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

[TP2000]

WDW has plenty of room, but sometimes it seems like no one has told them that. We can joke plenty about size, but it's funny SW:GE didn't actually expand park borders in Florida, but did in landlocked Disneyland.

Thank you, that was exactly my point.

It's really interesting to me how differently this otherwise cloned project plugs in to the two respective parks, and what each park has done to its borders and land use to accommodate it.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

The more DL expands, the less charming it becomes. We need to reduce the size of the park and cram more things awkwardly. In keeping with the setup of the existing park, Star Wars Land should have been slapped in with significantly reduced gaps and barely any transitions from existing areas.

 

[Phroobar]

Alien was considered to be one of the best parts of the ride. Tarzan for sure, but not Alien.

Not that it matters anymore.

The xenomorph Alien was suppose to be used originally at the Disneyland version of a Buzz Lightyear shooter call the Nostromo. Eisner got talked out of it by senior imagineers. Alien Enounter was again going to use the Alien creature but Eisner got talked out of it again.

 

[Disney Irish]

The xenomorph Alien was suppose to be used again at the Disneyland version of Alien Encounter. Due to licensing problems, they couldn't use the character.

Well that licensing problem won't be there much longer...

 

[TROR]

Nothing to do with licensing. George Lucas told Eisner that was a stupid, idiot idea that would harm the Disney brand. We need George Lucas back.

 

[mickEblu]

It would definitely be a contradiction.

A ride celebrating Star Wars as a film, a work of fiction- but only yards away they expect you to believe that you're transported into the world of Star Wars?

Which is why Launch Bay has to go when GE opens in Anaheim. An exhibit showing behind the scenes footage of the films? With props highlighting that the film is fake? In a park where the whole premise is that fantasy is real? Where only a few yards away, they're trying to have a land that successfully immerses the guest into the world of Star Wars?

I agree. And hopefully the rest of the Star Wars references in TL go away with it. However, I could easily see Star Tours staying around for 2-3 years after SWL opens to soak up the overflow.

 

[Phroobar]

Nothing to do with licensing. George Lucas told Eisner that was a stupid, idiot idea that would harm the Disney brand. We need George Lucas back.

Not true. It was senior imagineers that talked Eisner out of it. George wanted alien encounter but they got talked out of it because it would be too scary to use the Alien. This took away the built in adult only restriction that Alien would have give it. So they had to come up with their own less scary alien with different story.

 

[mickEblu]

You mean like also having Star Tours in the same park too? (See both DL and DHS!)

Difference is it already exists, very easy to update, Will be “temporary” and serve the purpose of helping with some of the overflow demand. To build a Star Wars scene in the GMR in conjunction with SWL would make no sense when you re stepping into an “actual” Star Wars planet in the same park.

 

[TROR]

Not true. It was senior imagineers that talked Eisner out of it. George wanted alien encounter but they got talked out of it because it would be too scary to use the Alien. This took away the built in adult only restriction that Alien would have give it. So they had to come up with their own less scary alien with different story.

Both correct. Whoever convinced Eisner it was stupid is irrelevant, though, what matters is that someone did convince him it was stupid. There's no one Iger would ever listen to regarding brand integrity. If Iger wants an Alien attraction, there will be an Alien attraction. Unless, of course, Alien isn't a bankable franchise.

 

[BrianLo]

From a business's point of view, it is a Bad Idea to just keep expanding while leaving some park areas underutilized. The underutilized areas/attractions aren't bringing in guests, but yet, they're costing the company for operation and maintenance.

GMR needed a huge capital expenditure to update it. So, they decided to spend the money on something new that (I guess) they thought would be more popular and "more Disney." SWL is replacing a moribund Back Lot ride and outdoors studio set and expensive car stunt show. Pandora replaced a place-holding 'temporary' camp Mickey. Ellen's Energy became a joke as a nap ride and it, too, needed big bugs to update the worn down set pieces. Keeping that while building new somewhere else is just bad business.

That being said, the blessing of size did make an appearance: The DHS project expanded into the swamps with the extra parking and the SW Resort. And its footprint was increased recently with Sunset Showcase and with TSL taking over actual back. Ratatouille and GotG and the UK ride are expanding Epcot's footprint. TRON is expanding MK's.

Totally, I understand all the justifications. I want to see them really starting to add consistently (because they can) rather than play a decade of replace the things they let get broken. We need Brazil, we need Poppins, we need DHS to have a project that pushes it open more. We need foreword thinking projects like the gondola. The few projects that are breaking new ground are fantastic.

Tokyo and Disneyland park acreage will have increased more than WDW parks (the resort facilities are always going to be incomparable), during this current round. I know why, but that should not be the case in the future.

 

[dweezil78]

Difference is it already exists, very easy to update, Will be “temporary” and serve the purpose of helping with some of the overflow demand. To build a Star Wars scene in the GMR in conjunction with SWL would make no sense when you re stepping into an “actual” Star Wars planet in the same park.

I think in general, having a ride all about famous scenes from movies and then building what are supposed to be actual real lands from these movie universes, was a contradiction onto itself... hence no more GMR at all. But then again, everything at these theme parks starts making less and less sense the more you start to think about it. So my general rule of thumb is to turn that part of my brain off when I walk through the turnstyles.

 

[dweezil78]

Not true. It was senior imagineers that talked Eisner out of it. George wanted alien encounter but they got talked out of it because it would be too scary to use the Alien. This took away the built in adult only restriction that Alien would have give it. So they had to come up with their own less scary alien with different story.

Not sure I'm buyin' any of that story... Because if you're a young child, this --

Is really no less scary than this... (especially when 75% of the attraction is in the dark and left to your terrified imagination!!!)

 

[mickEblu]

I think in general, having a ride all about famous scenes from movies and then building what are supposed to be actual real lands from these movie universes, was a contradiction onto itself... hence no more GMR at all. But then again, everything at these theme parks starts making less and less sense the more you start to think about it. So my general rule of thumb is to turn that part of my brain off when I walk through the turnstyles.

I agree. There comes a point where you start to over think things but I don’t think the GMR/ SWL comparison falls into that category. Anyway, It doesn’t matter cause it’s gone and they ll have to put a Star Wars reference in Mickeys Runaway Railaway now.

 

[nevol]

To be ironically fair, there is seemingly no correlation with the blessing of size and Disney's decisions to expand or eat away at their park.

WDW has plenty of room, but sometimes it seems like no one has told them that. We can joke plenty about size, but it's funny SW:GE didn't actually expand park borders in Florida, but did in landlocked Disneyland.

Also the thing no one is talking about: the hotel experience offers approximately the same annual capacity as the two rides do in three days. It's literally a 1%er addition. So add an * when we count that towards anything.

Orlando has a different water table. They have all this land but its basically swamps. If you look at the permit filings for any of their expansion projects, they are often relocating natural marshland or retention ponds. It might seem like they have infinite room to grow, but such a massive percentage of that land isn't used because of fear of flooding.

 

[TROR]

There's three conversations going on here and they're all fascinating.

 

[nevol]

Sure, just pointing out that just because the animatronics aren't all equal to the Wicked Witch doesn't mean they're bad.

I don't think that's the issue. Another issue with the ride is it is in the edutainment abstracted style of epcot. If you were just flying from one believable scene reenacted from each movie to the next, it would be like 6 e tickets rolled into one. But since you are on a narrated attraction, it doesn't really pack the same punch.

 

[BrianLo]

There's three conversations going on here and they're all fascinating.

Lol and before anyone turns into thread police, that’s a ok! Construction updates will come when they come. As long as conversation is light hearted and fun it passes.

 

[Travel Junkie]

Thank you, that was exactly my point.

It's really interesting to me how differently this otherwise cloned project plugs in to the two respective parks, and what each park has done to its borders and land use to accommodate it.

Something to keep in mind is that DHS is a large park in terms of acreage. It's larger than the Magic Kingdom, yet it has so few rides. What the park needs so desperately are not only rides but ride density. Walking from one ride to the next can be a chore at DHS.

In a perfect world I think the build up at DHS will be more line line with what Disney would want ideally. At Disneyland the long path particularly at the Critter Country entrance is out of necessity and will be very different than any other transition at Disneyland. Whether that is positive or negative depends on your point of view an probably won't be formed until experienced first hand when it opens.

 

[mickEblu]

Something to keep in mind is that DHS is a large park in terms of acreage. It's larger than the Magic Kingdom, yet it has so few rides. What the park needs so desperately are not only rides but ride density. Walking from one ride to the next can be a chore at DHS.

In a perfect world I think the build up at DHS will be more line line with what Disney would want ideally. At Disneyland the long path particularly at the Critter Country entrance is out of necessity and will be very different than any other transition at Disneyland. Whether that is positive or negative depends on your point of view an probably won't be formed until experienced first hand when it opens.

That Critter Country path doesn’t look that long to me. Is it even longer than Big Thunder Trail?

 

[Ismael Flores]

Alien encounter is one attraction that really should be brought back from yesterland. It was such a mistake not to go ahead with the plans of putting it in tomorrowland but if they feel that it doesn't being there then that attraction would be a perfect addition to DCA within the Marvel area. It was one attraction that had an effective way of entertaining. Would be a hit with a whole new generation of Disneyland goers that never got to experience it.

I'm actually surprised they havent considered it for Hong Kong It would be well received especially since they do such a great job with their Halloween events