News Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge - Historical Construction/Impressions

[DrStarlander]

There was a time when I wanted them to move Star Tours to GE too. But when you think about it, Star Tours works better in Tomorrowland than Galaxies Edge. Having a futuristic spaceport makes more sense in TL than in a dusty land on the outer rim of the galaxy. As I’ve said before, as long as that building is standing I’d be pretty shocked if they get rid of Star Tours. They re not going to retheme a 1980s simulator to something inferior with less synergy and possibilities in 2026.

I actually think that's a big problem with SWGE, the quiet, dusty town in the galactic boondocks where nothing is happening. I think shifting it to a bustling spaceport is exactly the kind of change that could give it life.

 

[mickEblu]

I actually think that's a big problem with SWGE, the quiet, dusty town in the galactic boondocks where nothing is happening. I think shifting it to a bustling spaceport is exactly the kind of change that could give it life.

That’s what it should have felt like but I don’t think they’d retheme the land to make it feel that way now. I think they can inject life in many other ways though

 

[BrianLo]

All moving ST achieves is making Tomorrowland worse and unbalancing Galaxies Edge’s lineup. Significantly reducing capacity on SR is absolutely not a solution that achieves anything positive. So then it takes away from expansion that could go to a different menu item.

Let’s hope they just fix SR, there’s nothing terribly intrinsic (other than the current role imbalance) that makes the system incapable of hosting a competent ride. Passive simulator experiences like FOP are beloved.

 

[DrStarlander]

All moving ST achieves is making Tomorrowland worse and unbalancing Galaxies Edge’s lineup. Significantly reducing capacity on SR is absolutely not a solution that achieves anything positive. So then it takes away from expansion that could go to a different menu item.

Let’s hope they just fix SR, there’s nothing terribly intrinsic (other than the current role imbalance) that makes the system incapable of hosting a competent ride. Passive simulator experiences like FOP are beloved.

In my posts you may have noticed that my proposal to replace one carousel of SR (a 25% reduction capacity for an attraction that was built to serve a demand that didn't materialize) with the entirety of ST doesn't use up any of the land's expansion area.

Moving ST does not negatively affect TL if the land is encircled in construction walls for years and the attraction and building are being replaced as part of a complete overhaul.

Yes, maybe they'll pull a rabbit out of their hat on SR. So far, what I've heard about the changes to the interactivity don't make me very confident they're fixing the fundamental issues.

 

[BrianLo]

In my posts you may have noticed that my proposal to replace one carousel of SR (a 25% reduction capacity for an attraction that was built to serve a demand that didn't materialize) with the entirety of ST doesn't use up any of the land's expansion area.

Yes and that’s awfully optimistic to begin with and reduces capacity from what we have now to create a congested plaza. At least wait a few months on the bandaid before writing the obit.

Yes, maybe they'll pull a rabbit out of their hat on SR.

I’d suggest expecting an attraction at least as competent as Star Tours being added to Tomorrowland is the real rabbit in the hat. Tomorrowland already struggles, don’t take away one of the few things that has ever stuck and works.

This is just wasteful spending and fixes absolutely nothing. Use that money to make Galaxies Edge more lively, a restaurant, entertainment, a functional game all for a fraction of the spend on moving around puzzle pieces that don’t even belong together. It’s not a good idea, sorry.

 

[DrStarlander]

Fair enough, I understand your perspective and can respect a wait-and-see attitude about whether they are truly fixing Smuggler's Run. But this,

create a congested plaza

concern? Definitely not on my worry-list.

 

[Professortango1]

Fair enough, I understand your perspective and can respect a wait-and-see attitude about whether they are truly fixing Smuggler's Run. But this,

concern? Definitely not on my worry-list.
View attachment 910307

Exactly, that area is a no-man's land, so not concerned about drawing more folks to that corner.

 

[BrianLo]

Fair enough, I understand your perspective and can respect a wait-and-see attitude about whether they are truly fixing Smuggler's Run. But this,

concern? Definitely not on my worry-list.
View attachment 910307

Ya that’s not too bad at all, I think the Hollywood studios one might be busier? More strollers. Though I don’t know where they do the fireworks viewing at Disneyland?

One of the other reasons I don’t think they should mess with the platforms is that they can totally have two different missions running akin to Mission Space. If they come up with two good missions that is.

 

[Distorian]

People are hating on Kennedy for this but it was the right call. Tatooine is not conducive to a theme park land. It's a barren desert with no shade or beauty. A photo op at the Lars Homestead or the cantina just aren't good enough reasons to make it part of Disneyland. Galaxy's Edge isn't great, but it could have been much worse. That said, a podracing coaster through Beggar's Canyon would have been awesome (though not as awesome as an X-Wing coaster).


Disney fans complain about California Adventure being recreations of places you can just visit within California, but then want Tatooine at Disneyland as if you can't just go visit Death Valley, the actual filming location from Return of the Jedi just several hours away from Disneyland.

Star Wars in Death Valley - Death Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

star wars in death valley

www.nps.gov

 

[Disney Analyst]

People are hating on Kennedy for this but it was the right call. Tatooine is not conducive to a theme park land. It's a barren desert with no shade or beauty. A photo op at the Lars Homestead or the cantina just aren't good enough reasons to make it part of Disneyland. Galaxy's Edge isn't great, but it could have been much worse. That said, a podracing coaster through Beggar's Canyon would have been awesome (though not as awesome as an X-Wing coaster).


Disney fans complain about California Adventure being recreations of places you can just visit within California, but then want Tatooine at Disneyland as if you can't just go visit Death Valley, the actual filming location from Return of the Jedi just several hours away from Disneyland.

Star Wars in Death Valley - Death Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

star wars in death valley

www.nps.gov

The location itself truly does not matter in Star Wars (imo). What matters is filling the land with characters and experiences people love, entertainment, aliens, droids… life! And the damn music.

 

[mickEblu]

People are hating on Kennedy for this but it was the right call. Tatooine is not conducive to a theme park land. It's a barren desert with no shade or beauty. A photo op at the Lars Homestead or the cantina just aren't good enough reasons to make it part of Disneyland. Galaxy's Edge isn't great, but it could have been much worse. That said, a podracing coaster through Beggar's Canyon would have been awesome (though not as awesome as an X-Wing coaster).


Disney fans complain about California Adventure being recreations of places you can just visit within California, but then want Tatooine at Disneyland as if you can't just go visit Death Valley, the actual filming location from Return of the Jedi just several hours away from Disneyland.

Star Wars in Death Valley - Death Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

star wars in death valley

www.nps.gov

Besides, the village side of Batuu reads like Tatooine anyway. It’s just more aesthetically pleasant and theme park friendly. Since they stayed away from recreating Tatooine and just went for Tatooine vibes it would have been nice to have more water features and some ivy on the rock work behind the Falcon. They just messed up not full recreating the cantina, not adding the dinner show etc. There should be a Jabba AA somewhere. Biggest screw up was not having one legitimate thrill ride in the land and I’ll die on that hill. Then of course all the other stuff, kinetic energy etc that we’ve all repeated a million times.

The ROTR side of the land should have been Endor. It’s not as if the land reads as one actual place anyway. Nobody feels like that 100 step walk from the village took them to the secret rebel hideout. It plays like another location that may as well be on another planet.

 

[Nirya]

Sure because the third time trying might work out this time.

They could try spinning! That's a good trick.

 

[MisterPenguin]

People are hating on Kennedy for this but it was the right call. Tatooine is not conducive to a theme park land. It's a barren desert with no shade or beauty. A photo op at the Lars Homestead or the cantina just aren't good enough reasons to make it part of Disneyland. Galaxy's Edge isn't great, but it could have been much worse. That said, a podracing coaster through Beggar's Canyon would have been awesome (though not as awesome as an X-Wing coaster).


Disney fans complain about California Adventure being recreations of places you can just visit within California, but then want Tatooine at Disneyland as if you can't just go visit Death Valley, the actual filming location from Return of the Jedi just several hours away from Disneyland.

Star Wars in Death Valley - Death Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

star wars in death valley

www.nps.gov

That story contradicts Bob Iger's own take that it was he who decided SWL:GE was going to be based on the sequel trilogy. After seeing The Force Awakens take in over $2B at the box office.

 

[Hawkeye_2018]

Why create a new land (Batuu) and not use it any movie or Tv show yet?

 

[Disney Irish]

Why create a new land (Batuu) and not use it any movie or Tv show yet?

I'm sure the original intention was to do just that, like they did when they released several comics and such that gave further backstory of Batuu. But the land wasn't as well received as I'm sure they would have liked, and well they haven't released a new movie until this year and the shows outside of Mando and Andor (different eras so wouldn't have had a chance to visit Batuu) have been hit or miss.

 

[Distorian]

What I don’t understand is why they never filmed a TV special filmed at Galaxy’s Edge with the sequel trilogy actors to promote the land.

 

[BrianLo]

I absolutely acknowledge mistakes were made with Galaxy's Edge, but I still really do not feel the mistake was siding on "originality". That was always a good call. Mos Eisley in particular would be so bland and hot if they did anything more than a facade with it. If anything wanting to be Mos Eisley coded held back more water in the land.

I think the full weighted proposal would have alleviated most of the concerns. More life in the land, a cooler game, a dinner show, a stunt spectacular and potentially at least one of the Millennium Falcon profiles that would have been more interesting.

 

[Hawkeye_2018]

Watching R1 again, I realize Batuu is basically Jedha City.

My dream SW ride would be something like Hagrid's motorbike but with speeder bikes like in Endor. Shame, we probably never see anything like that

 

[DrStarlander]

I absolutely acknowledge mistakes were made with Galaxy's Edge, but I still really do not feel the mistake was siding on "originality". That was always a good call. Mos Eisley in particular would be so bland and hot if they did anything more than a facade with it. If anything wanting to be Mos Eisley coded held back more water in the land.

I think the full weighted proposal would have alleviated most of the concerns. More life in the land, a cooler game, a dinner show, a stunt spectacular and potentially at least one of the Millennium Falcon profiles that would have been more interesting.

All of that would have absolutely helped. But not having a thrill ride in the land -- (same with Avenger's Campus) -- was a massive mistake. Smuggler's Run turned out less thrilling than its predecessor Star Tours and Rise is essentially Pooh's Honey Hunt with a multi-modal preshow and a great, but brief drop moment. An extremely cool dark ride, but not a thrill ride.

What's missing is the hollering your face off, wind through your hair, adrenaline-pumping moment that feels like what the characters are experiencing in the movies (stand by the exit of Space Mountain and watch people get off...that). It's what they paid for when they acquired Star Wars and Marvel, IPs to reach people who want that feeling. But the market research didn't get from Burbank to Glendale, apparently.

 

[BrianLo]

All of that would have absolutely helped. But not having a thrill ride in the land -- (same with Avenger's Campus) -- was a massive mistake. Smuggler's Run turned out less thrilling than its predecessor Star Tours and Rise is essentially Pooh's Honey Hunt with a multi-modal preshow and a great, but brief drop moment. An extremely cool dark ride, but not a thrill ride.

The land doesn’t need a Roller coaster to be successful. I think this is more of a complaint that people really want a roller coaster in the resort (which is fair and valid).

Part of the reason I say that is that a roller coaster in Galaxies Edge in Florida would be a horrible menu choice. It’s more intrinsically a complaint about DLR than specifically the land.

I’d circle back to GSATs, Galaxies Edge is Disneyland Resort guests favourite land, so they clearly didn’t something well.

Avengers campus has a true thrill ride FYI. I also anticipate both new attractions will be “pseudo-thrilling”, the flat possibly in the classical movement sense.

What's missing is the hollering your face off, wind through your hair, adrenaline-pumping moment that feels like what the characters are experiencing in the movies (stand by the exit of Space Mountain and watch people get off...that). It's what they paid for when they acquired Star Wars and Marvel, IPs to reach people who want that feeling. But the market research didn't get from Burbank to Glendale, apparently.

I for one think Rise is very thrilling. A coaster is a crowd pleaser but it’s just a cheap thrill. Rise gets crowds talking just as well.

Again, I realize people want a ride like Cosmic Rewind for the resort, which is valid. But neither land is flawed in and of themselves for not doing that.