Star Wars Land announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios

[MisterPenguin]

The land's lighting at night is very well done and makes it feel a bit more alien than during the day, just like Pandora. Early sunset is also nice because you can see the sun hitting the peaks of the spires and buildings while being cast in shadows on the ground.

But honestly I can't think of a theme park land that isn't cooler at night.

New Fantasyland.

That's because nothing can be actually seen there at night with the lighting so low.

 

[drod1985]

s there much of a difference at night similar to Toy Story land and Pandora?

As others mentioned, the land is really well lit. But this is Star Wars, and with Star Wars comes lightsabers. The land is tailor made for them.

 

[RobWDW1971]

As others mentioned, the land is really well lit. But this is Star Wars, and with Star Wars comes lightsabers. The land is tailor made for them.
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Sorry, all displays of the Force are forbidden in Batuu. Please stop having Star Wars related fun immediately.

Sincerely,

WDI

 

[Kram Sacul]

Sorry, all displays of the Force are forbidden in Batuu. Please stop having Star Wars related fun immediately.

Sincerely,

WDI

Are you sure that’s not a quote by you?

 

[Movielover]

Sorry, all displays of the Force are forbidden in Batuu. Please stop having Star Wars related fun immediately.

Sincerely,

WDI

Sorry, I'm incapable of of having a good time and must constantly be a sour sport and ruin it for others because I have no joy in life.

Sincerely,

RobWDW1971

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

Alright looking at some of the aerial photos from yesterday, I actually think I'm finally starting to see what people meant by saying this land is a ghost town.

 

[drod1985]

Sorry, I'm incapable of of having a good time and must constantly be a sour sport and ruin it for others because I have no joy in life.

Sincerely,

RobWDW1971

Nobody is ruining it for me! The ignore feature is severely undervalued on this site.

 

[Kram Sacul]

Nobody is ruining it for me! The ignore feature is severely undervalued on this site.

Agreed. Makes the DL forum semi tolerable.

 

[Rteetz]

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

I can't tell from those photos if they closed the Falcon Ramp prior to closing the park or not.

 

[LieutLaww]

They only close the ramp when they have to Fly the Falcon out of the park.

 

[RobWDW1971]

Looks less boring from the air.

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

They only close the ramp when they have to Fly the Falcon out of the park.

Source???!

 

[Movielover]

Source???!

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

Tell him!! Tell him!!

 

[LieutLaww]

Source???!

Chewbacca

 

[_caleb]

I didn't just say OT - I said ALL characters past, present, and future. Having Mandalorian and Baby Yoda as well as the upcoming Kenobi series and whatever is next would only make the land alive and vibrant.

You can't tell me we can't have different time periods and characters in the same land - Fantasyland has been doing it for over 60 years and have yet to hear any child scream:

"Wait! You can't have Gaston because he's dead!"
"Why is there Pinocchio and Snow White next to each other! They're in different countries!!!"
"Wait! Why is the Beast walking around as the beast when he's now back to being a prince?!"
"Why does the little mermaid have fins when she's now a princess?!?!"
"Why is Mary Poppins with Bert when she's now with the guy from Hamilton?!??!"

The idea that you couldn't make a Star Wars land with attractions, shows, and characters celebrating all past, present, and future aspects of the brand is ridiculous on its face.

I'm not saying do some cheap crappy overlay of the creative disaster that is Batuu, I was talking about an entirely different, better concept they should have built. Everything now is just lipstick on a Bantha.

I'm curious how you envision the inclusion of all characters (past, present, future) in a single, cohesive land. Are you thinking they'd build sections within the Star Wars Land where each character would live? Padme in the Naboo area, Ewoks in an Endor area, Kylo Ren on a Starkiller Base area?

The reason "all characters together" works in Fantasyland is that Fantasyland isn't trying to provide a single, immersive story. It transitions from story to story (and back again). Disney was trying to do something different with Galaxy's Edge.

Mainstream audiences are probably less likely to know what it is about Star Wars that makes it special. They don't know all the details, they just like it (sort of like with Disney Parks!). The uber-fans are the ones who appreciate the details and become the arbiters of what's authentic and what isn't. Thats why producers include Easter Eggs- these are really only meaningful to the superfans, but earn the superfan endorsement that influence the mainstream fans.

 

[_caleb]

Because a wide open celebration of Star Wars isn’t an idea that has legs of its own and instead backs itself on the past success and popularity of the franchise. That’s actually incredibly short-term. Creating something that has creativity and unique storytelling of its own, rather than piggybacking off of the creativity and unique storytelling that people previously fell in love with, is a much smarter idea long-term. Pandora does this to an extent, albeit somewhat unintentionally, and it’s been very successful.

The problem with Galaxy’s Edge is execution. A dirty, depressing, war-torn, fascist area isn’t the most compelling idea, especially without the “frontier” story of hope and opportunity being expressed well. Beloved OT characters would not change that. They’d distract from it, maybe, but they wouldn’t solve the underlying issue. The Pixar Pier solution of adding things guests know and love to a foundationally lackluster area is not one we should be defending with our honor.

Note: moved from the ROTR thread to this one.

I TOTALLY agree!

Not sure who might be familiar with Colonial Williamsburg, but for a time they followed a daily schedule of reenacting the timeline of the American Resolution over the course of each day. At opening, the town is a British Colony with Redcoats in the streets, Union Jacks on the flag staffs, and just a hint of a rebellion as colonists gossip with the visitors. Around lunchtime, "protests" were staged, Patriots spoke out, and the Revolution began. During the afternoon, Continental soldiers marched in the streets and reenacted battles. By evening, there was singing, dancing, and fife and drum parades in celebration of liberty.

This is the kind of thing that Disney needs to do in Galaxy's Edge. More atmosphere with an overarching storyline. They could easily add lots of First Order stormtroopers/officers, droids, and flags early in the day to create an oppressive atmosphere, and then switch over to a rebel-controlled outpost with Jedi and "May the Force be with you" celebration later in the day to create a dynamic ongoing story.

 

[RobWDW1971]

I'm curious how you envision the inclusion of all characters (past, present, future) in a single, cohesive land. Are you thinking they'd build sections within the Star Wars Land where each character would live? Padme in the Naboo area, Ewoks in an Endor area, Kylo Ren on a Starkiller Base area?

The reason "all characters together" works in Fantasyland is that Fantasyland isn't trying to provide a single, immersive story. It transitions from story to story (and back again). Disney was trying to do something different with Galaxy's Edge.

You could do it in countless ways - mini-lands like you mentioned with Naboo, Tatooine, Hoth, Death Star, etc. or you could do incredibly themed areas like a Jedi Temple, Empire Base, etc., etc. Or make just do what they did with Harry Potter and make it a generic backdrop - none of the timelines there make sense with Diagon Alley, but the fans (and non-fans) don't care. And if the new movies are popular, those characters could walk around HP and add attractions with them and everyone would celebrate.

Fans want to see the characters they love (and future characters) and go on attractions featuring them - this idea it all must be some defined, locked time/place was an idiotic idea from the jump, especially considering the vastness and timeliness of the Star Wars universe. There is freakin' Darth Vader AND Kylo Ren in the Jedi Academy at DHS and the kids and crowds go nuts.

You are exactly right about Fantasyland - and that is why it has worked beautifully for 60+ years and will for the next 100 years.

I agree, Disney was trying to do something different - they tried and failed miserably. They ended up with the worst of both worlds - leaving out complete eras of past and future Star Wars stories and didn't execute on a "living, breathing world" at all. So we are stuck with a boring, deserted "Batuu" that is stuck in the middle of a single saga - had they waited one more year, the entire story would have been different. That's the problem with trying to lock it down like that.

So we are left with Boba Fett wandering around a pizza place in Tomorrowland at DL, the Mandalorian not even being in the land (and if was he'd be a senior citizen), Baby Yoda merch on a cart in the tunnel, and no chance for any of the characters in the upcoming Kenobi series or the new Clone Wars series to be in the billion dollar "Star Wars land". Brilliant, Disney, brilliant.

 

[_caleb]

You could do it in countless ways - mini-lands like you mentioned with Naboo, Tatooine, Hoth, Death Star, etc. or you could do incredibly themed areas like a Jedi Temple, Empire Base, etc., etc. Or make just do what they did with Harry Potter and make it a generic backdrop - none of the timelines there make sense with Diagon Alley, but the fans (and non-fans) don't care. And if the new movies are popular, those characters could walk around HP and add attractions with them and everyone would celebrate.

Fans want to see the characters they love (and future characters) and go on attractions featuring them - this idea it all must be some defined, locked time/place was an idiotic idea from the jump, especially considering the vastness and timeliness of the Star Wars universe. There is freakin' Darth Vader AND Kylo Ren in the Jedi Academy at DHS and the kids and crowds go nuts.

You are exactly right about Fantasyland - and that is why it has worked beautifully for 60+ years and will for the next 100 years.

I agree, Disney was trying to do something different - they tried and failed miserably. They ended up with the worst of both worlds - leaving out complete eras of past and future Star Wars stories and didn't execute on a "living, breathing world" at all. So we are stuck with a boring, deserted "Batuu" that is stuck in the middle of a single saga - had they waited one more year, the entire story would have been different. That's the problem with trying to lock it down like that.

So we are left with Boba Fett wandering around a pizza place in Tomorrowland at DL, the Mandalorian not even being in the land, and if was he'd be a senior citizen, Baby Yoda merch on a cart in the tunnel, and no chance for any of the characters in the upcoming Kenobi series or the new Clone Wars series to be in the billion dollar "Star Wars land". Brilliant, Disney, brilliant.

I don't think it's such a huge misstep, but I see your point and agree it's a missed opportunity. I still think the way forward is to please the mainstream by aiming at the superfans (as you mention, they're currently missing both). Designated areas (the two sides of the land, for example, would be a great way to differentiate and include a broader array of characters. Or the daily schedule approach to story I mentioned above. Either way, they should do something to adapt and adjust!