Lights, camera, action! Thanks for joining me for another countdown! Today we are going to talk about a beloved attraction that is no longer with us. As most of you are aware, The Great Movie Ride is gone, having closed on August 13th. Not cool. I am deeply saddened by this decision and I feel it was premature. Although I am excited for the new Mickey ride, I would be more excited if it were located elsewhere.

The Great Movie Ride is very near and dear to my heart. It was one of my favorite attractions hands down. A lot of it is because I LOVE movies, especially classic films, but also because it was just so much fun. I felt like it really captured the nature of what it is that draws us into these stories.

I was definitely one of those kids who dreamt of someday working at Walt Disney World. And the three jobs I had on my list were the Casting Director at the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, a Citizen of Hollywood, and of course the Movie Guide at The Great Movie Ride. While other girls dreamt of being a Princess, I dreamt of taking guests on a magical journey into the movies.

I knew the script by heart at a very young age. I spent time doing research on all of the movies mentioned so that I was prepared with fun facts in case the ride stopped and I had to stall! I did a whole presentation on the attraction in high school. Yes, I was … still am crazy.  But I just loved the attraction so much and I really wanted that job.

I feel strongly that the closing was premature. My love for the ride did not blind me, I was fully aware it needed work and updates, but Disney has the capability to make those amazing changes that will only enhance the ride. Putting your guests smack dab in the middle of the movie action will never get old. I was very hopeful that the TCM partnership would be a huge step towards a new Great Movie Ride. Sadly that didn’t happen.

So that brings us to why we are here. I want to honor The Great Movie Ride by remembering its greatness and counting down my favorite things about the attraction. Here are my Top 5 Great Movie Ride Favorites! Ready when you are, C.B.!

 

5. Ending Movie Montage

I very much supported the TCM sponsorship, however I was not too impressed with the new ending. I loved Robert Osborne’s introduction, but I preferred the old montage. The original was so well put together and just had that something special. It was the perfect ending credits to conclude our journey.

 

4. Queue Line

I always enjoyed the queue line. I loved looking at the movie props, costumes, and posters. But my favorite part was when you entered the theater and got to see the movie trailers, which I could watch over and over again. I was pleasantly surprised with the TCM change. Being a classic movie fan, I wanted nothing more than to just stand there and watch Robert’s entire presentation on these movies and hear all of the really awesome things he had to share.

 

3. Movie Guide and Actors

The Movie Guide was exciting, informative, a little cowardly at gunpoint, but then courageous in the end! I really appreciated the script which included many film references and of course they were always stylin’ … more so with the old costume #RIPSuspenders. Along with our amazing Movie Guide we had the privilege of being a part of the movie magic. Who thought being hijacked would be so much fun? I loved both scenes very much. But I would have to say the western bank robbery was my favorite. Which one was your favorite? #TeamGangster or #TeamCowboy? Comment and let me know!

 

2. Animatronics

The animatronics had to be my number two. After all, they were what made the ride great! They brought the movies to life! Whether they were a major character like the Wicked Witch or just a small Munchkin singing in a window, they gave it their all! My favorite animatronic was definitely Gene Kelly. Singin’ in the Rain is my favorite movie and I always loved seeing Don Lockwood up close!

 

1. Imagineering Secrets

The Great Movie Ride was packed full of Imagineering secrets and Easter eggs. I learned so much from the Cast Members about all of the secret things to look out for. Some of my favorites included: The gangster car license plate 021-429 which represented February 14, 1929, the date of the St. Valentine’s Day massacre. In the same scene, you could see Mickey’s silhouette in an upper building’s window. The Crew Roster in Alien included many names of the Imagineers who worked on the attraction. You can see R2-D2 and C-3PO in the hieroglyphics, and that’s just naming a few!

 

That’s a wrap for my countdown. It was a fabulous attraction filled with so much detail and magic! I will always miss it. If you haven’t seen the walkthrough video yet, you need to check it out! It is a fantastic way to revisit The Great Movie Ride when you want to reminisce.

Be sure to vote! If I didn’t mention your favorite thing please comment below. And don’t forget to include your favorite version, #TeamGangster or #TeamCowboy!

Extra Magic Tip: Since the attraction is closed, there is not much foot traffic in this area. Right now is a good time to check out all of the celebrity handprints and get your picture taken by the PhotoPass photographer.

 

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Cassie Calkins