Disney MGM studios to get revamped wtih "LucasLand"

[disneyfella]

I'm not sure if this goes in the theme park area, or movie area (since they are movie themed this might go in the off topic)...but since I can't decide where to put this, I thought I'd put it in the forum I was already in.


ANYWAY!! Apparently Star Tours is going down to get revamped into Star Tours 2.0. However, when the ride comes back online in 2009, there will be many more changes involving George Lucas properties including Indiana Jones....and possibly more!!!!!!

Here is the news article:

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/ ... iance.aspx



I am WAaaayyyyyy excited about this!!! Is anyone else completely stoked????

[slave2moonlight]

This is awesome news to me, because my Star Wars and Indy obsessions are second only to my Disney obsession! That's a big part of why I love that park! Plus, I'm a huge Muppet fan! If they added Sailor Moon, Dark Shadows, and a couple of other subjects, I'd have an easier time choosing a favorite Disney park. Too bad they can't be the ones doing the Harry Potter theme!

Anyway, I'm really happy about all this, and I'm surprised it's not a PIXAR-Land that's being announced, but they've spread that over the other parks enough already (frankly, I'd prefer the Monsters Inc Laugh Room be in Disney Hollywood Studios, where it seems more fitting, along with a much better Pizza Planet restaurant). I'm a bit unclear about that description for the future of the backlot tour though. I'd rather see actual props than replicas, though it's sad to see them fall into disrepair. Whatever happens, I just hope they don't remove "The Great Movie Ride" or the classic Hollywood theme of the main street of that park. I'd like to see the existing "themed" areas remain mostly unchanged, and I hope the Star Wars/Indy stuff (new or old) is open for experiencing on my next visit, whenever that will be! It would stink to travel over there and find my favorite attractions closed for refurbishments/changes.

[Flanger-Hanger]

I belive the backlot tour (or what's left of it) will be removed so that Pixar Place (where Mickey avenue is now and where Toy Story Mania is going) can expand. The Great Movie ride is safe however, which is good becuase I love it to.

[Dottie]

I kinda don't like that they're gonna change Star Tours. I think the old Star Tours had so much "Original Trilogy-Charm".
But the rest could be great. A new Muppet movie in the Muppets 3D would be cool, though.

[slave2moonlight]

So they're getting rid of the backlot tour completely? That's tragic to me! It's part of what made the park feel like a real movie studio themed park! I guess it's not a working studio anymore, is it? But it's still sad that they're getting rid of the illusion too. I wonder, what is the animation section like now? Is Voyage of the Little Mermaid safe? I LOVE LOVE LOVE that show! And have they put in something decent in the animation building? I so miss the glory days of this park, which, for me, was back during the Dick Tracy craze.

I agree about the classic trilogy feel of the original Star Tours. I doubt it will be there with the replacement, and it was always one of my favorite rides from all the Disney parks, if not my number one fave! However, I feel the same about Muppet Vision 3D. I do not want to see that replaced, because while I've enjoyed some of the Muppets' work without Jim Henson, it's nowhere near as good and has been going downhill steadily. They should always keep that show as it is to keep the "classic" Muppet humor (and voices) intact! Why replace it with something inferior? They've done that enough at EPCOT and at this park too probably.

[Flanger-Hanger]

Nothing really good is in the animation building, and since it closed in 2004 the park has not been a real studios. Muppet Vision isn't going to change, and it would be awful if it did. Without Jim Henson there wouldn't be a point. (it was the second last thing he did with those characters before he died)

[Dottie]

So they're getting rid of the backlot tour completely? That's tragic to me! It's part of what made the park feel like a real movie studio themed park! I guess it's not a working studio anymore, is it? But it's still sad that they're getting rid of the illusion too. I wonder, what is the animation section like now? Is Voyage of the Little Mermaid safe? I LOVE LOVE LOVE that show! And have they put in something decent in the animation building? I so miss the glory days of this park, which, for me, was back during the Dick Tracy craze.

I agree about the classic trilogy feel of the original Star Tours. I doubt it will be there with the replacement, and it was always one of my favorite rides from all the Disney parks, if not my number one fave! However, I feel the same about Muppet Vision 3D. I do not want to see that replaced, because while I've enjoyed some of the Muppets' work without Jim Henson, it's nowhere near as good and has been going downhill steadily. They should always keep that show as it is to keep the "classic" Muppet humor (and voices) intact! Why replace it with something inferior? They've done that enough at EPCOT and at this park too probably.

That's true, yeah, about the Muppets. It's still good, like the Muppet Show and not like the crap they produce now.
Didn't think about that.

[slave2moonlight]

Nothing really good is in the animation building, and since it closed in 2004 the park has not been a real studios. Muppet Vision isn't going to change, and it would be awful if it did. Without Jim Henson there wouldn't be a point. (it was the second last thing he did with those characters before he died)

Really?!!! Is there nothing to see in the animation building at all? Are they even open to see anything there or are they working on anything new for it? 2004 was my latest visit to Disney World, and the situation with the animation building was so sad (I had always planned to be a Disney animator myself, but gave up on that since I was going through college right around the time of all the layoffs and all and the move towards all computer animation, and I couldn't even afford a school with an animation program). I remember when I was there there wasn't much of a tour if any (don't remember too well), but they had some kind of tour (wow, I seriously can't remember the details of it) and followed it with an optional "lean to draw Minnie Mouse" experience. It seemed one of the guys directing people in the lines was an understandably disgruntled former animator! It was such a sad situation. Oh, and I know part of what we saw involved a video hosting by Mushu. Anyway, they were assuring us the whole time that a new animation tour was in development, minus the live artists at work and with more computer animation emphasis. Guess that was a lot of bull? So sad. I hope Lasseter really does get to work restoring these parks to their former glory, as the Florida parks are my favorite places to visit!

[Flanger-Hanger]

oh there is stuff to see, like the movie with Mushu about animation and some games and you can learn to draw a Disney character. And you get to walk past big empy offices and cubicles were animation was once done.

[slave2moonlight]

Wow, sounds exactly the same as my 2004 visit, despite their claims of big changes coming at the time.

[Mr. Toad]

I kinda don't like that they're gonna change Star Tours. I think the old Star Tours had so much "Original Trilogy-Charm".
But the rest could be great. A new Muppet movie in the Muppets 3D would be cool, though.

I disagree. It is just predictable. I even know which ice comet you are going to go into as soon as it appears on the screen. Would like a new one or at least a choice.

[slave2moonlight]

What irks me is that they don't release this stuff on DVD for the die-hard fans when they retire them from the parks. I could deal with the losses of these experiences much better if I had some permanent way to revisit them. I'm particularly talking about the film attractions, though it could work with any attraction. For example, they could have given us a DVD release of Captain Eo, even in 3D. And, they've been putting virtual rides on Disney DVDs latley, so why not add the Star Tours film material on a DVD someday if they truly change it? Along with the pre-show film of course. There are folks right now making money selling their own DVD recordings of Disney World attractions knowing there's a market for it. Disney should do a Theme Park experience DVD series, focusing on retired attractions of course, assuming they have video records of them.

[Mr. Toad]

slave2 - I believe they would do that. Keep in mind that DVD was far off when they canned Captain EO. There are obviously some rather significant music rights issues associated with a man who can be quite unreasonable when it comes to money. Actually, that could describe Jackson or Lucas couldn't it.

But for there own properties I would love it.

I still have my VHS of the last Electrical Parade Seasonl

[Mr. Toad]

slave2 - I believe they would do that. Keep in mind that DVD was far off when they canned Captain EO. There are obviously some rather significant music rights issues associated with a man who can be quite unreasonable when it comes to money. Actually, that could describe Jackson or Lucas couldn't it.

But for there own properties I would love it.

I still have my VHS of the last Electrical Parade Seasonl

[slave2moonlight]

Well, what surprised me about Eo was that it didn't even get a VHS release. I don't keep track of the business stuff in too much detail, but it almost always seems to get worked out when people want to work it out. It did get shown on MTV once, several year back. I wish I had gotten a good recording of it then at least. I think I may have taped it, though I don't know where the tape is, but the quality was probably pretty bad.

[Super Aurora]

Captian EO is on Youtube that's only way you can get watch it so far.

[Dottie]

I kinda don't like that they're gonna change Star Tours. I think the old Star Tours had so much "Original Trilogy-Charm".
But the rest could be great. A new Muppet movie in the Muppets 3D would be cool, though.

I disagree. It is just predictable. I even know which ice comet you are going to go into as soon as it appears on the screen. Would like a new one or at least a choice.

That's exactly what makes it fun for me. I have been on that ride so many times that I know it by heart, but still it is great fun, and you know when your favorite scenes come up etc. It's the same with a movie that you can watch over and over again and know all the dialogue.
I am just afraid that the new Star Tours will be so "Episode III-like" and rely more on effects than fun.

[slave2moonlight]

Yeah, the old one really does make you feel like you're IN Return of the Jedi or something! Ha.

[musicradio77]

That might just a rumor that the soon-to-be Disney's Hollywood Studios would be split into lands such as Lucasland, the new park dedicated to George Lucas with some "Star Wars" related attractions. That might be true according to Jim Hill Media.

[QueenRahel]

i love the family guy spoof of captain EO. ...i remember being scared in the movie when i was of a kid....surprisingly scared of the tin lady....and not michael???????