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

[BubbaQuest]

Not commenting specifically about SWGE...but hurricanes do have a tendency to affect areas prior to their arrival. Locals prep, others stay away, etc. So to essentially say this storm has zero influence over what is currently going on in the parks is probably premature and/or inaccurate.

Yep. I had plans to go to Uni last year, and then Hurricane Michael was announced. We *could* have flown out there and enjoyed a day or two at the parks, but our plans were for three days and there was no guarantee we could get a flight back home. So we cancelled.

On the flip side, I was amazed at the number of trip reports during Irma of people that decided to "weather the storm" in their Disney hotel rooms and not return home.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So you're saying they made an error in when they planned for it to open?

Also, SW:GE in Disneyland opened May 31st. That feels like a pretty accessible date, no?

Stock responses:
1. No APs
2. “What till ROTR opens!”

Stock answers:
1. They still haven’t shown when they were allowed
2. It’s a dark ride...modern day haunted mansion...with all imagery tied to a trilogy in really bad shape.

We shall see how it goes. But the sides are dug in right now

 

[mikejs78]

Well, for one, they built and implemented fairly extensive crowd control tools that haven't gotten much use yet.

Well in another thread it's been said that TDO is satisfied with how things are going thus far (same person indicated that TDA was panicked after opening didn't go as they hoped).

 

[ColdSarsaparilla]

I think they made all kinds of errors in these 2 rollouts. Where did I argue against that fact.
They completely screwed the pooch on the DL rollout. I’m not even arguing that the WDW opening couldn’t have been even bigger.
The marketing for DL was non-existent and the reservation system muted the huge crowd the first month and opening with 1 ride.
Doesn’t the whole “half day ticket” option show that Fisney anticipated large midday and early afternoon departures with all these insane early morning extra magic hours.
Can’t we look at ALL the factors and not just one side or the other?
What’s wrong with that?

Right... They thought, "build it and they will come," regardless of circumstance. They thought wrong.

 

[Andrew C]

Well, for one, they built and implemented fairly extensive crowd control tools that haven't gotten much use yet.

Prepare for all possible/reasonable scenarios seems like a good best practice...

 

[StarWarsGirl]

SW:GE is a worthwhile addition and will be just fine moving forward, but don't you think Iger and Chapek expected and planned for a more frenzied response than this? Certainly notable, no?

I think there might have been more of a response at WDW, except 1. It opened on a Thursday 2. Most schools are back in session 3. There's a hurricane coming, which may have made some reschedule their trips. 4. No FPs may have scared some people. A lot of people down here also just didn't want to deal with the crowds.

I think it would have been as bad as TSL had it opened while schools were out on a Saturday.

 

[planodisney]

Stock responses:
1. No APs
2. “What till ROTR opens!”

Stock answers:
1. They still haven’t shown when they were allowed
2. It’s a dark ride...modern day haunted mansion...with all imagery tied to a trilogy in really bad shape.

We shall see how it goes. But the sides are dug in right now

Its not a college football game. I don’t have a side but actual facts. I just think all facts should be taken into consideration.
So Sirwalterraleigh, can you answer these 2 questions.
Do you think not having the big, much hyped e-ticket not open with the land has any impact or non at all?
Do you think having the reservation system at DL which blocked all GA attendees from getting into the land the entire first month, as well as blocking out AP’s had ANY impact at all?

 

[StarWarsGirl]

More opening day photos

The queue for Rise of the Resistance.

 

[ColdSarsaparilla]

Prepare for all possible/reasonable scenarios seems like a good best practice...

C'mon... This is the modern TWDC we're talking about. You truly believe they implemented these tools "just in case?"

And that's not even speaking of the infrastructure improvements they've made in anticipation of atypically large crowds.

 

[Texas84]

Has anyone used the Play Disney app to interact with stuff in the land?

Yep, did a bunch of hacking and triggering droids.

 

[planodisney]

More opening day photos
View attachment 403601
The queue for Rise of the Resistance.
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Look at the empty queue for ROTR!!
Total failure!!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Merchandise. After years of finding the same things in every gift shop, it's nice to see some exclusive stuff.

 

[Andrew C]

C'mon... This is the modern TWDC we're talking about. You truly believe they implemented these tools "just in case?"

Of course. They likely made reasonable determinations on what may be needed now and during peak times.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

The restrooms are neat, although the sinks do clog easily.

 

[ColdSarsaparilla]

I think there might have been more of a response at WDW, except 1. It opened on a Thursday 2. Most schools are back in session 3. There's a hurricane coming, which may have made some reschedule their trips. 4. No FPs may have scared some people. A lot of people down here also just didn't want to deal with the crowds.

I think it would have been as bad as TSL had it opened while schools were out on a Saturday.

I mean, maybe?

To me, it doesn't feel like any of that (besides, ya know, a hurricane lol) could move the needle for something as highly anticipated as SW:GE.

It will be interesting to follow post-hurricane though.

 

[Dan Deesnee]

Do some people on here just want the land to be a failure because they believe if it is that means we will get an expansion for something from the original trilogy?

I think the more likely scenario is that if this land does NOT live up to their expectations then it simply slides slowly downhill with less and less cast member immersion and probably not an expansion any time in the next decade.

Instead, even if you hate the GE because it's not something from the original trilogy, you might want to root for it's success. Success of GE likely means that there is a good chance the next expansion includes more original trilogy things. I'm sure Disney has heard this complain loud and clear but I doubt they would sink more hundreds of millions into a failed land just to add some original trilogy stuff.

EDIT: Also, some have said it failing sends a message to corporate about the overall quality of the land. That to me is not accurate. They pulled this land off to nearly the quality level they set out to (minus droids and street actors). The land may be a failure in some peoples eyes but to Disney, it's exactly what they wanted it to be.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I will be back later with Falcon's Run photos.

 

[raymusiccity]

I, for one, am happy to see these openings underperform if it means it's the tipping point that forces TWDC to alter their overall approach towards "Disney Parks, Experiences and Products" and WDW, in particular.

Underperforming is a good thing. At the very least, it may slow down their next hike in ticket prices.

 

[mikejs78]

View attachment 403629View attachment 403630

I will be back later with Falcon's Run photos.

Your pics are awesome. Keep them coming!

 

[mikejs78]

Underperforming is a good thing. At the very least, it may slow down their next hike in ticket prices.

Or, more likely, cause them to stop investing in new stuff.