Star Wars themed land announced for Disneyland

[BrianLo]

Absolutely. The single IP aspect doesn't bother me much; it's inevitable at this point. I'm glad the plans were altered to preserve most of the river and the Fantasyland Theater (which was NOT the original plan). At this point it's having as little impact as possible on the existing portions of the park, and Disney should be commended for making those changes.

Operationally, Disneyland can't handle this. It will add capacity sure, but not enough to withstand demand. The park will be overwhelmed and I imagine capacity closures will happen regularly for awhile when the land is new. DCA will suffer even more and become more of a ghost town.

If you really want to have fun this week, head to DCA before WOC comes back. With WOC down, the park reverts back to its previous state of absolute deadness after sundown. That park needs more than Cars Land to start pulling its weight and SWL is just going to aggravate an already woefully unbalanced situation. DL bursts at the seams while wide open space at DCA goes empty.

I really, truly wish Star Wars actually made fantastic thematic sense to go into DCA, because it would finally balance the scales and force Disney towards realizing it's time for a third gate.

The only slight hiccup would again be DL letting another decade slip by without a major new E-ticket and a ruinous tomorrowland. Despite the original plan being to address both of those problems, I'm glad they've actually made a large and ambitious enough land to be a proper entree that people have been demanding of Star Wars.

Marvel has the power to at least prevent the scale from going back to a pre-DCA 2.0 like state - but I'm worried it is neither quite enough or soon enough with what the current chatter has been.

 

[flynnibus]

It's both. They designed it that way because it was practical and the park is laid out so it flows seamlessly from land to land.

Splash wasn't always next to HM, but from the day Splash was built it felt like it was always there. That was designed that way on purpose. Baxter has been quoted as saying part of the design was to blend in with HM even though it seems at first like they would conflict with each other.

Of course they do their work to try to make things transition at the ground level between adjacent areas.. but you specifically mentioned things like seeing other elements from different regions of the park. There is no conscious design integration to make the matterhorn look right from adventureland... etc. They dealt with practicalities to obscure things where they felt necessary. Some.. they just rolled with it. Like the Matterhorn, like all the problems the Monorail presented, like the skyway, etc etc.

The Walt era Disneyland did not demand 100% coverage of all issues nor were all things integrated. Many things they just made the best of what they had and worked with it the best they could (like the power lines).

 

[mickEblu]

Absolutely. The single IP aspect doesn't bother me much; it's inevitable at this point. I'm glad the plans were altered to preserve most of the river and the Fantasyland Theater (which was NOT the original plan). At this point it's having as little impact as possible on the existing portions of the park, and Disney should be commended for making those changes.

Operationally, Disneyland can't handle this. It will add capacity sure, but not enough to withstand demand. The park will be overwhelmed and I imagine capacity closures will happen regularly for awhile when the land is new. DCA will suffer even more and become more of a ghost town.

If you really want to have fun this week, head to DCA before WOC comes back. With WOC down, the park reverts back to its previous state of absolute deadness after sundown. That park needs more than Cars Land to start pulling its weight and SWL is just going to aggravate an already woefully unbalanced situation. DL bursts at the seams while wide open space at DCA goes empty.

All great points. I'm not sure why the Simba lot was never looked at. It must be because a new hotel really is going to be built there. I get that Tomorrowland wasn't ambitious enough but the Simba lot could have worked.

 

[Travel Junkie]

1. How does Star Wars rock work fit with Frontierland?
2. The Haunted Mansion looks like a southern plantation which works greatly as a transition to Splash Mountain.

1. rock work fits in with Frontierland as long as it doesn't have an X-wing sitting on top. We don't know if and how much will be seen anyway. It's speculation. MiceChat said they were sinking the land down so the new berm may block any intrusion.
2. exactly which is why the transition works

The point is Star Wars land represents a drastic departure from how the other lands interact with each other. It is purposeful and my thinking is that part of the reason is that the designers realize it doesn't fit physically, philosophically, and stylistically with the rest of the park so the best alternative is to separate it.

 

[mickEblu]

I really, truly wish Star Wars actually made fantastic thematic sense to go into DCA, because it would finally balance the scales and force Disney towards realizing it's time for a third gate.

The only slight hiccup would again be DL letting another decade slip by without a major new E-ticket and a ruinous tomorrowland. Despite the original plan being to address both of those problems, I'm glad they've actually made a large and ambitious enough land to be a proper entree that people have been demanding of Star Wars.

Marvel has the power to at least prevent the scale from going back to a pre-DCA 2.0 like state - but I'm worried it is neither quite enough or soon enough with what the current chatter has been.

I think Star Wars would have worked just fine in DCA considering some of the recent additions to the park. Also I don't think Disneyland proper not having anything new to be an issue as I consider DCA and Downtown Disney an extension of Disneyland. Especially when considering their proximity and the fact that most guests and all APs have the ability to park hop.

 

[Pam Hates Penguins]

I think Star Wars would have worked just fine in DCA considering some of the recent additions to the park. Also I don't think Disneyland proper not having anything new to be an issue as I consider DCA and Downtown Disney an extension of Disneyland. Especially when considering their proximity and the fact that most guests and all APs have the ability to park hop.

Where could have it gone in DCA?

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Thank you, no I don't think it would be reasonable to expect Disneyland to be exempt from this practice nor am I upset that they are acquiring IPs like Star Wars so long as they keep the tradition of original or at least Disney style animated feature films going. Which they have, Pixar included. I consider Pixar and Disney to be one in the same. I do miss the old school beautful animation from Snow White through the 50s though.

Going back to the topic of the park, I think the ideal situation for Star Wars would have been a third gate. But considering that this is a business I think they are doing a nice job of respecting the classic aspects of the park while still trying to keep it fresh and capitalizing on their acquisitions.

With that said I dont want to see SWL start a trend in DL. NOS turns into Pirates land, Tomrrowland into Tron land. Adventureland into Indiana Jones land etc. It would just be too limiting and repetitive which is my biggest issue with SWL. However, it gets a pass because it's taking over mostly backstage area outside of the berm and it seems they are taking great care in preserving and dare I say enhancing the ROA/ DLRR.

Exactly, the trend this may start would be even worse than the land itself.

 

[mickEblu]

Where could have it gone in DCA?

Well not DCA proper but with a little faith, trust and pixie dust... The Simba lot

 

[Travel Junkie]

Of course they do their work to try to make things transition at the ground level between adjacent areas.. but you specifically mentioned things like seeing other elements from different regions of the park. There is no conscious design integration to make the matterhorn look right from adventureland... etc. They dealt with practicalities to obscure things where they felt necessary. Some.. they just rolled with it. Like the Matterhorn, like all the problems the Monorail presented, like the skyway, etc etc.

The Walt era Disneyland did not demand 100% coverage of all issues nor were all things integrated. Many things they just made the best of what they had and worked with it the best they could (like the power lines).

Unless you are up in the Treehouse can you see the Matterhorn from Adventureland? Matterhorn was designed to compliment the castle and Fantasyland.

Regardless of how it got there, Disneyland holds a fairly consistent flow from one land to another. Star Wars land is a departure from tradition. It will be a very noticeable difference. NO Sq looks like it has been there from day one. Splash looks like it has always been there. Even Fantasy Faire fits in. Star Wars land will stick out as not fitting with the rest of the park like the other additions the park has had.

I recently went to Eftling a park older than Disneyland. It is very hard to tell attractions that were built in the 50's from modern ones. Even the modern dive coaster that just opened fits the aesthetic of the park. From all that we know about Star Wars land it doesn't appear Disneyland will have that same cohesiveness.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

It looks like it'd fit in better at a park like Tokyo DisneySea

 

[Pam Hates Penguins]

Well not DCA proper but with a little faith, trust and pixie dust... The Simba lot

They're putting a parking structure in the Pumbaa Lot. Right?

 

[flynnibus]

Unless you are up in the Treehouse can you see the Matterhorn from Adventureland? Matterhorn was designed to compliment the castle and Fantasyland.

The matternhorn is RIGHT NEXT TO IT.. I sure hope they considered one vs the other.. *rolleyes*

I've not said they didn't take other areas into account - I've said they've punted on many problems as just practical and guests have accepted it because its all they've ever known.

Adventureland was taken as just a generic placeholder... take your pick of sightlines in the park.

Regardless of how it got there, Disneyland holds a fairly consistent flow from one land to another. Star Wars land is a departure from tradition. It will be a very noticeable difference. NO Sq looks like it has been there from day one. Splash looks like it has always been there. Even Fantasy Faire fits in. Star Wars land will stick out as not fitting with the rest of the park like the other additions the park has had.

IMO - this is more 'its how we've always known it' kicking in. NOS is rather confusingly done.. as is the whole Bear Country.. and the 'funnel' between adventureland and NOS/Frontierland.

There is nothing yet to support your premise that SW will somehow 'not fit' compared to these other examples. We have what.. two pieces of art that show nothing about the land will be approached or really the transitions or boundaries of it. A visual of a screened ROA setting really doesn't tell us anything about how the SW views will be experienced.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Yes, because Disneyland Park has been exempt from most other un-Walt like decision making.

How? In what way? Frankly I don't see it. DL seems very much in line with the overall strategy for Disney's global theme park operations.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Exactly, the trend this may start would be even worse than the land itself.

Too late. The precedent was set years ago.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Yes, because Disneyland Park has been exempt from most other un-Walt like decision making.

Can you describe "un Walt like" and how SW fits?

 

[RandomPrincess]

Honestly, if you're one of those Nightmare Before Christmas people, wear bad Disney Star Wars clothing or cheer when Let it Go come on during the fireworks, I hate you. Deal with it.

I guess we can't be friends. I like all those things! Although I don't cheer at Let it Go but I do tend to cry. I don't know why but it's one of those songs that gets me almost every time.

 

[RandomPrincess]

I'm not going to debate if is belongs in Disneyland or not. No one is going to change anyone's mind on that. Looking at the art I see Leia, BB8, R2D2 and C3PO. They are just as much a part of my childhood as any Disney character and many people feel that way. I fully expect to have an emotional reaction the first time I enter the Star Wars land. I can't wait to see my kids excited faces. That is the happiness I see in that picture.

 

[Curious Constance]

There's no real conversation to be had, the sooner people come to that conclusion the sooner the pages and pages of back and forth (that will continue for the next 3 years) can be quelched.

Star Wars is interesting because inherently it appeals to a bit of a different demographic than the average DL fan. Not to generalize, because there are obviously many, many exceptions. Star Wars is going to appeal most strongly to pre-teen/teen boys and their fathers in their 4th or 5th decade of life who grew up with the films. There is not a doubt in my mind there will be full-grown men sobbing when they enter that land - and that's pretty much 'happiness' right there.

That is not Disneyland's strongest Demo. Disneyland appeals to the nostalgia laden, American pride, toddlers and princesses, the families, it's thrill seekers top out around 10-12 years of age.

Star Wars is inherently a bit different than what has come before it. That's what people mean when they say it does not feel "Disney", because it does not appeal to their concept of what Disney is in their worldview. Unfortunately, the demo that it does not appeal to is one of Disney's loudest. They simply don't like it, they are upset that Disney is spending so much time, money, real-estate on a property that is not 'for them'. That's a totally fair, reasonable reaction. There is no point bickering about it though, what's done is done. A lot of the other points are just noise to try and make a splashy point, when much of it can simply be filtered out by people who like or dislike Star Wars.


The hand-wringing has already started to cool over ROA since we in recent weeks gained perspective.

This happens every time the demo strays from what people want or expect in a Disney park. The two worst reactions in recent memory were to Cars and Avatar. Star Wars is actually in all context a lot more accepted than either of those two proposals and that's basically all the writing on the wall we need.

The only valid points that weren't either apocalyptic projections, fuelled by distaste of Star Wars or people's desire for it to be in a 3rd gate (Yes, we all want that. No, it's not a realistic plan) were made by @GiveMeTheMusic. Disney is unloading their absolutely biggest Potter-like Gun on a park that has no trouble attracting guests, and many would say is already attracting too many. The amount of space they are creating for it is admirable and DL is expanding in a meaningful way. The way they are going about it was shocking, but actually appears to have made a lot of acreage with very little impact to legacy DL.

But, DL infrastructure has already surpassed the breaking point. There's a chance this land finally breaks it. That's the only short-sighted thing I can really identify.

*clapping*

 

[Curious Constance]

I guess we can't be friends. I like all those things! Although I don't cheer at Let it Go but I do tend to cry. I don't know why but it's one of those songs that gets me almost every time.

Maybe we can be friends then because I love Nightmare Before Christmas, I'm pretty sure bad Star Wars clothing doesn't exist, and might get just a BIT misty during Let it Go.

 

[Curious Constance]

I'm not going to debate if is belongs in Disneyland or not. No one is going to change anyone's mind on that. Looking at the art I see Leia, BB8, R2D2 and C3PO. They are just as much a part of my childhood as any Disney character and many people feel that way. I fully expect to have an emotional reaction the first time I enter the Star Wars land. I can't wait to see my kids excited faces. That is the happiness I see in that picture.

Some one gets it!!!!! Me and my son are going to squeal like no one's business when we step foot in there for the first time!!!