Star Wars themed land announced for Disneyland

[Kate F]

I don't even think I can put into words why I don't think Star Wars Land fits in DL, it just doesn't, plain and simple. I don't care how much money they make off of it, they should have enough common sense to know that it's going to feel incredibly out of place in Walt's original park. Also, it's not like they aren't making a ton of money off of the property currently.

Although, I do think it is a good point that Indy and Star Tours were probably met with unfavorable reactions when they were first announced. I also understand that time has changed and IP lands and rides are the thing. However, this still just doesn't sit right with me at all. I don't think anyone should need to explain it, it's just wrong and that's that.

 

[Travel Junkie]

Indy fits into Adventureland. A spaceport that just so happens to travel to Star War's destinations fits TL. The argument by some who didn't like that move is completely different than this one and it's a poor argument to try and use that as an example.

 

[MichWolv]

I don't even think I can put into words why I don't think Star Wars Land fits in DL, it just doesn't, plain and simple. I don't care how much money they make off of it, they should have enough common sense to know that it's going to feel incredibly out of place in Walt's original park. Also, it's not like they aren't making a ton of money off of the property currently.

Although, I do think it is a good point that Indy and Star Tours were probably met with unfavorable reactions when they were first announced. I also understand that time has changed and IP lands and rides are the thing. However, this still just doesn't sit right with me at all. I don't think anyone should need to explain it, it's just wrong and that's that.

You don't need to explain it. However, to paraphrase logicians..."That which is asserted without explanation can be dismissed without explanation."

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I don't fully agree with Indy and Star Tours being in the park, either. However, they were not entire lands. In the case of Indy, it feels very loosely connected with the film series and wouldn't require much tampering to become a generic action/adventure ride. I mean, Harrison Ford doesn't even portray the character.

 

[Californian Elitist]

What was so genius and even revolutionary about Disneyland as a theme park was the fact that the designated lands were based on concepts and "topics," and the respected attractions reflected them. The only exception to this would be Fantasyland. You take the topic of the future, a realistic one, and come up with attractions. You take the topic of 18th and 19th century American frontier, and build on that, and so on. It was genius at the time. Something like Star Wars Land, or any other land based on an IP doesn't fit with Disneyland's original concept. It just doesn't.

Taking a place from a film and replicating it in Disneyland is not impressive to me. There's no effort, no imagination, no originality... Disneyland's concepts for its original lands impress me much more. Aesthetically, Star Wars Land will be beautiful, but Disneyland is about more than just aesthetics.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

I guess it doesn't matter whether it fits or not since SW is going to be a massive and permanent addition to Disneyland. All the debating in the world isn't going to stop it from happening so we all might as well get used to the changes.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Comparing Indy and Star Tours to Star Wars Land is pointless.

Speaking of Star Tours, I wouldn't bat an eye if it were ever removed from Disneyland. Indy fits Adventureland more than Star Tours fits Tomorrowland.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

I'm blocking anyone who hates on the Disney Afternoon Avenue. That was the PINNACLE. The. PINNACLE.

 

[dweezil78]

New Orleans Square was conceived as part of Frontierland.

Themed entertainment being deemed inferior to cinema is not an evolution and should not be celebrated.

Totally respect your opinion. I just happen to think they can co-exist and intermingle, to me cinema and themed entertainment aren't mutually exclusive.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Totally respect your opinion. I just happen to think they can co-exist and intermingle, to me cinema and themed entertainment aren't mutually exclusive.

Except Disney is not interested in co-existence; themed entertainment has now long been deemed an inferior medium for stupid people.

 

[JediMasterMatt]

Other than what SWL will do to the attendance and the shortened length of the Rivers of America, most all my fears have been quelled. I'm still not 100% convinced we will see the Canoes survive (but, a conversation I had two nights ago gave me more hope that they will) and that both the Twain and Columbia will be able to be on route at the same time - we likely won't know that for sure until they are operational and can test load and unload (I've even heard that -gasp- they may not fill both as full if they do end up keeping them both running to speed this process up). When finished DL will be a better park for all that SWL has wrought. It's just going to be painful and ugly to get there.

- Great care was made into preserving the sightlines north from Frontierland and New Orleans Square as the new berm will hide all put the highest of peaks and the new greenery will eventually fill in the rest. It will be no more intrusive than the parking garage is today. SWL will be similar to Diagon Alley in Olando, hidden behind the façade; but, minus the dragon sticking out on top.
- Crowd flow patterns will be even better with Critter Country no longer being a dead end.
- Rivers of America will look better than ever with more activity along the shorter route. Plussed AAs and the water features and such.
- The train ride will be longer and have even better views along its path.
- New Fantasmic
- Two E tickets and one of those will be our chance to see what WDI can really do when they are given the budget.

The other great thing about SWL is that the move west will allow Toon Town to become what it should be - more Fantasyland. Only this time, the real estate will be able to be open the entire day, which will help the whole park.

Hang in there DLR fans. It will be worth it in the end.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Comparing Indy and Star Tours to Star Wars Land is pointless.

You're wrong Raven. The scale is different, but we're talking about two projects from the same franchise that fundamentally changed Disneyland. Star Tours was the first in a series of successful IP based attractions that invaded Tomorrowland which weren't produced by the Disney Studio and unrelated to Tomorrowland's original mission to be "a living blueprint of our future". Thus it could be argued that the successful integration of Star Wars into "Walt's park" decades ago paved the way for SW Land today.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Except Disney is not interested in co-existence; themed entertainment has now long been deemed an inferior medium for stupid people.

You continue to assert this viewpoint as if it's fact and I'm interested to know where you got this idea from. Can you kindly point to at least one reference to back this up this claim?

 

[Californian Elitist]

Other than what SWL will do to the attendance and the shortened length of the Rivers of America, most all my fears have been quelled. I'm still not 100% convinced we will see the Canoes survive (but, a conversation I had two nights ago gave me more hope that they will) and that both the Twain and Columbia will be able to be on route at the same time - we likely won't know that for sure until they are operational and can test load and unload (I've even heard that -gasp- they may not fill both as full if they do end up keeping them both running to speed this process up). When finished DL will be a better park for all that SWL has wrought. It's just going to be painful and ugly to get there.

- Great care was made into preserving the sightlines north from Frontierland and New Orleans Square as the new berm will hide all put the highest of peaks and the new greenery will eventually fill in the rest. It will be no more intrusive than the parking garage is today. SWL will be similar to Diagon Alley in Olando, hidden behind the façade; but, minus the dragon sticking out on top.
- Crowd flow patterns will be even better with Critter Country no longer being a dead end.
- Rivers of America will look better than ever with more activity along the shorter route. Plussed AAs and the water features and such.
- The train ride will be longer and have even better views along its path.
- New Fantasmic
- Two E tickets and one of those will be our chance to see what WDI can really do when they are given the budget.

The other great thing about SWL is that the move west will allow Toon Town to become what it should be - more Fantasyland. Only this time, the real estate will be able to be open the entire day, which will help the whole park.

Hang in there DLR fans. It will be worth it in the end.

We didn't need Star Wars Land for all the rumors you just listed.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Except Disney is not interested in co-existence...

EXACTLY.

 

[lazyboy97o]

You continue to assert this viewpoint as if it's fact and I'm interested to know where you got this idea from. Can you kindly point to at least one reference to back this up this claim?

The repeated statements that Disney will only build franchises would be a start.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

If I follow that logic, how does it translate to Disney thinks its customers are stupid and that the company views theme parks as an "inferior medium"?

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Worse than Holidayland? C'mon admit it, that concept and the execution stunk.

Actually, now that you mention it, Disney Afternoon Avenue wins the prize for the single worst idea ever at Disneyland, even if it was temporary.



Not only that, you can't carve 14 acres of space in DCA to put it.

Great photos! Cubby O'Brien grew up to play the drums for Karen and Richard Carpenter when they toured and sometimes on their recordings.

 

[JediMasterMatt]

We didn't need Star Wars Land for all the rumors you just listed.

SWL inside of Disneyland park isn't addressing a need other than it was going somewhere.

Back when it was being designed exclusive to Disneyland, it was going into the eastern plot occupied by some of Tomorrowland (lagoon, Autopia, and some of Tomorrowland proper), or it was going into Toon Town until ambition increased bit more, it was never going to go into DCA (not really discussed in earnest at any point along the way); but, in theory - it could have; but, then what to do with Marvel became a bigger problem. Going into a 3rd gate was and is always a possibility as by design SWL is leaving doors wide open for more SWL down the road. The Tomorrowland option under consideration would've limited those growth options. SW in the parks can grow in the future by design if/when they want as you are only visiting 1 location in the SW galaxy with this expansion.

The need to put SWL in Disneyland isn't addressing any specific needs for Disneyland other than satisfying the continued need to grow and evolve and satisfy its guests.

The need for Disney Parks is to get more Star Wars into the parks. It was going somewhere in California.

Of all the options (minus holding out for a 3rd gate), the current plan is being done in the least intrusive way possible. It leaves Tomorrowland intact (and it will allow it to stay Tomorrowland into the future), it allows Toon Town to be repurposed into more "true" Disney IP in an expanded Fantasyland, it keeps Marvel next door at DCA which is a better fit for everyone. SW is set in a more fantasy non-reality universe than Marvel and it's reality (the world of today) that should always be kept out of Disneyland proper. Yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy are welcome inside the berm - it says so right on the plaque.

Look, I wasn't pleased about where and what was happening either when I heard about the shift to the west and away from Toon Town. My friends that told me they weren't either at first. Once more information became available, the less and less concerned I've become. The only concerns I have now are about the canoes and both ships on route together and the millions of happy guests that will be waving their light sabers around for years to come and how all those extra bodies are going to fit.

It will be a good fit eventually. It's just a bumpy road to get there.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

SW is set in a more fantasy non-reality universe than Marvel and it's reality (the world of today) that should always be kept out of Disneyland proper.

There's also the chance that whatever Marvel franchises they build on could be presented in the context of the past. Captain America is from the 1940s, for example, and Iron Man first appeared in 1963.