Magic Mondays: The Great Movie Ride

Before the giant sorcerer’s hat was the sight at the end of the street it was the replica of Gruman’s Chinese Theater that beckoned you to travel deeper into the park. Just like the original Gruman’s Chinese Theater, this one has a courtyard filled with hand (and some foot) prints of celebrities who have been to the theater. One of my family’s favorite activities is to see whose hand prints we match. Make sure you leave some time to check it out!

Head inside the theater and you are in for a movie lover’s treat – The Great Movie Ride. The queue for The Great Movie Ride contains props and costumes from some classic movies, including one of the carousel horses from Mary Poppins. On slow days at the park I have been known to just let others walk right by us so that I can look at all the beautiful displays. Admittedly my children are not quite that patient about the detour but they do love the ride, so they humor me.

Once you have made it through that section of the queue there is a large theater area prior to boarding the ride. In this room are clips and previews from classic movies; from Casablanca to Mary Poppins to Alien. All of the clips are rated for a General Audience, so there is no need to fear that your young ones might see some of the more disturbing scenes from Alien. Once you have wound your way through the theater you are in the boarding area and ready to get on The Great Movie Ride.

The ride itself takes you through scenes from classic movies. Some of the vignettes include Public Enemy, starring James Cagney; Mary Poppins starring Julie Andrews; Alien starring Sigourney Weaver and The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland. There are other tableaux featuring specific movies or genres of movies. There is also a little stage acting as well and your tour guide might even save the day!

You ride ends with a short movie featuring images and scenes from many, many different movies, genres, and time periods. Everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Chewbacca can be found in the movie!

This is a slow moving, family friendly ride. Some children may be upset by the sounds of gunfire during one of the scenes or during the Alien scene. If you explain that is what will happen beforehand most children are fine. This is one of my family’s favorite rides at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and I hope to see you in the movies!