Originally Posted By leemac <<Wasn't GMR the only ride on opening day other than the Backstage Tour? That was an odd decision.>> It was symptomatic of the decision to chase Universal down there. Ride attractions take much longer to design and execute and so the decision was taken to focus on the tour elements and filmed attractions. Both Indy and Star Tours were meant to be opening day attractions but they never got there in time.
Originally Posted By leobloom "The Lottery" was the short film that played at the end of the walking porton of the Backstage Tour. I think it was filmed on the DHS New York street set -- wasn't it meant to be the culmination of all the effects and movie-making tricks you'd seen up to that point? On a side note, was the "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" bumblebee effects shot part of the original Backstage Tour? That movie came out in 1989, same year the park opened. If it was part of the original tour, it must've been planned before the film was released.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper After watching "The Lottery" you walked down a two story soundstage that had a lot of the props that were used in the filming of the short movie. I recall a scene where Bette goes down the stairs of a subway in a shopping cart and then seeing the props for that with the stairs and the "track" the cart went down.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 To answer some questions. I opened the Studios: Michael and Mickey was there for the opening of the park The Honey I Shrunk The Kids bee blue screen stage was part of the Backstage Studio Tour. When the park opened you started the tour with the tram. It loaded at the current entrance to the Animation and the walking part of the tour was part of the entire Backstage Tour. When guest complained about the length that the tour took to do it was then split into two parts. The Lottery was shot on NY Street before the park opened and it was shown in the holding area directly after walking over the soundstages. You then entered into a large room that took you down long ramps that had the props from the Lottery. You might remember that the street that Toy Story Mania was not originally open to guests when the park opened. In fact that street was originally meant to hold the trailers that the stars would need while filming at the Studio. When the park became so crowded after it was opened it was decided to open the street to guests, but it was shut down from around dusk to close so that the fireworks could be loaded for fireworks show that was narrated by Vincent Price and had the large blow up Sorcerer's Mickey on top of the Chinese Theater as a finally.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance "Hey, I humiliated myself for Constance after she dared me to pose with Duffy! Please don't judge me. LOL!" I don't seem to remember having to twist your arm too much I didn't get to read all the posts in this thread, but what purpose would it serve for Disney to continue pretending like Avatar was still a go if it actually wasn't?
Originally Posted By Blufusion12 As a small shareholder of Disney. Just 10 shares. But if they don't realize that Avatar is not a long term story ideal. I watched it once. Liked it but don't remember it now. But as a fan of Star Wars and if they don't put the full potential of their resources behind that and make it a attraction/land at the studios like they did Carsland. Then they are making a mistake. Im in my humble opinion.
Originally Posted By Yookeroo "I think officially the park had 5 attractions on opening day: 1) TGMR 2) Backstage Tour 3) Animation Tour 4) Monster Sound Show 5) Superstar Television" Wow. That's awful. far worse than DCA's opening. "But if they don't realize that Avatar is not a long term story ideal." I still don't get how anyone can be so sure of this. I mean it's possible, but the movies was slightly successful and couple of sequels are supposed to be on the way. If I had to bet, I'd probably bet against Avatar's longevity versus Star Wars. But that's a high standard (and Disney didn't own Star Wars when they got involved with Cameron). This casual assumption that one of course one of the highest grossing movies ever won't have longevity is kind of mind boggling. And eve if it doesn't, there's at least one Disney classic attraction that's based on a movie that Disney barely acknowledges. It can still work.
Originally Posted By leemac Thanks for the info sjhym333 - I'd forgotten that Mickey Avenue was closed to the public. That entire opening day plan gives me heartburn - just horrific masterplanning of the highest order. The park was designed quickly and cheaply but that doesn't excuse the awful L-shaped design with dead ends everywhere. That park has lived with that fatal mistake ever since. Sunset Boulevard was hamstrung by that design from the outset. I'm also having a mental block on what was in that tiny amphitheater off Hollywood Boulevard at the start - wasn't it a generic character revue show? I think the Beauty and the Beast show didn't arrive until 1991.
Originally Posted By Manfried WDI put all its eggs in the Great Movie Ride basket. Yet, the park was a big hit right away and had to be expanded. Something to be said for starting small I guess.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Yes! The Lottrery -- I remember that movie now! <that doesn't excuse the awful L-shaped design with dead ends everywhere. That park has lived with that fatal mistake ever since. Sunset Boulevard was hamstrung by that design from the outset.> Not to mention the physical location of the entire Disney-MGM Studios park. Jammed between and right next to two major Disney roadways, With 28,0000 acres at their disposal, they shove it there? Really? Worst decision ever -- unless you count the placement of The Swan and Dolphin hotels (World Showcase? What's that?)
Originally Posted By sjhym333 I am not sure if the amphitheater held a generic character revue but I do remember that Dick Tracy was there before Beauty and the Beast. Of course later in the back of the park there was the wonderful Hunchback show. Most people forget that where the Disney Jr show is was originally a fast food restaurant and the Catwalk Bar was also in the same building. I used to love the Catwalk. I agree that the Studios was a terribly laid out park. I was on loan to Imagineering for 2 years on the project and commented several times about the problems that the park was going to have when it opened. One of the other problems that the park held/holds is that it was very much a park of the time of what was going on at Disney. Lots of Roger Rabbit, Dick Tracy and current Disney stars were used in the park, which meant it dated itself pretty quickly. Not to mention that the idea of a working studio might have been a great idea. Unfortunately no one bothered to talk to the people who actually made films who refused to move productions to Florida. Of course those who did found that places like Residential Street and New York Street were hard to use because the areas were also part of a theme park. And then every couple of minutes you could hear the explosion from Cat Canyon even inside the soundstages. Fun times
Originally Posted By leemac <<I am not sure if the amphitheater held a generic character revue but I do remember that Dick Tracy was there before Beauty and the Beast. Of course later in the back of the park there was the wonderful Hunchback show.>> Dick Tracy & The Diamond Double Cross was a pretty terrible show - I think it ran for less than a year from '90-'91. The venue was just too small for a production of that nature. It was better suited to character shows. I'm almost certain that there was a Mickey show in that space when the park opened - I'll have to see if I can find a times guide for then. That HOND show was probably the best of the bunch anywhere. There was something about that movie that seemed to inspire creative teams - the DL presentation was equally spectacular. I still think it was musically the best of the animated features from that period.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Not to mention the physical location of the entire Disney-MGM Studios park. Jammed between and right next to two major Disney roadways, With 28,0000 acres at their disposal, they shove it there? Really? Worst decision ever -- unless you count the placement of The Swan and Dolphin hotels (World Showcase? What's that?)>> D-MGM was planted there due to transport links - it was the best location for buses and the plan was to eventually run the monorail further down World Drive. DAK got shoved off to the periphery of property when it became clear that the monorail would never be extended. I actually think the park's location isn't a masterplan issue at all - being able to walk from the Epcot Resort Area is a real selling point. It makes park hopping in that area much easier. Story behind the Swan and Dolphin is typical Eisner history. Long story short NYC property magnate Robert Tishman had an agreement that pre-dated MDE's management to build two hotels in that area (Tishman's family's construction business - Tishman Speyer was the lead contractor on Epcot and had a side agreement relating to nearby hotel development). Eisner hated the designs and threatened to walk away from the deal. Tishman cried foul and threatened legal action. MDE wanted to make a grand statement on entertainment architecture and opted to bring in Michael Graves to design those two giant structures on those lots. MDE didn't have a lot of wiggle room as Tishman was entitled to build whatever they wanted on those sites - MDE thought it was better to have a design he liked rather than let Tishman build generic hotels. Tishman still own the leasehold for both the Swan and Dolphin. Tishman has a long lease from Disney on the land. Both hotels are managed by Starwood (Westin and Sheraton respectively).
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<I actually think the park's location isn't a masterplan issue at all - being able to walk from the Epcot Resort Area is a real selling point. It makes park hopping in that area much easier.>> I have to agree. The close proximity of DHS and Epcot is genious, making for an incredible day and evening as various themed WDW parks. It is perhaps the single largest determining factor for park hopping on WDW property. In some respect, both those parks are well excuted in that they each have both incredible and popular daytime attractions as well as evening attractions. As opposed to DAK, and to some extent MK which are primarily daytime parks.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<As opposed to DAK, and to some extent MK which are primarily daytime parks.>> I'll agree about AK, but the MK??? With evening parades and fireworks I certainly consider it an all-day park.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<I'll agree about AK, but the MK??? With evening parades and fireworks I certainly consider it an all-day park.>> I didn't say the MK wasn't an all day park. What I said was that DAK and to some extent the MK are primarily daytime parks. There are sections of the MK that basically shut down when it's dark, mainly Mickey's Toontown Faire and the northern part of the area behind the castle. Grossly inappropriate poor evening lighting in both Fantasyland ( mainly over where Pooh's playful spot use to be and Ariel's grotto ), Mickey's Toontown Faire and the area going from the Mickey's Toontown Faire train stop over to Space Mountain ( with the Alice in Wonderland cutouts ). Just like EPCOT and DHS are all day parks, but come to life after twelve noon. Heck, the World Showcase area isn't even open till after 11 AM. Sure, EPCOT has some limited offerings upon rope drop every morning. But the place doesn't even happen until well after 11 AM.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Yeah - what I meant to write -- the location of Disney-MGM is genius. Like the sight lines out of Paradise Pier -- more genius,
