REVIEW - Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo at Disney's Hollywood Studios

[donsullivan]

3rd ride, TSR, droids, flying craft, alien streetmosphere, characters on catwalks, general interactivity.

I've been hearing a lot of this things were 'cut' but I'm finding it difficult to find official Disney public statements that announced all of these items were going to be included in the land. I've seen epic amounts of conjecture drawn from concept art. internet rumor and 'insider' leaks but I can't seem to find any official Disney statements announcing those things were going to be included with the 'possible' exception of the table service restaurant. It seems the vast majority of it is stuff that fans made up that they wanted or read about on the Internet and now they're complaining their wishes were not met.

If I can be proven wrong with actual public facts, I'm happy to admit it but I've just never seen public announcements from Disney of most these things that have all supposedly been cut.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

3rd ride, TSR, droids, flying craft, alien streetmosphere, characters on catwalks, general interactivity.

Wow. Whoever canceled these ideas needs to be in a insane asylum

 

[ToTBellHop]

I've been hearing a lot of this things were 'cut' but I'm finding it difficult to find official Disney public statements that announced all of these items were going to be included in the land. I've seen epic amounts of conjecture drawn from concept art. internet rumor and 'insider' leaks but I can't seem to find any official Disney statements announcing those things were going to be included with the 'possible' exception of the table service restaurant. It seems the vast majority of it is stuff that fans made up that they wanted or read about on the Internet and now they're complaining their wishes were not met.

If I can be proven wrong with actual public facts, I'm happy to admit it but I've just never seen public announcements from Disney of most these things that have all supposedly been cut.

There’s art of the 3rd ride, photos of the droids testing, concept art (and knowledge you don’t trust; fine) of aliens, the catwalks are there and unused, the interactivity was announced during Trowbridge interviews. You’ll have to trust me or not on the drones.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Wow. Whoever canceled these ideas needs to be in a insane asylum

Cheapek.

 

[WDW Pro]

I'm thinking the size problems in WDW are a result of having identical lands in both parks. WDI had space limitations to work with in Disneyland that simply don't exist in Florida and the common areas of Galaxy's Edge should reflect that. But they don't. I just don't get it.

This was done to lower architectural costs. The land was originally planned to be 16 acres and placed where the current cast parking lot expansion is. Those original plans would have seen Hollywood Studios receiving a larger and more significant addition than Disneyland. However, that was discarded, and an exact clone (as close as they could get) was put where Streets of America was, resulting in structures that are not adequate for Hollywood Studios, as well as not increasing the footprint or capacity of the park. You can actually see a remnant of the original plans, in that there is a useless Star Wars gate behind The Muppets Theater where one of the three original entrances would have been.

 

[donsullivan]

There’s art of the 3rd ride, photos of the droids testing, concept art (and knowledge you don’t trust; fine) of aliens, the catwalks are there and unused, the interactivity was announced during Trowbridge interviews. You’ll have to trust me or not on the drones.

The point I'm trying to make is that lots of this stuff that has supposedly been 'cut' was never publicly announced by Disney as being included in the land. If was not publicly announced, it can't have been cut.

Most of this seems to have been extrapolated from concept art, some seems to have come from 'insiders' who heard of ideas that didn't make it all the way to the final plan for whatever reason, but most of it was never officially announced. This same thing happened with Pandora. People got all up in arms because what they 'heard' was coming wasn't there even though it had never been officially announced. If folks continue to base their expectations on what they 'heard' was coming instead of looking at what they were officially told was coming they are creating their own disappointment.

 

[WDW Pro]

The point I'm trying to make is that lots of this stuff that has supposedly been 'cut' was never publicly announced by Disney as being included in the land. If was not publicly announced, it can't have been cut.

Most of this seems to have been extrapolated from concept art, some seems to have come from 'insiders' who heard of ideas that didn't make it all the way to the final plan for whatever reason, but most of it was never officially announced. This same thing happened with Pandora. People got all up in arms because what they 'heard' was included wasn't there even though it had never been officially announced. If folks continue to base their expectations on what the 'heard' was coming instead of looking at what they were officially told was coming they are creating their own disappointment.

I'd love to see anybody who visits Pandora and is "up in arms" rather than "in complete awe".

 

[jt04]

I'm convinced the plan is to add these sorts of elements slowly as concepts are developed on the large and small screen.

Ironic that so many Star Wars fans do not understand patience.

 

[donsullivan]

I'd love to see anybody who visits Pandora and is "up in arms" rather than "in complete awe".

I agree, it's amazing. But when it opened the usual suspects went through this same exercise complaining about everything that was 'cut'. It happened back when New Fantasyland opened as well. It's like a broken record.

 

[jt04]

I agree, it's amazing. But when it opened the usual suspects went through this same exercise complaining about everything that was 'cut'. It's kind of a broken record

They also now have more space by waiting to expand Pandora with ideas from the new films if they want. Unfortunately few here see that far down the road.

 

[gerarar]

This was done to lower architectural costs. The land was originally planned to be 16 acres and placed where the current cast parking lot expansion is. Those original plans would have seen Hollywood Studios receiving a larger and more significant addition than Disneyland. However, that was discarded, and an exact clone (as close as they could get) was put where Streets of America was, resulting in structures that are not adequate for Hollywood Studios, as well as not increasing the footprint or capacity of the park. You can actually see a remnant of the original plans, in that there is a useless Star Wars gate behind The Muppets Theater where one of the three original entrances would have been.

Is there a place where I can read more about this cancelled "plan"? This sounds very intriguing that I would love to dive into.

But regardless, wow. Really wished we got the unique bigger addition that wouldn't have sacrificed Streets of America and more....

 

[ToTBellHop]

I agree, it's amazing. But when it opened the usual suspects went through this same exercise complaining about everything that was 'cut'. It's kind of a broken record

I’m hardly a “usual suspect” nor am I a complainer. See my views of Toy Story Land. And Pandora. And Soarin’. And Test Track v.2. And the new MNSSHP and MVMCP fireworks. And Ratatouille. And GotG. And TRON. And the 50th. I try to be optimistic but realistic.

I think I’ll like SWGE. But it doesn’t take a genius to see where cuts were made. The spaces literally sit there empty. But bury your head in the sand.

 

[ToTBellHop]

They also now have more space by waiting to expand Pandora with ideas from the new films if they want. Unfortunately few here see that far down the road.

Good grief. Martin has literally said there’s space set aside for a 3rd ride. Every body is aware of that plan. That doesn’t invalidate opinions of the land at opening. Withholding final judgment until RotR opens is prudent. But at that point, we will have what Disney plans to give us. They won’t do any more if they don’t think they have to. They clearly thought what they’ve built is enough.

 

[donsullivan]

I’m hardly a “usual suspect” nor am I a complainer. See my views of Toy Story Land. And Pandora. And Soarin’. And Test Track v.2. And the new MNSSHP and MVMCP fireworks. And Ratatouille. And GotG. And TRON. And the 50th. I try to be optimistic but realistic.

I think I’ll like SWGE. But it doesn’t take a genius to see where cuts were made. The spaces literally sit there empty. But bury your head in the sand.

Not intending to call you out specifically, more the general pattern of folks who spin up a storyline of what is 'supposed' to be there despite it never being publicly announced. And then they express disappointment when it's not there.

 

[WDW Pro]

I agree, it's amazing. But when it opened the usual suspects went through this same exercise complaining about everything that was 'cut'. It happened back with New Fantasyland opened as well. It's like a broken record.

In the case of Hollywood Studios and SWGE, the amount of things done to cut corners is incredible. At Disneyland, it's just an issue of creative direction... but at Hollywood Studios, it is additionally in that decisions were made to take a land specifically designed for a different park and shoehorn it in on top of existing space because it would be nominally cheaper.

Increase capacity? Nah, put it on top of Streets of America. But build a larger parking lot anyway, because that was already in the plans.
Connect it directly with the Star Wars hotel designed to connect directly with it? Nope... because it's cheaper by a relatively tiny amount to bus people over rather than connect them in a thematically high quality gateway.
Design attractions and indoor spaces to handle the likely number of guests per demand at Hollywood Studios? Mmm... no. Just copy and paste the designs from Disneyland, which has fifty attractions and dozens of places to eat.
Hide the backstage areas of the new land via creative roadways and intelligent sight lines? Weeellll... how about we just plop it down on top of a previously developed area and build a cast parking lot right up to it so guests can see all of the backstage areas, even from World Drive.

Pandora, on the other hand, is incredibly well-designed, in no small part due to the fact it had creative genius at an executive level pushing it to meet a very high threshold. SWGE was a complete opposite, with much of the creative work being controlled by completely inept individuals with little to no (well, mostly no) theme park experience.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Not intending to call you out specifically, more the general pattern of folks who spin up a storyline of what is 'supposed' to be there despite it never being publicly announced. And then they express disappointment when it's not there.

That is a hazard of a rumor board. The issue here is you have theme park fans who may not see what they expected and you have Star Wars fans not seeing what they wanted from a SW land. I can’t really speak for the latter group, but as for the former, I would expect a level of immersiveness from Trowbridge that rivals WWoHP. I’ll judge it for myself on Sunday. Reviews from others suggest they missed that mark. We shall see.

 

[jt04]

Good grief. Martin has literally said there’s space set aside for a 3rd ride. Every body is aware of that plan. That doesn’t invalidate opinions of the land at opening. Withholding final judgment until RotR opens is prudent. But at that point, we will have what Disney plans to give us. They won’t do any more if they don’t think they have to. They clearly thought what they’ve built is enough.

Maybe it will be. We also know there are expansion pads at wdw especially. And the hotel. That they are taking a 'go slow approach' that allows them to tailor the land to new content should be commended. That is what will happen. IMO.

 

[WDW Pro]

Is there a place where I can read more about this cancelled "plan"? This sounds very intriguing that I would love to dive into.

But regardless, wow. Really wished we got the unique bigger addition that wouldn't have sacrificed Streets of America and more....

I would have to look to see what leaked besides what I'm telling you. There are some very clear evidences though, that anybody from a large-scale planning background would recognize as proof-positive of change midstream. Examples:

1. Pointless Star Wars Gate to nowhere behind Muppets Theater.
2. Star Wars Hotel in close proximity for absolutely no reason whatsoever because it is no longer connected. Guests will be bused one hundred meters. But hey, if you wanted to connect Star Wars Hotel to a random cast parking lot, it's positioned perfectly.
3. Cast Parking Lot layout which is not fully efficient, and demonstrates a change at some point resulting in over-segmentation of the lot.
4. Horrid backstage visibility not typical of Disney, even so far as revealing show buildings to World Drive without any hint of concealment.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Good grief. Martin has literally said there’s space set aside for a 3rd ride. Every body is aware of that plan. That doesn’t invalidate opinions of the land at opening. Withholding final judgment until RotR opens is prudent. But at that point, we will have what Disney plans to give us. They won’t do any more if they don’t think they have to. They clearly thought what they’ve built is enough.

Walking into the land you can see the “expansion “ area to your right - plain as day. There are areas in the land where you can tell something should be there. I’m giving some lead way because it was a cast member preview and the land is not finished.
Hopefully the extra entertainment isn’t saved for the future after hours Special hard ticket event.

 

[WDW Pro]

Walking into the land you can see the “expansion “ area to your right - plain as day. There are areas in the land where you can tell something should be there. I’m giving some lead way because it was a cast member preview and the land is not finished.
Hopefully the extra entertainment isn’t saved for the future after hours Special hard ticket event.

What I love is certain posters thinking that Chapek has some slow-drip plan. In reality, Chapek is one of the few Disney execs who literally does not have a clue (maybe the only one). I have been there before when he literally didn't know what a height requirement was for, nor did he understand it when it was explained to him. Significant problems with SWGE come from the fact he turned much of the design over to a story group made up of non-theme park individuals, did not put any requirements in place for capacity or guest throughput, and even cut out almost all immersive elements not part of initial construction. Chapek is a literal dunce; how in the world he ever made it to his station in life, I have no idea. You can disagree with Bob Iger, but he's still a genius in so many ways. Chapek is the opposite of that in so many ways.