Star Wars Land announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios

[AKL2003]

Galaxy's Edge is an out of the park homerun! The land itself has surpassed Pandora for me. As someone who doesn't give a rat's behind about the franchise I can 100% say the critics are way off the mark here! I'll post more thoughts later, but WOW! This will go down as one the greatest lands Disney has ever built!

Thank you...i was waiting for your thoughts...i always appreciate your perspective (as it mostly aligns with mine) lol

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

Also, was it ever determined what the Surabat River Valley refers to in the land? If it is not present now, I guess might be something with RotR. Or is it something that was cut?

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Possibly a future Smuggler’s Run mission?

 

[Darth Snips]

One thing I haven't seen much about is the Disney Play app. It seems like a huge part of the entertainment value of the land as is comes from playing the app and I could see how the higher ups felt that it might get a viral following and attention like Pokemon Go did for a while. It sounds interesting to me, though my family has enjoyed the in park activites (we're particularly fond of the Pirates one in Adventureland) so I'm not sure how wide the appeal is.

I agree; I haven't seen many people talk about it either. I've compiled most of the info I could find on the app in my quoted post below. It seems really cool, and it has a LOT of potential for future development. Unfortunately, it won't be activated until the 29th in WDW. I'm really looking forward to trying it out!
EDIT: I stand corrected; it would appear that the app is now activated. Datapads are now available at Batuu East!

I've been trying to figure out more about the Play Disney App and the roleplaying it involves. Apparently, it can actually do quite a bit.

First of all, it's sort of Disney's version of the Harry Potter wands. You can interact with droids, doorways, and ships. One guy said he "hacked" the Falcon and it actually opened an exhaust port and made noise.

Second, it offers the chance for die-hards to learn more about the backstory of the land and its characters. Apparently, there are all kinds of easter eggs and references sprinkled throughout the land hidden in Aurebesh, alien languages, and hidden signals that can be decoded using the app.

Third, there's an ongoing game throughout the land that you can join in. You're supposed to track down various control panels and take control of them for the Resistance or the First Order. Ideally, this will create a constant tug-of-war that will be continuously shifting control of the village between the two sides. This is the closest they have to come to delivering a truly immersive roleplaying game.

Finally, the app is how they can track your "reputation" throughout the land. If you open the app and join the game while in line for the Falcon, it should add the credits you earn on the ride to your account. And, according to one article, if you sit in a booth in the cantina with the app open, it will actually communicate with some lights on the walls that will tell CMs what kind of reputation you have. This is how you could have a bartender remark on your performance flying the Falcon. Unfortunately, it seems like this kind of interactivity is impractical in these crowds, because I haven't seen anyone mention experiencing this kind of conversation yet.

Right now, it seems like the consensus on the app is that it's very limited (and glitchy) in its current state. But it sounds like the framework is all in place for something truly special. It might take a few years to really take advantage of it due to the overwhelming crowds, but I think it will be worth keeping an eye on this "Datapad" experience. We could see some really groundbreaking stuff come out of all this.

Also, was it ever determined what the Surabat River Valley refers to in the land? If it is not present now, I guess might be something with RotR. Or is it something that was cut?

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I also haven't seen anyone mention this, but this valley is actually in Smugglers Run right now!

Spoiler

As soon as you take off in the Falcon, you launch forward, fly over the outpost, and dive into that valley. You navigate through it and make the jump to lightspeed. That ship flying through the valley in the artwork you posted is actually Hondo's ship; he flies right alongside you!

EDIT: You spend a total of 15 seconds in the valley: 4:00 to 4:15 in the video below.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I agree; I haven't seen many people talk about it either. I've compiled most of the info I could find on the app in my quoted post below. It seems really cool, and it has a LOT of potential for future development. Unfortunately, it won't be activated until the 29th in WDW. I'm really looking forward to trying it out!




I also haven't seen anyone mention this, but this valley is actually in Smugglers Run right now!

Spoiler

As soon as you take off in the Falcon, you launch forward, fly over the outpost, and dive into that valley. You navigate through it and make the jump to lightspeed. That ship flying through the valley in the artwork you posted is actually Hondo's ship; he flies right alongside you!

EDIT: You spend a total of 15 seconds in the valley: 4:00 to 4:15 in the video below.

Indeed, a fallen spire in the video matches a fallen spire in the artwork.

 

[Stripes]

In a recent walkthrough video, I could faintly hear the famous Cantina song being played in the Marketplace. That was definitely not happening in Anaheim when I visited.

 

[Stripes]

One of the complaints I read often was that there was no "audio life" in the land, I found this to be completely not the case.

There's definitely audio in the land, with fantastic effects of ships flying overhead, etc. But, the complaint was that the lack of background music makes the land feel kinda depressing. I'm in agreement with this sentiment based on my experience in Anaheim. I'm hoping they have/will change this in Orlando.

 

[mitchiavelli]

No original trilogy or roaming characters

 

[doctornick]

There's definitely audio in the land, with fantastic effects of ships flying overhead, etc. But, the complaint was that the lack of background music makes the land feel kinda depressing. I'm in agreement with this sentiment based on my experience in Anaheim. I'm hoping they have/will change this in Orlando.

See, I don't get this. So,there is appropriate background audio. As long as there is sounds,why would it be "depressing"? It would be silly and out of place to have John Williams music blasting in the middle of the marketplace without any premise. It sounds like the Imagineers continued the trend they used for BGM in Pandora, which has largely been commended as appropriate for the immersion for the land.

As I've said before, I think there would be appriopriate places to use the movie music - like in the entrance/transition into the land or in the queues or during the rides. But having appropriate sounds for the main part of the land enhances the immersion, rather than detract from it. I do think perhaps there is the opportunity to use the First Order or even the Imperial march as a diegetic sound in the First Order area like propoganda (the way such music was used in Solo and before that in Rebels).

 

[mikejs78]

There was background music playing throughout. It was faint, literally like background noise, but was loud enough to be heard. I cannot comment on the type of music (from the films or original) because I'm just not that familiar with the music of SW.

I do wonder - for those in the know - how much of things like BGM are decided by WDI and how much is left to Ops? E.g. can TDO / DHS decide to play light BGM? Could TDO ops change the levels to make sound more prominent?

 

[Stripes]

See, I don't get this. So,there is appropriate background audio. As long as there is sounds,why would it be "depressing"? It would be silly and out of place to have John Williams music blasting in the middle of the marketplace without any premise. It sounds like the Imagineers continued the trend they used for BGM in Pandora, which has largely been commended as appropriate for the immersion for the land.

As I've said before, I think there would be appriopriate places to use the movie music - like in the entrance/transition into the land or in the queues or during the rides. But having appropriate sounds for the main part of the land enhances the immersion, rather than detract from it. I do think perhaps there is the opportunity to use the First Order or even the Imperial march as a diegetic sound in the First Order area like propoganda (the way such music was used in Solo and before that in Rebels).

I agree that they shouldn’t be blasting the main title. I think it would be appropriate to have a custom soundtrack of songs one might expect to hear in an outpost. The Cantina song is a good example of the tone I would go for. I think the juxtaposition of walking through Disneyland, with all of the uplifting and joyous background music, and then crossing into Galaxy’s Edge with nothing but ship and bug noises (all extremely well done, btw), is quite jarring. There’s just this feeling of “something doesn‘t feel right” and it’s definitely the music, or lack of.

 

[danlb_2000]

See, I don't get this. So,there is appropriate background audio. As long as there is sounds,why would it be "depressing"? It would be silly and out of place to have John Williams music blasting in the middle of the marketplace without any premise. It sounds like the Imagineers continued the trend they used for BGM in Pandora, which has largely been commended as appropriate for the immersion for the land.

I don't think it would be out of place at all. The Harry Potter lands at Universal have the movie music playing in the background and it doesn't seem out of place.

 

[doctornick]

I don't think it would be out of place at all. The Harry Potter lands at Universal have the movie music playing in the background and it doesn't seem out of place.

See, I'm one who doesn't even notice BGM most of the time but one of the things I do notice is that the HP theme seems way overplayed in those lands. Like "we get it, it's Harry Potter".

To each their own, but I tend to be a less is more person when it comes to music. If you are noticing it, it is probably too over the top. It should almost be a more subconscious recognition/impact. I'll admit that among Disney fans, I might be in the minority, as I probably couldn't identify any BGM for lands since I don't ever really pay attention to them.

That being said, I don't have a problem with actual "music" (as opposed to background sounds) being played in the land as long as it comes across as diegetic.

 

[Stripes]

Finally got a good look at the max capacity sign at Oga’s Cantina. Looks like 246.

 

[erasure fan1]

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No original trilogy or roaming characters

If you can't see the issues people have, I guess you can't be made to understand. We get it the falcon and Chewie are OT. That hardly constitutes an OT presence in the land. And no one is saying there aren't any characters roaming around. Chewie, Rey, V and Hux and some troopers don't cut it. Where are the random aliens from all the different trilogies? Sorry, but your post is a terrible defense of the land.

 

[doctornick]

If you can't see the issues people have, I guess you can't be made to understand. We get it the falcon and Chewie are OT. That hardly constitutes an OT presence in the land.

Personally, when I see stuff about "no OT presence in the land", it seems to come more from a place of "I hate TLJ and what Disney has done to my favorite characters" more than an actual problem with the land. I think it is a surrogate complaint.

 

[Rider]

Some pictures from AP previews on Saturday.

They did a really good job with the land and throughout the day I kept forgetting I was in Hollywood Studios. When it was finally time to leave it was like a culture shock being back in the "regular" park.

I did find the one place you can see outside Black Spire. Hopefully it will vanish once the trees grow some more.

 

[CinematicFusion]

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No original trilogy or roaming characters

He kinda looks like a grown up Lumpy from the holiday special.

 

[voodoo321]

I have to say that based on the pics the DHS version looks far more colorful and less drab than DL's. It also fits in that park.

One comment I forgot to make about the droid presence, or lack thereof, is the humor it could provide to the land. Have some droids malfunctioning or doing something funny for comic relief. The land has a much too serious and bleak tone. The one active droid that we see is rotating a spit roaster like a slave. One of my daughters said seriously that she felt sorry for him.

 

[nickys]

Some pictures from AP previews on Saturday.

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They did a really good job with the land and throughout the day I kept forgetting I was in Hollywood Studios. When it was finally time to leave it was like a culture shock being back in the "regular" park.

I did find the one place you can see outside Black Spire. Hopefully it will vanish once the trees grow some more.
View attachment 399342

I assume the junior Stormtrooper is yours! Adorable.

 

[The_Jobu]

View attachment 399302
No original trilogy or roaming characters

We always knew he was there. Have you actually read the thread? Serious question.