Former VP Details Original Star Wars Land Plans

[TrainsOfDisney]

The newish WDW rides that impressed me quite a bit is the new Slinky Dog coaster. While it maybe could use a little more storytelling, I love the playfulness of it.

I suppose maybe that's a bit if what GE is missing. The thing that made the original Star Wars great was the playfulness of it. The first Star Wars movie was a great blend of classic storyline with things that were unexpected.

I agree with this. On paper I should love Galaxies Edge and hate slinky dog cause it’s an exposed track coaster in a Disney park. But every time that dog goes by I have to smile! It just makes you smile.

Meanwhile most of Galaxies Edge makes me go “huh... that could have been cool if it actually did something” - even the falcon would be so much cooler if you saw it being loaded / unloaded with cargo. Everything is so Static in that land.

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

Mission: Breakout at DCA being the only notable exception I can think of.

Yep, Mission: Breakout almost single-handedly ruins all the sightlines in DCA, and even parts of DL. Unbelievable.

 

[marni1971]

Yep, Mission: Breakout almost single-handedly ruins all the sightlines in DCA, and even parts of DL. Unbelievable.

And I-5

You just have to pretend it’s an oil rig when viewed from Paradise Pixar Pier.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

The idea of a Jedi Temple had the potential to be amazing.

Also, I dunno... I just imagined some continuity between the new SW land and the original Star Tours ride. I didn't expect anything specific, just seems a bit unDisney the way they are unconnected.

I should toss out, I like the latest updates to Star Tours.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I don't really see what else visually could of been done with the current Star: Wars Galaxy Edge.

Kinetic energy. The live actors and aliens would have solved that problem as it’s obvious that the stages and catwalks around the land were designed for that.

A peoplemover like transport system (either as a ride or just as a visual), more AA’s.

Honestly for a billion dollars I would expect to see space ships flying in and out of the land somehow. (Just up and out of view... not like actual drones).

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Not sure how you would accomplish that without drones...? Are you thinking like the smaller floating mountains that areabove the rockwork/(Building that contains the attractions) in pandora? somehow put them on a piston that makes them raise and lower?

something like that would be very cool.
I was also thinking of robot arms that lived behind the rock work. Would have to be designed just right so that you can’t see the arm and that it looked like it was actually going somewhere with the forced perspective.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Kinetic energy. The live actors and aliens would have solved that problem as it’s obvious that the stages and catwalks around the land were designed for that.

Actors would have temporarily solved the problem until they were targeted for cost savings. The land never should have been so dependent on something so easily removed.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Actors would have temporarily solved the problem until they were targeted for cost savings. The land never should have been so dependent on something so easily removed.

Well everything at Disney is dependent on upkeep and continual investment. Everest was built with 1 “superstar” AA. As was Navi River journey (as much as I love Joe, you think he would have learned his lesson there).

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I don't think that's an issue. Pandora is a bit (static) but has all the tree's and nature and some actors and it makes it feel pretty alive.

Pandora wasn’t designed to rely on actors and aliens to provide the kinetic energy though.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Just a thought here from Iger's perspective...

Disney got Lucasfilm in October 2012. Filming on The Force Awakens didn't start until Spring 2014. So this was likely all blue sky work anyway. The article even stated there hadn't been architectural drawings done yet.

Frozen opens in November 2013 and is a huge hit. There's nothing in the parks. Iger pushes something through which eventually opens less than 3 years later (RIP Maelstrom/ Epcot). Now if you're Iger, and you had a time machine, wouldn't you have wanted a Frozen land already under development in 2011?

So In late 2013/early 2014 Iger is realizing it would be really nice to have lands/rides ready to go when a movie opens. The article states WDI started working on the land when Lucasfilm was purchased ('12) and they worked "for a few years." So about 1-2 years into the work on "Tatooine land" Iger has this epiphany. Meanwhile, at this same time Scott Trowbridge is announced to head an internal "Star Wars studio" at WDI.

Kennedy poses a valid question but I don't believe she initiated the thinking.

Also keep in mind that around this time they have a very good idea of how good (?) the sequels might be ($$). I wonder if they had focus-grouped any of the film's concept art and characters like BB-8.

However, it was a gamble to choose between new and old trilogies when they could have had both.

They could have treated it like Liberty Square and Frontierland, where one end of the land/park is the older location/time (Tatooine) and the other end is a planet from the newer history and sequels. It could have even been the same size as what we got. Put Smugglers in Tatooine and Rise in the sequel side. Makes sense as Smugglers and the Falcon feel retro anyway.

This way they can sell both sets of merch and both a retro and modern take on the same IP.

To me, the key to all of this is that they took a pretty big gamble on the concept of "your adventure" and the hotel. It's harder to develop that concept out when half the land is in the past and half is in the present. So the question of what timeline to place the hotel experience ruins it all and forces you to choose old or new, not both.

Didn’t Disney go back to the drawing board after visiting PotterLand at Universal? I remember seeing the boxes at the D23 saying Orange Harvest and they really wouldn’t comment.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Well everything at Disney is dependent on upkeep and continual investment. Everest was built with 1 “superstar” AA. As was Navi River journey (as much as I love Joe, you think he would have learned his lesson there).

Ideally, yes, a space would be properly maintained and investment would continue but it’s one of those realities that designers should know. It’s sort of like benches. Since they’re so easy to remove and we’re being removed, Walt Disney Imagineering started including a lot of seat walls to ensure seating remained available.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Ideally, yes, a space would be properly maintained and investment would continue but it’s one of those realities that designers should know. It’s sort of like benches. Since they’re so easy to remove and we’re being removed, Walt Disney Imagineering started including a lot of seat walls to ensure seating remained available.

Separate topic but but WDI needs to grow a back bone. I know you have to play political games but Bob or Scott or somebody needed to put their foot down and say no... the land was designed with these elements and this entertainment. Period.

I know... easier said than done. And you’re correct it would have eventually got cut down but if you start with a lot you at least still have something when it’s cut down. Look at all the live entertainment that’s been lost in Studios but there’s still a few citizens left (or there were...)

 

[JoeCamel]

Separate topic but but WDI needs to grow a back bone. I know you have to play political games but Bob or Scott or somebody needed to put their foot down and say no... the land was designed with these elements and this entertainment. Period.

I know... easier said than done. And you’re correct it would have eventually got cut down but if you start with a lot you at least still have something when it’s cut down. Look at all the live entertainment that’s been lost in Studios but there’s still a few citizens left (or there were...)

Once you hand the attraction over to ops you kinda lose your leverage

 

[DisneyCane]

Not sure how you would accomplish that without drones...? Are you thinking like the smaller floating mountains that are above (like on a stick that's hidden by vines) the rockwork/(Building that contains the attractions) in Pandora? somehow put them on a piston that makes them raise and lower?

They could reuse the high tech owl special effects system from EE!

 

[Kram Sacul]

Kinetic energy. The live actors and aliens would have solved that problem as it’s obvious that the stages and catwalks around the land were designed for that.

A peoplemover like transport system (either as a ride or just as a visual), more AA’s.

Honestly for a billion dollars I would expect to see space ships flying in and out of the land somehow. (Just up and out of view... not like actual drones).

This thread has so much comedy.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

View attachment 467762

This thread has so much comedy.

Did I say something to offend you?

Suggesting kinetic energy, specifically something that was originally proposed for the land (a people mover like attraction) doesn’t seem comic.

Suggesting live actors and aliens, again as the land was designed for is not comic.

So the ships “flying” in and out of view is the comic part? In the same park I can watch a Jeep flip over and catch fire in a show that was built in the 80’s. It seems reasonable Disney could have figured out a way to make ships appear less static. Do you agree or not?

 

[Kram Sacul]

Did I say something to offend you?

Suggesting kinetic energy, specifically something that was originally proposed for the land (a people mover like attraction) doesn’t seem comic.

Suggesting live actors and aliens, again as the land was designed for is not comic.

So the ships “flying” in and out of view is the comic part? In the same park I can watch a Jeep flip over and catch fire in a show that was built in the 80’s. It seems reasonable Disney could have figured out a way to make ships appear less static. Do you agree or not?

Static. Everything is static to you guys. Yes, the ships flying off is comical. Do you also wish we could go up the Falcon ramp?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Static. Everything is static to you guys. Yes, the ships flying off is comical. Do you also wish we could go up the Falcon ramp?

I wish there was activity around the falcon. Loading and unloding or droids roaming around.

Spaceships landing shouldn’t be comical. Anyone with even basic theatrical effects knowledge can think of easy ways to accomplish an effect like that. I was using it as an example of something that would have wowed me. It’s about expectations... Disney has been hyping up this land for years and it’s just not something that impressive. It’s fine. But it doesn’t wow me the way the floating mountains, Radiator Springs, and Diagon Alley do.

 

[Fox&Hound]

There was a reason why DHS got a copy of the Emeryville Pixar arch...

Are you suggesting there is a chance Animation Courtyard could become Monsters Inc or Pixar themed? Any chance this would result in an added path between animation and RnRc courtyard? Please, oh please...

 

[flynnibus]

Are you suggesting there is a chance Animation Courtyard could become Monsters Inc or Pixar themed? Any chance this would result in an added path between animation and RnRc courtyard? Please, oh please...

he's referring to the original concepts they had when they built the area... and since have departed from