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

[sedati]

You'll have to show me where Iger takes blame for all of Disney Star Wars. I think I missed that.

Iger said they may have done too much too fast. All of Disney Star Wars is nothing to apologize for IMHO.

 

[The_Jobu]

Iger said they may have done too much too fast. All of Disney Star Wars is nothing to apologize for IMHO.

That's my point, you said "star wars as a whole". No suit would ever stand up and say " we tried to leverage ST characters but it looks like you all want OT. My bad "

At best they spin things like "we gave you too much good stuff too soon". No one at Disney executive will ever say they made a mistake and rebrand the land.

I'm not arguing that they should, just that suits don't work like that.

 

[doctornick]

I love @marni1971 and everything he does for these boards. Not just the "inside" info but his thoughtful insight. While I mostly agree with him about almost everything, I've found there to be times when I haven't and it's all cool.

But I've got to say that I'm surprised by his take. As seemingly a theme park purist, I actually would have guessed that going for a new land and unfamiliar characters would have appealed to him as being more in the mold of being classic Disney stuff that uses a established foundation to create new experiences (e.g. how Haunted Mansion uses a cultural basis of "haunted house" attractions but does a 180 with humor) - as opposed than just relying on the emotional connection to the established IP (the "I know that character/story" appeal that too many IP rides fall back onto).

Of course, our emotional connections are a fickle beast and I'm sure many of a certain age have the same gripe. I'm curious how I'll react upon experiencing the land being from the cohort that was raised on the OT - though I have enjoyed the Disney era films. But also my visit with be after RotR opens, so it will at least be a somewhat different land that I experience.

 

[The_Jobu]

I love @marni1971 and everything he does for these boards. Not just the "inside" info but his thoughtful insight. While I mostly agree with him about almost everything, I've found there to be times when I haven't and it's all cool.

But I've got to say that I'm surprised by his take. As seemingly a theme park purist, I actually would have guessed that going for a new land and unfamiliar characters would have appealed to him as being more in the mold of being classic Disney stuff that uses a established foundation to create new experiences (e.g. how Haunted Mansion uses a cultural basis of "haunted house" attractions but does a 180 with humor) - as opposed than just relying on the emotional connection to the established IP (the "I know that character/story" appeal that too many IP rides fall back onto).

Of course, our emotional connections are a fickle beast and I'm sure many of a certain age have the same gripe. I'm curious how I'll react upon experiencing the land being from the cohort that was raised on the OT - though I have enjoyed the Disney era films. But also my visit with be after RotR opens, so it will at least be a somewhat different land that I experience.

It is a tricky situation. I'm not sure why attendance is what it is. Its a bit of a hybrid to me, in that, they did fall back on an IP, just on a different part of it.

I don't think Marni is alone with his love of the OT. He credited the technical brilliance of the land, but it felt hollow to him without the emotional connection to the OT (if I read him correctly).

It's funny that Disney finally tried to be creative and try something new but it's misfiring. Most of the time people want innovation from Disney.

 

[The_Jobu]

Conspiracy theory: what if they held back all the atmosphere characters for the hotel?

Why give away all the good stuff for free if you've got to pay through the nose to get the real experience?

 

[marni1971]

But I've got to say that I'm surprised by his take..

Me too. Honestly.

 

[Chet Dakota]

Oga's in WDW was incredible because the cast weren't overacting. It was genuinely fun and it made me glad to pay $15 for a drink because my entire experience was that enjoyable. Pull me into the land, don't shove the land down my throat with bad "acting" and a shop every 5-freaking-feet.

Honestly, I had the most fun in the land at Oga’s. I believe we went four times in three days. The cast getting the patrons involved in the drinking song and the bit with the power converter failing was great. That is the interactivity that the rest of the land needs.

I spent four hours in the land during the AP preview, went to the land at least five times over a three day weekend in September and I have yet to see Kylo....and, I saw more stormtroopers during the four hour AP preview than I did in the three days of visits after it opened.

 

[Chet Dakota]

Doesn't help that "leaders" are actively reprimanding cast members who attempt to make the land fun by portraying themselves as any of these people. Nope, just scream "BRIGHT SUNS" and explain how many credits the tiny coke bubble is.

Confused...I recall during the promotion about the cast selections that they were encouraged to create their own backstories.

 

[Chet Dakota]

I agree with you 100%, I'm of the same demographic. The problem is how Disney has tried to move beyond the OT. You don't do it by shutting it out like they have. There is no need to go cold turkey. They could have had their cake and ate it too. This was 100% a choice. I've said before, they could have ushered in a new era while fully respecting the roots. Trust me on this, Kids still love the OT characters.

I know some folks who work for a game company that makes Licensed Star Wars games. They publicly stated recently that LFL approached them earlier this year and encouraged them to make more use of OT characters. I was a little surprised to hear about his initiative. The company subsequently produced an expansion that included Luke and Vader.

 

[Kate F]

Fortunately, IX bombing is unlikely.

Bombing? Probably not. Performing below expectations? I wouldn’t be too surprised.

 

[Kate F]

Also, just want to point out that in the Star Wars universe, there are two separate characters called Hondo and Holdo. Real great naming there.

 

[Kate F]

Speaking as a non-fan, I do feel kind of bad for the sector of the fanbase who was genuinely looking forward to having an amazing Star Wars Land that connected with them and didn’t end up getting that. I don’t feel bad for the “fans” who think everything has to have been exactly the way they wanted it.

 

[UNCgolf]

But a better plot and less "this is a video game" graphics would no doubt help a ton.

This is the biggest reason I don't understand why Disney built this ride in the first place. It's essentially a video game and will be incredibly outdated in just a few years. There's the novelty of actually sitting in the Millenium Falcon cockpit, of course, but I'm sure that in a couple of years someone could release a game for PC or Playstation 5 or whatever that would be more technologically impressive than the Falcon ride. Disney could continually update it, of course, but that doesn't seem very likely because they certainly haven't done that with anything else lately.

This is also why I'm not a fan of screen based rides... they generally end up feeling like something I could just watch at home and get 90% of the experience (there are a few exceptions, of course). Actual sets, audio-animatronics, etc. go a long way towards immersion that just doesn't exist with a screen.

I haven't actually been on the ride yet, though, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I should be riding it in January, although that's not a guarantee -- I'm not going to spend all day waiting in line (which shouldn't be an issue in mid-January, but who knows), so if I have to make a choice between the Falcon and ROTR, I'm definitely picking ROTR since it's the real E ticket attraction.

 

[Kate F]

What I’m wondering is why we need Falcon when Star Tours is already a thing? Granted, I have yet to see it for myself, but I’ve seen quite a few comparisons between those two.

 

[Kram Sacul]

Better and brighter graphics. Less distractions in trying to “control” things (as pilot I had no chance to get used to the control before needing to use it) and most of all characters and stories from the real Star Wars. IMHO of course.

Ah, the “real Star Wars”. Brings up memories of when the prequels were the latest thing to gripe about. Good times.

 

[MaximumEd]

We recently booked a trip for March. I was talking to The Wife this morning about SWL. I’m a big SW fan, but for some reason, seeing the land as it exists right now doesn’t really fire me up. It needs more. MF:SR looks boring, and the land really needed all the cut entertainment. Won’t be building a $200 lightsaber or eating in a small, overpriced cantina. Really hope RotR blows it out of the water, because that’s about the only thing I care to see at this time.

 

[Chet Dakota]

Also, just want to point out that in the Star Wars universe, there are two separate characters called Hondo and Holdo. Real great naming there.

Like Jakku and Batuu?

 

[SpoiledBlueMilk]

I agree with you 100%, I'm of the same demographic. The problem is how Disney has tried to move beyond the OT. You don't do it by shutting it out like they have. There is no need to go cold turkey. They could have had their cake and ate it too. This was 100% a choice. I've said before, they could have ushered in a new era while fully respecting the roots. Trust me on this, Kids still love the OT characters.

Nothing made me happier than seeing kids run around the new themed SW store in DHS with Jedi robes and lightsabers - a new generation getting absorbed into the fanbase. As a fellow OT kid (born in 77) I'm not worried. The story will grow and change over time. We lived through the prequels and we will live through the ST. Can't wait to see what is next.

 

[erasure fan1]

But wasn’t phasing out the old characters always expected?

Yes, that was always the plan. Again, it's not the phasing out, it's how they did it. It was supposed to be a passing of the tourch. But they really just skipped the passing and went right to the new. This whole situation is why I always wanted them to go to the old republic and just skip 7,8 and 9.

 

[Piebald]

I know some folks who work for a game company that makes Licensed Star Wars games. They publicly stated recently that LFL approached them earlier this year and encouraged them to make more use of OT characters. I was a little surprised to hear about his initiative. The company subsequently produced an expansion that included Luke and Vader.

It's ok. You can say its EA lol