Disney Announces New Star Wars Lands for DL and DHS

[anthony2k7]

I'm trying to be upbeat/ benefit of the doubt here...

But I have to say...I'm getting the "rotting fish" vibe a little here too...

It's just a problem that we have seen..."look what we're doing...but don't stop coming while we "do it right""

And we all get 5 years older...I think of my kids everytime this happens...it's disheartening.

They show no urgency...no desire to give back/reward any loyalty. But those DVC units waste no time - do they?

The most consideration as a longtime, $100K Patron at a fairly young age is they keep rolling out new upsells to sell me.

No...I don't want any damn aulani!!!

There should have been a backlash already...but wdw patrons have been horrible, disempowered (is that a word?) consumers.

Me too... All of us.

The way they announced some stuff for next year, and then avoided committing to a date on anything else does seem to suggest you're right.

Seriously though, they can't do a pleasure island to DHS and leave most of it shut for 7 years whilst they have repeated false starts on construction can they?!

Meanwhile Universal continues to roll out good new attractions.

 

[amg35]

I'm trying to be upbeat/ benefit of the doubt here...

But I have to say...I'm getting the "rotting fish" vibe a little here too...

It's just a problem that we have seen..."look what we're doing...but don't stop coming while we "do it right""

And we all get 5 years older...I think of my kids everytime this happens...it's disheartening.

They show no urgency...no desire to give back/reward any loyalty. But those DVC units waste no time - do they?

The most consideration as a longtime, $100K Patron at a fairly young age is they keep rolling out new upsells to sell me.

No...I don't want any damn aulani!!!

There should have been a backlash already...but wdw patrons have been horrible, disempowered (is that a word?) consumers.

Me too... All of us.

I wish things would move faster too but, it's only 5 years! But i hate waiting for things too. Can you go other places? Visit Universal.
We aren't going back until Pandora opens, so we are cruising on Royal Caribbean, next year visiting the east coastal towns....Both way cheaper than Disney!

Although I can understand if you visit WDW every year, it's a painfully slow process. we only go very few years, so it's not bad for us.

 

[ffcheff]

I think disney would like to build faster if they could. They had to buy land to offset what they hope to develop, land they already own. I would hate to have to be the guy who reads nothing but regulations and contracts so disney can make their next move without a law suit. Too many regulations for a speedy addition. Let's hope they Don't find a never before discovered snail that could delay the project for years.

 

[rteetz]

I wish things would move faster too but, it's only 5 years! Can you go other places? Visit Universal.
We aren't going back until Pandora opens, so we are cruising on Royal Caribbean, next year visiting the east coastal towns....Both way cheaper than Disney!

Although I can understand if you visit WDW every year, it's a painfully slow process. we only go very few years, so it's not bad for us.

Only five years? Epcot was built in 3...

 

[amg35]

Just trying to look on the brightside. I was happy to see people saying 5, my original thought was longer than that! 3 is just not going to happen.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I wish things would move faster too but, it's only 5 years! Can you go other places? Visit Universal.
We aren't going back until Pandora opens, so we are cruising on Royal Caribbean, next year visiting the east coastal towns....Both way cheaper than Disney!

Although I can understand if you visit WDW every year, it's a painfully slow process. we only go very few years, so it's not bad for us.

Sure...absolutely.

It's just unfortunate that I have to "give up" Disney for periods of time now...I just can't support this "stock price first" investment strategy...it's a big change...I'm not a "every year type"...more like every season. Just can't morally do this now.

Not when they turn around and pay the NBA and NFL a kings random, and shovel money to china...which I dot believe is about tourists in china for one second.

The 5 year plans are for their benefit...it's not like they aren't capable of better. We all know they are...based on their history and being shown up by Comcast across town with Increasing frequency.

The entirety of EPCOT...the largest private construction project in world history for about 15 years after it opened...was about 4.5 years flat...
Same with animal kingdom.

It's mind over matter... They make it money over matter

 

[Yellowstonetim]

My tastes are very different. I don't do coasters so almost none of the proclaimed E-Ticket rides interest me at all. On the other hand I LOVE Star Tours. It's my favorite ride in DHS and in my top 5 for DW as a whole. I can do it three or four times back to back and yes next time I go I'll have to ride it until I see the new scenes they're adding.

Now they can't just do the same again for the Millenium Falcon ride, but I'm really hoping it's more along the lines of a simulator (maybe with you as the pilot having some control over the vehicle?) than a coaster.

I think you'll agree that makes you more of the "lobo" than the "alpha"

Star tours is fine for what it is...but the herky, jerky screen in front of you stuff has to go...

We'll see...
Any "interactive" technology that has to be 45 second or less due to capacity issues is gonna leave the rider wanting.

Sometime G's and a track just work better. Rockinroller coaster is probably still lb for lb the best they've managed to do there...just saying.

Please not another coaster I can ride elsewhere. I like Rockin' Roller coaster, but it is one of the weakest rides at Disney in my opinion. That coaster is nothing special and all the theming is just music and lights. I can ride the same accelerated take off coaster at Hershey Park.

Now Star Tours shares physics and biology with Spiderman and Harry Potter. Completely different rides, but both based on the science of actual motion, coupled with visual cues on a screen, to trick the mind into thinking the actual motion is greater than it actually is. Harry Potter does it with a different ride vehicle but the mind tricks are the same. Star Tours is wonderful and more such rides would not be bad. However, since they have ST I don't think we have to worry it will be duplicated. Also many of the old technologies are still wonderful to use as long as it gives a proper immersive experience. What kind of SW Tower of Terror twist could they do... Hmmm. Personally I want the Tron cycle speeder bike, but it probably isn't happening yet.

14 acres as well designed as Pandora: World of Avatar's 12 acres will be fantastic. I loved the model of Pandora. I think when it opens it will show what is in store for SW.

I think a 5 year plan is good. They won't have Cameron to drag his feet and they know where they are going. In fact Pandora probably has already taught them some things about new tech and how to do modern immersive theming so it might go faster. Unlike Pandora, SW is within an existing park and not on the outskirts as an addition like Pandora. Therefore I don't think they can drag their feet as long. And, again, they won't have to since Cameron won't be involved.

Please contact guest relations at WDW if you are concerned about Star Wars Weekends. Some of us already have and are waiting for replies.

WDW.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

Star Wars weekends are not going anywhere and that is all they will say. Yes, I am one of the ones that said Star Wars weekends are going away, but that will be after, or when, the new Star Wars land opens. 5 years off, probably. They will not own up to that now. Don't expect them to say anything other than SWW is staying put.

And maybe flying the Falcon would be a hybrid of another ride and the controls you are given in Mission Space.

 

[Josh Hendy]

I think you'll agree that makes you more of the "lobo" than the "alpha"

Star tours is fine for what it is...but the herky, jerky screen in front of you stuff has to go...
...

Yeah my family loves Simpsons for example, but I could not get any of them except for one DD (of three) to go on Star Tours with me more than once. Not that I thought the ride was very thrilling, but I was determined to ride on it until I saw more of the planets.

There is another factor involving video-screen based rides ... did anyone see the youtube video caps of the new Star Wars Battlefield game or whatever it's called? It looks practically movie-theater quality. Whenever you give someone a ride that primarily depends on digital screens for the thrills, that's the home entertainment you're up against. In other words if the video screen and the animation is the core of the ride, forget about it. You had better build extremely good motion into the ride. Smooth and exhilarating, not jerky and teeth-rattling.

I give Forbidden Journey a pass because the Kuka arm has fairly impressive, exciting movement and the land, the queue and the ride itself are very elaborate and generously detailed.

Spiderman I give a 'fail' to because the motion is too jerky for me. Likewise Dinosaur which is another non-coaster wheeled vehicle failure. Cramming a ride into a small space and using jerkiness to make up for a lack of speed. Test Track passes because it has space and speed.

Simpsons beats Star Tours because with a very large theater they can use the space to provide more thrilling, less-jerky movement.

Pirates passes because although not fast, it has a lot of motion and a pretty generous amount of space with lots of visual interest at every turn.

So that's what I'm looking for in Star Wars Land ... or in any new attraction. A generous use of space, motion and speed. Any 2 of those will do.

 

[Josh Hendy]

So you think a coaster would be more immersing and better for a star wars themed Land? Personally I would love a pirate of the caribbean type ride. Not meaning a boat ride but one where you see scenes from the movie interacting. I liked to feel like I'm a part of things a tdisney..if I just want thrill rides go to a coaster park like ceder point. The happy medium would be something like the spiderman / transformers tech.

A slow, dark ride with 3D movement such as the Doom Buggies or a ride system similar to Peter Pan could also work well. Even if it isn't fast or thrilling, the feeling of moving in 3D is exhilarating. In just about any scene in any Star Wars movie there would be plenty of visual interest in being able to move up, down and around and watching the action, whether it's a light-saber duel, spaceship battle, droid auction or whatever.

One ride like the above, plus one large-scale coaster-type ride and I would be very satisfied.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Anyone who suggests that there's "no difference" between spiderman, harry potter, and star tours is just not being honest.

i'm not trying to pump universal - i'm not trying to bash disney… i've loved star wars for decades and honestly could take or leave harry potter and most of marvel…

but you have to be fair. If i have to be fair with looking for reasons to credit disney (tough go of it today)…then you should really look in the mirror and not bother with the embarrassing comparison on a public forum.

"oh please…not another coaster"??
...because they have really been "grinding out the thrills" at disney…an engineering failure around a medium ride over at ak 10+ years ago and the zippy,dippy,skippy with the fat bellies from be our guest over at MK…just too intense, huh?

i'm tough, i'm harsh, i take it too far…but come on there, Susquehanna Pom Poms…seriously?

how low can the bar go at this point?

 

[vandy]

I, for one, will be cautiously optimistic. Concept art is just that, concept, and sometimes difficult bringing to life. I am pleased with what was announced and just hope that the finished product is just as good.

 

[Josh Hendy]

I'm trying to imagine something like this built into a corner of DHS.



It has kind of a "Islands of Adventure Gateway" crossed with Pandora vibe. Is that a dead tree stump with woodpecker holes? A new planet or has Endor been deforested? The architecture looks kinda like what would be built by refugees from Naboo (or maybe Alderaan).

Will the lands at DL and DHS be clones w.r.t. the planetscape that will be represented?

 

[DDLand]

I'm trying to imagine something like this built into a corner of DHS.

View attachment 116569

It has kind of a "Islands of Adventure Gateway" crossed with Pandora vibe. Is that a dead tree stump with woodpecker holes? A new planet or has Endor been deforested? The architecture looks kinda like what would be built by refugees from Naboo (or maybe Alderaan).

Will the lands at DL and DHS be clones w.r.t. the planetscape that will be represented?

From what we know about it, it's on the outer rim and it's a hot spot in the fight for the resistance v. 1st order. It seems like some smuggling may be involved... This planet has never appeared in any of the movies, and I'm wondering if it ever will. With them basically going MCU, it wouldn't shock me.

 

[Eoghann]

Yeah my family loves Simpsons for example, but I could not get any of them except for one DD (of three) to go on Star Tours with me more than once. Not that I thought the ride was very thrilling, but I was determined to ride on it until I saw more of the planets.

There is another factor involving video-screen based rides ... did anyone see the youtube video caps of the new Star Wars Battlefield game or whatever it's called? It looks practically movie-theater quality. Whenever you give someone a ride that primarily depends on digital screens for the thrills, that's the home entertainment you're up against. In other words if the video screen and the animation is the core of the ride, forget about it. You had better build extremely good motion into the ride. Smooth and exhilarating, not jerky and teeth-rattling.

I give Forbidden Journey a pass because the Kuka arm has fairly impressive, exciting movement and the land, the queue and the ride itself are very elaborate and generously detailed.

Spiderman I give a 'fail' to because the motion is too jerky for me. Likewise Dinosaur which is another non-coaster wheeled vehicle failure. Cramming a ride into a small space and using jerkiness to make up for a lack of speed. Test Track passes because it has space and speed.

Simpsons beats Star Tours because with a very large theater they can use the space to provide more thrilling, less-jerky movement.

Pirates passes because although not fast, it has a lot of motion and a pretty generous amount of space with lots of visual interest at every turn.

So that's what I'm looking for in Star Wars Land ... or in any new attraction. A generous use of space, motion and speed. Any 2 of those will do.

A lot of this comes down to personal preference and I would not be surprised if mine was a minority view. Test Track is passable. Done it once, not really interested in doing it again. Where as Star Tours, Dinosaur, Transformers are do them every time rides in my book. Speed isn't particularly enjoyable to me but jerkiness really doesn't bother me at all.

 

[soniam]

Star Wars weekends are not going anywhere and that is all they will say. Yes, I am one of the ones that said Star Wars weekends are going away, but that will be after, or when, the new Star Wars land opens. 5 years off, probably. They will not own up to that now. Don't expect them to say anything other than SWW is staying put.

You are not the only one that said it could be going away. There are many of us who are currently planning trips for SWW 2016. We are concerned about how Season of the Force will affect SWW. Will they still do the autograph sessions, shows, M&Gs, the parade, and special meals? Will it be at the same time as it normally is? Even people who are normally in the know about SWW, do not know what's happening. There's a chance that nothing will change. The Parks Blog didn't answer the SWW questions either. So, we just want to know, so that we can continue our plans. I do that technically SWW will go away after the land opens; however, if they are smart, they will still have a time when they do the autographs and shows, because Star Wars fans expect that sort of thing.

 

[minnie-apple-mouse]

I'm trying to imagine something like this built into a corner of DHS.

View attachment 116569

It has kind of a "Islands of Adventure Gateway" crossed with Pandora vibe. Is that a dead tree stump with woodpecker holes? A new planet or has Endor been deforested? The architecture looks kinda like what would be built by refugees from Naboo (or maybe Alderaan).

Will the lands at DL and DHS be clones w.r.t. the planetscape that will be represented?

Seems hard to believe they can make it look like that.

 

[DDLand]

Seems hard to believe they can make it look like that.

They're going to be pros after building Pandora. I can see it now!

 

[Eoghann]

The 5 year plans are for their benefit...it's not like they aren't capable of better. We all know they are...based on their history and being shown up by Comcast across town with Increasing frequency.

The entirety of EPCOT...the largest private construction project in world history for about 15 years after it opened...was about 4.5 years flat...
Same with animal kingdom.

It's mind over matter... They make it money over matter

Oh it's entirely for their benefit. They could do it faster, but they're not going to. I wouldn't expect to ever see the "old Disney" come back. This is how public companies work these days, it's all about the quarterly earnings call. The only exceptions I can think of are public companies that are still run by their original owners.

The only reason Universal is able to shovel money at their parks right now is because they are starting from such a comparatively low point in terms of visitors. Once that changes, watch the investment slow down there too. Unfortunately there's no amount of money that Disney could throw at Disney World that would trigger the sort of uptick Universal is seeing. So what we will get is staged improvements with the cost spread out over as many quarters as possible so the shareholders don't complain.

Like it, don't like it. Go, don't go. Those realities aren't changing.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Oh it's entirely for their benefit. They could do it faster, but they're not going to. I wouldn't expect to ever see the "old Disney" come back. This is how public companies work these days, it's all about the quarterly earnings call. The only exceptions I can think of are public companies that are still run by their original owners.

The only reason Universal is able to shovel money at their parks right now is because they are starting from such a comparatively low point in terms of visitors. Once that changes, watch the investment slow down there too. Unfortunately there's no amount of money that Disney could throw at Disney World that would trigger the sort of uptick Universal is seeing. So what we will get is staged improvements with the cost spread out over as many quarters as possible so the shareholders don't complain.

Like it, don't like it. Go, don't go. Those realities aren't changing.

no disputing any of that…

a 5% drop in wdw attendance would alter the strategy entirely…don't doubt that.

or if people just stayed out of the giftshops for 6 months…you'd be amazed

 

[minnie-apple-mouse]

Oh it's entirely for their benefit. They could do it faster, but they're not going to. I wouldn't expect to ever see the "old Disney" come back. This is how public companies work these days, it's all about the quarterly earnings call. The only exceptions I can think of are public companies that are still run by their original owners.

The only reason Universal is able to shovel money at their parks right now is because they are starting from such a comparatively low point in terms of visitors. Once that changes, watch the investment slow down there too. Unfortunately there's no amount of money that Disney could throw at Disney World that would trigger the sort of uptick Universal is seeing. So what we will get is staged improvements with the cost spread out over as many quarters as possible so the shareholders don't complain.

Like it, don't like it. Go, don't go. Those realities aren't changing.

I will say I personally know 6 Union construction employees that are feeling even better (after this weekend) than they were for AK and D Springs.