Fantasyland & Avatar "blown" / compared to WWOHP (Really)? + Star Wars Land thoughts

[dinolounger]

Interesting take and I agree to a certain extent...

Disney's most popular longterm rides have been ones Where the theme/stories are just as popular as the ride themselves.

Cases in point...small world and pirates.

Does anyone think peter Pans flight would have an hour wait if people didnt love Peter Pan?

What's funny is defenders of all things Disney have an array of excuses...

With avatar ( unattractive IP)... It's "if they build
It right... Everybody will love it"

When Disney was doing nothing and universal starting adding/building things... It's "well... Sure they can build rides, but only Disney can do immersive theming"

And when universal took great IP, Harry potter, and made great theming and impressive technology and has trumped anything Disney has done for nearly 20 years...it's "Disney is so much bigger and better that they don't NEED to waste time doing that"

Hmmm...lots of Excuse...it seems. But excuses
From fans only protect Disney profits.

 

[wallrock]

thanks this is a great response. I think this is where I allow myself to err on the non guarded side as opposed to the more guarded. When I first came to this site, I couldn't believe how many posters seemed to "hate" Disney--- but as I read and learned, I came to realize that it is the "love" that drives the "hate". I get the "truth" behind the management's motives, but maybe don't feel a need to look so deep for the truth, or actually what may be perceived truth.

Here's a point-- the dangled carrot-- I have read from another poster the asked question " outside of these boards, how many people do you know (in regular life ) who are as Disney obsessed as we are?" I think I know one couple. Aside form them, many people I know will go to Disney every couple to 5 years.... THESE people have never heard of the avatar land plan, nor any of the things planned for HS, etc. The only reason we are all so informed of the coming attractions is because we strive to find out as early as possible. Even if they didn't make an announcement, someone would have found the permitting with the water district, and so on. Some of the blame falls to us, the crazy, for staying so up on the "rumors and news".

I'm glad you guys go into such depth in the business discussions-- I have gained a lot of perspective-- but chose to remain just above (in perspective) (not a derogatory comment)the rung of scrutiny that you guys are on.

You can say it's the koolaid or whatever you want. It's just a little more fun up here. And that is the only reason I do any of it.

Even if the glass is half empty, I like to think that they are trying to refill it.

You make some great points. The vast majority of visitors will be indifferent to the changes and are most likely just happy to have the time away.

On the more informed side, I think both Disney and the rabid fan base should take better accountability. The Mouse shouldn't take so long to develop something (and promise for years on end) and the die-hard fans who pursue every nugget of detail, hoping for that 'deep throat' informant that will spill the beans so they can be the first to blog and speculate, should instead present information wrapped in "hey, here's some news, but let's not pop the champagne cork yet because we don't know what this is".

 

[sportsfrk214]

Wanted to weigh in a bit on the Harry Potter vs. Star Wars debate in the theme parks.

I agree with many posters who have said that Star Wars is a larger property than Harry Potter. While Star Wars certainly has the benefit of having been around much longer, there is no doubt that at least at this point in time, it caters to a larger audience than Harry Potter.

But I really wonder about Star Wars Land. I've been to Harry Potter World since the addition of Diagon Alley, and so therefore I have seen the entire experience. And I can honestly say, I've have never had such an immersive experience in a theme park before, and I think Disney will be hard pressed to replicate it with Star Wars.

Universal is lucky - Harry Potter is an incredibly rich universe that lends itself very well to a theme park adaption. Universal simply took what HP already had and ran with it. But we always talk so much about how a good theme park should immerse you fully, where all the elements work together, and in that sense HP delivers on every note.

First, you have the locations. Going from London, to Diagon Alley, to the Hogwarts Express, to Hogsmeade, to Hogwarts itself is a totally immersive experience that closely replicates what was experienced in the books and movies. You truly feel as if you were dropped into this world, and are experiencing it as the characters in the story would. I remember being so immersed in the experience that when I left these lands to re-enter their respective parks, the rest of the theme park felt like reality.

Then, you have all the little things that add up to make a full experience. Buying a wand there is an almost religious experience, and a must-have souvenir. As if the wands weren't cool enough as is, you can now use them to perform "magic" throughout the lands. Then you can buy robes which match the ones that Hogwarts students would be wearing. And do I even need to mention the Butterbeer? They have crafted an iconic beverage that no trip to HP world would be complete without. The main point here is that they took existing elements from the novels and movies, and leveraged them into things that as a total package create a fully immersive and very rewarding experience - and very profitable for Universal.

Which brings me to Star Wars. While I do not doubt that Star Wars Land would be a massive hit, and I myself would love it since I'm a huge Star Wars fan, I fail to see how that land would be able to match HP in terms of immersion. First, there's the very obvious problem of which locations from the movies would you build in the parks? Would you just choose one, or multiple ones? If you choose multiple ones, would the transition between the two be as seamless as the transition from Diagon Alley to Hogsmeade? Would there be a spaceship ride to transport you from one to the other, or would you just walk between them. What locations in Star Wars are truly iconic (like Hogwarts, Diagon Alley) and would be able to be built practically and convincingly in a theme park?

And what about other elements? Would lightsabers be as popular and as magical as wands? While the wands obviously don't have any inherent magical ability outside of the parks, they seem to be more accessible than a lightsaber would be. Will plastic lightsabers with plastic cones coming out from it representing the "blade" be as popular as wands? The thing about the wands is that they're extremely well made - when you hold one, you feel as if you are actually holding a wand, and that adds to the desire to buy one. Would lightsabers be able to achieve that?

And what about food and beverage? We have seen Disney twice (in Cars Land and in Gaston's Tavern) try to capitalize on the Butterbeer fad by crafting their own signature beverages. But what such beverage or food exists in the Star Wars universe? I for one can't think of anything notable. They would need to come up with something entirely new that doesn't exist in the movies. There is no iconic food item in the Star Wars series that people are dying to try in real life.

I speculate a lot of course. Disney is my favorite place on earth, and they never cease to amaze me with what they have done. I have no doubt they can create a Star Wars Land that is extremely popular and has a lot of great elements to it. But on the surface, it seems it will be very difficult to create the same fully immersive experience that Universal has created with Harry Potter. That world just lends itself to the theme parks so well, and Disney will need to pull off something special to do the same with Star Wars.

 

[wallrock]

Wanted to weigh in a bit on the Harry Potter vs. Star Wars debate in the theme parks.

I agree with many posters who have said that Star Wars is a larger property than Harry Potter. While Star Wars certainly has the benefit of having been around much longer, there is no doubt that at least at this point in time, it caters to a larger audience than Harry Potter.

But I really wonder about Star Wars Land. I've been to Harry Potter World since the addition of Diagon Alley, and so therefore I have seen the entire experience. And I can honestly say, I've have never had such an immersive experience in a theme park before, and I think Disney will be hard pressed to replicate it with Star Wars.

Universal is lucky - Harry Potter is an incredibly rich universe that lends itself very well to a theme park adaption. Universal simply took what HP already had and ran with it. But we always talk so much about how a good theme park should immerse you fully, where all the elements work together, and in that sense HP delivers on every note.

First, you have the locations. Going from London, to Diagon Alley, to the Hogwarts Express, to Hogsmeade, to Hogwarts itself is a totally immersive experience that closely replicates what was experienced in the books and movies. You truly feel as if you were dropped into this world, and are experiencing it as the characters in the story would. I remember being so immersed in the experience that when I left these lands to re-enter their respective parks, the rest of the theme park felt like reality.

Then, you have all the little things that add up to make a full experience. Buying a wand there is an almost religious experience, and a must-have souvenir. As if the wands weren't cool enough as is, you can now use them to perform "magic" throughout the lands. Then you can buy robes which match the ones that Hogwarts students would be wearing. And do I even need to mention the Butterbeer? They have crafted an iconic beverage that no trip to HP world would be complete without. The main point here is that they took existing elements from the novels and movies, and leveraged them into things that as a total package create a fully immersive and very rewarding experience - and very profitable for Universal.

Which brings me to Star Wars. While I do not doubt that Star Wars Land would be a massive hit, and I myself would love it since I'm a huge Star Wars fan, I fail to see how that land would be able to match HP in terms of immersion. First, there's the very obvious problem of which locations from the movies would you build in the parks? Would you just choose one, or multiple ones? If you choose multiple ones, would the transition between the two be as seamless as the transition from Diagon Alley to Hogsmeade? Would there be a spaceship ride to transport you from one to the other, or would you just walk between them. What locations in Star Wars are truly iconic (like Hogwarts, Diagon Alley) and would be able to be built practically and convincingly in a theme park?

And what about other elements? Would lightsabers be as popular and as magical as wands? While the wands obviously don't have any inherent magical ability outside of the parks, they seem to be more accessible than a lightsaber would be. Will plastic lightsabers with plastic cones coming out from it representing the "blade" be as popular as wands? The thing about the wands is that they're extremely well made - when you hold one, you feel as if you are actually holding a wand, and that adds to the desire to buy one. Would lightsabers be able to achieve that?

And what about food and beverage? We have seen Disney twice (in Cars Land and in Gaston's Tavern) try to capitalize on the Butterbeer fad by crafting their own signature beverages. But what such beverage or food exists in the Star Wars universe? I for one can't think of anything notable. They would need to come up with something entirely new that doesn't exist in the movies. There is no iconic food item in the Star Wars series that people are dying to try in real life.

I speculate a lot of course. Disney is my favorite place on earth, and they never cease to amaze me with what they have done. I have no doubt they can create a Star Wars Land that is extremely popular and has a lot of great elements to it. But on the surface, it seems it will be very difficult to create the same fully immersive experience that Universal has created with Harry Potter. That world just lends itself to the theme parks so well, and Disney will need to pull off something special to do the same with Star Wars.

No confirmation anywhere that a Star Wars ‘land’ is coming, but as far as Disney needing to come up with something that compares with Harry Potter …I don’t think that will be the case. Harry Potter is a great merchandising machine, but it falls slightly short to number one.

No comparison between light saber souvenirs and magic wands. Plastic cones created for kids to battle the Dark Side with have been selling quite well for 37 years, and will probably continue to do so for the foreseeable future. If Harry Potter is doing the same with wands in 20 or even 15 years I’ll be impressed. Truly no sarcasm intended. The potential is there, but it’s a wait and see for now.

For your butterbeer comparison, the desire for Star Wars is so strong someone could sell blue milk and chunky applesauce at Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru’s Country Kitchen and it would be a home run. And here’s the key: it will work not because of what is being sold, but rather because of what intellectual property it’s related to.

Don’t get me wrong, Universal hit a home run with Harry Potter because of your theological reference to buying a wand and other experiences. The bottom line is merchandise, and as long as it flies off the shelf Comcast is happy. Right now Harry Potter is near the top with that potential and will probably rake it in for several years to come.

Which brings us to Star Wars, which is without question one of the best franchises ever in the merchandising world. I’ve mentioned in other threads, maybe even this one, that we’re seeing kiddos lining up at the Jedi Academy with parents that weren’t even alive when Return of the Jedi came out. We’re now into a second generation that wasn’t even conceived when ole’ George took us for a ride back in ’77 and the appetite is as strong as ever. All Disney will have to do is put something of value in the parks related to Star Wars (an additional attraction and themed restaurant), kick Star Wars Weekends up a notch (and make it a hard ticket event) and put a store in the middle that sells items you can’t get anywhere else and the masses will come ready to empty their pockets.

Does Harry Potter have the potential to match Star Wars in terms of popularity? Maybe, but time (and a few more movies and books) will tell. Right now the effort is greater for Harry Potter. Star Wars is really in its own category in this regard and won’t need to put forth as much effort to match or even beat Harry Potter at the merch game. They’ve got decades of experience, and now a company that excels at the game, backing them up.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

If you want to be honest...their are only two brands that are even in the conversation about biggest/best licensed or merchandised product...

One is Star Wars which has shaped consumer product in a way never imagined before it arrived...

The other...first licensed product ever being a tablet in 1929...

Was Star Wars current boss.

The theming of Harry potter is outstanding and SHOULD embarass Disney into trying to one up it...

But I'm sorry...it won't and doesn't need too...
Because Disney is very well insulated for
What they have done in the past.

And My main fear is that they are content to leave those achievements in the past.

 

[clsteve]

No confirmation anywhere that a Star Wars ‘land’ is coming, but as far as Disney needing to come up with something that compares with Harry Potter …I don’t think that will be the case. Harry Potter is a great merchandising machine, but it falls slightly short to number one.

No comparison between light saber souvenirs and magic wands. Plastic cones created for kids to battle the Dark Side with have been selling quite well for 37 years, and will probably continue to do so for the foreseeable future. If Harry Potter is doing the same with wands in 20 or even 15 years I’ll be impressed. Truly no sarcasm intended. The potential is there, but it’s a wait and see for now.

For your butterbeer comparison, the desire for Star Wars is so strong someone could sell blue milk and chunky applesauce at Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru’s Country Kitchen and it would be a home run. And here’s the key: it will work not because of what is being sold, but rather because of what intellectual property it’s related to.

Don’t get me wrong, Universal hit a home run with Harry Potter because of your theological reference to buying a wand and other experiences. The bottom line is merchandise, and as long as it flies off the shelf Comcast is happy. Right now Harry Potter is near the top with that potential and will probably rake it in for several years to come.

Which brings us to Star Wars, which is without question one of the best franchises ever in the merchandising world. I’ve mentioned in other threads, maybe even this one, that we’re seeing kiddos lining up at the Jedi Academy with parents that weren’t even alive when Return of the Jedi came out. We’re now into a second generation that wasn’t even conceived when ole’ George took us for a ride back in ’77 and the appetite is as strong as ever. All Disney will have to do is put something of value in the parks related to Star Wars (an additional attraction and themed restaurant), kick Star Wars Weekends up a notch (and make it a hard ticket event) and put a store in the middle that sells items you can’t get anywhere else and the masses will come ready to empty their pockets.

Does Harry Potter have the potential to match Star Wars in terms of popularity? Maybe, but time (and a few more movies and books) will tell. Right now the effort is greater for Harry Potter. Star Wars is really in its own category in this regard and won’t need to put forth as much effort to match or even beat Harry Potter at the merch game. They’ve got decades of experience, and now a company that excels at the game, backing them up.

Wall, I'm an original card carrying, stood in line for hours to see each of the 1st trilogy, SW geek.

But, just came back from DA and experienced the reaction of my 2 boys. They absolutely love Potter, but loved SW 1st and way before because Dad did and we watched it together well before they read and fell in love with Potter.

They were beyond blown away by every little detail of DA and it's immersion (as was I).

And that's now my biggest concern. If Disney blows Star Wars by not paying attention to detail and taking the brand seriously enough.... you lose them to the point of being angry

See where I'm going....? I doubt Rowling is ever going to let her brand be trivialized. You can just see it.

I'm just afraid that, if Lucas has sold out - who's going to be the gatekeeper over Disney...?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I'm just afraid that, if Lucas has sold out - who's going to be the gatekeeper over Disney...?

Lucas sold out long before bob Iger had a check cut to him...

The more time goes on...and the more research is completed...lead me to believe he's a farce that just happened to get lucky with some of his generals ideas.

So no worries on that front

 

[wallrock]

Wall, I'm an original card carrying, stood in line for hours to see each of the 1st trilogy, SW geek.

But, just came back from DA and experienced the reaction of my 2 boys. They absolutely love Potter, but loved SW 1st and way before because Dad did and we watched it together well before they read and fell in love with Potter.

They were beyond blown away by every little detail of DA and it's immersion (as was I).

And that's now my biggest concern. If Disney blows Star Wars by not paying attention to detail and taking the brand seriously enough.... you lose them to the point of being angry

See where I'm going....? I doubt Rowling is ever going to let her brand be trivialized. You can just see it.

I'm just afraid that, if Lucas has sold out - who's going to be the gatekeeper over Disney...?

I agree that there are factors at work here that can be a cause for concern for the fan base (I'm a card carrier too), but I don’t think Disney can trivialize Star Wars because I think it’s already there. The last trilogy could have been the death knell, but all it took was a new film to come along with a high profile director with a propensity for lens flare (sorry, I’m not an Abrams fan) to have it take off again.

No question that Rowling’s dedication to her creation vastly outweighs Lucas’, but I think that Lucas was more interested in the craft of what he was doing instead of the end product (I think the recent trilogy kinda confirms that). It just happens that his end product ended up turning the world on its side. Also Lucas was at it for decades before he literally sold out. Makes me wonder if 20 years down the road will Rowling take a few billion to walk away?

Disney is definitely the best at milking the cash cow to death, and quite honestly that may be what their desire is (much to our displeasure), at least with the core trilogy and its related offspring. If those get run into the ground the side adventures that are being created will be the next item Disney will work on.

I don’t think of Star Wars anymore as a series of films. It’s its own genre. Disney can have pretty much anything take place there and as long as there’s a small reference to foundation elements like The Force it stands a good chance for success. You can se the same thing in other franchises like Star Trek or James Bond– it keeps reinventing itself when the audiences tire of it, but no matter what you still have the dapper British agent saving the world or the Federation looking to make contact with another alien race. It’s a formula that somehow has worked for both for half a century. I think Disney can - and will - do the same with the galaxy far, far away...

 

[twebber55]

as Harry Potter has shown you don't have to have great merchandising abroad to have great merchandising within the parks...quality always wins out

in terms of theme park setting HP is a perfect set up for theme parks with one central location

star wars will always sell merchandise but will the land be the home run that HP was/is?

lets face it star tours is a solid not great attraction probably ranking fourth in terms of rides at a place ,lets face it, doesn't exactly have the greatest line up of rides

 

[lockedoutlogic]

as Harry Potter has shown you don't have to have great merchandising abroad to have great merchandising within the parks...quality always wins out

in terms of theme park setting HP is a perfect set up for theme parks with one central location

star wars will always sell merchandise but will the land be the home run that HP was/is?

lets face it star tours is a solid not great attraction probably ranking fourth in terms of rides at a place ,lets face it, doesn't exactly have the greatest line up of rides

Star tours has and will continue to be pathetic...

It represent the worst in both sides of the Disney/Lucas relationship...

Both bickered over control and the result was a bland, lack of appeal show that was designed to " appeal to everyone"...
And a giftshop dump.

My opinion...

Any "star wars land" should involve a torch to star yours...or a minimum - make star tours the "basic" attraction for the land.

This won't happen...but still

 

[clsteve]

I don’t think of Star Wars anymore as a series of films. It’s its own genre. Disney can have pretty much anything take place there and as long as there’s a small reference to foundation elements like The Force it stands a good chance for success. You can se the same thing in other franchises like Star Trek or James Bond– it keeps reinventing itself when the audiences tire of it, but no matter what you still have the dapper British agent saving the world or the Federation looking to make contact with another alien race. It’s a formula that somehow has worked for both for half a century. I think Disney can - and will - do the same with the galaxy far, far away...

I really hope you're right, because they only get one chance at the SW franchise.

Just looking at my 2 boys, they don't have the nostalgia factor - they're too young.

If it's a mediocre, overt, merch grab with only 7DMT/Little Mermaid ride innovation (and capacity).... not only will they be totally done with Disney, they'll laugh out loud.

And that's more dangerous long term than the slow head shake this 50-something year-old will do as I head to that cheesy Mos Eisly Cantina for whatever glow cube drink has the most alcohol

 

[Yellowstonetim]

As a card carrying SW fan since day 1, I and my son were ecstatic that Disney bought SW. They will do just fine. Disney is the absolute standard bearer in brand protection. I can't wait for the next movie.

And LockedoutLogic... Really? That negative about George Lucas?! You have to be kidding. For all his flaws he is a genius who has done a good job.

And I LOVE Star Tours. It was great when brand new, and I still like it. Love the simulator idea. Can something newer be done now? Well of course! Something newer can be done rather than Peter Pan, but I still like Peter Pan.

Harry Potter is, for the most part aside from a few GLARING mistakes, very well done, but Disney has, and will, do just as good if not better.

The glaring mistake is the huge building behind the HP castle that they didn't even try to hide. The first time we went to see HP, the first thing my son noted was how poor that was compared to Disney. Unlike Disney they totally forgot about height and hiding buildings. They didn't even paint it to look like the sky. Now inside the shops is great and very well done - as good as Disney. I still think Disney will surpass them with SW.

Another issue is that HP is, in one sense, one dimensional - the world looks like the world of HP. Whereas, SW is an entire universe of different planets and space. Disney can do so many different things! This will be a great advantage. All they need to do is build transitions and a story to support them (A SW version of the mirror the Beast gave Belle's father) then we will step from planet to planet and onto space ships. It will be awesome.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

An example of Disney doing it right: Here is a restored 1947 Chris Craft called Walt's Dream that will be in Disney Springs. Theming done right!

http://www.**************.net/photo...ow-as-walts-dream-comes-to-walt-disney-world/

 

[rteetz]

An example of Disney doing it right: Here is a restored 1947 Chris Craft called Walt's Dream that will be in Disney Springs. Theming done right! http://www.**************.net/photos/photos-disney-springs-detail-previewed-at-minneapolis-boat-show-as-walts-dream-comes-to-walt-disney-world/

I wonder how much it will cost to ride in that...
Also did Disney restore it or someone else.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

As a card carrying SW fan since day 1, I and my son were ecstatic that Disney bought SW. They will do just fine. Disney is the absolute standard bearer in brand protection. I can't wait for the next movie.

And LockedoutLogic... Really? That negative about George Lucas?! You have to be kidding. For all his flaws he is a genius who has done a good job.

And I LOVE Star Tours. It was great when brand new, and I still like it. Love the simulator idea. Can something newer be done now? Well of course! Something newer can be done rather than Peter Pan, but I still like Peter Pan.

Harry Potter is, for the most part aside from a few GLARING mistakes, very well done, but Disney has, and will, do just as good if not better.

The glaring mistake is the huge building behind the HP castle that they didn't even try to hide. The first time we went to see HP, the first thing my son noted was how poor that was compared to Disney. Unlike Disney they totally forgot about height and hiding buildings. They didn't even paint it to look like the sky. Now inside the shops is great and very well done - as good as Disney. I still think Disney will surpass them with SW.

Another issue is that HP is, in one sense, one dimensional - the world looks like the world of HP. Whereas, SW is an entire universe of different planets and space. Disney can do so many different things! This will be a great advantage. All they need to do is build transitions and a story to support them (A SW version of the mirror the Beast gave Belle's father) then we will step from planet to planet and onto space ships. It will be awesome.

Ok...where's the hidden camera?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I wonder how much it will cost to ride in that...
Also did Disney restore it or someone else.

Too much to be worth it...rest assured

Especially for a grand tour of saratoga

 

[BlackMagicWoman]

Got to agree about George Lucas, his second trilogy violated my childhood. Abrams has always said that he was a fan of Star Wars. I'm open minded and I hope that he can infuse it with some spark of the original trilogy.

Disney could create some real magic with Star Wars but I worry about their ability to continue to create immersive attractions. When I look at the detail in the Tower of Terror, I'm amazed and I don't see that detail in the new Fantasyland.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Got to agree about George Lucas, his second trilogy violated my childhood. Abrams has always said that he was a fan of Star Wars. I'm open minded and I hope that he can infuse it with some spark of the original trilogy.

Disney could create some real magic with Star Wars but I worry about their ability to continue to create immersive attractions. When I look at the detail in the Tower of Terror, I'm amazed and I don't see that detail in the new Fantasyland.

100% level headed...
And 100% inline with all those that neither apologize for Disney or george lucas.

Doesn't mean you can't/don't like them...but a fail is a fail no matter what label you slap on it.

 

[Planogirl]

Yellowstonetim, I love Star Tours too. In fact we are skipping DHS this year and my only regret is missing Star Tours. That aside, I think that Disney could come up with some amazing movies if they invest properly. Abrams is talented but I am hopeful that he will control the lens flare. I won't even think about the park expansion since my faith in that area is at such a low point right now.

By the way, we've been told that Universal is counting on trees and other vegetation to grow adequately to hide the building. I personally would have preferred that they hide it immediately or at least do something to make it interesting but we just pretend like it's not there.

 

[Suger Mag]

Yellowstonetim, I love Star Tours too. In fact we are skipping DHS this year and my only regret is missing Star Tours. That aside, I think that Disney could come up with some amazing movies if they invest properly. Abrams is talented but I am hopeful that he will control the lens flare. I won't even think about the park expansion since my faith in that area is at such a low point right now.

By the way, we've been told that Universal is counting on trees and other vegetation to grow adequately to hide the building. I personally would have preferred that they hide it immediately or at least do something to make it interesting but we just pretend like it's not there.

I will never ceased to be amazed by how vast the reactions can be to the same ride.... what one person calls pathetic... others love. COunt me and my family in on the side that really likes Star Tours ... and yes we like even the giftshop. I love the photo-shop there, and have several treasured family photos, spanning the years since we started visiting, of us as various 'Jedi'. I cannot imagine that someone who professes to love Star Wars, not being excited at the moment in Star Tours when you drop into the run to the final shot.