Star Wars Land

[doctornick]

Who said this though? If it wasn't Lee, Spirit, or Martin I'm going to be very skeptical. The "Tron coaster" was always just a rumor and maybe it was nicknamed that but the actual project was a Tron Simulator. The version Jim Hill describes sounded 1)more realistic 2) fit Disney's MO of modest video screen based attractions and 3)Actually came out of Tony Baxters mouth when he was talking to Eddie Sotto at D23!

@WDW1974 specifically mentioned it (both Shanghai's Tron and this Endor ride) as a bike coaster if I am not mistaken and said it would be an indoor coaster. I know someone else agreed with that take, maybe @pheneix

Regardless, even if what Jim Hill is detailing is accurate, it doesn't sound that much like Soarin' to be. Just using screens and other effects wouldn't make something a Soarin' clone, especially if the vehicles move around (which I'm not sure is the case with what Jim Hill has said, but I haven't listened to the podcast). Anyway, if the dome is surrounding the guests, then I would think you are being moved around to view different parts of the screen as opposed to facing a surface right in front of you.

 

[Kman101]

Honestly, there seem to be a billion plans in place with little real idea of what's actually going where. It's almost funny how much of a mess things seem to appear behind the scenes. I know rumors are rumors (and they appear to be scrambling to do SOMETHING) but none of the ideas have exactly thrilled me. I should be really excited over this and I'm just left feeling so blah about it. I'm sure it will look fantastic and the ride will be great but once again I feel like WDW will cheap out. I really hope they prove me wrong. They just seem like such a mess behind the scenes with no idea what to do. And it seems like they want to 'expand' as little as possible. I'm totally cool with things being replaced, re-skinned, etc. it's just ... why isn't this exciting to me?

And as for the Speeder Bike ride. I'm sure it will be really impressive. Not everything HAS to be a coaster (IMO), and I doubt it's simply a Soarin' clone, but it's like they want the "wow" without the actual WOW. Meaning they are going to cheap out again. I'm not usually negative but I'm just not sure what to make of any of this. I think I'll just wait until concrete details are released and I can see concept art and plans.

 

[NoChesterHester]

Honestly, there seem to be a billion plans in place with little real idea of what's actually going where. It's almost funny how much of a mess things seem to appear behind the scenes.

Design process is like politics and sausage... Seeing it actually be made is pretty messy.

 

[ChrisM]

With the rumor that Echo Lake is the spot where this expansion will occur, how will 50s Prime Time and the Tune In Lounge work with this? Those are wildly popular restaurants.

I still think an "Imperial Mess Hall" restaurant would be awesome.

 

[NoChesterHester]

I still think an "Imperial Mess Hall" restaurant would be awesome.

Cool idea! Imperial mess hall in the bunker on the moon of Endor. Could fit in with the current Star Tour theming.

 

[Vader2112]

I still think an "Imperial Mess Hall" restaurant would be awesome.

Isn't that the ABC Commisary???

 

[Vader2112]

Death Star Themed Toilets????
Seriously two restarant ideas. Of course Mos Esly Cantina. The other could be multithemed. Each dining room a differnet Star Wars environment. A Hoth Ice dining room, the Carbon Freeze Chamber, Courosant with screens on the wall to watch the traffic going by. Dex's Diner replaces 50's prime time. Although the average person might not recall this charecter.

 

[NoChesterHester]

Death Star Themed Toilets????
Seriously two restarant ideas. Of course Mos Esly Cantina. The other could be multithemed. Each dining room a differnet Star Wars environment. A Hoth Ice dining room, the Carbon Freeze Chamber, Courosant with screens on the wall to watch the traffic going by. Dex's Diner replaces 50's prime time. Although the average person might not recall this charecter.

Jabba's Palace would be the right call for a truly interesting and immersive full service restaurant.

 

[doctornick]

Jabba's Palace would be the right call for a truly interesting and immersive full service restaurant.

I definately think an AA Jabba should be somewhere in a full fledged Star Wars land, whether it be in a ride or dining.

It's tough to come up with a good theme for dining besides Mos Eisley Cantina. The only other dining establishment in the movies was Dex's Diner ad that was minor and forgetable. So, assuming they want more than one Star Wars eatery, you run into the problem -- do you just make a restaurant that is "themed" with Star Wars-pun type stuff or do you do something that looks like it is actually housed int he Star Wars universe. I think that the success of Potter and Cars Land shows us that the preferred option is to make something that feels like it is part of the world of the IP so that guests can feel like they are within that place. The popularity of BoG also speaks to this.

So my thought is that, yeah, Jabba's palace sounds like a great idea for a restaurant. Make it authentically look like the movie as much as possible. It would certainly go well in a larger theming of Tantooine, which could also include Mos Eisley cantina and would be a great setting for a Millenium Falcon walk through if they add that. I think that would be a better idea that making something like "Ewok Edibles" with Chief Chirpa Churros (I just made that up, so don't flip out and think that TDO is considering it).

So, my point is, if anyone from TDO or WDI is reading this: Make a Star Wars land that makes it feel like you are visitng the world of the movies. That's my concern about the possible X-Wing spinner -- I'm a huge advocate of all ages rides and think that DHS needs more stuff that is childen friendly, but anything that is built needs to fit into the environment. A spinner just sitting among a bunch of well themed buildings will potentially break up the theme, so I hope that any smaller child friendly rides enhanced the placemaking, not hurt it.

 

[bhg469]

Maybe they're using Bremen's simulator-coaster hybrid as a jumping off point:

Any vids of this ride system?

 

[OSUPhantom]

Any vids of this ride system?

I wish! Looks like it'd fit perfectly.

 

[taz0162]

Isn't that the ABC Commisary???

Yes but it would offer better food and maybe Wookie Cookies.

 

[OrderMuppet]

Death Star Themed Toilets????

No, no... sarlacc/Pit of Carkoon toilets.

 

[Vader2112]

No, no... sarlacc/Pit of Carkoon toilets.

Like it Carbon Freeze Unit Toilet? Hmm Ewok Tree House Toilets... A 5th gate of extravagantly themed restrooms!

 

[Marc Germany]

Any vids of this ride system?

It Looks great, but the Ride was boring! Think more of a kind of Barnstormer indoors and a Screen in Front of you, which simulates stars to make you feel riding faster. That "Space Park" in Bremen/Germany had to close very soon, because nobody liked it. Stargate and Star Trek Attractions couldn't help...

 

[El Grupo]

After listening to Hill's podcast, I didn't walk away with a speeder bike ride being just another Soarin'.

Also, I believe Articos mentioned that the AK attraction was far more than Soarin' as well. IIRC, this came in response to folks reviewing the next generation of this attraction that has been built in Canada and asking if this was the version planned for AK.

Further, my impression from what has been shared was that Disney is waiting for sign-off from Cameron on the latest iterations.

 

[twebber55]

After listening to Hill's podcast, I didn't walk away with a speeder bike ride being just another Soarin'.

Also, I believe Articos mentioned that the AK attraction was far more than Soarin' as well. IIRC, this came in response to folks reviewing the next generation of this attraction that has been built in Canada and asking if this was the version planned for AK.

Further, my impression from what has been shared was that Disney is waiting for sign-off from Cameron on the latest iterations.

i could be wrong on this but the E ticket is already in development and that cameron is now focused on avatar 2 and 3

 

[RSoxNo1]

Death Star Themed Toilets????
Seriously two restarant ideas. Of course Mos Esly Cantina. The other could be multithemed. Each dining room a differnet Star Wars environment. A Hoth Ice dining room, the Carbon Freeze Chamber, Courosant with screens on the wall to watch the traffic going by. Dex's Diner replaces 50's prime time. Although the average person might not recall this charecter.

It's a Crap!

 

[RSoxNo1]

Maybe they're using Bremen's simulator-coaster hybrid as a jumping off point:

Some sort of projection hybrid to make you feel like you're going faster than you actually are could be awesome.

 

[NoChesterHester]

After listening to Hill's podcast, I didn't walk away with a speeder bike ride being just another Soarin'.

Also, I believe Articos mentioned that the AK attraction was far more than Soarin' as well. IIRC, this came in response to folks reviewing the next generation of this attraction that has been built in Canada and asking if this was the version planned for AK.

Further, my impression from what has been shared was that Disney is waiting for sign-off from Cameron on the latest iterations.

It has almost become SOP on this board that any rumor that involves a simulator becomes "Soarin 2.0."