Star Wars Episode VII Movie and Disney Park Expansion Plans Intertwined?

[PeterAlt]

Did you really just ask that???? No offense.

Yes, he did. Someone has to have the ---- to.

 

[PeterAlt]

I knew that if I didn't word that thread right that I would get jumped on like raw meat in a piranha tank. I suppose I took the big plan thing too far with my line of questioning. Live and learn as they say.

Instead of something ride-based, maybe some type of entertainment in the parks associated with the opening of the movie. I look at the Disney properties as living billboards for all of their animated movies. There were definitely Monsters University events at WDW (low cost, but events nonetheless) to coincide with the debut of the movie.

Now I am assuming that Star Wars is a significantly larger property than the Monsters franchise. I would think that there would be more than monorail and bus wraps for this, especially since there is a Star Wars presence at DHS, not to mention Star Wars weekends. I simply can't imagine this movie debuting without something of substance happening in one or more of the parks.

So as far as this having zero to do with the parks, I will have to disagree on that point. No offense.

Don't let people here intimidate you. Just expect that to happen and don't let it bother you. Never be apologetic to those people. They don't deserve to be apologized and that does an injustice to the 95% of the rest of us who aren't like them.

 

[PeterAlt]

There is no way that the movie is coming out by 2015. We don't even know exactly who the cast is yet. That will be announced probably next year and the earliest filming will begin would be mid 2014. The post-production will probably take a while as well. 2016 I think is a more accurate date

Don't forget Avatarland was supposed to open in 2015
too....

 

[Cosmic Commando]

The only big plan with a lot of money involved coming in 2015 is Iger's golden parachute.

 

[flyerjab]

Don't let people here intimidate you. Just expect that to happen and don't let it bother you. Never be apologetic to those people. They don't deserve to be apologized and that does an injustice to the 95% of the rest of us who aren't like them.

Thanks. I actually don't mind how tough this forum can be. That's why I like coming here. You also get to learn about cool stuff like Canada's sovereignty, storage pools, fragile egos...and possible monorail expansion.

I think people locked in too fast on the expansion term and in hindsight it wasn't worth mentioning. Something I have come to appreciate by visiting this site is that WDW takes its gold old time building anything outside of DVC properties.

I should have stuck more to the attractions/enhancements which I hope they would do. Additions to Star Tours would be obvious. Hell, they could have the villain or Sith from Episode VII appear at the Jedi Academy ahead of the premier of the movie. I just hope that they do something.

 

[Captain Neo]

I disagree. He's talking about possible theme park tie-ins and it has everything to do with the parks!

The articles content has nothing to do with theme park tie ins and I get the feeling he just wanted to post the article (which is full of unverified and exaggerated info btw) the question he asks about it concerning the parks is quite a bit of a stretch and the answer is no. The Star Wars stuff for the parks have been going on their own timetable and wether the movie gets delayed or not has no bearing on those projects.

 

[Sped2424]

I disagree. He's talking about possible theme park tie-ins and it has everything to do with the parks!

Not necessarily see the plan is to have a star wars movie every year, star wars episode 7 for 2015, then have a spin off movie of boba fett or yoda or some other characer for 2016. They want to saturate the hell out of the market and yank the money they know they can get from this property. There is a strict timeline that he wants to follow and him telling them to release episode 7 by 2015 as to not screw it up means the other films would have to be pushed back as well. The hype must start with episode 7. As for Theme park tie ins Disneyland will be receiving the major star wars make over first if insiders are right about anything and from what the plans are suggesting their version seems like it would trump ours. Which from what I have read on the boards is just an upgraded star tours and a cantina at hollywood studios.

 

[Siren]

The reason that I am posting this is because of the text in bold from the quote. Does anyone think that the big plans hinted at includes other things beyond the movie itself? Could the "big plan" be hinting at something opening at DL or WDW in 2015? Would that even be possible knowing the snails pace at which Disney moves on projects?

I am curious to hear what the masses think about this.

No, I don't think there are any projects in the works that will materialize before Avatarland. I think the very rushed timeline for Disney's first installment of Star Wars has more to do with Iger's date to step down. I don't expect anything beyond than the usual merchandising bonanza, a Star Wars celebration under the walker and some really cool Darth Vader cupcakes.

 

[lebeau]

The theme parks will never drive the studio. It may not seem that way to theme park fans, but the parks are an afterthought. Parks exist to serve the studio not the other way around.

 

[flyerjab]

The theme parks will never drive the studio. It may not seem that way to theme park fans, but the parks are an afterthought. Parks exist to serve the studio not the other way around.

In either scenario, though, there is a correlation. And in your second analogy, it relates back to the question I proposed. If the parks serve the studio, then for Star Wars, I would hope that the parks would greatly serve the studio. Star Wars has become part of movie mythos, and it deserves attention.

Unfortunately, as far as some of the posters are concerned, expanded presence within the parks could mean added meet and greet times and a cool cupcake. I just didn't see it that way from when this was first announced. It is an IP that is deserving of Disney to rise to the occasion.

When I spoke of expansion, I didn't mean park additions. I have been on this site long enough and have witnessed first hand how long it takes WDW to make one roller coaster.

 

[Tangled21]

I knew that if I didn't word that thread right that I would get jumped on like raw meat in a piranha tank. I suppose I took the big plan thing too far with my line of questioning. Live and learn as they say.

Instead of something ride-based, maybe some type of entertainment in the parks associated with the opening of the movie. I look at the Disney properties as living billboards for all of their animated movies. There were definitely Monsters University events at WDW (low cost, but events nonetheless) to coincide with the debut of the movie.

Now I am assuming that Star Wars is a significantly larger property than the Monsters franchise. I would think that there would be more than monorail and bus wraps for this, especially since there is a Star Wars presence at DHS, not to mention Star Wars weekends. I simply can't imagine this movie debuting without something of substance happening in one or more of the parks.

So as far as this having zero to do with the parks, I will have to disagree on that point. No offense.

I found your post very interesting, it has every right to be in this section. Maybe they will have a hollywood studios all night party. Kinda when they had the pajama all night party in MK for monsters inc.

 

[flyerjab]

The articles content has nothing to do with theme park tie ins and I get the feeling he just wanted to post the article (which is full of unverified and exaggerated info btw) the question he asks about it concerning the parks is quite a bit of a stretch and the answer is no. The Star Wars stuff for the parks have been going on their own timetable and wether the movie gets delayed or not has no bearing on those projects.

Think beyond gross park expansion. The angle you take allows for way too vapid and dismissive of a response. I assume that if I started a thread that was too out of line one of the mods would have stepped in by now.

Also, your statement in parentheses is unnecessary. I see unverified information in these threads on a daily basis. The mods could start a verified rumor forum, if that would be desirable, but most people would call that the home page of this site.

 

[Club34]

I heard from a bus driver they are turning spaceship earth into the death star. I, for one, believe it.

 

[Bairstow]

I heard from a bus driver they are turning spaceship earth into the death star. I, for one, believe it.

They're putting Judy Dench in charge of a fully armed and operation battle station?

 

[JimboJones123]

In either scenario, though, there is a correlation. And in your second analogy, it relates back to the question I proposed. If the parks serve the studio, then for Star Wars, I would hope that the parks would greatly serve the studio. Star Wars has become part of movie mythos, and it deserves attention.

Unfortunately, as far as some of the posters are concerned, expanded presence within the parks could mean added meet and greet times and a cool cupcake. I just didn't see it that way from when this was first announced. It is an IP that is deserving of Disney to rise to the occasion.

When I spoke of expansion, I didn't mean park additions. I have been on this site long enough and have witnessed first hand how long it takes WDW to make one roller coaster.

One coaster? About the same time it takes to make Transformers, a value hotel, and entire land, and a new transportation/ride system between parks. But one can sure raise a DVC decorated square box in a fraction of the time with another DVC decorated square box on the way.

 

[lebeau]

In either scenario, though, there is a correlation.[/q]

Not really, no. You're asking if the theme parks have any relation to release dates. They don't. Simple as that.

Like most fans, you're looking at this from the point of view of theme parks > studio. When Disney views things as STUDIO, merch, video games, lunch boxes, etc, etc, etc... oh and why not throw a wrap on the monorail or something.

Slight exaggeration for comedic effect, but you get the idea.

And in your second analogy, it relates back to the question I proposed. If the parks serve the studio, then for Star Wars, I would hope that the parks would greatly serve the studio. Star Wars has become part of movie mythos, and it deserves attention.

Unfortunately, as far as some of the posters are concerned, expanded presence within the parks could mean added meet and greet times and a cool cupcake. I just didn't see it that way from when this was first announced. It is an IP that is deserving of Disney to rise to the occasion.

Nothing has been announced. There have been some hints but no announcements. You're getting ahead of yourself. Some kind of expanded SW presence seems likely some time in the future. Let's not read more into it than what we know.

I hope when they do something with Star Wars, they do it well. But the question posed in this thread is a silly one.

When I spoke of expansion, I didn't mean park additions. I have been on this site long enough and have witnessed first hand how long it takes WDW to make one roller coaster.

Now I'm confuzzled. You weren't talking about theme park additions? What is this thread doing under WDW News and Rumors anyway?

 

[MaryJaneP]

Flyerjab may be on to something here. As stated, and commented on by others, it seems unlikely that this is a Parks issue, but may actually be a Resorts issue. I know it is a really bad idea, but this just screams DVC with either a Tatoine or Dagobah theme to me.

 

[Matt_Black]

Star Wars Land might be a bit premature at this point, but I could certainly see them replacing the Pixar parade with a Star Wars parade and extending the meet and greets past Star Wars Weekend.

 

[GoofGoof]

My take on this is that they would want StarWars land to open after episode 7 not before. Probably some time in the middle of the trilogy coming out. Once the first movie whips up a new wave of Star Wars buzz the new land would open after. If the movie came out in 2016 that would make a 2018 or 2019 opening for StarWars Land the target. With Avland opening in 2017 I can't imagine them "rushing" StarWars Land. It's not coming before 2018 maybe after.

 

[RSoxNo1]

If the past is any indication, Disney will wait 10-20 years to put any content from the new Star Wars movies into the parks in any form other than a meet and greet or temporary attraction. I joke, but in all seriousness, this has been something that has hurt the relevance of Disney parks. It's one of the big advantages Universal has been able to pull off, without a strong tie to their history, Universal is able to keep the life span of their attraction's shorter, build things quicker, and rely on the popularity of things that very well may be short lived. Something like Transformers or Despicable Me may not have staying power as movies at the same level as Star Wars, but they were still relevant at the time of their attraction openings. One of the biggest legit complaints about New Fantasyland was that they didn't take the opportunity to put in a Tangled attraction and capitalize off a recent movie's popularity.