Star Wars Land announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios

[sedati]

What executive at TDO finally realize there might be a problem??

This park has suffered growing pains from day one, and yet, has hardly grown. I could always happily spend a full day from open to close at the studios in all its iterations, but the park always felt small and incomplete. Sure, Animal Kingdom needed to fill out, but it exhibited ambition and scope from the outset.
For all the fears of crowds in Galaxy's Edge, look at an opening day park map of the studios- by my guess, the walking area in Star Wars is about 1/2 that entire park.

 

[sedati]

Some have claimed the land will be getting a full scale replica of Kylo Ren's shuttle.
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Kylo_Ren's_command_shuttle
If true, where would it go? The thing has rather massively tall wings- 122ft! though they retract when landed. There was old concept art for the land that did show a classic white shuttle (Imperial Lamda-Class T-4a) to the far right.

This area would make sense as that far side of the park is where the First Order reside. But unless it is replacing the Tie Fighter, I can't see a good spot for it. Perhaps on top of a roof, or behind a building.
Any thoughts or info?

 

[Stripes]

Some have claimed the land will be getting a full scale replica of Kylo Ren's shuttle.
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Kylo_Ren's_command_shuttle
If true, where would it go? The thing has rather massively tall wings- 122ft! though they retract when landed. There was old concept art for the land that did show a classic white shuttle (Imperial Lamda-Class T-4a) to the far right.
View attachment 320555
View attachment 320554This area would make sense as that far side of the park is where the First Order reside. But unless it is replacing the Tie Fighter, I can't see a good spot for it. Perhaps on top of a roof, or behind a building.
Any thoughts or info?

I'm pretty sure that concept art is old. I believe that was going to be the Battle Escape queue area before they changed it to a Resistance area (probably to better fit the story of the ride). I believe the primary residence of the First Order can be seen here on bottom:

 

[sedati]

I'm pretty sure that concept art is old. I believe that was going to be the Battle Escape queue area before they changed it to a Resistance area (probably to better fit the story of the ride). I believe the primary residence of the First Order can be seen here on bottom:

Yes, I said that concept art was old. I was just showing it as a basis for what might be done if Kylo’s shuttle is to be added as some have rumored.

 

[Stripes]

Yes, I said that concept art was old. I was just showing it as a basis for what might be done if Kylo’s shuttle is to be added as some have rumored.

Ah. I didn't read your post carefully enough. My bad.

 

[drod1985]

In the Opening Date Contest thread it was noted that new tickets purchases are cut off at 12/16/19. It's been this way for a few days now. Could lend some credence towards a mid-December opening for GE.

FWIW, Episode IX releases 12/20/19. The first day of Winter 2019 is 12/21. Opening the week of 12/16/19 is basically as "late fall" as you can get, and it puts GE's opening smack dab in the middle of the marketing hype for the conclusion of the Skywalker saga.

 

[SpoiledBlueMilk]

It really depends on the day. On a high-attendance day, places like NOS are just too crowded. On an average/low attendance day, the smaller spaces really create a charm that, IMO, is rarely found at WDW. Now that they're doing the tiered ticketing system, crowds have evened out more, so there are fewer extreme days.

I guess I lucked out with an extreme day.

 

[SpoiledBlueMilk]

I was in Disneyland this past Saturday, too! You forgot to mention that the parks were mobbed ALL DAY even though IT RAINED NEARLY ALL DAY! I still have faith that DL will find a way to handle the SWGE crowds. It won't always be an elegant solution, and it will probably have to involve turning people away at times, but they'll find something that works. DLR is the most adaptable-to-crazy-situations place on Earth. That's just another one of the things that makes it so special: It continues to be amazing and magical despite location, space limitations and everythings else the real world throws at it. I'm always criticizing the suits currently in charge of DLR, but--dang, if they can't be clever with their backs-to-the-wall we-gotta-make-this-work solutions!

Driving out to the park from LA, I was hoping the rain would keep the crowds down, but once I hit the tram line, I knew it was going to be packed.

 

[wdwgreek]

So a few thoughts:

1. Of course there is going to be a capacity issue, if this a surprise to the suits then they have had their head in the sand. Star Wars is a huge franchise and the hype of this land is Harry Potter level or greater. Two attractions ain't going to cut it. They also placed it in the worst crowd flow park. DHS is plagued by its design with dead ends, tight walk ways and an odd layout. This obsviosuly is because it was built on the skeleton of a work studio concept that quickly died out and never had a cohesive expansion but rather piecemeal replacements and add ons.

2. Pandora proves the concept if you build a high quality high immersive attraction and land people will be impressed and.people will come. The fact avatar is not an huge franchise has not dimnished the home run the land is. That is the bar that is set for star wars.

3. DHS is still a mess of a park without a solid identity. The live your own movie adventure line isn't going to cut it.

 

[wdwgreek]

That all said Martin I welcome the news that the executives are waking up and hoping that a connector behind rockin roller coaster and tsl will help crowd flow. Also a real expansion with new walking space is so desperately needed. Fingers crossed.

 

[Ripken10]

In the Opening Date Contest thread it was noted that new tickets purchases are cut off at 12/16/19. It's been this way for a few days now. Could lend some credence towards a mid-December opening for GE.

FWIW, Episode IX releases 12/20/19. The first day of Winter 2019 is 12/21. Opening the week of 12/16/19 is basically as "late fall" as you can get, and it puts GE's opening smack dab in the middle of the marketing hype for the conclusion of the Skywalker saga.

I believe several have already stated not to read into this. This would also line up with having all these tickets expire at the end of the year (14 days to use after first use).

 

[Ripken10]

So a few thoughts:

1. Of course there is going to be a capacity issue, if this a surprise to the suits then they have had their head in the sand. Star Wars is a huge franchise and the hype of this land is Harry Potter level or greater. Two attractions ain't going to cut it. They also placed it in the worst crowd flow park. DHS is plagued by its design with dead ends, tight walk ways and an odd layout. This obsviosuly is because it was built on the skeleton of a work studio concept that quickly died out and never had a cohesive expansion but rather piecemeal replacements and add ons.

2. Pandora proves the concept if you build a high quality high immersive attraction and land people will be impressed and.people will come. The fact avatar is not an huge franchise has not dimnished the home run the land is. That is the bar that is set for star wars.

3. DHS is still a mess of a park without a solid identity. The live your own movie adventure line isn't going to cut it.

For Star Wars, I almost wonder if adding a few capacity attractions would have been a bit of a mute point. IMO the line to get into the land would have been the same at opening, meaning it still would have been (execs estimating 6-8 hours), and then add in the lines for the rides. Most if not all coming to the park will be coming for Star Wars as their priority #1 (meaning they all have to get in that line). Some (more than some realize) will only come for Star Wars. So between the line to get in and the lines inside the land, you will spend your whole day in line = a full day park. Adding rides outside the land won't help those the first few months - you won't have time to ride them. A bit extreme, but overall I do think that will be the case. Most people in the parks the first few months will spend most of their time in lines for star wars and not enough time for other rides.

 

[MisterPenguin]

3. DHS is still a mess of a park without a solid identity. The live your own movie adventure line isn't going to cut it.

Cut it with whom? Since 2010, attendance at DHS has only increased year after year with the exception of a less than 1% dip in 2017, which is understandable with all the ride closures. It's growth is slow, but has always increased or plateaued.

So, you're saying that with the addition of TSL, 3 upcoming new E-Tickets, and a full SW Land, that DHS is going to fail in some way? How is it not going to 'cut it'?

 

[Stripes]

Cut it with whom? Since 2010, attendance at DHS has only increased year after year with the exception of a less than 1% dip in 2017, which is understandable with all the ride closures. It's growth is slow, but has always increased or plateaued.

So, you're saying that with the addition of TSL, 3 upcoming new E-Tickets, and a full SW Land, that DHS is going to fail in some way? How is it not going to 'cut it'?

Indeed, DHS will be a mess, but for a whole other reason. It's going to be a madhouse.

 

[sedati]

Hollywood Studios HQ zoomed in and caught some nice elements atop the Falcon ride building:

Seen here in the model from OC Register:

 

[El Grupo]

I guess I lucked out with an extreme day.

Unfortunately, most of last week included extreme days. My family and I were at Disneyland Monday - Friday for the first time since 2015. My wife has visited the SoCal parks 50+ times (LA native and former Disney/ABC employee). She was quite surprised by the crowd sizes throughout each day.

 

[doctornick]

3. DHS is still a mess of a park without a solid identity. The live your own movie adventure line isn't going to cut it.

Why not? I mean, I agree with the DHS is a "mess of a park" part because it is still way underbuilt compared to what it should be. But the "live the movies" type concept seems like a pretty "solid identity" -- it just needs more expansion for the concept. I actually think that is a very good basis for a theme park (and much better than a movie making concept for a place that never really did much movie making and so it was overly artificial). It is also quite distinct from the other parks which have other concepts. Yes, with them all getting infusions of IPs, that distinction is less pronounced but no where else is getting full fledged lands dedicated to going into the world of certain movies/franchises.*

*yes, I know "Pandora" but that feels less about going into the movie of Avatar since very little from the film plot itself is there. It's more just the setting. Perhaps an unreasonable distinction on my part though.

 

[tomast]

For Star Wars, I almost wonder if adding a few capacity attractions would have been a bit of a mute point. IMO the line to get into the land would have been the same at opening, meaning it still would have been (execs estimating 6-8 hours), and then add in the lines for the rides. Most if not all coming to the park will be coming for Star Wars as their priority #1 (meaning they all have to get in that line). Some (more than some realize) will only come for Star Wars. So between the line to get in and the lines inside the land, you will spend your whole day in line = a full day park. Adding rides outside the land won't help those the first few months - you won't have time to ride them. A bit extreme, but overall I do think that will be the case. Most people in the parks the first few months will spend most of their time in lines for star wars and not enough time for other rides.

 

[sedati]

Today all those people brag to their children about waiting in that line.

But Lucas should have put out Empire and Jedi at the same time so waits would be shorter.

 

[Purduevian]

For Star Wars, I almost wonder if adding a few capacity attractions would have been a bit of a mute point. IMO the line to get into the land would have been the same at opening, meaning it still would have been (execs estimating 6-8 hours), and then add in the lines for the rides.

Except that adding a few more capacity attractions would have added to the capacity of THE LAND. Lets say for instance that Falcon and Alcatraz both have an capacity of 1,800 pph (seems to be about what I heard?). A 3.5 hour line then is holding (1,800x3.5) 6,300 each. Lets say FP has 50% capacity, knock that number down to 3,500 people in line (fp still has a line just not a large one). So we have 7,000 people in line.

Falcon is said to have 6 person cockpits, 8(?) cockpits per turn table, 4 turn tables, meaning 192 people on the ride. I have not seen any specifics for Alcatraz other than 8 people per vehicle and a ride time of about 8(?) mins. Assuming they dispatch 4 vehicles every 60 seconds, that would mean 256 people on the ride.

Total people in line or on ride for 2 attractions =~7,500 (lots of rough estimates in here)

Now, if they would have added the rumored "Bantha Peoplemover" concept.
Peoplemover moves about 3,600 pph. Assuming this lower ticket level only have a 2 hour wait, that gives us a line of 7,200 people. If there is fast pass, about 3,800. On top of that, people mover holds ~600 people on ride for a total of 4,400 people on ride or in line for Banthamover.

I'm not sure exactly how this would affect wait times getting into the land as now a ton of extra people have fp for the 3rd attraction and will get to cut the line, but I can say an extra ~4,400 will enter the land WITHOUT clogging up the stores, restaurants, and pathways.

TLDR: With 2 attractions and a 3 hour wait, ~7,500 people are in line or on ride. Adding a Banthamover changes that number to 11,900 people. It's a shame the 3rd attraction didn't happen