Analysis: What the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge means for Disneyland, Anaheim and the greater Disney universe - OCR/SCNG

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
A lengthy and interesting article, lots of discussion points. Make sure and read it at a Southern California News Group website,


>>Rise of the Resistance, the land’s other attraction, has been billed as four rides in one. Walt Disney Imagineering calls it the most complex attraction it has ever built. So complex, in fact, that Disney postponed the opening of Rise of the Resistance until Imagineering can dial in all of the interconnected systems.<<

>>Smugglers Run and Rise of the Resistance also mark the first major original attractions to be added to Disneyland in nearly a quarter century, since the 1995 addition of Indiana Jones Adventure. That’s if you don’t count Rocket Rods, a short-lived ride that Disney would like to forget.<<

>>A spat with the city of Anaheim caused Disney to cancel a planned 700-room luxury hotel that was intended to absorb a big chunk of the influx expected to descend on the Disneyland Resort for the Star Wars and Marvel land openings. The abrupt cancellation allows Imagineering to go back to the drawing board and come up with something more inspired than the rushed generic design put forth for the hotel proposed for the west end of the Downtown Disney shopping district. The Disneyland Resort doesn’t have any themed hotels like its younger but much bigger sibling in Florida. A Star Wars-themed hotel would seem like a perfect fit.


The new 6,500-space Pixar Pals parking structure flew through the city planning process and could open ahead of schedule in late June or July. The new garage should help with the deluge of Galaxy’s Edge-bound vehicles which are expected to flood city streets and local freeways. Plans for a third garage on the east side of the resort remain on the books. The new Pixar Pals garage still may not be enough though. Disney has carved another 2,000-plus visitor parking spaces from the Toy Story surface lot that were formerly set aside for cast members.


Longer-range plans for a third theme park gate on the Toy Story parking lot won’t happen until Disney finishes fixing California Adventure. That still has a ways to go, particularly in Hollywood Land.<<

>>Wizarding World’s wild success has powered continued growth at Universal Studios Hollywood — with new Secret Life of Pets and Nintendo attractions on the way — as well as at Universal theme parks around the globe.<<

>>Disney already has plans for Marvel lands in California, Paris and Hong Kong. A “Frozen” themed land is under construction in Tokyo with rides planned for other parts of Mickey’s kingdom. The Pirates of the Caribbean land in Shanghai would translate to any other Disney park in the world. And Imagineering is already working on ways to introduce Fox properties into Disney parks.<<
 

britain

Well-Known Member
A lengthy and interesting article, lots of discussion points. Make sure and read it at a Southern California News Group website,


>>Rise of the Resistance, the land’s other attraction, has been billed as four rides in one. Walt Disney Imagineering calls it the most complex attraction it has ever built. So complex, in fact, that Disney postponed the opening of Rise of the Resistance until Imagineering can dial in all of the interconnected systems.<<

>>Smugglers Run and Rise of the Resistance also mark the first major original attractions to be added to Disneyland in nearly a quarter century, since the 1995 addition of Indiana Jones Adventure. That’s if you don’t count Rocket Rods, a short-lived ride that Disney would like to forget.<<

>>A spat with the city of Anaheim caused Disney to cancel a planned 700-room luxury hotel that was intended to absorb a big chunk of the influx expected to descend on the Disneyland Resort for the Star Wars and Marvel land openings. The abrupt cancellation allows Imagineering to go back to the drawing board and come up with something more inspired than the rushed generic design put forth for the hotel proposed for the west end of the Downtown Disney shopping district. The Disneyland Resort doesn’t have any themed hotels like its younger but much bigger sibling in Florida. A Star Wars-themed hotel would seem like a perfect fit.


The new 6,500-space Pixar Pals parking structure flew through the city planning process and could open ahead of schedule in late June or July. The new garage should help with the deluge of Galaxy’s Edge-bound vehicles which are expected to flood city streets and local freeways. Plans for a third garage on the east side of the resort remain on the books. The new Pixar Pals garage still may not be enough though. Disney has carved another 2,000-plus visitor parking spaces from the Toy Story surface lot that were formerly set aside for cast members.


Longer-range plans for a third theme park gate on the Toy Story parking lot won’t happen until Disney finishes fixing California Adventure. That still has a ways to go, particularly in Hollywood Land.<<

>>Wizarding World’s wild success has powered continued growth at Universal Studios Hollywood — with new Secret Life of Pets and Nintendo attractions on the way — as well as at Universal theme parks around the globe.<<

>>Disney already has plans for Marvel lands in California, Paris and Hong Kong. A “Frozen” themed land is under construction in Tokyo with rides planned for other parts of Mickey’s kingdom. The Pirates of the Caribbean land in Shanghai would translate to any other Disney park in the world. And Imagineering is already working on ways to introduce Fox properties into Disney parks.<<

Odd article. Does the Grand Californian not count as a themed hotel? Would Disney really add Pirates Cove to any of their other parks? Seems to me that they all have decent-to-great PotC rides and beloved surrounding areas (dunno, maybe HKDL, and maybe Tokyo would be willing to replace their mini New Orleans Square).

Observations like this make the rest of the article questionable.
 
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Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Ok, back story...

Got up early (5:30 AM) to watch the Monte Carlo Grand Prix, found this article at the end of the race. So just got it up before heading back to bed for a nap. Got up a few minutes before the dropped the green flag for the Indianapolis 500. Lisa made brunch, so that took priority. Now watching the last few laps of the Indy 50o. (Loved the driver flipping off another while going 220 MPH).

So going to comment during the slow times/commercials.

I know Brady (he was at my wedding) so IMHO, he is doing a freestyle article, so not everything is 100%, he is talking rumors, inside information, and some 100% true facts. I usually use the same style, so I don't directly discuss insider stuff, but can at least hint to it. He clearly states "Analysis" in the title. (Big wreck in the race, currently red flagged).

What is theming, the GCH is built in the Craftsman style, but that is a type of architecture and not "themed" Would you call the Great Wolf Lodge a themed Hotel?

On the other hand, the LEGOLAND Hotel many call themed, since it is directly related to the Lego project, Same if a Star Wars Hotel is built, themed to the movie.

Hotel del Coronado is a famous hotel, and has its own style, but not themed.

>>That meant pushing a bunch of behind-the-scenes functions and services off property to locations throughout Anaheim. Expect that exodus to continue as Disneyland seeks to maximize every available square foot of the original 1955 property.<<

I agree with more backstage areas moving, but not all backstage stuff was moved to somewhere in Anaheim, it is more the Southland. The Circle D Ranch is in Norco, and the Horses get to enjoy the morning freeway commute to head to work, for one example.

>>A spat with the city of Anaheim caused Disney to cancel a planned 700-room luxury hotel that was intended to absorb a big chunk of the influx expected to descend on the Disneyland Resort for the Star Wars and Marvel land openings. The abrupt cancellation allows Imagineering to go back to the drawing board and come up with something more inspired than the rushed generic design put forth for the hotel proposed for the west end of the Downtown Disney shopping district. The Disneyland Resort doesn’t have any themed hotels like its younger but much bigger sibling in Florida. A Star Wars-themed hotel would seem like a perfect fit.<<

Since it isn't a secret, I can state that Disneyland Governmental Relations has stated to the leaders of Anaheim (aka the City Council, and major groups like S.O.A.R.) that NO new Hotel will be built for years, and when they go back to developing one, no promise it will be a four diamond. So Disney can plan all they want, but there is a major "Do Not Build" order from corporate. After Disney gets the Eastern Gateway completed, the Super Hero Expansion done, more parking and the Toy Story zoning issue solved in regards to Gene Autry Way. One possibility is as part of a major deal between the city and Disney is resolving the street right-a-way and Disney asking for things like being able to use the new expanded Toy Story Lot for Hotel and other issues, along with parking. This is the time you might hear about a 4th Hotel near the DLH.

>>The new 6,500-space Pixar Pals parking structure flew through the city planning process and could open ahead of schedule in late June or July. The new garage should help with the deluge of Galaxy’s Edge-bound vehicles which are expected to flood city streets and local freeways. Plans for a third garage on the east side of the resort remain on the books. The new Pixar Pals garage still may not be enough though. Disney has carved another 2,000-plus visitor parking spaces from the Toy Story surface lot that were formerly set aside for cast members.<<

So a hint about the Eastern Gateway project, and the CM Shuffle. Disney is in major panic mode this summer in regards to parking for Guests and CM's, should be very interesting. And adding a personal note, both Lisa and I drive through the area, use the freeway off ramps and have no easy, quick options to get to/from home, especially for work.

>>There would be no Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge without the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The first Wizarding World opened in 2010 at Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Florida. Universal Studios Hollywood got its own version of the Potterverse in 2016.

Wizarding World set the new bar for immersive lands and stole Disney’s crown as the king of theme park experiences. Disney responded with Cars Land in California Adventure and Pandora: World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida. But Galaxy’s Edge marks Disney’s first true attempt to wrest back the crown from Universal and surpass Wizarding World’s creativity, imagination and ingenuity.<<

I know posting this on a "Disney" board might bother some, but while I have covered Disneyland since the late 1990's, I am a Theme Park/Roller Coaster person, and Disneyland is part of the Southland, one of many parks, but was clearly the main one for its first 60 years.
Universal stepped up its game in Florida, from opening (and Disney trying, but failing with Disney-MGM Studios), to IOA, then HP, and then finding room for HP in Hollywood. And more great attractions in the pipeline. The battle between Disney and Comcast is by no means over.

>>Wizarding World’s wild success has powered continued growth at Universal Studios Hollywood — with new Secret Life of Pets and Nintendo attractions on the way — as well as at Universal theme parks around the globe.<<

Then we get into the IP issue....

Brady spends some time on the issue, but folks, IP's have been part of Disney since day One, and will always will be. Other Movie Studios have also tried, such as Paramount, WB, MGM and Sony. It is really why the parks were called "Theme Parks", as in Themed to the IP products of the owner. Knott's is an unique one, the park was themed to its owners products, aka Food and Merchandise, Budweiser is similar with its Busch Gardens.

Anyways, the article did use long range plans, which are ALWAYS subject to change, but still a good read, even if you don't agree with it completely.
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Odd article. Does the Grand Californian not count as a themed hotel? Would Disney really add Pirates Cove to any of their other parks? Seems to me that they all have decent-to-great PotC rides and beloved surrounding areas (dunno, maybe HKDL, and maybe Tokyo would be willing to replace their mini New Orleans Square).

Observations like this make the rest of the article questionable.

They also forgot to mention runaway railway
 

DanielBB8

Well-Known Member
Great info from Darkbeer. No hint of what’s to come with Downtown Disney? I just went there this Saturday. The drive to the Simba parking lot was a mess. They blocked the left turn from Disneyland Drive (going north) from Katella so I had to make Left turn on the next street to the hotels. The signage was unclear so I asked the attendant. He said turn around, exit the hotel parking, make a right and then another right. Then I can park.

Once in Downtown Disney, Black Tap was terrific. The Cakeshake was delicious. I spend over $20 so I got my parking ticket validated for 3 hours free parking. I’m wondering what will happen to AMC and Rainforest Cafe buildings. Such a waste. The construction there appears done. I didn’t see any new walls. It will be a shame no new hotel will be constructed there. Yet the solution could also be to add new wings to Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier Hotel. Upon leaving, there wasn’t any parking attendant to collect my ticket. Huh? If I known, I would have stuck around longer.

With Disney converting their existing non-IP lands in Disneyland and Epcot, it should be clear the future is more IP whether it was originally intended to not have it. Haunted Mansion has Nightmare Before Christmas for nearly 4 months of the year. It appears more popular than the original Haunted Mansion.

Comcast should continue to improve Universal theme parks, but they must insist Universal should produce their own franchise family movies for exactly that purpose. Minions and Pets are the exception to the rule. The rule is Harry Potter from Warner Bros.

I wish Disney will stop ruining their franchises like Star Wars and Marvel with the march towards everything but the original intended audience. The Last Jedi and Captain Marvel are awful. They risk turning both the theme park representation and movie franchises into duds.

Okay, my rant.
 

britain

Well-Known Member
What is theming, the GCH is built in the Craftsman style, but that is a type of architecture and not "themed" Would you call the Great Wolf Lodge a themed Hotel?

On the other hand, the LEGOLAND Hotel many call themed, since it is directly related to the Lego project, Same if a Star Wars Hotel is built, themed to the movie.

Hotel del Coronado is a famous hotel, and has its own style, but not themed.

Whatever. If they built west coast versions of the Yatch Club, Grand Flo (talk about your Del Coronado!), or Caribbean Beach resorts, I don’t see how they would be more “themed” than Grand Californian. That’s what WDW has in spades, and that’s what the article seems to say DL has NONE of, which is plainly not true.
 

socalifornian

Well-Known Member
Whatever. If they built west coast versions of the Yatch Club, Grand Flo (talk about your Del Coronado!), or Caribbean Beach resorts, I don’t see how they would be more “themed” than Grand Californian. That’s what WDW has in spades, and that’s what the article seems to say DL has NONE of, which is plainly not true.
Grand Californian still looks like a Great Wilderness Lodge Lite to me
 

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