Wookies, & Rebels, & Droids... OH WHY?! The Anti-SWL in Disneyland Thread

[HauntedPirate]

I'd find it hilarious if it wasn't DL they were mucking up. You can watch any travel vlog about the Potter lands and instantly see (and hear) how inviting, joyous and fun those worlds look. They look welcoming! They look pleasant! You can recognize everything and hear wonderful background music! And then Disney decides "let's do that--but make it unpleasant & dreary and include nearly nothing recognizable."

You mean the "Let's not give them anything familiar"?

They seem to have gone out of their way to over-think SW:GE:

"We already know the story of Tatooine. We know the story of Naboo. We wanted to create a place that served as a scaffolding upon which users could project their own story, but that we as keeps could use to inject new characters and plotlines." - Asa Kalama, executive creative director for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run and the Star Wars: Datapad integration.

And let's force guests to be heads-down on their device in order to understand half of what's going on around them. Brilliant moves on their part. I could not disagree with their "thinking" more. Actually doing what Universal did with Potter may have been the better move, to give guests something familiar instead of some "outer rim wasteland" that guests have no history with.

 

[Rich T]

You mean the "Let's not give them anything familiar"?

They seem to have gone out of their way to over-think SW:GE:

"We already know the story of Tatooine. We know the story of Naboo. We wanted to create a place that served as a scaffolding upon which users could project their own story, but that we as keeps could use to inject new characters and plotlines." - Asa Kalama, executive creative director for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run and the Star Wars: Datapad integration.

And let's force guests to be heads-down on their device in order to understand half of what's going on around them. Brilliant moves on their part. I could not disagree with their "thinking" more. Actually doing what Universal did with Potter may have been the better move, to give guests something familiar instead of some "outer rim wasteland" that guests have no history with.

"Everyone knows the story of Frozen. So forget Arendelle and the Ice Palace. Let's take guests to some kingdom they've never heard of! They'll love that!!"

They were given the chance to build STAR WARS LAND. It could have been so energetic, inspiring and fun. And this is the direction they chose. It's as if Disney had a chance to build Tolkien Land and, after looking at plans for Hobbiton and Rivendell... just built an encampment in Mordor. With all the signage in orcish.

 

[mickEblu]

You mean the "Let's not give them anything familiar"?

They seem to have gone out of their way to over-think SW:GE:

"We already know the story of Tatooine. We know the story of Naboo. We wanted to create a place that served as a scaffolding upon which users could project their own story, but that we as keeps could use to inject new characters and plotlines." - Asa Kalama, executive creative director for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run and the Star Wars: Datapad integration.

And let's force guests to be heads-down on their device in order to understand half of what's going on around them. Brilliant moves on their part. I could not disagree with their "thinking" more. Actually doing what Universal did with Potter may have been the better move, to give guests something familiar instead of some "outer rim wasteland" that guests have no history with.

Outer rim wasteland. I like that. I might use this instead of Iraq from now on.

 

[TROR]

There’s no one location that covers all of the Star Wars franchise. The best they could do is Tattooine but that’s a boring location that’s not desirable to visit. It’s also an outer rim wasteland. Offering an original planet that captures the feeling of Star Wars was the best idea they had for Galaxy’s Edge. The problem is they didn’t make the land feel like Star Wars.

 

[mickEblu]

There’s no one location that covers all of the Star Wars franchise. The best they could do is Tattooine but that’s a boring location that’s not desirable to visit. It’s also an outer rim wasteland. Offering an original planet that captures the feeling of Star Wars was the best idea they had for Galaxy’s Edge. The problem is they didn’t make the land feel like Star Wars.

The funny part is that they tried to give us Tatooine. Batuu is just Tatooine in disguise so they can focus on the sequel trilogy/ tell original stories. Lol @ original stories.

What they needed to focus on was giving us a themed environment people want to visit. Whether it be an original brand new location or one from the movies. There is no reason the approach they took with Galaxies Edge couldn’t work on most planets from the movies. You can fly up to a Star destroyer from any planet. The Falcon can be parked anywhere. You can justify a backstory for a cantina, droid experience or lightsaber experience anywhere too.

 

[TROR]

The funny part is that they tried to give us Tatooine. Batuu is just Tatooine in disguise so they can focus on the sequel trilogy/ tell original stories. Lol @ original stories.

What they needed to focus on was giving us a themed environment people want to visit. Whether it be an original brand new location or one from the movies. There is no reason the approach they took with Galaxies Edge couldn’t work on most planets from the movies. You can fly up to a Star destroyer from any planet. The Falcon can be parked anywhere. You can justify a backstory for a cantina, droid experience or lightsaber experience anywhere too.

I really wish it had been a tropical jungle world. Obviously that would transition better from Adventureland than from Frontierland, but it’d be far more pleasant and a lot more unique to Star Wars.

 

[mickEblu]

I really wish it had been a tropical jungle world. Obviously that would transition better from Adventureland than from Frontierland, but it’d be far more pleasant and a lot more unique to Star Wars.

That would be much better than what we got. To play devils advocate, they could have been thinking, let’s give them an environment they don’t already have at DLR. But never thought, maybe there is a reason we don’t have a desert themed land? Like do you guys remember three years ago when you rethemed your only desert themed land at DCA?

 

[DanielBB8]

I disagree that Tatooine is boring. There's all the iconic stuff that they tried to import into Batuu that doesn't work because there's no history of the Cantina, Blue Milk, Light Sabers, Millennium Falcon, etc. that exists in Batuu. They all originated in Tatooine.

A proper Star Wars Land should incorporate 2 locations, which is why I suggest Naboo as the second location that will house the super big attraction.

I don't see how a jungle, tropical, location works in Star Wars. If you want the forest Ewok village, it's a second choice, but not ideal.

 

[Rich T]

There’s no one location that covers all of the Star Wars franchise. The best they could do is Tattooine but that’s a boring location that’s not desirable to visit. It’s also an outer rim wasteland. Offering an original planet that captures the feeling of Star Wars was the best idea they had for Galaxy’s Edge. The problem is they didn’t make the land feel like Star Wars.

Disney didn't seem to grasp the difference between Potter and Star Wars. The whole appeal of the Harry Potter franchise lies in its locations: Hogwarts and Diagon Alley are wonderful fantasy locales that readers/filmgoers/park guests fell in love with and want to visit over and over. They're homey, comfortable, pleasant places to be! And guess what--They're populated mainly by fun, lovable characters anyone would like to meet. They're not criminal hideouts. There are dark, evil corners, but those elements are in dark, evil CORNERS and on the RIDES. They aren't the entire freaking world.

The locales of Star Wars, on the other hand, aren't pleasant, guest-friendly places like Hogwarts or Diagon Alley. The fun of Star Wars is mainly in the action, set against a vast, many-flavored, galaxy-spanning backdrop. Disney should have concentrated on creating several fun, colorful, action-packed rides that captured the feel of SW against recognizable backdrops. Then design the land as a celebration of the franchise. Fill it with character meet-ups. Make it more like the Star Wars celebrations at WDW. Fun. Packed with affordable merchandise all fans would love to buy. That's what guests want from SW at Disneyland. NO ONE CARES about breaking the "immersion" by mixing characters from different films within the land. They just want to meet Han Solo, Chewie and Darth. But, no Disney decided to go all smarty-pants and offer up exactly the opposite of what the GP really wants.

 

[socalifornian]

I don't see how a jungle, tropical, location works in Star Wars. If you want the forest Ewok village, it's a second choice, but not ideal.

Felucia could fit the tropical look. It’s even an outer rim planet, their favorite! It is a little too prequel to work in Disney’s vision of Star Wars tho, you’re right

 

[TROR]

I want something like Vietnam.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Felucia could fit the tropical look. It’s even an outer rim planet, their favorite! It is a little too prequel to work in Disney’s vision of Star Wars tho, you’re right
View attachment 385818

It looks like E.T.'s planet. Pandora: The World of Avatar also feels like this planet.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'd find it hilarious if it wasn't DL they were mucking up. You can watch any travel vlog about the Potter lands and instantly see (and hear) how inviting, joyous and fun those worlds look. They look welcoming! They look pleasant! You can recognize everything and hear wonderful background music! And then Disney decides "let's do that--but make it unpleasant & dreary and include nearly nothing recognizable."

The galaxy of Star Wars is unpleasant and dreary.

There’s no one location that covers all of the Star Wars franchise. The best they could do is Tattooine but that’s a boring location that’s not desirable to visit. It’s also an outer rim wasteland. Offering an original planet that captures the feeling of Star Wars was the best idea they had for Galaxy’s Edge. The problem is they didn’t make the land feel like Star Wars.

Star Wars really isn’t about places, intimate human-scale places. It has massive worlds that make for the epic scale of the galaxy, but beyond that scale it is really all about the characters.

 

[flynnibus]

to give guests something familiar instead of some "outer rim wasteland" that guests have no history with.

Yet they did that in every Star Wars movie and were successful in doing so. Every movie introduces new worlds we’ve not seen before and expand the universe.

It’s not like this is some curveball here.

 

[flynnibus]

The locales of Star Wars, on the other hand, aren't pleasant, guest-friendly places like Hogwarts or Diagon Alley. The fun of Star Wars is mainly in the action, set against a vast, many-flavored, galaxy-spanning backdrop. Disney should have concentrated on creating several fun, colorful, action-packed rides that captured the feel of SW against recognizable backdrops. Then design the land as a celebration of the franchise. Fill it with character meet-ups. Make it more like the Star Wars celebrations at WDW. Fun. Packed with affordable merchandise all fans would love to buy. That's what guests want from SW at Disneyland. NO ONE CARES about breaking the "immersion" by mixing characters from different films within the land. They just want to meet Han Solo, Chewie and Darth. But, no Disney decided to go all smarty-pants and offer up exactly the opposite of what the GP really wants.

So you wanted New Fantasyland:Star Wars Edition?
They did what you described... it was called Star Wars Weekends. And we got abominations like the Star Wars hoopla where characters danced to things like thriller or the Harlem shake.

 

[Rich T]

So you wanted New Fantasyland:Star Wars Edition?
They did what you described... it was called Star Wars Weekends. And we got abominations like the Star Wars hoopla where characters danced to things like thriller or the Harlem shake.

I'd rather have Star Wars Hoopla than Galaxy's Edge. Star Wars is a fun (at its best), silly space opera. When you take it too seriously, it becomes ridiculous. Here's what I'd like: Star Tours on a grander scale--Tomorrowland with more grit and rust (not the unintentional Rocket Rods track type), but lots of movement, creatures everywhere and a bunch of good rides. Upbeat. Celebratory. Save the conflict and darkness for the rides--that's where all that belongs. A successful theme park environment should be welcoming--a place people actually want to hang around in.

This is my favorite SW poster ever, from the 1978 re-release. It's perfect.

 

[flynnibus]

I'd rather have Star Wars Hoopla than Galaxy's Edge.

Hoopla got to be disgusting.

 

[Rich T]

Hoopla got to be disgusting.

I agree. That's how much I dislike where they went with GE.

 

[flynnibus]

Star Wars weekends got to epitomize just taking anything from Star Wars films... and dropping it onto anything Disney and saying 'exclusive!'. It did nothing original to the Star Wars content itself.. it focused purely on taking something from SW and putting it in the parks.

So once you got over the M&G of the characters... or seeing the props... you had nothing left but to create mash-ups. That's the weakness of not creating new content or space to work in.

That's where GE will excel vs the past efforts. You can expand, change, or add within the GE 'space' and not need to contradict other stuff.

 

[Rich T]

I really, really can't stand the new GE TV spots, where I guess the director told the actors to "act like you've just found God." Maybe they're just ready to faint because they got on the Falcon without any wait in line.