News Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge - Historical Construction/Impressions

[mickEblu]

Autopia's real-estate is prime for something else to move in. Even if you halved the track, you should still be able to get something new in there.

Yeah it's way too much space for the experience it provides. And of course that experience is the worlds greatest calf workout.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Let's hope they don't build the WDW version of the "Battle" attraction on a sinkhole.

 

[britain]

Hmm, not sure Indy is 10 min. That doesn't sound right. I'd have to get a timer going during a youtube video.

EDIT: Ah! already done, thanks!

 

[Hatbox Ghostbuster]

Yeah it's way too much space for the experience it provides. And of course that experience is the worlds greatest calf workout.

And quite a lung workout from coughing up all those exhaust fumes. How they haven't figured out a way to electrify the whole experience (ahem Honda ahem) is beyond me.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Indy is like 3 minutes tops, and sometimes less if they're running it in hyperdrive like Charles Grodin in Clifford.

 

[ctrlaltdel]

These seem pretty spot on. The one that sticks out to me is Indy. 10 minutes? I would have guessed 5 or 6.

It's definitely closer to 5 minutes, maybe 4.

 

[mickEblu]

And quite a lung workout from coughing up all those exhaust fumes. How they haven't figured out a way to electrify the whole experience (ahem Honda ahem) is beyond me.

Yeah I know. It's what, 2017? I don't have a strong attachment to Autopia. My parents never took me on it when I was a kid because they always put me on rides that they wanted to go on or attractions that would impress my tourist family from Italy.

As much as the whole thing is a waste of space, it's part of the parks fabric at this point and it would be odd to have a Disneyland with no Autopia. So either they need to cut it in half and/or level the thing and start over. I'd like to see futuristic "flying cars", elevated highways, etc.

 

[mickEblu]

Indy is like 3 minutes tops, and sometimes less if they're running it in hyperdrive like Charles Grodin in Clifford.

As impressive as Indy is it's not very fun for me. Same with RSR. They both need to go a little faster.

Was Indy faster or maybe more jerky before or did I just get older?

 

[Hatbox Ghostbuster]

Yeah I know. It's what, 2017? I don't have a strong attachment to Autopia. My parents never took me on it when I was a kid because they always put me on rides that they wanted to go on or attractions that would impress my tourist family from Italy.

As much as the whole thing is a waste of space, it's part of the parks fabric at this point and it would be odd to have a Disneyland with no Autopia. So either they need to cut it in half and/or level the thing and start over. I'd like to see futuristic "flying cars", elevated highways, etc.

It is the epitome of irony that in "Tomorrowland" we have a car ride with the noisiest, fume making engines ever. I'm sure it was a novelty when it first opened to pretend to drive a car on the freeway, but its time to innovate. When they announced a change was coming recently I got excited...but all they did was add ASIMO.

I really don't have a connection to it either. I always preferred go-karts that let me go freely on the track.

 

[Hatbox Ghostbuster]

As impressive as Indy is it's not very fun for me. Same with RSR. They both need to go a little faster.

Was Indy faster or maybe more jerky before or did I just get older?

The speed seems to fluctuate for me at least. I think when the attraction is functioning at full capacity (i.e., no malfunctions) it should go faster.

 

[dweezil78]

Indy is like 3 minutes tops, and sometimes less if they're running it in hyperdrive like Charles Grodin in Clifford.

+1 Like for a Charles Grodin reference.

 

[Disney Irish]

When they announced a change was coming recently I got excited...but all they did was add ASIMO.

I have a feeling more changes are coming. Plus if rumors be true an overhaul of TL is slated for the near future. I expect by 2019 D23 they will announce something with concept art.

So my predictions for the next couple D23s based on what others have commented here -

2017 - Star Wars Land update with models, Marvel Land announcement with concept art (could be held off until Comic-Con the following week)
2019 - Marvel Land update with models, TL announcement with concept art
2021 - TL update with models, FantasyLand announcement with concept art

Now TL and FL might get flipped, but I expect an announcement on both in the next 5 years with all projects (TL, FL, Marvel) finished by the 70th or 75th anniversary.

Anyways sorry to derail the thread even more.

 

[mickEblu]

I have a feeling more changes are coming. Plus if rumors be true an overhaul of TL is slated for the near future. I expect by 2019 D23 they will announce something with concept art.

So my predictions for the next couple D23s based on what others have commented here -

2017 - Star Wars Land update with models, Marvel Land announcement with concept art (could be held off until Comic-Con the following week)
2019 - Marvel Land update with models, TL announcement with concept art
2021 - TL update with models, FantasyLand announcement with concept art

Now TL and FL might get flipped, but I expect an announcement on both in the next 5 years with all projects (TL, FL, Marvel) finished by the 70th or 75th anniversary.

Anyways sorry to derail the thread even more.

Ya I think FL annoucements will come before TL but also wouldn't be surprised if we don't hear anything about TL until the mid to late 2020's.

In regards to SWL at D23 this year I hope we get some in depth ride descriptions and actual names in addition to the model. No more Alcatraz and Big Bird. Most importantly I hope the name of the land sounds better than Star Wars Land.

 

[Disney Irish]

Ya I think FL annoucements will come before TL but also wouldn't be surprised if we don't hear anything about TL until the mid to late 2020's.

In regards to SWL at D23 this year I hope we get some in depth ride descriptions and actual names in addition to the model. No more Alcatraz and Big Bird. Most importantly I hope the name of the land sounds better than Star Wars Land.

It'll depend on if they have a unified concept that will hold TL for the next 25 years ready or not.

As for SWL I expect them to hold off on the name of the land until 2019 opening. They are going to make Memorial Day weekend 2019 the weekend of Star Wars, with the opening of Ep 9 and SWL opening.

 

[BrianLo]

This is what gets me. As I've said before (and will likely say again), my biggest problem with the Star Wars project is how careless it is with real estate. It just doesn't make sense for Disneyland's compact scale and clever use of space throughout the rest of the park

For reference, 165,000SF is larger than the Jungle Cruise, it's larger than Pirates and all of the New Orleans Square shops and restaurants, it's larger than all of Critter Country. For those familiar with WDW's massive attractions, it's significantly bigger than the Universe of Energy, The Great Movie Ride, or the new combined Avatar building; it's almost as large as the infamously-sprawling Land pavilion, with it's 3 attractions, 2 restaurants, and massive greenhouses. It's roughly the same size as Star Tours, the Space Mountain Complex, Pizza Port, and the Carousel Theater combined.

It will be the single biggest footprint structure that Disney has ever built, about 1/3 bigger than the next closest (the Contemporary convention center in WDW). All for a single attraction that will last about 8 minutes. It just doesn't make sense.

I have a similar complaint with Carsland, which devotes about 5.5 acres to a single attraction (roughly the same size as The Land pavilion), but at least DCA has always been built on a larger scale (though with terrible use of space) so it somewhat fits the park. Then again, DCA's poor spacing of elements (and general haphazard layout) has been a complaint of mine since my first visit.

The limited land surrounding the park is all Disneyland has for future expansion. Once it's gone, there really aren't any other options for true additions to the park. If we have to give up DL's past (the original River) and DL's future (any meaningful chance at expansion), they need to make the most of this opportunity. Although I'm sure the details will be very well executed, like all recent WDI projects, I just can't help but see how terribly they're using the park's limited resources. It just seems very shortsighted, which I guess is typical of the current management approach

I appreciate the well thought out post, but the only comparison is Pirates of the Caribbean in Shanghai. Another 8 minute attraction with a show building that is even larger. I know pretty much everyone here hasn't been on it, but that is exactly what the goal is here.

Pirates of the Caribbean in Shanghai is my personal favourite attraction (+/- Mystic Manor), in any Disney (or Universal) park, in the world.

I look at it another way, they could easily shove 10 mediocre attractions in that space, but I'd easily throw those all away for one 'best in the world' attraction. Disneyland is littered with attractions, space is certainly limited. I don't want more attractions for the sake of more attractions, I want to see Disneyland have a new crown jewel. Note: my opinion on this when it comes to DHS is the opposite, they actually need volume instead of one go for broke ride.

Maybe the attraction is actually complete garbage, but I'm glad they are trying for an ultimate attraction instead of phoning it in. PoTC Shanghai is definitely, definitely worth the real estate. I don't see why this can't be.

 

[Ismael Flores]

Yeah I know. It's what, 2017? I don't have a strong attachment to Autopia. My parents never took me on it when I was a kid because they always put me on rides that they wanted to go on or attractions that would impress my tourist family from Italy.

As much as the whole thing is a waste of space, it's part of the parks fabric at this point and it would be odd to have a Disneyland with no Autopia. So either they need to cut it in half and/or level the thing and start over. I'd like to see futuristic "flying cars", elevated highways, etc.

They really need to go back to the original track layouts for autopia. I have posted the tomorrowland
Track layout diagrams for all the original rides and the Autopia had two separate tracks. The fantasyland track which zigzag under the monorail loop area. And the tomorrowland track which went from south to north at the farthest east side of the property exactly over the submarine show building.

If they really feel they need to keep some kind of autopia they should just revert back to the original tomorrowland track. Once that is done tear out the remaining track along with all the unused peoplemover track that zigzags over that property.

That would clear the land for expansion. To further help expansion the monorail should also be shortened. There is a section of track on the east side of the property where the track curves in to create the figure eight circle over that chunk of property then comes back and continues the cycle along the edge of the property and heads around Matterhorn. This two sections of tracks that turn in can be removed and instead realign the tracks so that the monorail does not do the extra figure eight.

Now that would clear up the air space over a huge chunk of land next to the Matterhorn and IASW mall area. What better place to add the proposed Arrendale and use the Matterhorn as a backdrop.
To help guest flow in the area I would go a step further and while designing the Arrendale village I would add a couple two story themed structures approximately in the area no used by the old motor boat cruise platform. These themed structures with a garden area would be indoor/outdoor Matterhorn queue space. At one point in the queue guests would go up some stairs to the second floor and go over a themed covered bridge over pathway and then down to connect with existing Matterhorn queue and load area. ADA loading would skip all that and have access near existing queue.

This new queue would automatically eliminate the wrap around queue that goes around the mountain opening up walking space on both sides.

They could definitely create a nicely themed and unified addition to fantasyland. The rockwork from this new Arrendale area would make a great backdrop to the submarine lagoon and also create a transitional point from fantasyland to tomorrowland

 

[TP2000]

Tuesday afternoon's latest from our favorite lady blogger, with buildings that grow larger by the day.

 

[dweezil78]

I appreciate the well thought out post, but the only comparison is Pirates of the Caribbean in Shanghai. Another 8 minute attraction with a show building that is even larger. I know pretty much everyone here hasn't been on it, but that is exactly what the goal is here.

Agreed. My opinion is go BIG or go home with this. This is Star Wars we're talking about -- it is literally the E-ticket of all entertainment franchises. Look at the flack they're getting over the short length of the Na'vi River Journey being only 4 minutes (albeit, that's 4 minutes for a slow moving boat ride which makes it even worse). 8 minutes (assuming that's what it really even is, as we're still quite a ways out) for a enormous show building like this means they're going to be packing a mighty punch in an already respectable runtime.

Star Wars Land needs to be massive and mind blowing in every possible aspect. Anything less would be a disappointment.

 

[No Name]

It will be the single biggest footprint structure that Disney has ever built

Shanghai's Pirates ride building has a bigger footprint.

And the openness is a big part of what makes that such a fantastic ride. I know DL is tight on space, but if they achieve something similar with Battle Escape, I think it'll be space used well.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

They really need to go back to the original track layouts for autopia. I have posted the tomorrowland
Track layout diagrams for all the original rides and the Autopia had two separate tracks. The fantasyland track which zigzag under the monorail loop area. And the tomorrowland track which went from south to north at the farthest east side of the property exactly over the submarine show building.

If they really feel they need to keep some kind of autopia they should just revert back to the original tomorrowland track. Once that is done tear out the remaining track along with all the unused peoplemover track that zigzags over that property.

That would clear the land for expansion. To further help expansion the monorail should also be shortened. There is a section of track on the east side of the property where the track curves in to create the figure eight circle over that chunk of property then comes back and continues the cycle along the edge of the property and heads around Matterhorn. This two sections of tracks that turn in can be removed and instead realign the tracks so that the monorail does not do the extra figure eight.

Now that would clear up the air space over a huge chunk of land next to the Matterhorn and IASW mall area. What better place to add the proposed Arrendale and use the Matterhorn as a backdrop.
To help guest flow in the area I would go a step further and while designing the Arrendale village I would add a couple two story themed structures approximately in the area no used by the old motor boat cruise platform. These themed structures with a garden area would be indoor/outdoor Matterhorn queue space. At one point in the queue guests would go up some stairs to the second floor and go over a themed covered bridge over pathway and then down to connect with existing Matterhorn queue and load area. ADA loading would skip all that and have access near existing queue.

This new queue would automatically eliminate the wrap around queue that goes around the mountain opening up walking space on both sides.

They could definitely create a nicely themed and unified addition to fantasyland. The rockwork from this new Arrendale area would make a great backdrop to the submarine lagoon and also create a transitional point from fantasyland to tomorrowland

Or just close it.