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

[Disney Analyst]

I was a CM in 1977 when Space Mountain opened and the line went all of the way down Main Street, turned backstage at the now Disney Gallery, and continued almost all of the way to the back of Space. This is not a recent change.

Yep. The people gotta fit somewhere during extreme crowd moments.

 

[chadwpalm]

This weekend was one of the most crowded I've seen personally seen it since it reopened after Covid and Smugglers Run never got above 40-50 minutes (more about that in my upcoming trip report) or needed to use the backstage area all weekend. In fact, I doubt they've used it at all since Covid ended because the ride isn't as popular anymore.

 

[Consumer]

This weekend was one of the most crowded I've seen personally seen it since it reopened after Covid and Smugglers Run never got above 40-50 minutes (more about that in my upcoming trip report) or needed to use the backstage area all weekend. In fact, I doubt they've used it at all since Covid ended because the ride isn't as popular anymore.

It’d a bad ride. Needs to be replaced with an X-Wing coaster.

 

[Professortango1]

It’d a bad ride. Needs to be replaced with an X-Wing coaster.

No room for that.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I was a CM in 1977 when Space Mountain opened and the line went all of the way down Main Street, turned backstage at the now Disney Gallery, and continued almost all of the way to the back of Space. This is not a recent change.

Disney using backstage space for extended queues has been happening for decades, yes. And no one cared.

My point is that Disney went overboard with the marketing and making SWGE a perfectly immersive experience. Where the CM's are characters, etc.

But then as soon as it's busy, immersion is set aside for backstage and masking tape queues.

 

[TP2000]

I'm the first to admit that I no longer have The Moves. But, I'm not so old as to have forgotten the decades of the 20th century when I did have The Moves, on the dancefloor and elsewhere.

That said, apparently the lexicon has changed since my day on what The Moves actually are.

I wouldn't say that Bard has The Moves, so much as he... moves. A bit. Slowly. Did you see it? He moved.



Don't get me wrong, this is nice. Cute. But why did it take them almost 5 years to add a (barely) moving droid to the land?

I'm not quite ready to give TDA a tongue bath of adoration over this one. My standards haven't been lowered that much. Yet.

 

[Parteecia]

Disney using backstage space for extended queues has been happening for decades, yes. And no one cared.

My point is that Disney went overboard with the marketing and making SWGE a perfectly immersive experience. Where the CM's are characters, etc.

But then as soon as it's busy, immersion is set aside for backstage and masking tape queues.

I will give that a yes/no. Back then the difference between onstage show vs offstage was much stronger. Never let them see behind the magic! So I would argue that it was a different type of immersion, but "show" immersion nevertheless. The average CM wasn't pretending to be from another planet but we were pretending to be thrilled to grant your every whim.

 

[Rich Brownn]

I was a CM in 1977 when Space Mountain opened and the line went all of the way down Main Street, turned backstage at the now Disney Gallery, and continued almost all of the way to the back of Space. This is not a recent change.

I remember working a line like that during the "soft preview" in Dec 1974 (I was pulled from Grand Prix to assist). It was nuts - the wait was over 3 hours

 

[SuddenStorm]

I will give that a yes/no. Back then the difference between onstage show vs offstage was much stronger. Never let them see behind the magic! So I would argue that it was a different type of immersion, but "show" immersion nevertheless. The average CM wasn't pretending to be from another planet but we were pretending to be thrilled to grant your every whim.

That's just called good service- and it's something they've forgotten.

 

[chadwpalm]

I'm the first to admit that I no longer have The Moves. But, I'm not so old as to have forgotten the decades of the 20th century when I did have The Moves, on the dancefloor and elsewhere.

That said, apparently the lexicon has changed since my day on what The Moves actually are.

I wouldn't say that Bard has The Moves, so much as he... moves. A bit. Slowly. Did you see it? He moved.



Don't get me wrong, this is nice. Cute. But why did it take them almost 5 years to add a (barely) moving droid to the land?

I'm not quite ready to give TDA a tongue bath of adoration over this one. My standards haven't been lowered that much. Yet.

I didn't even know he moved in the day. He's there for the pre-fireworks ceremony. This video shows what he is there for:

 

[disneyC97]

Disney using backstage space for extended queues has been happening for decades, yes. And no one cared.

My point is that Disney went overboard with the marketing and making SWGE a perfectly immersive experience. Where the CM's are characters, etc.

But then as soon as it's busy, immersion is set aside for backstage and masking tape queues.

What always got me was all the talk of not showing Coca-Cola and Visa/MC wording throughout the land, and the money they reportedly paid to do that, and then you purchase things in various shops and they hand you the generic Disney parks plastic bags...how expensive would it be to have land-specific merchandise bags?

 

[TP2000]

The average CM wasn't pretending to be from another planet but we were pretending to be thrilled to grant your every whim.

Here's a fun Pop Quiz....

How many of us here have had a Galaxy's Edge CM actually do the "I'm Tanya from the planet Endor" thing? Has anyone had an in-theme conversation with a CM where they "pulled you into their story" and relayed their own backstory to you?

I haven't. I made several visits to Star Wars Land in the summer and fall of 2019, and I never got any of that. Plus a trip in January, 2020 to go on Rise Before Dawn. I remember my first visit in an uncrowded land in June, 2019 being the most glaringly unimpressive; CM's huddled in small groups ignoring what few 'guests' that were there, talking amongst themselves about current day woes and gossip. And in the shopping arcade, the CM's were talking about being mad at scheduling for giving them shifts on July 4th because there was a big party they were going to on a planet called Fullerton.

I did have a good level of service at both E Tickets in the land, with efficient and reasonably courteous CM's using a few themed phrases as we were loaded and processed, etc. But it was mild and nothing different than what the CM's have been doing for decades at Haunted Mansion or Tower of Terror or Jungle Cruise, etc.

Maybe the CM's in Galaxy's Edge got better at that since they reopened in 2021 after Covid?

Has anyone here had a themed conversation with a Galaxy's Edge CM who "pulled you into their story"???

 

[mickEblu]

Here's a fun Pop Quiz....

How many of us here have had a Galaxy's Edge CM actually do the "I'm Tanya from the planet Endor" thing? Has anyone had an in-theme conversation with a CM where they "pulled you into their story" and relayed their own backstory to you?

I haven't. I made several visits to Star Wars Land in the summer and fall of 2019, and I never got any of that. Plus a trip in January, 2020 to go on Rise Before Dawn. I remember my first visit in an uncrowded land in June, 2019 being the most glaringly unimpressive; CM's huddled in small groups ignoring what few 'guests' that were there, talking amongst themselves about current day woes and gossip. And in the shopping arcade, the CM's were talking about being mad at scheduling for giving them shifts on July 4th because there was a big party they were going to on a planet called Fullerton.

I did have a good level of service at both E Tickets in the land, with efficient and reasonably courteous CM's using a few themed phrases as we were loaded and processed, etc. But it was mild and nothing different than what the CM's have been doing for decades at Haunted Mansion or Tower of Terror or Jungle Cruise, etc.

Maybe the CM's in Galaxy's Edge got better at that since they reopened in 2021 after Covid?

Has anyone here had a themed conversation with a Galaxy's Edge CM who "pulled you into their story"???

Lol they don’t do any of that anymore. The poor CM’s were probably tired of the blank stares or awkward / indifferent reactions. The First Order CMs inside ROTR still do their thing but that always worked.

 

[TP2000]

Lol they don’t do any of that anymore.

That's what I figured. But... did they ever do that? My visits in 2019-20 had CM's throughout the land that were noticeably unthemed and memorably unimpressive, except for some light themed phrases from CM's at the two E Tickets. And that was when the land opened and no one showed up. You'd think they would have been happy to share their "story" with what few customers they had then.

I just remembered another one; the three (3!) CM's working the blue milk stand on the east side of the land who were almost aggressively bored and mumbling to each other. And when I walked up to their empty stand, they barely could acknowledge me or look me in the eye, much less use basic Earth phrases like "please" or "thank you". It was just.. silently surly.

Maybe their Star Wars story was that they were slaves captured from the planet Surly and they were forced to work there?

The poor CM’s were probably tired of the blank stares or awkward / indifferent reactions. The First Order CMs inside ROTR still do their thing but that always worked.

I think highly themed E Tickets like that can get CM's to play along, especially when they are given a specific script and set of easily repeatable lines to say to large groups of people. "Drag your bodies into the dead center of the gallery" type stuff.

Disney has been doing that for almost 70 years in a few key attractions, and it certainly worked long before WDI came up with Galaxy's Edge and then Bob Chapek and Josh D'Amaro bungled the roll out on it (in Anaheim at least).

Anyone else have a CM at a Galaxy's Edge gift shop or snack bar or restaurant "pull you into their Star Wars story"?

 

[Professortango1]

I think that was from the time when they were looking to heavily steal from Knotts' Ghost Town Alive with stationed actors who have daily storylines that you can participate in. But then Disney went cheap, kept the stages empty, didn't hire actors, and asked CM's to use a couple of phrases to sell the immersion.

I think Galaxy's Edge and, by extension, the Galactic Starcrusier, will go down as being one of the biggest fumbles of Disney. To have an IP like Star Wars, to have creatives paid to research other successful enterprises like Wizarding World and Ghost Town Alive and their own Epcot/Adventureland interactive games, and then to create something so expensive yet so scaled back from all of the things they were looking to evolve to the next level....it is mind blowing. They had a cash cow and great ideas on how to milk it, but then decided to just barely feed the animal and put its malnourished milk behind a paywall.

 

[Consumer]

Here's a fun Pop Quiz....

How many of us here have had a Galaxy's Edge CM actually do the "I'm Tanya from the planet Endor" thing? Has anyone had an in-theme conversation with a CM where they "pulled you into their story" and relayed their own backstory to you?

Never, nor would I want that.

I believe Disney was right to set Star Wars land outside of Tatooine, Hoth, Endor, or any other planet from the films, but they went too far. I don't need a diegetic soundtrack, I want John Williams. I don't need CM's saying "Til the spire," I want "May the force be with you." The original Star Tours did this all perfectly, creating something new without excessively deviating from the source material.

When I visit Galaxy's Edge, I don't want to feel like I'm stepping into the Star Wars galaxy, I want to feel like I'm stepping into a Star Wars movie.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Here's a fun Pop Quiz....

How many of us here have had a Galaxy's Edge CM actually do the "I'm Tanya from the planet Endor" thing? Has anyone had an in-theme conversation with a CM where they "pulled you into their story" and relayed their own backstory to you?

I haven't. I made several visits to Star Wars Land in the summer and fall of 2019, and I never got any of that. Plus a trip in January, 2020 to go on Rise Before Dawn. I remember my first visit in an uncrowded land in June, 2019 being the most glaringly unimpressive; CM's huddled in small groups ignoring what few 'guests' that were there, talking amongst themselves about current day woes and gossip. And in the shopping arcade, the CM's were talking about being mad at scheduling for giving them shifts on July 4th because there was a big party they were going to on a planet called Fullerton.

I did have a good level of service at both E Tickets in the land, with efficient and reasonably courteous CM's using a few themed phrases as we were loaded and processed, etc. But it was mild and nothing different than what the CM's have been doing for decades at Haunted Mansion or Tower of Terror or Jungle Cruise, etc.

Maybe the CM's in Galaxy's Edge got better at that since they reopened in 2021 after Covid?

Has anyone here had a themed conversation with a Galaxy's Edge CM who "pulled you into their story"???

I think I shared this on here years ago in more detail but I had a CM try this nonsense once. Back in 2019, I was at the droid shop looking for a figure of the original Star Tours Rex.

I couldn't find it, so I asked a CM outside the store if they had Pilot Rex from Star Tours. "What's a Star Tours?" We went back and forth a little bit but the CM never actually answered my question and it was more frustrating than anything.

What's even more frustrating on top of that is Pilot Rex/Star Tours is in an episode of Rebels, and you can see the Starspeeder on the Millenium Falcon ride so it is canon as an airline and the CM wasn't even right in acting confused about 'What's a Star Tours?'

On a related note- A friend of mine recently had a job interview for attractions that from what he told me was quite weird. When I have a chance I'll do a write up and share it on here, but one of the questions was "We tell many stories at the Disneyland Resort, from Fantasy to Tomorrow to the Frontier or even a Galaxy Far, Far away where the Cast Members are canonically part of the story. With this in mind, if you're working in Fantasyland and a guest asks you for directions to the bathroom, how do you respond?"

My friend said they'd be polite and courteous and direct them to the closest restroom, which is likely the one by the Beauty and the Beast restaurant that used to be Pinocchio. The recruiter said they're more worried about the story of the answer- my friend stumbled around for a bit trying to figure out what the heck the recruiter wanted since directions to the bathroom should be concise and professional. After telling my friend they weren't getting the job, he said that he wanted them to play more into the story of Fantasyland. Something like "Oh you fly on past there with Peter Pan and Wendy or go on a wild ride with Mr. Toad past Dumbo Soaring to get to the bathroom" Like something WEIRD. Or if it was outside Pirates he told them "Take your ship over there quickly but move quickly so Jack doesn't steal your plunder!"

My friend called me after to tell me since he was dumbfounded, as he had never heard a CM talk like that (and I haven't either except for that one off Galaxy's Edge interaction that was more infuriating then helpful).

 

[mickEblu]

I think I shared this on here years ago in more detail but I had a CM try this nonsense once. Back in 2019, I was at the droid shop looking for a figure of the original Star Tours Rex.

I couldn't find it, so I asked a CM outside the store if they had Pilot Rex from Star Tours. "What's a Star Tours?" We went back and forth a little bit but the CM never actually answered my question and it was more frustrating than anything.

What's even more frustrating on top of that is Pilot Rex/Star Tours is in an episode of Rebels, and you can see the Starspeeder on the Millenium Falcon ride so it is canon as an airline and the CM wasn't even right in acting confused about 'What's a Star Tours?'

On a related note- A friend of mine recently had a job interview for attractions that from what he told me was quite weird. When I have a chance I'll do a write up and share it on here, but one of the questions was "We tell many stories at the Disneyland Resort, from Fantasy to Tomorrow to the Frontier or even a Galaxy Far, Far away where the Cast Members are canonically part of the story. With this in mind, if you're working in Fantasyland and a guest asks you for directions to the bathroom, how do you respond?"

My friend said they'd be polite and courteous and direct them to the closest restroom, which is likely the one by the Beauty and the Beast restaurant that used to be Pinocchio. The recruiter said they're more worried about the story of the answer- my friend stumbled around for a bit trying to figure out what the heck the recruiter wanted since directions to the bathroom should be concise and professional. After telling my friend they weren't getting the job, he said that he wanted them to play more into the story of Fantasyland. Something like "Oh you fly on past there with Peter Pan and Wendy or go on a wild ride with Mr. Toad past Dumbo Soaring to get to the bathroom" Like something WEIRD. Or if it was outside Pirates he told them "Take your ship over there quickly but move quickly so Jack doesn't steal your plunder!"

My friend called me after to tell me since he was dumbfounded, as he had never heard a CM talk like that (and I haven't either except for that one off Galaxy's Edge interaction that was more infuriating then helpful).

Lol. I've never heard a CM talk like that. They might call your daughter princess or something once in a while but that's it. More than half of em won't even flash a smile.

 

[ProjectXBlog]

I think I shared this on here years ago in more detail but I had a CM try this nonsense once. Back in 2019, I was at the droid shop looking for a figure of the original Star Tours Rex.

I couldn't find it, so I asked a CM outside the store if they had Pilot Rex from Star Tours. "What's a Star Tours?" We went back and forth a little bit but the CM never actually answered my question and it was more frustrating than anything.

What's even more frustrating on top of that is Pilot Rex/Star Tours is in an episode of Rebels, and you can see the Starspeeder on the Millenium Falcon ride so it is canon as an airline and the CM wasn't even right in acting confused about 'What's a Star Tours?'

On a related note- A friend of mine recently had a job interview for attractions that from what he told me was quite weird. When I have a chance I'll do a write up and share it on here, but one of the questions was "We tell many stories at the Disneyland Resort, from Fantasy to Tomorrow to the Frontier or even a Galaxy Far, Far away where the Cast Members are canonically part of the story. With this in mind, if you're working in Fantasyland and a guest asks you for directions to the bathroom, how do you respond?"

My friend said they'd be polite and courteous and direct them to the closest restroom, which is likely the one by the Beauty and the Beast restaurant that used to be Pinocchio. The recruiter said they're more worried about the story of the answer- my friend stumbled around for a bit trying to figure out what the heck the recruiter wanted since directions to the bathroom should be concise and professional. After telling my friend they weren't getting the job, he said that he wanted them to play more into the story of Fantasyland. Something like "Oh you fly on past there with Peter Pan and Wendy or go on a wild ride with Mr. Toad past Dumbo Soaring to get to the bathroom" Like something WEIRD. Or if it was outside Pirates he told them "Take your ship over there quickly but move quickly so Jack doesn't steal your plunder!"

My friend called me after to tell me since he was dumbfounded, as he had never heard a CM talk like that (and I haven't either except for that one off Galaxy's Edge interaction that was more infuriating then helpful).

Absolutely unbelievable and I totally believe it. This weird push for improvised mythmaking and dinner theater-tier interactions has basically supplanted the need for any actual unique stories. I’m not opposed to WDI coming up with random lore for gift shops, etc. but it cheapens all of that to push for this kind of obnoxious roleplaying. There’s a reason people separate “theme parks” from “renaissance fairs” for entertainment. Disney took the wrong lessons from Wizarding World here — like Universal themselves did for Nintendo, but that’s a different topic.

 

[Professortango1]

I think I shared this on here years ago in more detail but I had a CM try this nonsense once. Back in 2019, I was at the droid shop looking for a figure of the original Star Tours Rex.

I couldn't find it, so I asked a CM outside the store if they had Pilot Rex from Star Tours. "What's a Star Tours?" We went back and forth a little bit but the CM never actually answered my question and it was more frustrating than anything.

What's even more frustrating on top of that is Pilot Rex/Star Tours is in an episode of Rebels, and you can see the Starspeeder on the Millenium Falcon ride so it is canon as an airline and the CM wasn't even right in acting confused about 'What's a Star Tours?'

On a related note- A friend of mine recently had a job interview for attractions that from what he told me was quite weird. When I have a chance I'll do a write up and share it on here, but one of the questions was "We tell many stories at the Disneyland Resort, from Fantasy to Tomorrow to the Frontier or even a Galaxy Far, Far away where the Cast Members are canonically part of the story. With this in mind, if you're working in Fantasyland and a guest asks you for directions to the bathroom, how do you respond?"

My friend said they'd be polite and courteous and direct them to the closest restroom, which is likely the one by the Beauty and the Beast restaurant that used to be Pinocchio. The recruiter said they're more worried about the story of the answer- my friend stumbled around for a bit trying to figure out what the heck the recruiter wanted since directions to the bathroom should be concise and professional. After telling my friend they weren't getting the job, he said that he wanted them to play more into the story of Fantasyland. Something like "Oh you fly on past there with Peter Pan and Wendy or go on a wild ride with Mr. Toad past Dumbo Soaring to get to the bathroom" Like something WEIRD. Or if it was outside Pirates he told them "Take your ship over there quickly but move quickly so Jack doesn't steal your plunder!"

My friend called me after to tell me since he was dumbfounded, as he had never heard a CM talk like that (and I haven't either except for that one off Galaxy's Edge interaction that was more infuriating then helpful).

Instructions unclear. Pooping in Pan.