DHS What should they do with Animation Courtyard?

[JSchnitz]

Tatooine is no more compelling than Batuu. It’s basically just Batuu with more sand and fewer trees. In no universe should they build both next to each other. Just abandon the timeline and move in some of the characters people want, or legitimately commit to the timeline and bring in the originally promised entertainment necessary to actually make that pay off.

I mean, I don’t disagree with what you’re saying. I’m using Tatooine as it’s the host of Jabba’s Palace, the Rancor Pit, the Sarlacc Pit,Mos Eisley, Jawas, Tusken Raiders, etc. I feel this timeline is what people really wanted out of a Star Wars Land.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Tatooine is no more compelling than Batuu. It’s basically just Batuu with more sand and fewer trees. In no universe should they build both next to each other. Just abandon the timeline and move in some of the characters people want, or legitimately commit to the timeline and bring in the originally promised entertainment necessary to actually make that pay off.

They've done some "Classic characters go to Batuu" stories already, biggest one I can think is a Thrawn and Vader novel that places their first meeting on Batuu during the Clone Wars while he was still Anakin and having to go back there again during the Imperial era. Just do a "Tales from Galaxy's Edge" anthology show adapting some of that and make some new ones and just lean on a "This old place has seen a lot of legendary figures over the years" angle in the land itself.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

I mean, I don’t disagree with what you’re saying. I’m using Tatooine as it’s the host of Jabba’s Palace, the Rancor Pit, the Sarlacc Pit,Mos Eisley, Jawas, Tusken Raiders, etc. I feel this timeline is what people really wanted out of a Star Wars Land.

Idk I don’t think people are fighting over the 2 Pits and Mos Eisley wouldn’t be that different to what we already have. Seems like a colossal waste of money and space when it could just be added to the existing land

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

Since we're taking about Star Tours... there's a connection between it and the Animation Courtyard refresh:

Animation Couryard:

1. It used to be more clearly themed as "studio" buildings.
2. Then the "studio" theming was reduced (e.g., "stage [#]" signs removed).
3. As a result, now it just looks like an un-themed area.
4. In the interim before a complete redo, the studio theming is now being added back in ("Studio Theater," possible soundstage sign based on the concept art, Animation building...), making it a more thematically cohesive space.

Star Tours:

1. The facades used to be more clearly themed as a "movie set."
2. Then the "movie set" theming was reduced (e.g., the "hot set" sign was removed).
3. As a result, now the facade just looks cheap and half-finished (people in the queue literally say things like "Disney didn't think we'd look behind us [at the back of the AT-AT]?").
4. In the interim before any potential complete redo, some "movie set" theming should be added back in (e.g., a "hot set" sign, a "stage [#]" sign, a crane with a "camera" or "lighting rig"), making it once again thematically cohesive.

I hope what's happening at Animation Courtyard is a good sign for the Star Tours facades in this regard...

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

They've done some "Classic characters go to Batuu" stories already, biggest one I can think is a Thrawn and Vader novel that places their first meeting on Batuu during the Clone Wars while he was still Anakin and having to go back there again during the Imperial era. Just do a "Tales from Galaxy's Edge" anthology show adapting some of that and make some new ones and just lean on a "This old place has seen a lot of legendary figures over the years" angle in the land itself.

I mean isn't flow walking a thing that could explain it if they really wanted to? Just say oops you guests are flow walkers, here's Darth Vader or something similar in nature to that.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Idk I don’t think people are fighting over the 2 Pits and Mos Eisley wouldn’t be that different to what we already have. Seems like a colossal waste of money and space when it could just be added to the existing land

Especially when a walkthrough creature zoo attraction with an animatronic rancor was actually pitched for Batuu.

 

[Agent H]

MuppetVision was very dated though.

I loved it, but I don’t really feel 3D shows have a shelf life past a couple decades to most guests, if we’re being real.

I personally disagree. I don’t view 3d shows as inherently dated. Shows like Phillarmagic and muppet vision definitely have a place in the parks.

 

[The Underminer]

I personally disagree. I don’t view 3d shows as inherently dated. Shows like Phillarmagic and muppet vision definitely have a place in the parks:

I mean just that they inherently become dated. You need to replace films more than rides.

 

[Horizons '83]

On the topic of films/shows, I really wish the Main Street Theatre in MK wasn't scrapped. The capacity it would have created would have done wonders for the park.

 

[JSchnitz]

On the topic of films/shows, I really wish the Main Street Theatre in MK wasn't scrapped. The capacity it would have created would have done wonders for the park.

The theatre and Mary Poppins in EPCOT would have been great additions to the parks, in my opinion.

 

[Grantwil93]

They've done some "Classic characters go to Batuu" stories already, biggest one I can think is a Thrawn and Vader novel that places their first meeting on Batuu during the Clone Wars while he was still Anakin and having to go back there again during the Imperial era. Just do a "Tales from Galaxy's Edge" anthology show adapting some of that and make some new ones and just lean on a "This old place has seen a lot of legendary figures over the years" angle in the land itself.

The timeline is already broken with Mandolorian.

The reality is you have higher ups(at the park ops level) who refuse to adapt unless forced. You would be shocked how much resistance there is from some to break the timeline.

There is nothing in the entire land outside of the rides themselves that tie it to 1 era besides Kylo's ship, the satellite dish on the falcon, and the first order banners. Its a fairly easy adjustment. Its just getting everyone to agree to it.

 

[FigmentJedi]

I mean just that they inherently become dated. You need to replace films more than rides.

As a puppetry driven film, it aged much more gracefully then either Philharmagic or Tough to be a Bug. I'm shocked that the Coco addition to Philharmagic didn't become a bigger project to reanimate the whole thing, it's so jarring to see an early 2000s CG character interacting with a modern Pixar film.

 

[PizzaPlanet]

Since we're taking about Star Tours... there's a connection between it and the Animation Courtyard refresh:

Animation Couryard:

1. It used to be more clearly themed as "studio" buildings.
2. Then the "studio" theming was reduced (e.g., "stage [#]" signs removed).
3. As a result, now it just looks like an un-themed area.
4. In the interim before a complete redo, the studio theming is now being added back in ("Studio Theater," possible soundstage sign based on the concept art, Animation building...), making it a more thematically cohesive space.

Star Tours:

1. The facades used to be more clearly themed as a "movie set."
2. Then the "movie set" theming was reduced (e.g., the "hot set" sign was removed).
3. As a result, now the facade just looks cheap and half-finished (people in the queue literally say things like "Disney didn't think we'd look behind us [at the back of the AT-AT]?").
4. In the interim before any potential complete redo, some "movie set" theming should be added back in (e.g., a "hot set" sign, a "stage [#]" sign, a crane with a "camera" or "lighting rig"), making it once again thematically cohesive.

I hope what's happening at Animation Courtyard is a good sign for the Star Tours facades in this regard...

Th studio theming can definitely still be charming if done well. Like the Muppets Courtyard before they removed props and painted everything gray

 

[HMF]

The reality is you have higher ups(at the park ops level) who refuse to adapt unless forced. You would be shocked how much resistance there is from some to break the timeline.

Well, the fact that they set it during the Sequel era, which is the least popular era in Star Wars was a bad move in my book.

 

[Agent H]

I mean just that they inherently become dated. You need to replace films more than rides.

Speaking specifically about muppet vision I don’t think it got dated naturally nor do I think it would have. But even if those things are true why is it a bad thing? In my opinion the attraction already relies on nostalgia a lot anyway due to the fact that it’s the last thing Jim Henson worked on and the fact that it’s from the heyday of the muppets and while I don’t dislike the muppet projects they make these days it’s age does contribute to the charm.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

In a theme park that sells the idea of immersion through single IP lands or IP clustered together, the corner of the park with an Indiana Jones stunt show, a fake backlot restaurant and a Star Wars ride not in Star Wars Land is probably the biggest relic of the original park's design intent besides the Hollywood and Sunset facades.

I get that both provide the kind of slack capacity the park sorely lacks, but I think we can all agree something more could be done to visually tie the area together better, or at least make the parts more self contained.

At Disneyland in California, Star Tours is on the other side of the park in a building that more subtly blends in with the rest of Tomorrowland. At DHS, you have a very obvious Star Wars area a few hundred feet away from the entrance to the "real" Star Wars land that's designed to be hidden from the rest of the park and keep the rest of the park out.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Money no object? I'd move Star Tours to Galaxy's Edge as others have suggested, build an Indiana Jones boat ride where Star Tours is now and replace the Backlot restaurant with something more like the Explorer's Restaurant at DLP.

The stunt show would stay. Maybe throw in a better version of Raging Spirits too, not because it's great, but because people seem to like it and it would be one more thing to do. Or something like The Boneyard, as an archeological dig.

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

At Disneyland in California, Star Tours is on the other side of the park in a building that more subtly blends in with the rest of Tomorrowland. At DHS, you have a very obvious Star Wars area a few hundred feet away from the entrance to the "real" Star Wars land that's designed to be hidden from the rest of the park and keep the rest of the park out.

Well said!

If the Star Tours facade were reverted back to clearly being a movie set, it would fit the area and be conceptually/thematically distinct from Galaxy's Edge.

As it stands, the unexplained "half-finished" facade looks like Disney just dropped the ball on theming/immersion. Pretty embarrassing for the world's premier creator of immersive themed environments.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Well said!

If the Star Tours facade were reverted back to clearly being a movie set, it would fit the area and be conceptually/thematically distinct from Galaxy's Edge.

As it stands, the unexplained "half-finished" facade looks like Disney just dropped the ball on theming/immersion. Pretty embarrassing for the world's premiere creator of immersive themed environments.

This may be a controversial take, but I wish they would more generally re-embrace the studio theme for the park.

I don't really see the issue with a studio conceit as a unifying concept for the park even with everything that's there now and without it actually being a working studio. You have Hollywood and Sunset Blvds celebrating the golden age of Hollywood, you can then have more studio-themed sections around the middle of the park with soundstages, sets, etc. and then you step through those areas into the worlds of individual films.

A lot of people don't seem to like the studio theme, however it is perhaps the one that best suits the current fashion for building entire lands based around distinct film franchises. This will again be controversial, but I would go so far as to say it works better for that kind of park than something like Epic Universe's theme which requires a lot more education of the guests to understand why there are portals, what is the Chronos, who are the Celestians, etc. and just generally seems more contrived. It's a lot easier to intuitively grasp that you're stepping into a Hollywood Studio where film and television come to life.

 

[aladdin2007]

I would love to see a hollywood toontown of some sort over on this side of the park someday, I still lament the loss of Mickeys Toontown Fair in MK but that's just me.