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TerryTiger
05-14-2002, 08:42 PM
I was checking the summer schedule and noticed that Who Wants to Be a Millionaire - Play It! has no listing for shows after July 31. Does this mean it will be closing in the middle of summer? Does anyone have any additional information on this situation. Everything else on the schedule seems to be normal so it's not like they haven't planned that far yet. Tell me isn't so!!!

AliKzam
05-14-2002, 09:00 PM
Well, I read somewhere they're pulling the TV Show. Maybe they're getting rid of anything "Milionaire" related? Sure, their grand prize couldn't be a trip to see the taping of the show, anymore, but I'm sure they could figure out something just as valuable. If the attraction's a popular one, they should just leave it in until it gets old.

DLfreak
05-14-2002, 09:03 PM
It may be that they are just waiting to see how the show schedules go for the first part of summer to see if they need to add more or not have as many per day. But I don't know. I can't imagine that they would take it out already...especially since it's been so popular. But who knows....Paul Pressler is in charge. :rolleyes:

Nigel2
05-14-2002, 09:12 PM
Well it could come back since thursday night (the millionare night) will have Dinotopia at 8 and Push, Nevada at 9. So odds are if anything fails they will use it as a replacement.

RStar
05-15-2002, 08:05 AM
Maybe they want to take Millionare out so they can put BLAST! in there so they can put Alladin in the Hyperian. Then they can put Goofy's Beach Blast in the Fantasyland Theater in DL so they can move Mickeys Detective School to DCA! You know the saying, if it aint broke- break it! (I have a friend in plumming in the crafts dept. who has a saying- IF IT JAMS, FORCE IT. IF IT BREAKS, IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ANYWAY!):D

Just kidding;)
I hope they just haven't figured the sqedual yet and plan to update later. We can't afford to lose an attraction there, and I like Millionare!

Yet I wonder what they may plan to put in there, if they are closing it BECAUSE they have something else to put in! I don't mind change if it is good, but with the track record lately it is a scary thing!:eek:

Ghoulish Delight
05-15-2002, 08:25 AM
Originally posted by Nigel2
Well it could come back since thursday night (the millionare night) will have Dinotopia at 8 and Push, Nevada at 9. So odds are if anything fails they will use it as a replacement. No, they specifically are NOT going to do this. They've taken a real hit in the ratings because they relied way too heavily on Millionaire, so they've vowed not to do that anymore. Millionaire is going to be shown as a "special event," probably two or three times at most. They've said it will be one week of shows every night when they do it, and that's it.

JeffG
05-15-2002, 09:04 AM
Buena Vista Television will be debuting a syndicated version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" starting in September. It will air 5 nights a week (outside of prime time, in most markets) and will be hosted by Meredith Vieira, who currently is one of the co-hosts of "The View".

Since the syndicated show will still be produced by a unit of Disney, I suspect the grand prize at the park attractions will be switched to be a taping of that version. It will be interesting to see if they have Vieira tape a new introduction for the attraction or if they will stick with Regis.

I doubt that the attraction will be closing any time soon. It is still popular and the syndicated TV show is likely to actually increase interest in it. If show times are not listed beyond July, that probably simply means that they haven't decided how many shows per day they will need.

-Jeff

Fancy Pants
05-15-2002, 08:15 PM
It's probably easier to get on the syndicated version than the DCA one.

thamnarestan
05-16-2002, 11:12 AM
Just to clarify, Regis's version of Millionaire is not being permanently taken off the air. I believe that his version will still be broadcast on ABC, but just as specials (as it originally aired), not a regular TV show.

sydney
05-16-2002, 10:51 PM
okay, when the weakest link went to syndication, the prize values went waaaayyy down. I assume they would do this with millionaire as well-- only if you do that, how do you still call the game "who wants to be a millionaire" if you aren't offering a million dollar prize?

I know it's only slightly on-topic, but I think it's a valid question... ;)

Nigel2
05-16-2002, 10:54 PM
mabey they will start asking harder questions? I wonder if anyone has won on the UK version?:)

Mouse
05-16-2002, 11:00 PM
Originally posted by sydney
okay, when the weakest link went to syndication, the prize values went waaaayyy down. I assume they would do this with millionaire as well-- only if you do that, how do you still call the game "who wants to be a millionaire" if you aren't offering a million dollar prize?

That is a good point. My guess is that they would make the questions a lot harder so less people won. Did that many people win anyway?

Also, a far as what happens to the trip to NYC for a taping of Millionaire since it's cancellation, short of winning audience seats in the specials, they could offer a trip to WDW and the Millionaire show there, like they did after September 11th.

TerryTiger
05-16-2002, 11:03 PM
I asked at Guest Relations yesterday while I was at DCA and the CM confirmed that the attraction will be "going on hiatus" at the end of July since the tv show is also on hiatus. I doubt that the attraction will return, especially if the tv show is only a special event a few times a year. I'm sure it's expensive to operate (what with having to give away pins and hats)! I don't understand why they would shut it down in the middle of summer though, epecially with the attraction next door (SSL) also closed.

SoCalDisneyLover
05-17-2002, 06:32 AM
So they spent all that money to build the structure and the attraction, and now they're going to silently close it less than a year after opening? Another stupid Disney blunder? I don't care whether the TV show has been cancelled, it's idiotic to just close an attraction...and perhaps the Only Hollywood Backlot attraction which is popular. Maybe Disney feels CA needs to have as many empty wasted attractions as DL has. I guess once Blast leaves, the Backlot will become a ghost town until TOT in '04...except if you want to see the Muppet show for the 1,000th time.

RStar
05-17-2002, 08:25 AM
I only hope that they are quick to put in something else if they do shutter it. They should keep it a "sound stage" attraction. Perhaps a mock filming of a faux 1955-1960 game show. Or filming of a new movie or something. They most likely will not have a decent show on their network any time soon, so making one up would be the best bet.
But I agree, they should leave it as long as it is poular, not take it out because of the TV show demise. As long as the TV show is on the air (even if it is syndicated) means it's not dead yet. At least leave it for the summer (change the million point prize).....................

justagrrl
05-17-2002, 08:38 AM
Maybe they'll just close off then entire back area for awhile?

Uncle Dick
05-17-2002, 10:26 AM
Originally posted by SoCalDisneyLover
So they spent all that money to build the structure and the attraction, and now they're going to silently close it less than a year after opening? Another stupid Disney blunder?
No, I think Disney was right to put the Millionaire attraction in DCA. It really helped fill out the area. The building itself is quite modular and could easily serve as any number of attractions, including the long rumored Armageddon experience. I'd imagine that the set itself would be fairly easy to remove and that it didn't really cost that much.


Originally posted by justagrrl
Maybe they'll just close off then entire back area for awhile?
Don't forget that they still have the Animation building back there, which is without a doubt the best place to relax in DCA. Hopefully, the new show in the Hyperion Theater will be good (I trust that Disney learns from it's mistakes… maybe). It is a little depressing walking through the backlot these days with so much stuff closed.

dizneelover
05-17-2002, 11:34 AM
A little OT but can someone post a list of all the prizes they give out? I was never able to catch the show when my pass wasn't expired. Thanks!

mcampisi
05-17-2002, 12:12 PM
You get a pin for each question you answer (it's the millionaire play it logo with the point amount below it). At 1000 you get a grey hat that says 1000 POINT WINNER and the logo. At 64000 you get a matching polo shirt. Then it's all points and at 1mil, you get a leather jacket and a trip to New York to see the show taped.

I got to the 250K point question and walked away so I have like 12 pins, the hat and shirt.

AliKzam
05-17-2002, 01:38 PM
I agree with those who have said it was a good idea they built the building that house (housed) Millionaire. Whether the current show stays there for a while, or another is put in it's place (or better yet, a ride) so much the better for the park.
I think if DCA wanted to, it could almost be the Californian version of Dollywood-- by that, I mean Dollywood prides itself on having more shows than any other theme park. The park could easily head in that direction.

Darkbeer
05-17-2002, 02:07 PM
Disney.com is listing shows of Who Wants to be a Millionaire - Play It! THRU LABOR DAY! (Monday, September 2nd).

Then, no shows or parades are listed for either park, so it looks like the show schedule is listed thru Labor Day, and that WWTBAM-PI! will still be part of the park.

Nigel2
05-17-2002, 09:19 PM
Or they could go for the thing that they do on the cruise line (It's who wants to be a mousesomthing) since they may not have to pay valleycrest for that title if they take the name off of the show.

KarenW2
05-18-2002, 09:57 AM
I sure hope this info about Play It! closing is just a piece of bad information! If they close it, it will be a sad day indeed for my DH and I! We really enjoy playing and watching the show, especially since each of us has made it into the Hot Seat and would like to try to get there again sometime!

With all the kiddie you-know-what they keep adding to DCA, it's one of the last places in the park an ADULT can enjoy!!

Please say it isn't so Disney!! :crying:

TerryTiger
05-18-2002, 10:53 AM
I just checked the schedule and they have updated it with Millionaire shows thru the end of summer. Maybe the complaints about shutting it down mid-summer had some effect???

Uncle Dick
05-18-2002, 11:04 AM
Originally posted by TerryTiger
I just checked the schedule and they have updated it with Millionaire shows thru the end of summer. Maybe the complaints about shutting it down mid-summer had some effect???
Or maybe they just hadn't finalized the schedule yet. Or maybe they were uncertain about the future of the television show until some ABC execs gave them the go ahead. Or maybe the Disneyland web site is an incredibly unreliable resource when it comes to schedules. ;)