time in particular stands out in my many times of riding this ride because that was one of my best experiences on it because of how much the cast members we got were in character and having fun.
I've experienced the same, but in different years while the ride was in operation, rather than in different times of the day (fam doesn't see the point of going to the same ride twice in a day)
It didn't always have to be early in the morning. Our final guide on the night before the ride closed for good did a kick-butt job! We had the gangster that time and I swear to you I have never seen a better gangster guide in all of my trips on that ride since I was 9 years old. I was 24 when the ride was closing.
@@driftingdruid Neither does mine but they do it for me anyway since I have a weird diagnosis that has a fairly common symptom of wanting to do, watch or listen to certain things over and over and over. It's called "Asperger's Syndrome" and a lot of us as kids have the habit of putting a favorite song on loop or rewinding and rewatching a movie over and over in one sitting. I was one of those Aspies, so my family had to get used to it... and I have the same issue with favorite theme park rides. A good dark ride is like a movie for me and I will "watch" it over and over and over.
Same, my family went to Disney World a long time ago. Even though my family agrees we don’t really want to go again, my dad was really bummed out when I told him the ride was closed. That was one of our favourite rides at Hollywood Studios🙁 Btw, our experience wasn’t bad, it just could have been better. We just always say “We felt the magic”. 😂
This ride scared the crap out of me as a kid! The last time I got to ride it, they still had the live tour guides thankfully, and I was old enough to appreciate it... that being said, the Alien section was still terrifying 🙈
I remember one time riding it as a kid and for some reason our vehicle was stopped and it was right in the Alien scene. Even though I KNEW the Alien was right above us and I KNEW it was gonna come back out I still got scared and screamed every time.
The goo dripping down was horrifying and amazing all at once. As a kid I'd always look up whenever I was scared....this ride showed me looking up at the ceiling can't help you . Those aliens should be saved and displayed in a museum or something, they were amazing. Unfortunately as time went on Ridley looked more and more fake
I first rode the Great Movie Ride in July 89, just a few months after the park opened. I saw the “shot” tour guide in the gangster scene. That bit was not removed prior to the park opening but some time in the first season. Cool that you mentioned the animatronic of the Wicked Witch. My parents actually thought it was an actor after our first visit (the movements were so fluid and lifelike, given the technology of the time). Fun fact about the ride sponsors: prior to the park opening, all the promotional material stated that Sears was the sponsor for TGMR. I was surprised to see Coca Cola as a sponsor when I actually went.
Clint Eastwood's AA inclusion was an eleventh hour addition. Frank Wells was best friends with Eastwood (they were skiing together the day Wells died) so he convinced the Imagineers to build an AA of The Man With No Name. But Wells was so busy he didn't have time to get Eastwood's permission. Ten days before the park opened, Wells dragged Eastwood to Florida and got him to sign the release right as they rode through the Western scene.
This was my favorite ride at MGM when I was growing up in the 90's. I have so many fond memories of that ride and it's very sad Disney didn't think it was worth updating.
I rode this ride on the very last day it was operating. Everyone was in tears! It was my absolute favorite ride at the parks and the montage at the end always made me lose it as soon at the Gone with the Wind theme would play. I spoke with a long time cast member after its closure a few months later and found out that many of the items from the ride had been trashed. I had assumed that the majority of props ended up in a cast member store as some do upon closures. It was such tough news to hear! He even told me where everything has been tossed and no one was allowed to access the dumpster (something like that). He only shared this info because he thought I was a fellow cast member! And now I'm sharing with you guys. Great video, btw. I hold this attraction so close to my heart!
I wish I had been there when you were. I was there the day before and I was the only one who left crying that I know of. I would have preferred to be at the "funeral" so badly.
Every park has their Horizons...a superlative, fun ride that a core few LOVE, Most sorta like, but no one really ever hated that just “disappears” and people continue to mourn
I prayed and hoped that I would never be a part of a group like the Horizons group... Guess that's out the window, now. Well... Great Movie Ride is gone and I'll forever feel a hurting heart on that subject, but... Guys, what're we gonna do about the Muppets? I hear they're endangered!!! If we start acting now, maybe we can help???
And there goes the spirit and heart of Disney's Hollywood Studios. Last time I went on it was 2016 and I went on it twice because damn it was such a nice beloved ride and the interactive shows made me smile. Sad to hear it'd be the last time I'd be on it. Returning in 2018 to Hollywood Studios just wasn't the same. My only fear now is Tower of Terror and Indiana Jones the stunt show will be next.
Thought they already closed Indiana Jones stunts show... :/ Kinda doubt that they'll replace the Tower of Terror, that one has been kept well-maintained and is still pretty popular
Why? Without him the company wouldn't even exist today as it stands and you certainly wouldn't have MULTIPLE rides, films, parks, and hotels that were all under his direction!
The quality of the experience varied wildly from scene to scene, but there are some things in here that I genuinely found impressive--most of all, the Wicked Witch. That was one terrific witch.
@@devincoleman2870 The new ride is absolute crap. Have you seen it on youtube? It's hokey cartoon garbage. There are enough kiddy rides at Disney World. It was nice to have something adults AND kids could enjoy.
it might have been old but there was a reason for that as most of the movies in that ride Disney didn't own the rights to which means even if you wanted to change out sets you might do so and lose the rights to bring it back which made it so cool that they had all those movies so even if Disney say ten years down the line brought a ride like it back it wouldn't be the same due to the nightmare of having to get the rights to these films especially the MGM library as they are on much better ground and are probably not willing to just sign the rights away.
The last time I got to ride this was a couple of months before they closed it for good. Glad my bf got to ride it with me as he had never been on it. Same with the Ellen one. I had always hoped when I got married that we could have the reception at the Great Movie Ride because they do that in 3 of the scenes. I wanted the wizard of Oz scene. Now that dream is totally wiped out. Great content,as usual. 💖
I’m sorry Britny! I wish it got to happen. I only rode it once in 2009 as an 8 year old and the hijacking of the ride vehicle freaked me out during the gangster shootout. The Alien scene also freaked me out but intrigued me at the same time.
I cried upon hearing this ride was closing and managed to visit on the last week it ran. The amount of people from all over coming to see it one last time was incredible. Everyone there seemed to actively know that the ride was leaving and were there to experience it one last time.
4 years ago, this was the last ride my family and i went on, and it became my favorite. 3 years later, I was dragging my family around the park looking for it, later learning it was closed. it represented the name of the park
Yeah, that definitely would've led to some crying children. No parent is gonna want to deal with that after paying for a Disney vacation. I can see why they toned it down.
It was a little dark, but interspersed with humour. I was one of the tour guides who got shot everyday in the crossfire, only to return to save the day. Great fun, but not without its hazards. Injured myself more than once trying to make that scene look realistic. That was in the early 1990s in the heyday of the attraction before it got watered down.
Every so often a vehicle on the ride would get stuck, which meant all the other vehicles would be stuck in whatever show scene there were in. It was one thing if you were the tour guide stuck with all the guests, but when that would happen to you as the gangster... we were instructed to stay in character. Some of those improvised extended periods with the guests until the ride got moving again were pretty hilarious, particularly if it happened in gangster alley and there were other gangsters backstage available to come out and help with the improvisation.
There are so many "was originally envisioned as" and 'was much better whens' regarding this ride it just felt a bit lacking compared to what it could have been. Don't get me wrong... Still love it - just sad about how much bigger and better it should have been. I'm sure almost every ride we love involves as much compromise from conception to construction.
This was genuinely what made Hollywood studios my favorite park. I love the concept of an old Hollywood park that takes you into the movie sets, but by getting rid of the great movie ride and the back lot tour, they are destroying the whole concept of the park. I guarantee they will destroy the tower of terror with that tacky guardians of the galaxy ride.
So I lived like an hour and a half from Disney for close to 15 years and have been to the parks more than most people will ever go in their lifetime (that makes me sad, but lucky that I was able to) and TGMR is one of my favorites. I can say in the numerous times I’ve been on I think I got the cowboy like, twice. For a long time I didn’t realize there WAS a cowboy character, I thought it was just the gangster lol. The cowboy is super rare I guess.
I believe the cowboy one was only used when it was busy enough that they would need to stop 2 trains in the consecutive rooms - I'd imagine it was more expensive to run because of the pyro/fire so the other one was probably the default. I asked a CM one time if we could get the cowboy one and she specifically said only the gangster one was running that day.
Y’all. This was one of my absolute favorite rides when I was younger. I visited the site of the ride last spring at Disney World and I actually started crying. Such an amazing and captivating ride... I don’t understand why they let it go... and they’re replacing it with another Mickey roller coaster ride 🤦🏻♀️ like whyyyy
great video! mgm studios is probably what i miss the most from what disney used to be. and i don’t think it’s from a nostalgia point, i genuinely do miss the more interesting attractions like the great movie ride, the backlot tour, the stunt show, etc. i know it was considered a half day park but something about it always made it my favorite park as a teenager. i miss the great movie ride! runaway railway is a fantastic replacement but nothing will ever replace the experience of the great movie ride
Man, this is pretty sad. I remember going on this ride way back in 2007 when I was a teenager, and my parents wanted to take me to Disney once in my life because I had never been. This was such a memorable ride and a highlight of the MGM Studios park, it's a real shame that it no longer exists.
I miss The Great Movie Ride so much! It was such a good ride and ultimately was one of the driving forces for me joining the industry as an adult. And it was so much fun to be immersed in all those great films and seeing the reactions of those who rode the ride for the first time; seeing that Disney magic put a spark in their eyes as the vehicle was getting hijacked/seeing all the effects go off during the interactive scenes. The new ride there is good too, don't get me wrong. But TGMR will always have a nostalgic, warm spot in my heart.
I want a “Disney’s Great Movie Villain Ride” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that’ll not only pay homage to The Great Movie Ride, but also celebrate Disney’s classic movie villains!
When I was young I was so traumatized by that shooting scene!! The actors and my family really made me think it was real and I was literally on the floor of the ride crying because I honestly believed we were going to get shot. Hence why I never liked the ride and didn’t like going on it but I did like the concept of it giving a special nod to great films
Honestly I think this is sadly why the ride couldn't exist in its original form today. Horribly, mass shootings are too common now for anyone to be ok with even a "fake shootout" right over their heads, understandably.
This was definitely one of the best rides at Hollywood Studios and I'm so sad I only got to witness it once. I was so angry when I heard the news that Disney was getting rid of it. An absolute shame.
I was pretty fortunate to be with central Florida top five and be on the very last public ride of the great movie ride, incredible end Of a sad evening
I will miss you, Alien segment. You were my favorite thing in Disney. I can only pray that one day, Micheal Eisner will return, and construct a fully functional Alien experience.
That's a great recap. I worked at GMR for two years as a gangster and tour guide. However, the blood shirt pocket that ripped away was used for a period of time. I worked there from 1990 -1991 ish and we used it for a portion of that beginning time period. It was really quite cool. There was a mattress about 6" off of a step that the tour guide would 'gently' fall onto. Depending on who the gangster was or how hammy you felt you would quickly pull off the pocket cover and stumble around, showing people the bloody pocket before said gentle fall. From there you'd take the back corridor to Anubis, put on the Egyptian garb and wait for your vehicle to pull up. Great ride and some very cool times.
I wasn't expecting to cry today but here I am. T____T This was and always will be one of my favorite attractions in any Disney park. Every time I pass by the Chinese theatre I get teary eyed. Thanks for making this video.
We rode this at our 2017 Disney trip, and I am so happy we got to see it before the closed the ride. I loved it, our tour guides were great. My son was 7 at the time, and was VERY concerned about the fate of the cowboy after it appeared he died in a fiery hell. When we exited the ride, he walked up to a CM and desperately asked if the cowboy was okay, lol. CM was great, and informed him that the cowboy was fine..
Thank you so much for explaining the Fantasia and movie montage room. This ride was so impressive that I always felt like these parts were missing something, like Disney was cheaping out for some reason.
I loved... and hated this video. It brought me great joy to learn many facts about GMR; however, it also brought so much nostalgia towards the end that it made me tear up just a little, for I’ll never be able to experience anything like it ever again (especially the prime time of it’s life during the 90s). Thanks for your work and dedication on the video!
I remember going on TGMR as a kid, and absolutely loving it. The interactions with the cast members on the ride seemed so cool, and made me want to work on the ride when i was little. Such a shame to see it end.
This is awesome! I never knew that Ghostbusters was going to be in there, or that the tour guide was going to be shot. Learning new facts about one of my favorite attractions=time well spent. Thank you!
The Great Movie Ride was amazing. I truly loved every minute of it. It was relaxing, entertaining and beautifully built. I enjoyed looking at every detail while riding. The Wicked witch moved just like a real person. Gosh there was just so many awesome things about the ride, I could go on forever! RIP to very special part of my childhood.
i’m so glad i was able to ride The Great Movie Ride at least once before it left. it was honestly one of my favorite rides when i went to disney world for the first time. all good memories to live on🥺😭
Disney shot themselves in the foot by closing the ride too soon. They have Marvel and 20th Century Fox movies they could use now! Animatronics are always more impressive than stupid video screens! The ending film always made me emotional, I don't why...I miss the ride dearly. Why must you be so stubborn Bill Murray?
if there was a marvel section in the great movie ride I would cry honestly,,,, but sadly it would only exist in Disneyland bc of the marvel theme park rights :( and I don't think there's A gmr in dinseyland? correct me if im wrong im not sure
i’m so glad i got to experience this ride when it was open. im literally obsessed with classic movies, especially the golden age of hollywood. i thank this ride, my 10th grade english teacher, being named Scarlett of course and my mom for me loving these movies so much. im literally heart broken that this ride is gone, its the best one disney ever had♥️
i remember being at hollywood studios the day before the final day of operation for the ride, it was extremely rainy and i got completely soaked!! the line was the longest id ever seen for it, i was standing for 20, 25 minutes in the rain with absolutely no cover! but i was willing to get sick for the great movie ride, and so was everyone else there. it was wonderful to see just how much love people had for the ride 😭
I surprised myself with how emotional I got watching this video. Going to Disney MGM Studios as a kid was always my favorite part of our yearly Disney trips, I would get so excited and inspired learning about how movies were made and especially on the Great Movie Ride where I could see the history of all these different films. Even the queue was exciting as a kid and probably the only line I didn't get bored in as I loved seeing all of the props and costumes on display. I think MGM Studios and The Great Movie Ride were part of what first inspired me to start studying film and when I went back to the park as an adult in college after studying so much about the films shown in GMR it felt like it meant even more. I was so sad when I learned this was closing because I knew I wouldn't be able to go back and ride it one last time before it'd be gone. As much as I'm excited for Galaxy's Edge, I still really miss the "behind the scenes" origin of the park so much. :(
Halfway agreed. But I was a terrified child of a lot of things. The Alien scene in Great Movie Ride was more than I could regularly handle and I latched on to Lilo & Stitch as a franchise with a deep, DEEP love for reasons it would take more than just a comment to explain. So I was one of the kiddos who was elated to know Stitch would be getting an attraction and I'm still sad I never got to say goodbye to that one... I got sick during my last trip, so I didn't make it to Magic Kingdom in time on our designated Magic Kingdom day to say goodbye to it... I was very upset and couldn't help crying. But I didn't cry for that as much as I did Great Movie Ride on that trip.
@@CosplayCore i would have loved to experience ot as stitch's great escape too I have a great love for the movie as well, Im just such a sci fi and horror lover my young self would have been terrified Im sure but happy about it haha Im sorry you got too sick and didnt get to go thats never fun especially when it comes to disney 😔
Alien Encounter was kind of cheesy, to be honest. Similar effects are used in the Animal Kingdom's "It's Tough to be a Bug" show, if you're interested in experiencing them.The lights would go out and the speakers (which were very close to your ears in the headrest) would make a gross dry mouth/lick noise (that would kind of give you goosebumps), the alien's "breath" would brush your neck (just a puff of warm air, with sound effects), and when he "got loose" a soft plastic tube would swipe your ankles/back of your legs for a startle. That was pretty much it. The other effects/animatronics were meh (especially when compared to TGMR!) It was like being in a silly haunted house. People would scream, but it was more because it was spooky/silly than actually scary. TGMR, though, was magical. I'm sorry you didn't get to experience it :(
This is devastating. I just can’t believe (still) that they are getting rid of this outstanding ride! When I saw the cast members bow, I cried. Since I come from the theatre, it hit me really hard. This was the only ride to include Preforming Arts into Disney. It was three things I loved in one. Acting, Movies, and Disney. I just have a question. Why couldn’t they keep this masterpiece, and make Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway in another place in the park? I mean, they have plenty of room to build new attractions. I’m just very disappointed in this dumb choice (in my opinion) on their part. Sorry this is long, if you read this, thank you for your time. Have a good day. ♥️
Oh I totally agree with you! So tragic I was sick about it! It was truly magical!!!! I just don't get why they keep changing the rides or attractions. They need to move on to new stuff not wrecking the classics!
@@meganruchwatercolors7186IKR? It's almost as if they think long-time guests are behaving like spoiled brats or something, when in actuality, they're anything but!
I first experienced this ride as a 9 year old, and it was consistently one of my favorite rides in all of Walt Disney World. I credit this ride with inspiring my love of movies, especially those from the golden age of Hollywood.
Hey all, I hope you enjoy this very special Episode of Yesterworld exploring the History of the Great Movie Ride! It was a blast exploring the attractions unrealized ideas, unfinished scenes, and fascinating pieces of trivia. I told myself that the only way I'd cover the attraction, is if I felt could bring something new to the table, so hopefully even if you thought you knew EVERYTHING about GMR, there's at least one or two things that will surprise you :) We'll be getting back to the regular upload schedule soon, but I had to make an exception to upload this 30 years TO THE DAY such a beloved attraction made it's debut. Also, if you haven't already, make sure to check out the Yesterworld Podcast (link in the description), and to protect your internet experience while at the same time help support the channel, give NordVPN a try here: NordVPN.com/YESTERWORLD
Just a heads up, there are 360 videos of the GMR available on UA-cam. I'm going to link a few for future viewers:
ua-cam.com/video/THF8mGzbSgM/v-deo.html - The Great Movie Ride (Cowboy/Western)
ua-cam.com/video/68sF7IHzXxI/v-deo.html - The Great Movie Ride (Gangster)
Hope these help! Thanks for all the videos!
I miss this ride, it was the best. I rode it so much I have great memories of both the gangster and Western scenes. This ride and the of universal kong were my fav all time rides. Both are gone but live on in our memories. And maybe one-day they'll find a way to get them out of there, lol. Also amazing work on the vid, I don't know where you find all that old footage.
I actually rode this during my 7 day vacation
Yesterworld Entertainment where did you find that video of Mickey and Minnie riding the Great Movie Ride?
You called Ripley, Ridley but other than that great stuff!
Thirty years ago today, I was on the opening crew of the great movie ride. It was never my favorite ride, but I spent a 1/2 a year preparing for opening day, and I am happy to have been a part of that history.
Michael Eisner... is that you?
What did you do to help prep it? Like what tasks and stuff? I’m curious
I was there as a guest on opening day, but got a job at the Great Movie Ride ~9 months later (February 1990) and was there for 2 years. Did we overlap?
Michael What was your favourite thing about the ride?
I was on opening crew also.. lol remember all the different scripts we had to learn? and the test of knowledge of the ride ? like the spitoon and cut plug chaw acrss from John? Or the cat trigger "tink tink " sound clues? or how about the day during rehersals some one hit the cowboy cuttoff and we had to evac the building ..
Something about seeing Mickey and Minnie covering their eyes while gangsters fire automatics weapons in the background is really hilarious.
RIP, I wish they would have just revamped the whole thing, it was too good of a ride
@EbberDeeMills And Maybe even add Robocop
@EbberDeeMills And have a Marvel scene
Ben Padilla I agree, it was too good of a ride. 😭
Yeah but they would rather make merchandise profits related to the new ride.
Ben Padilla it really was...
a great movie ride
I’m sorry but the image of Mickey and Minnie being shot at is hilariously dark
Timestamp?
Mahogany Mouse 9:24
RIP Wayne Allwine and Russi Taylor.
This is basically how we feel for them getting rid of the Great Movie Ride.
Considering Mickey's comics, it wouldn't be the first time.
9:46
I'll always miss the ominous voiceover in the ALIEN scene. "This is ALIEN...you are with Sigourney Weaver, aboard the space vessel Nostromo...". Sent chills down my spine every time.
I'd say that's one of the few times that having the hijacker guide just wasn't well-placed or helpful to the experience. Just a little too out of place for something so chilling
SO true. "something has gone wrong...one by one the crew have vanished." *so spinetingling*
Megan H: I was thinking the same thing!
Yes it was so good! I also loved when the gangster/cowboy would say have an exchange like
“What in tarnation is this?”
“This. Is. Alien!”
I almost jumped out that ride because the Alien Queen had me messed up as a 7 year old
That "Old Yeller" attraction sign is the worst thing I've ever seen in my life and I love it so much.
"You choose his fate!" The fuck were they thinking!
@@Oldbmwr100rs hey kids, wanna see a dog die? - me ruining the magic.
How much choice? Can we put a 50BMG in the 12 Gauge?
@@Oldbmwr100rs I VERY MUCH hope that it is an edit...
@@theEWDSDSdo you have a time stamp for that? I must have missed it
It wasn't just a great movie ride, it was THE great movie ride.
You said it right
It didn't twirl just a baton, that baton was. on. fire.
Why are you on every UA-cam comment section???
Avery The Cuban-American more like the boarding movie ride
I saw you on china uncensored
Since Disney owns pretty much every movie studio, I'm really surprised they haven't made another ride like The Great Movie Ride.
It would be so cool to see many rides like this. Have one ride with Great Classic Movies, another with Great Sci-fi Movies, and a third ride with Great Modern Movies.
Each have iconic scenes from these great movies and evolution of movie making.
Man, having grown up in Orlando, this ride meant so much to me. It was the first time I’d ever heard of Alien, of Casablanca, and I think of Indiana Jones. It was part of what sparked an interest in me in films and storytelling in general and every time I went I would watch the trailer reel in the queue and try to see if there was anything on it that I hadn’t seen and try to remember the titles for later. It helped spark an interest in storytelling that I still hold on to and hope to put to good use one day, even if for no one’s benefit but my own.
I understand the need to innovate and that things can’t last forever, but this ride was the heart of what Disney MGM Studios represented, a celebration of cinema and of he worlds and characters and stories we could lose ourselves in. Updating the ride to improve technology and change out some of the film scenes from time to time would’ve been a great way to keep the ride alive and fresh, as long as the scenes weren’t constantly just used to promote new flavor of the week films. But there could still have been ways to update it with some newer stuff that could draw in a new crowd while introducing them to older films.
I’m just sad to see it go, as it really encouraged me as a kid to seek out older media alongside current stuff. It may not have been “cool” anymore, but it was a celebration of an art form and just a small fraction of its history and cultural significance. And the montage of video clips at the end served as a reminder that there was far too much great art and entertainment in the medium to be represented in a single ride.
You took the words right out of my mouth. I don't live in Orlando anymore, and this ride may be gone, but I will never, ever forget the experiences I had riding it.
I agree. While not living in Orlando, when I saw this ride, it inspired my love for practical effects.. I doubt I would even be on my current career path without this ride. It was my favorite ride and your words are so accurate
Michael Eisner literally represents the quote “you either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain”
Aaaaand he's back from the dead!
@@thecaptainfalcon3316NOOOOOOooooooooo!
I shit myself during the Alien show scene…
I vividly remember pretending to laugh extra hard at the Tarzan animatronic so I could have some plausible deniability that I wasn’t a pansy and pooped my pants from shear terror. I was only 8, give me some slack… 😒
Never clicked on a video faster. This was my favorite ride at MGM Studios because it started my love for movies as a kid.
Same, never realized how much they inspired me until they removed this attraction.
*roars loudly and suddenly, scaring the hell out of all children, seniors, and autistic people since 1929*
That's exactly how I feel. Couldn't have said it better!
Nothing was held sacred at this park. Aside from Tower of Terror, the park is now almost unrecognizable from when I was a kid, even down to the name.
The only rides Disney will never take down are Space Mountain, Pirates and the Haunted Mansion.
And It's a Small World.
Do they still have the Indiana Jones stunt show? If they get rid of that I’m rioting
Mark Layhee surprise from the future.
@@guaceldono7231 funny thing was in my family my mom had wanted to see the show for ages but every time we went something would happen which would cause us not to see it like long lines with no passes or rain so when she finally got to see it in the back of my mind i was like and right as we get in they will say oh and the show is closed forever
There are these rare lightning-strike moments when different forces come together to create something great. Who Framed Roger Rabbit was one such example and The Great Movie Ride was another. It's hard and expensive to create deals where studios allow their licenses to be shared, but it's a magical moment when it happens. TGMR captured everything I love about cinema and I was SO sad when it closed. My favorite part was the montage of ALL the films at the end, breathtaking!
At least the ride lives on in memory and in recordings of the tour posted on UA-cam.
Casablanca used little people on the background for a forced perspective?
That's... kinda impressive actually
Claudio Bizama i looooved the casa blanca part
@Claudio Bizama I never knew that. It makes me think of how in Child's Play they built sets that were 30% larger and used Ed Gale in a Chucky suit miming to make it seem as if the doll really was alive and walking around and it's really well done:)
It’s an old movie trick. Hitchcock also used the method in his film The saboteur
And Bergman was 2" taller than Bogart. She claimed they had Bogey stand on blocks or sit on a cushion in some of their scenes together.
They did the same thing with children in spacesuits for Alien to make the spaceship look bigger than it was
I am still immensely bitter they closed this ride. A pox on the houses on all who greenlit this decision.
So am I. It's been four years I think, maybe a few more, since Snow White at Disney World closed and I loved that ride a lot but I don't find myself crying over it every time I see or hear of it. It's been two years since TGMR closed, I was THERE to say goodbye to it 24 hours before it would close for good and STILL I cry hard like I'm watching the Titanic sink. I mostly miss it for The Wizard of Oz finale. Everything was great about the ride, but that was the best. I can still remember my first trip when I was 9. I had just read The Wizard of Oz for the first time, I had been Dorothy for Halloween when I was 3 years old and I LOVED watching the movie over and over. I had thought to myself that I would never find myself surrounded by the land of Oz quite often, so my jaw FELL open the moment we first rounded that corner and I laid eyes on those ruby slippers poking out on those striped legs from under the house that fell from the sky. I went from being a very quiet and solemn little girl in that instant to the one person belting out "Follow The Yellow Brick Road" at the top of her lungs on our tour. It was the same ever since, each time we went to Disney World. We could NOT not ride The Great Movie Ride, even if Alien terrified me to bits. You could NOT get me away from Oz when I knew it was near.
So when I heard it was going to close, I cried, begged and pleaded for my family to take me to say my goodbyes that Summer. I HATED and STILL HATE the notion of knowing that I could/cannot go back to Oz like that EVER again. I remember my final day riding it, I rode it over and over all day and had the hardest time keeping from crying each time I rode, thinking it could be my final ride on it. Then, 9 pm came around and they were having one final ride for the day... I remember breaking down in tears saying goodbye to Oz and I cried quietly all the way to the bus stop... I'm crying even now as I type this comment.
I miss Oz and I wanna go "home" to it again. There's no place like Oz. ;n;
I wanted to ride this so fucking bad, and it closed right before my trip. And of course it closes for an IP ride that doesn't fit with the show building at all
I broke down sobbing when I found out
I'm pretty bitter over it too. Hollywood/MGM studios was a tribute to film
You knuckleheads, you do know why they closed it right?
They closed down the great movie ride because A) The ride was no longer with the times EVEN after the joint update with Turner Movies which was a flop, B) People had already rode it and could tell what movie it was from before the cast member was able to say what it was like "Oh I know this, it's Tarzan...that's Mary Poppins...we're gonna go into Wizard Of Oz now!" and C) The ride was heavily outdated due to mechanical issues like the cars not going due to power failure etc.
Ironic Eisner tried so hard to get the licensing to Alien, and now Disney just straight up owns Fox and by extension Alien.
If they could just hang on for a few more years
It would only cost them a couple million
The last time I rode this was in 2016 and it was twice in a day. Whoever your guide was could wildly impact your ride! My first guide was so upbeat and happy. Then the cowboy who took over was so in character and interacted with a ton of us. Then on the second ride, our guide clearly wanted the day to end and our gangster put in such little effort, it was pathetic. So if you ever rode this ride, I hope it was early in the morning.
that might’ve been what it was for me... i only went on it once and i honestly thought it lacked a lot of energy. maybe it was just the performances combined with where we were sitting :0
i guess it just depends on who you get really... i remember one of the last times i rode it getting a gangster girl who was super super into her job and seemed to love every second of it, and that time in particular stands out in my many times of riding this ride because that was one of my best experiences on it because of how much the cast members we got were in character and having fun.
I've experienced the same, but in different years while the ride was in operation, rather than in different times of the day
(fam doesn't see the point of going to the same ride twice in a day)
It didn't always have to be early in the morning. Our final guide on the night before the ride closed for good did a kick-butt job! We had the gangster that time and I swear to you I have never seen a better gangster guide in all of my trips on that ride since I was 9 years old. I was 24 when the ride was closing.
@@driftingdruid Neither does mine but they do it for me anyway since I have a weird diagnosis that has a fairly common symptom of wanting to do, watch or listen to certain things over and over and over. It's called "Asperger's Syndrome" and a lot of us as kids have the habit of putting a favorite song on loop or rewinding and rewatching a movie over and over in one sitting. I was one of those Aspies, so my family had to get used to it... and I have the same issue with favorite theme park rides. A good dark ride is like a movie for me and I will "watch" it over and over and over.
I'm glad I got ride it once before it bit the dust
Me too. Great childhood memories!
Same, my family went to Disney World a long time ago.
Even though my family agrees we don’t really want to go again, my dad was really bummed out when I told him the ride was closed. That was one of our favourite rides at Hollywood Studios🙁
Btw, our experience wasn’t bad, it just could have been better. We just always say “We felt the magic”. 😂
Same.
I rode it 3 times, it was fantastic
I wish I could. I would’ve loved this ride.
This ride scared the crap out of me as a kid! The last time I got to ride it, they still had the live tour guides thankfully, and I was old enough to appreciate it... that being said, the Alien section was still terrifying 🙈
They reinstated the live tour guides again before the ride closed. I never got to ride with that narration.
I remember one time riding it as a kid and for some reason our vehicle was stopped and it was right in the Alien scene. Even though I KNEW the Alien was right above us and I KNEW it was gonna come back out I still got scared and screamed every time.
The goo dripping down was horrifying and amazing all at once. As a kid I'd always look up whenever I was scared....this ride showed me looking up at the ceiling can't help you . Those aliens should be saved and displayed in a museum or something, they were amazing. Unfortunately as time went on Ridley looked more and more fake
I first rode the Great Movie Ride in July 89, just a few months after the park opened. I saw the “shot” tour guide in the gangster scene. That bit was not removed prior to the park opening but some time in the first season.
Cool that you mentioned the animatronic of the Wicked Witch. My parents actually thought it was an actor after our first visit (the movements were so fluid and lifelike, given the technology of the time).
Fun fact about the ride sponsors: prior to the park opening, all the promotional material stated that Sears was the sponsor for TGMR. I was surprised to see Coca Cola as a sponsor when I actually went.
Clint Eastwood's AA inclusion was an eleventh hour addition. Frank Wells was best friends with Eastwood (they were skiing together the day Wells died) so he convinced the Imagineers to build an AA of The Man With No Name. But Wells was so busy he didn't have time to get Eastwood's permission. Ten days before the park opened, Wells dragged Eastwood to Florida and got him to sign the release right as they rode through the Western scene.
100% true story, hence the reason why it was never featured in any "making of" videos.
@@YesterworldEntertainment 😂 mark sassing em up lol
This was my favorite ride at MGM when I was growing up in the 90's. I have so many fond memories of that ride and it's very sad Disney didn't think it was worth updating.
The Great Movie Ride needed more of the Lottery starring Bette Midler.
laaa *LAAAAAA*
Nailed it
I rode this ride on the very last day it was operating. Everyone was in tears! It was my absolute favorite ride at the parks and the montage at the end always made me lose it as soon at the Gone with the Wind theme would play. I spoke with a long time cast member after its closure a few months later and found out that many of the items from the ride had been trashed. I had assumed that the majority of props ended up in a cast member store as some do upon closures. It was such tough news to hear! He even told me where everything has been tossed and no one was allowed to access the dumpster (something like that). He only shared this info because he thought I was a fellow cast member! And now I'm sharing with you guys. Great video, btw. I hold this attraction so close to my heart!
I wish I had been there when you were. I was there the day before and I was the only one who left crying that I know of. I would have preferred to be at the "funeral" so badly.
Kayla C With all the storage space WDW has, they should have preserved at least a few of the more iconic items! How stupid!
Every park has their Horizons...a superlative, fun ride that a core few LOVE, Most sorta like, but no one really ever hated that just “disappears” and people continue to mourn
edvaira6891 so true! They have to keep evolving, but some of the classics are what keep people omg coming back!
I prayed and hoped that I would never be a part of a group like the Horizons group... Guess that's out the window, now.
Well... Great Movie Ride is gone and I'll forever feel a hurting heart on that subject, but... Guys, what're we gonna do about the Muppets? I hear they're endangered!!! If we start acting now, maybe we can help???
The Basics of Michael Eisner:
Michael Eisner gave Disney life,
Then stabbed it.
The End.
The Basics of Bob Iger:
BUY. BUY. BUY. SPEND. SPEND. SPEND.
NO CREATIVITY.
The End.
@@thesupermayoreo Wow that's so true I hate it XD
Seems we all miss The Great Movie Ride 🎬 😢 We do.
@@thesupermayoreo Funny Joke about End Stage Company Collapse CEOs and leaders
Cue the _”I will remember you..”_ music because god we need it.
SamuraiFighterChick Or Coffin Dance
And there goes the spirit and heart of Disney's Hollywood Studios. Last time I went on it was 2016 and I went on it twice because damn it was such a nice beloved ride and the interactive shows made me smile. Sad to hear it'd be the last time I'd be on it. Returning in 2018 to Hollywood Studios just wasn't the same. My only fear now is Tower of Terror and Indiana Jones the stunt show will be next.
Thought they already closed Indiana Jones stunts show... :/
Kinda doubt that they'll replace the Tower of Terror, that one has been kept well-maintained and is still pretty popular
@@driftingdruid they replaced it with a guardians of the galaxy ride in california(?) Though :(
@@clyne8835 i know, thank you, hope they'll keep Tower of Terror version, the horror theme & setting adds to the suspense of the ride
Nobody:
Literally nobody:
Yesterworld: THE LOTTERY STARRING BETTE MILLER
When you went in the early 90s they would talk about it being filmed on the lot quite a bit.
When I was reading this, he suddenly said that...
What about WCW taping their shows in MGM XD
“Laaaaa LAAAAAA”
Michael Eisner is the greatest anime villain
Bob Iger is top ten anime comebacks
Idk Millions Knives and Legato Bluesummers might give Mike a run for his money.
@@gamr5055 Bob Iger, Top Ten Anime Betrayals
How about just greatest villain? Doesn't have to be anime... I like anime. But I don't like him.
Why? Without him the company wouldn't even exist today as it stands and you certainly wouldn't have MULTIPLE rides, films, parks, and hotels that were all under his direction!
The quality of the experience varied wildly from scene to scene, but there are some things in here that I genuinely found impressive--most of all, the Wicked Witch. That was one terrific witch.
so 30 years ago today the great movie ride opened😢
Good timing ;)
Removing this iconic ride was a huge mistake on the part of Disney in my opinion.
barry thompson it’s getting replaced with a much better ride. GMR was really boring and dated
They had no choice dude.
@@devincoleman2870 The new ride is absolute crap. Have you seen it on youtube? It's hokey cartoon garbage. There are enough kiddy rides at Disney World. It was nice to have something adults AND kids could enjoy.
it might have been old but there was a reason for that as most of the movies in that ride Disney didn't own the rights to which means even if you wanted to change out sets you might do so and lose the rights to bring it back which made it so cool that they had all those movies so even if Disney say ten years down the line brought a ride like it back it wouldn't be the same due to the nightmare of having to get the rights to these films especially the MGM library as they are on much better ground and are probably not willing to just sign the rights away.
@@Flynn1982x No, it's actually crap. That was fun, stating an opinion as objective fact. About as fun as the new shit ride lol
The last time I got to ride this was a couple of months before they closed it for good. Glad my bf got to ride it with me as he had never been on it. Same with the Ellen one. I had always hoped when I got married that we could have the reception at the Great Movie Ride because they do that in 3 of the scenes. I wanted the wizard of Oz scene. Now that dream is totally wiped out. Great content,as usual. 💖
You could do it on Runaway Railway!
Ji-hoon the Mii Well...that’s the reason why this masterpiece is destroyed. No offense,
HEARTBREAKING!!!!! ;n;
I’m sorry Britny! I wish it got to happen.
I only rode it once in 2009 as an 8 year old and the hijacking of the ride vehicle freaked me out during the gangster shootout. The Alien scene also freaked me out but intrigued me at the same time.
I cried upon hearing this ride was closing and managed to visit on the last week it ran. The amount of people from all over coming to see it one last time was incredible. Everyone there seemed to actively know that the ride was leaving and were there to experience it one last time.
Miss the Alien set. That was my first introduction to the movie and it really had great atmosphere. Really felt like you were on the Nostromo.
4 years ago, this was the last ride my family and i went on, and it became my favorite. 3 years later, I was dragging my family around the park looking for it, later learning it was closed. it represented the name of the park
Man that gangster scenario with the guide wounded would have been dark.
Yeah, that definitely would've led to some crying children. No parent is gonna want to deal with that after paying for a Disney vacation. I can see why they toned it down.
@@Unownshipper alien was already pushing it let alone seeing someone get shot? That's too far.
It was a little dark, but interspersed with humour. I was one of the tour guides who got shot everyday in the crossfire, only to return to save the day. Great fun, but not without its hazards. Injured myself more than once trying to make that scene look realistic. That was in the early 1990s in the heyday of the attraction before it got watered down.
@@Cosmican68 interesting. Any other stories you want to share?
Every so often a vehicle on the ride would get stuck, which meant all the other vehicles would be stuck in whatever show scene there were in. It was one thing if you were the tour guide stuck with all the guests, but when that would happen to you as the gangster... we were instructed to stay in character. Some of those improvised extended periods with the guests until the ride got moving again were pretty hilarious, particularly if it happened in gangster alley and there were other gangsters backstage available to come out and help with the improvisation.
And now Alien is technically a Disney property *80's Michael Eisner chuckles with a haunting echo*
Never forget the Lottery starring Bette Middler
they played that Movie or parts of it when i was there 1991
I only ever got to experience this wonderful attraction once, but I am so thankful that I did.
Spencer Calderon I rode it frequently and the magic lasted, not as much as the first time, but still magic for the film buff!
There are so many "was originally envisioned as" and 'was much better whens' regarding this ride it just felt a bit lacking compared to what it could have been. Don't get me wrong... Still love it - just sad about how much bigger and better it should have been. I'm sure almost every ride we love involves as much compromise from conception to construction.
This was genuinely what made Hollywood studios my favorite park. I love the concept of an old Hollywood park that takes you into the movie sets, but by getting rid of the great movie ride and the back lot tour, they are destroying the whole concept of the park. I guarantee they will destroy the tower of terror with that tacky guardians of the galaxy ride.
Don't think I didn't notice you uploaded this on the 30 year anniversary of the ride opening ;)
Glad you did notice, I was racing against to the clock to get it uploaded by then :)
Wait, Old Yeller...ride? Show? Where you get to pick his fate!?!? What!?! What does that mean or look like?
Right?! They should release the rough drafts lol
Who thought this was a good idea 😂
Well, they had a light gun on the ride...
Damn that tone-shifting intro... I was really feeling the emotion
Sorry about that
wow I didn't know it had 2 different ride stories...after all the times I've been on it every-time I got the one with the gangster
louise silvester I went on it once and I had the gangster
So I lived like an hour and a half from Disney for close to 15 years and have been to the parks more than most people will ever go in their lifetime (that makes me sad, but lucky that I was able to) and TGMR is one of my favorites. I can say in the numerous times I’ve been on I think I got the cowboy like, twice. For a long time I didn’t realize there WAS a cowboy character, I thought it was just the gangster lol. The cowboy is super rare I guess.
@@elizabethlevesque6978 omg that's so so cool...I would have loved to get the cowboy.. shame it closed, my dad treasures that ride
I believe the cowboy one was only used when it was busy enough that they would need to stop 2 trains in the consecutive rooms - I'd imagine it was more expensive to run because of the pyro/fire so the other one was probably the default. I asked a CM one time if we could get the cowboy one and she specifically said only the gangster one was running that day.
I had the cowboy the one time I got on that ride and it was three months before it closed
Is there gonna be a whole video about me? You got my attention
I feel like I know your entire backstory more than I know my own country's history.
Fix Disney Paris first mate we want some of the American rides!!!!
@@sk8rpunkbarbie I second that.
If this is really Mr. Eisner... I would like to know whose idea it was at the company to let the new Mickey cartoon invade the space of TGMR. Please.
actually, Eisner is no longer CEO. Iger and DPI green light the makeover
Y’all. This was one of my absolute favorite rides when I was younger. I visited the site of the ride last spring at Disney World and I actually started crying. Such an amazing and captivating ride... I don’t understand why they let it go... and they’re replacing it with another Mickey roller coaster ride 🤦🏻♀️ like whyyyy
It's nor a roller coaster. It's another track less Dark Ride.
Never forget that all-time classic THE LOTTERY STARRING BETTE MIDLER!!!
great video! mgm studios is probably what i miss the most from what disney used to be. and i don’t think it’s from a nostalgia point, i genuinely do miss the more interesting attractions like the great movie ride, the backlot tour, the stunt show, etc. i know it was considered a half day park but something about it always made it my favorite park as a teenager. i miss the great movie ride! runaway railway is a fantastic replacement but nothing will ever replace the experience of the great movie ride
Day 2 of asking where the Micheal Eisner video is (is it in progress lol)
I feel like they're not going to make it anymore and just hope people forget it was ever mentioned
I'll be honest, when the Alien descended, I almost jumped the ride. That was terrifying!
Man, this is pretty sad. I remember going on this ride way back in 2007 when I was a teenager, and my parents wanted to take me to Disney once in my life because I had never been. This was such a memorable ride and a highlight of the MGM Studios park, it's a real shame that it no longer exists.
R.I.P. one of my favorite rides. It made the park whole IMO, and when we went and it wasn't there something felt missing. Thanks for the video!
I so miss this attraction.
R.i.p the great movie ride
):
Poor MGM, from a Golden Age powerhouse to a modern whelp that can't do anything without the assistance of other studios.
The Xenomorph and Ripley was always my favorite part! Munchkin land. Land. Not village. Idk why that made me twitch.
I miss The Great Movie Ride so much! It was such a good ride and ultimately was one of the driving forces for me joining the industry as an adult. And it was so much fun to be immersed in all those great films and seeing the reactions of those who rode the ride for the first time; seeing that Disney magic put a spark in their eyes as the vehicle was getting hijacked/seeing all the effects go off during the interactive scenes.
The new ride there is good too, don't get me wrong. But TGMR will always have a nostalgic, warm spot in my heart.
I want a “Disney’s Great Movie Villain Ride” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that’ll not only pay homage to The Great Movie Ride, but also celebrate Disney’s classic movie villains!
Yes! Now that would be great to see a ride or land dedicated to Disney’s Rogues Gallery.
Kind of like the Mickey’s house of -mouse- villains? That would be so cool, I just wish my eyes still weren’t sweating... not crying.. nope.
Carmine Crincoli I love the Disney villains
Ally Mazur HELL YEAH! Let’s make it happen!
Andrew Homer I agree! I also wanna see a Villains’ Mountain coaster alongside other Disney Villains themed rides!
Thinking about how it’s being torn down and replaced makes my blood boil. It really is a tragedy that it’s gone
hi ilove it
When I was young I was so traumatized by that shooting scene!! The actors and my family really made me think it was real and I was literally on the floor of the ride crying because I honestly believed we were going to get shot. Hence why I never liked the ride and didn’t like going on it but I did like the concept of it giving a special nod to great films
I'm sorry but that's really funny
@@clyne8835 looking back it is pretty funny 😂
Honestly I think this is sadly why the ride couldn't exist in its original form today. Horribly, mass shootings are too common now for anyone to be ok with even a "fake shootout" right over their heads, understandably.
You unlocked a memory for me. This ride was absolutely mesmerizing when I was a child
This was definitely one of the best rides at Hollywood Studios and I'm so sad I only got to witness it once. I was so angry when I heard the news that Disney was getting rid of it. An absolute shame.
“Get out ya grinders” is still one of my favorite quotes from any ride at Disney
I was pretty fortunate to be with central Florida top five and be on the very last public ride of the great movie ride, incredible end Of a sad evening
Man, I miss this ride sooooo much. Was a top 5 ride in all Disney parks.
I will miss you, Alien segment. You were my favorite thing in Disney. I can only pray that one day, Micheal Eisner will return, and construct a fully functional Alien experience.
Well, they own Alien now, so...
I will miss you , Mary Poppins Segmemt , Fantasia segment , and The Wizard Of Oz Segement .
That is the one part I was super bummed to lose when they made the announcement. I miss everything about it!
That's a great recap. I worked at GMR for two years as a gangster and tour guide. However, the blood shirt pocket that ripped away was used for a period of time. I worked there from 1990 -1991 ish and we used it for a portion of that beginning time period. It was really quite cool. There was a mattress about 6" off of a step that the tour guide would 'gently' fall onto. Depending on who the gangster was or how hammy you felt you would quickly pull off the pocket cover and stumble around, showing people the bloody pocket before said gentle fall. From there you'd take the back corridor to Anubis, put on the Egyptian garb and wait for your vehicle to pull up. Great ride and some very cool times.
I wasn't expecting to cry today but here I am. T____T
This was and always will be one of my favorite attractions in any Disney park. Every time I pass by the Chinese theatre I get teary eyed. Thanks for making this video.
We rode this at our 2017 Disney trip, and I am so happy we got to see it before the closed the ride. I loved it, our tour guides were great. My son was 7 at the time, and was VERY concerned about the fate of the cowboy after it appeared he died in a fiery hell. When we exited the ride, he walked up to a CM and desperately asked if the cowboy was okay, lol. CM was great, and informed him that the cowboy was fine..
Glad I got to experience this ride before it shifted to narration. I thoroughly enjoyed it then and it was one of my favorite rides in the park.
Thank you so much for explaining the Fantasia and movie montage room. This ride was so impressive that I always felt like these parts were missing something, like Disney was cheaping out for some reason.
this channel is what helps me stay alive.
I loved... and hated this video. It brought me great joy to learn many facts about GMR; however, it also brought so much nostalgia towards the end that it made me tear up just a little, for I’ll never be able to experience anything like it ever again (especially the prime time of it’s life during the 90s).
Thanks for your work and dedication on the video!
MGM forgot they had to borrow an animator for the special effects in "Forbidden Planet" from Disney.
Judy Garland she's made into MGM studios movies show TV disney world and Disneyland before New TCM channel
I remember going on TGMR as a kid, and absolutely loving it. The interactions with the cast members on the ride seemed so cool, and made me want to work on the ride when i was little. Such a shame to see it end.
This is awesome! I never knew that Ghostbusters was going to be in there, or that the tour guide was going to be shot. Learning new facts about one of my favorite attractions=time well spent. Thank you!
I just LOVED that this ride used live actors! that is probably the biggest reason it was my favorite ride as a kid. I miss this so much! 💔
I remember being a little kid, terrified of the Alien part
The Great Movie Ride was amazing. I truly loved every minute of it. It was relaxing, entertaining and beautifully built. I enjoyed looking at every detail while riding. The Wicked witch moved just like a real person. Gosh there was just so many awesome things about the ride, I could go on forever! RIP to very special part of my childhood.
This ride was my favorite in Hollywood studios but was scared to because of the creepy alien but I CAN'T BELEIVE THEY TOOK IT DOWN!
i’m so glad i was able to ride The Great Movie Ride at least once before it left. it was honestly one of my favorite rides when i went to disney world for the first time. all good memories to live on🥺😭
Disney shot themselves in the foot by closing the ride too soon. They have Marvel and 20th Century Fox movies they could use now! Animatronics are always more impressive than stupid video screens!
The ending film always made me emotional, I don't why...I miss the ride dearly.
Why must you be so stubborn Bill Murray?
if there was a marvel section in the great movie ride I would cry honestly,,,, but sadly it would only exist in Disneyland bc of the marvel theme park rights :( and I don't think there's A gmr in dinseyland? correct me if im wrong im not sure
I’m pretty sure it’s Disneyworld that cant have marvel because Disneyland is building marvel land
@@peribow Isn't it all owned by the same company though?
@@techy804 yeah but universal bought rights to marvel theme parks east of the mississippi river before disney bought marvel
i’m so glad i got to experience this ride when it was open. im literally obsessed with classic movies, especially the golden age of hollywood. i thank this ride, my 10th grade english teacher, being named Scarlett of course and my mom for me loving these movies so much. im literally heart broken that this ride is gone, its the best one disney ever had♥️
Have to give a shot out to the animatronic horse in Western street. That was my favorite AA in all of WDW
i remember being at hollywood studios the day before the final day of operation for the ride, it was extremely rainy and i got completely soaked!! the line was the longest id ever seen for it, i was standing for 20, 25 minutes in the rain with absolutely no cover! but i was willing to get sick for the great movie ride, and so was everyone else there. it was wonderful to see just how much love people had for the ride 😭
Legitament chunk of my childhood, gone just like Thanos's snap. Makes me soooo sad that this ride is gone. :'(
I surprised myself with how emotional I got watching this video. Going to Disney MGM Studios as a kid was always my favorite part of our yearly Disney trips, I would get so excited and inspired learning about how movies were made and especially on the Great Movie Ride where I could see the history of all these different films. Even the queue was exciting as a kid and probably the only line I didn't get bored in as I loved seeing all of the props and costumes on display. I think MGM Studios and The Great Movie Ride were part of what first inspired me to start studying film and when I went back to the park as an adult in college after studying so much about the films shown in GMR it felt like it meant even more. I was so sad when I learned this was closing because I knew I wouldn't be able to go back and ride it one last time before it'd be gone. As much as I'm excited for Galaxy's Edge, I still really miss the "behind the scenes" origin of the park so much. :(
The great movie ride and alien encounters are the two attractions I wish I could have gone on 😫
Halfway agreed. But I was a terrified child of a lot of things. The Alien scene in Great Movie Ride was more than I could regularly handle and I latched on to Lilo & Stitch as a franchise with a deep, DEEP love for reasons it would take more than just a comment to explain. So I was one of the kiddos who was elated to know Stitch would be getting an attraction and I'm still sad I never got to say goodbye to that one... I got sick during my last trip, so I didn't make it to Magic Kingdom in time on our designated Magic Kingdom day to say goodbye to it... I was very upset and couldn't help crying. But I didn't cry for that as much as I did Great Movie Ride on that trip.
@@CosplayCore i would have loved to experience ot as stitch's great escape too I have a great love for the movie as well, Im just such a sci fi and horror lover my young self would have been terrified Im sure but happy about it haha Im sorry you got too sick and didnt get to go thats never fun especially when it comes to disney 😔
Alien Encounter was kind of cheesy, to be honest. Similar effects are used in the Animal Kingdom's "It's Tough to be a Bug" show, if you're interested in experiencing them.The lights would go out and the speakers (which were very close to your ears in the headrest) would make a gross dry mouth/lick noise (that would kind of give you goosebumps), the alien's "breath" would brush your neck (just a puff of warm air, with sound effects), and when he "got loose" a soft plastic tube would swipe your ankles/back of your legs for a startle. That was pretty much it. The other effects/animatronics were meh (especially when compared to TGMR!) It was like being in a silly haunted house. People would scream, but it was more because it was spooky/silly than actually scary. TGMR, though, was magical. I'm sorry you didn't get to experience it :(
I didn't even realize this ride was abandoned. The last time I was at Disney, had to be about 10-11yrs ago and I loved that ride
Wish I could've had a chance to go on it. Damn you, Bob Iger!!!
Eisner is worse
@@dragontales1999 No, not really. They're both equally good and equally bad, just for different reasons.
@@otaking3582 Eisner got rid of many great rides and made some of the worst attractions in Disney history.
@@dragontales1999 You do remember that this discussion started with me cursing Bob Iger for closing The Great Movie Ride, right?
@@otaking3582 yes, but at least he didn't get rid of something like Imagination, which is what Eisner did.
That 'old yeller the ride- choose his fate!' cracked me tf up
happy 30th birthday great movie ride... i still miss you...
I can see the lines to Old Yeller now. Happy smiling faces going in, tearful sobbing faces going out.
This is devastating. I just can’t believe (still) that they are getting rid of this outstanding ride! When I saw the cast members bow, I cried. Since I come from the theatre, it hit me really hard. This was the only ride to include Preforming Arts into Disney. It was three things I loved in one. Acting, Movies, and Disney. I just have a question. Why couldn’t they keep this masterpiece, and make Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway in another place in the park? I mean, they have plenty of room to build new attractions. I’m just very disappointed in this dumb choice (in my opinion) on their part. Sorry this is long, if you read this, thank you for your time. Have a good day. ♥️
Agreed. Also: “HERERRREEE’S _JOHNNY_ !” 🪓
Oh I totally agree with you! So tragic I was sick about it! It was truly magical!!!! I just don't get why they keep changing the rides or attractions. They need to move on to new stuff not wrecking the classics!
@@meganruchwatercolors7186IKR? It's almost as if they think long-time guests are behaving like spoiled brats or something, when in actuality, they're anything but!
You got me crying, thought I was finally healed...
I spit my drink out when I saw the Old Yeller: The Ride sign
I first experienced this ride as a 9 year old, and it was consistently one of my favorite rides in all of Walt Disney World. I credit this ride with inspiring my love of movies, especially those from the golden age of Hollywood.