A Spirited Perfect Ten

[PhotoDave219]

The closures at HS without an immediate development give too much away.

I really don't think DLR is gonna see the best of it, but they'll try stuff out. Toontown makes sense (not the plot I'd have chosen, but 74 mentioned it, and that makes sense)...

But, HS, for them, regarding Star Wars is largely a blank slate now that 1/3 of the park has basically been shut down with the Backlot Tour going away.

It's really coming down whether it's going to be more slanted towards new movies vs Original Trilogy.

 

[englanddg]

It's really coming down whether it's going to be more slanted towards new movies vs Original Trilogy.

A blend, I suspect. But, I think you are right. And, it makes sense for them to judge it that way.

If the new movies flop (I don't think the first one will, but I don't think they'll ignore the fan reaction), it will go old. If not...well, we'll see a blend.

In either case, I think the groundwork is pretty well laid out, Star Wars is coming to HS...and in a far larger way than the current footprint.

 

[Hakunamatata]

A blend, I suspect. But, I think you are right. And, it makes sense for them to judge it that way.

If the new movies flop (I don't think the first one will, but I don't think they'll ignore the fan reaction), it will go old. If not...well, we'll see a blend.

In either case, I think the groundwork is pretty well laid out, Star Wars is coming to HS...and in a far larger way than the current footprint.

I think the first new will make money. The ongoing popularity only needs to me moderate. Them building a SW land 75% new 25% old would still help the ongoing staying power of the new as new generations go to the land then loop back and pick up the movie.

 

[englanddg]

That said, regarding Star Wars, I despise the prequels, but my kiddo doesn't.

That's important to factor in. I look at Jar Jar as terrible writing, but she sees him as a fun character. I didn't quite understand her standpoint until I caught up on Clone Wars (which she watched as a kid, I didn't until I did a binge on Netflix)...

And, those cartoons bridge a lot of the complaints fans had about Ep 1 - 3...and make them far more epic upon rewatching than they were in the theaters initially.

 

[englanddg]

I think the first new will make money. The ongoing popularity only needs to me moderate. Them building a SW land 75% new 25% old would still help the ongoing staying power of the new as new generations go to the land then loop back and pick up the movie.

All more reason for them to eject the C-Canon (EU). It ticked a lot of fans off who are far more Star Wars Hardcore than I am, but I think it was a smart move.

 

[englanddg]

Ok, edited the heck out of that, to get my terms straight. As I said, I'm a Star Wars fan...but not that hard core. I do know we are now living in the G-Canon world with a blend of the T-Canon (but not all) being doctrine.

 

[englanddg]

74 makes a great point, though, regarding Marvel...

Market exhaustion.

For example, I want to see Ultron, but I really don't want to rush out to the theaters to see it. It would be nice to see it, but it isn't exactly high on my list.

And I consider myself a consumer of SciFi and Nerdy stuff, not an average consumer.

He has a valid point that....5 years of these sorts of films, 3 times a year, will saturate the market.

I think they'll continue to do well, as people like me (people with money to spend) are coming out of an age where we are skeptical about comic book movies being cliche and bad, only to be proven wrong again and again by Marvel. But, they ARE popcorn fare...

What worries me (and 74 flat out said it) is the first flop. And there will be one. And when it happens, the rest of them get budgets slashed, and then the whole franchise goes crashing in flames.

 

[PhotoDave219]

A blend, I suspect. But, I think you are right. And, it makes sense for them to judge it that way.

If the new movies flop (I don't think the first one will, but I don't think they'll ignore the fan reaction), it will go old. If not...well, we'll see a blend.

In either case, I think the groundwork is pretty well laid out, Star Wars is coming to HS...and in a far larger way than the current footprint.

As much as it bloody well pains me to say this.....

It's the right decision, if this holds true.

I'm willing to wait another six months for a SW area that kicks beyond my imagination then one that is rushed.

Assuming this holds correct.

 

[AEfx]

You dont mean this winning right?

Haha, yes and no.

Regardless of his crazy behavior - he really is "WINNING!" in the end - now that 2 1/12 Men has entered syndication, he gets up to 40% of the syndication profits because of his original deal - which means that the show that he was fired from will end up making him a billionaire before he becomes old enough to get a senior citizen discount.

 

[englanddg]

As much as it bloody well pains me to say this.....

It's the right decision, if this holds true.

I'm willing to wait another six months for a SW area that kicks *** beyond my imagination then one that is rushed.

Assuming this holds correct.

Well, that's sortof the attitude I take to Avatar.

If it's done well, I can drop my opposition to the fact it doesn't "fit" in AK.

 

[englanddg]

That said, Star Wars obviously "fits" at HS....so it's not a matter of theme. But, it can be done well, or it can be done brashly.

 

[Cody5294]

Don't take this as an insult because it isn't intended as such, but I can bet there are things that you simply aren't aware of in the attraction. There's no way everything was working perfectly except for one AA. This IS the MK we're talking 'bout. ... Like I said, most CMs who work the attraction likely have no idea what is and what isn't supposed to be.

I understand where your coming from. The first time I've ever seen a fully working Laughing Place was last year after the refurb and I've had an annual pass since 2011. I'm sure there's some things that I missed

 

[PhotoDave219]

That said, Star Wars obviously "fits" at HS....so it's not a matter of theme. But, it can be done well, or it can be done brashly.

I would hope that I'm not dropping a bombshell here or any news that anyone wasn't expecting.

I'm trying to temper expectations.

 

[englanddg]

I understand where your coming from. The first time I've ever seen a fully working Laughing Place was last year after the refurb and I've had an annual pass since 2011. I'm sure there's some things that I missed

It looked great after the 2013 refurb...

Even the smaller animatronics were alive and well...

I think the overarching criticism is an operational one, not a design one. I've maintained animatronics like those, and the real key is sitting down once a week and viewing them move by move to see where the cylinders are failing...it takes quite a bit of time, and more important, it takes a management commitment to show rather than uptime.

 

[englanddg]

I would hope that I'm not dropping a bombshell here or any news that anyone wasn't expecting.

I'm trying to temper expectations.

I don't think it's news to anyone who has half a clue.

That said, I do agree, tempering expectations is valid. I don't think we'll ever see a DCA style overhaul at HS...they'll do it in stages as they figure out what markets best.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I don't think it's news to anyone who has half a clue.

That said, I do agree, tempering expectations is valid. I don't think we'll ever see a DCA style overhaul at HS...they'll do it in stages as they figure out what markets best.

There's speculation that the back half rehab will happen first. I haven't heard anything on it lately tho.

 

[AEfx]

That said, regarding Star Wars, I despise the prequels, but my kiddo doesn't.

That's important to factor in. I look at Jar Jar as terrible writing, but she sees him as a fun character. I didn't quite understand her standpoint until I caught up on Clone Wars (which she watched as a kid, I didn't until I did a binge on Netflix)...

Oh, completely. There is no doubt some kids were captured by them. Even a few adults. Thing is, it wasn't like it was in the 80's - just about every kid at least saw Star Wars, and you'd be hard pressed to find a male of a certain age who didn't at least have some Star Wars figures. Part of that is the lack of competition way back when (there wasn't a Potter, etc. to split the audience). But the prequels just didn't "capture" that generation like the OT captured ours.

In the end, though - that's precisely why these new films are going to be blockbusters, very likely like we have never seen before. Kids like yours are already in, we can count on them - but in addition to them, we have something that appeals to all generations one way or another.

Everything I have seen over the past two weeks has completely convinced me that this is going to be a unique moment in pop culture history - somehow they seem to have tapped into the formula to make it the 1980's again - which other industries (like the music business) would die for. It's really unprecedented, and when you see that a film like Avatar which was a one-gimmick-pony managed to be the #1 film of all time, it's really mind blowing when you think about how much long untapped audience is out there.

All more reason for them to eject the C-Canon (EU). It ticked a lot of fans off who are far more Star Wars Hardcore than I am, but I think it was a smart move.

That's the beauty of what Lucasfilm has done under Disney - there is just one canon now. If you pick up a new Star Wars book, comic, video game, trading card, etc. - it's going to be in the same canon. No need for complex systems of validity.

Basically, they are doing what Lucasfilm never bothered to do under Lucas, because he didn't much care. Despite the reputation the company had for controlling the franchise, in truth, they really let things get very splintered and wild - that's why the marriage of Lucasfilm and Disney was so brilliant, because Disney has the infrastructure in place to make a cohesive brand and bring Star Wars to new heights.

 

[englanddg]

There's speculation that the back half rehab will happen first. I haven't heard anything on it lately tho.

Easiest property to dig up...easy speculation.

 

[englanddg]

Oh, completely. There is no doubt some kids were captured by them. Even a few adults. Thing is, it wasn't like it was in the 80's - just about every kid at least saw Star Wars, and you'd be hard pressed to find a male of a certain age who didn't at least have some Star Wars figures. Part of that is the lack of competition way back when (there wasn't a Potter, etc. to split the audience). But the prequels just didn't "capture" that generation like the OT captured ours.

In the end, though - that's precisely why these new films are going to be blockbusters, very likely like we have never seen before. Kids like yours are already in, we can count on them - but in addition to them, we have something that appeals to all generations one way or another.

Everything I have seen over the past two weeks has completely convinced me that this is going to be a unique moment in pop culture history - somehow they seem to have tapped into the formula to make it the 1980's again - which other industries (like the music business) would die for. It's really unprecedented, and when you see that a film like Avatar which was a one-gimmick-pony managed to be the #1 film of all time, it's really mind blowing when you think about how much long untapped audience is out there.



That's the beauty of what Lucasfilm has done under Disney - there is just one canon now. If you pick up a new Star Wars book, comic, video game, trading card, etc. - it's going to be in the same canon. No need for complex systems of validity.

Basically, they are doing what Lucasfilm never bothered to do under Lucas, because he didn't much care. Despite the reputation the company had for controlling the franchise, in truth, they really let things get very splintered and wild - that's why the marriage of Lucasfilm and Disney was so brilliant, because Disney has the infrastructure in place to make a cohesive brand and bring Star Wars to new heights.

Well, sortof.

Lucas really didn't mind pimping the brand out until he realized that the brand carried power. And the brand meant something.

Then they started to care. But, that took decades (literally)...

I do agree that Ep VII will be a unique moment in pop culture...I just hope that we are not given the same crap that JJ has shoveled before.

I've read that he's a "huge Star Wars fan" and the theories that he did "Star Trek" just to "prove" that he can do a space saga...

I...personally...don't buy that.

He may be a huge SW fan, but he shat all over Star Trek, and as a director, I'd like to see something better. I dunno, like understanding the source material? Sure, there is a lot with ST for him to grasp, but even if he'd just spent a weekend on TOS, he'd get it if he was so adept.

I am skeptical, but I must admit, the latest teaser has excited me.

 

[englanddg]

In fact, for trivia's sake, the Lucas and co pimped out the Star Wars brand to Marvel, and the sales helped save that company, iirc.