Star Wars Land vs Wizarding World

[Club Cooloholic]

While I think that Star Wars Land will be very popular, I still think it will fall short of the Wizarding World at Uni, if for no other reason it is not grounded in any place related to the movies. The WW shops and restaurants as well as the streets all tie directly to the Harry Potter movies and provides an instant connection with the place. Not sure SWL is gonna be able to replicate that feeling. It's just the advantage the Harry Potter movies give it by being mainly centered around a few locals throughout 6 movies vs. Star Wars which is all over the place.
It was an advantage for it too in why it tops Pandora IMO, Pandora is great looking but I dont go craving to try any Pandorian food or buy Pandorian things..in fact restaurants and shops make no sense there in the context of the movie, it isn't organic.

 

[Fox&Hound]

I can understand this perspective. I think SWL has the right canvas but they need to add more to enhance it....

 

[Hank Hill]

I certainly have been blown away by HP areas, but I personally never read the books, nor am particularly fond of the movies. Meanwhile, I have seen all the SW movies more times than I can remember. But I actually may be more harsh on SW than HP for that reason too.

Expectations are always a big part of my reactions too. If I hear too much good stuff, it won't live up to expectations, if I hear how bad it is, I will probably be happy with it. I have seen pictures, but I think my reaction to actually seeing it will be interesting. Too bad it probably will be a while before I actually see it though.

 

[Zé_Carioca]

I will admit that when I first visited WWoHP I was blown away by the nostalgia, it is truly magical and well done and I still love visiting, nothing to complain about that, but I think the approaches they were going for are different. With wizarding world I personally feel like a visitor, you are at Hogwarts and watching Harry Potter and the other characters, yeah they "interact" with you but you are pretty much watching them, at the hogwarts express, forbidden journey and gringots etc..., you know the story, you know how it ends more or less. I feel like with Galaxy's Edge, the fact that its placed in a new planet and CMs are encouraged to have their own stories, it it built to allow the guests to create their own adventure. Sure, there are some familiar faces and tie-ins but since Batuu hasn't been explored in the movies yet it allows guest more freedom and creativity, they do not know what awaits them. I haven't experienced the land yet but I do like how you get to choose a side and that your actions supposedly have repercussions, it seems to be about our own journeys.

 

[Zé_Carioca]

Also, they did add the nostalgia aspects to GE, I can imagine people get emotional being inside THE millennium falcon and with Oga's cantina reminding guests of the cantina scenes in the movies.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Because SWGE comes across as a half-assed cash grab.

 

[JIMINYCR]

I'm waiting to experience it myself before I judge. Watching the walk throughs posted online I am not as excited as I thought I would be, but that can change when I see it in person. Its the same with Pandora, I went after hearing the wonderful reviews of what was built and came away less impressed than I was expecting.... although I did find FoP was the thrill I had hoped for.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I will admit that when I first visited WWoHP I was blown away by the nostalgia, it is truly magical and well done and I still love visiting, nothing to complain about that, but I think the approaches they were going for are different. With wizarding world I personally feel like a visitor, you are at Hogwarts and watching Harry Potter and the other characters, yeah they "interact" with you but you are pretty much watching them, at the hogwarts express, forbidden journey and gringots etc..., you know the story, you know how it ends more or less. I feel like with Galaxy's Edge, the fact that its placed in a new planet and CMs are encouraged to have their own stories, it it built to allow the guests to create their own adventure. Sure, there are some familiar faces and tie-ins but since Batuu hasn't been explored in the movies yet it allows guest more freedom and creativity, they do not know what awaits them. I haven't experienced the land yet but I do like how you get to choose a side and that your actions supposedly have repercussions, it seems to be about our own journeys.

I really hope you are right. More interactive with actors could really set it apart. Especially if it doesn't get too scripted to the point where everyone is using tips like the old Andy's Coming one.

 

[HongKongFu]

Wizarding World has a fully themed train, the most amazing $$$animated figures$$$ anywhere and the most richly themed, advanced, elaborate rollercoaster ever created, more shops and more eats.

 

[Yert3]

I went yesterday. It’s an amazing, immersive area, but it’s mostly shops and restaurants (not like that’s anything new for Disney. They gave us World Showcase in the 80s, after all). Smugglers run is fun, but I wouldn’t wait more than 45 minutes for it. I’ve waited four and a half hours for Flight of Passage multiple times and believe it’s worth that wait. Smugglers run, not at all.

 

[Zé_Carioca]

Smugglers run is fun, but I wouldn’t wait more than 45 minutes for it. I’ve waited four and a half hours for Flight of Passage multiple times and believe it’s worth that wait. Smugglers run, not at all.

I mean, I don't know if it is a fair comparison, from what I have heard the main attraction (in terms of new technology being applied), just like FOP was for Pandora, will be the resistance ride so it remains to be seen if guests would wait 4+ hours for it.

 

[Yert3]

I mean, I don't know if it is a fair comparison, from what I have heard the main attraction (in terms of new technology being applied), just like FOP was for Pandora, will be the resistance ride so it remains to be seen if guests would wait 4+ hours for it.

Yeah, I’ve heard it’s going to be amazing, but I’ve also heard it’s not going to open till December. And I guarantee until then, SR will reach wait times that long.

 

[Zé_Carioca]

Yeah, I’ve heard it’s going to be amazing, but I’ve also heard it’s not going to open till December. And I guarantee until then, SR will reach wait times that long.

Oh, for sure, I can't even imagine... if navi river journey gets waits of over two hours I can't even picture how long wait times for GE will be with so many fans of SW and Disney visitors wanting to ride the newest ride!

 

[erasure fan1]

While I think that Star Wars Land will be very popular, I still think it will fall short of the Wizarding World at Uni, if for no other reason it is not grounded in any place related to the movies.

I am a star wars fanboy all the way and have no connection to Potter. But I think at this point, you are right. They might add Galaxys edge into a movie, but people still won't have that deep connection with it, at least not for a while. That doesn't mean GE is bad, will fail... but I don't think you can compete with stepping into something that you know at such a personal level. I'm sure I'll like walking around GE but I know just off of what I have seen, I would love a famous iconic location even more.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I am a star wars fanboy all the way and have no connection to Potter. But I think at this point, you are right. They might add Galaxys edge into a movie, but people still won't have that deep connection with it, at least not for a while. That doesn't mean GE is bad, will fail... but I don't think you can compete with stepping into something that you know at such a personal level. I'm sure I'll like walking around GE but I know just off of what I have seen, I would love a famous iconic location even more.

I really think they should have just done something on Tatoonie, considering it has the most importance in Star Wars films.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Because SWGE comes across as a half-assed cash grab.

If they had a smoking area in SWGE I might look more favorably on it. But that's just me.

 

[Chef Mickey]

If they had a smoking area in SWGE I might look more favorably on it. But that's just me.

99% of people don’t want more smoking areas, so it almost really is just you.

 

[Goofyernmost]

99% of people don’t want more smoking areas, so it almost really is just you.

I'm not sure where you pulled that number out of, but, I don't even smoke anymore and I know it would be to everyone's benefit if there were more designated smoking areas.

 

[UNCgolf]

I was very disappointed by the Hogsmeade area at Universal. It's tiny and has very little in it -- and I think they made a huge mistake putting the ride inside Hogwarts. I know people absolutely love the ride (I hated it because it gave me the worst motion sickness I've ever had, even after taking a Dramamine -- I thought I was going to throw up for a good 30-45 minutes afterwards, and it also hurt my GF's neck), but they could have put it somewhere else or designed the area differently. It was a seriously missed opportunity to not have a bigger Hogwarts you could explore, visiting the different classrooms, having a restaurant in the Great Hall, etc.

Diagon Alley, on the other hand, is tremendous. The way it's completely hidden from anywhere else in the park and that you have to go through a little alley and then it opens up in front of you is just wonderful.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

99% of people don’t want more smoking areas, so it almost really is just you.

Tell that to the 2000 Frenchmen and Spaniards that just landed at MCO