Star Wars All-Inclusive "Star Ship" Resort?

[WDW1974]

Would you be kind enough to provide examples of non-IP based attractions at Hollywood/MGM Studios throughout their history? While you're at it, you can expand that to almost all "Studio" parks on earth- they're literally IP showcases- all of them.

I know it's fun for you to refer to the Studios as an "IP dumping ground" but isn't that what it's always been? Has there been a single non-IP attraction at the Studios since the park opened nearly 30 years ago? Even the corny sound fx/greenscreen fx stuff back in the tour days all involved very specific scenes from IP. At least Star Wars Land is attempting to place guests into an unfamiliar world that's not just a recreation of Endor or Hoth...

I don't know where that quote is coming from above. But Studios based parks generally have lots of movie and TV IP and it is accepted because of said conceit.

Please recall that this park will be reBRANDed again when SW opens and the word 'Studios' will not be part of it. My statement was about theme parks in general. FWIW, while I think SW is a horrible fit at DL and will disfigure the park unlike anything has in 62 years, I would say a Studios park is the absolute perfect place for SW ... if you're afraid to build a Sci-Fi type park.

As far as the source of this reporting- I know it's always convenient to trash the other guy, and even more convenient to make a claim that you already had that information but chose not to share it. As far as I'm aware, you didn't originate reports of a Star Wars theme hotel being in the works. You gave your usual vague/opaque "It looks like it's happening sometime as long as things don't change" garbage. Now the details are released, and those details are (mostly) credited to a survey, and yet you act like it's some sort of proprietary information that the guy is spewing- again despite him (and others) clearly stating that it's via a mass survey.

First, I did have it. And I had before people started reporting there were surveys conducted. I placed that info in numerous threads here. No, I didn't make a huge deal. I said something like 'A Star Wars themed deluxe resort is definitely coming' or something very close. ... And, no, it isn't proprietary at all. But the fact he never wrote a damn thing about it before leads me to believe someone contacted him in the last 36-48 hours (he has no self control, just read his Twitter) and told him about the survey and he just jumped on it.

I rip him a fair amount, but at least he tries to be accurate ... sorta. He's not like another attention- who takes 10% of something, a tidbit of truth and crafts an elaborate tale of BS on his own with the rest.

But I know, you deserve a cookie for knowing before anyone else and vaguely asserting that something may happen at some point, then come riding in once the story breaks and say "well of course I knew, and the source of the reporting is an idiot for reporting it". The other guy is a charlatan because he reports what he sees and hears, and he's occasionally wrong, unlike you- who do the same thing?

Can it be peanut butter? I love those cookies. ... The other guy routinely steals from other sites and other people, not just me. But he has borrowed my information (like the CBR DVC ... I wrote that here 2-3-4 years ago, multiple times. ... he claims he had it first. Why? Just blog about it. No need to lie.) I don't know him. I don't have anything against him. I've only used his boorish online behavior against him. Maybe it's an act and he's a great person (I doubt it, but it's possible). After all, some people believe I hate WDW ... so if they can be wrong about me, then I can be wrong about him. But I don't think so ...

And now I am only occasionally wrong? I thought you said 90% of the time.

I can also assume that since @wdwmagic has picked up on this story- he's a terrible person/idiot as well?

Don't try and pit me against MAGICal Steve. He has never taken something I broke (on his site or another) and made it seem like he had it all alone. He usually isn't first because he is also interested in getting it right.

But I really shouldn't waste time ... maybe I should start a thread "Haunted Mansion Dining Experience Coming to WDW" tonight before he takes my hints and runs with them as an exclusive for his 'wittle site. Maybe ... but I don't have unlimited lifetime or the desire. I'm not a local theme park 'expert' for WFTV (did anyone even vet him or did a 27-year-old fanboi who is an associate news producer, making less than $27K a year, just say 'There's this guy I know online...'?)

 

[imperius]

Not sure if this has been said yet, but this is going to really depend on the acting abilities of those involved. If it's GMR acting then so help this place.

 

[WDW1974]

I use to like star wars, before disney started milking the life out of it.

I think you'll see more folks with that 'tude as the years move on. Same with Marvel fans.

Disney doesn't ever get that less can be more.

 

[Rodan75]

I only like playing dress up with 2-4 of my favorite fanboi friends. And we don't role play from Star Wars (even if I look amazing --ly bad -- in my gold bikini!)

I know folks are thinking about this as a resort. But it really sounds like a way of creating a fifth gate and a fifth cruise ship with a fraction of the capital. They could spend $500M on a 250 room experience even if the premium pricing only lasted 2-3 years, then 5 years of moderate pricing and then convert into standard rooms...it would still be a huge win.

But if it is crazy successful they could spin up all sorts of land-locked immersive adventures, pirates, princess, Marvel, other totally immersive IP situations.

And at a 2-3 day adventure, you can still tack on a 4 day stay at WDW of DCL cruise. The more you think about it. The more sense it makes.

 

[WDW1974]

Not at all. The pitch is much more like Westworld (the TV Show). Be transferred to an alternate universe that allows you to be immersed in that world full time, and not just while on a 6-8min ride. Then in that world, experience dining, surroundings, food, and entertainment aligned with that world. Things such as roleplaying, exploration (think like the card games in the theme parks, or the games on the cruise ships), and other forms of entertainment that would be selfpaced and guided offerings.

And that appeals to a certain segment of the audience, not all, which at those pricing levels is perfectly OK to DIS.

 

[Rodan75]

I think you'll see more folks with that 'tude as the years move on. Same with Marvel fans.

Disney doesn't ever get that less can be more.

Okay. Disney has been kind to the franchise compared to George.

 

[Nubs70]

$2100 gets me 6d/7n all inclusive for 2 in the Dominican. Flight included.

 

[Casper Gutman]

And that appeals to a certain segment of the audience, not all, which at those pricing levels is perfectly OK to DIS.

Yeah, the Star Wars stationary cruise sounds like a fine idea that doesn't really appeal to me. It is the product of several overarching trends I dislike intensely - the obsession with control over guests' time and movements, the increasing stratification of the park experience along financial lines - but at least its innovative.

I'll only get really annoyed if it becomes clear they are building this instead of new Star Wars park areas or (to a lesser extent) a more conventional Star Wars hotel.

Milk that franchise! Milk it good!

 

[Casper Gutman]

$2100 gets me 6d/7n all inclusive for 2 in the Dominican. Flight included.

Yeah, but no wookies.

 

[jakeman]

$2100 gets me 6d/7n all inclusive for 2 in the Dominican. Flight included.

Or 525 $4 for 4 from the Wendy's menu.

 

[Nubs70]

Yeah, but no wookies.

But alcohol and we'll built topless European women are included.

 

[CrescentLake]

$2100 gets me 6d/7n all inclusive for 2 in the Dominican. Flight included.

Off topic:....how?

On topic: If there is a market for this, it's an innovative experience, and it is thematically correct, why not do it?

 

[Andrew C]

If I was interested in doing this experience, I don't think my alternate choice would be the Dominican.

 

[RobbinsDad]

View attachment 200121

Hehehe, there is a fine line.

 

[jakeman]

If I was interested in doing this experience, I don't think my alternate choice would be the Dominican.

I just hope we get some Bora Bora comparisons soon for old times sake.

 

[George]

I can't be rational on this one. Build it and I will come. The spelling of the last word of the previous sentence could possibly be changed.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Ideas? Yes. Something I'm willing to throw out to be first? No, not right now.

Didn't you break this story awhile back? Around 2015?

 

[roj2323]

So if they don't value engineer the crap out of this we are looking at a star wars meets west world type of experience most likely with a direct second gate connection to SWL maintaining theme along the way. I see everyone complaining that this would be expensive at $500 a night but honestly this would still be a stellar experience at $1000 a night and I'd do it in a heart beat.

The thing is Star wars is a lot like Harry potter but the difference is there are several generations of people who grew up with the franchise and have been dedicated fans for 40+ years in some cases whereas Harry potter is a relatively new phenomenon and is only 15 or so years old. Basically what I'm getting at here is if disney plays their cards right and chooses NOT to value engineer this experience they will have to buy armored trucks to haul all the cash they are going to rake in.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Am I the only one who is getting tired of everything being tortured to fit within some arbitrary "story"? Yes, Disney's themed areas have always had an internal logic for what is and isn't included, but I feel like it's gotten really out of hand in recent years.

Traditionally, the themed areas have been very evocative of settings, leaving it to your imagination to fill in the details. The location and era were well defined, but we were never quite told who exactly lives on Main Street USA or why Tomorrowland exists (is it a city? transit hub? amusement park?); the details were left to the individual guests. Subconsciously filling in those details is what makes the Disney theme park experience so different from the competitors.

These days, we're given intricate backstories for everything from headliner attractions to turkey leg stands and pin carts (Don Tomas and Laod Bhang, respectively, in DCA). Yet the necessities of a real amusement park consistently break these over-the-top attempts at creating a plausible world. Instead of walking through a real African village, we're in some alternate universe with matching trash cans, double-wide strollers, and Mickey-shaped touchpoints everywhere

There's nothing wrong with having story and backstory to inform the designs and settings of the parks and implemented well enough, it helps your suspension of disbelief in tuning out some of the realities of a day in a park. I kinda see it like an extended Tabletop Gaming metaphor: You have sourcebooks and campaigns to flesh out your adventure, but unfortunately the Dungeon Masters of this particular game have a frustrating fondness for puns and sometimes the new pewter figures of monsters and elves added into familiar adventures look out of place next to the old ones.

Also, elaborate backstory and worldbuilding is par for the course on Star Wars anything. And, to tie back to that first paragraph, that is mostly because of the tabletop Star Wars game from the 80s developing the world of the movies further into what became the basis of the old Expanded Universe and even an inspiration point for the modern continuity's material. And the idea of trying to push "Live your own Star Wars story and make decisions in this elaborate campaign" as part of the Land and this hotel combo is pretty much injecting the tabletop game with steroids and then throwing a nuke at it to mutate it into some radioactive giant and I'd love to see more on how they plan to pull this off.

 

[Tick Tock]

Build it and I will come. The spelling of the last word of the previous sentence could possibly be changed.