Why Disneyland’s $1 billion Star Wars land isn’t a bust despite flat attendance - OCR/SCNG

[smooch]

While I don't really disagree with the last few pages of comments, I think it's an easy(ish) fix by opening up the timeline to the entire Star Wars era. Get the legacy characters in. That, and liven the place up with music, entertainment, etc. Disney can build from there.

That's what I've thought this whole time. There's a framework laid out they can add a few things upon that would greatly improve the land. Would it be perfect? Heck no. But the legacy characters mixed with new characters means there's characters everyone can relate to which is more important if you want to "live a Star Wars adventure" or, you know, have fun in a theme park. The music / entertainment / etc. would add life to the land. There wouldn't be kinetics like the DLRR, Monorail, Mark Twain, etc. but it would add some more movement and "fun factor" to the land. There should 100% be little roaming shows to give you something to see, have people playing music and have "locals" performing a dance to the music. Have legacy characters walk around and some of them could even join in. I don't really care that it wouldn't be "canon" that Han or Rey or anyone was dancing with locals to some live music, it would just be a funny thing to see that provides entertainment. Again, like I've been saying and so have a lot of people, Disney needs to stop taking themselves so seriously, they just need to have fun and create entertainment. You know, I think Disney takes themselves more serious than anyone does nowadays, their track record is such a joke with recent additions / movies / etc.

 

[Robbiem]

I'm more baffled that they had a great opportunity to have a high speed Pod Racing/Speeder bike racing coaster zip in and around the Batuu mountain landscape but just passed up on it. I can just imagine it now... little animatronic Off World Jawa's shooting at you as you pass by.

this is a great idea you could also throw in an encounter with a sith somewhere along the route. Would be cool to find darth maul in the desert, maybe an encounter with boba fett or mando with orders to hunt you down.
having a blended star wars land with all the movies would have been so much better. Imagine a dark ride with yoda teaching us about using the force. You could make it interactive like Monsters Inc in tokyo or midway mania. Use a device to move things with The force and then end up with yoda lifting your vehicle and saying goodbye like ET does. Or use the trackless tech to go on a dark ride through the coaster environment as well to give a slower lower height experience

dining has so many possibilities as well. How about a cloud city restaurant like the space one at epcot. Travel up to the city and dine with a view of the stars. A quick serve diner like the one in attack of the clones or jabbas palace. Have a big animatronic jabba with c3po translating like sonny eclipse, the max rebo or cantina band as animatronics and a frozen captain solo on the wall


with such endless possibilities its a shame they went the way they did.

 

[Phroobar]

There was more food than blue milk. Here is Anakin and Padme having lunch at folks.

Here is dinner with the two of them.

 

[chadwpalm]

All Galaxy's Edge threads be like...

For 15 months straight.

 

[truecoat]

My only visit to Oga's and I sat in that crate and I had no idea. I really missed out on that experience.

 

[Phroobar]

My only visit to Oga's and I sat in that crate and I had no idea. I really missed out on that experience.

Some people build houses out of shipping crates. It is what is on the inside that is fun.

 

[Stevek]

I think SWL ultimately suffers from an identity crisis. Is it an IP land? Yes. Is it an original land? Also yes. But in trying so hard to be both, it kind of fails at fully being either one.

It’s a land that so desperately wants to stand on its own, but also exists to cash in on Star Wars nostalgia. I honestly think people wouldn’t have known what to do with Batuu/Black Spire Outpost unless they attached the Star Wars name to it. But because they did, it automatically carries with it certain expectations that simply can’t (IMO) be met within the confines the land exists in.

It can’t encompass the whole franchise to everyone’s satisfaction, but at the same time, there just isn’t enough there without Star Wars to draw anyone in. It’s a true paradox.

I don't know...I walked in and it immediately felt very Star Wars to me. We came in from Critter Country entrance to have a longer reveal and yes, the ships helped, but just the overall look and feel made me feel I had stepped right in to a Star Wars location that I'd never seen on screen before. Ultimately, while recreating a land would have been the safe route it would have probably pigeonholed Disney into creating things that were more relateable to that planet. They've basically got a clean canvas where they can update & change the story without saying...hey, that never could have happened on Tatoonine, Jakku, Hoth, etc.

Bottom line, I would have been happy with a known location but have zero issues with Batuu...beyond the fact that it needs more attractions.

 

[TP2000]

I don't know...I walked in and it immediately felt very Star Wars to me. We came in from Critter Country entrance to have a longer reveal and yes, the ships helped, but just the overall look and feel made me feel I had stepped right in to a Star Wars location that I'd never seen on screen before. Ultimately, while recreating a land would have been the safe route it would have probably pigeonholed Disney into creating things that were more relateable to that planet. They've basically got a clean canvas where they can update & change the story without saying...hey, that never could have happened on Tatoonine, Jakku, Hoth, etc.

Bottom line, I would have been happy with a known location but have zero issues with Batuu...beyond the fact that it needs more attractions.

Agreed. I had plenty of criticism of the land after my first visit in June '19, but I had little criticism of the aesthetics or layout of the land. In fact, I believe I praised it as being aesthetically very impressive.

But it was lifeless. And devoid of zip and charm and excitement, and was surprisingly light on drama or suspense to be based on a movie franchise full of drama and suspense.

I'm not a big Star Wars fan, but I've seen the movies and I'm a good American so I have fondness for R2D2 and Luke and Leia and Han Solo and Chewbacca. Batuu as a concept is fine, and I can see why they wanted to go that route.

But it's the in-person execution of the land overall that was so sorely lacking. I've never seen a big new land in any theme park feel so flat and lifeless. Especially for a land at Disneyland that was hyped to the heavens for years before it opened to... crickets and two bored Stormtroopers. Ahora!

 

[Mac Tonight]

I don't know...I walked in and it immediately felt very Star Wars to me. We came in from Critter Country entrance to have a longer reveal and yes, the ships helped, but just the overall look and feel made me feel I had stepped right in to a Star Wars location that I'd never seen on screen before. Ultimately, while recreating a land would have been the safe route it would have probably pigeonholed Disney into creating things that were more relateable to that planet. They've basically got a clean canvas where they can update & change the story without saying...hey, that never could have happened on Tatoonine, Jakku, Hoth, etc.

Bottom line, I would have been happy with a known location but have zero issues with Batuu...beyond the fact that it needs more attractions.

It is attraction deficient for sure. And your assessment is totally fair. I know I'm in a vocal minority of people who weren't wowed upon our first couple of visits.

Though if I may, if the land wasn't supposed to be a representation of Star Wars, I wonder if you'd feel the same. To me, Batuu feels like just a generic theme park land that they slapped the Star Wars franchise onto to get people interested and give them a point of reference.

 

[Stevek]

Agreed. I had plenty of criticism of the land after my first visit in June '19, but I had little criticism of the aesthetics or layout of the land. In fact, I believe I praised it as being aesthetically very impressive.

But it was lifeless. And devoid of zip and charm and excitement, and was surprisingly light on drama or suspense to be based on a movie franchise full of drama and suspense.

I'm not a big Star Wars fan, but I've seen the movies and I'm a good American so I have fondness for R2D2 and Luke and Leia and Han Solo and Chewbacca. Batuu as a concept is fine, and I can see why they wanted to go that route.

But it's the in-person execution of the land overall that was so sorely lacking. I've never seen a big new land in any theme park feel so flat and lifeless. Especially for a land at Disneyland that was hyped to the heavens for years before it opened to... crickets and two bored Stormtroopers. Ahora!

Well, as well documented, I think we can put that on corporate for cutting much of the "life" out of it. More characters, droids everywhere...those things would have given it more personality for sure.

 

[Stevek]

It is attraction deficient for sure. And your assessment is totally fair. I know I'm in a vocal minority of people who weren't wowed upon our first couple of visits.

Though if I may, if the land wasn't supposed to be a representation of Star Wars, I wonder if you'd feel the same. To me, Batuu feels like just a generic theme park land that they slapped the Star Wars franchise onto to get people interested and give them a point of reference.

Nothing about it feels generic to me. It's really over the top all the way around. That being said, I have no way of knowing how I would feel as I went in thinking this is a Star Wars planet and everything they created in the land sold me on that idea. I get it, doesn't work for everyone. Some folks will just hate it because it's Star Wars, others because of how much land it took up or it didn't belong in Disneyland. But for me, it's here to stay and putting any of those aside, they absolutely nailed the Star Wars feel.

 

[SSG]

It still boggles the mind that Disney figured Ky'le from Tustin was an adequate substitute for droids, aliens and bounty hunters. Like no one would know the difference.

 

[Stevek]

It still boggles the mind that Disney figured Ky'le from Tustin was an adequate substitute for droids, aliens and bounty hunters. Like no one would know the difference.

I think they absolutely knew they wouldn't be adequate but were willing to bite the bullet in the name of saving money.

 

[DanielBB8]

Nothing about it feels generic to me. It's really over the top all the way around. That being said, I have no way of knowing how I would feel as I went in thinking this is a Star Wars planet and everything they created in the land sold me on that idea. I get it, doesn't work for everyone. Some folks will just hate it because it's Star Wars, others because of how much land it took up or it didn't belong in Disneyland. But for me, it's here to stay and putting any of those aside, they absolutely nailed the Star Wars feel.

It's a difficult argument to make that people will hate it is Star Wars, when on the other hand, it isn't Star Wars for many people. If it didn't belong in Disneyland since it's a pure IP power play, which it isn't because it's a generic Star Wars land that many people don't accept.

You plainly accept it as Star Wars. You're entitled to feel that way. However, describing it as over the top while it is generic to others, sounds like a contradiction in expectations. The Star Wars feel is not real in any tangible way.

This is Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Pretty convincing.

 

[mickEblu]

I think they absolutely knew they wouldn't be adequate but were willing to bite the bullet in the name of saving money.

You would think so but that doesn’t explain a confused Trowbridge asking a live audience if they “like living out their story.”

 

[Disney Irish]

It still boggles the mind that Disney figured Ky'le from Tustin was an adequate substitute for droids, aliens and bounty hunters. Like no one would know the difference.

Well maybe Ky'le thought himself an actor. But then when the time came he got stage fright or just plain sucked.

But in all seriousness:

I'm thinking that Chapek was a big fan of Westworld. And thought, "Hmm, maybe we can do that but instead of using expensive AAs or paid actors we can use the regular CMs. I mean every CM wants to be in show business anyways right? Lets do it! Honey, where's my phone I got to call Bob with my great idea...".

 

[mickEblu]

My favorite character in Galaxies Edge is Oga. I love how sassy she is and how she never wants to come out to see the guests. I like how Disney allows us to use our imagination.

 

[Disney Irish]

My favorite character in Galaxies Edge is Oga. I love how sassy she is and how she never wants to come out to see the guests. I like how Disney allows us to use our imagination.

I never got into Oga's it was always too packed to get in....

 

[Stevek]

You would think so but that doesn’t explain a confused Trowbridge asking a live audience if they “like living out their story.”

I do wonder if they plan was always on both...interactive with the cast (but to a lesser degree) and more characters/droids, etc and ultimately more fell on the cast due to the lack of the latter.

 

[Stevek]

My favorite character in Galaxies Edge is Oga. I love how sassy she is and how she never wants to come out to see the guests. I like how Disney allows us to use our imagination.

I read the books. She's kinda a beyotch...you don't want to meet her. Per SW.com "few have seen Oga in the flesh and have lived to tell the tale"