News Star Wars Galaxy's Edge opening day reports - Disney's Hollywood Studios

[RobWDW1971]

What if the had a "Jammin' Mechanics" show where 5 guys come out in coveralls and tool boxes and start working on the X Wing and lapse into a twelve min. percussion show using wrenches, oil drums, springs, etc. It ends when a Stormtrooper shows up and says to knock it off?

Anything is better than what is there! Watching Rey and Chewy awkwardly "fix" the X-wing while confused onlookers stare at them behind the fence is painful to experience. The fact there isn't a musical group in the land (rebels, aliens, anybody) is just embarrassing.

Hence why New Orleans Square, heck Main Street, USA is more "immersive", entertaining, and repeatable. I feel more like I'm in turn of the century America on Main St having an ice cream cone listening to the Dapper Dans than I have felt like I'm in outer space for a second in the abandoned, dull Batuu.

 

[erasure fan1]

I find the barrage of negativity against it to be a symptom of internet fandom more than anything else. Criticism and nitpicks are fine, but it's clear that the fan community is so bitter that they were pre-positioning themselves to hate the land before it even opened.

Well that tends to happen when you basically give the fanbase the bird and tell them to deal with it. Does it make it right? No. But Disney has to take some responsibility in creating this situation. I'd wager a guess that as long as Kennedy is in charge of Lucasfilm, this type of situation continues.

 

[sedati]

It isn't even like the story needed that - just make it "in story" that the people of Batuu have a strong tradition of Force believe and use "May the Force Be With You" as a common greeting. I mean, it's not complicated

When was it ever used as a common greeting? You'd suck all the gravitas out of it. It was usually said before the start of an important mission or the precursor to a battle. It should be said exactly once in this land and that's before we head off with Poe as we rise with the Resistance.



(Oh, and anyone who blurts out "and also with you" needs to be hit upside the head.)

 

[Tom Morrow]

When was it ever used as a common greeting? You'd suck all the gravitas out of it. It was usually said before the start of an important mission or the precursor to a battle. It should be said exactly once in this land and that's before we head off with Poe as we rise with the Resistance.



(Oh, and anyone who blurts out "and also with you" needs to be hit upside the head.)

It also definitely wouldn’t be a common greeting at the current point in the timeline.

Well that tends to happen when you basically give the fanbase the bird and tell them to deal with it. Does it make it right? No. But Disney has to take some responsibility in creating this situation. I'd wager a guess that as long as Kennedy is in charge of Lucasfilm, this type of situation continues.

I don’t feel that Disney has done this. The Star Wars fan base is toxic and would have had a similar reaction no matter what Disney did.

 

[Kram Sacul]

“Here’s your Rhonto Wrap. May the Force be with you!”

Yeah, doesn’t work.

 

[RobWDW1971]

“Here’s your Rhonto Wrap. May the Force be with you!”

Yeah, doesn’t work.

Or..."Here's your Rhonto Wrap. Thank you!"

Ahhhhhhhhhh..so much better.

May the Spires keep you!!!

 

[Tom Morrow]

Universal Team Member: (shouting angrily) "All bags MUST go into a locker... Muggles!"
"Whoa they called us Muggles, I know that word from the franchise, so immersive, such magical!"

Disney Cast Member: "Til the spire!"
"What is that? That isn't from anything. So lame and forced!"

Honestly I could do without either one. Using canned phrases or a very limited select vocabulary is the easiest, laziest way for employees to "theme" and it's really no different than, say, Chick-fil-A's "my pleasure". Though on the other hand I understand that the employees are not actors or being compensated as such, so expecting them to get really into it is asking too much. When WWoHP first opened, all the TM's were very good, because they were hand selected. Now they are like any other Universal TM except they address you as "Muggle". j

...wait a second, Galaxy's Edge CM's should call us "Smuggles"

 

[RobWDW1971]

Universal Team Member: (shouting angrily) "All bags MUST go into a locker... Muggles!"
"Whoa they called us Muggles, I know that word from the franchise, so immersive, such magical!"

Disney Cast Member: "Til the spire!"
"What is that? That isn't from anything. So lame and forced!"

Honestly I could do without either one. Using canned phrases or a very limited select vocabulary is the easiest, laziest way for employees to "theme" and it's really no different than, say, Chick-fil-A's "my pleasure". Though on the other hand I understand that the employees are not actors or being compensated as such, so expecting them to get really into it is asking too much. When WWoHP first opened, all the TM's were very good, because they were hand selected. Now they are like any other Universal TM except they address you as "Muggle". j

...wait a second, Galaxy's Edge CM's should call us "Smuggles"

True, except the concepts of wizards and Muggles is core to the Harry Potter world and is constantly referenced in the books and movies and is relevant to the fact we non-wizards/Muggles are in their magical place.

In contrast, "Bright Suns", "Til the Spires", "May the Spires keep you", etc. has absolutely nothing to do with Star Wars.

Again, Disney tries to lazily copy others, but just makes terrible creative choices.

 

[The_Jobu]

The Star Wars fan base is toxic

You can do better than overused fallacies and buzzwords.

 

[ChrisFL]

I do believe many of the issues with GE mentioned, individually, are small, but when you add them all up, you realize that it's adding up to a bigger issue.

The argument about Diagon Alley only having one attraction sort of misses the point IMO. There is a LOT of things to do and explore in Diagon Alley and it feels very much like a city being lived in. There's the whole London waterfront and yes, I do count the train station which is still incredible in size and the Hogwart's Express IMO does count as part of it.

Batuu has some things to interact with, but many of them are more obscure and not the things fans most remember from the franchise. The idea of handmade looking merchandise is ok I guess, but I don't see people rushing to buy those things, and especially not the little alien dude to sit on your shoulder who was in, what, 30 seconds of one movie at most?

I also couldn't get the datapad to work on my phone, plus it seems like you have to do a LOT of interaction to unlock things, instead of the wands where you just learn a spell and point your wand correctly to make things happen.

IMO they could have done a Star Wars land, on a unique planet, that was much nicer than what we got in Batuu.

 

[Disorbust]

So my kids went yesterday since the CM blackout has been lifted. Not huge SW fans but they did like the land but thought it was much smaller then they thought it would be. It was also DEAD. 20 minutes for SR, it took them longer to ride Slinky and the cantina was a walk-in. They sent pics of the Cantina empty.

 

[Steph15251]

So my kids went yesterday since the CM blackout has been lifted. Not huge SW fans but they did like the land but thought it was much smaller then they thought it would be. It was also DEAD. 20 minutes for SR, it took them longer to ride Slinky and the cantina was a walk-in. They sent pics of the Cantina empty.

That is odd I thought the land was bigger then I thought it would be.

 

[wdisney9000]

.But GE to me is not a flop

Regardless of peoples opinions of the land, its not doing what Disney expected it too. At least not yet. And thats not my opinion. Not only are the companies actions a sign, but there are countless articles out there from journalists who are unbiased about Disney World/Land. And that doesnt mean the parks are in trouble. It doesnt mean people are bashing it. It doesnt mean the land wont turn around and start increasing attendance on the level they expected. Time will tell. The guests seem to enjoy it so its a win for us fans.

 

[Steph15251]

Regardless of peoples opinions of the land, its not doing what Disney expected it too. At least not yet. And thats not my opinion. Not only are the companies actions a sign, but there are countless articles out there from journalists who are unbiased about Disney World/Land. And that doesnt mean the parks are in trouble. It doesnt mean people are bashing it. It doesnt mean the land wont turn around and start increasing attendance on the level they expected. Time will tell. The guests seem to enjoy it so its a win for us fans.

Yeah but it is not like the parks are overflowing with guest right now.

 

[KikoKea]

How have the EEMHs at HS been? Very crowded? How are the lines, generally? We're hoping to ride RNR at least a couple of times, along with ToT and ST. If SDD is 30 min or so, we'll ride it. We'll also wander over to SWL- I'd like to see if my impression of it changes, now that it is open.

 

[easyrowrdw]

How have the EEMHs at HS been? Very crowded? How are the lines, generally? We're hoping to ride RNR at least a couple of times, along with ToT and ST. If SDD is 30 min or so, we'll ride it. We'll also wander over to SWL- I'd like to see if my impression of it changes, now that it is open.

Easy WDW did a series of the mornings at the EEMH parks. It seems to be pretty light across the parks. Off the top of my head, I think RNR and ToT had lower waits for longer than TSL so you might start with Toy Story Land and then move to the coaster and tower, and finally Galaxy's Edge. You should check out the posts, though, as I'm just going from memory.

All in all, it seems like a great time to be at the parks. I wish I could be there to take advantage of the long hours and low crowds.

 

[KikoKea]

Easy WDW did a series of the mornings at the EEMH parks. It seems to be pretty light across the parks. Off the top of my head, I think RNR and ToT had lower waits for longer than TSL so you might start with Toy Story Land and then move to the coaster and tower, and finally Galaxy's Edge. You should check out the posts, though, as I'm just going from memory.

All in all, it seems like a great time to be at the parks. I wish I could be there to take advantage of the long hours and low crowds.

Very helpful, thanks! I guess DH and I will be getting up early at least once to take advantage of the lighter crowds in the morning.

 

[wdisney9000]

Yeah but it is not like the parks are overflowing with guest right now.

Ive got friends who arrived yesterday. They said crowd levels are heavier than a few weeks ago when they visited. Its fall break for schools in Georgia. But crowds are definitely lighter than years past.

 

[Steph15251]

Ive got friends who arrived yesterday. They said crowd levels are heavier than a few weeks ago when they visited. Its fall break for schools in Georgia. But crowds are definitely lighter than years past.

Maybe but I live in Orlando area and it tends to always be slow in sept .

 

[MrHappy]

Book a trip to ride one attraction. Or book the same trip to ride two attractions? Pretty simple.