Star Wars Land vs Wizarding World

[Mark IV Fan]

I’m not sure what Star Wars fans want exactly. They ripped George Lucas for the prequels, which is why he sold Star Wars to Disney. The OT is great and all, but it’s been 36 years since RotJ. It’s time to enjoy them for what they were but accept that Disney has taken the films in their own creative direction.

As for the battle sequence, I’m not sure why Luke/Vader had more emotion than Obi-Wan/Anakin. Vader may have been Luke’s father, but they had only met once before. Luke had no reason to feel connection to him. Obi-Wan had to “kill” the man who had been his best friend/protege/“brother” for 10+ years.

Why do they have to accept anything Disney does? Because it’s Disney? If Disney is able to make good films and keep the SW universe going in a way that fans like then they’ll accept it. If they can’t, they won’t. It’s the height of arrogance to just say to the largest section of the fan base “It’s been 36 years. Get over it.”
If they want the fan base to shell out $$$, then make choices fans approve of and not “Here’s what we want to do. Like it or leave it.”
And they rightly ripped Lucas for the prequels because they were, by most objective measures, total crap that Lucas forced down everyone’s throat. They rejoiced when Disney bought because they thought they’d be smarter and listen to the fans desires. And far it’s been a mixed bag at best and people like Kathleen Kennedy and Rian Johnson have openly been jerks to the fans.
And no it’s not impossible to come up with a new product the fans of the OT will embrace. Star Trek has flipped that trick several times and even Star Wars did with the Clone Wars series. That’s what these people get paid the big bucks to do. Not throw whatever they want on screen and say “It’s great and if you don’t agree, screw you.”

 

[Mark IV Fan]

The only actual good Star Wars movie is The Empire Strikes Back... yet I still enjoy them all.

Yeah, and the only good Disney film is Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

 

[General Mayhem]

Yeah, and the only good Disney film is Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

Calm down Space Wizard boy.

 

[Mark IV Fan]

Calm down Space Wizard boy.

Gosh, did you come up with that all on your own? Or did mommy help you out?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yes, but this is the problem with Galaxy's Edge: People ARE nostalgic for the Millennium Falcon so we get all excited to get in it and go with who? Han Solo and Chewbacca? No, with Honda what's-his-name and a phone in from Chewie. And it's an exciting mission to do what? Destroy the Death Star, evade Darth Vader's tie fighter, or deliver stolen plans to the rebels? No, it's mission to harpoon what's it called? Coaxial? There is simply no way Disney's new--and I'd say silly--storylines can compete with what we all know, love, and expect from Star Wars.

Likewise with the cantina. . . Olga's?. . Uggo's? It pales in comparison to the iconic cantina we so fondly remember from Mos Eisley. Could they have made a Batuu cantina that was different yet still as good as or better than Mos Eisley's? Yes, of course. But they didn't.

So that sense of nostalgia, rather than ADDING to the experience of Galaxy's Edge, makes it disappointing.

You know...you brought up a great point that I hadn’t thought much about...

The MF ride is basically the heist scene from solo.

The good news is almost no one saw solo after the disastrous Last Johnson...so it won’t be spoiled for anyone

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Gosh, did you come up with that all on your own? Or did mommy help you out?

Actually...it was really funny. Just take a chuckle and move on without the middle school retort

 

[bryanfze55]

Why do they have to accept anything Disney does? Because it’s Disney? If Disney is able to make good films and keep the SW universe going in a way that fans like then they’ll accept it. If they can’t, they won’t. It’s the height of arrogance to just say to the largest section of the fan base “It’s been 36 years. Get over it.”
If they want the fan base to shell out $$$, then make choices fans approve of and not “Here’s what we want to do. Like it or leave it.”
And they rightly ripped Lucas for the prequels because they were, by most objective measures, total crap that Lucas forced down everyone’s throat. They rejoiced when Disney bought because they thought they’d be smarter and listen to the fans desires. And far it’s been a mixed bag at best and people like Kathleen Kennedy and Rian Johnson have openly been jerks to the fans.
And no it’s not impossible to come up with a new product the fans of the OT will embrace. Star Trek has flipped that trick several times and even Star Wars did with the Clone Wars series. That’s what these people get paid the big bucks to do. Not throw whatever they want on screen and say “It’s great and if you don’t agree, screw you.”

They have to accept it, because it’s what is. Nobody can change what is. Disney owns the franchise, and they’ll take it in the direction they want. But certainly no one is obligated to watch the new Star Wars movies or go to Galaxy’s Edge. So you have to accept things the way they are, but you’re not required to partake in it.

As for the prequels, George Lucas created the art he wanted to create. He wasn’t required to please OT fanboys. If they wanted to reject it, that’s fine. Reject it and move on. But the way so many fans treated Lucas and many of the cast was just truly awful. I just don’t get it.

It’s not a perfect analogy, but I’ll throw it out there. I was a huge Game of Thrones fan. Read the novels, watched the show religiously. Thought it blended entertainment and artistic integrity about as well as any show ever. Then Seasons 7 and 8 happened. They were a joke. I was mad at the writers for a good week. Then I remembered I still had 6 seasons of good television to rewatch when I wanted to, and I decided I wouldn’t waste my time going on forums and bashing the direction they took Game of Thrones. Sure, I could write a much better ending in my head. But what’s done is done. I accept it.

 

[bryanfze55]

Yes, but this is the problem with Galaxy's Edge: People ARE nostalgic for the Millennium Falcon so we get all excited to get in it and go with who? Han Solo and Chewbacca? No, with Honda what's-his-name and a phone in from Chewie. And it's an exciting mission to do what? Destroy the Death Star, evade Darth Vader's tie fighter, or deliver stolen plans to the rebels? No, it's mission to harpoon what's it called? Coaxial? There is simply no way Disney's new--and I'd say silly--storylines can compete with what we all know, love, and expect from Star Wars.

Likewise with the cantina. . . Olga's?. . Uggo's? It pales in comparison to the iconic cantina we so fondly remember from Mos Eisley. Could they have made a Batuu cantina that was different yet still as good as or better than Mos Eisley's? Yes, of course. But they didn't.

So that sense of nostalgia, rather than ADDING to the experience of Galaxy's Edge, makes it disappointing.

I haven’t been yet so I’ll just ask... other than the name, which shouldn’t matter, what makes Oga’s not feel like Star Wars? In photos, it looks just like a Star Wars cantina you’d find on Tatooine. What would Disney have to do to make it more like Mos Eisley, or better than that one?

 

[rkleinlein]

I haven’t been yet so I’ll just ask... other than the name, which shouldn’t matter, what makes Oga’s not feel like Star Wars? In photos, it looks just like a Star Wars cantina you’d find on Tatooine. What would Disney have to do to make it more like Mos Eisley, or better than that one?

When we heard there was going to be a SW land, DH and I were excited, thinking they'd make a Mos Eisley(?) area with familiar characters and a restaurant, either TS or QS, like the cantina with the cool alien band. There could be rooms off from a central area so all could see & hear the band, and opportunities for character interaction. Oh well....

Exactly. It could have been a hub of activity--exotic food and drinks, entertainment, atmosphere, characters--and it would have been wildly popular. And wildly profitable for the company: they could have made a killing selling $15 kool-aids to the crowds. But there's not enough room for the crowds to get in. Such a lost opportunity. It's really incomprehensible.

There are several bars/cantinas in the Star Wars movies.

All of them have an assortment of aliens. Disey couldn't give us a few aliens? Even if only a peek through a doorway, or on a balcony, or up in the rafters even. Universal has a full-sized fire-breathing dragon perched on a roof for god's sake. A full-sized Jabba the Hutt (that belches for the kids), or something equally impressive, would have been comparatively easy (and cheaper).

All of them have some form of entertainment/music.

And theming and entertainment aside, make it big enough to fit the crowds of people that are going to want to get in and throw wads of money at Disney.

 

[bryanfze55]

Make it just like MOs Eisley.

You never hear anyone complain that Universals Diagon Alley isn’t Diagon Alley.

That’s your opinion, fine. For me, as long as it feels like Star Wars, I don’t really care. Honestly, I have more connection to the cantinas in the Knights of the Old Republic video game than anything from A New Hope, which I’ve tried to love but have never really connected to. I love Empire, though. I just don’t see why the name of the cantina matters.

Aliens would have been ideal, though, and it’s disappointing to hear there’s no live entertainment other than a robotic DJ. Alas, I’ll be seeing it for the first time later this year and will judge then.

 

[rkleinlein]

I just don’t see why the name of the cantina matters.

Did anybody say the name of the cantina matters? It most certainly does not.

 

[bryanfze55]

Did anybody say the name of the cantina matters? It most certainly does not.

My mistake. I thought Pooh had stated “make it Mos Eisley’s.” Looking back, he said make it “like” Mos Eisley’s. I stand corrected.

 

[bryanfze55]

At the end of the day, I’ll avoid making judgment until I see it for myself. But am I wrong in assuming it looks like a Star Wars cantina?

 

[Incomudro]

They have to accept it, because it’s what is. Nobody can change what is. Disney owns the franchise, and they’ll take it in the direction they want. But certainly no one is obligated to watch the new Star Wars movies or go to Galaxy’s Edge. So you have to accept things the way they are, but you’re not required to partake in it.

As for the prequels, George Lucas created the art he wanted to create. He wasn’t required to please OT fanboys. If they wanted to reject it, that’s fine. Reject it and move on. But the way so many fans treated Lucas and many of the cast was just truly awful. I just don’t get it.

It’s not a perfect analogy, but I’ll throw it out there. I was a huge Game of Thrones fan. Read the novels, watched the show religiously. Thought it blended entertainment and artistic integrity about as well as any show ever. Then Seasons 7 and 8 happened. They were a joke. I was mad at the writers for a good week. Then I remembered I still had 6 seasons of good television to rewatch when I wanted to, and I decided I wouldn’t waste my time going on forums and bashing the direction they took Game of Thrones. Sure, I could write a much better ending in my head. But what’s done is done. I accept it.

I Think If GE is Grand failure (which i dont think it will be because of Rise), The infrastructure is already there to easily convert it to tatooine/mos eisley

Give it a rest.

 

[twilight mitsuk]

Or planet fhloston

 

[OG Runner]

Thanks for pointing out the obvious that no 2 people are exactly like.

I’m going on the basis that, so far at least, Potter has been a non stop home run money maker for Universal, whereas GE has opened to mixed reviews and smaller than expected crowds. Which is the exact same thing that Disney and Universal will base the success on.

If I say Coke is more beloved than RC Cola, just because someone will smugly say “Oh, yeah? What are you basing that on? I know people who love RC Cola” it doesn’t change the fact that Coke crushes it in pretty much every measurable metric.
Right now Potter is looking like Coke and GE is RC Cola. Feel free to play contrarian all you want and debt it.

So then, by the logic you just pointed out, Universal is absolutely no competition to Disney. If you take into account the measurable
metric that the Magic Kingdom, alone, has more guests on an annual basis than both Islands of Adventure & Universal Studios.
The overall metrics are not based on how many times you have gone to the park.

 

[General Mayhem]

Interview – Disney Parks Chairman Bob Chapek Discusses Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Opening at Walt Disney World

"We don't define success as ten-hour waits." -Bob Chapek

 

[Frank the Tank]

At the end of the day, I’ll avoid making judgment until I see it for myself. But am I wrong in assuming it looks like a Star Wars cantina?

I’m still waiting to see this in person, as well. That being said, as a massive lifelong Star Wars fan, yes, there’s definitely a huge difference between “a Star Wars cantina” versus the Mos Eisley Cantina specifically, just as there’s a huge difference between, say, “a Harry Potter wand shop” versus Ollivander’s specifically.

That might the fundamental issue that has been alluded to several times earlier in this thread: Disney might have thought about its definition of “immersion” way too hard. They were so focused on having a backstory that’s set between Episodes VIII and IX that they appear to have artificially put restraints on themselves. Why would we create a Star Wars Land where we can’t have Darth Vader walking around due to adherence to the “timeframe” of the land? Why would we have a Star Wars Land that doesn’t have the iconic John Williams music playing at all times? Why wouldn’t we have a Millennium Falcon ride where the object is to destroy the Death Star as opposed to a random low stakes storyline?

It’s sort of strange to me that the pitch for Batuu was built on the premise that Disney wouldn’t be tethered to a specific time and place in the Star Wars Universe, yet the artificial limitations that Disney has placed in order to stick to a specific backstory may end up being more restrictive than if they built Mos Eisley Spaceport, Endor or some other specific and recognizable location from the Star Wars movies.

I have little doubt that I’ll enjoy Galaxy’s Edge when I actually get to visit it. I love Star Wars and Disney World, so I’m very much looking forward to it. However, will my enjoyment be maxed out in the same way that Harry Potter fans love the lands that Universal built since they are based on specific places from the books and movies? I guess we’ll see. It’s not so much that I’m worried that SWGE is poorly done (as work that they did looks great), but rather this should have been the easiest slam dunk of all theme park lands and Disney might have out-thought themselves here.