It hit me as kind of odd that over the last several years, I have been spending less and less time in the Disney-MGM Studios theme park. It bothered me because I recall spending a lot of time in that park.
I looked at my notes on recent trips, and it’s true; I am making fewer visits to this theme park.
During the 1990s it seemed like the Magic Kingdom was always at the top of the list, then MGM would slightly get the nod over Epcot for second place. Well, it has not been that way for years as Epcot has solidly replaced the Studios as my second most favorite theme park.
It’s been 17 years since the gates of Disney-MGM Studios opened, and perhaps it’s time to take a closer look and think about what’s working, what’s not working, what should have stayed, and what should go.
But wait—why not go one step further and pretend we have the authority to perform a special MGM Studios makeover? In this session let’s try to put together a plan to give this theme park a boost and hopefully help get it back on track.
Hollywood Boulevard
The most significant change on Hollywood Boulevard has been the huge sorcerer’s hat placed there a number of years ago for the 100 Years of Magic Celebration. I think it was completed in December 2001. If I’m mistaken I’m sure I’ll hear from someone. Oh yes, there is a pin trading station under the hat. I’m not sure if such a huge landmark was needed to establish a spot to sell pins.
I subscribe to two theories as to why the hat was constructed:
-
One theory holds that Earful Tower just wasn’t grabbing guests as an icon for the theme park and thus Mickey’s sorcerer’s hat, which represented Mickey’s finest hour in Fantasia, would serve that purpose.
-
The second theory, which a few others have also mentioned to me, was that it was a pure investment, made for obvious revenue streaming purposes.
It makes sense. We’ll build a huge symbol that guests can’t miss and sell shirts, mugs, everything and anything with this icon on it. Souvenir sales will pick up because the guests will want a souvenir with that new logo. Why not? It has worked in the past. Remember the change in Spaceship Earth? It still works today. Oh for a shirt with a photo of the castle without that hideous mirror.
So it’s agreed? The sorcerer’s hat was to give birth to a new logo for this theme park and also boost souvenir sales. I guess the only problem I have with the hat is that is really does a disservice to the Great Movie Ride and how much care went into making that building look like the famous Graumans’s Chinese Theater on the real Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.
So my first makeover act is to move the hat to the front of the park, to the area known as Crossroads. It can be seen from outside the park, and can still serve as a centerpiece. This will also allow for guests to view The Great Movie Ride building.
For those who love the hat it will still be there for them. For those who want their Grauman’s Chinese Theater back, you’re welcome.
Now that we have moved the hat how about bringing back Sorcery in the Sky? To this day I feel that Sorcery was the predecessor to Wishes! and the present edition of Illuminations.
Of course the first argument is that there is not enough standing room for Sorcery. Well could it be that it’s always crowded for Sorcery because it’s rarely shown? How about showing Sorcery Wednesday through Thursday and Fantasmic Friday through Sunday? Would that work?
A Working Studio?
Remember how this theme park was marketed as a full-fledge working studio? Not any more. In fact there have been some changes over the years that have made us all but forget that claim.
In the early 1990s guests could go into a doorway next to Peevy’s Polar Pipeline and make videos. It was a lot of fun. They make videos in Hollywood don’t they? Well, they do not do so anymore in this particular “Hollywood.”
So why not as part of our makeover plan put some video-making center in the park, let’s say on Mickey Avenue or maybe Sunset Boulevard. Did someone say revenue stream? When I look at the empty ABC Theater I cringe. I think it has probably been almost a decade since we’ve seen Superstar Television.
Oh, you don’t know about Superstar Television? That was an extremely popular attraction where guests were selected to go up onto a stage and perform in their favorite soap, comedy, or drama such as I love Lucy, Cheers, Johnny Carson, Gunsmoke, and others. It was a blast.
After so many years there would be a generational gap and certain shows would have to be worked out and others worked in but with so many shows out there would it really be so difficult?
That theater has been empty for too long. Bring back Superstar Television. Guests love it. Cast members love it. It’s decided then.
If Sounds Dangerous were to close tomorrow it would have been several years too late.
Remember Monster Sound Stage? It was an amazing attraction that got the guests involved with sound effects and always had the audience laughing. Now we have a theater in the dark and stereo headphones. Woop dee do! Wow! Have all the Imagineers been let go?
Sounds Dangerous is probably at best, an attraction that should have opened up in Disneyland in the mid 60’s. It needs to go. My makeover solution: Bring back Monster Sound Stage.
Thrills and Spills
The Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular is still quite popular. However, it’s been going on for 15 years or so and maybe a change is needed. We’ve all heard the rumors of the possible dismantling of this attraction and replacing it with the WDW version of Disneyland’s Temple of the Forbidden Eye attraction.
The question is whether or not there’s enough room to construct such an attraction where the Indy show presently stands.
I have a solution. Construct a Temple of the Forbidden Eye using a bit of the technology from Star Tours and Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Dinosaur attraction. I’m sure with some brainstorming the imaginers could come up with something.
If not, I have a great alternative idea. First make a huge sequel to Aladdin and then, using Star Tours technology, build a simulator that takes you through the Cave of Wonders. Just a thought. Hey, that’s what we makeover people do. Think!
I guess we can stick with Star Tours but I’d probably push for a different movie and sequence and then have the guests always wondering which version they would see.
I’m sorry but as head makeover guy I have decided to wipe out Lights! Motors! Action! Stunt Show. I’m sure it works for first-timers but I can do so much more with that area, and I am. Take a poll. Who do you know who has seen that attraction more than once?
My plan is to take that area and extend the Big City Streets section of the park and to make two big changes. First I would take some of that stunt show property and give it back to the backlot tour, where it belongs.
I would then work with the Henson people and resurrect, if they so exist, those plans to do a “Great Muppet Movie Ride” and put that in place. Finally, I would make use of the remaining area and put some signature restaurants from the big city streets of San Francisco, New York, and Chicago. Why not?
The Deal for Mickey Avenue
I love that show “Deal or No Deal” and would love to see that show be put where “Who Wants to be a millionaire? Play it!” used to be. Instead of playing for money the guests would play for pins and lanyards. Yeah I know there are copyright issues and all that jazz. We’ll work them out. It’s worth a try.
I don’t have an issue with either One Man’s Dream or Voyage of the Little Mermaid.
The only change I would make for “Mermaid’ is that I would install a vaporizer gun to pick off anyone who uses a flash during the performance. Actually, we’d just have to rent it for a year. Once word gets around we won’t need a real one. A prop will do fine.
The Great Generational Gap Ride
Boy am I glad my kids have grown up and I don’t have to answer questions like, “Dad, who is Esther Williams, Gene Kelley, Johnny Weismueller, James Cagney, and those other people we saw in that ride?”
We’re closing in on almost 20 years of the present edition of The Great Movie Ride. Let’s revamp it and bring it up to date. Let’s insert some movies that are more recent and perhaps have remakes or sequels.
Sure the classics like Alien, Indiana Jones, Wizard of Oz, and Fantasia should stay, but let’s change a few portions of this attraction so we don’t have such a generational gap.
I would even suggest that some areas of the ride get refurbished so that there would be a rotating stage that would have three different scenes and so every visit to this attraction would have guests looking forward to a random combination of classic movie scenes.
Sunset Boulevard
Does anyone reading my words remember Theater of the Stars before there was a Sunset Boulevard? During those years that theater was never idle. That theater was home to what I have always considered the best stage show ever shown at the Disney MGM Studios theme park.
The show was called “Diamond Double-Cross” and most guests remember it as “Calling Dick Tracy.” There was also several other shows with a Hollywood theme.
Beauty and the Beast will always have a place at this theme park but I really would like to see that theater used for other purposes. Three words: High School Musical. The popularity of this movie makes it a perfect candidate for an alternative show for this theater. You could do HSM on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and let Belle and Beast entertain on the other days of the week.
I really think someone missed the boat with this opportunity. Oh sure, there’s this High School Musical thing going on in Tomorrowland over at Magic Kingdom but think of the sets and the atmosphere of doing it at MGM Studios where it should be. Who came up with Tomorrowland?
If I have not mentioned certain attractions it’s simple. They stay!
That’s pretty much all I have for now. It will take a lot of work but I think all those changes would make this theme park so much more fun and so much more entertaining.
We can hope. Something definitely needs to be done because frankly it’s the other theme parks that do the job when it comes to helping us…
…Remember the Magic!
Next Time!
Next time we’ll take a tour of a special site. Here’s a hint. Don’t be a “Foolish mortal” and miss it.
Class dismissed!
Last Call for Help
On Saturday, October 7th I will be running in the Susan G. Komen Breast cancer Foundation’s Race for the cure 5K at Disney’s Animal kingdom. Besides running I am also participating in the fundraising event to fight breast cancer and we need your help. If you would like to help please visit my donation page for more information.
Thank you for your support in the battle against breast cancer and I hope to see some of you at one of these races.
