This past weekend, the poster for the Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was posted over on the Doctor Disney Facebook Page, and the question of “Western or Gangster” was presented. It was a bit of a shock to see just how many people didn’t know about one or the other.
With that info seeming to elude most people, it’s time to give some helpful tips on how to get either the western scene or the gangster scene at the Great Movie Ride. So, it’s time for another edition of “Doctor Disney Explains.”
Riding through the Great Movie Ride, you’ll experience multiple scenes throughout the history of the movies including drama, western, thriller, horror, and more.
You’ll also ride through a gangster scene with an audio-animatronic of James Cagney and then a western scene with John Wayne. Ever noticed though, that some extra stuff happens in one of those rooms and then you get the first half of the Cast Member interaction scene.
Remember, they are loading two giant vehicles full of guests at the Great Movie Ride. When yours stops for the Cast Member interactive scene, the other car has to be somewhere.
Also…did you ever watch the gangster scene and then notice it was unbearably hot when you went through the western town in the next room? Now, you know why.
Well, here are some things to know when determining if you’d like to get the western scene or gangster scene.
NOTE: Please realize that things have now changed with FASTPass+ and you may have to have one or not have one to get a specific scene.
1.) To get the gangster scene, go in the left-hand side of the queue line. This side of the line is usually loaded into the second vehicle at the Great Movie Ride.
To get the western scene, simply go in the right-hand side of the queue line. This side will usually get loaded into the first vehicle.
2.) When Cast Members need to fill up space in one of the vehicles, it may not matter which side of the queue line you go into. If you’re trying to get the gangster scene and go in the left-hand side of the line, but you’re a small party and they need to fill up space in the first car…then you’re going to see the western scene.
3.) On non-busy days, they will usually only have the western side running. No matter which side of the queue line you go into at the Great Movie Ride, you’re going to end up with the western scene.
So, there you have it. It’s not really overly complicate and doesn’t take a lot of thought to see one scene or the other in the Great Movie Ride, but by luck of the draw…you just may never have gotten both.
Next time you head to DHS and go to one of the premiere attractions in Walt Disney World, know which side of the queue line to get in. Or to be sure, ask a Cast Member in the load room to make sure you get one scene or the other.
Usually, they’ll be happy to oblige.
For those wanting to see the gangster scene now, cut ahead to 4:15 in the following full video of the Great Movie Ride and fugeddabout red lights!
Wow. I did not realize that was how it works and we’ve experienced both many times! Thanks for the info!
Being a repeat visitor for 20 years now – I never even knew about or had seen the western scene until 2 years ago!
Wow, I’ve been on this ride probably 5 times and ONLY experienced the gangster scene, I never even knew about the Western scene. I have been on super busy and super slow days. I hope to see both next time! It’s one of my favorite rides at WDW.
I never even knew there was a Western scene until our second visit when we rode it the fourth time. We didn’t stop at the gangster area and we thought that maybe they just weren’t having a cast member scene at all. The Western one was a very nice surprise!
I got the western scene in 2000 and haven’t seen it since! And I’ve lived in Orlando since 2006 and worked for WDW since 2009!!! Thanks for the insight!