The Great Movie Ride – Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The very first time we came to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, it was so exciting for me to explore the new theme park.

I remember going with my grandfather and even though he was over 75 years old, he still got on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride.

The name changed from MGM Studios to Hollywood Studios.

They have a replica of Grauman’s Chinese Theater.

I’ve been lucky enough to see the real thing in person while I was in L.A. and it looks identical to the one at Hollywood Studios.

My friend, Gigi, came with me for a day at Disney.

The Great Movie Ride debuted at this park location on May 1, 1989.

The ride is based on twelve classic films throughout motion picture history.

Most of the scenes use Audio-Animatronic figures, practical sets, live actors, special effects, and projections to recreate iconic scenes from each movie so it’s like you’re traveling back in time to see a film develop, in classic Hollywood, to present time.

While waiting in line, a short film is played, then you enter the ride like you’re entering a film studio.

There are palm trees set up, just like in Hollywood.

I love the color lighting at the entrance.

One of the most interesting things you see from the entrance are the Disney incorporated films, outside of its own library.

Normally they focus on their own property, but this ride has movies that are through its licensing agreement with MGM. Turner Classic Movies began sponsoring the attraction in 2015.

The ride duration is 22 minutes and there are 59 Audio-Animatronic figures.

The first genre of films introduced were musicals, which begins with a cake of starlets from By a Waterfall from Busby Berkeley’s Footlight Parade.

The Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews) and Bert (Dick Van Dyke) singing on the rooftops of London are original movie scenes from Mary Poppins.

The next scene was a tribute to the gangster film, The Public Enemy. This is the part of the ride where the cast members interact with the guests.

An actor plays a live gangster named Mugsy (Boy) or Mugsi (Girl) who shows up and gets involved in a shoot-out with rival mobsters (Brains, Legs, and Weasel).

Somehow the live gangster takes over and hijacks the ride, moving from scene to scene.

The fire looks so life-like.

The Man with No Name (Clint Eastwood) stands outside of a saloon, along with Ethan Edwards (John Wayne).

This alien was part of the original Alien film.

There’s also a scene from Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark.

This is the part where there’s a shoot-out with the rival mobsters and the tour guide from the beginning of the ride, returns.

The scene from The Wizard of Oz looks just like it does in the film.

The Audio-Animatronic figures sing while music plays.

The details of the Audio-Animatronic figures look like real people.

Tarzan the Ape Man.

This ride has always been my favorite and I enjoyed all of the classic films they showed.

Sadly, The Great Movie Ride closed on August 13, 2017, becoming the last operating attraction from the park’s opening day to close.

Fortunately, the attraction will be replaced by Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Hopefully it will be a fun and amazing ride.

Edited by Larnna Thompson