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

[Horizons '83]

I have not seen anything here in the Boston area. Not one ad.

I don't feel like awareness was its flaw, I think they may have simply overestimated the interest level that SWL would create. We have all been waterboarded with Star Wars in almost every possible way in the last 5 years (even my waffles had to be in the shape of Darth). I think the major flaw is SW fatigue.

 

[magicallactose]

I've been seeing a lot of ads for SWGE here in Toronto (subway ads, billboards, and local tv commercials)

 

[KBLovedDisney]

I saw a lot more advertisements for Toy Story Land vs SWGE

 

[mikejs78]

For those who have seen ads, when did you see them? I know people who didn't know GE was opening until they saw news reports about it on Aug 29. And given that at least for WDW, most trips are booked 6-12 months ahead of time, ads should have started last year or at minimum, this February. Although the land opening didn't get announced until late March.

Any ads now wouldn't really have an effect until March 2020 or so....

 

[mikejs78]

I don't feel like awareness was its flaw, I think they may have simply overestimated the interest level that SWL would create. We have all been waterboarded with Star Wars in almost every possible way in the last 5 years (even my waffles had to be in the shape of Darth). I think the major flaw is SW fatigue.

Star Wars fatigue is not a thing, IMO.

 

[Horizons '83]

Star Wars fatigue is not a thing, IMO.

To each their own. I certainly think it is for many. Walking in HS alone, its blasted everywhere. Lets see, a nighttime show with a large stage where multiple performances take place all day, Launch Bay, Star Tours, A whole Land dedicated to the newer films, the Jedi Academy and I am sure I missing more. That is oversaturation in a park that can't afford it.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

To each their own. I certainly think it is for many. Walking in HS alone, its blasted everywhere. Lets see, a nighttime show with a large stage where multiple performances take place all day, Launch Bay, Star Tours, A whole Land dedicated to the newer films, the Jedi Academy and I am sure I missing more. That is oversaturation in a park that can't afford it.

I think this plus other factors are contributing to it's...um...current slight unpopularity. However, IMHO Star Wars the original non-Disney stuff isn't what's fatigued, but I digress.

 

[SplashJacket]

They make some really great ads sometimes. But Galaxy’s Edge marketing has been terrible.

Not meant as a challenge or a rude way, but do you happen to know of any relatively recent advertisement that is remotely good?

 

[Joesixtoe]

To each their own. I certainly think it is for many. Walking in HS alone, its blasted everywhere. Lets see, a nighttime show with a large stage where multiple performances take place all day, Launch Bay, Star Tours, A whole Land dedicated to the newer films, the Jedi Academy and I am sure I missing more. That is oversaturation in a park that can't afford it.

If you go to Hollywood Studios all the time then sure their might be some fatigue. However Marvel movies have much more air time and yet people don't say a word on fatigue.

 

[Surferboy567]

Last week's measurements over three days showed 1,660 to 1,690/hour consistently.

As someone who isn’t that great with operations, How is this number good? bad? Somewhere in between?

 

[monothingie]

They make some really great ads sometimes. But Galaxy’s Edge marketing has been terrible.

The ad firm of “Too Little and Too Late” was probably a bad choice in hindsight.

 

[Rogue1138]

I think it's wrong to assume that the OT vs ST familiarity is real. I've said it before, it's very generational. Millenials I work with care more about Anakin, Obi Wan, and Padme than they do Luke, Leia, and Han. My son and his classmates care more about Rey, Finn, and Poe, along with the characters from Clone Wars and Rebels. I think you're looking at things from a Boomer/GenX lense in this regard..

But it still shows that a drop doesn't mean doom and gloom for the franchise. I think predictions for the franchise based on TLJ's box office are hardly definitive. It still made over a billion dollars. We will see what happens with Rise of Skywalker, that will paint a better picture of the current state of Star Wars.

Star Wars is exactly a generational problem. Say you were 10 when Star Wars came out in 1977, you're 52 today. If you were 10 when Phantom Menace came out, you're 30 today. If you were 10 when Force Awakens was released, you're 14 today. A 52, 30 and 14 year old have very different expectations of what they want out of Star Wars. Doesn't necessarily make any of those people wrong, it's just a different set of nostalgia. I grew up with the Kenner toys and seeing the originals in the theaters. I remember the dark time post-Return of the Jedi when no one cared about Star Wars anymore. I remember the extremely disappointing Prequels and now I have the experience of watching my young boys fall in love with Star Wars.

The true test of the franchise will be Rise of Skywalker. Historically both Empire and Attack of the Clones had dips after the first in the trilogy and the third movie had a bump up. If there's another drop off, then Disney has reason to be concerned. Solo was an abnormality. It had very little marketing in a very short window of time and followed one of the biggest event films in a decade (Infinity War). I think it if maintained the December release, it would've been much more successful.

Personally, I think Star Wars biggest problem is China. Until they can break in there, they're always going to fall short. A new series with new characters and original plots might help that considerably.

 

[Stripes]

Not meant as a challenge or a rude way, but do you happen to know of any relatively recent advertisement that is remotely good?

https://youtu.be/avMpbH_oU0g


Although it’s not recent, these 2 are amazing!

 

[mikejs78]

Star Wars is exactly a generational problem. Say you were 10 when Star Wars came out in 1977, you're 52 today. If you were 10 when Phantom Menace came out, you're 30 today. If you were 10 when Force Awakens was released, you're 14 today. A 52, 30 and 14 year old have very different expectations of what they want out of Star Wars. Doesn't necessarily make any of those people wrong, it's just a different set of nostalgia. I grew up with the Kenner toys and seeing the originals in the theaters. I remember the dark time post-Return of the Jedi when no one cared about Star Wars anymore. I remember the extremely disappointing Prequels and now I have the experience of watching my young boys fall in love with Star Wars.

The true test of the franchise will be Rise of Skywalker. Historically both Empire and Attack of the Clones had dips after the first in the trilogy and the third movie had a bump up. If there's another drop off, then Disney has reason to be concerned. Solo was an abnormality. It had very little marketing in a very short window of time and followed one of the biggest event films in a decade (Infinity War). I think it if maintained the December release, it would've been much more successful.

Personally, I think Star Wars biggest problem is China. Until they can break in there, they're always going to fall short. A new series with new characters and original plots might help that considerably.

Every single thing in this post is spot on.

 

[UNCgolf]

We have to remember that the MCU is filled with films that are huge (Endgame, Infinity War, Black Panther, Captain Marvel) and lesser films that fill in the gaps but are still considered "successes". Both Ant Man films, Doctor Strange). Solo was in that latter category for Star Wars - it's just that everyone thinks (including Disney) that all Star Wars films need to be of the blockbuster category. If not for the reshoots, Solo would have been a profitable film.

For SW to be successful long term, it needs to embrace smaller films that don't make a lot but build the universe, and have the big blockbusters come out every couple of years.

I disagree about Solo considering, as you said, it didn't even turn a profit. Any movie that costs as much to make as it did and doesn't recoup that investment is a major flop -- the kind of flop that used to bankrupt studios. Plus, Rogue One was nominally in that category (a lesser film to fill in the gap) for Star Wars and it did exceptionally well. Disney/Lucasfilm even pulled the plug on those lesser Star Wars side stories because of Solo's failure.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

I disagree about Solo considering, as you said, it didn't even turn a profit. Any movie that costs as much to make as it did and doesn't recoup that investment is a major flop -- the kind of flop that used to bankrupt studios. Plus, Rogue One was nominally in that category (a lesser film to fill in the gap) for Star Wars and it did exceptionally well. Disney/Lucasfilm even pulled the plug on those lesser Star Wars side stories because of Solo's failure.

That last was ridiculous - Solo flopped because the timing of it's release surrounded it by other films people also wanted to see, and contrary to what Iger believes, people don't have bottomless wallets.

 

[mikejs78]

I disagree about Solo considering, as you said, it didn't even turn a profit. Any movie that costs as much to make as it did and doesn't recoup that investment is a major flop -- the kind of flop that used to bankrupt studios. Plus, Rogue One was nominally in that category (a lesser film to fill in the gap) for Star Wars and it did exceptionally well. Disney/Lucasfilm even pulled the plug on those lesser Star Wars side stories because of Solo's failure.

I agree that Solo was, in the end, a failure. However it was the cost of the reshoots that pushed it over the top so it lost money. But the real reason it failed, IMO:

That last was ridiculous - Solo flopped because the timing of it's release surrounded it by other films people also wanted to see, and contrary to what Iger believes, people don't have bottomless wallets.

This, 1000x this. I've seen every single Star Wars movie since ROTJ in the theaters except Solo. And that's because I had just seen Infinity War, and my son also really wanted to see Incredibles 2. So Solo was the first SW movie that I did not see in theaters. And I suspect I'm not alone in this.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

I agree that Solo was, in the end, a failure. However it was the cost of the reshoots that pushed it over the top so it lost money. But the real reason it failed, IMO:


This, 1000x this. I've seen every single Star Wars movie since ROTJ in the theaters except Solo. And that's because I had just seen Infinity War, and my son also really wanted to see Incredibles 2. So Solo was the first SW movie that I did not see in theaters. And I suspect I'm not alone in this.

We were in the same exact boat, my friend. We split it up - hubby went and saw Infinity War, and I took the kids to see Incredibles 2.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I think it's wrong to assume that the OT vs ST familiarity is real. I've said it before, it's very generational. Millenials I work with care more about Anakin, Obi Wan, and Padme than they do Luke, Leia, and Han. My son and his classmates care more about Rey, Finn, and Poe, along with the characters from Clone Wars and Rebels. I think you're looking at things from a Boomer/GenX lense in this regard..

Admittedly this aspect of the complaint is 100% opinion based. I just know that my opinion on this is correct and anyone that disagrees with me is incorrect.

For what it's worth, I was initially under the impression that the Sequel Trilogy was a mandate from above. Evidently, it was a Scott Trowbridge creative decision.

 

[Horizons '83]

If you go to Hollywood Studios all the time then sure their might be some fatigue. However Marvel movies have much more air time and yet people don't say a word on fatigue.

Their presence isn’t felt in the parks like Star Wars is. I was speaking only about Hollywood Studios.