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

[ajrwdwgirl]

Is it just me or would it be kind of strange for it to be built in that parking lot, it just seems like an odd location out of the DCA park boundaries and across the street. I suppose there would be a tunnel or something if it was meant to be park of DCA. Or would it be its own park. A Star Wars land would be really cool, better than the upcoming Avatarland in Animal Kingdom.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Spirit said the current plan doesn't involve DCA, FYI. He said it would take over an existing area in DL.

 

[cheezbat]

Spirit said the current plan doesn't involve DCA, FYI. He said it would take over an existing area in DL.

My bets are either Tomorrowland or the Frontierland ranch area.

 

[TP2000]

Spirit said the current plan doesn't involve DCA, FYI. He said it would take over an existing area in DL.

And for almost two years now Al Lutz has been talking about Tomorrowland as the locale. Specifically the Innoventions/Autopia/Subs complex. Lutz also detailed a proposal to turn Tomorrowland Terrace into a Tatooine cantina and park a walk-thru Milennium Falcon on top of the PeopleMover station, with a Star Wars spinner ride up on the Space Mountain concourse area.

Wild stuff. From the Lutz rumors from '13 and the Spirit info, it seems WDI has run through several huge proposals and concepts to radically remake Tomorrowland into a Star Wars Land.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I think current management would love to get rid of the Autopia and Submarine Voyage. One less high maintenance water attraction in an increasingly drought-stricken region and gas-guzzling antiquated car ride that lost sponsorship years ago. Classics? You bet. But I think they're on their way out. Enjoy them while you can. As for Innoventions, I believe that the Marvel characters that have kept the place alive are getting their own section of DCA? If that happens...

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Spirit also said the Subs are safe in the current plan, so I have no idea what's going on.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Could they theoretically build on top of it in that region between the Carousel Theater and it's a small world?

 

[Nland316]

They're updating the Fantasyland dark rides so they could theme each of them to Star Wars prior to the 60th, and call it Star Wars land!

 

[Californian Elitist]

They're updating the Fantasyland dark rides so they could theme each of them to Star Wars prior to the 60th, and call it Star Wars land!

Still waiting on that confirmation, BTW.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Spirit says current plan is to replace Toontown, so that's...special

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Hmm...weird as that would be, I guess I could sorta see them doing that too. The Goofy and Chip 'n' Dale houses are basically defunct and I don't think the company would lament the removal of Roger Rabbit or a little baby roller coaster based on Rescue Rangers. They'd have to relocate Mickey, you'd lose a lot of stroller real estate and they'd also have to address the parade route down the walkway to Small World and possibly fireworks, but...I mean, I guess it could work. With a little bulldozing, expansion to the north and/or west.

 

[seahawk7]

So Stars Wars Land should replace Toonttown? Is that the concensus?

 

[Californian Elitist]

I'm not up for Star Wars Land anywhere in Disneyland, especially anywhere in Tomorrowland. It needs to be in its own separate park.

 

[cheezbat]

I'm of the mindset that if they're not putting it in Tomorrowland and fixing DL's one sore spot area, then put it in a different park. Destroying Toontown for it does nothing but creates more headache and loss and does nothing to fix Tomorrowland.

 

[TP2000]

So Stars Wars Land should replace Toonttown? Is that the concensus?

I doubt you'll get a lot of pushback from most Disneyland fans. Roger Rabbit is a fun dark ride, but tell me again who Roger Rabbit was? 1989?

The rest of Toontown was neutered pretty good by the lawyers 15 years ago, and now it's just some wacky set pieces leading to a couple of meet n' greets. Did you know Toontown once had ball pits, and big slides, and rooms full of inflatable furninture you bounced off of? And that there were actual firemen's poles you slid down, and nets to climb, and a working trolley system that nearly bucked you off the bench seats as it wobbled and weaved through the crowds?

Count how many tourists this kid almost mows down...


Toontown was dumbed down and tamed by the lawyers years ago. They can move Mickey to a meet n' greet on Main Street USA custom built to handle the new talking Mickey characters coming soon. And then bulldoze Toontown and turn it into part of Star Wars Land, along with the adjacent Fantasyland Theater and/or Circle D Ranch and/or Big Thunder Ranch and Festival Arena.

I'd rather see Star Wars take over Toontown than take over Tomorrowland. Repurpose Star Tours into a Marvel ride like they are building in Hong Kong's Tomorrowland.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Toontown in and of itself isn't much space, and if that's the only area they dedicate to Star Wars, keep your expectations to a minimum.

I think it's a crappy idea, although Toontown does need help.

 

[seahawk7]

Toontown in and of itself isn't much space, and if that's the only area they dedicate to Star Wars, keep your expectations to a minimum.

I think it's a crappy idea, although Toontown does need help.

My thought exactly. The theming is great in ToonTown but just "plus" it. (I hope I used plus right)

 

[Travel Junkie]

I have to agree with @TP2000 here. Toontown is nice, but is a shell of its former self. Roger Rabbit is a good ride (and movie), but is increasingly becoming irrelevant. Heck the entire land is based on the interpretation of an animation style that Disney has moved away from.

Yes Toontown is small but there is a whole lot of backstage space behind it. Relocation of backstage buildings would provide plenty of room to build a large, dynamic, cohesive SW land.

As a couple people have mentioned, a 3rd gate would be the optimal choice, but that is a ways off and Disney needs to start getting ROI ASAP. It either makes its way into DL or Star Wars VII opens with the following crawl: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… in California.

Of all the rumored locations for SW land, I think this makes the most sense.

 

[mharrington]

I really hope that Toontown isn't scrapped for this! It's the home of Mickey and the gang, literally! There was even a whole story about that, as that being the reason that Walt chose this spot to build Disneyland. This would really be a great disservice to Mickey and the gang, not to mention to a reliable spot for kids.

 

[CJR]

I honestly think it would be too expensive to overhaul Toontown. I'm sure they thought about it, but Disney can do it much more cost-effectively elsewhere. The ideas neat, but the finances just won't do it.

Toontown does need an update, I will agree with that, but they wouldn't be able to rework much into a Star Wars land, and would have to demolish a lot, possibly reshaping the whole back portion of the park. I don't see management going for this, despite what gets tossed around in the Imagineering process.

Iger will probably take one look at this and be like "uh, no." I know people don't want to see it happen, but my money's on a Tomorrowland makeover. It just doesn't make sense to have two futuristic lands in the same park, especially when an existing land already features a popular attraction from the franchise.