Star Wars Land announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios

[Phicinfan]

I don't expect a fence to be built where I have marked in blue, if they were planning to, they would have done it already. I think they are relying on the trees, and the angle of the track to hide that view

The red area appears to be a new berm that once planted should hide most of the view into SWL.

View attachment 264311

Can I assume then that the cement wall structure to the left edge of that read circle will be the tunnel to SW:GE from TSL?

 

[hobovampire]

From Disney's PR regarding the D23 Expo:

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge​

​

This highly anticipated new land is set to open in 2019, both at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Park – on a grand scale – including the creation of a full-sized fleet of X-wing star fighters and a life-size Millennium Falcon starship.​

​

The totally immersive land will include two jaw-dropping attractions that allow guests to have control of their experiences. One attraction will put guests in the middle of a battle between the First Order and the Resistance—inside a Star Destroyer. In the second attraction, guests will have the chance to fly the Millennium Falcon – the most famous ship in the galaxy. Throughout the land, guests will also have the chance to interact with Chewie, the lovable BB8 and members of the First Order, plus wander through a toy shop in the street market run by a Toydarian, one of the creatures from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.​

Am I silly in thinking this will be an animatronic like Sonny Eclipse just chillin', talkin' (in Toydarianese, ofc) in the store? (unless that's already been confirmed, then !)

 

[MisterPenguin]

Can I assume then that the cement wall structure to the left edge of that read circle will be the tunnel to SW:GE from TSL?

Yes.

 

[hobovampire]

Will there be a thematic switch, like Andy has a Star Wars..well, lego set or something? and it's a lego star wars archyway into it and then a Toydarian entrance vice versa? Or is that too much? ; w;

 

[marni1971]

I was thinking that @marni1971 had indicated this would be less a tunnel than a curving path below grade (ie may not have a roof)

It’ll have a "roof" but won’t be as "tunnel like" as the other. If you like.

 

[tirian]

It’ll have a "roof" but won’t be as "tunnel like" as the other. If you like.

The “tunnel” and theater entrances are supposedly going to give the WDW version better sightlines than DL’s. That’s the only difference I’ve heard, and it must refer to outside the SWL berm, not within the otherwise identical lands. But of course nobody can prove that yet.

 

[Clowd Nyne]

OH MY DISNEY! Those buildings are huge!

 

[BrianLo]

The “tunnel” and theater entrances are supposedly going to give the WDW version better sightlines than DL’s. That’s the only difference I’ve heard, and it must refer to outside the SWL berm, not within the otherwise identical lands. But of course nobody can prove that yet.

Yes, the rock work will definitely be visible out West, but I'm under the impression that it was done on purpose. The look is supposed to add further depth to the new RoA and obviously the peaks naturally jive with frontierland and big thunder. Whereas it doesn't organically blend into Streets of America/Toy Story land, so they are going more for the hidden -> big reveal. Hence why they opted for more thick coniferous trees in WDW.

I honestly think that was the right move for both cases, the needs of the park are different.


Albeit - I really liked the idea of the fringes of Toy Story land having a Star Wars lego set.

 

[Brian Swan]

Photo update as of Tuesday, February 13, 2018. A closer look at the rock towers under construction at the back side of Galaxy's Edge. Photo taken from the entrance drive to Hollywood Studios.

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Sorry if I missed this somewhere in the 12K-plus posts, but how will the finished rock work here compare to Pandora with regards to height?

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

Interesting that they are saying that battle escape has an interactive element to it too. We knew Falcon did, but this seems like news to me.

I am actually concerned to hear this. I think "passive" rides actually allow riders to get MORE immersed, because the riders are focusing on what's happening (in the environment/story), rather than on a "game." For example, imagine if something like Indiana Jones Adventure or Forbidden Journey had riders shooting things - those attractions would be much LESS effective as storytelling/immersive experiences. I personally hope Battle Escape does not involve on-ride interactivity.

 

[Movielover]

I am actually concerned to hear this. I think "passive" rides actually allow riders to get MORE immersed, because the riders are focusing on what's happening (in the environment/story), rather than on a "game." For example, imagine if something like Indiana Jones Adventure or Forbidden Journey had riders shooting things - those attractions would be much LESS effective as storytelling/immersive experiences. I personally hope Battle Escape does not involve on-ride interactivity.

And yet the interactive element could be as simple as the random spy being chosen on Star Tours.

 

[dreamfinder]

Is there any possibility of Disney selling a premium experience where they give you fastpasses to the attractions for a price? @marni1971

Why not? They've done this with tours recently, just billing it as a tour and not Pay to Play FP. The "Ultimate Nights of Adventures" tour -> https://www.wdwmagic.com/attraction...ailable-to-book-at-disneys-animal-kingdom.htm to get you onto Pandora, as well as the Star Wars guided tour -> https://www.wdwmagic.com/attraction...ar-wars-fans-at-disneys-hollywood-studios.htm So there is precedence both for general demand, as well as for stuff specific to Star Wars.

 

[Brian Swan]

Why not? They've done this with tours recently, just billing it as a tour and not Pay to Play FP. The "Ultimate Nights of Adventures" tour -> https://www.wdwmagic.com/attraction...ailable-to-book-at-disneys-animal-kingdom.htm to get you onto Pandora, as well as the Star Wars guided tour -> https://www.wdwmagic.com/attraction...ar-wars-fans-at-disneys-hollywood-studios.htm So there is precedence both for general demand, as well as for stuff specific to Star Wars.

I'm pretty much assuming that virtually every day of the week will have some sort of up-charge CM breakfast/ride package or after closing "party". Disney's going to suck as much money out of this as possible. And with predicted wall-to-wall people, SB lines in the 3-5 hour range and FPPs gone withing 2 minutes of the window opening, people will pay "whatever" to attend these...

 

[tirian]

Yes, the rock work will definitely be visible out West, but I'm under the impression that it was done on purpose. The look is supposed to add further depth to the new RoA and obviously the peaks naturally jive with frontierland and big thunder. Whereas it doesn't organically blend into Streets of America/Toy Story land, so they are going more for the hidden -> big reveal. Hence why they opted for more thick coniferous trees in WDW.

I honestly think that was the right move for both cases, the needs of the park are different.


Albeit - I really liked the idea of the fringes of Toy Story land having a Star Wars lego set.

Correct; the rockwork will blend into Frontierland, and I hate to think how insane those pathways are about to become!

 

[MisterPenguin]

I'm pretty much assuming that virtually every day of the week will have some sort of up-charge CM breakfast/ride package or after closing "party". Disney's going to suck as much money out of this as possible. And with predicted wall-to-wall people, SB lines in the 3-5 hour range and FPPs gone withing 2 minutes of the window opening, people will pay "whatever" to attend these...

WDW already has it's SWL upcharge in place: The SW Resort.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

WDW already has it's SWL upcharge in place: The SW Resort.

any guess on what they will charge per night? At least $600 to be conservative

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

I'm wagering at least twice that much. Possibly even triple.

I was lowballing it so I didn’t look crazy. You are probably right and people will pay to stay.

 

[dreamfinder]

WDW already has it's SWL upcharge in place: The SW Resort.

They will, but unless construction for that is at a real accelerated pace (compared to most non-dining WDW construction) a tour/dessert party will be ready at open, while a resort might take a while. Even though @marni1971 seems to think opening the hotel at the same time might be possible, an upcharge tour/party would definitely be possible.

 

[Sped2424]

WDW already has it's SWL upcharge in place: The SW Resort.

Now imagine the swl hotel and upcharge events. That's what we are looking at ATM. Though when and what is still to be decided.

 

[Kman101]

I don't see why anyone would be surprised if they did paid previews of SWL. Just because there isn't a major precedent for it doesn't mean it won't happen. I'm very interested in how they roll the opening of this land out.