Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Okay, I'm sitting in MCO and decided to post an abridged version of my trip report here dealing with some observations and things that struck a cord with me. 1) There needs to be full service bus stops at the Boardwalk. It's the only place with centralized nightlife in WDW, and it's ridiculous that I have to take a bus from Boardwalk to DTD and then to my resort at 12:30 AM. 2) I was impressed with some new choices I saw/tried at some quick service restaurants. And I was very impressed with the buffalo chicken sandwich at the new Backlot Express. 3) Backlot Tour needs to die. Like now. What a terrible excuse for an attraction. 4) GMR could use some script updates, as leo said before. No one in hell knows who George of the Jungle is. Why the hell is he mentioned? 5) Fantasmic shown one day a week is a very unfunny joke. 6) I enjoyed the fact that they use your picture in ToT. Nice that they kept the effect from Nightastic, which was basically the only good part of that overlay. 7) The Citizens of Hollywood may be one of my top 5 favorite things at WDW. 8) The "coaster" for FLE will be, to quote a buddy, "Cool." 9) DHS needs major help. If one of it's attractions goes down, the park sucks. With Star Tours down, I was done the park in 3/4 hours, which included multiple rides on Tower and Coaster, as well as a showing of Indy. And if two of the major attractions are down? Well, lets just say that happened a few weeks a go, and it cost the company a pretty penny.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Oh and a big LOL at the Harry Potter music playing on the bus to DHS.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>> 2) I was impressed with some new choices I saw/tried at some quick service restaurants. And I was very impressed with the buffalo chicken sandwich at the new Backlot Express. 3) Backlot Tour needs to die. Like now. What a terrible excuse for an attraction.<<< 2) Ate lunch there, have to say I agree. The salad is also good. 3) Funny, I was dragged on it, and thought it wasn't half bad. Sure, it's been neutered, left for dead, and horridly dumbed down, but I think an attraction like that is needed in DHS. It needs help, not death.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<Funny, I was dragged on it, and thought it wasn't half bad. Sure, it's been neutered, left for dead, and horridly dumbed down, but I think an attraction like that is needed in DHS. It needs help, not death.>> It takes up too much potential expansion space to live. Which brings me to another point: Can the speedway die as well? What an ugly, disgusting, smelly eyesore.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>> It takes up too much potential expansion space to live. Which brings me to another point: Can the speedway die as well? What an ugly, disgusting, smelly eyesore.<<< There are other plots for expansion. Frankly, I would rather have the BLT brought back up to speed. And YES, KILL THAT THING WITH FIRE.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost >>>Backlot Tour needs to die. Like now. What a terrible excuse for an attraction.<<< I would think that the problem is that there is no alternative way to utilize Catastrophe Canyon. How else would it be feasible without the back lot tour. I will agree that there is a lot of wasted time leading up to it and after it, but I don't think they ought to shut it down either. So...what does one do?
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<Can the speedway die as well? What an ugly, disgusting, smelly eyesore.>> Better idea: upgrade the speedway to HKDL's Autopia. Quiet & clean electric vehicles, futuristic landscaping, pleasant and cheery motoring experience. Kids will still get to drive a car, and Tomorrowland will eliminate another eyesore.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper This they are talking the "Richard Petty Nascar Experience" track out in the parking lot.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox My bad. That sucks as well. (But I really want to see TL's speedway upgraded to the newer version.)
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt <<^^^^ I'll bring out my Steamroller! I hate it as well!>> AMEN! DH loves it so I get dragged on ugh!
Originally Posted By plpeters70 Add me to the list of those that think Backlot Tour should die. The thing just doesn't make sense anymore - and really hasn't since they stopped actually producing anything at DHS years ago. If they want to replace it with a new "how movies are made" experience, that would be cool, but I really don't see any need for the trams anymore.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> 3) Backlot Tour needs to die. Like now. What a terrible excuse for an attraction. << Everyone knows I agree with this. I wanted to ask a question, though, about the windows that the trams pass after the costuming department. There are a series of windows on the Backlot Tour that are covered up/blacked out, just like the Peoplemover windows around Buzz Lightyear that used to look down into Dreamflight and If You Had Wings. I seem to recall these windows looking into part of a set from the Wesley Snipes movie 'Passenger 57.' Am I completely crazy or was that once behind these windows?
Originally Posted By leobloom >> 5) Fantasmic shown one day a week is a very unfunny joke. << Honestly don't think I've seen Fantasmic since it first opened. Loved the show at DL, but never really got into it at DHS. Are they ever going to plus WDW's version? >> 8) The "coaster" for FLE will be, to quote a buddy, "Cool." << Sounds promising. Wonder when they're finally going to announce just what is planned for FLE. >> 9) DHS needs major help. If one of it's attractions goes down, the park sucks. With Star Tours down, I was done the park in 3/4 hours, which included multiple rides on Tower and Coaster, as well as a showing of Indy. And if two of the major attractions are down? Well, lets just say that happened a few weeks a go, and it cost the company a pretty penny. << I noticed this, too. The park just doesn't seem very filling as a day-offering. Can't imagine what it'd be like to have a second major attraction go 101. >> 4) GMR could use some script updates, as leo said before. No one in hell knows who George of the Jungle is. Why the hell is he mentioned? << So true. The George of the Jungle movie was only, what, ten years ago?
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Leo...if they are the windows I'm thinking of there used to be half of an airplane there that, yes, was used to film Passenger 57. I do like Catastrophe Canyon even though I've been on it many times. Getting rid of the trams means the end of that...and that would be a shame in my opinion. I'd like more movies to "ride"...as that was intended. Simulating the chase on the hills of San Francisco in "The Rock" would be an idea...(though dated). I wish they could find a way to use the trams with the Canyon and add other elements ala USH. And, I should know this...but what is FLE?
Originally Posted By aquamoptop FLE = Fantasyland Expansion And George of the Jungle is not in GMR. Its the original Tarzan movie!!
Originally Posted By leobloom >> Leo...if they are the windows I'm thinking of there used to be half of an airplane there that, yes, was used to film Passenger 57. << Thanks. Wonder why they did away with it, or why they didn't update it with newer props. I know they have some costumes from Pirates on display, but still... One of the more interesting diversions at DHS is the AFI exhibit at the Backlot exit. They have costumes and props from quite a few movies including Star Wars and Aliens. However, it really annoys me that the Darth Vader costume they have on display is identified as being a reproduction that wasn't used in the films. If DHS would just add *real* movie props around the park, my impression of the park would be much better. I always liked the props in the GMR queue, including the Star Wars chess board. I don't think it's still there--not sure if it's on exhibit anywhere in the park, actually. >> I'd like more movies to "ride"...as that was intended. Simulating the chase on the hills of San Francisco in "The Rock" would be an idea...(though dated). I wish they could find a way to use the trams with the Canyon and add other elements ala USH. << A set up like the Studio Tram Tour at USH would be ideal if WDW invested the money to make it impressive. The LMA area would have been a natural fit for an expansion of the Backlot Tour, so I'm guessing that won't happen anytime soon. And I don't have anything against Catastrophe Canyon, but for me it pales in comparison to Universal's Earthquake (or whatever they're calling it now).
Originally Posted By Doobie <<< 1) There needs to be full service bus stops at the Boardwalk. It's the only place with centralized nightlife in WDW, and it's ridiculous that I have to take a bus from Boardwalk to DTD and then to my resort at 12:30 AM. >>> No reason DTD should have bus service and not Boardwalk <<< 3) Backlot Tour needs to die. Like now. What a terrible excuse for an attraction. >>> So ambivalent. It's not good. But it's not horrible and what's a studio without a backlot tour. No ambivalence about the Harbor Attack, it can go. I'd do the tour more if I didn't have to endure that. <<< 5) Fantasmic shown one day a week is a very unfunny joke. >>> That is cruel. They call it an attraction, they put it on the "closed today" board when it's not going. The park doesn't have all that many attractions. If Beauty and the Beast can run everyday, Fantasmic! can run everyday. <<< 6) I enjoyed the fact that they use your picture in ToT. Nice that they kept the effect from Nightastic, which was basically the only good part of that overlay. >>> Good move. Doobie.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>> Better idea: upgrade the speedway to HKDL's Autopia. Quiet & clean electric vehicles, futuristic landscaping, pleasant and cheery motoring experience. Kids will still get to drive a car, and Tomorrowland will eliminate another eyesore<<< It's still lame to me... LOL. What's so "Disney" about getting to drive a car on a track?
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Thanks for the FLE help. I don't want them to do the tram tour half cocked. The attempt at Universal when it first opened was pathetic. I can only imagine some pencil pusher in the boardroom said, "we can't do the park without a tram tour. It's what the people expect." And they did one all right....badly. I thought the walk through portion of the tour used to be pretty interesting but maybe people don't have the patience for that any more. And I agree...Earthquake (Disaster..whatever) is much better than Catastrophe...but not by a lot in my opinion.
