Conference koolit::disney

    See note 4.* for more than you wanted to know about the Disney/MGM
    Studios Theme Park.  Also many of the trip reports in 34.* discuss the
    studios in some detail.

    From my discussions with people, and from opinions in this conference,
    most people either love the studio or hate it, there is not much in
    between.  It seems to depend if you like movies and TV or not.

    The Theme Park is strongly themed to the movies.  There is not (yet)
    much _general_ amusement stuff there, and not too much of interest to
    small kids.  (The Muppets arrive this summer).  The tours, (backstage
    and animation), are entertaining, but fairly technical.  I loved them,
    but can understand why others were put off.

    Ideally, you should see the studio in two mornings.  By mid-day it
    becomes VERY crowded and the lines get VERY long.  Arrive at opening
    time (often 1-2 hours before the ANNOUNCED opening), and leave before
    lunch.  Or make lunch reservations at one of the excellent restaurants
    and leave right after.  Return on another morning and see anything you
    missed the first time.  Use the rest of the day to see Epcot or The
    Magic Kingdom.

            THIS IS A BIASED OPINION (Check the personal name)
    
    Overall rating of MGM Theme Park?  On a scale of 1-10 -- 8.5
    
    What is there?
    
    The GREAT MOVIE RIDE.  There are TWO scenerios.
    
    The BACKLOT TOUR.  I could keep going through Catastrophy Canyon and
    enouhg things change and have been added to keep my interest and my
    return visits.
    
    INDIANA JONES STUNT SPECTACULAR.  Lots of action.  I was *surprised* by
    the intesity of the heat from the *EXPLOSIONS*.
    
    A STAR A DAY.  We got the chance to personally talk to "Scotty" from
    Star Trek.
    
    ANIMATION.  The least popular area for myself but my son-the-aritists
    enjoys it very much.  My son has his own soon to be copyrighted
    characters that he hopes to eventually get into a cartoon/cartoon
    strip.
    
    SUPERSTAR TELEVISION.  You get a chance to be ON TV.  It's both fun and
    amazing the ability of the technology to put you right-there-with-Lucy
    wrapping candies and stuffin' them everywhere when the belt begins to
    run too fast.
    
    I forget the exact name of the SOUND show but it's similiar to the TV
    experience where it's demonstrated how the sound effects are added to a
    scene.
    
    FOOD -- FOOD -- and more FOOD. ( I haven't found any I don't like but
    my favorite is the Warehouse and the cheese sauce for the french fries)
    
    SHOP -- SHOPS -- and yeah more SHOPS.  
    
    And there are many *street action* scenes and musical groups.
    
    I intentionally left STAR TOURS for last.  Suffice to say It's ok.
    
    
    Suggested viewing time 1 day +
    
    Generally speaking *everything* is open.  There are some new
    attractions coming ie. the Muppets.  You can *view* working soundstages
    but aren't actually on the stage.  Just before Christmas we did see
    Phyllis George and Willard Scott preparing the Christmas day parade.  I
    don't believe they were actually there on Christmas, just *dubbed* in.
    
    My last visit was 4/21/90.  We road STAR TOURS three times in a row as
    there was effectively no line.  Well I couldn't let you believe that I
    didn't like it.  To me this is the most enjoyable *RIDE* at all three
    parks.
    
    That's all!
    jerry

    I just loved MGM!
    
    It's smaller than I had imagined, compared to the Magic Kingdom and
    EPCOT but the stuff that is there is good.
    
    The "Hollywood" tune and all the other old movie tunes really set the scene
    and put you into the old movie era.
    
    My favourites are the Great Movie Ride, the Backstage Tour and the
    Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular.
    
    My least favourite is Star Tours.  I'm surprised it has no warning on it
    - it's horrendous!!!  My mum and I were nervous wrecks when we got off!!
    
    Karen

    
    
    	We had a long bus ride back to CBR one night from MK because of
    construction detours and the bus driver was great.  He kept us
    entertained with all sorts of trivia and information.  He said one
    thing that I noticed when we went to MGM, that it is only a third of
    it's projected size at this point in time.  We noticed stuff like the
    muppets, and a "Honey I Shrunk the kids" attraction under construction
    while on the Backstage Tour.  Anybody heard any of this talk before?
    
    	Makes me realize that although it is small, what's there now is
    only a taste test of what the finished product should be.  I have to
    say that, untainted by any other studio parks (MGM is my first) I loved
    it!  I'm looking forward to all the good things that will be there next
    time we go back.

    The article I posted about the Disney Decade for Walt Disney World
    talks about the attractions that they are planning for the entire
    property.  Included is talk about the Muppet and "Honey I Shrunk the
    Kids" areas.
    
    Joel