One of the key assumptions of the immersion concept is that one wants to be actually immersed in that location. I have no interest in being in a deserted, depressing, bombed out, rusted outpost I've never heard of nor care about. They captured a place nobody ever wanted to go to perfectly. Mission accomplished!!!
Actually, I've been meaning to ask about this. I've seen this complaint a lot, especially on the Disneyland forum. Not to be rude, but I just don't understand this at all.
George Lucas was one of the first people to coin the phrase "lived-in future". Instead of everything being shiny and sleek and beautiful in sci-fi stories (Star Trek, Buck Rogers, etc.), he wanted to show a future that looked old, beat-up, and used. He made the Falcon a hunk of junk; he made Luke's (and Anakin's) home a dirty farm on a dusty world; he made every weapon, ship, and piece of equipment the Rebellion used look like it was on its last leg. True, the OT did have some beautiful locations (Hoth, Bespin, Endor), but he always made sure to show that they were torn by war, corruption, and bloodshed.
Yes, you could have chosen a more attractive locale for a Star Wars Land, but that wouldn't, to me, have embodied Star Wars. When I think of Star Wars, I don't think of sweeping vistas with beautiful architecture and landscaping. I think of wretched hives of scum and villainy.
Also, I don't get the whole "no one wants to be immersed here" critique either. Do you feel the same way about Animal Kingdom? Harambe, Anandapur, and Serka Zong are essentially third-world countries. They're dirty and worn down; they're covered in bike tracks and children's bare footprints; there are power lines hanging everywhere. Objectively speaking, they're ugly. And yet, they are also some of the most well realized theme park areas in the world.
I don't mean to come off as condescending or insulting; I just genuinely don't understand this line of reasoning. If you could elaborate on this, I would love to hear someone explain in more detail why the choice of a war-torn junkyard is a poor one. To me, it seems to perfectly embody the Star Wars tone. If anyone feels differently, I would love to hear your take on this.