News Star Wars Galaxy's Edge Disneyland opening reports/reviews

[solidyne]

This is truly honest question from someone who has actually been there during both a preview as well as the first official opening day after the previews ended. What exactly does 'more immersive' mean? I see that phrase thrown around a lot but nobody actually spells out what it actually is or what would need to be done for it to be 'more immersive'.

Good question. There are many possible answers, of course, but here's how I think it has been used with respect to SW:GE.

There always has been "immersion" in Disney parks, in that the guest is seemingly placed into the action of a film (or other scenario). However, that immersion is limited to the attraction itself. You get off of Splash, and you are no longer "in" the Briar Patch. As we know, some attractions offer better, multi-sensory immersion than others.

I think with GE (and Pandora) the immersion is simply extended beyond the attractions and into the park itself. So in a way, immersion is nothing new, but its application to the whole land or park is.

My personal opinion is that the immersion should primarily be limited to the attraction itself. The park, the CMs, the walkways, etc. should be consciously real-world. Well themed, yes. Detailed, yes. "Bright Suns?" Well, that's just hokey. Grouchy CMs in HM, on the other hand, make sense. Just my personal opinion. Immersive attractions in themed lands would be my preference (e.g., Adventureland).

Anyway, it seems to me that "immersion" is what it always was; it's just applied differently.

[Edited to change "Disney Parks" to "Disney parks." Yes, I'm brainwashed.]

 

[DLR>WDW]

OH WAIT, is there an 8th pod per turntable, not on the turntable for accessibility? Or is it one extra per the two? Haven't they also been loading that compliant pod even when there isn't a wheelchair?

4 turntables, 2 on the left and 2 on the right, with 7 pods on each turntable. On top of that, an extra pod on both the left and right Falcon interiors for ADA. 30 pods in total. And yes, when there's no wheel chair they may pull guests from the regular queue. Happened to me and the CM asked if we wanted to view a 4 minute preshow video or just get on the ride. Made for a funny situation because we declined and he just started spieling Hondo's lines. "As we say here at Ohnaka Transport Solutions... Go out there and make Hondo some money!"

 

[donsullivan]

Has anyone figured out how often a pod is loaded? It's 6 guests per pod... Say they can load one pod every 30 seconds... That is 12 guests a minute and 720 guests per turntable an hour. So 2,880 pph. If it's every 45 seconds then I believe thats 1,872 pph.

That's pretty consistent with the numbers I've heard as well. It seems it was targeted at somewhere around 1,900/hr and they seem to be operating pretty reliably around that number.

 

[SSG]

Just some really rough figures but if SR has put through 1 million riders since opening on May 31, that's roughly 21,200 riders per day. If the park is open 16 hours that's 1325 guest per hour. If open 14 hours that's 1500 per hour.

Lots of wiggle room and adjustments in there I'm sure, but it doesn't seem like brilliant through put.

 

[MisterPenguin]

This is truly honest question from someone who has actually been there during both a preview as well as the first official opening day after the previews ended. What exactly does 'more immersive' mean? I see that phrase thrown around a lot but nobody actually spells out what it actually is or what would need to be done for it to be 'more immersive'.

You know how Christopher Reeve wished really hard to go back "somewhere in time" and when he did, he really was there and fell in love but when he discovered a penny from the present he was snapped to the present and no matter how hard he wished, he couldn't go back in time and for the rest of his life he was really sad and miserable? Well imagine you're in GE and really believe you're on an alien planet long ago in a galaxy far away and the merchant asks you "will that be cash or Visa" and you're taken out of the moment, and from then on, you're perpetually sad and spend the rest of your days criticizing Disney on a fan forum.

That's immersion.

 

[Ismael Flores]

Luckily I had friends to talk to while visiting GE.

The area sounds and noises are abundant and mind numbing.

It’s actually awful how much racket there is.

Listening to this walkthrough, I want to plug my ears. Too much dumb, pointless “immersive” noise.

thats interesting how different people see things. The ambient sounds and the spaceships zooming past the areas is one thing that I and the people which were with me found interesting and actually enjoyed. it made the place feel like it was real. watching people look up or look over when one of the ships passed by or turned their engines seemed to thrill them.

I guess i just don't imagine myself walking thru a place that I want to feel real and hear a score playing throughout. I expect to hear the noises of all the contraptions moving, the noises of the locals and possibly the smells of the area. Could be why i love traveling to places like Egypt, Morroco, India, China and any other Asian country. The sounds and visuals really heighten the senses.

 

[Mickeyboof]

thats interesting how different people see things. The ambient sounds and the spaceships zooming past the areas is one thing that I and the people were with found interesting and actually enjoyed how it made the place feel like it was real. watching people look up or look over when one of the ships on displays engine go on seemed to thrill them

It thrilled me to hear the space ships “fly over head.” The technical aspects of the design are extraordinary.

But there’s nothing more disappointing than engine noises emitting from a static ship.

I turned a few times excitedly, but left disappointed when nothing happened.

Who cares about engine noises anyways.

 

[mickEblu]

Good question. There are many possible answers, of course, but here's how I think it has been used with respect to SW:GE.

There always has been "immersion" in Disney parks, in that the guest is seemingly placed into the action of a film (or other scenario). However, that immersion is limited to the attraction itself. You get off of Splash, and you are no longer "in" the Briar Patch. As we know, some attractions offer better, multi-sensory immersion than others.

I think with GE (and Pandora) the immersion is simply extended beyond the attractions and into the park itself. So in a way, immersion is nothing new, but its application to the whole land or park is.

My personal opinion is that the immersion should primarily be limited to the attraction itself. The park, the CMs, the walkways, etc. should be consciously real-world. Well themed, yes. Detailed, yes. "Bright Suns?" Well, that's just hokey. Grouchy CMs in HM, on the other hand, make sense. Just my personal opinion. Immersive attractions in themed lands would be my preference (e.g., Adventureland).

Anyway, it seems to me that "immersion" is what it always was; it's just applied differently.

[Edited to change "Disney Parks" to "Disney parks." Yes, I'm brainwashed.]

Exactly. When you start applying “immersion” to the whole land, things can get silly and difficult to execute.

For example trying to pull off the land being a bustling spaceport full of activity with spaceships taking off by only using noises and static ships vs pulling it off inside of a show building with screens and props that move in a controlled setting.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Why is there circus music playing in the gross bathrooms? Does that make it more immersive?

 

[Ismael Flores]

Why is there circus music playing in the gross bathrooms? Does that make it more immersive?

LOL i don't even remember the sound in the toilets. I do think people re exagerating about the look of the toilets. They make the placed looked used but not gross or dirty

 

[mickEblu]

Harry Potter was much easier to execute as a theme park land than what they went for withGalaxies Edge. Granted they could have picked a more rustic land without the expectations of ships landing and taking off every 5 seconds (like Endor) and left the Space/ Star Warsy stuff for the attractions. Something more feasible for a theme park and easier to pull off.

 

[mickEblu]

That's pretty consistent with the numbers I've heard as well. It seems it was targeted at somewhere around 1,900/hr and they seem to be operating pretty reliably around that number.

This is a respectable number right? Isn’t POTC something like 2500/ hr ?

 

[donsullivan]

It thrilled me to hear the space ships “fly over head.” The technical aspects of the design are extraordinary.

But there’s nothing more disappointing than engine noises emitting from a static ship.

I turned a few times excitedly, but left disappointed when nothing happened.

Who cares about engine noises anyways.

I talked to someone while I was there who indicated that one of the drivers for the overhead ship sounds is that they are synced by some means with the train whistle of the DL Railroad which passes by mere feet from the permiter berm of GE. I only have one source for that and since that particular issue is a DL-only one it's hard to tell if that sound design will be exactly the same at DHS as it is at DL or will be adapted in some way. However, It was kind of funny the number of people who looked up (including myself) when we heard that spacial sound of a ship flying over.

 

[Mickeyboof]

I talked to someone while I was there who indicated that one of the drivers for the overhead ship sounds is that they are synced by some means with the train whistle of the DL Railroad which passes by mere feet from the permiter berm of GE. I only have one source for that and since that particular issue is a DL-only one it's hard to tell if that sound design will be exactly the same at DHS as it is at DL or will be adapted in some way. However, It was kind of funny the number of people who looked up (including myself) when we heard that spacial sound of a ship flying over.

Again, incredible technical design and craftsmanship.

But all we want is:

 

[RobWDW1971]

Pretty sure William's GE suite plays as guests exit Savi's as well.

It does, which again shows why these ridiculous "rules" they've boxed themselves into are such a mess and most likely will all be gone in a few years when the WDI team that worked on this moves on to create giant rock structures somewhere else in the world and DLR Entertainment takes over.

As we've said on these boards: Why is there music inside the Falcon on the mission? Why is there music in Savi's? Why is there music when Kylo comes out of the TIE? Why (I'm guessing) is there music on my prison cart as I move through a Star Destroyer?

They can't even live by their silly rules from day one. And when they actually start adding stunt shows, music, etc. the entire pointless premise will be even more convoluted.

 

[RobWDW1971]

And BTW, can we talk about the Docking Bay 7 restaurant? Of all the possible alien, unique, amazing environments they could have chosen from the entire Star Wars universe to use for an engaging restaurant experience they chose...wait for it...shipping containers! The poor creative choices made throughout this project are mind-boggling, truly.

 

[rsm]

The DB7 shipping containers are an homage to the MFSR extended queue. It’s like poetry...they rhyme.

 

[Mickeyboof]

The DB7 shipping containers are an homage to the MFSR extended queue. It’s like poetry...they rhyme.

The synergy!

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

And BTW, can we talk about the Docking Bay 7 restaurant? Of all the possible alien, unique, amazing environments they could have chosen from the entire Star Wars universe to use for an engaging restaurant experience they chose...wait for it...shipping containers! The poor creative choices made throughout this project are mind-boggling, truly.

But according to all the Disney vloggers, all that stuff is great. Truly incredible. The attention to detail. I mean, wow.

 

[Mickeyboof]

And BTW, can we talk about the Docking Bay 7 restaurant? Of all the possible alien, unique, amazing environments they could have chosen from the entire Star Wars universe to use for an engaging restaurant experience they chose...wait for it...shipping containers! The poor creative choices made throughout this project are mind-boggling, truly.

Do you feel this way because it’s the *only* “table” experience in the land?

Myself, i wouldn’t mind it’s lackluster personality if it wasn’t the single option for a real meal.

I do like the concept of eating in the bustling spaceport, at the edge of the marketplace... but like the rest of Batuu, it seems the planet vacated like Chernobyl just exploded.

Star Tours has great playful kinetic moments with scanning crates. Yet the flagship land can’t even bother to give a hint as to what’s in the crates and containers. There is so much potential for gags and Star Wars humor, all of which would help place us in the world.