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“We had FACES”

Who doesn’t get chills when you enter the last scene in The Great Movie Ride? If I’m being honest, the original screening is my favorite! But I’m old school. I’m the type of person who likes things just the way the are, within reason. Can you picture Disney Hollywood Studios without the Great Movie Ride? It seems impossible, but we are out of luck.

Walking into the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre we are first hit with the almost pungent smell of the past, our past, our parent’s past and so forth. It wasn’t a “smell” in the way we think of old, dusty clothes. But it did have some hint of age to it and I think the visuals of timeless treasures behind those glass boxes helped secure that thought. For years we were able to gaze at the magical slippers Dorothy once clicked and ran up that infamous yellow brick road. We were able to set eyes on objects that we had seen only in movies, maybe only in black and white movies even. These treasures kept us occupied in the long line. That winding queue was also one of Disney’s most functioning lines I've seen. Synchronicity at its best. You hardly remembered you were spending an hour in line back in the day!

While you wind around those velvet ropes, didn’t you almost feel part of the movies? The immersive Hollywood theme in this attraction was unlike non other for me. Even the pre-show was able to bring goosebumps on your arms and maybe shed a tear or two. Silly, I know! But, the collection of talent on the screen in front of you just sometimes takes you there!

“How many in your party” You hold your breath waiting to see if they had enough room for your party size.… It's almost time CB! Those doors swing open and its time! You made it in! Who wanted to be in the from row?? ME! I didn’t mind which section of vehicles I was in, I just preferred the front row. (Ok at times the back row too when I was moody LOL)

Here’s where I feel sorry for all the younger folks or those that hadn’t been to the Studios in years. You don’t know how cool it was to watch the Busby Berkley’s Footlight Parade gals covered in bubbles and rotating around. Each tier of that wedding cake style display rotated independently making it quite the display all while hearing Hooray for Hollywood”.

That’s it! It’s started and I dare anyone to say that this attraction was not one of the most well themed rides in Walt Disney World history. Every room was saturated with movie history down to the tiniest detail. Detail is the key! It’s the theming that allowed us to never truly get bored of the Great Movie Ride. Sure, we might skip it here and there, but we were never bored of it. You couldn’t be!

One of the oddest OCD traits I have would be finding something new on attractions every time I ride them, but not all of them. I engage in this sometimes tiring ritual on the Pirates of The Caribbean and The Great Movie Ride. What do both of these attractions have in common? A full guest themed experience! So, there hasn’t been a time that I’ve I hit up these attractions without partaking in this sport! And the Great Movie Ride never disappointed!

I won’t regale you with every scene and detail, but just for a moment imagine Gloria Swanson and her striking beauty saying “We had FACES”!

That’s a Wrap… The Great Movie Ride closed August 13, 2017, but will always be remembered!

In June of 1998 I was a mother of a 8 year old son and 4 year old daughter. My father had been working on a project I knew would peak the interest of both the kids, along with hubby and brothers. It was going to be called Disney Quest, and it was about to open it's doors for the first time this month. There was a lot of excitement in our family to see this attraction open.

Finally the day came. We went to an opening crew soft opening, and it was fantastic! I recall my father watching the kiddos filled with joy. This was one of the projects he’s done that they could really enjoy for years to come.

This Disney Quest was not only a cool spot to hit up some video games… (classics now, but back then not as classic yet LOL), but it inside also held Central Florida’s first taste of the Cheesecake Factory! Whoa! The menu wasn’t the expansive one that we are all too familiar with today, but it had tons of beautiful cake options right there in the glass case for all to admire and drool over! I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve spent hidden in one of those nooks and crannies in the dining area. Those seating areas were a welcomed escape as the years went on. In recent years I’d let kids go and play while I’d sit and read or play on my phone.

I may or may not be ashamed to admit it, but over the years I believe I’ve been in Disney Quest more times without the kids than with them! We would go with a ton of other couples for date nights, and certainly you’d find us there with our fellow Cast Members as well. It was a place to just let loose and have some fun -- something I think Walt would have loved. This was a place where adults get all giddy and act like kids. Win/Win! The whole family could spend hours of entertainment under one roof. It was certainly a big hit for many years!

But as time passed and technology started evolving, we saw a decline in the attractions inside. Some had already gone away permanently, and others weren’t far behind. What I've recently found out was that it wasn’t too far after opening that Disney was planning its end. They had stopped upkeep on a lot of the games or attractions. The cost of admission was declining to reflect it as well. But yet there were still people there. It still remained the #1 escape from the blazing Florida summer sun or infamous Florida summer rain! You could spend an entire day there. And with midnight closings, it made for that great date night out too!

So why let it go? Why did Disney simply not update the technology that we all know they have access to? What was behind the demise of Disney Quest? Did its older sister shed some light on what was to become of its end? Some of you might be thinking,“what older sister”? Well, Walt Disney World didn’t have the first Disney Quest. Chicago did! Huh? Disney in Chicago? Yep! A piece of the Mouse right there in the Windy City. That original Disney Quest ended the same way -- with a slow death.

In the end most adults these days like myself are no longer are interested in standing in long lines to play a game or ride a ride that is outdated. Nowadays with Nintendo classic NES boasting the old school games at home, the Arcades of past are dinosaurs like with Drive-Ins and Skate rinks.

That said, the memories of Disney Quest are ones that my family and I treasure! Did you ever visit? Tell us in the comments about it!