I have a video with R2 from inside the droid depot when we went, but agreed on C-3PO! I guess they’re assuming that guests get their fill of him on Star Tours, but they have the costume already, so I don’t see why they don’t toss him out for some roaming sets (aside from $$, that is).
They built a land bigger and scope and with more detail than any land ever created. A land we would never have even dreamed of 10 years ago. But visiting there is apparently worse than death to a very overly vocal minority because of a handful of criticisms. I even agree that some of the criticisms are valid. A couple of fixable missteps and unfortunate entertainment cuts does not somehow turn a project like this into "a disaster. A DISASTER!"
I'm alleging that a handful of you have been so relentlessly vocal, as in, the absolute worst I've ever seen in over 20 years (sigh) of posting on theme park fan forums, that it's possible you are posting on behalf of someone else because it benefits some people if Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is perceived as a miserable failure that "everyone hates."
The truth is somewhere in the middle. Disney over-anticipated it's success by preparing for the single biggest theme park opening in the history of theme parks, despite encouraging people not to come, despite not opening all of it at the same time and delaying the more anticipated ride at that, despite blocking many people from being able to go. They then inexplicably freaked out when people didn't go after telling them to not go, and that the reservation system for the land, a land with absolutely massive walking space, have not yet been used. So it's under-performing by the insanely high bar that Disney themselves set for it. This does not mean it's a ghost town or a miserable failure that everyone hates, yet everyone who WANTS it to fail has taken this information and exaggerated it exponentially.
I mean, sure, but wouldn’t one expect to be able to find a droid in the droid shop? Them selling R2 replicas didn’t change the experience of getting to meet R2D2 for us or anyone around us.
It absolutely is not. You clearly have not actually been there and are making a strong case for my allegations.
Actually the Forbidden Forest is depicted as having massive oak trees (or something like them I dunno) with huge trunks and sprawling, tangled roots, not rows of identical pine trees planted in straight lines.
Tom Morrow - +100 XP, +1000 Respect
It literally does look like a Christmas tree farm though. I know you're all about that Universal PR and all though but seriously.
Hagrid’s is still pretty amazing though. Next level for themed coasters imo. What I wouldn’t give to have something like it in Galaxy’s Edge riding either a Landspeeder or Speeder Bikes
Hagrid's is a great and really fun ride, but I wouldn't rank it as next level for theming. The landscaping is mostly the aforementioned rows of evergreens, it looks like a manicured garden more than the forbidden forest. The show scenes are somewhat lackluster, with the mechanical bull spinning rubber Blast-Ended Skrewt on a pole, the scarce sets in between, the big giant show building with trees panted on it instead of proper rockwork, the interior of the drop track building being somewhat scarce on details. Oh, and the visible backstage and infrastructure. Something like the 40 year old Big Thunder Mountain blows it away at least for theming and immersion.
In my eyes, fan service isn't a negative. It's what drives these type of IPs forward. No one wants generic sci-fi movie, they want star wars. If you like Rouge one like you said, you should love the Mandalorian. My complaint of Galaxys edge has always been about better representation of the complete saga. You can give me new and different, like black spire, all day long. But without some well thought out fan sevice, it might just feel hollow to a lot of people. And I think that did happen.
Fantastic Beasts is going to the new park. it’s what’s in the top right that kind of looks like Diagon Alley.
The ratio is actually worse in Diagon Alley: 12 shops to 1.5 rides vs Galaxy's Edge's 8 shops to 2 rides. Approximately the same number of F&B locations at both.
It all stems from opening early. Disney greed unfortunately took over, and won out over the experience. The land had no business opening, in my opinion, without the headline signature attraction. I've always said, a great attraction, will mask a lot of flaws. And if rise is as advertised, a lot of people will forget that the land has some issues. As they say, you only have one chance to make a first impression. And unfortunately the first impression was like you said, a well themed shopping mall. Coupled with the issues that we've all talked about, it's a recipe for mediocrity.
