UPDATED: IT'S HAPPENING!! Star Wars, Toy Story officially coming to DHS! Plus new Soarin'!

[mouseguy77]

Saw this on twitter. Maybe there is hope for the Muppets staying after all.

 

[patrickpiteo]

Nice but ..Knowing disney and how long they take to build it will be my great great great grandkids that get to enjoy it

 

[Dug720]

That's exactly how I feel about them. Same with Avatar, Star Trek, LotR, HP, etc. etc.

But that won't diminish my enjoyment of a well-executed, imaginative re-creation of the environments portrayed in those movies. Key word being "imaginative." IOW, "Soarin' over Pandora" (or Kashyyk) isn't really going to satisfy my theme-park expectations from Disney...neither would "It's a Small Empire" (referring to a boat ride passing dioramas of Coruscant).

Which is fine and is your right.

It is also my right to have an opinion that differs and to choose not to spend my money or time going there.

It's not like Disney will even notice that OMG there is ONE PERSON not going to the Studios!! I can only dream of having that much money and influence that my presence or absence would matter.

Besides, I'm sure that for every one of us apparent freaks who will avoid it, there are at least 10 more who will go because of it. And all it will do is send me to MK, EPCOT, or DAK - so they're not losing my money anyway.

 

[larryz]

Besides, I'm sure that for every one of us apparent freaks who will avoid it, there are at least 10 more who will go because of it. And all it will do is send me to MK, EPCOT, or DAK - so they're not losing my money anyway.

Don't be so hard on yourself! You can always look forward to the hard-ticket "Disney Character Experience" in which you'll get to meet 60 of your favorite (or not) characters in a one-hour, extensively photographed experience (for only $199 plus tax)...

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

BTW, I've heard rumors with opening dates ranging from 2018 through 2020 so hopefully we'll get some info on that too!

Timed for Episode IX release, maybe?

I need to figure out how to use Meerkat btwn now and 6pm.. ...

 

[Rachel In Red]

Great news!

 

[bdiddy]

We're so excited about this. Being born in 1975 and seeing Star Wars before I was 5 yrs old and growing up with two brothers, it was such a big part of my childhood, I couldn't be happier about this. I would love to see some more Pixar stuff too though.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Here's roughly 14 acres.

This really puts Muppets in more jeopardy than I thought...

Saw a post on another site that mocked up 14 acres by enveloping Indiana Jones and portions behind and beyond it rather than Muppets etc. Will be interesting to see where it is... though I can honestly say I DON'T CARE!! I've been dying to walk into a SW movie since 1980!! BRING IT!!

 

[amylevan]

I am a fan of DISNEY. I don't care how many mergers they have, TO ME Star Wars will never fit in with DISNEY. My opinion and I am entitled to it.

Just wanted to point out that Pixar is only Disney due to a merger. So, Pixar is no more Disney than Star Wars.

 

[Huggups]

Hallelujah! I just wish Disney wasn't sooooo slow getting these things built. I'll be on social security by then!

 

[larryz]

Hallelujah! I just wish Disney wasn't sooooo slow getting these things built. I'll be on social security by then but very excited and it will also give me time to pick out a good walker.

Well, maybe by then WDW will have a "Social Security Special" -- you sign over your Social Security benefits, and they'll let you into the park.

 

[AThrillingChase]

I'll never understand this line of thinking. I didn't even see Avatar, no interest at all, but I'm over the moon about Pandora opening! It's going to be spectacular.

Being a fan of the Disney Parks is in part being a fan of the details, the wonder, the scale, the total immersion in a different, make believe world - how can you not want to see that? It's what Disney does so well. It is Disney!

Very well said! I am not that excited for Pandora, but I am also not going to go to a thread where title and tone is fans of the film getting together and excited for the developments and tell them it sucks. Lol. Perhaps that discussion is best left for its own thread.

From those drawings, they are really going big with this one. I do wonder what type of ride we will get as well. Maybe they will do a mash up of star tours and a more coaster type ride so it isnt just another simulator?

 

[DebbieB]

Absolutely, I TOTALLY get that. I just am seeing it so close to Star Tours... Unless they moved Star Tours, it's really hard to see how they could construct a land that wouldn't eliminate the Streets of America.

Since it is no longer a working studio, I don't see the point for Streets of America. Osborne Lights could be moved.

 

[Dug720]

Just wanted to point out that Pixar is only Disney due to a merger. So, Pixar is no more Disney than Star Wars.

True. But to me it fits in much better.

Again, my tiny little minority opinion. It's not going to change anything.

They are not going to be all "OMG! Guys? Dug720 doesn't like Star Wars! We have to stop this."

And I am one less person you'll have to fight for a FP+. So be happy that a few of us don't like it.

 

[BudgieMama]

Excited!

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Like the blog said, two attractions in each of the 14 acre lands. Expect to see a Moss Eisley Cantina-like dining experience and quite a few shops and an expanded JTA. At DHS, Star Tours will be the land's third attraction, though not sure about plans for Disneyland's ST. Locations and opening dates are still unknown, but we might get a few more details at 6 tonight during the P&R panel, which you can watch live at wdwnt.com! There, we'll probably see more of a focus on the technically still unannounced Pixar expansion at DHS.

BTW, I've heard rumors with opening dates ranging from 2018 through 2020 so hopefully we'll get some info on that too!

No Periscope?? I guess I could try Meerkat... ...

 

[cigar95]

That having been said, they did say that Disneyland was getting 14 acres. Maybe DHS will be smaller and go in the other direction (e.g. over Indy)

Part of it will come from filling in Echo Lake, so that's certainly in the other direction. For a long time, the plan had been to keep Indy because it's so valuable as an amphitheater for other events, but that may eventually change with the construction of the new multi-use facility at the north end of the park.
Given the size of the area, that lends some credence to the reports that phase III of the expansion will be on the other side of World Drive. But there will be a lot of reconfiguring, including (thankfully!) enlarging and rerouting the entry road from Buena Vista Drive.

Meanwhile, I just wish they'd announce formally the name of the Pandora expansion so that we can put the silly name "Avatarland" to rest.

 

[kmb584]

I guess I'll start planning my 6-year-old's high school graduation trip to be there for the opening!

 

[DLgal]

Absolutely, I TOTALLY get that. I just am seeing it so close to Star Tours... Unless they moved Star Tours, it's really hard to see how they could construct a land that wouldn't eliminate the Streets of America.

They could just as easily use the land above Star Tours, taking out Echo Lake, the stunt show, etc. Star Tours would be at the back of the land.

 

[Ladyfish77]

How can they call it an "Expansion" if they are just re-purposing current property/attractions. That's not an expansion. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.