Ok, continuing the fun (yes, this really is how I'm spending my weekend!)...lets move on with more Hollywood Studios Love...here is Lucasfilm Studios.
This section of the Park is dedicated to George Lucas. While not entirely Star Wars based, it is largely (as you would expect it to be. Outside of Star Wars and Indiana Jones, Lucas really doesn't have that much else that's popular IP.
I'd love to stick a Labrynth ride in there (thought about sticking it where I ended up putting Clone Wars), as Lucas was one of the producers for that movie, but I didn't like the blend between Henson/Lucas, and the movie is grossly underrated and unfamiliar to many people.
Oh, and if I go too heavy with Star Wars puns...apologies in advance!
Anyhow, here's the map.
Lucasfilm Studios
Eateries
Bantha Burger
Located in a portion of the current Backlot Express, this wouldn't require much of an overhaul outside of theming. The menu would stay largely the same, though modified slightly to reflect theming. While it would lose about 1/4 of it's seating to the Bespin Boutique building, it would still be a Quick Service Counter restaurant. One on of the now enclosed sides (Bespin Boutique wall or The Force wall) clips from Clone Wars episodes will be projected for diners to watch as they eat.
Menu
Note: Yes, I know that Burger King did a Dark Side and Light Side Burger concept before <grin>
Dark Side Burger (1/4 Angus Burger with Swiss Cheese, Mushrooms, fried onions and Spicy Mayo, served with a side of blue potato fries)
Light Side Burger (1/4 Angus Burger with American Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickle, Mustard, Ketchup, Mayo served with regular fries)
Luke and Leah (Turkey Club Sandwich, I'll let you guess which one of them is represented by the bacon...mmm...bacon)
Jawa Beans
Do you like your coffee on the dark side? This location will offer specialized coffee drinks. Outdoor seating will be available.
Coroscant Confections
Located across from Jawa Beans, this small confectionary offers star wars themed baked goods, and make a fantastic combination. Outdoor seating will be available between the two venues.
Specialty Items
Chocolate covered Death Star Rice Crispy Treats
Tie Fighter and Millineum Falcon Cookies
Various cupcakes themed after characters
Taste of Hoth
Nothing beats the Florida heat like frozen concoctions straight from the Hoth system! This venue will take the place of the current location of the Jedi Academy stage.
Menu
Shaved Ice (basically...Sno Cones)
Mickey Ice Cream Bars
Light Sabers (Fruit bars)
Wampa Bites (chocolate covered ice cream nuggets with a random mix of flavors)
American Graffiti Diner / 50's Prime Time Cafe
No changes to menu, however the exterior lower floor will be refurbished to appear as if it's a 50's diner, stainless steel and all. Also, the interior waiting area / bar for 50's Prime Time will also be converted to appear as a 50's diner. The Prime Time Cafe will not change at all, outside of adding a new character as your "big brother" playing a 50's "greaser" as one of the waiters.
<Fonzerella> Can I get a "Ehhhhhhhhh" </Fonzerella>
Explorer's Cove
This will specialize in tropical drinks and soft serve ice cream (sorry Gerty the Dino, you need to find a new offering...I'm thinking Gyros! That being said, I haven't seen Gerty open in a long time) Anyhow, limited specialty adult drinks will also be served here. Frozen Daquaris and Pina Colada's (pre-mixed) as well as Dole Floats and Dole Whips (get it, Indiana Jones...whips...play me off Sam!)
<exits stage right>
Mos Eisley Cantina
This will be a Table Service dining experience. Guests can enjoy the Cantina Band as they eat a variety of foods from around the Galaxy! Though, by Galaxy I mean India. The restaurant will specialize in Curry, themed appropriately to Star Wars.
Shops
Tatooine Traders
No changes here, outside of removing the Build a Droid and Build a Saber sections, as they clog traffic in the already crowded shop, and adding more "Star Tours" themed merchandise, since other, larger shops are now available to sell the more general "Star Wars" themed merchandise in.
Build a Saber would move to the Bespin Boutique, and Build a Droid would move to ILM Express.
Bespin Boutique
Do you have a little Jedi? Or a little Jedi in you? The Bespin Boutique is the place to go for all your galactic apparel! From t-shirts to Jedi Robes, it's all here. In addition, adult high quality jewelry / watches will be available for the hard core fans with some extra Republic Credits to burn. In the back of the venue is "Become a Jedi", where kids of all ages can be made over as their favorite Jedi, or one of their own.
Padawans who participate in this (think BBB or Pirates Makeover at MK) will be able to choose various packages. The top package will include a hairstyle (including clip on braid), make your own lightsaber, robe of choice (various colors / styles), and facepainting, as well as a pictures of the makeover taken by a professional photographer and a reserved showtime appearance at the Jedi Academy.
Hidden Treasures
This is the Indiana Jones themed shop. It will have similar offerings as to what is currently available from the Indiana Jones merchandise at the parks today. Whips, hats, etc.
ILM Express
This is a catch all store which will sell various merchandise from any Lucasfilm project, including some specialty vintage style shirts like THX 1138, and Disney Crossover merchandise.
Attractions
Star Tours
No changes here
Jedi Academy
The stage is moved across the street and expanded to allow for a larger group (instead of how they handle overflow now, doing it at street level and bringing in Darth Maul). The stage is also constructed so that it has a full 180 degree viewing area for the audience, allowing Parents to really get up close to the action, and bystanders to enjoy the show. The current show stage has about a 120 degree viewing area (guessing here, I haven't gone up on it and measured with my protractor).
In addition, the current sign up process is scrapped, and replaced with online sign up through the My Disney Experience App or through a computer kiosk located inside Bespin Boutique.
Show times stay approx. 20 minutes, but are increased to twice an hour, allowing a 20 minute break for the performers between shows. 25 children can participate in a single show due to the new stage size, with two Jedi Instructors playing off each other for laughs from the audience, and to keep control of the kids / pacing of the show. Of the 25 children, many slots will be filled by those reserving through the My Disney Experience App or the "Become a Jedi", however slots are monitored and at least half (pulling a metric off the top of my head) should be reserved for kiosk signup to ensure that walk-up guests get a chance to participate.
Guests will be required to show up 10 minutes early for any show at the new backstage prep area (instead of lining the kids up along the side of the stage, as they do now), and if they do not, then their slot will be offered to any children standing in the Audience (Imagine a CM going onto the stage pointing at a random kid and saying "I feel the force is strong with this one", and inviting them to join the show!). Guests who miss their booked appointment will be offered a kiosk pre-reserved slot for later in the day, if they so choose.
The Force
I debated long and hard about this internally. Should the ride be an indoor coaster (my gut feeling) or use the KUKA setup like Harry Potter at Universal?
I decided to go with an indoor Coaster. Though I could be convinced otherwise.
This is actually two attractions in one, as the ride will consist of two indoor Coasters, one the "Light Side" and one the "Dark Side".
The two tracks would intertwine, and should be designed so that the two ride vehicles on separate tracks cross paths often, and guests can literally see the competing coaster as the race through the ride.
The dark side coaster would be themed off of Empire based Tie Fighters, and the light side coaster would be themed off the Millennium Falcon. With the speakers in the headrest of the ride vehicles, guests would hear custom commentary. So, for example, on the light side, you'd hear banter between Chewie and Han Solo. On the dark side you'd hear a cold, snarky Imperial Officer taking orders from Darth Vader.
Utilizing the same technology as Rockin' Roller Coaster, both ride vehicles would line up next to each other before "engaging hyperdrive" (with an appropriate breakdown for the light side coaster, with Han yelling at Chewie). The ride vehicles and mechanics would be nearly identical in function to Rockin' Roller Coaster.
Inside the ride, large models would be constructed to give the appearance of racing through space and looping around and avoiding things like Star Destroyers and the Super Star Destroyer, as well as a chilling scene where the ride loops around the Death Star. Lasers and lighting can also be used to project the image that you are participating in a space battle.
I hate to duplicate a ride, especially in the same Park, but as RRC is so fantastic, and the theme is so different for this version of that same basic ride mechanic that I feel it's worth doing, and would make a fantastic experience that people would want to ride...at least twice (to experience both "sides" of the force).
Ok, I'm not a fan of Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom, and I personally think the "jerky jeep" is a bad ride vehicle, based on my experience there.
However...having now done Indiana Jones at Disneyland California, I get it. The ride there is fantastic.
However, I don't think they should clone it for Hollywood Studios. Instead, I think this ride should be done with the KUKA setup that is used at Universal for Harry Potter and Spiderman. However, instead of being rather jerky as the Universal Rides are, I think this ride should vary between slow and fast paced excitement, centered around Indiana Jones and his newest adventure, finding the Labrynth and solving the mysteries of Crete.
Of course, there should be Nazis...I am thinking they seek the Minotaur in order to create super soldiers. But, really, I haven't thought the story through. I just would like to see an Indiana Jones ride, and this is what I came up with.
Based on the Cartoon Series, this is another ride where I have to say is a nearly direct clone to other rides in terms of mechanics...but it's a very popular mechanic (er...no, I don't mean the magazine).
This will be a mixture of classic dark ride presentation and a shoot up gallery similar to Buzz Lightyear where you can join Obi-Wan and Ahsoka on an adventure to stop General Grievus and the Trade Federation from building a new super-weapon which would change the course of the war (sound familiar?).
In a Galaxy Far Far Away - Tribute to George Lucas
A walk through exhibit with a short movie about George Lucas, similar to One Man's Dream.
Jedi Encounters
Located in part of the building that houses the Mos Eisley Cantina (hard to see on the map I drew, since I used light grey...but I was running out of colors)...this is a Meet and Greet, similar to the Character Spot in EPCOT.
Regular characters would include Darth Maul, Darth Vader, Luke, Leah, and Chewie. These can be alternated out with characters from Clone Wars. The only character who is not invited to the party is Jar Jar.
R2D2
Ok, not really an attraction...per se. But, this will be a new walkaround character for this section of the Park. Using the same technology as PUSH, guests can interact with R2D2 as he wanders around. A Jedi Padowan will accompany R2 as he wanders through the Park in order to translate what R2 is beeping...er...rather...saying.
Closures / Relocations / Other Changes
Gerty the Dinosaur will stop serving Ice Cream and be converted into a Gyro Stand, serving Dino meat of course!
Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular (Closed and Demolished)
Sounds Dangerous (Already Closed)
American Idol Experience (Closed)
Backlot Express (Closed and Demolished)
Jedi Academy Stage (Demolished and moved to new location)
