Breaking Down The Top Disney Rumors That May Be Confirmed At D23 Expo: The Closing Of The Great Movie Ride

Less than three weeks remain until the D23 Expo in California, and there is another big rumor floating around that may get some attention from The Walt Disney Company. It is well known that Disney’s Hollywood Studios is getting a huge makeover with Toy Story Land and the Star Wars-themed land and even a brand new name, but what is safe? Rumors are flying that the iconic Great Movie Ride may get a big overhaul or go away completely, but only time will tell.

Two years ago, Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed that Disney’s Hollywood Studios would be undergoing a name change, but he wouldn’t say what it was or when it was happening. As the Orlando Sentinel reported, this announcement came at a shareholders meeting in 2015, but nothing has been said since.

Toy Story Land is coming in the next year or two. A new Star Wars-themed land is set to open in 2019, and The Muppets have received more attention in their courtyard. Still, is anything original at Disney’s Hollywood Studios safe? Will the Great Movie Ride be changed completely?

For a while now, rumors have been flying about the opening attraction and the “The Great Mickey Ride” is the biggest one.

In 2015, Disney sparked a partnership with Turner Classic Movies (TCM) to sponsor the Great Movie Ride, and a few small changes were made. Just a year later, speculation started swirling that Disney was not going to renew the partnership once the current deal ended in 2018.

The insiders in the WDWMagic forums began saying that once the deal expired, the Great Movie Ride would be closing in 2018 and given a total overhaul. WDW Info and other sites have reported that the facade and outside look of the Chinese Theater would remain the same, but the entire inside of it would become a brand new attraction.

Fans have wondered what that new attraction inside would be, and WDW Radio reported that it would be something called “The Great Mickey Ride.” Not much is known about what this ride would be as it is still a rumor, but there is talk of it being trackless and possibly going through the history and life of Mickey Mouse.

Some thought that the Great Movie Ride had become quite stale and stagnant, but it is still iconic to the park. When Disney partnered with TCM, it brought a new wave of fans to the attraction and made old-school fans happy to ride it once again as things were freshened up.

With Toy Story Land and the Star Wars-themed land, it can’t be said that Disney is moving away from the original idea of “Hollywood Studios” and “MGM Studios.” Movies are still going to be a huge part of this park which means the Great Movie Ride could be safe, but simply undergo some more major updates.

As of now, the idea of something called the Great Mickey Ride is just a rumor and Disney has said nothing, but there are a lot of things weighing against it staying the same.

It seems as if there are so many more rumors surrounding Walt Disney World this year than ever before, and it is mostly due to all of the changes coming. A lot of them are already confirmed, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios is seeing the bulk of it, but the Great Movie Ride? Anything is possible, but nothing is cemented in place until Disney gives the official word and it is expected that a lot will be said at the D23 Expo in just a couple of weeks.

[Featured Image by Danny Cox]