The Great Movie Ride: The centerpiece of Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the building that houses The Great Movie Ride. The Disney “Imagineers” went all out in creating an exact full-sized replica of Graumann’s Chinese Theater - a building that offers excellent photo opportunities of your Orlando vacation both inside and outside! The actual Graumann’s Chinese Theater blueprints were used for the construction of the The Great Movie Ride’s building and even the lobby is an incredibly detailed duplicate of the original. Outside of the The Great Movie Ride, you’ll find hand, foot and yes, even paw prints of famous Disney stars and characters in the cement.

Once inside the building, visitors to The Great Movie Ride will see actual movie props as they make their way through the line to the ride. Some of those that can be seen are the carousel horse from Mary Poppins and Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. Pay attention to the film clips that are being shown while weaving your way through the labyrinth - they are a preview of the re-creations that you’ll see on the ride, itself.

The twenty-two minute ride utilizes special effects, film footage and incredibly detailed Audio-animatronics, taking visitors on a wonderfully nostalgic trip through movie history. Young and old alike will appreciate the depiction of scenes from classics like Casablanca, Mary Poppins and Singin’ in the Rain and from favorites like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Alien. The scene set in “Munchkinland” from The Wizard of Oz is truly exceptional! The culmination of The Great Movie Ride is a delightful montage of film clips from movies that all in your party are sure to recognize.

WARNING: Although The Great Movie Ride is intended for the whole family, there are several scenes that could be frightening to children or the incredibly squeamish. These include the alien from Alien, the “Wicked Witch of the West” from The Wizard of Oz and Indiana Jones’ least favorite thing ... snakes (albeit Audio-animatronic ones) in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Also, your tram is hijacked during The Great Movie Ride, but I’ll leave the details out for those that would like to maintain a little of the ride’s mystery.

Did You Know?

• There are two different story lines that you may encounter on The Great Movie Ride. One is a cowboy gunfighter theme while the other involves gangsters. If one theme is more appealing to you than the other, or if you have been on the ride before and would like to experience the other theme, ask one of the Disney Cast Members prior to boarding the ride if they can direct you to the appropriate line for the theme that you would like to experience.
  
  
• Lines for The Great Movie Ride are generally longest during mid to late morning and in the afternoon. If you see the line extending outside of the building, save the ride for a later time. Once inside of the building, the wait time is generally twenty-five minutes or less. The shortest wait times are usually first thing in the morning, immediately before or after the afternoon parade and in the evening.
   
• As your Great Movie Ride vehicle enters “gangster alley,” look for a car in the distance with a license plate, reading “021 429.” February 14, 1929 was the day of Chicago’s St. Valentines Day Massacre!