November 30, 2001 - Disney - MGM Studios

The Disney-MGM Studios represent a complete change of pace from the Magic Kingdom.  First, this theme park really is a theme park in that it devotes all its attention to one idea - The Movies.  Second, this is a working studio.  They actually make animated features, TV shows, and parts of films here.  Because of its concern with show business, this park has relatively few rides and no real children's rides.  With the exception of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, the big features here
are live shows.

We drive to the MGM Studios, entering the gigantic parking lot, which is nearly empty.  We step onto a huge diesel tram wagon and are whisked to the main entrance.  Driving to remote locations within the World seems preferable to waiting for the bus system, which often requires going to the main ticketing area and changing buses for another location.  Disney discourages driving within the World for resort guests, but it works well. For us, the exception is going to the Magic Kingdom, which will have to be a frequent park hopper event in order to provide Peter with the rides he wants.  About ten minutes after we're in MGM, Peter figures out he won't be getting to go on rides and throws his first tantrum of the day.

We walk up Hollywood Boulevard towards a towering Mickey hat celebrating Walt Disney's hundredth birthday, a celebration taking place throughout the World but featured here at MGM.  Hollywood Boulevard looks like 1930's art deco.  Filled with shops, as are the other parks' main streets, the architecture helps me slip easily into the past created here, unlike the gay 90's feel of the Main Street at the Magic Kingdom, which always feels too fluffy and unreal to me.  We turn left at the Hat and walk towards the Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark show, planning to use the Fast Pass feature to schedule ourselves for a later hour.  The Fast Pass permits guests to use their entry tickets to schedule a later attendance and bypass the line.  It works very well when there's a big crowd.  Today we walk into the Jones amphitheater ten minutes before the show opens with no wait at all.

Last time I visited this park, about six years ago, I sat through this show twice.  Today it lives up to my memory.  It's a fast-paced, live action retelling of part of "Raiders of the Lost Ark."  The action features stunts, gunfights, burning trucks, and frequent breaks in the action for humor and movie stuff.  Each break also serves to reassure children that no-one is getting hurt.  It's all in fun.  Alex watches in rapt attention, a bright smile on his face.  He quickly loses the fearful look often there because he anticipates being frightened by the ride or event.  Different children react differently, but there's lots to scare small children at Disney World. Frightened kids can interfere with everyone else having a good time.  So can disappointed ones.  It's almost impossible to go through several days here without having someone be either frightened, disappointed, or both.  This comment very much includes adults, too.  Pace and preparation help as well as frequent rest stops and food breaks.  It's easy here to try to get your money's worth and push too hard.

We wander past New York Street, a recreated movie set with the skyline in false perspective at one end.  It looks and feels like the New York of my childhood.  Fortunately, the 1940's setting has not required any changes due to the World Trade Center tragedy, which seems remarkably absent inside the gates.  Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3D uses the Muppets and 3D technology truly advanced over the red/green eyeglasses days.  Effects jump from the screen and hover just in front of your face, making you want to reach out to touch them or peak under your glasses to see how they do it.  Amazing!

We go to "The Voyage of the Little Mermaid" show, which combines live actors, animations from the film, and puppets in a wonderful presentation. "The Great Hollywood Movie Ride" explains movie special effects by demonstration and then uses a tram ride to show the working studio as well as to provide a few thrills with water and fire. The shows are both entertaining and informative.

Suzie decides to take the kids to the daily parade while Rick, Irene, and I head across the park to experience "The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror."  As we approach the attraction, we see a hotel rising high into the sky.  At the top doors open and cars full of people appear briefly before dropping from sight.  We walk right into the entrance without waiting even here at what is, perhaps, the most popular ride in Disney World.  We practically run past the cattle shoots to the beginning of the ride.  It's easy to see how they use the entry for crowd control on busy days, but today is quiet.  We line up outside the service elevator.  When the door opens about twenty of us enter and are seated.  The lap bars come down tightly against us and the door closes.  We visit haunted floors of the hotel where ghostly images appear.  We jolt and lurch upwards towards the top.  Finally, a door opens and our car moves along a track and into position.  A door opens to allow us to look out at the vista of the entire park.  Then the bottom drops out.  I look up and my camera is floating in front of my face.  We hit bottom and immediately surge to the top again.  The door is open, we get a peak out and down we go again.  Up and down again and suddenly Rod Serling tells us we're about to leave the Twilight Zone and to be more careful next time.  This great ride truly deserves its reputation.

Rick decides he's going to ride on "Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith."  The guidebooks tout this ride as the best roller coaster in Disney World.  I decide to let it pass and wait in a pleasant courtyard watching folks and chatting.  In twenty minutes or so Rick comes back grinning.  He says the acceleration pulled several G's and the loops and corkscrews were outstanding.  We head back to meet Irene, Suzie and the kids, who have enjoyed the parade I'm glad I missed.  We split up again. The others go to a live program called "Playhouse Disney - Live On Stage" while I wander over to "Disney Animation." 

The animation attraction begins with a film starring Robin Williams and Walter Cronkite explaining the animation process.  After the film we move into an artist's studio where a cartoonist is working and explaining how to draw animation cells.  In answer to a question about becoming a Disney animator, she says fifteen hundred portfolios are submitted for every person hired.  We then move into an open area with huge picture windows looking out on large rooms where animators work at computers on a new Disney feature cartoon.  I begin to get antsy because I sense that the rest of the family is already out of their adventure and I don't want to lose them.  The guide reluctantly lets me out and I wait for everyone else for ten minutes.

We trek across the park and up a winding path to the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater to see Fantasmic, the park-closing extravaganza at MGM.  The amphitheater is a 6500 seat curved, open-air space with backless aluminum seats.  It looks across a small lagoon to a rocky formation rising to a high bolder towering over all.  Venders hawk food and souvenirs as the crowd wanders in.  The guide books say to arrive one and a half to two hours early for this very popular live spectacular.  As dusk comes on a nearly full moon rises behind the Fantasmic set.  Soon, amidst crashes of music and swirls of smoke, Mickey appears conducting a water fountain.  The show combines animation and live action on land and water with loud music and fire to create a delightful, perhaps awesome would be a good word, effect.  Most interesting is the use of spray fans of water as projection screens.  The effect works perfectly as Mickey is challenged by all the villains from all the cartoons back to Snow White's wicked stepmother.  He eventually triumphs
and all the good characters parade past on a paddlewheel steamer as the show ends amidst fireworks and clashing orchestral music.  I choke up and tears cascade down my face.  Tired and satisfied, we trek back to the parking lot and find our car.