Stop writing for a couple of months and the world is changed
forever. In the past couple of weeks we lost most of the Epcot staple
entertainment, Norway pavilions Maelstorm and now the Backlot Tour (what was
left)! So in all honesty I never put that much into the Stable of musicians at
Epcot. I have seen the Jamitors a couple of times and past by a performance of
Off Kilter and the British Invasion while drinking my way around the world.
Other than that really no opinion for these bands either way, hate to see them
go but good luck to them and moving forward.
Maelstrom oh dear sweet Maelstrom, what can I say about you
sweet cool air conditioned Florida sun retreat. As much as I enjoyed showing everyone
your mickey mouse hat wearing Viking in the mural, or the creepy eye following
child in same said mural. As Odin’s great eye showed me the past of its great
land or the Trolls sending me back, back over the falls. Oh and at the end the
great….Oil Rig, really the climactic end to that ride is an oil rig.
Yep Odin’s
Eye, some Vikings, polar bears, trolls, oil rig, movie of Norway, gift shop
full of things we saw except oil rig. I remember seeing Willard Scott and other C list celebs in the inaugural voyage of Maelstrom on
and ABC Disney special back in July of 1988 all of them clad in Gorton’s
Fisherman rain slickers. I could not wait to ride this water soaking ride. The
next time we went to Epcot I could not contain the excitement my pre- pubescent
year old self had. Me my mom and dad and my brothers went to world showcase,
but always started on the Canada side because mom loved going to France for a
pastry. So by the time we got to Norway we were very excited we waited about 30
to 40 minutes in line then boom! we were in. In for the slowest non wet ride of
our lives. After that initial year we always went on the ride as a “well it’s a
ride” type of thing, really until it was announced it was closing I had no
feeling, now it will be missed. So long old friend, hello Olaf!
Now we come to the announcement that hurts the most. The
Backlot Tour is closing. Ever since May of 1989 when the Disney MGM Studios
opened I have loved this ride. I have always loved movies and the glamour of
all things Hollywood, so when this park opened I was enthralled watching the opening
ceremonies with my mom at Grady Hospital. (My mom had broken her foot.) I
remember being so excited that next spring when we went. I remember every last
bit of that tour from the costuming and prop departments, to residential street
with all the homes from golden girls and other shows, then New York street. The
junkyard was awesome and the Catastrophe Canyon. After that you were dropped
off in the ACME warehouse where all the stuff from Roger Rabbit was.
Then there
was part two of the tour, the walking tour. Here you went to the water tank
where if you were lucky you were picked to act out a war movie on the seas.
Then you continued and there were different studios you walked through. Each
studio was a different part of film making, production, prop making green
screening and so on. I remember TV’s along the way that told you what was happening
with celebrities like Pee Wee Herman, Mel Gibson, Robin Williams(R.I.P.) and
others. I even remember wanting to be picked as the kid to ride the giant bee
in the green screen part. All in all this was like 3 hours of your trip.
Unfortunately it has not been this way in a long time. Over
time we lost parts, residential street turned into part of Lights, Motors,
Action show, we lost part of the walking tour to the Studio catering company
and so on and so forth. All this until all we had left was the water tank,
Catastrophe Canyon a small boneyard and the exiting museum part.
I know Walt always wanted the park to move forward and I
accept it, but I don’t need to like it. I always held out hope the Tour would
rise as the great Phoenix from its ashes into what it once was, but now as of
September 27, 2014 its doors will be shuttered for what I am sure will be
something great from our Imagineers. Good bye old chum.
