Star Wars Land

[danlb_2000]

I figured I'd bring this thread up given all the recent talk about Star Wars.

I also wanted to pose a question in light of the fantastic execution of Diagon Alley: One of the strengths of Harry Potter as a theme park land is that the books take place in a discreet period of time with set characters and locations. That makes it easy to do a quality replication in a theme park by recreating those locations basically as though you are "in" the novel or movie.

Star Wars has an issue in that the movies are spread out over long periods and have many drastically different locations. Furthermore, the locations are not as detailed -- there's perhaps some specific architecture and ambiance you could use to replicate Tantooine or Endor or Naboo or Coruscant, but there is very few specifically locations (buildings/shops/restaurants) to copy and little that is beloved. Mos Eisley Cantina is the obvious one, but other established places are particularly iconic -- do people care about seeing the Jedi Temple or Senate chambers? I think a replica of the Ewok Village would work. A lot of the story takes place in space which is not exactly replicatable as a walk around area (I guess, but would love to see WDI try).

And do you do one planet/land? Do you have multiple environments? How do you transition between them -- like is there an explanation/transport or are they just next to each other?

And how does time work? Would you set the whole land in one timeframe (the OT?) or do you put things from different times but in the same environment together? Is the setting of the land that the Empire exists? or is it pre or post that era?

So, I think it would be tough to really create the type of immersive environment that you see with Harry Potter or even Cars Land. And I have this nagging feeling that no matter what WDI ends up doing, it will be unfairly criticized for not having that level of immersion, even though the source material doesn't lend itself to being done that way. I don't think you can step into scene x of the movie and have it connect to scene y next door chronologically.

Personally, I think they just need to do it MK-style and have different "mini-lands" -- Tatooine, Endor, etc. that have attractions that fit in that land, no matter what the time frame.

They could take a page from Uni and have two different lands linked by Star Tours. You would enter Star Tours from one land, and exit it into a different land. Obviously there would have to be a way to get from one land to the other without the ride, but I still think it would be a cool idea.

 

[jt04]

They could take a page from Uni and have two different lands linked by Star Tours. You would enter Star Tours from one land, and exit it into a different land. Obviously there would have to be a way to get from one land to the other without the ride, but I still think it would be a cool idea.

The Hogwarts Express comes to mind.

 

[Gomer]

I figured I'd bring this thread up given all the recent talk about Star Wars.

I also wanted to pose a question in light of the fantastic execution of Diagon Alley: One of the strengths of Harry Potter as a theme park land is that the books take place in a discreet period of time with set characters and locations. That makes it easy to do a quality replication in a theme park by recreating those locations basically as though you are "in" the novel or movie.

Star Wars has an issue in that the movies are spread out over long periods and have many drastically different locations. Furthermore, the locations are not as detailed -- there's perhaps some specific architecture and ambiance you could use to replicate Tantooine or Endor or Naboo or Coruscant, but there is very few specifically locations (buildings/shops/restaurants) to copy and little that is beloved. Mos Eisley Cantina is the obvious one, but other established places are particularly iconic -- do people care about seeing the Jedi Temple or Senate chambers? I think a replica of the Ewok Village would work. A lot of the story takes place in space which is not exactly replicatable as a walk around area (I guess, but would love to see WDI try).

And do you do one planet/land? Do you have multiple environments? How do you transition between them -- like is there an explanation/transport or are they just next to each other?

And how does time work? Would you set the whole land in one timeframe (the OT?) or do you put things from different times but in the same environment together? Is the setting of the land that the Empire exists? or is it pre or post that era?

So, I think it would be tough to really create the type of immersive environment that you see with Harry Potter or even Cars Land. And I have this nagging feeling that no matter what WDI ends up doing, it will be unfairly criticized for not having that level of immersion, even though the source material doesn't lend itself to being done that way. I don't think you can step into scene x of the movie and have it connect to scene y next door chronologically.

Personally, I think they just need to do it MK-style and have different "mini-lands" -- Tatooine, Endor, etc. that have attractions that fit in that land, no matter what the time frame.

It they stick with Tattoine theming they could easily fill a land with iconic landmarks between, the Lars homestead/generic moisture farm, the Jawa Sandcrawler, Mos Eisley Cantina, and Jabba’s palace. You could even throw in the pod racing arena and Mos Espa slave quarters if you wanted to go that route.

As far as timeline goes, I think they can mostly avoid this by being as generic as possible. Planets don’t change architecture that quickly. For all we know Naboo looks the same during Return of the Jedi as it did in Phantom menace so you could easily theme a Naboo area that takes place during the Original trilogy.

As far as transitions go, I don’t think too many people will think it’s a theme killer if there are 2 or 3 planetary themes as long as they don’t bleed into each other. If set up correctly, it could be as seamless as the transitions between WS countries. Although I do like the idea of the theme splitting at Star Tours if they could update the beginning and ending videos so that they always begin and end at the proper themed location.

 

[danlb_2000]

The Hogwarts Express comes to mind.

Yes, that is why I said "take a page from Uni".

 

[Prince-1]

Talking about Star Wars (this thread still is right??)...

Looks like JJ Abrams is set to only be directing Episode 7. It was announced today that Rian Johnson (Looper, Brick) is on board to write and direct the final two films in the new Star Wars trilogy.

Here is the link to the yahoo page:
https://movies.yahoo.com/news/star-wars-bombshell-rian-johnson-write-direct-next-181649426.html

I never saw Brick but I thought Looper was a smart and entertaining Sci-Fi movie. This looks promising!!

 

[Gomer]

Talking about Star Wars (this thread still is right??)...

Looks like JJ Abrams is set to only be directing Episode 7. It was announced today that Rian Johnson (Looper, Brick) is on board to write and direct the final two films in the new Star Wars trilogy.

Here is the link to the yahoo page:
https://movies.yahoo.com/news/star-wars-bombshell-rian-johnson-write-direct-next-181649426.html

I never saw Brick but I thought Looper was a smart Sci-Fi movie. This looks promising!!

Disney and Lucasfilm keep topping themselves with these director hires on the SW movies in my opinion. I was thrilled with JJ. Psyched for Edwards. Even happier with Trank. And I'm over the moon with Rian Johnson.

Johnson, in addition to Looper, directed some of the best episodes of Breaking Bad including quite possibly the best episode of the series, last year's Ozymandias.

 

[GoofGoof]

It they stick with Tattoine theming they could easily fill a land with iconic landmarks between, the Lars homestead/generic moisture farm, the Jawa Sandcrawler, Mos Eisley Cantina, and Jabba’s palace. You could even throw in the pod racing arena and Mos Espa slave quarters if you wanted to go that route.

As far as timeline goes, I think they can mostly avoid this by being as generic as possible. Planets don’t change architecture that quickly. For all we know Naboo looks the same during Return of the Jedi as it did in Phantom menace so you could easily theme a Naboo area that takes place during the Original trilogy.

As far as transitions go, I don’t think too many people will think it’s a theme killer if there are 2 or 3 planetary themes as long as they don’t bleed into each other. If set up correctly, it could be as seamless as the transitions between WS countries. Although I do like the idea of the theme splitting at Star Tours if they could update the beginning and ending videos so that they always begin and end at the proper themed location.

I think there's enough material on Tattoine to fill a whole land. At a minimum they need to have Mos Eisley Spaceport and the Cantina. I think that's a perfect spot for the Milenium Flacon as either a walk through and meet and greet or the start of a queue for the dark ride. If you went up the ramp and around the inside even a little it would be hugely popular. If not they at least need the Falcon as a prop as well as the Sand Crawler and Jabba's sail barge. Jabba's palace could be a restaurant and gift shop and house some meet and greets. I think they should have a freeze yourself in carbonite offering. Some sort of contraption you step into and it scans you and prints out a miniature version of yourself frozen in carbonite. No way you would get a life size version through airport security. They could also have replicas of the pod racers, Darth Maul's ship, the queen's ship, Luke's speeder. The list goes on. I think they should keep the focus on 1 planet and Tatoine is it.

They should have a slower moving dark ride that maybe spans some of the different planets in the Star Wars Universe. I'm thinking Great Movie Ride meets Transformers/Spider-Man with highlights from all of the movies. I'm Ok with some screens as long as there are physical sets and AAs too. The other ride could be some sort of coaster (speeder bike, dueling coasters idea).

 

[Gomer]

I think there's enough material on Tattoine to fill a whole land. At a minimum they need to have Mos Eisley Spaceport and the Cantina. I think that's a perfect spot for the Milenium Flacon as either a walk through and meet and greet or the start of a queue for the dark ride. If you went up the ramp and around the inside even a little it would be hugely popular. If not they at least need the Falcon as a prop as well as the Sand Crawler and Jabba's sail barge. Jabba's palace could be a restaurant and gift shop and house some meet and greets. I think they should have a freeze yourself in carbonite offering. Some sort of contraption you step into and it scans you and prints out a miniature version of yourself frozen in carbonite. No way you would get a life size version through airport security. They could also have replicas of the pod racers, Darth Maul's ship, the queen's ship, Luke's speeder. The list goes on. I think they should keep the focus on 1 planet and Tatoine is it.

They should have a slower moving dark ride that maybe spans some of the different planets in the Star Wars Universe. I'm thinking Great Movie Ride meets Transformers/Spider-Man with highlights from all of the movies. I'm Ok with some screens as long as there are physical sets and AAs too. The other ride could be some sort of coaster (speeder bike, dueling coasters idea).

Yeah, the more I think about this the more I think Mos Eisley is the way to go. If done extensively and properly it has the iconography to rival what was done with Potter. With the cantina on one side and Jabba’s palace (even if it’s just a façade) on the other. Maybe an animatronic Bantha tied off outside the cantina. Some storm trooper patrols and wandering Alien M&G (I don’t usually go for meet and greets but I’d line up to get a picture with Hammerhead). Falcon and Sandcrawlers could be walk-throughs or queues for the rides. And then you re-theme the line of Star Tours a bit so it looks like Star Tours took over one of the Mos Esiley hangar bays for their Tattoine branch.

Could work.

 

[LithiumBill]

Going the route of a space port like Mos Eisley would be the smart bet, that way you could have the town aspect. Thinking of outdoor Star wars locations the ones that stand out are Mos Eisley, Endor, Dagobah, and maybe Hoth.

This is tricky, trying to figure out a way to map something out like Diagon Alley is hard - Potter is Real-World based and has significant outdoor elements to pull from. Star Wars is ship / space based, with more interiors to draw from than locations.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yeah, the more I think about this the more I think Mos Eisley is the way to go. If done extensively and properly it has the iconography to rival what was done with Potter. With the cantina on one side and Jabba’s palace (even if it’s just a façade) on the other. Maybe an animatronic Bantha tied off outside the cantina. Some storm trooper patrols and wandering Alien M&G (I don’t usually go for meet and greets but I’d line up to get a picture with Hammerhead). Falcon and Sandcrawlers could be walk-throughs or queues for the rides. And then you re-theme the line of Star Tours a bit so it looks like Star Tours took over one of the Mos Esiley hangar bays for their Tattoine branch.

Could work.

Isn't Jabba's Palace out in the middle of nowhere? To me the big problem with Tattooine is that it is a rural planet. Lots of scenes of sand and going across sand and more sand.

 

[Gomer]

Isn't Jabba's Palace out in the middle of nowhere? To me the big problem with Tattooine is that it is a rural planet. Lots of scenes of sand and going across sand and more sand.

That's why I was thinking a facade made to look like its in the distance. Like the Eiffel Tower in WS. So, the walkable propery is in the bustling spaceport, but you have some nice architecture to look at as well. I'm sure its not geographically correct to Tattoine, but some suspension of disbelief would be necesarry.

 

[lazyboy97o]

That's why I was thinking a facade made to look like its in the distance. Like the Eiffel Tower in WS. So, the walkable propery is in the bustling spaceport, but you have some nice architecture to look at as well. I'm sure its not geographically correct to Tattoine, but some suspension of disbelief would be necesarry.

But isn't the new standard set by the Wizarding World of Harry Potter not having to further suspend disbelief with known fictional places? They didn't even put the two lands next to each other because they're not adjacent.

 

[Unplugged]

One would think TDO would love a Tattooine theme. They have ample sand in FL, a few natural sink holes to emulate a Sarlacc, it's hot as all get up for a few months out of the year, and could cheaply convert old parking lots simply by raking the sand over them. This could be promising!


<Joking in a sarcastic way of course. I too want a well themed land and look forward to whatever they can deliver.>

 

[FutureCEO]

off topic but I hate hate hate hate hate how the media is like there are now two Harry Potter parks at Universal.

It's a land within a park. No wonder why newspapers going downhill.

ok back on topic

 

[Gomer]

But isn't the new standard set by the Wizarding World of Harry Potter not having to further suspend disbelief with known fictional places? They didn't even put the two lands next to each other because they're not adjacent.

It is a standard. I'm not sure if it has to be the standard. I think the creative requirements of a project are determined by the circumstances in which it exists.

That being said, and correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not sure HP is a perfect and literal representation. Don't they have Hogwarts castle right next to Hogsmeade when the movies dictate they should be a couple miles apart? I'd think that would be about the same as moving Jabba's palace from the desert to the outskirts of Mos Eisley.

But, even if you want to do a purely literal interpretation, I still think Mos Esiley could work without Jabba's Palace. The Cantina, the hangar bay, a massive Sand Crawler and a docked spaceship would still be some equally elaborate theming and could be taken as a near literal representation of the "crane shot" of Mos Eisley as Luke's speeder approaches in the Ep IV special edition. ( I say near literal, because I think adding a parked Sandcrawler to one side and moving the docked space ship a bit on the other could "block off" the desert to solve the problem of why does this place just end instead of going off into miles and miles of barren desert.

 

[GoofGoof]

Isn't Jabba's Palace out in the middle of nowhere? To me the big problem with Tattooine is that it is a rural planet. Lots of scenes of sand and going across sand and more sand.

Tattoine is the most well known of the Star Wars locations (other than maybe space itself). It's part of all but Empire of the original 6 movies and is strongly rumored to be part of the new movie. Most of the major characters from the movie appeared on the planet. It's really a solid choice for a theme park area. It would be pretty easy to build a very detailed Mos Eisley Spaceport and get creative with some of the other locations if they choose. I'm not sure if the physical location is a road block. Hogwarts was a long train ride through the wilderness in the books and movies but Universal pulled off the castle anyway.

Here's some other reasons it's a no brainer. Sand is cheap. Good for TDO when maintaining the place. They could also hire "little people" to dress up as jawas and roam the land. Have you ever been anywhere with midgets performing that didn't bring a smile to your face?

 

[GoofGoof]

I don't usually like to break inside information on the Internet, but in this case I think it's worth the risk. There are 2 sets of secret plans for Star Wars land currently being debated. Here are some spy pictures of the secret models being discussed:

Option #1 Tatoine:

SW #1

SW #2

SW #4

The other option is Hoth:

Hoth #2

Hoth #1

Many Bothans died to bring us this information.

 

[GoofGoof]

Bonus points for anyone who knows where the pictures really came from.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Bonus points for anyone who knows where the pictures really came from.

Legoland Florida?

 

[GoofGoof]

Legoland Florida?

That didn't take long. By the way if you needed any more proof that Star Wars would be wildly successful I had to drag my kids away from gawking at the Star Wars miniatures at Legoland to ride actual rides.