Star Wars Land rumors...any truth to this?

CinematicFusion

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Will Disneyland Star Wars Land Be Built At Disney's California Adventure ?


An interesting comment was posted "anonymously" to the "Visualize Disneyland Star Wars Land with this S.W Wilson Map" article posted ten days ago. The anonymous reader, who apparently got the info from a friend working at LucasFilm, said:
"Interesting to think about Star Wars in Anaheim...Heard from a friend at Lucasfilm that they're thinking about and discussing with Imagineering a Star Wars land in the parking lot west of DCA in order to drive more traffic to DCA, and that construction will begin in early 2016".
Although i give the benefit of the doubt to any comment, even posted anonymously, this must be considered only as a rumor until we get an official confirmation. But it's an interesting one because so far the rumors were saying that Disneyland's Star Wars Land will come in DL Tomorrowland and with a E-Ticket ride using the land where Autopia is now.
To be honest, if i was the one choosing i would prefer to have it at DCA instead than Disneyland Tomorrowland. Not that it's impossible to do, but i've never been convinced that it was the perfect location, that a Star Wars Land would be better out of DL and even that they should put it in the long rumored third Anaheim gate.


However, if you look at the Google Earth screen captures above, i think they will have enough space to create a land in this parking lot - in red above - if the infos are right. What? There is the South West St / Disneyland Drive between the parking lot and DCA? Sure, but this could be a minor issue which can be resolved with works to have the road going beneath the path that would be created between DCA and the parking lot, or the contrary. My main concern is the Disney's Paradise Pier hotel nearby, too close to don't be a visual intrusion if WDI Imagineers were building the Star Wars land on this parking lot...
But i agree that the idea to build it at DCA, in order to bring more guests inside DCA rather than at Disneyland is a good one, and makes sense. Disneyland is regularly over packed and i can't imagine how packed it would be with a Star Wars Land at DL during the Holiday season... So, yes, keep this rumor in mind and we'll see in 2016 if it was the right one as the construction, according to this comment, is supposed to start this year, which would lead probably to an opening in 2018... which was the date a Star Wars Land was scheduled to open at Disneyland as written in the Disney Parks 10 years plan released internally last April.
 

CinematicFusion

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Found this on another site, not sure if made up or if others here have heard rumors of a Star Wars land at California Adventure?
 

CinematicFusion

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I have no idea....I just saw this and thought I would post. Maybe there was a small kernel of truth. I would hate to think Star Wars land wouldn't be built until after the new trilogy. But...Disney hasn't built anything Marvel, so It's possible.
 

CDavid

Well-Known Member
I don't think I'd put much confidence in this rumor unless we hear more from another source, but I must say I generally like the idea of Star Wars connected to California Adventure better than placing it in Tomorrowland. I assume the public street would be submerged beneath the connection.

Just thinking out loud, but any chance of Disney ever getting hold of the corner of property they don't own at the bottom right of DCA? That would be an idea location for further California Adventure expansion, even Star Wars.
 

kap91

Well-Known Member
I don't see how it fits the theme of ca at all but anything is better than taking away that beautiful corner of DL or a franchise based land in DL instead of lands based on broad themes like it's supposed to be.

Now that I think of it CA is already essentially the "well it doesn't fit in anywhere else" park so yep. I'm all for it. Especially if it means not destroying Disneyland!
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
You could theoretically add the Paradise Pier Hotel and its attached five level parking structure into that land. That hotel was built in the 1980's by a Japanese firm, then bought by Disney in the 1990's. It's only got 750 rooms and it's nothing special, although they've tried hard with beachy lobby décor and room furnishings.

Combined, that's a huge chunk of land that could really be a mini-park or boutique park experience of some sort.
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Star Wars themed? Perhaps. Or maybe just better hotels and amenities built there, while they focus the Star Wars plans on the Third Park on the much larger plot of land Disney also owns in Anaheim.

Whatever they decide to do with Star Wars in Anaheim, I think it's safe to expect a similar sized development or clone in WDW. Unlike Marvel, where Disneyland can do whatever they want while WDW is forbidden, Star Wars is a franchise to be fully developed on both coasts. That's got to be a huge factor in what and where they place Star Wars Land in Anaheim.
 

deix15x8

Active Member
I would love to see a Star Wars land built out in that corner. I have never been to Disneyland (have a trip planned for the end of September 2015) but have always preferred the idea of a true Star Wars land rather than a Star Wars Tomorrowland. I also like the bridges between lands to help divide them (noticeable at the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom) so that would make a great spot. They could build some kind of bridge or tunnel that is fully enclosed and dark. Project the stars onto it and have random tie fighters and space battles appear, make the bridge feel like you are traveling through space and end up on a planet from Star Wars. I'm not sure what the parking lot area behind the Paradise Pier Hotel is currently used for but in this design it would be a great location for a fully themed Star Wars hotel and DVC with a private entrance into Star Wars Land. I'm sure Disney could make a fortune off of a Star Wars hotel and with the private entrance to Star Wars land you could theoretically have people that spend a weekend at Star Wars without ever going to a Disney area.
 

WishIwasThere

Active Member
I was able to ride in the front of the monorail while I was there last month. Missed being able to do that in WDW, used to love that, happy they still allow it at DL. Anyway, the monorail driver also works the subs and I asked him if there was any truth to the Star Wars rumors as a replacement to Nemo, and he said no truth and the subs weren't going anywhere. So I guess a Star Wars land would have to go someplace else, like the parking lot or PPH. Hopefully Monorail driver info at DL isn't like busdriver info at WDW.;)
 

mharrington

Well-Known Member
Here's an update:

But, fear not: The Walt Disney Co. has big theme park plans for its big franchise. “We’re also developing ideas and designs for a far greater Star Wars presence in our parks,” Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger told investors on the company’s quarterly earnings call Tuesday. “We expect to provide details about this sometime next year.”

When asked whether or not Disney has a parks franchise that’s comparable to Harry Potter for Universal, Iger mentioned Cars and the Disney Princesses, and promised that Star Wars, “is going to be just that.”

Iger also offered a small, if unsurprising, nugget about the film itself, which is set to hit theaters on Dec. 18, 2015. “Production on Star Wars: Episode VII is on track,” he said, declining, when prompted, to answer any questions about Harrison Ford’s on-set accident. Iger added: “The footage we’ve seen so far is spectacular and certainly worthy of the fan frenzy and excitement this movie is generating around the world.”


http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/08/05/d.../?hootPostID=eb9162e7e74d2fc8c9ce1917b347a0f5

I have no idea what their plans are, but I'm guessing that it's going to be in Tomorrowland. I'm not sure if that means they will rename it Star Wars Land or what, though.
 

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
Here's an update:

But, fear not: The Walt Disney Co. has big theme park plans for its big franchise. “We’re also developing ideas and designs for a far greater Star Wars presence in our parks,” Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger told investors on the company’s quarterly earnings call Tuesday. “We expect to provide details about this sometime next year.”

When asked whether or not Disney has a parks franchise that’s comparable to Harry Potter for Universal, Iger mentioned Cars and the Disney Princesses, and promised that Star Wars, “is going to be just that.”

Iger also offered a small, if unsurprising, nugget about the film itself, which is set to hit theaters on Dec. 18, 2015. “Production on Star Wars: Episode VII is on track,” he said, declining, when prompted, to answer any questions about Harrison Ford’s on-set accident. Iger added: “The footage we’ve seen so far is spectacular and certainly worthy of the fan frenzy and excitement this movie is generating around the world.”


http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/08/05/d.../?hootPostID=eb9162e7e74d2fc8c9ce1917b347a0f5

I have no idea what their plans are, but I'm guessing that it's going to be in Tomorrowland. I'm not sure if that means they will rename it Star Wars Land or what, though.

If they rename Tomorrowland "Star Wars Land", there will be an uproar.
 

Magenta Panther

Well-Known Member
They also added this quote from Iger: “When we grow ‘Star Wars” presence, which we will do significantly, you will see better bets being made that will pay off for us than were made in the past.”

Oookay...the heck's that mean? "That were made in the past"? Is he talking about his stupid decision about Avatar? Or Eisner's ill-advised purchase of the Muppets? It's such a garbled sentence...which I suppose gives it a certain authenticity, since it was spewed by Iger. :p

Here's my take on Star Wars: yes, it sells a lot of merch. But can it truly be revived as a film series? How does anyone know if its appeal is truly eternal, or if it's just nostalgia? For me, it's just nostalgia. I like "A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back" a lot, and I'd love it if new Star Wars films had the same level of mojo - great characters, great chemistry, great story. But I'm not holding my breath. Lucas got a second chance at his creation - and came up with Jar Jar Binks and a bad guy that looked like a painted-face fan of the Detroit Tigers. Nothing in those new films came close to capturing the magic and fun of the original trilogy. If Lucas can't bring back the magic, who can?

Sure, it'll be fun to see Luke, Leia, Han and Chewbacca together again, more or less...but after that...what?

I just wonder if building a Star Wars land might not amount to building a Buck Rogers land. A dated property that doesn't even have the Disney nostalgia factor going for it. We'll see, I guess...unless, of course, the new films tank and any Star Wars Land plans are scrapped...anything could happen, I suppose...
 

mahnamahna101

Well-Known Member
If they rename Tomorrowland "Star Wars Land", there will be an uproar.
If they touch Space Mountain, Buzz or even Autopia, there'd likely be an uproar. Just make a Heros & Villains 3rd gate and use Star Tours/Innoventions/Jedi Training/Submarines/most of Autopia for a massive Tomorrowland/Fantasyland expansion. Retheme Buzz since TSMM is across the street and DCA needs it more. All of that is about 20-25% of Disneyland currently.

Star Wars Land would just cause pointless controversy that Disney doesn't really need. Plus, it would prompt the question of what happens to MK's Tomorrowland - does it get a Star Wars retheme? does it get just a refresh/revamp? Overall, using Star Wars and Marvel as anchors for a 3rd gate would be the best decision if they ever go that route.

In the long run, a Tomorrowland/Fantasyland expansion would make more sense and allow for a lot more possiblites than Star Wars/Marvel theming would. Frozen trackless dark ride, Bald Mountain (hey, why not?), Tangled boat ride, TRON coaster, Time Travel E-ticket, Sci-fi themed revamp of Autopia, Plectu's Intergalactic Revue, PeopleMover return, Astro Orbiter elevated once more, Space Mountain gets some love again, Buzz gets a retheme (Stitch? WALL-E?). While it might be a larger risk persay, in the long run, it would boost Disneyland significantly more since it wouldn't anger that many long-time fans (Submarines and Autopia leaving would be the only thing controversial) if a quality product is delivered in return.
 

westie

Well-Known Member
On our last visit in May the rumor was re-doing the back of Tommorowland into a Star Wars themed area. This is no new news as it was released at the D23 convention labeled as "Orange Harvest." In any event, I'm excited!
 

Travel Junkie

Well-Known Member
I think the best thing to do is take a page out of Uni’s Potter handbook and put Star Wars in multiple parks.

One of the biggest potential issues is the Star Wars universe is so vast that any one land risks being a mish mash of various worlds that don’t really fit together. Attractions from Tatooine and Endor won’t work well next to each other. This way they can theme TL for instance as Coruscant or a more futuristic looking place and have all the attractions based in that world. DCA can have a different planet. Death Valley/Tatooine may fit there. Any third gate can expand these ideas even more.

As far as timetable, I really don’t know. Iger says more info is coming next year, but that could just be an announcement. I’ve heard from many places that WDI has had very little to no access to Episode VII material and that is something they want to incorporate into any land. Add in the WDI takes their time mentality, it could be a while before anything actually opens.
 

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