I think the whole point of Star Wars land is to make an immersive land competitive with Harry Potter.
I look at Disney's recent game differently than you do. I see a beautiful DCA re-do and an amazingly themed Carsland, a wonderfully themed New Fantasyland (while short on draw attractions, there's no doubting it's excellent theming), and official plans and semi-coherent details to create an incredibly immersive and technologically challenging Pandora recreation for Avatarland. This is a positive sign that the ' recent Universal quality' pressure is working.
Well, I don't think - unless you have some insider knowledge that we don't, because every expert I know says it's all up in the air - that we know what the "point" of Star Wars land will be. We don't even know exactly where it will be inside the park or what it would cover. We can make educated guesses - but again, since apparently Disney hasn't even decided yet, it's all still speculation.
That said, I don't disagree that on the west coast, Disney has seen some great stuff. They get little updates all the time to things. Their rides are better kept and simply get more attention. That's why they get my dollars most of the time these days.
That's totally separate than WDW. They are run by different folks, separate budgets, etc. The place where we get an E-ticket once or twice a decade (and even they are often chopped up - Everest). The place where prices and restrictions on how you visit are rising to epic levels, but so little of note has been added and what has been added has been lackluster. And certainly nothing ambitious. So two different beasts, none of my comments are about California, it's all about Florida and how it's been nickel and dimed into the ground.
Nothing from Avatar-land or a possible Star Wars land is going to open for at least three years. When they do have a project, like New Fantasyland (which I believe was needed and a good thing), they take five years to build things when Universal goes from groundbreaking to opening day in a year on attractions and does them with quality.
New Fantasyland was sorely needed - I was a defender of it, even though it took my favorite ride (SWSA - my solace is that the superior version still runs in Disneyland). We had the last place Fantasyland before - it was pathetic. There was nothing to it but a few tin roof rides. I didn't realize this until I went to Disneyland for the first time, then started to look at Fantasylands around the world - we were dead last at the flagship themepark. It desperately needed depth and placemaking. However, it being a construction zone for half a decade to add a restaurant, two new D-tickets, and landscaping was ridiculous. All for financial reasons, not because it was just really hard to do that rockwork.
I'll be optimistic when we have concrete plans and stuff starts going vertical. Until then, as I said, for all we know Star Wars land could be an overpriced restaurant, a Millenium Falcon replica - with a pin stand under it, and a spinner ride with some cheesy gimmick. Do I hope for more? Do I pray for more? Of course. But judging at how Disney is already dragging their feet on it (supposedly waiting to see about Episode VII reaction - when all signs point that it's going to be the film of the decade). And Avatar land - well, someday, when they finish it, as it's still years away - let's hope in spite of picking a turd of a license they come up with some great attractions. I'm more excited about the rumored boat ride than the rumored Soarin 2.0 - but, I guess, at least hopefully the park will finally be open past 5 or 6PM so our tickets have a bit more value (by the hour, AK is the most expensive park - but it offers the least).
I'm reminded of a Carrie Fisher-ism - she defines herself as an "enthusiastic agnostic". That's how I feel here - I can't believe in it because I can't see any clear evidence of it but I would welcome it if it can somehow be proven to me, which, again, will be when stuff starts to go vertical and we aren't waiting until 2020 for it all to open.
Recent developments haven't done much to further any hope - while I am just fine with Frozen going into where it is, and I'm fine with a small ride personally (I like C/D ticket dark rides, we need more of them - though it's a shame we keep trading them 1:1 like we did with SWSA), it certainly doesn't raise hopes that they are putting in a permanent ride based on a film that between grosses and home video and re-releases and album sales and all the assorted merchandising is going to net them a couple billion eventually, that they are doing a 70M refurb vs. building an E-ticket attraction.
