Sharon&Susan
Well-Known Member
Reminder that RDR2 made a profit of over 700 million in it’s opening weekend alone and that was before both the Black Friday and Christmas shopping seasons.
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Wookies, & Rebels, & Droids... OH WHY?! The Anti-SWL in Disneyland Thread
- Thread starter Californian Elitist
- Start date
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
From today's Disney Dish-
-Jim Hill
Not to beat a dead horse- but Disney is doing everything they can to isolate GE from the rest of the park at a level that's unprecedented.
No, this isn't like giving CM's different costumes depending on the area. This isn't like being in the heart of Fantasyland and only being able to see Fantasyland. This is attempting to completely separate Galaxy's Edge from Disneyland in the minds of the guests.
This approach works great in a fragmented, disjointed mess of a park like MGM or DCA, but in Walt Disney's original Magic Kingdom- where each land was distinctly Disneyland and all worked together to contribute to the fabric and emotional draw of the park, building a land (not an attraction) with the conceit that you're not in Disneyland isn't a good approach.
-Jim Hill
Not to beat a dead horse- but Disney is doing everything they can to isolate GE from the rest of the park at a level that's unprecedented.
No, this isn't like giving CM's different costumes depending on the area. This isn't like being in the heart of Fantasyland and only being able to see Fantasyland. This is attempting to completely separate Galaxy's Edge from Disneyland in the minds of the guests.
This approach works great in a fragmented, disjointed mess of a park like MGM or DCA, but in Walt Disney's original Magic Kingdom- where each land was distinctly Disneyland and all worked together to contribute to the fabric and emotional draw of the park, building a land (not an attraction) with the conceit that you're not in Disneyland isn't a good approach.
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I've never bought into the "society doesn't like Westerns anymore" mentality.
In today's market- there's a much higher saturation of films and TV shows than in the mid 20th century. In order to stand out, a film has to be exemplary, a cultural phenomenon. We don't look at a bad sci fi film and say "Ah, society must not care for sci fi".
In today's hyper competitive market- studios want to be able to market something that's the biggest, the most technically complex, the loudest. They want franchises and cinematic universes they can milk for years on end.
All we need for society to be "interested" in Westerns again is a well made, quality western that lands at the right time, appeals to all ages, and is an actual good film.
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
I still wonder why they didn't make people pay extra to get into SW:GE. Disney is adding prices to everything else
I wouldn't doubt it. Extra Extra Magic Hour for the hotel guests that stay for 5+ nights providing exclusive access to GE.
NateD1226
Well-Known Member
I am not staying at Disney property hotel for 5+ nights just to see a land based on a franchise that I am not even crazy about haha. I just want to ride ROTR and see the first trackless ride at DLR. Then I will be happy and never have to step foot in that land again.
shortstop
Well-Known Member
I agree with what you’re saying - it’s a bad approach to try and isolate a land from the rest of the park. However, I’ll contend that this approach is unnecessary for SW:GE. They went to great lengths to make it fit in aesthetically and spatially with the rest of the park, so why are they backing away and being shy about it now? IMO, they should be leaning into making it fit in with the rest of the park. I don’t want to see role playing CMs, hidden VISA logos, lack of background music, and all that extra stuff. They went BIG with SWL yet simultaneously are being sheepish and embarrassed about it fitting in, so instead of trying to make it fit in, they are making it as separate and different as possible.
TL;DR: they need to pick an approach and stick with it.
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SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
Excellent points.
I think they're having trouble striking the balance of "completely immersive with nothing that breaks story" and the fact it's inside Disneyland- which has operated with story breaking elements for it's entire history.
I don't have a problem with Disney building a completely immersive land that takes you to a specific planet or location- but it should have gone in a third park or DCA before Disneyland.
If Galaxy's Edge took the New Orleans Square approach- where it just feels like a natural extension of the frontier theme- it'd likely be far more natural inside Disneyland. Of course, they would have had to design the land a bit differently and not try to make it 100% story driven, and maybe make it less overtly Star Wars, but that approach would likely feel far more natural and age way better.
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
In many ways- the lands inside Disneyland act like a romanticized version of our own world- a romantic depiction of American fantasy, a rosy look at the Wild West + New Orleans + bayous of the American south, a depiction of the untamed wilderness with elements of Tiki Culture and other "adventure" type elements, and what was supposed to be a positive look at the future of American living and transportation.
"Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and hard facts that have created America"
"Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy."
Star Wars fits some of this- it's very much an American mythology that has worldwide appeal. Luke Skywalker is to kids of the 80s and 90s what Davy Crockett was to kids in the '50s. People are right when they say A New Hope is reminiscent of a Disney film- and in many ways, elements of A New Hope should be integrated into Disneyland. That's why Star Tours 1.0 was a home run and every bit a Disney classic.
But that does NOT mean that any and all Star Wars is appropriate for Disneyland.
Galaxy's Edge is attempting to leave this behind and be a depiction of Batuu- a world that has nothing to do with any kind of romanticized America/Earth.
"Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and hard facts that have created America"
"Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy."
Star Wars fits some of this- it's very much an American mythology that has worldwide appeal. Luke Skywalker is to kids of the 80s and 90s what Davy Crockett was to kids in the '50s. People are right when they say A New Hope is reminiscent of a Disney film- and in many ways, elements of A New Hope should be integrated into Disneyland. That's why Star Tours 1.0 was a home run and every bit a Disney classic.
But that does NOT mean that any and all Star Wars is appropriate for Disneyland.
Galaxy's Edge is attempting to leave this behind and be a depiction of Batuu- a world that has nothing to do with any kind of romanticized America/Earth.
shortstop
Well-Known Member
Agree totally with all of this. The one thing I’ll add is that I’m hoping that if/when they build a third gate, we get something original along the lines of TDS or DAK and not just another IP dumping ground for Star Wars, Pixar, Marvel, etc. So in that respect I’m glad they didn’t dedicate a third gate for this.
NateD1226
Well-Known Member
Expanding on this, I would only want a few IPs for each land. For example, if they did Jungle Land (not a great idea
) I would only want to see Tarzan and all the other rides and shows be original ideas.
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
Nopedy nope no
NateD1226
Well-Known Member
You didn’t like Meet the Robinsons?!?
BrianLo
Well-Known Member
Now see this is the crux of it. People assume it's an admission of guilt or belonging. It is looking for something in the tea leaves to support a preformed opinion.
When the simpler answer is it is a design trend (isolated immersive lands) and the modern designers/financiers simply do not understand Disneyland.
The properly integrated land WAS the original proposal (i.e. the Tomorrowland proposal) and the board came back and scoffed and said 'people want Harry Potter/Diagon Alley immersion, they don't want to see the Matterhorn/Space Mountain looming over an Endor roller coaster'. I'm glad because honestly the original concept would have been a huge let down to people in the era of TDS/Pandora/Potter/Radiator Springs. No matter the tantrum people are throwing about the new trilogy, it was a very paint by the numbers proposal. Plus for people who truly despise the property, it would have been way more in your face.
The issue isn't with modern design trends as you say, or with Disneyland - it's just that they are different entities.
If we are really getting to it (and this is far more inflammatory): it is not that they are worried Batuu doesn't belong in Disneyland, it's that Disneyland doesn't belong in Batuu.
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
This statement is more true than I'd like to think.
EPCOTCenterLover
Well-Known Member
There were complaints with Pandora going into Animal Kingdom, but from what I can tell, it fits more seamlessly into the look and feel of the existing park than SW:GE will fit into Disneyland.
You touched on an important point. Tomorrowland already has established attractions like Space Mountain that cannot be removed. To integrate Star Wars will mean compromising the integrity of Tomorrowland and Star Wars. Nevermind the last few years has been the further deterioration of Tomorrowland that’s no where close to getting an update. Star Wars already seems outdated there. The idea to keep Star Wars isolated will be a plus. No thematic dilution on both sides of the river. Batuu in Disneyland can be like Arendelle in the Frozen Ever After attraction in Epcot. Captured in the ride, but never explored. Audiences are way beyond the superficial approach.
shortstop
Well-Known Member
The thing is, I’m not sure the two are mutually exclusive. Carsland, Pandora, and Hogsmeade both achieve complete immersion while simultaneously feeling like they actually belong in their respective parks. Sure, the immersion is taken to another level, but in none of these examples (IMO) did the designers attempt to isolate the land from the rest of the park thematically and ideologically, which is what seems to be happening with SWL to some extent.